How is the critical path calculated in smartsheets?

Dan Harris

How does smartsheets calculate the critical path, via the shortest or longest path?

Thanks

itsnotbroken

Don't want to get into a textbook definition of Critical Path, but technically, it's the LONGEST time period of several dependent tasks. To speed up my project, I need to focus on those tasks.

In this example, The red line jumps past a group of tasks that are shorter than the next group.

Notice "Floor Prep" & "Floors" below. We cant put the floors in until the prep is done, but "Interior Paint" is longer, so the critical path goes thru "Interior Paint".

Basically, I need to shorten up anything in the red.

Notice that after "Move In", it jumps past the entire next set. That's not where my problem is. It's another LONGER set of tasks off the page.

Dan Harris

Thanks for confirming

MartinL

@itsnotbroken

I'm still trying to get my head around how the CP is calculated in SS.

In your example, if 'Floors' has a real dependency on 'Floor Prep' would you not capture that in the plan? If you had, would the CP be shown differently?

I have the situation on my plan where the CP 'starts' half way down the 1,200+ tasks but there are obvious predecessors!

TIA, Martin