Free Critical Path Method Spreadsheet
A project typically consists of a list of activities to be carried out. Each of the activities may require different amount of time to complete and some of the activities may be interdependent on one another. For example, a particular activity may require another activity to complete before it can start. When the number of interdependent activities increases, the entire project becomes complex and difficult to understand. This complex list of activities is also known as the "Work Breakdown Structure" in project planning.
Critical Path Method (CPM)
The Critical Path Method (CPM) or Critical Path Analysis is an important technique for effectively managing the complex list of activities of a project. It uses a mathematically based algorithm to calculate a network model known as the "critical path" to help a project manager determine the following:
The Critical Path Method was developed by Du Pont in the 1950s and is now considered one of the most widely used technique in project planning and scheduling.
- How much time a project will require taking into account all the dependencies of the activities.
- Which activities are "critical" or "on the critical path" that need to be completed on time to avoid delaying the whole project.
- The slack time of the activities. An activity with slack time can be delayed without delaying the entire project. Activities not "critical" usually have slack time. One of the motivations of postponing an activity is the savings of labor and warehouse costs until it is necessary.
Critical Path Method Spreadsheet
This spreadsheet allows the project manager to perform project planning through the Critical Path Method. All the activities are first entered into the spreadsheet. This is followed by providing the amount of time required for each activity and specifying the dependencies. After which, a Gantt Chart will be automatically generated and the critical path of the project will be determined.
The critical path of the project is the sequence of project activities which add up to the longest duration. This is also known as the amount of time that the project will require. A delay in any of the activities on the critical path will result in a delay in the entire project.
Download Free Critical Path Method Spreadsheet - v1.0
Microsoft® Windows® 2000 ,Microsoft® Windows XP® and 2003, Microsoft® Windows Vista®, Windows 7
512 MB RAM
5 MB of Hard Disk space
Excel 2002, 2003, XP or Excel 2007
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FreeCriticalPathMethod_CPM.zip (Zip Format - 100 KB)
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Details PDF Specifications
- Allows removal of copyright message in the template
- Allows commercial use within the company
- 12 months Critical Path Method Gantt Chart schedule
- Independent Gantt Chart spreadsheet
- Allows customization
- Full source code
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