In Primavera, when we use the default filter critical path, it shows only 1 critical path. In a complicated project, we might need to show also a “near critical” path.
Let’s explore how to do this by the following example project:

Press F9 – Click on Option

Click on the “Advanced” tab, and check the “Calculate multiple float paths” checkbox.
In “Display multiple float paths ending with activity”, select the last activity.
Choose the number of paths you want to display. For example 2 paths.

Click Close and Schedule.

Right-click on the activity table, click on Group & Sort

Choose Group By “Float path” and click OK

Now Primavera will show you 2 critical paths:
- Path 1: A – D – F – H
- Path 2: A – B – C – H

yes , its working the floats paths, if you then add in the group and sort “WBS” you can actually then identify the area that the path goes through, you can then assess each area.
if you are trying to do a recovery schedule and working in conjunction with the strategy and project team, you work through this to try and minimise the impacts.
remember you have done this from a “clean” new project as a demonstration, it be becomes more complex after a few updates and when there are sectional completion dates and constraints within the program,
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Hi. Thanks for your suggestion.
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Great tip, thanks for that
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Thank you so much. Now I need not waste my time tracing n tagging the diff path using activity code!!!
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That’s ok, but it doesn’t work for me. It may be because I have a programme that is in mid-project with lots of updates in the past. I have scheduled, using the Longest Path Option and then, on the advanced tab using the process described above. I calculated a total of five float paths.
When I reviewed the results I find that the Longest path, which I would expect to be contained entirely in Float Path 1 (as described in this blog), is actually spread across float paths 1 to 5. In fact, there are two activities in the longest path which are not classified in the float paths 1-5.
I have looked at this several times before with different projects but come up with the same result every time.
Any ideas?
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For project which has actual data, you should choose the Free Float option. Can you try it again?
I also have another article regarding critical path, you can read it here https://doduykhuong.wordpress.com/2016/01/12/create-critical-path-for-any-activity/
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Hi and sorry for asking the same question again, but refer to your reply why I should use the free float option for projects which have actual dates.
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Hi,
For project which has actual data, when you identify critical path based on Total Float, it may not be corrected.
Using Free Float in this case will give you accurate result.
For now I don’t have any example to prove it. But may be one day when I have one, I will post it 🙂
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Hi , thank for the amazing information, I have a question why you used total float and not free float.
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You can Choose this option to define critical float paths based on longest path
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Nice blog and i like to suggest Proventures for best primavera training institute in hyderabad
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thanks for that
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That was a great tip and extremely helpful. thanks
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Awesome, thanks!
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