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Schedule Visibility Task

Schedule Visibility Task (SVT)

Scheduling Terms Reviewed by forProject Technology - updated Sep 2026
Quick definition: A Schedule Visibility Task (SVT) is a task with no resources, shown in the schedule for visibility only, that represents work or waiting that affects the project but isn't part of its Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB).

SVTs make outside dependencies visible in the schedule logic instead of hiding them in a Lag or a constrained milestone. Typical uses are work performed by an outside organization such as the customer, work funded through capital or another contract, and wait time when nobody is working. Because an SVT is a real task, it can be updated, tracked, and seen on the Critical Path, which a Lag can't. An SVT sits outside the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB), so it shouldn't be used for subcontractor work or for in-scope work that simply hasn't had resources assigned.

What this means for you

Work outside the project's control still drives its dates. A customer review hidden in a 20-day Lag goes unwatched until it slips, but the same review modeled as an SVT can be tracked, reported, and escalated like any other task.

Also known as
N/A
Used in
Schedule network modeling; external and customer dependency modeling; Critical Path and Driving Path analysis

FAQ

When should an SVT be used instead of a Lag?
When the wait matters enough to watch. If it needs to be statused, is likely to differ from the planned delay, could land on the Critical Path, or matters for traceability to another schedule, model it as an SVT so it behaves like a real task.
Can an SVT carry budget?
No. An SVT has no resources and sits outside the PMB. Using one as a zero-budget Work Package is a misuse, because in-scope work belongs in the baseline.
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