Float
Scheduling Terms
Reviewed by forProject Technology - updated Sep 2026
Quick definition: Float (also called Slack) is the amount of time a task can be delayed before it affects other tasks or the project's finish date.
Float comes in two main forms. Total Float is the delay a task can absorb without impacting the project finish date. Free Float is the delay it can absorb without affecting any successor task. Tasks on the Critical Path typically have the least Float in the schedule, often zero.
What this means for you
Float indicates where the plan has flexibility and where it doesn't. Tasks with plenty of Float can slip a bit without consequence, while tasks with little or none need close attention.
Also known as
Slack
Used in
Critical Path Method scheduling; Critical Path identification
See also
FAQ
What's the difference between Total Float and Free Float?
Total Float measures delay tolerance against the project finish date; Free Float measures delay tolerance against only the next successor task, so Free Float is always less than or equal to Total Float.
Can Float be negative?
Yes. Negative Float means the current plan can't meet a date the schedule is required to meet. The cause doesn't have to be on the task itself. For example, if a later task has a Hard Constraint that can't be met, every task in the chain leading to it shows Negative Float. A Hard Constraint is only one of several possible causes.
Definition maintained by forProject Technology.
© 2026 forProject Technology, Inc.
© 2026 forProject Technology, Inc.
