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What Is The Difference Between Total Float and Free Float

Total float is the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project finish date. Free float is the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying successor activities. For activity F in the example, total float is 3 and free float is 0. For activity J, total float is 5 and free float is 2. Free float only occurs when activities converge on a successor. Obtaining glass has no float as any delay delays the whole window replacement project. Purchasing paint has some free float as there is time before painting while the putty dries, but choosing the paint type has no free float as it impacts the successor activity of buying paint.

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262 views3 pages

What Is The Difference Between Total Float and Free Float

Total float is the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the project finish date. Free float is the amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying successor activities. For activity F in the example, total float is 3 and free float is 0. For activity J, total float is 5 and free float is 2. Free float only occurs when activities converge on a successor. Obtaining glass has no float as any delay delays the whole window replacement project. Purchasing paint has some free float as there is time before painting while the putty dries, but choosing the paint type has no free float as it impacts the successor activity of buying paint.

Uploaded by

James Lewis
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What is the difference between Total Float and Free Float?

Total Float is the amount of time that an activity can be delayed from its early start
date without delaying the project finish date. Free Float is the amount of time that an
activity can be delayed without delaying the early start date of any successor activity.
PMBOK Guide definitions of Total Float and Free Float
Total Float: The total amount of time that a schedule activity may be delayed from its
early start date without delaying the project finish date, or violating a schedule
constraint. Free Float: The amount of time that a schedule activity can be delayed
without delaying the early start date of any immediately following schedule activities.
What is the formula for Total Float?
Total Float = LF - EF (or LS - ES)
where ES = Early Start, EF = Early Finish, LS = Late Start, and LF = Late Finish
What is the formula for Free Float?
Free Float = ES of next activity - EF
Quiz Time - Calculate Total Float and Free Float
Let’s understand the concepts with the help of an example. Refer to the Network
Diagram in the figure first. I’m assuming that you know how to work with a Network
Diagram and how to calculate ES, EF, LS, and LF for activities on a Network Diagram.
Click on the figure to download the network diagram as a PDF file.

Tota
l Float and Free Float Calculations (click to download as PDF)
Problem
What is the Total Float and the Free Float for Activity F and J?
Solution
The calculations are really simple.
For Activity F:
Total Float = LF of F – EF of F => 8 – 5 = 3

Free Float = ES of G – EF of F => 5 – 5 = 0


For Activity J:
Total Float = LF of J – EF of J => 8 – 3 = 5

Free Float = ES of G – EF of J => 5 – 3 = 2


Pro Tip
Free float can only occur when two or more activities share a common successor, or in
other words, when activities converge on a Network Diagram. In our example, only
activities F and J can have Free Float.
Exp-02
In the next section, let’s address the question posted by Dr. PDG in the comments.
Consider the process of replacing a broken pane of glass in the window of your home.
There are various component activities involved in the project as a whole; obtaining the
glass and putty, installing the new glass, choosing the paint, obtaining a tin once it has
set, wiping the new glass free of finger smears etc.
Some of these activities can run concurrently e.g. obtaining the glass, obtaining the
putty, choosing the paint etc., while others are consecutive e.g. the paint cannot be
bought until it has been chosen, the new window cannot be painted until the window is
installed and the new putty has set. Delaying the acquisition of the glass is likely to delay
the entire project - this activity will be on the critical path and have no float, of any sort,
attached to it and hence it is a 'critical activity'. A relatively short delay in the purchase
of the paint may not automatically hold up the entire project as there is still some
waiting time for the new putty to dry before it can be painted anyway - there will be
some 'free float' attached to the activity of purchasing the paint and hence it is not a
critical activity. However, a delay in choosing the paint, in turn, inevitably delays buying
the paint which, although it may not subsequently mean any delay to the entire project,
does mean that choosing the paint has no 'free float' attached to it - despite having no
free float of its own, the choosing of the paint is involved with a path through the
network which does have 'total float'.

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