Free float is the amount of time a task can be delayed without affecting the scheduled early start of any of its immediate successor tasks. It is a subset of total float — confined to the gap between the current task's finish and the earliest start of the next task in the dependency chain, rather than the overall project end date.
Free Float vs. Total Float
Total float measures how long a task can delay without pushing the project end date later. Free float measures how long a task can delay without pushing any of its successors later. When a task has only one successor and that successor is on the critical path, free float and total float are typically equal. The difference appears when a task feeds into a longer parallel path, or when a task has multiple successors at different points in the network.
Consider a task with 4 days of total float. Its nearest successor's early start is 1 day away. That task has only 1 day of free float — using more than 1 day delays the successor, even if the project end date is not yet affected. The remaining 3 days of total float belong to the successor and the path beyond it, not to the current task acting alone.
When Free Float Matters
Free float is the operationally useful kind of float for day-to-day schedule management. If you want to defer work on a task without disrupting the next team in the sequence, free float tells you exactly how much room you have. Deferring within the free float range leaves the next handoff unaffected. Using more than the free float delays that handoff — which may or may not delay the project end date, depending on the successor's own total float.
This distinction matters when managing resource conflicts. A resource needed on two tasks simultaneously may be reallocated to the more constrained task, but only if the less constrained task has enough free float to absorb the delay without impacting its successors. Total float alone does not answer this question; free float does.
Free Float in Maverick
Maverick calculates both total float and free float for every task during the CPM computation. Tasks on the critical path have zero total float and zero free float. Tasks with positive free float have scheduling flexibility that does not cascade onto downstream work. Use the Gantt chart's critical path highlighting to identify which tasks are time-constrained and which carry available float.
Related Terms
Float · Critical Path · Task Dependency · Network Diagram · Schedule Compression
Manage Float with Confidence in Maverick
See exactly which tasks have scheduling flexibility and which are on the critical path. Maverick's CPM engine computes total and free float automatically and highlights the critical path in the Gantt chart. Start a free cloud trial.
Start the Free Trial