Glossary

A schedule baseline is a frozen snapshot of an approved state, used as the reference against which execution variances are measured. Without an archived baseline, reliable progress reporting is not possible.

The critical path is the sequence of dependency-linked tasks that determines the total duration of a project. Any critical-path task that slips pushes the project end date by the same amount because its total float is zero.

A Finish-to-Start (FS) dependency requires that the successor task cannot start until its predecessor task finishes. It is the most common dependency type and the default in most scheduling tools.

The free float of a task is the maximum delay it can absorb without delaying the early start of its immediate successor. It is always less than or equal to the total float.

A milestone is a zero-duration event that marks a checkpoint on a schedule : a delivery, a decision, or a formal review. It carries no resource and no effort, and serves as a synchronization marker between stakeholders.

The total float of a task is the maximum delay it can absorb without pushing the project end date. A total float of zero means the task lies on the critical path.