Workflow Simulator
Enter each step with its duration and dependencies to calculate the critical path, total completion time, and how much slack every other step has.
Define Workflow Steps
How to use Workflow Simulator
- Use these example values as a starting point: Format: Step: duration(days): depends_on e.g. Design: 3: Backend: 5: Design Frontend: 4: Design QA: 2: Backend, Frontend Deploy: 1: QA. Use Load Sample to try example data first.
- No additional settings need to be configured.
- Run the tool with Run Simulation.
- Review the results, then choose an output control: Export CSV.
Finding the critical path without a Gantt chart tool
Knowing which steps in a project actually determine the finish date — the critical path — usually means setting up a full project-scheduling tool for what might be a five-minute question. Entering steps with durations and dependencies here runs the same critical-path method (CPM) calculation and gives you the answer directly.
Reading slack and the critical path
Steps with zero slack are on the critical path — any delay there delays the whole project. Steps with slack have room to move without affecting the overall timeline, which is useful for deciding where you can safely absorb a delay versus where you can't.
What does "slack" mean here?
How many days a step could be delayed without pushing back the project's overall finish date. Zero slack means the step is on the critical path.
Can a step have more than one dependency?
Yes — list them comma-separated after the colon, e.g. QA: 2: Backend, Frontend means QA depends on both Backend and Frontend finishing first.
What if I accidentally create a circular dependency?
The simulator detects it and reports exactly which steps are involved, rather than silently producing a wrong answer.