Level 3 exam — Microsoft Project

Exam — fresh questions

12 questions to validate level 3 with Meriem, project manager at an engineering & construction (BTP) company in Algiers: critical path and float, resource overallocation, baseline, progress tracking and rescheduling.
Answer everything, then click Check: your score and explanations will appear.

3 · Recall

1. What is the critical path?

the sequence of zero-float tasks that sets the finish date the list of the most expensive tasks in the project the first task entered in the schedule a display colour chosen in the Gantt chart

The critical path is the sequence of zero-float tasks that determines the finish date: any delay on it pushes back the project.

3 · Application

2. Meriem wants to absorb a small contingency without moving delivery. Where does she act?

on the critical task, by compressing it straight away on a task with float, by shifting it within its slack on the first task of the schedule, by deleting it on all tasks at once, by shifting them

You use the float of non-critical tasks: a delay absorbed in the float does not move the finish date.

3 · Arbitration

3. To shorten a project, what is the right approach?

shorten the most expensive task in the schedule first reduce the duration of any task with float act on the critical path, then recheck the critical path delete a task to save time for sure

Only the critical path moves the finish: crashing or fast-tracking, then you recheck that a new critical path does not appear.

3 · Recall

4. What does a resource overallocation correspond to?

a resource whose cost exceeds the planned budget a task that starts before its planned date a dependency link forgotten between two tasks a resource loaded beyond its capacity over a period

An overallocation (overload) occurs when more than the available capacity is demanded: Project flags it in red.

3 · Application

5. Two tasks require the same site supervisor at the same time. What does Meriem do?

she shifts one of the two within its float she systematically adds a second supervisor she ignores the signal, the schedule remains valid she deletes one of the two tasks from the schedule

The cause is an overlap, not a shortage of staff: shifting the least critical task into its float is often enough.

3 · Recall

6. What is the baseline used for?

to print the Gantt chart neatly to delete tasks that have become useless to freeze the planned project so as to compare actuals to automatically distribute the resources

The baseline freezes the planned (dates, durations, work, costs): it is the comparison point that makes it possible to measure variances.

3 · Application

7. When should Meriem save the baseline?

at the very end, to archive the finished project after the first major delay observed from the first draft of the schedule, without thinking on the validated schedule, just before the start

The baseline is set on a finalised and validated schedule, before the start: too early it is unreliable, too late you lose tracking.

3 · Arbitration

8. A small adjustment occurs after the baseline. What does Meriem do?

she does not overwrite the baseline and lets the variance be measured she overwrites the baseline to stay consistent she deletes the baseline and starts over from scratch she freezes a new baseline every week

The planned must not move: you do not overwrite the baseline at every adjustment; in the event of a major revision, you add one without overwriting the old one.

3 · Application

9. What does the Tracking Gantt compare?

two project files opened side by side the actual bars and the baseline bars the resource costs and the validated budget the critical tasks and the tasks with float

The Tracking Gantt overlays real progress and the baseline: the variances (delay, overrun) become visible.

3 · Arbitration

10. For a costly task, which tracking does Meriem favour?

the % complete alone, faster to enter no tracking until the task is finished the actual work and the re-estimated remaining work a different colour for the task in the Gantt chart

The actual work and the re-estimated remaining work are more precise than the subjective % complete and feed costs correctly.

3 · Recall

11. What does the 'Update Project' function do?

it moves all the tasks in the Gantt chart manually it lengthens the duration of late tasks it deletes the unfinished tasks from the schedule it reschedules unfinished work after a given date

'Update Project' reschedules unfinished work after a given date — useful after a stoppage or a global delay.

3 · Application

12. A linked task runs late: what does Meriem do?

she moves all the following tasks manually she updates actuals and lets Project realign she deletes the task to start over cleanly she lengthens the duration to make up the delay

With linked tasks in automatic calculation, entering actuals is enough: Project realigns the successors and shows the impact on the finish date.

What's next?

Score ≥ 80%: move on to Level 4 — analysis, custom fields and visual reports with Meriem.
Score between 50% and 80%: go back over the section(s) you failed (3.1 critical path & float, 3.2 resource overallocation, 3.3 baseline, 3.4 progress tracking, 3.5 rescheduling), reread the lesson, then retake the test.
Score < 50%: reread the whole level 3 while applying each 48h challenge (critical path & float, relieving resources, baseline, progress meeting, rescheduling) before trying again.
And after that? Keep Meriem's reflexes — watch the critical path, use the float, freeze the baseline, track actuals and reschedule properly: level 4 connects them to analysis and reporting.