As employees transition into more digitized, complex, and versatile work environments, keeping track of projects, tasks, and other essential information can be complex.
Maintaining productivity and efficiency becomes increasingly challenging when staff members have different jobs across various apps. Fortunately, Microsoft has introduced a possible solution.
Microsoft Lists is an easily accessible app available to anyone with a Microsoft account, even those who don’t have a 365 subscription. An evolution of the “SharePoint Lists” application, Microsoft List is a convenient front-end platform where users can organize their data, ideas, tasks, inventory, and countless other pieces of information.
Business leaders can create custom lists for team members and leverage them to plan meaningful projects and events.
Here’s an introduction to everything companies can do with Microsoft Lists.
What are Microsoft Lists?
Microsoft Lists is one of the many popular productivity tools available from the Microsoft ecosystem. It’s a convenient platform where companies and individuals can track a wide range of data and information in one, aligned space.
Lists is an intelligent information-tracking app that supports users in configuring information and assets and sharing data with collaborating team members. The lightweight app is suitable for business users and individuals, with countless customization options available.
Users can start with a blank list and add relevant data or use a template to track tasks, work, trip schedules, itineraries, and more. It’s even possible to add specific templates to a “favorites” collection so that users can access them easily in the future.
Because Microsoft Lists integrates directly with Microsoft Teams, it’s perfectly suited for the age of collaborative work. Users can work simultaneously with their colleagues, tracking list information and conversations side-by-side.
It’s also possible to adjust the appearance of a list with calendar, grid, gallery, and custom views. Users can also highlight important details on lists with conditional formatting.
The application is accessible from any web browser and requires no additional downloads or software subscriptions. It also aligns seamlessly with a host of other Microsoft tools, so companies already invested in the landscape can combine more of their critical software solutions.
What Can Users Do with Microsoft Lists?
Microsoft Lists is more than just your standard “to-do list” app. Unlike many tools for taking notes already available within the Microsoft ecosystem, Lists comes with built-in tracking capabilities so that users can keep an eye on everything from inventory and contacts to routines and issues. The tool also merges user lists with all the existing Microsoft 365 apps they own.
This makes it easier to import data and information from Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and more. With Microsoft Lists, users can:
Create and Manage Rules:
Microsoft Lists has built-in automation functionality, which follows the if-this-then-that rule style. Users can create custom rules to automate reminders and notifications connected to their lists. For instance, it’s possible to notify a user when a deadline is approaching automatically.
The system also integrates with the Microsoft Power platform, so users can create productivity apps using their lists as their primary data source. It’s possible to extend forms with Power Apps and customize workflows using Power Automate.
To create and manage rules in Lists, users need to click on the “Automate” drop-down menu and select “Create a rule.” From there, they can set a condition for when someone should be notified, such as when a new item is created in a list. Rule conditions can be altered by clicking on each underlined word in the automation sentence.
Collaborate on Lists in Teams:
As mentioned above, Lists works cohesively with Microsoft Teams, supporting companies in building collaborative workflows. Users can access, share, and create lists within the Teams application without leaving a meeting or brainstorming session.
Within the Teams app, users also have complete control over how they and other users can view a list. For instance, users can create lists in the calendar view to show when specific deadlines are approaching. There’s also the option to include filters for custom views.
Users can also comment on lists, set up reminders, and configure the list information according to their specific needs. Lists also give users various ways to share information with colleagues and clients. Users can share an entire list or just a few selected items. Plus, there are data protection options such as read-only access, edit access, expiry dates, and password protection.
Keep track of Important Information:
One of the key features of Lists is its ability to track crucial information in real time. Various pre-built templates within the Lists ecosystem help users monitor important data. For instance, users can create an “Event Itinerary” to monitor speaker names and emails, speech start and end times, and room capacity.
There’s also an “Asset manager” list available, which helps business leaders to keep track of which each member of the team is using assets. The system can also send status updates for assets with insights into the check-in and check-out dates and which items are in repair.
Users can even transform their lists into project management tools, adding tasks to each list and assigning them to individual staff members with workflow automation rules.
Improve Productivity and Customer Service
The templates included in the Microsoft Lists app are perfect for boosting productivity across various work environments. For instance, users can use their app to track a blog, website, or social media content posting strategy, with rules for notifications and reminders.
There’s an onboarding checklist template that helps with enhancing client and employee onboarding experiences. The included automation rules make it simple to streamline everything from client invoicing to billing and delivery.
Plus, users can access an “issue tracker template to convert lists into an effective tool for client relationship management. Users can set specific rules for each item in the issue list and automatically update employees when changes occur.
Discovering the Power of Microsoft Lists
With a comprehensive resource center already available to users and step-by-step guidance for beginners, it’s effortless for any business to discover the benefits of Microsoft Lists for themselves. This unique tool helps to boost productivity and efficiency while giving teams new ways to streamline and automate their work processes.
From planning tasks to staying one step ahead of customer experience, Microsoft Lists has something to offer in various use cases.
