The answer to “What is Microsoft Planner” has changed in the last year as the tech giant looks for new ways to streamline workflows for today’s distributed teams. In the past, Microsoft Planner was simply a web-based virtual task management application.
Included with most Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscriptions, Planner gave companies a way to create plans, assign tasks, talk about projects, and track progress. However, at Microsoft Ignite 2023, the company announced an upgrade to the Planner experience, unifying various other project management tools into a single ecosystem.
Now, Microsoft Planner combines an intuitive, collaborative workplace with To-do lists, Microsoft Tasks, and project management tools. Here’s everything you need to know about Microsoft Planner today and what it can do for your teams.
What is Microsoft Planner? The Basics
Microsoft Planner is a lightweight, mobile, web-based application offered as part of the comprehensive Microsoft 365 toolkit. Accessible through Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and other Microsoft applications, Planner helps keep hybrid and remote teams aligned in the flow of work.
At Microsoft Ignite 2023, the tech giant announced an upgrade to Planner, integrating Microsoft To Do, the Microsoft Tasks app, and Microsoft “Project” into a unified experience. These components will now be rebranded and connected under the “Planner” label.
As well as bringing various collaboration and productivity apps together in the same environment, Microsoft also announced a few updates to Planner, such as adding Copilot functionality. According to Microsoft, the average employee spends 57% of their time communicating, and 59% say their tools aren’t aligned with how they prefer to collaborate.
Copilot functionality within the Planner will allow team members to streamline various tasks, from searching for information to creating meeting agendas to AI tools. The generative AI assistant can draw information from meetings and other Microsoft assets to suggest to-do lists and projects. It can also help users to track the progress or “status” of various tasks.
What is Microsoft Planner? The Features of Planner
At its Ignite event in 2023, Microsoft said customers have been asking for ways to make their workflows more efficient and intuitive. This prompted the tech giant to combine the simplicity of Microsoft To-Do, Project, and Planner into a single solution enhanced by Copilot.
According to Microsoft, the new “Planner” experience can scale from simple task management capabilities to enterprise project management. The new app will be available within Microsoft Teams starting in Spring 2024.
The upgraded and aligned version of Microsoft Planner includes the following:
- Microsoft Project: Microsoft Project, available for desktops and the web, is a comprehensive project management app that allows users to quickly create and collaborate on projects. Multiple planning and view options are available, from Kanban-style boards, Gantt charts, and grids. Plus, Project allows users to track project progress in real-time.
- Microsoft To Do: Probably the most straightforward project management tool in Microsoft’s roster, To-Do is a straightforward app allowing users to list all their tasks and prioritize essential projects. You can create lists to organize your work, pull information from meetings and Outlook into a To Do list, and get recommendations for productivity from Copilot.
- Microsoft Tasks: The “Tasks app” in Teams, included in Microsoft Planner, features unique capabilities for organizations with frontline workers. For instance, you can define tasks to complete and implement “checklist completion requirements.” There’s also a Business scenario API to help users automate and simplify the creation of tasks.
The solution will also feature all the existing tools in Planner, allowing users to create workflows with drag-and-drop tools, assign tasks, collaborate through Teams, and leverage SharePoint integrations to manage data.
What is Microsoft Planner For? Use Cases and Opportunities
So, what is Microsoft Planner used for? Before unifying the Tasks, Projects, and To-Do list solutions in their ecosystem, Microsoft recommended different apps for different use cases. With the new Microsoft Planner, however, users will be able to manage entire projects and workflows in one convenient place and manage their own project plans.
With Microsoft Planner, users can now:
1. Simplify Plan Development
With the new Planner experience, users can quickly and easily develop plans, collaborate on project strategies, and access tasks and resources in the same place. You can manage your plans, projects, and tasks in one backend environment. Plus, Microsoft even offers a range of templates to help boost team productivity.
There are pre-built templates for everything from employee onboarding to software development roadmaps. These templates include all the essential elements and components users must consider when preparing their teams for success.
