Have You Checked Out Microsoft Planner?

Plans. We all have plans. Are you planning on using a planner to plan your plans?

Great digital business tools are available for everything, from your browser to your CRM (Customer Relationship Management), but don’t forget about the time you spend with calendars, task lists, and project planning software. Many people use Microsoft’s apps to power these processes, including Planner, Microsoft To Do, and Project for the web.

We rely on tools like these to help keep our processes on track and enable task accountability. The problem is that they are typically separate apps. Constantly switching between apps can be tedious and cumbersome, adding more complexity to a workflow. If only someone could figure out how to combine them…

But wait! There’s more! Microsoft has been on this for a while now, and it’s already helping to relieve ‘app overload.’ The company rolled out a brand-new version of Microsoft Planner in early 2024, and it’s picking up steam. It’s packed with exciting features designed to simplify your project management journey. Read on if you’ve had enough of switching to different apps for everything, and always consult with your IT services provider for their insights.

End-users switch between 22 different apps 350 times per day on average.

About the New Microsoft Planner

MS Planner continues to evolve, and the new Microsoft Planner is a unified work management experience that combines the simplicity of Microsoft To Do, the collaboration of Planner, the power of Project for the Web, and the intelligence of Microsoft Copilot. Below you will see the best of the ‘old’ combined with the recent ‘new,’ including:

The current Planner’s collaboration features

The simplicity of Microsoft To Do for task management

The capabilities of Microsoft Project for the web

The automation of Microsoft Copilot (the AI companion)

Microsoft’s new Planner promises to be a powerful tool for staying organized, boosting collaboration, and achieving your goals with more ease.

Tasks, Plans & Projects in One Place

You have no need to keep juggling several apps with the Planner’s new streamlined experience. The Planner goes beyond basic to-do lists, seamlessly integrating tasks, plans, and projects under one roof.

What does that mean? It enables you to manage everything from large to small, from simple daily tasks to complex multi-phased projects - all within a single, intuitive interface.

The planner is accessible from within Microsoft Teams or with a web browser. Here are a few of the exciting things you will be able to do with it.

Enhanced, Easier Collaboration:

Quality collaboration is what fuels success in today's fast-paced business world. Given the vast number employees who still work remotely, tools need to keep people coordinated wherever they are.

The new Planner facilitates employees working together seamlessly, with real-time updates that ensure everyone stays on the same page. Features like shared task ownership and comments foster clear communication and efficient collaboration.

AI-Powered Insights with Smart Copilot

When Microsoft combined the power of AI with MS Copilot and built it into the new Planner, you got an intelligent assistant that helps you stay on top of your work by suggesting relevant plans, tasks, and goals based on your needs and context. It can even analyze your progress and suggest adjustments to keep you on track.

Scale Your Needs:

MS Planner understands that one size often doesn't fit all, so it offers flexibility to cater to both individual needs and complex enterprise projects. It can adapt to your specific requirements, making it flexible and able to fill big or small needs. Use it for everything from managing a personal grocery list to planning and deploying a large-scale company transformation.

Pre-Built Templates Save Time:

There’s no need to start back at ‘square 1,’ because Microsoft Planner provides several ready-made templates. You can use these to get started on a new project or goal quickly.

What some of these pre-built templates help with:

Project Management

Software Development

Sprint Planning

Marketing Campaign

Commercial Construction

Employee Onboarding

and more

Key features of the new Microsoft Planner:

Better Navigation: A redesigned interface makes finding what you need faster and easier.

Enhanced Task Views: For a better perspective, you can look at things from several angles with different views, like grid and board views. These let you customize how you see and organize your tasks.

East App Integration with Microsoft Tools: Microsoft makes sure that its new apps integrate easily with its existing apps and Planner integrates with many Microsoft tools including Power BI, Teams, Microsoft Viva Goals, Power Automate, and more.

Simple Field Customization: Adding custom fields to tasks is a snap. Use them to capture specific information relevant to your project needs.

Improved Goalsetting: Define clear goals and track progress visually within your plans.

Set and Follow the Critical Path: Identify the essential tasks needed to complete your project on time.

Improved Search: Find the information you need quickly and easily. The app has powerful search functionality.

Access and Availability

This has been available for a while now, but Microsoft is still making improvements. You can visit Microsoft’s site to sign up for updates and see a feature roadmap.

Embrace the Future of Tasks, Planning, & Project Management

The new MS Planner is an example of a trend we’ve seen that’s picking up steam in the digital world: Less is more. You will have fewer apps to juggle and more streamlined interfaces.

When you consider all of Planner’s powerful features, you can see how it is an invaluable tool that both individuals and teams alike can leverage to streamline workflows. It also has an intuitive interface and AI-powered assistant to drive productivity.