Microsoft Planner, a versatile task management solution, provides organizations with a powerful tool to streamline their project workflows and enhance team productivity. As part of the Microsoft 365 suite, Planner serves as a centralized hub where teams can efficiently manage projects, coordinate tasks, and track progress in real-time. Its primary focus lies in simplifying project management, fostering collaborative teamwork, and creating structured planning processes that keep everyone aligned and informed.
This guide will walk you through Microsoft Planner’s robust capabilities (including the new Planner app), demonstrating how it transforms complex workflows into manageable tasks. We’ll explore its core features, including task creation, progress tracking, and team collaboration tools, while providing practical insights on maximizing its potential for various business scenarios.
For organizations seeking enhanced functionality, we’ll also examine alternative solutions, such as the Virto Kanban Board App for SharePoint Online & Microsoft 365, which can complement or extend Planner’s capabilities to meet specific business needs.
What Is Microsoft Planner?
In this section, we’ll explain what Microsoft Planner is, what it’s designed for, and how it can benefit both individuals and teams. We’ll also explore how the new Microsoft Planner builds on its predecessor by introducing innovative features like AI-powered task management, advanced project planning tools, and seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 apps.
Overview of Planner for Microsoft
Microsoft Planner is a powerful task and work management tool integrated into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Designed to help individuals and teams manage workloads effectively, Planner offers a versatile solution for organizing both personal tasks and collaborative projects. Whether you’re handling daily to-dos, managing team deadlines, or overseeing large-scale projects, Microsoft Planner simplifies the process with its intuitive, visually driven approach.
In 2025, Microsoft introduced a new version of Planner, which not only retains the simplicity and collaboration features of the original tool but also integrates capabilities from Microsoft To Do, Microsoft Project, and the AI-powered Microsoft 365 Copilot. This unified solution scales easily, making it suitable for everything from individual task tracking to enterprise-level project management.
What is Microsoft Planner designed for?
At its core, Microsoft Planner helps with:
- Personal task management: Stay on top of your own responsibilities and deadlines.
- Team project management: Organize and assign tasks, track progress, and ensure everyone is aligned.
- Deadline tracking: Monitor due dates and keep projects on schedule.
The tool’s hallmark remains its Kanban-style visual boards with task cards, which make it easy to break down complex projects into manageable tasks, categorize work, and track progress at a glance.
👉 What is Microsoft Planner used for? Microsoft Planner is used for organizing tasks, managing projects, and improving collaboration within teams. It’s ideal for breaking down projects into smaller tasks, assigning responsibilities, and tracking deadlines.
What is the new MS Planner and how it differs from the old one?
In this section, we’ll delve into what the new Planner offers, highlighting its key differences from the original Planner and other integrated tools like Microsoft To Do and Project for the web.
What is the new Microsoft Planner?
The new Microsoft Planner aims to be a single solution for various work management needs, from individual tasks to complex projects. It integrates features and functionalities from Microsoft To Do, the original Planner, Microsoft Project, and even incorporates AI assistance through Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Key differences from the old Planner:
- Unified experience: The most significant change is the consolidation. Previously, To Do, Planner, and Project for the web were separate applications. The new Planner brings these together into a single interface, accessible primarily through Microsoft Teams and a new web app. This means users can manage individual tasks, collaborate on plans, and oversee projects within one application.
- Enhanced capabilities: The new Planner inherits and expands upon the capabilities of the tools it integrates. This includes features like:
- Microsoft 365 Copilot (Preview): AI assistance for generating plans, tasks, and managing projects.
- Multiple views: Grid, Board, Schedule, Charts, Timeline, People, and Goals views offer various perspectives on work. Some views, like Timeline, require a paid license.
- Advanced project management features: Premium plans offer features like sprints, dependencies, custom fields, and workload management, bridging the gap between basic task management and more robust project management.
- Integration with Teams: The new Planner is deeply integrated with Microsoft Teams, becoming the primary way to access it. This facilitates team collaboration and communication around tasks and projects.
- Renaming and rebranding: The “Tasks by Planner and To Do” app in Teams has been renamed simply “Planner,” reflecting its expanded role. Project Plan 1, Project Plan 3, and Project Plan 5 have also been renamed to reflect the Planner integration (e.g., Planner and Project Plan 3).
- Licensing: While basic Planner functionality is included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions, accessing advanced features (like Timeline view or Copilot) requires a paid Planner and Project license (Plan 1, Plan 3, or Plan 5). Existing Project subscribers automatically gain access to these premium features in the new Planner.
Below is a comprehensive comparison of old Planner vs. new Planner:
| Feature | Old Planner | New Planner |
| Scope | Focused on basic task and team management. | Combines To Do, old Planner, and Project for unified work management. |
| AI integration | No AI features. | Integrated with Microsoft 365 Copilot (Preview) for generating tasks, plans, and tracking progress. |
| Task views | Offered Board, Grid, Schedule, and Charts views. | Adds Timeline (Gantt), People, and Goals views for advanced project tracking and planning. |
| Project management features | Limited to basic Kanban boards and task assignments. | Includes advanced features like sprints, baselines, portfolios, dependencies, and workload management. |
| Integration with Project | Separate from Project for the Web; no direct integration. | Fully integrates Project for the Web tasks into Planner, allowing seamless project collaboration. |
| Licensing | Included in Microsoft 365 with no access to advanced capabilities. | Premium features (e.g., AI, Gantt charts) available with Planner and Project Plan 3/5 licenses. |
| Data storage | Tasks stored in Azure. | Premium plan data stored in Dataverse, with automatic migration for upgraded plans. |
| Platform naming | Operated as a standalone app. | Fully integrated into Teams; “Tasks by Planner and To Do” renamed to Planner. |
| Collaboration features | Basic collaboration via Microsoft Teams. | Enhanced collaboration with tasks from Teams meeting notes, Loop components, and My Day/My Tasks. |
| Frontline worker features | Basic task publishing features. | Improved features like rich task notes, mandatory checklists, and targeted notification options. |
| Target users | Suitable for small teams and basic task management. | Scales from individual tasks to enterprise-level project management. |
| Advanced analytics | No advanced analytics or workload tracking. | Provides advanced workload management and Microsoft 365 Copilot insights for task analysis. |
The table above highlights how the new Planner builds upon the capabilities of the old Planner by introducing advanced project management features, AI integration, and seamless collaboration across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. The new Planner is designed to scale with both individual and organizational needs, making it a more comprehensive and intelligent solution.
👉 What is Microsoft Planner called now? Microsoft Planner is now called the “New Planner” or simply the “Planner” as part of the newly unified work management experience in Microsoft 365. This updated version combines the simplicity of the original Planner with the advanced features of Microsoft Project and the intelligence of Microsoft 365 Copilot. It’s designed to bring together task management, collaboration, and enterprise-level project planning in one streamlined tool. For more information on the new Planner, please refer to the Microsoft official documentation: FAQ about Microsoft Planner
Key features of Microsoft Planner
Microsoft Planner offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to enhance productivity and streamline work management across individuals and teams.
Below are Microsoft 365 Planner’s core tasks and project management features:
- Unified work management: Planner brings together task management (like To Do), collaborative project management (like classic Planner), and more robust project management (like Project for the web) into a single experience. This reduces the need to switch between different tools, improving efficiency and reducing the risk of information silos.
- Task creation and assignment: Easily create tasks, assign them to team members, set due dates, add descriptions, attach files, and create checklists to ensure all necessary information is readily available.
- Visual progress tracking: Utilize Kanban-style boards to visualize workflow. Tasks are represented as cards that can be moved across columns representing different stages of progress (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Completed). This provides a clear overview of project status at a glance.
- Multiple views: Access different views to analyze and manage your work, including Grid, Board, Schedule, and Charts. Premium plans unlock additional views like Timeline (Gantt), People, and Goals for more in-depth planning and tracking.
- My Tasks & My Day: Consolidated views of all tasks assigned to you across different plans, Teams meeting notes, and even Microsoft Loop components, facilitating prioritized task management.
👉 Learn more about using Planner in Microsoft Teams in our dedicated article on the topic: Microsoft Planner & Teams Guide.
Microsoft Planner’s collaboration and integration features include:
- Microsoft Teams integration: Deep integration with Microsoft Teams allows you to use Planner as a tab within channels, fostering seamless collaboration, task assignment, and progress updates directly within your team’s workspace.
- Microsoft 365 ecosystem integration: Works within the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem, connecting with To Do, Loop, Project and other services to centralize task management and improve cross-platform workflows.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot integration (Preview): For premium subscribers (excluding GCC, GCC High, and DoD tenants), Copilot provides AI assistance for generating project plans, tasks, buckets, and goals based on natural language prompts. It can also answer questions about your plan and help with adjustments.
👉 Just a heads-up: if you’re interested in integrating the new Planner with Outlook, be aware that the previous option to add Planner to Outlook has been deprecated and hasn’t yet returned to the Planner functionality. However, this could change, so we recommend following the official Microsoft Planner blog to stay updated on new features as they are rolled out.
When it comes to flexibility and accessibility, Microsoft Planner offers:
- Cross-platform availability: Access and manage your plans and tasks from anywhere with desktop, web, and mobile apps.
- Power Automate integration: Automate workflows and tasks by connecting Planner with Power Automate. Create custom automated processes, such as triggering notifications based on task updates or generating new Planner tasks based on specific events.
- Tiered plans: Offers various subscription plans (Planner in Microsoft 365, Planner Plan 1, Planner and Project Plan 3, and Planner and Project Plan 5) to cater to different needs and budgets, with premium plans unlocking advanced features like Timeline view, dependencies, sprints, and reporting.
As discussed earlier, the new version of the app offers the following key Improvements over the classic Planner:
- Enhanced project management capabilities: Premium plans provide access to more sophisticated project management tools, including dependencies, sprints, custom fields, team workload management, and goal tracking.
- Improved ‘My Tasks’ and ‘My Day’: A faster and more efficient experience for managing individual tasks.
- Ability to convert Basic to Premium plans: Provides flexibility to upgrade plans as needed to access more advanced features.
👉 What does Microsoft Planner do? Microsoft Planner provides a visual platform for managing tasks and workflows. It simplifies task creation and assignment, helps teams stay aligned on goals, and integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 tools to enhance productivity.
Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Microsoft Planner
In this section, we’ll explore the strengths and weaknesses of Microsoft Planner to help you determine if it’s the right task management tool for your needs. We’ll highlight its most notable advantages, while also addressing its limitations.
Advantages of Microsoft Planner
Let’s start with advantages:
Ease of use
The new Microsoft Planner retains its highly intuitive interface, making it accessible even for beginners. Task creation, assignment, and tracking require minimal effort, allowing users to quickly set up workflows and manage projects efficiently.
- The Kanban-style task boards and drag-and-drop functionality simplify organizing and visualizing tasks.
- AI-powered suggestions from Microsoft 365 Copilot further streamline planning by automating task generation, prioritization, and workload analysis.
Seamless integration with Microsoft 365
The new Planner integrates deeply with Microsoft 365 apps, creating a centralized hub for task and project management:
- Microsoft Teams: Discuss tasks directly in Teams chats or meetings, ensuring collaboration is seamless.
- Microsoft To Do: View tasks assigned in Planner directly in your To Do list.
- SharePoint: Access Planner boards within SharePoint for task management alongside project documentation.
This tight integration eliminates the need to switch between apps, ensuring all tasks are accessible within familiar Microsoft environments.
Real-time collaboration
Planner supports real-time updates, ensuring all team members have access to the latest information.
- Changes to tasks are instantly visible to all project members, promoting transparency and reducing delays.
- Notifications keep everyone informed about progress, task assignments, and updates.
- The new Timeline (Gantt) View and People View make tracking individual workloads and deadlines even more efficient, fostering better collaboration.
Advanced project management features
The new Planner introduces several advanced project management tools:
- Timeline (Gantt) view: Plan task dependencies and schedules visually.
- Goals view: Set measurable outcomes for projects and track their progress.
- Sprints and dependencies: Manage iterative workflows and track task relationships.
- AI integration with Copilot: Generate tasks, create plans, and identify bottlenecks automatically.
These features make Planner capable of managing more complex projects compared to its predecessor.
Cost-effectiveness and accessibility
Planner is included with most Microsoft 365 subscriptions, making it a cost-effective solution for existing users.
- It is cloud-based, ensuring accessibility across devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
- Dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android provide full functionality, allowing users to manage tasks on the go.
Third-party integrations
Although Planner is designed for the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, it also supports third-party integrations:
- Power Automate: Extend Planner’s functionality by automating repetitive tasks or connecting with non-Microsoft tools.
- Migration tools: Data migration tools enable transitions from platforms like Trello or Asana to Planner, making it easier to consolidate workflows into one system.
👉 Is Microsoft Office Planner free? Microsoft Planner is included with most Microsoft 365 business and enterprise subscriptions. While its basic features are free for Microsoft 365 users, premium capabilities (like advanced views and AI features) require a Planner and Project Plan 3 or 5 license.
Disadvantages of Microsoft Planner
However, Microsoft Planner has its drawbacks too:
Limited customization options
While the new Planner introduces advanced features like Timeline and Goals views, its customization capabilities are still limited compared to dedicated project management tools like Trello or Asana.
- Custom fields and layouts are not fully customizable.
- Teams with unique workflows may find Planner restrictive for highly specialized needs.
Basic analytics for complex projects
The new Planner has improved analytics, such as workload and goal tracking, but it still lacks the depth required for managing complex projects.
- Features like detailed performance metrics, advanced resource management, and custom reports are not available.
- Users seeking robust reporting tools may still need to rely on Power BI or other third-party analytics platforms.
Limited native automation
Although Power Automate enables task automation, Planner’s native automation capabilities remain limited.
- Automating recurring tasks or setting up complex workflows often requires additional integration or manual effort.
- Users looking for more extensive automation may need supplementary tools or custom setups.
The new Microsoft Planner has evolved into a much more comprehensive and versatile tool, offering features like AI-powered assistance, advanced project management views, and seamless integration with Microsoft 365 apps. Its ease of use, real-time collaboration, and cost-effectiveness make it a strong choice for small to medium-sized projects, especially for teams already using the Microsoft ecosystem.
However, limitations in customization, complex analytics, and native automation may make it less suitable for organizations with highly specialized workflows or large-scale projects requiring detailed reporting and resource tracking.
By carefully weighing these advantages and disadvantages, you can determine whether Planner aligns with your specific needs—or whether a more specialized project management tool is required.
How to Use Microsoft Planner
In this section, we’ll provide a hands-on guide to getting started with Microsoft Planner and using its key features effectively. We’ll also share tips for improving efficiency and leveraging templates to simplify your planning process.
Quick tutorial on using Microsoft Planner
In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the basics of getting started with Microsoft Planner and making the most of its features. You’ll learn how to:
- Create a new board to organize your projects.
- Build a plan and add tasks to it.
- Assign tasks to team members for accountability.
- Set due dates and priorities to keep your projects on schedule.
Now, let’s get started.
Create a new board for a project in MS Planner
A board in Microsoft Planner acts as the workspace for managing tasks within a project. Here’s how to create one:
- Open Microsoft Planner from the Microsoft 365 app launcher or Teams.
- Select New Plan from the left navigation pane or My Plans > + New plan
- In the New Plan window, choose between “Basic” or “Premium,” or select a template. Premium plans offer features like Gantt charts, dependencies, and custom fields, while Basic plans are simpler and integrate with features like the Schedule view. Consider your project needs when making this choice. Refer to the documentation for a detailed comparison.
- Name your plan, decide whether to pin it for easy access, and optionally add it to an existing Microsoft 365 Group for collaboration. If you don’t add it to an existing group, a new one will be created automatically.
- Click Create Plan to finalize.
Your new board is ready! From here, you can add tasks, assign responsibilities, and structure the board to suit your workflow.
Create a new plan and add tasks
Once your board is created, you can start building your plan by adding tasks:
- Select a bucket (a column on the board) or create a new one (e.g., “To Do”, “In Progress”, “Completed”).
- Click the + Add Task button under the appropriate bucket.
- Enter the task name, set a due date, and assign it to a team member (optional).
- Click Add Task to save it.
You can then customize tasks further:
- Add checklists to break a task into smaller steps.
- Attach files or links.
- Write descriptions for additional context.
Assign tasks to team members
Assigning tasks ensures everyone knows their responsibilities:
- Open the task you want to assign.
- Select the Assign field and choose a team member from the dropdown list.
- If the person isn’t listed, type their name or email to add them.
Assigned tasks will appear in the My Tasks section for the respective team member, helping them keep track of their work.
Set up due dates and priorities
Planner allows you to track deadlines and prioritize tasks effectively:
- Open a task and select the Due Date field to set a deadline.
- In the Priority dropdown menu, choose from options like Urgent, Important, Medium, or Low.
Tasks with approaching deadlines are highlighted in views like Schedule or Charts, helping you stay on top of timelines.
👉 What do you use the Planner feature for? MS Planner is used for organizing and managing tasks and projects within teams or individually. It allows users to create plans, assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress, all within a visual interface. With its integration into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, Planner makes it easy to collaborate, ensuring that everyone on the team stays aligned and productive.
Tips for effective use of Planner Microsoft
To get the most out of Microsoft Planner, it’s important to leverage its features strategically. Below, we’ll share practical tips to help you work more efficiently, stay organized, and streamline your planning process.
Using templates
Planner offers a variety of templates that can help you get started faster. Templates provide pre-structured boards tailored to different projects. Examples include:
- Simple Plan: A versatile template for managing straightforward tasks and workflows.
- Project Management Plan: Ideal for planning, tracking, and completing project milestones.
- Software Development Plan: Designed for agile teams to plan sprints, track bugs, and manage releases.
- Business Plan: Helps teams manage business goals, track deliverables, and coordinate efforts across departments.
- Employee Onboarding Plan: Perfect for HR teams to track onboarding tasks and ensure new employees have a smooth start.
Note: Some templates and advanced features, such as dependencies and milestones, may only be available in the premium plan. For more details, visit Comparing Basic vs Premium Plans.
Organizing the board structure to improve work efficiency
To manage tasks more efficiently:
- Use buckets to group tasks by category, phase, or priority.
- Move tasks between buckets as their status changes (e.g., “To Do” → “In Progress” → “Completed”).
- Add colored labels to tag tasks (e.g., “High Priority”, “Marketing”, “Development”) for fast categorization.
Using labels and filters
Labels and filters help you quickly find tasks and organize information:
- Labels: Assign color-coded labels to tasks to represent categories or priorities. For example, use “Red” for urgent tasks or “Blue” for design work.
- Filters: Use the Filter option to sort tasks by due date, assigned team member, or priority. This is particularly useful when managing large boards.
Creating your own templates for recurring tasks
If you frequently manage similar projects, creating your own templates can save time:
- Set up a board with standard buckets, tasks, and labels.
- Export the plan to Excel, and reuse it as a baseline for future projects.
- Alternatively, premium users can save plans directly as templates for easier replication.
👉 What does the Microsoft Planner do? Microsoft Planner is a task and project management tool that helps teams organize their work efficiently. It provides features such as task assignments, progress tracking, and customizable views like boards, grids, and charts. Designed for simplicity and collaboration, it integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 apps like Teams and SharePoint, making it a versatile solution for managing everything from daily tasks to larger projects.
Examples of Microsoft Planner Use Cases for Different Industries and Teams
Microsoft Planner is a versatile tool that can be tailored to meet the needs of various industries and teams. In this section, we’ll explore practical examples of how different teams and organizations can use Microsoft Planner to improve their workflows, enhance collaboration, and streamline task management. We’ll also highlight real-world scenarios to demonstrate its impact in real-life settings.
Examples of Microsoft Planner use cases
Let’s first look at some specific use cases where Microsoft Planner can help teams across different departments stay organized, manage tasks, and improve collaboration. From marketing campaigns to IT projects, HR processes, and educational workflows, Planner provides a flexible framework to meet the needs of various industries.
Marketing teams
Microsoft Planner is a great way for marketing teams to organize, track, and execute their campaigns and strategies. Here’s how it can help:
- Planning advertising campaigns: Use Planner to create a board for an advertising campaign, with buckets for “Ideation,” “Content Creation,” “Approval,” and “Launch.” Assign tasks to team members, set deadlines, and track progress in the Board View or Timeline View.
- Creating and implementing a content plan: Develop a content calendar by organizing tasks into buckets for each month or campaign. Add task details like deadlines, responsible team members, and attachments (e.g., drafts or design files).
- Maintaining an email plan for customer base mailings: Create a bucket for each email campaign (e.g., “Welcome Series” or “Holiday Promotions”). Add tasks for drafting, designing, reviewing, and sending emails, ensuring deadlines and approvals are met.
IT services
IT teams can use MS Planner to manage projects, support services, and technical operations efficiently:
- Managing development projects: Plan and track software development sprints by creating tasks for each feature or module. Use labels to differentiate between “In Progress,” “Testing,” and “Completed” tasks.
- Organizing technical support: Set up a board for technical support tickets. Use buckets for ticket statuses, such as “New,” “In Progress,” and “Resolved.” Assign tasks to team members and set deadlines to ensure timely resolution.
- Planning updates and fixing bugs: Create a dedicated board for updates and bug fixes. Use buckets for “Reported Bugs,” “Under Investigation,” and “Resolved.” Prioritize tasks using the Priority feature to address critical issues first.
HR departments
HR teams can streamline their workflows and manage processes more effectively with Microsoft Planner:
- Organizing recruitment processes: Create a board for recruitment with buckets for “Job Posting,” “Resumes Reviewed,” “Interviews Scheduled,” and “Offers Sent.” Assign tasks to recruiters and track progress in real time.
- Planning corporate events: Use Planner to organize events such as team-building activities or holiday parties. Create tasks for venue booking, catering, invitations, and follow-up, and assign responsibilities to team members.
Educational institutions
Teachers and students can use MS Planner to organize academic activities and manage their schedules:
- Organizing the educational process: Teachers can create boards to organize lesson plans, group projects, and assignments. Use buckets for “Planned Lessons,” “In Progress,” and “Completed.”
- Managing the schedule of teachers: Administrators can plan and assign teaching schedules, track substitute needs, and ensure smooth operations using Planner boards.
Microsoft Planner use cases in various industries
Now, let’s take a look at how Microsoft Planner can be used across different industries. Whether it’s financial services, retail, manufacturing, or healthcare, Planner helps teams streamline operations and stay on top of their tasks with industry-specific workflows.
Financial companies
- Planning and monitoring financial statements: Create boards for tracking reports with tasks for each stage, such as data collection, drafting, review, and submission. Assign responsible persons and set deadlines for each task.
- Budgeting and audits: Use Planner to break down budgeting and audit tasks into manageable steps. Create separate buckets for “Budget Preparation,” “Review,” and “Approval.”
- Project-specific boards: Develop separate boards for tax reporting, audit preparation, or new product development. Use the Charts View to monitor progress and identify bottlenecks.
Retail
- Coordinating deliveries: Track supply chain tasks by creating boards for deliveries. Use labels to prioritize tasks based on urgency or location.
- Planning marketing campaigns: Retailers can organize seasonal or promotional campaigns by creating tasks for ads, in-store promotions, and digital marketing efforts.
- Managing inventory renewal: Organize inventory-related tasks by creating boards for buyers and stores to communicate stock needs. Ensure timely restocking and minimize shortages.
Production/Manufacturing
- Planning equipment repairs: Create boards to track repair schedules, assign tasks to technicians, and monitor completion. Use due dates to minimize production downtime.
- Implementing new processes: Coordinate projects to introduce new technologies or optimize workflows by creating tasks for planning, testing, and final implementation.
- Ensuring resource availability: Use Planner to organize tasks for procuring raw materials, coordinating with suppliers, and managing logistics.
Medicine/Healthcare industry
- Managing medical personnel schedules: Create boards for shift scheduling, ensuring coverage for all departments. Use labels to highlight critical shifts or vacancies.
- Planning staff training and accreditation: Use Planner to organize training sessions, assign tasks for preparation, and track attendance and completion.
- Monitoring medicine and equipment stocks: Set up tasks for checking inventory levels, ordering supplies, and monitoring deliveries. Use buckets for “In Stock,” “Low Stock,” and “Ordered.”
Real-world examples
The Microsoft Adoption page provides a real-world example of how a Senior Program Manager, Alex, uses Microsoft Planner (specifically the premium version) and Microsoft Copilot to manage a complex product launch at Contoso Grocery. The scenario highlights several key Planner features and benefits:
- My Day integration: Alex starts by reviewing his tasks for the day within Planner’s “My Day” view, providing a centralized overview of his responsibilities.
- Premium plan features (Timeline, Critical Path, People View): Alex leverages premium features like the Timeline view with critical path filtering to identify potential bottlenecks and dependencies affecting the project’s finish date. He also uses the People view to manage resource allocation and balance workloads across the team.
- Copilot integration: Alex uses Copilot in Planner to quickly summarize project progress and identify tasks that are behind schedule. He also leverages Copilot to create new tasks with actionable steps, streamlining the process of adding new workstreams.
- Collaboration and communication: Planner facilitates communication and collaboration through features like @mentions in Teams chat, allowing Alex to quickly connect with team members and discuss issues. He also uses custom status fields (e.g., RAG status) to provide visual progress tracking for all stakeholders.
- Task management (Dependencies, History): Planner’s task management capabilities, including dependencies and task history, enable Alex to understand the relationships between tasks and identify the root causes of delays. He can see how one delayed task (vendor compliance review) is blocking another (budget approval).
- Grid view and custom columns: Alex uses the Grid view to create custom columns for visual status tracking, allowing team members to quickly update their progress using a simple red-amber-green system.
This example demonstrates how Planner can be used to manage a complex project involving multiple teams, dependencies, and deadlines. It showcases the benefits of Planner’s integration with other Microsoft tools like Teams and Copilot, and highlights the value of premium features for professional project management.
👉 To find more examples, explore the Microsoft Tech Community or consult customer case studies shared on the Microsoft Adoption section. To learn more about the New Planner and its capabilities, check out its official page and Frequently Asked Questions.
Limitations of Microsoft Planner and Virto Kanban Board App as an Alternative Solution
Despite its versatility, Microsoft Planner has some limitations that may hinder its usability for larger or more complex projects. In this section, we’ll explore these limitations and introduce the Virto Kanban Board App as a possible alternative.
Limitations of Microsoft Planner
While Microsoft Planner is a great tool for task and project management, especially for small to medium-sized teams, it has some notable drawbacks:
- Limited customization options:
- Microsoft Planner offers only basic task management features with minimal flexibility to customize boards, cards, or workflows.
- Customization options like swimlanes, advanced categorization, and subtasks are unavailable, making it less suitable for complex projects.
👉 While basic customization (e.g., board views and task grouping) exists, advanced options such as conditional coloring, milestones, and custom fields are exclusive to Premium Plans.
- Lack of advanced analytics features:
- Planner provides basic views like Grid, Board, Schedule, and Charts, but lacks advanced analytics capabilities to visualize team performance or project progress in detail.
- Premium features such as critical path analysis, advanced graphs, and workload balancing are only available with the paid premium plan.
👉 Basic Plan and free version users can access Charts View for task progress, but advanced analytics tools (e.g., charts for workload balancing or task history) require a Premium Plan.
- Better suited for smaller teams:
- Planner is ideal for simple task management and smaller teams, but it struggles with scalability for larger teams or projects with multiple stages and interdependencies.
👉 The Basic Plan has a higher task limit (9000 tasks per plan) than the Premium Plan (1000 tasks per plan, with an increase to 1500 tasks coming soon). However, Premium Plan features (dependencies, workload balancing, etc.) are better suited for managing complex projects.
- Limited functionality in the free version:
- The free version of Planner lacks advanced features like Gantt charts (Timeline view), task dependencies, and automation tools, which are essential for managing complex projects.
👉 While the Basic Plan includes core functionality like creating tasks, grouping, and basic views, critical path, dependencies, and automation workflows require the Premium Plan.
While Planner can handle basic task management, its limitations make it less effective for teams managing intricate workflows or requiring advanced analytics.
Virto Kanban Board App: Microsoft Planner alternative
The Virto Kanban Board App for SharePoint Online and Microsoft 365 is a robust task management solution that addresses many of Planner’s limitations. It combines the simplicity of a Kanban board with advanced features designed for complex projects and team collaboration.
What is the Virto Kanban Board App?
The Virto Kanban Board App is a task management tool based on Kanban boards, fully integrated with SharePoint Online and Microsoft 365. It provides visual management of tasks, allowing users to organize and track workflows efficiently.
Why choose Virto Kanban Board App?
Here are some key advantages of Virto Kanban Board App over Planner app Microsoft:
- Advanced flexible customization:
- Customize your boards with swimlanes, color-coding, subtasks, and detailed categorization.
- Tailor the board layout to fit your specific workflow needs.
- Workflow automation:
- Automate repetitive tasks and processes with Power Automate integration for seamless task management.
- Example: Automatically assign tasks to team members or update task statuses based on conditions.
- Detailed analytics and reporting features:
- Visualize workflow progress using advanced analytical graphs and charts.
- Track team performance, identify bottlenecks, and optimize project delivery using detailed analytics.
- Improved filtering and search tools: Find tasks quickly with advanced filters and search capabilities, even in large projects with numerous cards.
- Integration with Microsoft 365 ecosystem: Fully integrates with SharePoint and Teams, ensuring a consistent user experience across Microsoft 365 applications.
Below is a comparison of the free version of Microsoft Planner and Virto Kanban Board App:
| Feature | Microsoft Planner (Free) | Virto Kanban Board App |
| Customization | Limited | Advanced |
| Analytics | Basic | Detailed |
| Scalability | Better for small teams | Suitable for large teams |
| Workflow automation | Not available | Available with Power Automate |
| Task dependencies | Limited to premium plans | Fully supported |
| Task filtering/search | Basic | Advanced |
How the Virto Kanban Board App optimizes teamwork
The Virto Kanban Board App is ideal for teams that need to manage large, multifaceted projects. Its advanced features ensure smooth collaboration and efficient task tracking.
Examples of use cases:
- Managing corporate projects with several stages:
- Use the app to create Kanban boards for each project stage (e.g., Planning, Execution, Review).
- Assign tasks to team members, set deadlines, and automate notifications to ensure timely progress.
- Coordinating tasks between different departments:
- Create swimlanes for each department to track cross-departmental workflows.
- Visualize dependencies between tasks and use analytics to identify delays or bottlenecks.
While Microsoft Planner is a reliable tool for basic task management, its limitations in customization, analytics, and complexity handling make it less suitable for larger teams or intricate projects. The Virto Kanban Board App offers a comprehensive solution with advanced customization, automation, and analytics, making it an excellent alternative for organizations seeking to optimize project management and collaboration.
In addition to the popular Virto Kanban Board App, VirtoSoftware also provides the Virto Calendar App, a powerful tool that consolidates various calendar sources into a single, unified view. The latest update to Virto Calendar introduces enhanced integration with Microsoft Planner, providing more control over task management directly within the calendar interface. The new Virto Calendar features related to Microsoft Planner integration allow users to:
- Manage Planner buckets: Create and organize tasks within buckets directly within the Virto Calendar interface.
- Edit Planner labels (Categories): Modify and manage task categories (referred to as “labels” in Planner) without leaving the calendar view. This enhances task organization and filtering.
👉 To learn more about Virto Kanban Board App, Virto Calendar and Planner-related new features, please visit:
Conclusion
Microsoft Planner stands out as a simple yet effective tool for task and project management, particularly for teams already embedded within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Its seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 apps, such as Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint, ensures that users can manage tasks and plans without leaving their familiar workspace. The core benefits of Microsoft Planner lie in its accessibility, ease of use, and collaborative features, making it an excellent solution for small to medium-sized teams looking to organize their work efficiently.
The introduction of the new Planner has brought significant enhancements to task and project management. It combines the simplicity of Microsoft To Do, the collaborative capabilities of the old Planner, and the advanced project management tools of Microsoft Project, all supported by the intelligence of Microsoft 365 Copilot. The basic version of Planner, included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions, offers features like task creation, My Day and My Tasks views, and Grid, Board, Schedule, and Charts views. These features work well for straightforward task management and smaller teams. However, the premium plans—Planner Plan 1, Planner and Project Plan 3, and Planner and Project Plan 5—introduce advanced capabilities such as Gantt charts (Timeline view), task dependencies, milestones, sprints, and workload balancing. These premium features make Planner an excellent choice for teams managing more complex projects, as they provide the tools needed for detailed planning, resource allocation, and goal tracking.
While Microsoft Planner is ideal for teams seeking a straightforward and integrated approach to task management, those working on more intricate workflows or large-scale projects may find its limitations in customization and analytics restrictive. For such scenarios, the Virto Kanban Board App serves as a robust alternative. Its advanced features, such as highly customizable boards, workflow automation via Power Automate, detailed analytics, and improved task filtering, make it a more suitable solution for managing complex projects across multiple teams and departments.
Ultimately, the decision between Microsoft Planner and the Virto Kanban Board App depends on your specific business needs. Exploring both solutions will help you determine which one aligns best with your team’s requirements and goals:
- Try Microsoft Planner
- Try Virto Kanban Board or schedule a demo call to learn more.
To learn more about Microsoft Planner and its capabilities, check out the following resources:
- Official Microsoft resources:
- VirtoSoftware blog posts:
