How to Use Microsoft Planner in Teams for Task Management

Microsoft Planner, a powerful and intuitive task management tool, is seamlessly built into Microsoft Teams, enabling organizations to organize workflows, visualize tasks, and manage projects effectively. As one of the most popular tools in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, Planner has long been a go-to solution for teams looking to streamline collaboration and stay on top of their workloads. 

Recently, Planner received a significant makeover, transforming it into a unified work management experience that combines the simplicity of task management with advanced features from Microsoft Project and the intelligence of Microsoft 365 Copilot.

This article will guide you through setting up and using Microsoft Planner within Teams to help your team stay organized and productive. 

Whether you’re managing marketing campaigns, coordinating IT requests, or tracking HR onboarding processes, we’ll provide practical examples of how different types of teams can benefit from Planner’s capabilities. 

Additionally, for those seeking even greater flexibility and functionality, we’ll introduce the Virto Kanban Board App—a robust alternative solution for advanced task and project management needs.

What Is Microsoft Teams Planner?

In this section, we’ll explore Microsoft Planner, a powerful task and project management app that is deeply integrated within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, including Microsoft Teams. Specifically, we’ll focus on what’s commonly referred to as “Teams Planner,” the version of Planner used directly within Microsoft Teams. This tool enables teams to plan, organize, and track their work seamlessly without leaving the Teams app. Let’s break down what MS Teams Planner is, how it works, and the benefits it brings to team collaboration.

General overview of Microsoft Planner in Teams

Microsoft Planner is an intuitive task and project management app designed to help teams stay organized and productive. As part of the Microsoft 365 suite, it integrates deeply with other tools like Teams and SharePoint, creating a unified work experience. When used inside Microsoft Teams, Planner becomes “Teams Planner,” allowing users to manage tasks and projects directly within their Teams channels.

Key features of Microsoft Teams Planner

When integrated into Teams, Planner becomes a seamless part of the collaboration process. It is added as a tab in Teams channels, allowing users to:

• Access all plans and tasks directly from within Teams.
• Collaborate on tasks by discussing them in the Teams chat or sharing files in the same space.
• Automatically sync updates across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, ensuring task changes in Planner reflect in other connected apps like Outlook and To Do.

This tight integration eliminates the need to switch between multiple tools, saving time and boosting efficiency.

Below, we’ll elaborate on Microsoft Teams Planner key functionality and how it helps teams stay focused and productive:

Visual task boards

Planner allows users to create highly visual task boards that make it easy to organize tasks into buckets (categories) and track their progress. With its drag-and-drop functionality, users can:

• Move tasks between buckets or change task statuses.
• Group tasks by attributes such as due date, priority, progress, or team member assignment.
• Visualize the overall flow of work, making it easier to identify bottlenecks or tasks that need immediate attention.

This Kanban-style approach simplifies project management by ensuring every team member has a clear view of responsibilities and timelines.

Multiple task views

Planner provides several task views that cater to different project management needs:

• Grid View: Displays tasks in a detailed list format, enabling users to edit task fields, mark tasks complete, or quickly add new tasks.
• Board View: A Kanban-style board where tasks can be grouped by buckets, progress, or other attributes for a visual overview of the workflow.
• Schedule View: Displays tasks on a calendar, helping teams plan their schedules and meet deadlines.
• Charts View: Offers visual insights into task statuses, progress by bucket, priority distribution, and team member availability.
• Premium Views (for advanced users): Premium plans include additional views like Timeline (Gantt Chart View) to track task dependencies, People View to assess workload distribution, and Goals View to set and monitor objectives.

These views allow teams to customize their workflows and gain real-time insights into the status of their projects.

Task assignment and progress tracking

Planner makes task delegation simple and effective. Users can:

• Assign tasks to specific team members or groups, ensuring accountability.
• Set due dates and priorities to clarify task importance.
• Track progress in real time, with options to mark tasks as “Not Started,” “In Progress,” or “Completed.”

Additionally, users can collaborate on tasks by adding comments, attaching files, or creating checklists for subtasks.

Notifications and alerts

Planner keeps everyone informed with automatic notifications. Users receive alerts in their Teams activity feed or via email when:

• A task is assigned to them or marked as urgent.
• Updates are made to tasks they’re responsible for.
• Task deadlines are approaching.

These notifications ensure that no task is overlooked, helping teams stay on track with their goals.

My Tasks and My Day Views

Planner includes dedicated views to help users focus on their personal responsibilities:

• My Tasks: Consolidates all tasks assigned to a user across various plans, including tasks from Teams meeting notes, flagged emails, and Loop components.
• My Day: A personalized workspace that auto-populates tasks due today and allows users to handpick additional priorities for the day. Tasks in My Day reset daily, so users can start fresh each morning.

These features are especially useful for individual task management within the context of larger team initiatives.

Advanced capabilities with premium plans

For teams requiring more advanced functionality, premium plans unlock additional features, including:

• Timeline View (Gantt Chart): Visualize tasks, dependencies, and timelines in a single view.
• Goals View: Track key objectives and align them with specific tasks.
• People View: Monitor workload distribution among team members and reassign tasks as needed.
• Assignments: Manage resources and efforts granularly to ensure accurate planning and execution.

These advanced capabilities make Planner suitable for enterprise-level projects and complex workflows.

Accessibility across devices

Planner is accessible on desktop, web, and mobile devices, ensuring users can manage tasks anytime, anywhere. It’s especially valuable for teams working remotely or across multiple locations.

Integration with Microsoft 365 Ecosystem

Planner’s deep integration with Microsoft 365 tools enhances productivity across the board. For example:

• Tasks flagged in Outlook automatically appear in Planner.
• Teams meeting notes can generate tasks that are tracked in Planner.
• Plans created in Project for the web are visible in Planner’s My Plans view.

This interconnectedness ensures that all workstreams are aligned, reducing confusion and duplication of effort.

How does Planner on Teams work?

As discussed, Planner is fully integrated with Microsoft Teams, allowing users to work on tasks and projects directly within Teams channels. You can add Planner as a tab in a channel, giving your team quick access to all tasks and plans related to your projects. This integration ensures that all updates made in the Planner tab are automatically synced with the rest of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, keeping your tasks consistent across other apps like Outlook and SharePoint.

Here’s an example of how Planner works in Teams:

• A marketing team creates a Planner tab in their Teams channel to manage an advertising campaign.
• The manager assigns tasks to team members, such as writing content, designing graphics, and scheduling social media posts, while setting clear deadlines.
• Team members update the status of their tasks, add comments for collaboration, and attach files directly to the tasks, ensuring all relevant materials are centrally stored and easy to access.

Benefits of integrating Planner into Teams

The integration of Planner into Teams offers several key advantages:

• Convenience of working in one window: With Planner embedded directly into Teams, users can manage tasks without switching between apps.
• Quick communication: Team members can discuss tasks in real-time using Teams’ chat and call features, making collaboration more efficient.
• Process visualization: Planner’s visual task boards allow everyone to see the status of tasks at a glance, helping teams track progress and stay aligned.

By combining the task management capabilities of Planner with the communication power of Teams, MS Teams Planner makes it easier than ever to coordinate teamwork, streamline workflows, and achieve project goals.

How to Set Up a Planner in Teams?

In this section, we’ll walk you through how to add Microsoft Planner to Teams, set up it up, and provide tips for using it effectively.

How to add Planner to Teams: Setting up Planner in Teams

Setting up Planner in Microsoft Teams is straightforward and ensures that you can start managing projects and tasks collaboratively. Follow these steps to get started:

1. Access the App store in Teams:
   
   • Open Microsoft Teams and navigate to the left-hand sidebar.
   • Select “Apps” or “View more apps” at the bottom of the sidebar.

2. Search for Planner:
   • Use the search bar to type “Planner.”
   • Once you find the Planner app, click on it or select “Add”.
3. Pin Planner for quick access:
   • Once the app is added, right-click on the Planner icon in the sidebar and choose “Pin” to make it easily accessible.

4. Open Planner:
   • To open Planner in a separate window, select the “Open in new window” option from the sidebar.

Important notes:

• Add as a tab: You can also add Planner as a tab. Simply navigate to your channel, click on “+” at the right-hand top and search for Planner.
• Microsoft 365 subscription required: Planner is part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and is not available in the free version of Teams. To use Planner, you need an active subscription that includes Teams and other Microsoft 365 tools.
• Automatic synchronization: All tasks created in Planner are automatically synced with your calendar and the To Do app, ensuring seamless task management across the ecosystem.
• Admin permissions: If the Planner app is not visible, it may not be enabled for your organization. Contact your IT administrator to enable Planner in Teams.

Key features of Planner for planning in Microsoft Teams

As mentioned, Planner in Teams offers a range of features to help you efficiently organize and manage your team’s workload. Let’s briefly review some of those features for planning and organizing work:

1. Creating tasks and plans

• Create new plans or tasks directly in the Planner interface.
• Assign tasks to team members and distribute workloads effectively.
• Use templates or start from scratch to create plans tailored to your needs.

2. Setting deadlines and notifications

• Add due dates to tasks to keep track of deadlines.
• Enable notifications to alert users about upcoming deadlines or task updates.

3. Using labels for organization

• Apply color-coded labels to tasks to categorize work by priority, department, or other criteria.
• Customize labels to suit your team’s organizational needs.

4. Visualizing tasks with the Kanban board format

• Use Planner’s Board View, which follows a Kanban-style format for organizing tasks into buckets.
• Drag and drop tasks between buckets to update their status, making it easy to track progress visually.

How to Create a Plan with Planner in Teams

Once Planner is added to Teams, you can create new plans to start organizing tasks:

1. Navigate to Planner in Teams:
   • Open Planner from the sidebar in Teams.
   • Select “New Plan” from the left bottom or top right of your screen.

2. Select a template (Optional):
   • For faster setup, you can select an out-of-the-box template that aligns with your use case. Note that some templates may require a premium license. Otherwise, click on Basic to start your plan from scratch. 

3. Choose plan options:
   • You can choose to create a personal plan or a shared plan.
   • If creating a shared plan, you’ll need to specify whether it’s linked to an existing Microsoft 365 group or if a new group should be created.

4. Provide a name for the Plan:
   • Enter a name for your plan. This name will help identify the plan when managing multiple projects.

How to work with MS Planner in Teams

Once Planner’s added, you can create tasks, assign them to team members, track progress, and organize work efficiently—all within the Teams interface. Below, we’ll cover how to work with Planner using various features to enhance productivity.

Adding and organizing tasks

To create a task in Planner:

1. Navigate to the Planner tab in your Teams channel or open Planner from the Teams app.
2. Select + Add task under the relevant bucket (a category for tasks).

3. Enter the task name in the text box.
4. Optional:
   • Set a due date by selecting the calendar icon and choosing the deadline.
   • Assign the task to a team member (see below).

5. Click Add Task to save it.

Buckets help categorize tasks within a plan.

• To add a new bucket:
  1. Click Add new bucket at the top or far right of the board.

2. Enter the bucket name and press Enter.

• Drag and drop tasks between buckets to update their status or reassign their category.

Assigning tasks to team members

Here’s how to assign tasks during creation:

1. While creating a task, click Assign.
2. Select a team member from the dropdown list.
3. If the person is not listed, type their name or email address to add them.

To assign tasks after creation:

1. Select an existing task on the board.
2. Click Assign in the details pane (…).

3. Choose or search for the team member and save the changes.

Important notes:

• You can assign a task to up to 11 people.
• This is useful for tasks requiring collaboration.
• When any person marks the task as complete, it is marked complete for all assignees.

Tracking task progress

• Each task can be marked as:
  1. Not Started: Default status for new tasks.
  2. In Progress: Indicates work has begun.
  3. Completed: Marks the task as finished.

• To update the status:
  1. Open the task.
  2. Select the appropriate status from the dropdown menu.

Use Progress Views:

1. Kanban Board: Drag tasks between buckets to update their progress visually.
2. Charts View: View charts that display:
   • Task statuses (e.g., Not Started, In Progress, Completed).
   • Progress by buckets, priorities, or assignees.
   • Team members’ availability and workload.

3. Schedule View: See tasks on a calendar to track deadlines and avoid overlaps.

Using filters and grouping

To focus on specific tasks:

1. Click Filters in the Planner tab.
2. Filter tasks by:
   • Due Date
   • Priority
   • Progress
   • Labels
   • Bucket or Assignment
3. To clear all filters, select Clear All.

To group tasks:

• Click Group by Bucket at the top of the Planner board and choose the grouping method.
• Group tasks by various categories:
  • Bucket
  • Assigned To
  • Progress
  • Due Date
  • Priority
  • Labels

Adding more task details

To provide more context to a task:

1. Select the task to open its details pane.
2. Add or edit:
   • Start Date and Due Date.
   • Priority (Low, Medium, Important, Urgent).
   • Notes: Include a description or instructions.
   • Checklist: Add subtasks to break work into smaller steps.
   • Attachments: Upload files or link to documents.
   • Comments: Use the comment section for discussions or updates.

Notifications and alerts

Planner keeps you informed by sending notifications for:

• Task assignments.
• Task status updates (e.g., marked as urgent, completed).
• Due date reminders.

Notifications will appear:

• In the Teams activity feed. To access:
  • Open Microsoft Teams and click on the Activity tab in the left-hand sidebar.
  • Look for notifications related to Planner tasks, such as new assignments, updates, or reminders.
• On the Teams mobile app, ensuring you never miss an update.
  • Notifications are also sent to the Microsoft Teams mobile app, ensuring you stay updated even when you’re on the go.
  • Open the app and check the Activity Feed or enable push notifications for real-time alerts.

To adjust notifications:

1. Click on the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner of your Teams interface.
2. In the Settings menu, select Notifications and activity.
3. Scroll down to find Planner in the Apps section and toggle on/off its notifications.

👉How to use Planner in Teams? To use Planner in Microsoft Teams, you first need to add it as a tab in a team channel or access it as an app from the left-hand navigation bar in Teams. Once added, you can create a new plan or link an existing one. Plans are organized into boards, where tasks are visually arranged into customizable buckets, making it easy to organize work by project phases, team members, or priorities. You can assign tasks to team members, set due dates, add checklists, and attach files to provide all the necessary information for task completion. For a more detailed view, Planner also offers schedule and chart views to track progress and deadlines effectively. With its integration into Teams, Planner allows teams to collaborate seamlessly by combining task management with conversations and file sharing.

Tips for effective task management in Planner

1. Use labels:
   • Color-coded labels help categorize tasks by department, priority, or type.
   • Customize labels to suit your team’s workflow.

2. Leverage My Tasks:
   • Access all assigned tasks across plans using the My Tasks view.
   • Filter tasks by priority or due dates to focus on what’s important.

3. Collaborate in real-time:
   • Use the Comments section in tasks to communicate updates or share feedback.
   • Share files directly in tasks to keep everything centralized.

4. Regularly update progress:
   • Encourage team members to update task statuses and checklists to maintain accurate tracking.
5. Review charts and reports:
   • Use the Charts View to monitor workload distribution and overall progress.
   • Identify bottlenecks and adjust assignments accordingly.

How to effectively use Planner in Teams

Now that we’ve discussed setting up Planner, it’s time to dive deeper into the features that make Planner a powerful tool. By understanding its interface and leveraging its capabilities strategically, you can streamline task management, enhance collaboration, and ensure your team stays productive and aligned. Below, we’ll explore how to effectively use Planner to organize tasks, track progress, and integrate with other Microsoft 365 tools.

1. Understand the Planner interface

• My Tasks: View all tasks assigned to you across all plans.
  • Use this view as your personal dashboard at the start of each day to organize your workflow.
  • Sort tasks by Due Date or Priority to focus on what needs immediate attention.
• Plans: Access all plans shared with your Teams channel or personal plans.
  • Pin frequently used plans to the top of your Planner hub for easy access.
  • Regularly review shared plans to stay updated on team progress.
• Kanban Board: Organize tasks into buckets and visualize progress.
  • Create buckets based on project phases (e.g., Design, Development, Testing).
  • Use bucket-specific labels to make task categorization more intuitive.
• Charts and Schedule Views: Use visual tools to monitor progress and see tasks on a calendar.
  • Use the Charts View during team meetings to highlight areas needing attention.
  • Regularly check the Schedule View to adjust deadlines and avoid overlapping tasks.

2. Setting up tags, filters, and groupings for tasks

• Tags: Use tags to group tasks by priority, project phase, or other relevant categories.
  • Use consistent naming conventions for tags to ensure clarity across the team.
  • Reserve specific colors for urgent tasks or critical milestones to make them stand out visually.
• Filters: Filter tasks by due date, priority, or assignee to focus on specific work items.
  • Use filters to create a focus list for daily priorities.
  • During team meetings, filter tasks by Assigned To to quickly review workload distribution.
• Groupings: Group tasks by assignment, bucket, or progress for a clearer overview of the workload.
  • Use the Assigned To grouping to identify team members who are overburdened.
  • Group tasks by Progress to quickly identify tasks that are behind schedule.

3. Tips for managing tasks and tracking progress

• Regularly update task statuses to ensure the plan reflects real-time progress.
  • Encourage team members to update their tasks at the end of each workday.
  • Use the Charts View to track overall progress and identify delays in real-time.
• Use checklists for subtasks within a single task to break down work into smaller, manageable steps.
  • Assign checklist items to specific team members for better accountability.
  • Use checklists to document dependencies within a task (e.g., Step 1 must be completed before Step 2).
• Add comments and attach files directly to tasks for better collaboration and context.
  • Use comments to document key decisions or changes in scope.
  • Attach relevant files (e.g., specifications, mockups) to tasks for easy reference.

4. Maximize calendar capabilities and Microsoft 365 integration

• Use the Schedule View to visualize tasks on a calendar and identify potential scheduling conflicts.
  • Schedule recurring reviews of the calendar to ensure all deadlines are realistic.
  • Use this view to identify gaps in scheduling and assign additional tasks if needed.
• Use the integration with the To Do app to manage personal tasks alongside team plans, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
  • Use Microsoft To Do to set reminders for critical Planner tasks.
  • Group personal and team tasks into custom lists for better focus.

By setting up Planner effectively and using its features strategically, you can streamline task management, improve team collaboration, and ensure that projects stay on track. Planner in Teams is a comprehensive tool that allows teams to stay focused, productive, and aligned with their goals.

Teams Planner Use Cases for Different Types of Teams

MS Teams Planner is a versatile tool that adapts to the unique needs of various departments and workflows. Whether you’re managing marketing campaigns, running agile sprints, or organizing recruitment drives, Planner can simplify task management, improve collaboration, and ensure deadlines are met. In this section, we’ll explore how different teams can leverage Teams Planner to optimize their processes and achieve their goals.

For marketing departments

Marketing teams thrive on creativity and deadlines, juggling multiple campaigns, content calendars, and deliverables. Teams Planner provides structure and visibility to ensure projects are completed successfully.

Here’s how marketing teams can use Teams Planner:

• Project management:
  • Use Planner to organize and manage complex projects, such as launching an advertising campaign.
  • Create buckets for each campaign phase: brainstorming, content creation, distribution, and analysis.
  • Assign tasks to team members with clear deadlines and descriptions.
• Tracking deadlines and task control:
  • Use the Schedule View to track key deadlines and milestones.
  • Assign priority labels (e.g., Urgent, Low Priority) to ensure critical tasks are completed first.
  • Monitor task progress in the Charts View to identify overdue or unassigned tasks.

Tips for marketing teams:

• Create a template plan for recurring projects, like product launches, to save time.
• Use tags to differentiate tasks by campaign type (e.g., Social Media, Content, Paid Ads).
• Encourage team members to attach assets (like graphics or copy drafts) directly to tasks for centralized access.

For developers

Development teams work in change-intensive environments, often using agile methodologies to manage projects. Teams Planner can help developers track sprints, manage backlogs, and coordinate events with ease.

Here’s how dev teams can use Planner in Teams:

• Sprint management:
  • Set up Planner boards to reflect sprint cycles.
  • Use buckets to represent task statuses (e.g., Backlog, In Progress, Testing, Done).
  • Assign tasks to team members and include start/due dates to keep the sprint on track.
• Maintaining a task backlog and assigning priorities:
  • Maintain a backlog bucket for tasks not yet planned into a sprint.
  • Use priority labels (e.g., High, Medium, Low) to organize backlog tasks.
  • Regularly move tasks from the backlog into sprints during planning sessions.
• Integrating with other apps:
  • Sync Planner tasks with other apps to coordinate events like code reviews, stand-up meetings, or release dates.
  • Use the Schedule View to ensure deadlines align with team availability.

Tips for developers:

• Use checklists within tasks to track individual steps, such as coding, testing, and deployment.
• Link Planner to Microsoft DevOps or other tools for seamless integration with existing workflows.
• Take advantage of the Comments section in tasks to document issues or share updates.

For HR departments

HR teams handle diverse responsibilities, from recruitment to employee development. Teams Planner offers a centralized way to manage these processes, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.

Here’s how HR can use Microsoft Teams tasks planner:

• Organizing employee recruitment and onboarding processes:
  • Use Planner to track recruitment efforts, with buckets for stages like Applications Received, Interviews Scheduled, and Offers Sent.
  • Assign tasks to team members for reviewing resumes, scheduling interviews, and preparing offer letters.
  • Create onboarding plans for new hires, including tasks for training sessions, equipment setup, and policy reviews.
• Managing staff training and development tasks:
  • Develop plans for employee training programs, with buckets for pre-training preparation, session schedules, and post-training follow-ups.
  • Assign tasks to HR staff to arrange training logistics, send reminders, and evaluate feedback.
  • Use labels to categorize training by topic, such as Leadership, Compliance, or Skill Development.

Tips for HR teams:

• Create a reusable onboarding template to streamline the process for every new hire.
• Use Planner’s Charts View to track the progress of recruitment and training tasks across multiple employees.
• Attach important documents, like offer letter templates or training manuals, directly to Planner tasks for easy access.

Planner comes with a suite of customizable features that enable each team to tailor the task management system to best fit their specific needs and priorities. By taking the time to set up and personalize these Planner features to align with existing team objectives, processes, and tools, groups can optimize their task management experience. Customizing buckets for each project phase, labeling tasks to map to internal procedures, and integrating Planner with other apps improves transparency around tasks and responsibilities. 

Benefits and Limitations of Planner Teams

While Microsoft Teams Planner offers many advantages for teams of all sizes, it also has limitations that may influence its suitability for certain workflows or organizations. In this section, we’ll explore the benefits and limitations of the Planner app in Microsoft Teams, helping you determine if it’s the right solution for your team.

Benefits of Planner Microsoft Teams 

Microsoft Teams Planner offers a wide range of features that make it a valuable tool for task management. Its integration within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem and its ease of use make it especially appealing for organizations already using Teams.

1. Integration with Microsoft Teams

• Planner is seamlessly integrated into Microsoft Teams, allowing you to manage tasks directly in the Teams interface without switching between apps.
• Users can discuss tasks via Teams chats and mention participants directly using the “@” feature, keeping conversations centralized.
• Task updates and discussions are automatically synchronized, improving visibility and reducing the need for external tools.
• Pro Tip: Add a Planner tab to each Teams channel to keep tasks linked to relevant conversations and files.

2. Ease of use

• Planner features an intuitive and user-friendly interface that doesn’t require extensive training to use.
• Setting up tasks and plans is quick and straightforward, enabling teams to get started immediately.
• Pro Tip: Use Planner’s simple drag-and-drop functionality to organize tasks or update their status effortlessly.

3. Ability to visualize tasks

• Planner supports Kanban boards, which allow you to visually track task progress in buckets (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Completed).
• Tasks can be grouped by key attributes like owner, status, or due date for better organization.
• Pro Tip: Use color-coded labels to categorize tasks by priority or project phase to make boards easier to navigate.

4. Collaboration

• All team members can access shared plans, view the overall progress, and make updates to tasks in real time.
• The commenting function allows users to collaborate on tasks, share ideas, or clarify details directly within Planner.
• Pro Tip: Use comments to document decisions and attach relevant files to tasks for centralized project communication.

5. Time management

• Planner includes built-in notifications and reminders to ensure deadlines are met and tasks stay on schedule.
• Tasks can be synced with your Microsoft Calendar, allowing you to view and manage deadlines alongside meetings.
• Pro Tip: Set due dates and enable task reminders to help team members stay on track.

6. Available with a Microsoft 365 subscription

• Planner is included at no extra cost for users with a Microsoft 365 subscription, making it an excellent value for organizations using the Microsoft ecosystem.
• It integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft tools like Outlook, SharePoint, and To Do for a unified experience.

7. Mobile accessibility

• Planner is available on mobile devices, allowing users to manage tasks from anywhere, whether at the office or on the go.
• Pro Tip: Use the mobile app to quickly check task progress or update assignments during meetings or while traveling.

8. Versatile use

• Planner’s flexibility makes it suitable for various teams, including developers, marketers, HR departments, and administrative services.
• Pro Tip: Tailor Planner’s features—like buckets and labels—to fit your team’s unique workflows.

9. Data security

• Planner complies with Microsoft’s strict security standards, including data encryption and access control, ensuring your information stays secure.

10. Sync with other apps

• Planner automatically syncs data with other Microsoft tools, such as To Do, Teams, and Outlook, keeping all task updates consistent across platforms.
• Pro Tip: Use Microsoft To Do to track personal and assigned Planner tasks in one place.

👉Is Microsoft Planner free to use? Planner is free to use for anyone with a Microsoft 365 subscription. However, it is not available to users of the free version of Microsoft Teams.

Limitations of Planner Microsoft Teams 

Although MS Teams Planner is a robust tool for many teams, it does have some limitations that may make it less suitable for complex projects or larger organizations.

1. Limited functionality compared to advanced task management tools

• Planner lacks advanced features like task automation and highly customizable workflows.
• Example: You cannot set conditional triggers or automate complex task dependencies.

2. Lack of analytics and complex filters

• Planner does not provide built-in analytics for tracking team progress or task performance.
• Filters are limited to basic parameters like status, owner, or due dates, making it challenging to create detailed reports.
• Pro Tip: Use Power BI to generate advanced reports from Planner data if detailed analytics are needed.

3. Limited Kanban features

• Some advanced Kanban board features, such as performance metrics and advanced task tracking, are missing.

4. Requires a Microsoft 365 subscription to use

• Planner is only available to Microsoft 365 users, meaning it’s not accessible to those using the free version of Microsoft Teams.

5. Limited scalability

• While Planner works well for small and medium-sized teams, it may not be sufficient for larger organizations or projects with high workflow complexity.
• Pro Tip: For large-scale projects, consider using Microsoft Project, Jira, or Virto Kanban Board App for more robust capabilities.

6. Difficulty in data migration

• Planner has limited options for exporting data, which can make migrating tasks to other project management tools challenging.

7. Insufficient task granularity

• Tasks in Planner don’t support nested subtasks or advanced checklists for managing complex workflows.
• There’s no way to set dependencies between tasks (e.g., “Task A must be completed before Task B”).
• Pro Tip: Use the checklist feature as a workaround for subtasks.

8. Limited notifications

• Notification functionality is basic, and users cannot set up advanced notification rules for specific task updates or changes.

9. UI limitations

• Planner’s interface doesn’t allow for much customization, such as renaming columns or changing the board design to fit specific team needs.

10. Temporary issues with saving data

• Some users have reported temporary issues with saving data in Planner. For example, tasks may fail to update or synchronize properly.
• Solution: Check the Teams app store for the latest updates or feedback to address these potential bugs.

All in all, Microsoft Teams Planner is a great tool for teams looking for an easy-to-use and collaborative task management solution. Its integration with Microsoft Teams and the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem makes it an excellent choice for organizations already using these tools. However, its limitations—such as lack of advanced features, limited scalability, and restricted customization—may make it less suitable for larger or more complex projects.

By weighing the benefits and limitations, you can determine if Planner meets your team’s specific needs or if additional tools are required to complement its functionality. For many teams, Planner provides a strong foundation for managing tasks efficiently, collaborating effectively, and staying organized.

👉Is Planner a Kanban? Yes, Microsoft Planner is built on the principles of Kanban. It provides a visual board where tasks are displayed as cards that can be moved across columns, or “buckets,” representing different stages of work. This approach is a trademark of Kanban, which focuses on managing work by making progress visible and limiting bottlenecks. While Planner incorporates Kanban-style boards, it is a simplified version, designed for basic task management rather than advanced Kanban features found in more specialized tools like the Virto Kanban Board described below.

Alternative to Planner Teams—Virto Kanban Board App for Microsoft Teams

While Microsoft Planner is a great tool for task management within Teams, it may have limitations for teams handling complex, multi-user projects or requiring advanced customization. In this section, we’ll explore the Virto Kanban Board App as a robust alternative to Planner, covering its features, benefits, and how it improves teamwork and project management.

Why consider Virto Kanban Board App as an alternative Microsoft Teams Kanban board planner?

The Kanban board is one of the most popular tools for task management due to its visual and intuitive nature. While Planner includes basic Kanban functionality, its limited features may not meet the needs of larger or more complex projects. The Virto Kanban Board App serves as a powerful alternative, offering advanced capabilities and full integration with Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365.

What is the Virto Kanban Board App?

The Virto Kanban Board App is a task and project management solution designed to enhance workflow efficiency, particularly for complex projects. It integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Teams and SharePoint, providing customizable task cards, advanced reporting, and process automation.

Here are the main features of the Virto Kanban Board App:

• Customizable cards and columns:
  • Personalize task cards with fields such as deadlines, assignees, progress indicators, and more.
  • Configure columns and swimlanes to match your team’s specific workflow.
• Integration with Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365:
  • Manage tasks directly within Teams, avoiding the need to switch between apps.
  • Integrates with SharePoint lists, allowing you to organize tasks and data efficiently.
• Analytics and reports:
  • Access detailed reports to monitor team performance, identify bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions.
  • Track task progress with visual metrics and capacity management tools.

Examples of using Virto Kanban Board App

The Virto Kanban Board App is a versatile tool that can be applied to a variety of scenarios, from managing large-scale projects to planning long-term strategies. Below, we’ll dive deeper into these two use cases, showcasing how the app’s features can help teams achieve their goals more effectively.

Managing large projects

Large projects often involve multiple teams, numerous tasks, and complex workflows, which can make coordination and progress tracking challenging. The Virto Kanban Board App provides the tools necessary to manage these complexities while maintaining clarity and control.

How it works:

• Visual workflows: Break down a large project into smaller, manageable components by creating visual boards with distinct columns for each stage of the workflow. For example:
  • Columns: Backlog → In Progress → Quality Check → Completed.
  • Swimlanes: Differentiate tasks by team, department, or priority level, such as Development, Marketing, and Testing.
• Real-time progress tracking:
  • Monitor progress across multiple teams simultaneously as tasks move through the workflow.
  • Use task cards to display key details, such as deadlines, owners, and statuses, ensuring everyone has a clear understanding of their responsibilities.
• Automation:
  • Automate repetitive actions, such as moving tasks to the next stage when completed or sending notifications for overdue items.
• Bottleneck identification:
  • Leverage built-in analytics to quickly identify bottlenecks or delays in specific stages of the project. For example, if too many tasks are stuck in the “Quality Check” column, you can proactively address capacity or resource issues.

Example use case: A software development company working on a new product launch can use Virto Kanban to:

• Coordinate tasks across teams like design, development, testing, and marketing.
• Track dependencies, such as ensuring design approval is completed before development begins.
• Monitor the progress of testing and bug fixes in real time, ensuring the release date is met.

Benefits:

• Improved visibility into team progress.
• Better coordination across departments.
• Reduced manual effort with task automation.

Building long-term strategies

Strategic planning often spans months or even years, requiring careful prioritization, tracking, and flexibility to adjust as goals evolve. The Virto Kanban Board App makes it easier to plan, execute, and monitor long-term strategies in a structured and visual way.

How it works:

• High-level planning:
  • Create a board dedicated to long-term goals and separate columns for various phases of the strategy, such as:
    • Planning → Execution → Review → Completed.
  • Add swimlanes for different focus areas, such as revenue growth, product innovation, or talent acquisition.
• Prioritization tools:
  • Use custom labels (e.g., “High Priority,” “Low Priority”) and deadlines to ensure that the most critical initiatives receive attention first.
• Progress tracking:
  • Assign tasks or milestones to specific teams or individuals, and track their progress over time.
  • Use metrics to evaluate whether tasks are on schedule and contributing toward broader goals.
• Adjustability:
  • The board’s flexibility allows you to quickly adjust priorities, reassign tasks, or add new initiatives as business needs evolve.

Example use case: A company’s leadership team working on a 3-year growth strategy can use Virto Kanban to:

• Define key initiatives, such as entering new markets, developing flagship products, or reducing operational costs.
• Break down each initiative into actionable tasks, such as conducting market research, creating a product roadmap, or automating workflows.
• Track progress over time, ensuring each goal aligns with the overall timeline and business objectives.

Benefits:

• A clear visual representation of strategic initiatives.
• The ability to prioritize and adjust tasks as goals evolve.
• Enhanced accountability with assigned owners and visible deadlines.

Advantages of Virto Kanban Board over Planner

While Microsoft Planner is an excellent tool for small to medium-sized teams, the Virto Kanban Board App offers several advantages that make it better suited for larger, more complex projects.

1. More flexible settings

• Customize task cards, columns, and workflows to fit your team’s unique needs.
• Add swimlanes for better organization of tasks across different categories or teams.

2. Advanced capabilities for large teams

• Easily handle large volumes of tasks and users without performance issues.
• Use capacity management tools to monitor workloads and prevent bottlenecks.

3. Support for custom workflows

• Define complex workflows with automated rules, ensuring tasks move smoothly through each stage of the project lifecycle.
• Automate notifications, status changes, and other repetitive actions.

4. Enhanced reporting and analytics

• Gain insights into team performance with advanced reports and visual dashboards, a feature not available in Planner.
• Use metrics like team velocity, task completion rates, and backlog trends for better decision-making.

5. Cross-platform accessibility

• Access the app on Microsoft Teams Web, Desktop, and Mobile, ensuring flexibility for all users regardless of location.

6. Integration with SharePoint

• Manage tasks directly from SharePoint lists, which can be displayed as Kanban boards in Teams.
• Sync task data across Teams and SharePoint for centralized project management.

The Virto Kanban Board App is a powerful alternative to Planner for teams seeking advanced functionality, flexibility, and automation. With its customizable workflows, detailed analytics, and seamless integration with Microsoft Teams and SharePoint, it is ideal for managing large projects, building strategies, and improving team collaboration.

We encourage you to schedule a quick demo call or install a free version of the Virto Kanban Board to test the app’s functionality.

In addition to the popular Virto Kanban Board App, VirtoSoftware also offers the Virto Calendar App—a robust solution for consolidating multiple calendar sources into one unified view.. The latest update enhances integration with Microsoft Planner, giving users greater control over task management directly within the calendar interface. The new features include:

• Manage Planner Buckets: Create and organize tasks within Planner buckets directly in the Virto Calendar.
• Edit Planner Labels: Modify task categories (labels) without leaving the calendar view, improving organization and filtering.

But that’s not all. The new version of Virto Calendar also introduces an approve/reject feature for events. Now, you can handle vacation requests, resource allocation, meeting room bookings, or any other request directly from your calendar.

Additionally, the Virto Calendar App allows users to:

• Overlay Exchange Online calendars with other Microsoft 365 calendars.
• Use SharePoint lists as a data source for displaying events or tasks.
• Combine events from SharePoint lists, Outlook calendars, and meeting rooms.
• Add external calendars using iCal links from services like Google Calendar.
• Effortlessly switch between views by day, week, month, or year.
• Color-code events and categories for a clearer calendar overlay.
• Incorporate a mini calendar for a compact overview of all events.

 👉 For more details on the Virto Kanban Board App & Virto Calendar, please visit our Learning Center.

Conclusion on Microsoft Planner Teams 

Microsoft Teams Planner is a versatile and user-friendly tool for basic task and project management. It is well-suited for most users, providing seamless integration with Microsoft Teams and enabling teams to organize, assign, and track tasks efficiently. Its simplicity and accessibility make it an excellent choice for organizations already using the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. However, while Planner is an effective solution for smaller projects and straightforward workflows, its limitations—such as limited customization, scalability, and advanced analytics—may make it less suitable for more complex team structures or larger-scale initiatives.

For teams requiring advanced functionality and enhanced productivity features, the Virto Kanban Board App offers a powerful alternative. With its customizable workflows, detailed reporting, and automation capabilities, Virto Kanban Board enables teams to streamline their workflows, manage complex projects, and maximize efficiency. Its seamless integration with Microsoft Teams ensures that users can continue collaborating effectively while benefiting from advanced task management capabilities.

For further reading and resources, check out these links to help you optimize your Microsoft Planner experience or explore advanced alternatives:

Official Microsoft resources:

• Getting started with Planner in Teams
• Manage your team’s plans with Planner in Teams
• Organize your team’s tasks in Microsoft Planner
• Manage the Planner app for your organization in Microsoft Teams
• Add and use a Planner tab in Microsoft Teams

Our blog posts:

• Microsoft Planner Overview