Microsoft Planner is Better Than Ever!

We all depend on business tools every day, 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.

Tools like these help keep processes on track and enable task accountability, but they are typically separate apps. Switching between apps can be tedious and cumbersome, adding more complexity to a workflow. If only someone figured out how to combine them…

Oh, wait! Microsoft is doing just that, and it’s putting a dent in app overload. The company rolled out a brand-new version of Microsoft Planner in early 2024. It’s packed with exciting features designed to simplify your project management journey. Enough with different apps for everything!

On average, employees switch between 22 different apps 350 times per day.

What is new in MS Planner?

You will see some of the ‘old’ combined with plenty the ‘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 company’s AI companion)

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

Unify Your Workflow: Tasks, Plans & Projects in One Place

No more juggling of 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 this does is enable you to manage everything from large to small, from simple daily tasks to complex multi-phased projects - all within a single, intuitive interface.

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

Improved Collaboration: Working Together is Easier Than Ever

One of the main keys to success in today's fast-paced world is quality collaboration. With the massive upsweep in employees who work remotely, tools need to keep people coordinated wherever they are.

Employees work together seamlessly with the new Planner. Real-time updates ensure everyone stays on the same page. Features like shared task ownership and comments foster clear communication and efficient collaboration.

AI-Powered Insights: Your Smart Copilot for Success

The power of AI with combined with Microsoft Copilot is built into new Planner. It’s 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.

From Simple Tasks to Enterprise Projects, You Can Scale Your Needs:

One size often doesn't fit all, and MS Planner understands that. It offers flexibility to cater to both individual needs and complex enterprise projects. Microsoft Planner can adapt to your specific requirements. It’s 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.

Get Started Fast & Save Time With Pre-Built Templates:

No starting from ‘square 1,’ because Microsoft Planner provides several ready-made templates. You can use these to get started on a new project or goal quickly.

There are templates for things like:

Project Management

Software Development

Sprint Planning

Marketing Campaign

Commercial Construction

Employee Onboarding

and more

Some key features of the new Microsoft Planner 2024:

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

Improved Task Views: 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.

Microsoft App Integration: App integration is an area where Microsoft excels and Planner integrates with many Microsoft tools including Power BI, Teams, Microsoft Viva Goals, Power Automate, and more.

Customize Fields: Add custom fields to tasks. Use them to capture specific information relevant to your project needs.

Set Goals: Define clear goals and track progress visually within your plans.

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.

Availability and Access 

Mark your calendars! The new Planner has been available to preview for months now. Some features will roll out later in the year. You can visit Microsoft’s site to sign up for updates and see a feature roadmap.

The Future of Tasks, Planning & Project Management

This new Planner is an example of a trend we’ve seen in the digital world: Less is more. You will have fewer apps to juggle and more streamlined interfaces.

With all of Planner’s powerful features, it becomes 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.