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Microsoft Planner

Microsoft Planner is a web-based task management and collaborative project planning tool developed by Microsoft as part of the Microsoft 365 productivity suite, designed to help individuals and teams organize work, assign tasks, track progress, and streamline workflows through visual boards, lists, and integrated AI features.^[1] Originally launched on June 6, 2016, as a lightweight alternative to more complex project management software, it was initially positioned as a Trello-like application for simple team task organization within Office 365 subscriptions.^[2] In November 2023, Microsoft announced a major evolution of Planner at its Ignite conference, unifying it with Microsoft To Do for personal tasks, Microsoft Project for the web for advanced project management, and Microsoft Copilot for AI-assisted planning to create a single, intelligent work management solution.^[3] This "new Microsoft Planner" rolled out to general availability starting in April 2024, with the web version reaching full alignment across platforms by Fall 2024; the unification was completed in August 2025 with the retirement of Project for the web and integration of its features into Planner.^[4]^[5] enabling features like content-rich tasks with attachments, checklists, labels, goals, backlogs, and AI-powered agents for automation and insights.^[6] Key integrations embed Planner deeply within the Microsoft ecosystem, including seamless access via Microsoft Teams for real-time collaboration, Microsoft Graph APIs for developer extensibility, and compatibility with tools like Outlook for task syncing and Power Automate for workflow automation.^[7] Available in Basic (Planner Plan 1) for essential task management and Premium tiers (Planner and Project Plans 3 and 5) for enterprise-scale features like portfolios, roadmaps, and advanced reporting, it supports most Microsoft 365 business subscriptions while offering standalone trials and add-ons for enhanced capabilities.^[8]^[9] As of 2025, ongoing updates include AI enhancements like the Project Manager agent for premium users and improved status reporting, ensuring Planner remains a scalable solution for diverse work scenarios from daily to-dos to complex projects.^[10]

History

Launch and initial development

Microsoft Planner was first announced on September 22, 2015, through an official Microsoft blog post introducing it as a new addition to the Office 365 suite designed to simplify team task organization and collaboration.^[11] The tool was positioned as a visual planning solution that allows teams to create plans, assign tasks, share files, and track progress in real time, with a preview rollout planned for Office 365 First Release customers starting in the fourth quarter of 2015.^[11] The preview phase began on December 14, 2015, enabling eligible Office 365 administrators to enable access for their users and begin testing core functionalities.^[12] This beta testing period, spanning from late 2015 through mid-2016, focused on gathering user feedback to refine basic features such as task buckets for categorizing work by stages or priorities and color-coded labels for additional classification.^[13] During this time, Microsoft emphasized iterative improvements based on early adopter input to ensure the tool's simplicity and integration within the Office 365 ecosystem.^[12] Planner achieved general availability on June 6, 2016, becoming accessible to all eligible Microsoft 365 subscriptions, including enterprise, business, and education plans, with a phased rollout over several weeks. Initially limited to these subscription tiers, the launch marked Planner's transition from preview to a production-ready service.^[2] The initial design of Planner drew inspiration from Kanban methodologies, featuring a board-based interface similar to Trello, which prioritized simple, visual task organization for small teams over complex project management.^[11] Developed within Microsoft's productivity applications group, it aimed to bridge the gap between personal to-do lists and more robust tools like Microsoft Project by offering collaborative, lightweight planning without requiring advanced setup.

Major updates and evolution

Following its initial launch, Microsoft Planner saw steady enhancements from 2017 to 2019, focusing on core usability improvements. In May 2017, Microsoft introduced dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android, enabling users to manage tasks on the go with features like task creation, assignment, and progress updates directly from smartphones.^[14] By February 2018, updates added a schedule view for calendar-based task visualization, grouping and filtering options for better organization, due date notifications to alert users via email, and iCalendar export support for integration with external calendars.^[15] These changes built on existing capabilities such as attachments and comments, which allowed file uploads and team discussions within tasks, alongside basic reporting through progress charts. In 2018, further refinements included expanded guest access rollout in May, permitting external collaborators to view and edit plans without full Microsoft 365 licenses, enhancing cross-organization teamwork.^[16] Between 2020 and 2023, Planner evolved with deeper automation and accessibility features. Integration with Power Automate (formerly Microsoft Flow) became prominent around 2020, allowing users to create automated workflows for task notifications, approvals, and data syncing across Microsoft 365 apps. Guest access was fully stabilized by this period, supporting secure external participation in plans. In 2020, Microsoft introduced premium plans through Project Plan 1 (renamed Planner Plan 1 in 2024), priced at $10 per user per month, which unlocked advanced features like timeline (Gantt) views for visualizing project dependencies and milestones, custom fields, and sprint planning tools for agile workflows.^[17]^[18] These premium options addressed limitations in the basic version, providing scalability for larger teams while maintaining core task management like due dates and attachments. The year 2024 marked a significant overhaul with the launch of the "New Microsoft Planner" on April 3, as a unified app within Microsoft Teams during its premium preview phase. This redesign consolidated task views from Planner, To Do, and Project for the web into a single interface, introducing AI-assisted Copilot features for generating task suggestions, summaries, and progress insights based on plan data. Copilot integration began rolling out in preview later that year, enabling natural language queries for task prioritization and automation recommendations. The update emphasized seamless access via Teams, with web support following in fall 2024 to ensure consistent experiences across platforms. In 2025, Planner continued to mature with auditing and customization enhancements. The task history feature, which tracks changes to tasks including edits, assignments, and comments for auditing purposes, fully rolled out in August, allowing users to review a chronological log of modifications directly in the task details pane. Earlier in the year, January updates added customizable columns in board views for tailored data tracking, such as priority levels or custom statuses, improving flexibility for diverse workflows. By May, status reports were streamlined into a dedicated feature, enabling automated generation of project summaries with progress metrics and shareable dashboards.^[6]^[19]^[10] This evolution culminated in a major rebranding and unification effort, with the retirement of Microsoft Project for the web on August 1, 2025, fully merging its advanced planning capabilities, along with Microsoft To Do's personal task lists, into the core Planner hub. Accessible primarily through Teams and the web, this consolidation eliminated fragmented apps, creating a centralized work management tool that supports basic to premium capabilities in one ecosystem. Users of Project for the web were redirected to Planner for the web, ensuring continuity of features.^[5]^[20]

Features

Core task management

Microsoft Planner enables users to create tasks by entering a title in the designated field within a bucket on the visual board, followed by selecting "Add task" to instantiate the item.^[21] Tasks can be enriched with detailed descriptions via the notes field, allowing for comprehensive explanations of requirements or context.^[22] Users may incorporate checklists to break down subtasks, attach files such as documents or images from integrated storage like OneDrive, and assign priority levels categorized as Urgent, Important, Medium, or Low to indicate relative importance.^[23]^[24] Tasks are organized using buckets, which function as columns on a Kanban-style board to categorize work by status—such as default options like "To do," "In progress," and "Done"—or custom groupings tailored to project phases or workflows.^[25] Users can drag and drop tasks between buckets to reflect changing statuses, providing a visual representation of workflow progression without altering the underlying task data.^[22] Assignment features allow team members to be designated to specific tasks through a selection interface, ensuring clear ownership and accountability.^[23] Due dates can be set to establish deadlines, while progress is tracked via status indicators—Not started, In progress, or Completed—and supplemented by checklist completion, which visually updates a progress bar to reflect partial advancement toward 100% completion.^[22]^[26] Basic notifications keep users informed through email alerts for overdue tasks, those due today, or upcoming within seven days, as well as in-app and email notices for assignments, @mentions in comments, and task completions.^[27] These can be configured in Planner settings to balance awareness with minimal disruption.^[27] For enhanced navigation, Planner supports color-coded labels—up to 25 customizable options—for categorizing tasks by type, urgency, or other attributes, which appear as flags on task cards.^[28] Filtering and search capabilities enable quick access by entering keywords or selecting criteria such as due dates, specific labels, buckets, or assignees, streamlining the review of relevant items across the board.^[29]

Advanced planning tools

Microsoft Planner offers advanced planning tools designed for project orchestration and team coordination, available exclusively in premium plans such as Planner Plan 1 and Project Plan 3. These features extend beyond basic task creation by incorporating visual timelines, task interdependencies, and automated insights to facilitate complex project management.^[9] The Timeline view provides a Gantt chart-style visualization of tasks, displaying durations, milestones, and overlaps to illustrate project timelines at a glance. Users can drag and drop tasks to adjust schedules, with dependencies automatically updating to reflect changes in prerequisites, enabling better forecasting of delays or accelerations. This feature helps teams identify critical paths and resource conflicts visually, supporting strategic planning in dynamic environments.^[30] Dependencies allow users to link tasks explicitly, designating predecessor-successor relationships that enforce sequential execution and highlight potential bottlenecks. For agile methodologies, sprints enable the organization of tasks into time-boxed iterations, typically lasting one to four weeks, with automated progress tracking and burndown charts to monitor velocity and completion within each cycle. These tools promote iterative development by allowing teams to prioritize backlogs and adapt plans based on sprint retrospectives.^[31] Custom fields permit the addition of metadata to tasks, such as effort estimates in hours or custom progress metrics like percentage complete, which can be filtered and sorted for refined views. Goals functionality integrates with these fields to set measurable team objectives, such as "Complete 80% of Q4 tasks by December," tracked via interactive dashboards that aggregate data across plans and display real-time attainment status. This supports alignment with broader organizational targets through configurable KPIs and automated notifications for milestones.^[32] Workload management features balance task assignments by providing capacity views that visualize individual and team availability, factoring in assigned tasks, deadlines, and estimated efforts to prevent overload. Users can reassign work dynamically based on these insights, with color-coded indicators showing utilization levels—such as green for under 80% capacity—to optimize resource allocation and maintain productivity.^[33] Reporting tools generate customizable charts and status reports, including burndown graphs for task completion rates and heat maps for identifying bottlenecks in workflows. In 2025, updates enhanced these capabilities with automated status report templates that integrate Copilot-assisted summaries, allowing export to Power BI for deeper analytics while providing at-a-glance metrics on project health.^[34]

AI integrations

As of 2025, Microsoft Planner incorporates AI features powered by Microsoft Copilot, available across plans with enhanced capabilities in premium tiers. Copilot assists in task creation by generating summaries, suggesting due dates, and drafting descriptions based on natural language inputs. For premium users, the Project Manager agent, introduced in early 2025, automates workflow insights, such as identifying risks, recommending resource adjustments, and generating progress updates during meetings in Microsoft Teams. These AI tools integrate seamlessly with core task management, providing proactive suggestions and automation to streamline planning and execution.^[35]^[36]

Integrations

Microsoft ecosystem compatibility

Microsoft Planner is designed to integrate seamlessly with other Microsoft 365 applications, enabling users to create unified workflows that enhance task management and collaboration across the ecosystem.^[37] This native compatibility allows tasks and plans to flow between tools without manual data entry, supporting real-time updates and centralized productivity.^[1] One of the primary integrations is with Microsoft Teams, where Planner plans can be embedded directly as tabs within channels to facilitate real-time collaboration.^[38] Users can create and manage tasks alongside team chats, attach files, and link discussions to specific assignments, ensuring that conversations and progress tracking occur in a single interface.^[22] This setup promotes efficient group work by combining task boards with communication tools.^[39] Planner also synchronizes bidirectionally with Outlook and Microsoft To Do, automatically importing tasks into personal calendars and lists while reflecting updates such as due date changes across platforms.^[40] For instance, enabling the Planner connection in To Do settings displays assigned tasks in the "Assigned to me" smart list, and schedules from Planner can be added to Outlook calendars for visual planning.^[41] This integration unifies individual and team task views, reducing the need to switch applications.^[42] Through Power Automate, Planner supports workflow automation, such as triggering task creation from incoming emails or form submissions, using dedicated connectors to interact with plan data.^[43] For data visualization, Power BI can access Planner information indirectly via Power Automate flows that export tasks to SharePoint lists or Excel files, allowing users to build dashboards for progress tracking and analytics.^[44] These capabilities enable scalable automation and reporting without custom coding.^[45] Planner links closely with SharePoint and OneDrive for document management, as each plan is tied to a Microsoft 365 Group with an associated SharePoint site where attachments and files are stored.^[46] Users can add Planner boards directly to SharePoint sites for contextual task management alongside documents, and files attached to tasks are automatically saved to the group's OneDrive or SharePoint library, supporting version control and shared access.^[47] This integration streamlines file-task associations in collaborative environments.^[48] Planner integrates with Microsoft Loop by syncing tasks captured in Loop components, such as task lists in Teams chats, Outlook emails, or Loop pages, directly into Planner plans for advanced tracking and management. Updates between Loop and Planner remain synchronized, enabling real-time collaboration with Loop's co-editing features. Additionally, existing Planner plans can be embedded as components in Loop pages, providing board views, labels, checklists, and priority management within Loop workspaces.^[49] As of January 2025, Planner integrates with Viva Goals to automatically update key results and initiatives based on task progress in Planner, supporting goal alignment and performance tracking across Microsoft Viva.^[50] Since its rollout in 2024, Copilot in Planner leverages AI to generate tasks, goals, and entire plans from natural language prompts, drawing on context within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem to suggest actions based on user inputs.^[51] Available in preview for eligible Microsoft 365 plans, it assists in outlining projects by creating buckets and assignments, enhancing planning efficiency without external data imports.^[52]

External and third-party connections

Microsoft Planner facilitates connections to non-Microsoft services through the Microsoft Graph API, enabling developers to create custom integrations that extend its functionality into diverse workflows. This API allows for programmatic access to plans and tasks, supporting data import and synchronization with enterprise tools such as Salesforce and Jira. For instance, developers can build applications to pull issues from Jira into Planner tasks or update Salesforce records based on task completions, enhancing cross-platform collaboration in hybrid environments.^[7]^[53] Automation platforms like Zapier offer limited support for Microsoft Planner through third-party connectors or Graph API integrations, enabling some no-code automations for task creation and updates triggered by external events, such as social media mentions on X or CRM updates in HubSpot, with additional setup.^[54] While IFTTT offers broad support for Microsoft services like Teams and To Do, direct integration with Planner remains limited, often requiring indirect workflows through shared Microsoft 365 endpoints.^[55] Compatibility with Google Workspace is also constrained, with options for one-way syncing of Planner tasks to Google Calendar via APIs or third-party tools, but no native bidirectional support for importing Google Calendar events or attaching Google Docs files directly to tasks.^[54]^[55] Planner supports webhooks through Microsoft Graph subscriptions, which deliver change notifications for tasks and plans to external endpoints, enabling real-time triggers in tools like Slack—for example, posting updates to a Slack channel when a task status changes. Additionally, Planner boards can be embedded in external websites using iframes, allowing visibility into plans from non-Microsoft platforms, though interactive features may be restricted outside authenticated sessions. However, these capabilities have limitations: there is no native support for direct integration with competing enterprise tools like Asana, necessitating reliance on third-party automation for any bridging. Advanced API and webhook usage further depends on appropriate Microsoft 365 licensing to access full Graph permissions.^[56]^[57]

User interface and accessibility

Microsoft Planner's interface emphasizes intuitive navigation through multiple views tailored to different user needs, allowing seamless switching between visual overviews and detailed task management. The primary navigation occurs via a sidebar or top menu, where users can access plans, personal sections like My Tasks and My Day, and apply global filters or search across all content. This structure supports quick task interaction without disrupting workflow, with options to pin frequently used plans for faster access.^[39] The default Board view employs a Kanban-style layout, organizing tasks as draggable cards within customizable buckets that represent workflow stages, such as "To Do," "In Progress," and "Done." Users can drag cards between buckets to update status, add attachments or comments directly on cards, and visualize progress at a glance through color-coded labels and priority indicators. This view is ideal for team collaboration and agile planning, providing an interactive canvas for rearranging tasks without opening individual details.^[58]^[59] In addition to the Board, Planner offers Grid view for more structured data handling, resembling a spreadsheet where tasks appear in rows with columns for details like title, assignee, due date, and labels, providing a sequential, compact display optimized for scanning long task lists. The Grid view enables inline editing of multiple fields simultaneously, sorting by any column, and grouping tasks by attributes such as priority or bucket for focused analysis. As of the June 2025 update, users can reorder columns by dragging headers, enhancing personalization for detailed editing sessions. This view supports bulk actions, such as assigning multiple tasks at once, and is particularly useful for administrative or reporting tasks.^[29]^[36]^[59] The Schedule view presents tasks in a calendar format, highlighting due dates and timelines to identify overlaps or deadlines, while the Charts view aggregates progress metrics into visual dashboards showing percentages of completed, overdue, and pending tasks, along with assignee workloads. These analytical views aid in oversight without altering task data, with interactive elements like clicking a chart segment to filter the underlying tasks.^[26]^[32] Personalized navigation is facilitated through My Tasks and My Day dashboards, which aggregate all assigned tasks across plans into a unified feed. My Tasks displays a consolidated list or board of responsibilities, filterable by progress or plan, allowing users to prioritize and update items centrally. My Day, in contrast, curates a daily digest of due or suggested tasks, integrating with Microsoft To Do for focus on immediate priorities, with options to reschedule or complete items via simple toggles. These sections appear in the left navigation pane, enabling one-click access to personalized workflows.^[58]^[1] A global search bar at the top of the interface enables keyword-based queries across all plans, tasks, and attachments, with advanced filters refining results by label, assignee, due date range, bucket, or progress status. Filters can be applied cumulatively—such as showing only high-priority tasks assigned to a specific user due this week—and saved as presets for repeated use, streamlining navigation in large teams or complex projects.^[29] Customization options enhance usability, including reordering or hiding columns in Grid view to display only relevant fields, such as concealing the bucket column for simplified personal lists. Users can adjust themes via Microsoft 365 settings for light/dark modes or high-contrast options to improve accessibility, and rearrange bucket orders in Board view by dragging headers. These adjustments apply per plan or user preference, ensuring the interface adapts to individual or team needs without affecting data integrity.^[36]^[60]

Platforms and device support

Microsoft Planner is primarily accessed through its web interface at tasks.office.com or via the dedicated Planner hub in Microsoft 365, supporting modern web browsers such as the latest versions of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari on Windows, macOS, and other platforms. This browser-based access ensures compatibility across devices without requiring software installation, allowing users to manage tasks directly from any internet-connected computer.^[61]^[62] For desktop environments, Microsoft Planner does not offer a standalone native application for Windows or macOS, relying instead on its web version and integrations within other Microsoft tools. It is deeply embedded in the Microsoft Teams desktop client, where users can create and manage plans as tabs within channels, providing a seamless experience for team-based workflows on Windows and macOS devices. Additionally, Planner integrates with Outlook, enabling users to view and add assigned tasks to their Outlook calendar or tasks list, though this is achieved through built-in synchronization rather than a dedicated add-in.^[63]^[38]^[41] On mobile devices, dedicated apps for iOS and Android were released in May 2017, available through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, respectively. These apps support core functionalities like task creation, assignment, and collaboration, with push notifications alerting users to updates such as new assignments or comments in real time. Offline viewing is supported in read-only mode, but editing requires an active internet connection.^[14]^[27]^[64] Cross-platform synchronization is handled through Microsoft accounts, enabling real-time updates across web, desktop integrations, and mobile apps as changes made on one device propagate instantly to others via the cloud. This ensures consistent task visibility and progress tracking for users switching between devices. However, there are limitations, such as delta-sync restrictions allowing real-time updates for up to 400 plans per user, beyond which passive refreshes occur, and certain premium features like advanced reporting may not function fully offline.^[65] Accessibility features in Microsoft Planner include support for screen readers like Narrator, JAWS, and NVDA, tested primarily with Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome, facilitating navigation of plans, buckets, and tasks through voice commands. High-contrast modes and keyboard navigation are available, aligning with Microsoft 365's broader accessibility tools to accommodate users with visual or motor impairments. The platform partially supports Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at the AA level, as documented in Microsoft's accessibility conformance reports, ensuring significant but not complete equitable access across supported devices.^[66]^[67]^[68]

Pricing and availability

Subscription plans

Microsoft Planner offers a range of subscription plans designed to accommodate varying levels of task and project management needs, from basic functionality to enterprise-grade tools. The entry-level standalone option, Planner Plan 1, provides basic access at $10 per user per month (paid yearly). This plan includes core task management capabilities such as creating and organizing tasks on customizable boards, visual charts for progress tracking, and seamless integration with Microsoft Teams for collaboration. However, it does not support advanced reporting features like custom dashboards or detailed analytics.^[17] Planner is bundled within broader Microsoft 365 subscriptions, including the Business plans and higher enterprise tiers like E3 and E5, starting at $36 per user per month (paid yearly). These bundles incorporate the basic Planner features from Plan 1 along with premium additions such as timeline views (Gantt charts), project goals, and premium templates, enhancing planning without requiring a separate purchase.^[69] For users requiring more robust project oversight, the Planner and Project Plan 3 is priced at $30 per user per month (paid yearly), delivering full project management functionality including task dependencies, resource allocation, custom fields, and sprint planning. The premium Planner and Project Plan 5, at $55 per user per month (paid yearly), builds on this with advanced capabilities like portfolio management, enterprise resource planning integration, and comprehensive reporting across multiple projects.^[70]^[71] A limited free tier enables basic Planner use within the free version of Microsoft Teams, supporting essential task creation and board organization but restricted to up to 3,000 active tasks and 9,000 total tasks per plan (as of 2025). Guest access for external collaborators is supported, subject to admin policies.^[65]^[9]^[72] All premium plans, including Planner Plan 1, Plan 3, and Plan 5, offer 30-day free trials to evaluate advanced features, with automatic data migration from basic to premium tiers to preserve existing plans and tasks upon subscription.^[73]

Licensing and access requirements

Microsoft Planner requires an active Microsoft 365 subscription that includes access to Microsoft Teams for basic functionality, such as creating and editing plans within Teams.^[74] This includes plans like Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, Enterprise E3, and Enterprise E5, as well as Education A3 and A5 variants; there is no standalone free version of Planner outside of these integrated offerings.^[74] Premium features, such as advanced views and reporting, necessitate additional licenses like Planner Plan 1 or higher, but basic task management is available without extra cost in eligible subscriptions.^[74] IT administrators manage access to Microsoft Planner through the Microsoft 365 admin center, where they can assign licenses to users, configure policies for guest access, and enforce data retention settings to comply with organizational needs.^[32] Guest users from outside the organization can be invited to plans, but their participation is governed by admin-set restrictions on external sharing and data export.^[75] Eligibility extends to commercial tenants with Business or Enterprise subscriptions, as well as specialized variants for education (supporting academic institutions via A-series plans) and government (through GCC and GCC High environments), all incorporating compliance features such as GDPR data protection and sovereignty controls.^[76]^[77] In 2024, Microsoft implemented automatic upgrades from legacy Planner instances to the New Planner interface, ensuring seamless data migration for existing users without manual intervention. Third-party tools are available for importing plans from competitors, such as Trello or Asana, to facilitate transitions into the Microsoft ecosystem. Security is enforced through role-based access control tied to underlying Microsoft 365 groups, with roles including owners (full management permissions), members (edit and view access), and guests (limited collaboration rights).^[78] Audit logs for Planner activities are accessible via Microsoft Purview, with enhanced retention and search capabilities available in premium subscription plans.^[79]

Reception

Adoption and usage statistics

Microsoft Planner has experienced significant user growth as part of the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem, with adoption accelerating through its integration with tools like Teams and the introduction of AI capabilities. According to a Forrester Consulting Total Economic Impact study commissioned by Microsoft, a composite organization of 24,000 employees scaled Planner usage from 800 users in the first year to 3,600 users by the third year, representing 15% penetration among the workforce.^[80] This growth reflects Planner's role in unifying task management. In the project and portfolio management (PPM) market, Microsoft Planner competes directly with platforms like Trello and Asana, positioning itself as a leader in collaborative work management. Gartner Peer Insights data from 2025 shows Planner earning a 4.2-star rating based on 672 verified reviews, highlighting its strengths in integration and ease of use within enterprise environments. Among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) leveraging Microsoft 365, Planner adoption aligns with the suite's overall expansion, which surpassed 400 million commercial users in early 2025.^[81] Real-world applications demonstrate Planner's enterprise value, particularly in sectors like insurance, education, and healthcare. The same Forrester study drew from interviews with decision-makers at nine organizations, where Planner streamlined project tracking and collaboration, yielding projected returns on investment ranging from 114% to 437% over three years.^[80] For instance, these enterprises reported enhanced team productivity through features like task dependencies and premium templates, contributing to overall Microsoft Teams usage increases via seamless integration. Adoption trends from 2024 to 2025 have been driven by AI enhancements, including Copilot integration and the Project Manager agent, which automate task suggestions and reporting. Microsoft reports indicate a surge in premium plan uptake following these updates, with capabilities like multi-lingual AI support expanding accessibility.^[36] Planner's global reach supports deployment in over 40 languages as of mid-2025, facilitating adoption across diverse regions.^[36] Usage is highest in North America and Europe, mirroring Microsoft 365's dominant market presence, where enterprise integrations have driven consistent growth in these areas.^[81]

Criticisms and limitations

Microsoft Planner faces scalability challenges when managing large projects, where users have reported issues in 2025 reviews.^[82] These issues become more pronounced with teams exceeding 20 members, as the interface can become cluttered and difficult to navigate for multi-project oversight.^[83] The tool also exhibits notable feature gaps, lacking native time-tracking and invoicing capabilities, which necessitates reliance on third-party integrations for comprehensive project management.^[84] Its basic plan is often viewed as insufficient for project management offices (PMOs), offering limited reporting and no support for task dependencies or subtasks, restricting its utility in structured environments.^[82] Usability critiques highlight a steep learning curve for users unfamiliar with the Microsoft ecosystem, compounded by occasional sync delays across devices following updates.^[85] These delays can disrupt real-time collaboration, particularly in dynamic team settings. Privacy concerns arise from Planner's storage of data in the Microsoft cloud, which, despite certifications for standards like GDPR and HIPAA, poses challenges for highly regulated industries requiring on-premises control or stricter data sovereignty.^[79] In competitor comparisons, Microsoft Planner is frequently criticized for being less flexible than Jira in agile environments, lacking built-in support for Scrum or Kanban methodologies and advanced workflow customizations essential for software development teams.^[86]

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New Microsoft Planner
The new Microsoft Planner is a unified work management solution that brings together Microsoft Planner, Microsoft Project for the web, Microsoft To Do, and ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[30]
Microsoft Planner for admins
May 2, 2025 · Advanced features include report creation, Timeline (Gantt) view, dependencies, sprints, custom fields, team workload, and managing goals.
[31]
Get ready for the new Microsoft Planner for the web
Join the Microsoft Planner product team on Tuesday, September 17 at 9:00 AM Pacific to learn about recent updates to the Planner app, and get a sneak peek at ...
[32]
Do More with Work Management Software | Microsoft Planner
Progress charts: Visual charts show task progress, completion rates, and pending tasks. These visuals help managers and team members quickly assess project ...
[33]
When to use Microsoft Project, Planner, To Do, or the Tasks app in ...
Planner is a light weight, mobile and web-based application that comes with most Office 365 for business subscriptions.Project Desktop · Microsoft Planner · Microsoft To Do
[34]
Add Planner as a tab in Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Support
You can add a Microsoft 365 Planner tab to Microsoft Teams. Planner lets you generate boards containing all your team's tasks and assignments.
[35]
Getting started with Planner in Teams - Microsoft Support
The Planner app in Microsoft Teams brings together all your tasks and plans across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem in a single convenient location.Add The Planner App · Track Your Tasks In My Tasks · See All Of Your Plans With...
[36]
See Planner tasks in Microsoft To Do
In Settings, scroll down to the Smart lists section and make sure that Assigned to me is turned On. Then, under Connected apps, for Planner, choose On.
[37]
See your Planner schedule in Outlook calendar - Microsoft Support
Open the plan you would like to add to your Outlook calendar. · At the top of your Planner board, open the plan menu by selecting the chevron next to the plan ...
[38]
Manage tasks with To Do in Outlook - Microsoft Support
The To Do app is integrated into Outlook to help you plan your day, track tasks and add to-do items to your calendar.
[39]
Planner - Connectors | Microsoft Learn
Microsoft Planner lets you easily bring together teams, tasks, documents, and conversations for better results.
[40]
Using Microsoft To Do with Power Automate
With Power Automate's actions for Microsoft To Do it's easy to create a new task from Outlook, Gmail, Google Calendar, Teams, HipChat, Planner, or any of the ...
[41]
Microsoft Power Apps and Microsoft Power Automate
Quickly automate your workflows, enable business logic to simplify tasks, and connect your processes with Microsoft Power Automate.Missing: integration | Show results with:integration
[42]
Use Microsoft Planner on your SharePoint site
Microsoft Planner is a Microsoft 365 service that lets you create boards and add your team's tasks and assignments.Missing: Automate BI
[43]
Collaborate with your team using Microsoft Planner
With a plan open, choose the three dots to the right of the plan name for the full list of tools to help you and your teammates work together on your plan.
[44]
Copilot in Planner (preview) begins roll out to the new Microsoft ...
The new Planner is now at 100% general availability in Teams. Try it out today. · Ability to upgrade a basic plan to a premium plan · A faster and better My Day ...Copilot In Planner (preview)... · Experiencing Copilot In The... · The New Planner Is Now At...
[45]
Create new tasks with Copilot in Planner (preview) - Microsoft Support
To create tasks for the campaign in Planner, Abigail completes the following steps: At the top right of the plan, select Copilot Copilot Icon.
[46]
Use the Planner REST API - Microsoft Graph v1.0
Mar 6, 2024 · You can use the Planner API in Microsoft Graph to create tasks and assign them to users in a group in Microsoft 365.
[47]
Build Automated Microsoft Planner-Connected Workflows in Zapier
This article shows how to connect to Microsoft Planner and build workflows with live Microsoft Planner data in Zapier. Connect to Microsoft Planner from Zapier.
[48]
Microsoft To Do Integrations - Connect Your Apps with IFTTT
Rating 4.6 (58,500) Integrate Microsoft To Do with over 900 of your favorite apps & devices to unlock powerful automations on IFTTT. Get started today!Missing: support | Show results with:support
[49]
Microsoft 365 Planner and Slack Integration | Workflow Automation
Connect Microsoft 365 Planner and Slack to sync data between apps and create powerful automated workflows. Integrate over 3000 apps on Make.
[50]
Is there a way to link Microsoft Planner with Asana? - Integrations
Jul 29, 2022 · There aren't any built-in ways to integrate Planner and Asana, which leaves third-party tools. I looked and unfortunately wasn't able to ...
[51]
Manage your Personal Tasks with Planner in Teams
Grid – View your tasks in an easy-to-understand list. Here you can easily set task fields, mark tasks complete, and add new tasks. · Board – View your tasks in a ...
[52]
Microsoft Planner cheat sheet: How to get started - Computerworld
Oct 1, 2025 · Planner gives Microsoft 365 users a built-in task-management tool that small teams can use to track plans, tasks, and progress.
[53]
What's new in Microsoft Planner – June 2025
Jun 30, 2025 · What's new in Microsoft Planner – June 2025 ... Discover the latest enhancements in Planner, designed to help you manage your work more ...
[54]
Customize the project tasks list view - Microsoft Support
You can customize the project tasks list view by adding, showing, deleting, or hiding columns, sorting, moving, setting width, and creating or modifying views.Work With Columns · Set Up Views · Customize And Navigate The...Missing: reordering theme
[55]
Which browsers work with Microsoft 365 for the web and Microsoft ...
Windows 10: The new Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome. MacOS: The new Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari, or Chrome. Linux: Microsoft 365 for the web ...Missing: Planner | Show results with:Planner
[56]
Get started with Microsoft Planner
Go to your Microsoft 365 home page and sign in with the account you want. Select the app launcher at the top of the browser window. Choose the Planner tile in ...
[57]
Can Microsoft Planner be developed into a standalone application ...
Jan 28, 2025 · Can Microsoft Planner be developed into a standalone application ... While there is no official standalone desktop application at this moment.
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Stay updated with notifications in Planner - Microsoft Support
Planner sends email and push notifications for a variety of reasons. Some notifications can be controlled by plan members.Missing: IFTTT | Show results with:IFTTT
[59]
Microsoft Planner for Android help
Allows us to identify when the phone is offline so we can let you know the app won't work without Internet access. Android 5.x and later. Required. Test ...Missing: push notifications
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Microsoft Planner limits
Jan 14, 2025 · Plan limits Delta sync lets users passively receive updates in real-time while the app is open. Users beyond the delta-sync limits won't see ...Missing: cross- | Show results with:cross-
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Use a screen reader to explore and navigate Microsoft Planner
This article is for people who use a screen reader program such as Windows Narrator, JAWS, or NVDA with Windows tools or features and Microsoft 365 products.
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Keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft Planner
When you use Planner, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Because Planner runs in your web browser, the keyboard shortcuts are ...
[63]
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines - Microsoft Compliance
May 30, 2025 · The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide a framework for making web content more accessible for people with disabilities.
[64]
Compare Microsoft 365 Enterprise Pricing and Plans
Compare Microsoft 365 plans and pricing for enterprise. Empower your team by enhancing productivity, security, and driving innovation.Microsoft Teams · Microsoft 365 E3 · Microsoft 365 F3 for frontline... · Office 365
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Buy Microsoft Planner and Project Plan 3 - Microsoft 365
Plans and pricing. Compare options · Planner Plan 1 · Planner and Project Plan 3 ... [2] Subscription prices shown are per month. If you are a global or ...
[66]
Buy Microsoft Planner and Project Plan 5 – Microsoft 365
$$55.00. user/month, paid yearly. Annual subscription ...
[67]
How to access a 30-day trial of Planner's premium features
After signing into Planner, if you have an E3 or E5 license, you can use all the regular Planner capabilities for free. However, if you want to access more ...
[68]
Microsoft Planner Subscriptions
Nov 4, 2024 · Planner includes full editing on basic plans and basic editing capabilities on premium plans. A Planner premium subscription is necessary to ...
[69]
Frequently asked questions for admins about Microsoft Planner
Dec 2, 2024 · The Planner component allows users to view and edit Planner plans as a Loop component in the Loop app and in Microsoft apps that support Loop, ...
[70]
Microsoft 365 and Office 365 service descriptions
Sep 5, 2025 · Microsoft 365 and Office 365 are cloud-based services designed to help meet your organization's needs for robust security, reliability, and user productivity.
[71]
Compare Microsoft 365 Government Plans & Pricing
Compare Microsoft 365 government plans and pricing for GCC, GCC High, and DoD. Discover secure cloud solutions that enhance productivity and collaboration.
[72]
Overview of Microsoft 365 Groups for administrators
Mar 13, 2025 · Owners - Group owners can add or remove members and have unique permissions like the ability to delete conversations from the shared inbox or ...Missing: based | Show results with:based
[73]
Security, privacy, and compliance in Microsoft Planner
Apr 23, 2025 · Premium plans and non-group plans aren't currently supported. Purview's integrated audit logs are supported across plan types and containers.
[74]
The Projected Total Economic Impact™ Of Microsoft Planner
Microsoft commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study and examine the potential return on investment (ROI) enterprises may ...
[75]
Microsoft Statistics 2025: Revenue, Cloud, AI & Workforce Insights
Oct 8, 2025 · Microsoft 365 commercial users surpassed 400 million in early 2025. Windows 11 is now installed on 31% of all Windows devices worldwide. The ...
[76]
Microsoft Planner Premium Roadmap 2025: AI Integration ... - nBold
Oct 7, 2025 · Allocate time for thorough testing before the official rollout. Phase 4: User Training and Adoption Train your teams on the upgraded interface ...
[77]
Top 5 Microsoft Planner Limitations And How to Fix Them
Top 5 Microsoft Planner Limitations And How to Fix Them Without Switching Tools · 1. No Timeline or Gantt View · 2. Basic and Limited Reporting · 3. No Support for ...
[78]
Is Microsoft Planner Enough For Project Management In 2025? 8 ...
Mar 10, 2025 · For project management software 2025, scale matters. Planner struggles with: Large Teams: Over 20 members clog views. Multi-Project Oversight: ...
[79]
Microsoft Planner vs Other Project Management Tools: Pros and Cons
Jan 7, 2025 · If you're deciding between Microsoft Planner and alternatives like monday.com, Asana, or Trello, this comparison will help you choose the best ...
[80]
New Planner Board issues - Microsoft Q&A
Oct 7, 2025 · We are having issues since the new update of Planner. When we create a new group in Outlook and then create a new Planner board, ...
[81]
Microsoft Planner vs Jira: Which Tool Suits Your Project Needs Best?
Apr 11, 2025 · Microsoft Planner is ideal for small teams that need a straightforward task management solution, while Jira is a go-to for Agile software ...