Microsoft Planner

What is Microsoft Planner

Microsoft Planner is a task management and work organization tool developed by Microsoft. It is an integral part of the Microsoft 365 productivity suite. The core purpose of Planner is to help teams organize their work visually. Users can create plans, build task boards, assign tasks to team members, set due dates, and track progress in a simple, Kanban-style interface. It is designed for light project management and collaborative task handling. As a product of Microsoft, a global technology leader headquartered in Redmond, Washington, Planner is deeply integrated with other Microsoft applications like Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint, making it a convenient choice for businesses already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Microsoft Planner Features

• Visual Task Boards: Organize tasks using Kanban boards. You can create custom columns, called 'Buckets', to represent different stages of your workflow, such as 'To Do', 'In Progress', and 'Completed'.
• Task Details: Each task card can contain rich information, including checklists, labels, due dates, file attachments, and comments, providing all necessary context in one place.
• Multiple Views: View your work in different formats. The Board view offers a Kanban layout, the Charts view provides visual dashboards on task status and team workload, and the Schedule view shows tasks on a calendar.
• My Tasks View: A personalized view that aggregates all tasks assigned to you from all your plans, helping you focus on your individual responsibilities.
• Microsoft 365 Integration: Seamlessly works with other Microsoft tools. You can add a Planner tab in Microsoft Teams, see Planner tasks in Microsoft To Do, and link emails from Outlook to tasks.
• Notifications: Stay informed with email and mobile notifications about upcoming deadlines, new assignments, and comments on your tasks.
• Templates: Start new plans quickly with pre-built templates for common projects like marketing campaigns, software development, and event planning.
• Advanced Project Management: Higher-tier plans include features like Timeline (Gantt) view, task dependencies, sprint planning for agile teams, and resource management to handle more complex projects.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot: In premium plans, an AI assistant helps generate plans, set goals, and monitor progress based on your project descriptions.

Microsoft Planner Pricing Plans

Microsoft Planner is available through several tiers, primarily tied to Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

• Planner in Microsoft 365: This version is included at no extra cost with most Microsoft 365 Business, Enterprise, and Education plans. It provides all the core features for task management, including boards, charts, and integration with Teams. It is ideal for teams needing a straightforward tool for daily task organization.
• Planner Plan 1: This is a paid subscription that adds more advanced project management capabilities on top of the basic features. It is designed for teams and project managers who need tools like timeline views (Gantt charts), task dependencies, and agile features like backlogs and sprints.
• Planner and Project Plan 3: This plan combines all the features of Planner Plan 1 with capabilities from Microsoft Project. It is suited for organizations that need comprehensive project and resource management tools, including advanced dependencies and task history. It also includes access to Microsoft 365 Copilot in Planner.
• Planner and Project Plan 5: The most advanced tier, this plan is for enterprises that require portfolio management and enterprise-level resource allocation. It includes all features from Plan 3 plus tools for managing a portfolio of projects.

Microsoft Planner Free Plan

Microsoft Planner does not have a standalone free plan. However, its core features are included for free within many paid Microsoft 365 subscriptions. If your organization already subscribes to a qualifying Microsoft 365 plan (like Business Basic, Business Standard, E3, or E5), you can use Planner without any additional charge. For users who do not have a subscription, Microsoft typically offers a one-month free trial for plans that include Planner, such as Planner Plan 1, allowing you to test its premium features.

How to use Microsoft Planner

Getting started with Microsoft Planner is straightforward, especially if you are familiar with the Microsoft 365 environment.

1. Access Planner: Log in to your Microsoft 365 account and find Planner in the app launcher, or access it directly via tasks.office.com.
2. Create a New Plan: Click on 'New Plan'. Give your plan a name and choose its privacy setting—either 'Private' (only members you add can see it) or 'Public' (visible to everyone in your organization).
3. Add Buckets: Inside your plan, create columns called 'Buckets' to organize your tasks. Common examples are 'To Do', 'In Progress', and 'Done', but you can customize them to fit your project's workflow.
4. Create and Assign Tasks: Click 'Add task' under the appropriate bucket. Give the task a name, set a due date, and assign it to one or more team members.
5. Add Task Details: Click on a task to open it and add more details. You can create a checklist of sub-tasks, attach files, add a description, and use labels for categorization.
6. Collaborate: Team members can use the comments section on each task to discuss progress, ask questions, and share updates.
7. Track Progress: Use the 'Board' view to see tasks move across buckets. Switch to the 'Charts' view for a dashboard showing the overall status of tasks, progress by bucket, and workload distribution among team members.

Pros and Cons of Microsoft Planner

Pros:

• Deep Microsoft 365 Integration: Its biggest strength is its seamless connection with Teams, Outlook, To Do, and SharePoint, creating a unified workspace.
• User-Friendly Interface: The visual, card-based layout is intuitive and easy for new users to learn.
• Included with Existing Subscriptions: Many businesses already have access to Planner through their Microsoft 365 plan, making it a cost-effective option.
• Good for Collaboration: Features like comments, file sharing, and notifications make it easy for teams to work together on tasks.

Cons:

• Limited Features in Basic Version: The version included with Microsoft 365 lacks advanced project management features like Gantt charts and task dependencies.
• Not Ideal for Complex Projects: For large-scale projects with intricate dependencies and resource management needs, Planner can be too basic compared to dedicated tools like Jira or Asana.
• Best for Microsoft-Centric Teams: Its value is significantly reduced for teams that do not use the Microsoft 365 suite.

Microsoft Planner integrations

Microsoft Planner's main strength is its native integration within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Key integrations include:

• Microsoft Teams: You can add a Planner plan as a tab directly within a Teams channel, allowing the team to manage tasks without leaving the Teams interface.
• Microsoft To Do: Tasks assigned to you in Planner automatically appear in your 'Assigned to me' list in Microsoft To Do, consolidating all your tasks in one place.
• Microsoft Outlook: You can view and manage your Planner schedule in your Outlook calendar. Flagged emails in Outlook can also be converted into Planner tasks.
• Microsoft SharePoint: Every Planner plan automatically creates a new Microsoft 365 Group, which includes a dedicated SharePoint site for file storage and collaboration.
• Microsoft Power Automate: You can create custom automated workflows between Planner and other apps. For example, you can automatically create a Planner task when a new entry is added to a SharePoint list.
• Microsoft Loop: Embed and track your team's plans alongside other project content in a collaborative Microsoft Loop workspace.

Microsoft Planner Alternatives

• Trello: A direct competitor known for its simplicity and visual Kanban boards. Trello is great for straightforward task management but has fewer native integrations with business productivity suites compared to Planner.
• Asana: A more powerful project management tool that offers lists, boards, timelines, and calendars. Asana is better suited for managing complex projects with detailed workflows and dependencies.
• Monday.com: A flexible Work OS platform that can be customized for various use cases beyond project management. It offers extensive automation and reporting capabilities but can be more expensive.
• Jira: Primarily designed for software development teams, Jira excels at agile project management, bug tracking, and managing complex development roadmaps. It is more technical than Planner.
• ClickUp: An all-in-one productivity platform that aims to replace multiple apps. It offers a wide range of features, including tasks, docs, goals, and chat, making it highly versatile but with a steeper learning curve.

Microsoft Planner API

Yes, Microsoft Planner has an API available through the Microsoft Graph API. This allows developers to programmatically interact with Planner data, such as plans, buckets, and tasks. You can use it to create custom applications, build integrations with other software, or automate reporting.

To use the API, you need to register an application in Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) to get client credentials. Authentication is handled via OAuth 2.0, not a simple static API key. Developers must request the necessary permissions (like Group.ReadWrite.All and Tasks.ReadWrite) for their application to access Planner data on behalf of a user or as an application.

Here is a conceptual example of a GET request to fetch tasks from a plan using the Microsoft Graph API:

GET https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/planner/plans/{plan-id}/tasks
Authorization: Bearer {access-token}

This request would return a JSON object containing the tasks within the specified plan. For detailed documentation, developers should visit the Microsoft Graph developer portal.

Microsoft Planner Affiliate program

Microsoft runs a comprehensive affiliate program that includes its wide range of products, such as Microsoft 365 subscriptions which contain Microsoft Planner. While there isn't an affiliate program specifically for 'Planner' alone, you can earn commissions by promoting Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise plans.

To join, you typically need to apply through a third-party affiliate network that partners with Microsoft, such as Rakuten Advertising. Once approved, you receive unique affiliate links to place on your website, blog, or social media. You earn a commission for each qualifying purchase of a Microsoft 365 subscription made through your link. Commission rates vary depending on the product and the affiliate network's terms. For more information or to become a partner, it is best to search for the 'Microsoft Affiliate Program' online and follow the application process on their official partner page.