Note: The video tutorials on this page demonstrate the experience in the new Microsoft Planner, which is currently rolling out to customers. The new Planner is not yet available for Government Cloud Communities (GCC), GCC High, or Department of Defense (DoD) environments. Learn more about the new Planner in Frequently asked questions about Planner.
Microsoft 365 Copilot in Planner (preview)
With the power of generative AI, Microsoft 365 Copilot in Planner (preview) streamlines the planning, management, and execution of your work, keeping you informed as you achieve your goals. Microsoft 365 Copilot in Planner (preview) helps teams transform the way they work and collaborate on projects together.
Subtasks
Subtasks are the building blocks that support your main tasks and the key to unlocking a more organized and efficient workflow. By allow you to break down complex deliverables into manageable pieces, subtasks help ensure that every detail is accounted for without losing sight of the big picture.
Dependencies and critical path in Timeline view
One of the top challenges in team initiatives is determining when the work will be completed, ensuring it meets deadlines, and understanding which tasks to prioritize so the project finishes on time. This is particularly difficult with multiple interdependencies. Dependencies and identification of a critical path in the Timeline view addresses these pain points and enhances these processes, helping to make managing projects more efficient and precise.
Task history
The task history feature in Microsoft Planner helps task owners stay on top of their tasks. You can quickly find recent progress that has been made or task changes that have impacted the schedule. Edits to tasks such as adding the task to a sprint, changing its duration, giving it a goal, or changes to other tasks that affect the schedule of work all appear in the Changes pane in Task Details.
Custom fields
When executing on a plan, tracking various aspects like task status or risks is crucial for managing progress. With the new Planner, you can create custom fields helping teams stay on top of what matters most for their initiatives, making it easier and faster to identify and assess where things are on track and what needs follow up.
Sprints
If you find yourself or your team needing to break down a complex project into manageable chunks, sprints are the tool for you. By separating tasks into time-boxed iterations, sprints allow you to focus on a set of tasks within a defined period so that your team can deliver value rapidly and continuously adapt to feedback.
Goals
Setting goals for your plan is crucial for creating alignment within your team and among stakeholders to ensure that everyone knows what top work is most important and how it is being prioritized. Many teams find it challenging to keep everyone on the same page when it comes to goals. Misaligned priorities, lack of visibility, and difficulty in tracking progress can lead to missed deadlines and unmet objectives. The new Microsoft Planner’s Goals feature can address these challenges.
