Microsoft Planner — Team Task Management
Microsoft Planner is a visual task management tool included with Microsoft 365. It works alongside Teams and is ideal for managing projects without complex software.
### Accessing Planner
- Web: planner.microsoft.com
- Via Teams: Teams → Apps → Planner tab in any channel
### Creating a Plan
1. Planner → New plan → Name it (e.g. "Website Redesign")
2. Choose Private or Public
3. A new Microsoft 365 Group is created automatically
### Adding Tasks
Click **+ Add task** → Enter task name → Assign due date → Assign to a member
Or drag tasks between columns (buckets).
### Buckets (Columns)
Buckets organise tasks by stage or category:
- Default: To do, In progress, Done
- Custom: Add buckets for your workflow (e.g. Design, Development, Review, Live)
### Task Details
Click any task to open detail pane:
- Description
- Checklist (sub-tasks)
- Attachments
- Labels (colour coding)
- Priority: Urgent, Important, Medium, Low
- Comments
### Views
| View | Shows |
|------|-------|
| Board | Kanban-style columns |
| Schedule | Calendar/Gantt-style |
| Charts | Progress overview by bucket, priority, member |
| My tasks | All tasks assigned to you across all plans |
### Notifications
Planner sends email reminders for upcoming and overdue tasks. Manage in Planner → Settings → Notifications.
### Integration with Teams
Pin Planner as a tab in any Teams channel so the whole team can view and update tasks without leaving Teams.
### Planner vs Microsoft To Do vs Project
| Tool | Best for |
|------|----------|
| Planner | Team projects, shared task boards |
| To Do | Personal tasks and daily planning |
| Project | Complex projects with dependencies and Gantt charts |