A User-Friendly Tutorial for Microsoft 365 Subscribers

Microsoft Planner is an app designed to help you manage and monitor your projects or other work in a visual and organized manner. Whether you have a personal subscription or it’s provided by your company through a business/enterprise plan, Planner is available for you to utilize on both the web and mobile platforms. In this tutorial, we will guide you on how to effectively set up and utilize Microsoft Planner to track your progress and stay on top of your tasks.

Getting Started with Microsoft Planner

To access Microsoft Planner, you have a few options. You can either visit the Planner website and log in using your Microsoft 365 account credentials, or you can access it through the app launcher in your Microsoft 365 portal. Additionally, Planner is available as a mobile app for Android and iOS, enabling you to stay connected even when you’re on the move.

Creating Your First Plan

Upon launching Microsoft Planner, you’ll be greeted with the “Planner Hub.” This screen displays the plans you’ve either created or been added to by others. If you’re new to Planner, this section will appear empty. It’s worth noting that if you’re using a personal Microsoft 365 subscription, you’ll only be able to see the plans you’ve created for yourself.

To create a plan, simply click on “New plan” in the left-hand menu. You can then provide a name for your plan, choose whether it’s public or private, and even add a description if desired. Once you’ve finished configuring the details, click “Create plan,” and voila! You’ve successfully created a new plan in Microsoft Planner.

Adding and Organizing Tasks

Now that you have a plan in place, it’s time to add tasks to it. To add a task, click on “Add task” and fill in the necessary details such as the task name, due date, and assignee (if applicable). Once done, click “Add Task,” and the task will be added to your plan.

Tasks can be further customized by assigning labels to categorize them or adding additional information using the task window, which opens when you click on a task. Moreover, you can choose to display either the task notes or the checklist items on the task card, providing you with flexibility and clarity.

To organize your tasks effectively, Microsoft Planner offers the concept of buckets. By default, new tasks are assigned to the “To do” bucket, but you can create your own buckets to group tasks based on your requirements. Simply click on “Add new bucket” in the Planner Hub, type in the desired name, and you’re all set. You can then move tasks to specific buckets by clicking on the task and selecting the appropriate bucket from the drop-down menu.

Tracking Task Progress and Completion

To keep track of task progress, it’s essential to update their statuses accordingly. Once a task is completed, mark it as complete to move it to the “Completed” bucket. You can do this by clicking on the circle next to the task name or changing the status to “Completed” within the task details window.

Organizing and Customizing Your Plans

As you continue using Microsoft Planner, you may accumulate numerous plans. To stay organized, you can mark frequently used plans as favorites, making them easily accessible. To do so, hover over the plan in the Planner Hub and click the star icon or select “Add to favorites” from the options menu.

Additionally, Planner allows you to copy plans, creating duplicate copies with the same settings, tasks, and members. If you need to share a plan, you can obtain a shareable link or even integrate it into other applications such as Outlook, OneNote, and SharePoint, making collaboration and communication seamless.

Analyzing and Visualizing Your Data

With the “Charts” tab in Microsoft Planner, you can gain valuable insights into your planned activities. The charts provide a high-level analysis of tasks, showcasing how they’re distributed across different statuses, buckets, priorities, and assignees.

Furthermore, the “Schedule” tab presents your tasks in a calendar view, allowing for a clear overview of deadlines and potential scheduling conflicts.

Make the Most of Microsoft Planner

Microsoft Planner is not just a mundane task list; it’s a powerful app designed to simplify your project management. With its user-friendly interface and intuitive features, Planner is accessible to users without extensive training. If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, we highly recommend exploring Planner to enhance your planning and productivity.

For more informative tutorials on Microsoft Office and other related topics, check out Simon Sez IT. Let’s unlock the full potential of your productivity tools together!