Microsoft Planner is a powerful tool for task management, included in most Microsoft 365 subscriptions, and seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft tools. Yet, many project managers face a common challenge: getting their teams to adopt it effectively.

The biggest obstacle to successful adoption often lies in changing established workflows and habits. Teams have existing processes, and altering these requires more than just providing access to new tools.

To help you overcome these challenges, here are five proven strategies to boost adoption and maximize your team’s productivity—along with a chance to learn directly from Microsoft MVP Erik van Hurck during an upcoming live Q&A session on April 9th.

1. Start With a Pilot Group of Champions

Rolling out Planner across your entire organization at once can be overwhelming. Instead, identify a small group of tech-savvy team members who can serve as champions. These early adopters will:

• Provide valuable feedback on your implementation approach.
• Identify workflow pain points that Planner can solve.
• Act as internal advocates who demonstrate practical benefits to hesitant colleagues.
• Reduce the pressure of a high-profile, all-at-once launch.

Implementing Planner with a pilot group can help identify use cases that might not have been considered otherwise. This approach creates buzz and encourages others to join in, making the transition smoother.

2. Customize Views That Mirror Existing Workflows

One of the most common barriers to adoption is the perception that Planner disrupts established workflows. The solution? Configure Planner to match your team’s current processes rather than forcing them to adapt.

• Use labels and groupings that align with your team’s terminology.
• Create filtered views reflecting process stages or department-specific needs.
• Maintain existing color-coding systems for easy task identification.

Planner’s recent updates, such as enhanced column reordering across Grid views and persistent filters in premium plans, make it easier than ever to create familiar-looking environments. These features will be discussed in detail during the webinar with Erik van Hurck.

3. Integrate Planner With Your Microsoft 365 Ecosystem

Planner’s true value lies in its integration with other Microsoft 365 tools. By embedding Planner into applications your team already uses daily, you create multiple entry points that boost visibility and engagement.

Key integrations include:

• Microsoft Teams: Add Planner tabs to team channels for seamless task tracking.
• Outlook: View and update tasks directly within your email client.
• SharePoint: Incorporate Planner web parts into department sites for centralized task management.
• Power Automate: Automate task creation from other systems or workflows.

Integrating Planner with Teams, for example, can significantly increase adoption by making tasks visible in the same channels where teams are already collaborating. This visibility can lead to rapid adoption as team members see the practical benefits of using Planner in their daily workflows.

4. Provide Context-Specific Training

Generic training sessions rarely drive meaningful adoption. Instead, focus on creating targeted microlearning opportunities that show teams exactly how Planner solves their specific pain points.

Effective approaches include:

• Quick 10-minute demos tailored to department-specific needs.
• “Day in the life” scenarios illustrating how Planner integrates into existing workflows.
• Customized quick-reference guides for different roles.
• Weekly emails highlighting one time-saving feature or tip.

For example, teams managing deadlines may benefit from learning about Planner’s new Board view enhancements or how My Day and My Tasks sections streamline individual task prioritization.

5. Demonstrate Measurable Time Savings

Proving that Planner saves time is one of the most effective ways to drive adoption. Use before-and-after metrics to showcase tangible benefits such as:

• Reduction in status update emails.
• Decreased time spent in coordination meetings.
• Faster task handoffs between team members.
• Improved deadline compliance rates.
• Reduced duplicate work through centralized task tracking.

By tracking these metrics, you can demonstrate the practical benefits of using Planner, which can motivate even the most resistant teams to adopt the tool.

Start Small, Think Big

The most successful Planner implementations begin with solving one specific pain point exceptionally well before expanding its use across the organization. By focusing first on delivering unmistakable value to a receptive audience, you build momentum that naturally accelerates adoption.

Learn More: Expert Video Lessons (+ PDUs!)

Q&A with Erik van Hurck: Microsoft Planner, Project Management Tools, and What’s Next

Guiding Project Managers and PMO Leaders Through the Changes to Microsoft Project