Event Description:
Join us for this replay of an interactive Q&A session with Microsoft MVP Erik van Hurck as he explores the latest features in Microsoft Planner and how they can enhance your project management capabilities.
Erik, a Senior PPM consultant for Projectum and recognized Microsoft MVP, will share his expertise based on your questions about Planner’s newest tools and functionalities.
This is a member-driven live Q&A format.
PMI PDUs: 1 Ways of Working, 0 Business Acumen, 0 Power Skills
Topics Include:
Different versions of Microsoft Planner:
- Basic plan (included in most Microsoft 365 subscriptions)
- Premium plan (requires Plan 1, 3, or 5 license)
- Project Manager Agent plan (newest addition with AI capabilities)
Access and integration points:
- Microsoft Teams as the primary hub for Planner
- Planner.cloud.microsoft.com for browser access
- Loop integration for collaborative task creation
Licensing requirements:
- Copilot features now included in Plan 3 and Plan 5 licenses
- Project Manager Agent requires Teams, Copilot license, and Loop workspace access
AI capabilities:
- Copilot in Planner Premium can build work breakdown structures
- Project Manager Agent helps brainstorm tasks but doesn’t build full schedules
- Loop integration for deeper task analysis and notes
Advanced scheduling features:
- Critical path visualization in Premium plans
- Dependency types (finish-to-start, start-to-start, etc.)
- Baselines now supported in Premium plans
- No earned value management or resource leveling (still only in Microsoft Project)
Reporting capabilities:
- Limited built-in charts and analytics
- Power BI integration for advanced reporting from Premium plans
- Dataverse backend makes data accessible for custom reports
Data storage:
- Basic plans stored in Graph API
- Premium plans stored in Dataverse (formerly Common Data Service)
- To Do (personal tasks) stored in user profiles
Microsoft’s roadmap for Planner:
- Consolidating three applications (To Do, Planner, Project for the Web) into a single Planner platform
- Ongoing feature development but no enterprise custom fields yet
