In the ever-evolving landscape of project management tools, Microsoft’s latest offering – the new Microsoft Planner – has sparked both excitement and skepticism. This unified work management solution, which brings together Microsoft To Do, Planner, Project for the web, and Microsoft Copilot, promises to revolutionize how teams manage tasks and projects. But does it live up to the hype?
Key Features of the New Microsoft Planner
- Simplicity: Manage all your tasks, to-do lists, plans, and projects across Microsoft 365 apps in a single familiar experience.
- Flexibility: Co-create and collaborate on plans with your team, choosing from a variety of templates, views, and features including boards, timelines, and sprints.
- Scalability: Create extensible project plans that scale effortlessly with powerful scheduling and resourcing tools.
- Intelligence: Plan, set goals, and stay informed with Copilot, leveraging AI to provide insights and streamline workflows.
Advanced Capabilities
The new Planner introduces several advanced features to handle more complex project management needs:
- Goals alignment
- People view
- Sprint planning
- Baselines
- Critical path analysis
- Next-generation AI functionalities
The Ongoing Debate
Despite these promising features, the project management community remains divided on the effectiveness of the new Planner.
One Reddit user commented, “Planner is very basic, even after this last supposed update. It’s a step above MS ToDo, but I can’t stand either product.”
However, another user countered, “I have used Planner on many projects and it has been very successful in getting the job done for me and the teams I managed.”
This divide raises important questions: Is the new Planner truly a game-changer in project management, or is it merely an incremental update to existing tools? Can it effectively bridge the gap between simple task management and complex project planning?
Explore the New Planner: Live Event Series
To help you form your own opinion about the new Microsoft Planner, a three-part live event series has been offered. The final live session is happening this Wednesday, providing a unique opportunity to engage directly with expert instructor Nenad Trajkovski.
Live Event Details:
Final Live Session: Wednesday, August 28 at 12pm – 1pm ET.
Topic: Advanced Features of the new Planner and Q&A
Special Opportunity: Live Q&A with expert Nenad Trajkovski
Don’t miss this chance to ask your questions in real-time and get insights directly from an industry expert!
Catch Up on Previous Lessons:
The New Planner: From Zero to Hero (Part 1 of 3)
The New Planner: From Zero to Hero (Part 2 of 3)
These sessions cover a range of topics, including:
- Creating private tasks and plans
- Collaborating via Microsoft Teams
- Managing project files and resources
- Using various views for project tracking
- Setting and tracking goals
- Exporting project data
Whether you’re a seasoned project manager or new to the field, these webinars provide valuable insights into leveraging the new Planner for your project management needs.
Looking Ahead
As the project management landscape continues to evolve, the new Microsoft Planner aims to be a comprehensive solution for teams of all sizes. While opinions may vary, the best way to determine its viability for your team is to explore its features firsthand.
Don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about this tool – catch the final live session this Wednesday to ask your questions directly, or review the replays of the previous sessions to gain a comprehensive understanding of what the new Microsoft Planner has to offer. It’s time to decide: Is the new Planner the revolutionary tool your team needs, or is it just another update in the crowded field of project management solutions? Share your thoughts in our Community Discussion Forum!
Continue Learning: Register for Live Event
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Mark Webster
My client base currently uses Project Online/Project Server in ways that Planner has yet to dream of. Is Project perfect? Of course not. Is planner currently a viable replacement? Maybe for Monday.com or Wrike, but it’s still years away from true earned value management and the reporting capabilities my clients rely on.
We do use multiple baselines, an enterprise resource pool with multiple rate tables, multiple departments, RBS, Categories, and Security groups.We are capable of the matching project financials to the invoices on the penny.
I wish them well, but we have a long way to go.