The new Microsoft Planner: what you need to know

By Rio Heral

If you use Microsoft Planner to manage tasks and projects, there are some new changes you should be aware of. Microsoft has rolled out a major update, bringing in new features, better integrations, and AI-powered assistance. Instead of digging through documentation to get the details, here’s a quick rundown of what’s changed and what it means for you. 

Key updates in Microsoft Planner 

• A unified experience – Planner now looks the same whether you’re in Teams or the web app. If you’ve ever been frustrated by tools working differently in different places, this should make things smoother. 

• New views for tracking work – The addition of timeline view (Gantt charts) helps with long-term planning, while people view gives a clear breakdown of who’s responsible for what. 

• AI-powered support with Copilot – Microsoft 365 Copilot can now suggest tasks, generate project plans, and help adjust workflows when things change. If you already use Copilot in other Microsoft apps, this brings the same automation to Planner. 

What’s changed under the hood? 

• Better integration with Microsoft tools – Features from Project for the Web, like dependencies and sprints, are now available in Planner. Task syncing with Microsoft To Do means individual assignments are easier to track, and tighter integration with Teams keeps projects connected to conversations. 

• More flexibility with plan types – Previously, if you wanted advanced features, you had to start a new plan from scratch. Now, you can upgrade a plan in place, unlocking premium features without rework. 

• Task visibility improvements – Completed tasks used to be hidden by default, which sometimes caused confusion. Now, users have control over what’s visible and what’s archived. 

Who gets access? 

• For business users: Included in most Microsoft 365 enterprise plans, with premium features available through add-ons like Planner Plan 1, Project Plan 3, or Project Plan 5. 

• For personal users: Basic features are available with a standard Microsoft 365 subscription, but premium functionality requires an upgrade. 

Is it worth paying attention to? 

If your team already uses Planner, these updates should make it more flexible and useful, especially with the new views and integrations. The AI-powered features could also save time for those managing multiple projects. If you weren’t using Planner before, it may now be worth revisiting, especially if you rely on other Microsoft tools. 

Microsoft is positioning Planner as a more serious contender in the project management space. Whether it fully replaces tools like Trello or Asana depends on how deeply you’re embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem. But if you’re already using Teams, To Do, or Project for the Web, this update is worth exploring. 

Let us know if you want a deeper dive into any of these features or how they might fit into your workflow!

Check it out here.