Meet the new Microsoft Planner

Summary

The upcoming Microsoft Teams Planner app, set to release in early 2024, offers a centralized platform to manage all work across Microsoft 365. It incorporates AI capabilities with new co-pilot features to streamline the planning and execution of tasks. Users can create various types of plans, from basic to premium, tailored to project complexity, with premium plans offering advanced features like task dependencies, goal setting, and customizations. The app provides multiple views for task organization, and allows easy sharing and assignment of tasks to team members. As teams grow, the app can be upgraded to premium for more functionalities. It also includes AI-powered co-pilot to quickly generate relevant tasks, advanced project management tools, and agile work management through sprints. The Planner app is designed to be a comprehensive tool for both simple task management and complex project collaboration.

Takeaways

• 📅 The new planner app in Microsoft Teams, set to launch in early 2024, consolidates all work across Microsoft 365 into a single view.
• 🤖 It incorporates AI with new copilot features to assist users in starting and managing their work efficiently.
• 📈 Users can create various types of plans, from basic to premium, depending on the complexity of their projects.
• 📝 Basic plans are suitable for simple projects and come with the Planner Experience included in Microsoft 365.
• 🚀 Premium plans offer advanced project management features like task dependencies, goal setting, and customizations.
• 📚 Templates for project budget, sprint retrospective, and goals and objectives are available to start with.
• 🔍 Different views are provided for task visibility: Grid, Board, Schedule, and Charts for various perspectives on the plan.
• 👥 Plans can be shared with team members or existing groups, making collaboration and task assignment straightforward.
• 🛠️ The Planner app is scalable, allowing users to upgrade to premium features and templates when more functionality is needed.
• 🧭 With premium plans, users gain access to AI copilot for quick task creation and advanced capabilities like goal setting and Gantt charts.
• 🔄 Agile work management is facilitated through task organization into sprints and load balancing across teams.
• 🗂️ Customizations include adding custom fields, conditional coloring, and setting custom working calendars for task scheduling.
• 📍 The My Plans page organizes all plans for easy access, with the option to pin favorite plans for quick access.
• 📝 My Tasks page lists all tasks assigned to the user across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
• 📅 My Debut helps users stay focused on daily tasks, showing due tasks and customizable reminders.
• 🏢 For frontline organizations, Planner offers task publishing to define, distribute, and monitor work at scale.
• 🔗 For more information on Planner's capabilities for frontline organizations, visit aka.ms/TaskPublishingInPlanner.

Q & A

What is the new planner app in Microsoft Teams?

The new planner app in Microsoft Teams is a tool coming in early 2024 that allows users to view and manage all their work across Microsoft 365 from a single location.

What is the core feature of the Planner app?

The core feature of the Planner app is its intelligence, which includes the power of AI and new copilot features to assist users in getting started and staying on top of their work.

What types of plans can be created in Planner?

In Planner, users can create different types of plans based on the complexity of their projects, ranging from basic plans for simple projects to premium plans for enhanced project management capabilities.

What is included in a basic plan in Planner?

A basic plan in Planner includes the Planner Experience available in Microsoft 365 and is suitable for simple projects.

What additional features does a premium plan offer?

A premium plan offers enhanced project management capabilities such as task dependencies, goal setting, and additional customizations.

What are some of the templates available for starting a plan in Planner?

Some templates available for starting a plan in Planner include project budget, sprint retrospective, and goals and objectives.

How does Planner display tasks in different views?

Planner displays tasks in different views such as Grid view, Board view, Schedule view, and Charts view, each offering a unique way to visualize and manage tasks.

How can team members collaborate on a plan in Planner?

Team members can collaborate on a plan by being added to the plan, allowing them to assign work to the correct people and get started on their tasks.

What happens if a user needs more functionality than a basic plan offers?

If a user needs more functionality, they can easily try out premium features in just a few clicks, gaining access to all premium capabilities.

How does the AI copilot feature in premium plans assist users?

The AI copilot feature in premium plans helps users save time by quickly creating relevant tasks based on what the user would like to accomplish.

What advanced project management capabilities are available in premium plans?

Premium plans offer advanced project management capabilities such as goal setting, task dependencies, Gantt chart timeline view, sprint organization, load balancing, custom fields, conditional coloring, and custom working calendars.

How can users find and organize their plans in Planner?

Users can find and organize their plans in the My Plans page, where all plans are organized for easy access, and favorite plans can be pinned for quick access from anywhere within the app.

What is the My Tasks page and how does it help users?

The My Tasks page is a feature where users can quickly see all the work assigned to them, regardless of where in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem the tasks were assigned.

How does Planner assist frontline organizations?

Planner offers task publishing for frontline organizations, allowing them to centrally define tasks, quickly distribute work at scale, and monitor results across the organization.

What is the purpose of the My Debut feature in Planner?

The My Debut feature helps users stay focused on what they need to accomplish today by showing any tasks due the same day and allowing users to add tasks they wish to focus on.

Outlines

00:00

📋 Introduction to Microsoft Teams Planner App

The script introduces a new planner app in Microsoft Teams set to launch in early 2024. It emphasizes the app's integration with Microsoft 365, allowing users to view all their work in one place. The app is powered by AI and features a 'copilot' mode to assist users in initiating and managing tasks. Users can create various plan types based on project complexity, ranging from basic plans for simple projects to premium plans that offer advanced project management features such as task dependencies, goal setting, and customizations. The app also provides templates for different types of plans and offers different views for task management, including grid, board, schedule, and charts views. Tasks can be shared and assigned to team members, and the app is designed to scale with users' needs, offering the option to upgrade to premium features.

Keywords

💡Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a platform that combines workplace chat, video conferencing, file storage, and application integration. It is central to the video's theme as the new planner app is being introduced within this platform. The script mentions that the planner app will be available in Microsoft Teams, indicating its integration with other Microsoft 365 services for a cohesive work environment.

💡Planner App

The Planner App is a new feature within Microsoft Teams that allows users to manage and organize their work. It is a key concept in the video as it is the main subject being discussed. The script describes how Planner enables users to see all their work across Microsoft 365 in one location, emphasizing its role in enhancing productivity and organization.

💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. In the context of the video, AI is integral to the Planner app's functionality, providing 'co-pilot features' to assist users in getting started and managing their tasks more efficiently.

💡Co-pilot Features

Co-pilot features in the Planner app are AI-driven tools designed to assist users. The script highlights that these features can help users quickly create relevant tasks and save time, demonstrating how AI can streamline the planning process and improve workflow management.

💡Project Management

Project management is the process of planning, organizing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals. The video script discusses different types of plans for varying project complexities, such as basic plans for simple projects and premium plans for enhanced project management capabilities, indicating the app's adaptability to different project needs.

💡Task Dependencies

Task dependencies refer to the relationships between tasks where the completion of one task is contingent upon the completion of another. The script mentions that premium plans include the ability to set dependencies, which is crucial for understanding project sequencing and ensuring tasks are completed in the correct order.

💡Goal Setting

Goal setting is the process of identifying something that a person or group aspires to achieve. In the video, goal setting is presented as an advanced project management capability within premium plans, allowing teams to have a clear direction and understand how individual tasks contribute to the overall objectives.

💡Gantt Chart

A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that illustrates a project schedule, showing the start and finish dates of tasks. The script mentions that premium plans include a Gantt chart format to visualize the project timeline, which is essential for project planning and tracking progress.

💡Sprints

In the context of agile project management, sprints are fixed-time periods during which a set of tasks is completed. The video script refers to organizing tasks into sprints, which allows for agile work management and iterative progress towards project goals.

💡Customization

Customization refers to the ability to modify or adapt a product or service to meet specific needs or preferences. The script discusses various customization options in the Planner app, such as adding custom fields to tasks and conditional coloring on the grid view, which allows users to tailor the app to their specific requirements.

💡Frontline Organizations

Frontline organizations typically refer to businesses that have a significant workforce interacting directly with customers. The video script mentions that Planner offers task publishing for frontline organizations, which allows for centralized task definition, quick distribution of work, and monitoring of results, highlighting its utility for organizations with distributed workforces.

Highlights

The new planner app in Microsoft Teams will be released in early 2024.

The app allows users to view all work across Microsoft 365 in one location.

Planner is AI-powered with new copilot features to assist with work management.

Users can create different types of plans based on project complexity.

Basic plans are available for simple projects, while premium plans offer advanced project management features.

Premium plans include task dependencies, goal setting, and customizations.

Templates for project budget, sprint retrospective, and goals and objectives are provided.

Users can start with a blank plan to create custom plans.

Individuals can plan personal work or upcoming team projects like marketing campaigns.

Tasks are visible in various views: Grid, Board, Schedule, and Charts.

Team members can be added to plans for collaborative work.

The Planner app is scalable, allowing users to upgrade to premium features as needed.

Premium plans offer AI-powered copilot to quickly create relevant tasks.

Advanced project management capabilities include goal setting and task dependencies.

Users can view the project timeline in a Gantt chart format with the critical path.

Sprints can be organized to manage work in an agile manner.

Work can be load balanced across the team using the People view.

Plans can be customized with custom fields, conditional coloring, and working calendars.

Plans can be easily found and accessed through the My Plans page.

Users can pin favorite plans for quick access from anywhere in the app.

The My Tasks page lists all tasks assigned to the user across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

My Debut helps users stay focused on daily tasks and priorities.

Task publishing is available for frontline organizations to define, distribute, and monitor work.

Planner offers a comprehensive solution for task management and project collaboration.

Transcripts

- [Instructor] The new planner app in Microsoft Teams

coming in early 2024

allows you to see all of your work

across Microsoft 365 in a single location.

Keeping intelligence at its core,

Planner also includes the power of AI

with new copilot features to help you get started

and stay on top of all of your work.

In Planner, you have the freedom

to create different types of plans

based on the complexity of your projects.

Start with a basic plan for your simple projects

using the Planner Experience included in Microsoft 365

or create a premium plan

for enhanced project management capabilities

like task dependencies, goal setting,

and additional customizations.

Get started using one of the templates

like project budget, sprint retrospective,

or goals and objectives,

or start with a blank plan to create any plan that you need.

For now, let's start with a basic plan just for yourself.

Here, you can plan out your own work,

like a career plan or a personal to-do list

or start drafting work for an upcoming team project

like a marketing campaign.

All of the tasks are visible in the different views.

Grid view to see tasks in a simple list.

Board view to see tasks grouped by different fields.

Schedule view to see when each task will be worked on

or charts view to get a quick understanding

of your plan's progress.

When you need to share with others,

you can easily do so by adding team members to the plan.

Or if you have an existing group, simply add that group.

Once the plan is shared,

it's simple to assign work to the correct people

so everyone can quickly get started on their tasks.

The Planner app in Microsoft Teams

is designed to grow with you,

so if you discover that you need additional functionality

beyond what's offered in a basic plan,

it's easy to try out premium features.

In just a few clicks,

you can get started using a premium template

and get access to all premium capabilities.

With premium plans,

you also have access to the power of AI with co-pilot,

which can help you save time

by creating relevant tasks quickly.

Simply copilot what you would like to accomplish,

and it will add a set of tasks to your plan.

Premium plans also give you access

to a range of advanced project management capabilities

like goal setting,

so everyone knows what you are working towards

and how their work will have impact.

You can also set dependencies between your tasks

and see the full timeline for your project

in a Gantt chart format,

which includes the critical path for your plan.

Organize your tasks into sprints

to manage work in an agile way.

Easily load balance work across your team using people view.

And customize your plan

by adding custom fields to tasks,

conditional coloring on the grid view,

and even set custom working calendars

so tasks are only scheduled on the days you work.

You can easily find any of your plans in the My Plans page

where all of your plans will be organized for easy access.

For even quicker discovery,

pin your favorite plans,

so you can open them from anywhere within the app.

You can also quickly see all the work

that is assigned to you by heading to the My Tasks page,

where there is a list of tasks you are responsible for,

no matter where they were assigned to you

in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

Finally, use the My Debut to stay focused

on what you need to accomplish today.

Here, you will see any tasks that are due the same day,

along with any tasks that you choose to add

so you remember to stay focused on them.

And for frontline organizations,

Planner offers task publishing

to centrally define tasks,

quickly distribute work at scale,

and monitor results across your organization.

To learn more about

how Planner can help serve frontline organizations,

visit aka.ms/TaskPublishingInPlanner.

Using the new Power of copilot

to get started on a new project faster than ever,

and with all of your tasks in one place,

it's never been easier to stay organized

and on top of your work.

Whether you need simple task management tools

or advanced project management capabilities,

Planner is the one stop shop

for organization and collaboration.