How Microsoft Planner can help your business stay organised and on track 

Many teams struggle to keep up with tasks, deadlines, and working out who’s responsible for what.  

If you’re juggling multiple projects at once, and don’t have a solid system in place, things can slip through the cracks. 

Many businesses turn to third-party tools like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com—but what if there was a powerful task management tool already included in your Microsoft 365 subscription? 

Microsoft Planner is a simple, visual, and easy-to-use tool designed to help teams stay organised, track progress, and collaborate effectively.  

If you’re already using Microsoft 365, it’s a built-in solution that can streamline your workflow without the extra costs. 

What is Microsoft Planner? 

Microsoft Planner is a digital tool that helps teams: 

• Organise projects with visual task boards 

• Assign work to specific team members 

• Track progress in real time 

• Share files and collaborate on tasks 

One of the biggest advantages of using Planner is that it’s already included in your Microsoft 365 subscription. This means your business can manage tasks and projects without additional software costs. 

How Microsoft Planner helps small businesses stay organised 

A clear overview of tasks and projects 

For businesses managing multiple projects, Planner provides a visual dashboard where tasks are organised into boards. 

For example, a law firm handling multiple cases at once can create separate boards for each client or legal matter.  

Within each board, tasks can be categorised into: 

• Case preparation – Client consultations, document gathering, legal research 

• Court filings – Drafting motions, filing deadlines, case submissions 

• Hearing and trial preparation – Witness preparation, evidence review, scheduling court appearances 

• Post-case follow-up – Client debriefs, billing, case archiving 

With task assignments, due dates, and real-time updates, legal teams can stay on top of deadlines, avoid missed filings, and collaborate efficiently—whether they’re in the office or working remotely. 

With Microsoft Planner, team members can instantly see what’s completed, what’s in progress, and what needs attention. 

Task assignments keep everyone accountable 

Small teams often face the challenge of overlapping responsibilities. With Planner, tasks are assigned directly to team members, making it clear who is responsible for what. 

For example, a construction company working on multiple building projects can create a site preparation and build plan, assigning: 

• Permits and approvals to the project manager 

• Site preparation and foundation work to the civil engineering team 

• Structural work and framing to the construction crew 

• Electrical and plumbing installations to specialist contractors 

• Final inspections and handover to the site supervisor 

By setting due dates and priority levels, Microsoft Planner can help teams stay on track, avoid miscommunication, and ensure every stage of the project is completed on time. 

Real-time progress tracking 

Planner allows businesses to monitor task completion in real time, reducing the need for constant follow-ups.  

Tasks can be dragged and dropped between stages such as not started, in progress, and completed, providing an instant view of project status. 

For businesses managing event planning or construction projects, real-time tracking ensures that tasks are progressing as planned, avoiding last-minute delays. 

Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 

Planner integrates with the Microsoft 365 tools your business is already using: 

• Microsoft Teams: Discuss and update tasks without leaving the Teams app. Learn more in the Teams blog

• Outlook: View Planner tasks in your Outlook calendar.  

• Microsoft To Do: See assigned tasks in your daily task list. Learn more in the To Do blog

• SharePoint: Attach and access project files directly from tasks. Learn more in the SharePoint blog

This eliminates the need to switch between different platforms, keeping your workflow smooth and efficient. 

Why Microsoft Planner is better than third-party task management tools 

Many businesses don’t realise that Microsoft Planner is included in their Microsoft 365 subscription and is such a useful too. So, they start using third-party tools like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com, but often run into limitations and additional costs. 

Microsoft Planner vs Trello 

Trello is a great visual tool for task management, but it lacks deep integration with Microsoft 365. This means businesses using Trello still need to rely on separate apps for file sharing, task discussions, and deadlines. Microsoft Planner keeps everything in one place. 

Microsoft Planner vs Asana 

Asana offers powerful project management features, but the free version is limited, and the paid plans can become expensive for growing teams. If you’re already using Microsoft 365, Planner offers a cost-effective alternative without feature restrictions. 

Microsoft Planner vs Monday.com 

Monday.com is highly customisable, but its per-user pricing adds up quickly. For businesses with expanding teams, Planner offers unlimited users at no extra cost within Microsoft 365. 

If your business already pays for Microsoft 365, there’s no reason to spend extra on third-party tools when Planner is included. 

The security benefits of using Microsoft Planner 

Keep your project data secure 

When employees use external tools for project management, company data is stored outside of your Microsoft environment, which can pose security risks. 

Unlike external tools, Planner stores all project data within Microsoft 365, ensuring: 

• Enterprise-grade security 

• Compliance with Microsoft’s security and data protection standards 

• Controlled access and permissions 

For businesses handling sensitive client information, using Planner instead of third-party apps helps protect business and customer data. 

By keeping task management within Microsoft 365, you retain full control over data, permissions, and security policies. 

How to start using Microsoft Planner today 

Getting started with Planner is simple: 

1. Open Microsoft Planner from your Microsoft 365 app launcher 
2. Create a New Plan for your project or team 
3. Add tasks, due dates, and assigned team members 
4. Customise your board with task categories and labels 
5. Start tracking progress and collaborating with your team 

If your team already uses Microsoft Teams, you can even add Planner as a tab within your Teams channels for seamless access. 

How we can help you make the most of Microsoft Planner 

We help businesses integrate Planner with Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint, ensuring that task management becomes part of their daily workflow. 

Our team provides continuous support to help businesses get the most out of Microsoft Planner, from workflow optimisation to best practice training. 

If your business is looking for a cost-effective, easy-to-use task management tool, Microsoft Planner is the solution. 

With seamless integration, real-time tracking, and no extra cost, there’s no reason to rely on expensive third-party apps. 

Ready to streamline your team’s workflow? Book a call with us today to learn how we can help you make the most of Microsoft Planner. 

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