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Adapting to Change with Microsoft’s Planner
Project management is a fast-paced field that requires tools that enable coordination, teamwork, and productivity. As a Microsoft solutions partner, Convverge has been leveraging the smooth integration of Project Online with SharePoint to provide outstanding project management solutions.
The SharePoint Backend
SharePoint has been the backbone of Project Online, offering a robust platform for storing and managing project-related documents and data. The synergy between Project Online and SharePoint has enabled users to leverage collaborative features, advanced workflows, and comprehensive access controls, enhancing overall project management efficiency.
Transition to Dataverse
The shift from SharePoint to Dataverse marked a significant milestone in the project management landscape. Dataverse, with its modern data service for applications, brought about a more unified, scalable, and secure environment. This transition was driven by the need for a more adaptable platform that could easily integrate with other Microsoft Power Platform services.
Rebranding as Planner
The rebranding to “Planner” is more than just a name change; it’s a strategic move that reflects the tool’s enhanced focus on planning and task management. Planner resonates with the tool’s functionality, offering an intuitive interface and a more focused approach to organizing tasks and resources.
Evolution Post-Rebranding
Post-rebranding, Planner introduced a suite of new features and improvements, such as better integration with Microsoft Teams, AI-driven insights, and more customizable boards. These enhancements have not only streamlined project management processes but also provided a more agile and user-friendly experience.
Entering a New Era with AI Integration
We’re heading into a new era, where AI is an integral part of the workday. The tools you’re using for work management should be intelligent and help keep you focused and productive. However, even the most innovative solutions for getting work done can slow you down when they don’t work together.
Meet the New Microsoft Planner
The new Planner will easily scale from simple task management to enterprise project management, empowering everyone to manage their work in one place and accelerate business outcomes. Starting in early 2024, the new Planner app will be available in Microsoft Teams, followed by a web experience later in 2024. Sign up to be the first to know when the new Planner will be available as a preview and generally available.
See What You Can Do with Planner
Simple
Find the tasks you need, right when you need them. Manage all your tasks, to-do lists, plans, and projects across Microsoft 365 applications in one simple, familiar experience.
Flexible
Work the way you and your teams want, from individual task management to large team initiatives. Choose from an array of templates, views, and approaches including lists, boards, timelines, and sprints to personalize your plan. Features such as agile sprint planning, team workload, goals alignment, custom fields, and task history that you use and love today in Project for the web will be available in the new Planner experience.
Scalable
Get big-picture views across initiatives. You can configure, extend, and automate the new Planner (with or without code) to meet your organization’s changing needs. Built on Microsoft Power Platform, the new Planner will enable customized reporting through Microsoft Power BI and configurable workflows through Microsoft Power Automate. It also integrates with Microsoft Viva Goals, connecting to your objectives and key results (OKR) to inform plans and provide high-level visibility.
Intelligent
Accelerate outcomes with AI. Through simple, natural-language prompts, Copilot in Planner (coming in Spring 2024) will help you generate new plans, set goals, track status, and react to changes as projects evolve. Copilot will provide support for you and your team, making work and project management faster and easier than ever.
Integrations with Microsoft 365 Experiences
Planner enables you to stay in the flow of work with integrations across other Microsoft 365 experiences such as Microsoft Loop, Microsoft Outlook, Viva Goals, and Teams. You can bring existing Planner plans into a Loop workspace and track your team plan alongside other project content in one place. Emails you flag in Outlook, or action items assigned to you from Teams meetings are also visible in Planner.
Task Management in Planner for Frontline Teams
Planner will continue to include task management features for frontline organizations. With features such as task publishing, leaders can define the work to be done across their frontline locations and monitor completion. These features have been part of what was previously the Tasks app in Teams, and we’re carrying them forward into the new Planner. Learn more about frontline worker innovations.
Licensing Clarity
Understanding the licensing structure for Planner is crucial for businesses to maximize their investment. Convverge provides clarity on the various licensing options available, ensuring that organizations can select the most appropriate plan based on their size, needs, and budget. Planner is included in several Microsoft 365 plans, such as Business Basic, Business Standard, E3, and E5. Alternatively, users can purchase Planner as a standalone service or as part of the Power Apps per app or per user plans. Depending on the plan, users can access different features and functionalities of Planner, such as the number of projects, tasks, and reports.
Conclusion
The journey from Project Online with a SharePoint backend to Planner signifies a leap towards more integrated and efficient project management solutions. Convverge invites you to explore the capabilities of Planner and discover how it can transform your project management experience. Embrace the new era of AI-integrated tools, and see how the new Planner can help you stay focused, productive, and ahead of the curve.
Learn more about Microsoft Planner here: Microsoft Planner | Daily Task and Work Management
