Microsoft Planner is a task management tool in Microsoft 365 that offers a simple, visual experience for organizing teamwork. The Planner user interface is designed to be intuitive, breaking down features and views into clear sections. Below, we take a detailed look at each key component of the Microsoft Planner user interface, organizing the information for each point into four areas: (a) Feature Description , (b) Interactions with Other Microsoft 365 Apps , (c) Roles Engaged , and (d) Business Application Examples .

1. Navigation pane and content area

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

The Planner interface is mainly divided into two sections: a navigation pane (usually on the left) and a main content area . The navigation pane provides quick access to different areas of Planner. Here, we find the Planner Hub (also called Planner Home ), which displays all the plans the user is working on, often with the ability to preview the progress of plans added to favorites. Also in the left pane is the Assigned to me option , a view that groups together all tasks assigned to the user across all plans . Additionally, the navigation pane features the button to create a new plan (see point 2) and a list of favorite and recent plans for quick access. By selecting a specific plan in the navigation pane, the central content area displays details about that plan (such as boards, tasks, charts, etc.). In short, the navigation pane acts as a menu for moving between hubs , plans , and personal views , while the content area displays information and tools related to the selected item.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The Planner navigation pane contains links that extend the experience to other Microsoft 365 applications. For example, when a plan is selected, a menu (marked with ) is often available that allows you to navigate to features related to that plan s Microsoft 365 group. The first links in this expanded menu typically include Conversations (which opens group conversations in Outlook, allowing you to see or initiate emails between plan members), Files (which opens the group s SharePoint document library where files attached to tasks are stored), Notebook (which opens the group s shared OneNote notebook), and, if you have a Yammer- connected group , a link to the Yammer community . These options integrate Planner with other apps: for example, a user can navigate from the plan in Planner to its SharePoint document folder with one click, or open the shared notebook to see project notes. These interactions make Planner a central hub from which you can access group emails, shared documents, and notes while maintaining the context of your project plan.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

All users with access to Planner (typically members of the organization with a Microsoft 365 license) see the navigation pane with their own views. Global or service admins don't have a special view in Planner, but they can influence Planner availability (for example, by turning it on or off for the organization). Members of a plan (i.e., part of the corresponding Microsoft 365 group ) will see the plan listed in their Planner Hub and be able to view its contents; external guests added to a plan, however, don't have a traditional personal Planner Hub: guests must use a direct URL to access Planner within the context of the organization that invited them, as the generic Planner address can't automatically determine their organization. Essentially, a guest goes to *https://planner.cloud.microsoft.com/*_\<tenant>_ to see the plans they're invited to. All members of a plan (owners, internal members, and even guests) share the same interface for that plan in the content area; They will then be able to navigate the dashboard, charts, calendar, etc., as described in detail in the following points. There are no significant differences in the navigation pane based on role: for example, a plan owner will see the same list of sections (Hub, Assigned to Me, Plans, etc.) as a regular member. The role difference will emerge in the controls available within a plan (for example, only owners see certain management options, such as publishing to Outlook calendars or adding members, as we'll see) rather than in navigation.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

For a marketing team member working on multiple projects, Planner's navigation pane becomes a compass for navigating the various plans: for example, "Social Media Campaign Q1 , " "Product Launch Project , " and "Trade Show Events 2025" could all be listed plans. By clicking on the Planner Hub , the marketing manager can see a quick summary of the status of each project (for example, how many tasks are completed/in progress in the preferred plans). If they want to focus on their own pending tasks, they can click "Assigned to me" to view all the tasks assigned to them across different plans in a single list, for example, a "Prepare brochure" task from the product launch plan and a "Schedule social posts" task from the social campaign plan. From there, by clicking on a specific plan in the menu, the user opens that project's dashboard in the content area and begins working on the tasks. Essentially, the navigation pane allows you to quickly switch between projects in a business context , while the content area displays the details needed to get work done on that selected project.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to master the navigation pane and content area in Microsoft Planner , two key user interface elements. You'll learn how to navigate plans, quickly access assigned tasks, view progress, and collaborate with your team. We'll also explore interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps (such as Teams and Outlook), the roles involved (owners, members, guests), and concrete business use cases. This exercise is designed to improve operational efficiency and project management in collaborative environments.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Navigate the navigation pane

1. Go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Enter your Microsoft 365 corporate credentials

3. Once you open Planner, look at the left column: it's the navigation pane

4. Click on Planner Hub to view all available plans

5. Select My Plans to access the ones you participate in

6. Add a plan to your favorites by clicking the star icon

7. Click on Assign to me to see the activities that concern you

8. Use the search bar to find a specific plan

9. Sort plans by name or date modified

10. Click on a plan to open it in the central content area

Use the content area

1. After selecting a plan, the central content area opens

2. View the dashboard with activity buckets (columns)

3. Click on an activity to open the details panel

4. Add a new activity by clicking on + Add Activity

5. Drag tasks between buckets to rearrange them

6. Click on Charts to view the status of the activities

7. Go to Scheduling to see your calendar activities

8. Add files or links to tasks using the icon

9. Assign priorities, labels, and due dates to tasks

10. Use the filters above to view only relevant activities.

Interacting with Teams and Outlook

1. Open Microsoft Teams and sign in to the desired team

2. Go to a channel and click + to add a card

3. Select Planner from the list of available apps

4. Choose an existing plan or create a new one

5. Give the card a name and click Save

6. View and edit tasks directly in the Teams tab

7. Open Outlook and go to Calendar

8. Click on Add Calendar > From Internet

9. Paste the iCal link of the Planner plan

10. Tasks with a deadline will appear in the calendar

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Coordination of an internal training project

An HR team uses Microsoft Planner to organize a corporate training cycle. The plan includes activities for selecting trainers, scheduling sessions, communicating with employees, and gathering feedback.

a) Phase 1 Creating the Plan

Command : + New Plan

Explanation : It allows you to structure the project in a collaborative way that is visible to everyone.

b) Phase 2 Task Assignment

Command : + Add Task > Assign to

Explanation : Distributes responsibilities among team members.

c) Phase 3 Progress Monitoring

Command : Charts > Activity Status

Explanation : It allows you to identify delays and bottlenecks.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
+ New plan	Navigation Pane	Create a new work plan
+ Add activity	Plan Noticeboard	Insert a new activity
Graphs	Top bar of the plan	View status and workload
Programming	Top bar of the plan	Show activities on calendar
+ Add members	Top right on the plan	Invite new collaborators
Labels	Activity details	Visually categorize activities
Comments	Activity details	Communicate with the team
Add Planner tab in Teams	Teams Channel > +	Integrate Planner into Teams
Filters	At the top of the board	View activities by criteria
Plan Settings	Gear icon	Customize name, privacy, notifications

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Centralize tasks in a single interface.

Real-time updates shared with the team.

Visually monitor project status.

Seamless collaboration with comments and file attachments.

Integration with Teams and Outlook for unified management.

Flexibility for projects of any size.

Save time with templates and duplication.

Effective deadline management.

Precise control of roles and permissions.

Continuous improvement through data analysis.

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Onboarding Management : Shared checklist between HR, IT, and managers for onboarding new hires.

Event planning : coordination between logistics, communications, and suppliers for corporate events.

Quality control : monitoring of audit and inspection activities in production departments.

Self-assessment questions

1. What is the difference between a navigation pane and a content area?

2. How do I create a new plan in Microsoft Planner?

3. What roles are available and what can they do?

4. How do I assign a task to a colleague?

5. Where are the progress graphs located?

6. How does Planner integrate with Microsoft Teams?

7. How are activities categorized?

8. What commands allow you to monitor deadlines?

9. How do I add files to a task?

10. What advantages does Planner offer compared to manual management?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

In this exercise, you learned how to use Microsoft Planner's navigation pane and content area to navigate plans, manage tasks, and collaborate with your team. You explored key features, such as creating plans, assigning tasks, using charts and calendars, and integrating with Teams and Outlook. You understood the roles involved and the productivity benefits, as well as practical business application scenarios. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills and prepare you for effective use of the tool.

2. Create Plan Button (New Plan)

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

In Microsoft Planner, users can create new work projects called plans . The Create Plan (or New Plan ) button is the tool for starting a new plan from scratch. This button is usually prominently displayed in the Planner Hub for example, a + New Plan button at the top of the Planner main page. By clicking New Plan , Planner asks you to enter a name for the plan and allows you to set some initial options: you can provide a description and choose the privacy setting ( Public or Private plan ). By default, creating a new plan creates a new connected Microsoft 365 group : in fact, new plan, new group is the basic logic of Planner. Alternatively, as we'll see, there's the option to associate the new plan with an existing group. Once you've provided the name and settings, clicking Create Plan will generate the plan, and the user will be taken to the content area of the newly created plan (ready to add buckets and tasks).

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Plan creation is tightly integrated with Microsoft 365 infrastructure. When you create a plan from scratch, Planner creates a Microsoft 365 Group with the same name as the plan behind the scenes. This means that you get a bundle of collaboration features along with the plan: a group email address and Outlook mailbox for conversations, a SharePoint space (with a document library for plan files), a shared OneNote notebook, a group calendar, and the ability to integrate the plan into Teams or Yammer . This automatic setup allows a team to immediately start working with a full arsenal of coordinated tools. During creation, the user can choose the privacy of the plan (and therefore the related group): if Public , the plan (group) will be visible to the entire organization and anyone can join or at least see its activities; if Private , only users added as members will see it. It's important to note that creating a plan can also be done by reusing an existing group : Planner offers a process for adding a new plan to an existing Microsoft 365 group (such as a persistent team or a group created in Outlook/Teams). In this case, a new group isn't created, but the plan will be shared with the existing members of that other group, using the same resources (files, notes, etc.) as the selected group. From a 365 ecosystem perspective, the "Create Plan" feature is therefore a hub that connects Planner with Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, and other apps via the group structure.

c) ROLES INVOLVED: WHO CAN CREATE A PLAN?

Generally, any internal user with the appropriate license (for example, a Microsoft 365 Business/Enterprise license that includes Planner) can create a plan, unless administrators have placed restrictions. From an administrative perspective, the ability to create a new plan depends on the ability to create a Microsoft 365 group. Organizations can, via Azure AD settings, restrict group creation to specific users only (for example, to control the workspaces created). In such environments, a user without group creation rights will not be able to successfully use the "Create plan" button (the operation would be blocked). Therefore, the administrator can indirectly control this function. Regarding roles within the newly created plan , the person who creates the plan automatically becomes the owner of the group (and therefore the plan). During the creation process, the user chooses who can see or join: if the plan is private, initially only the creator is a member; if it is public, anyone in the company can potentially view and join. External guests cannot create plans (as they can't create groups and don't have their own Planner license) they can only be invited to existing plans. Once a plan is created, the creator/owner can add more members (see point 9). There are no other special roles during creation: essentially, "creating a plan" means becoming the owner of a new shared workspace.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Consider a project manager who needs to start a new project, such as product development. The PM opens Planner and clicks Create Plan , then names it Project Apollo Product Development . She decides to make it Private since the project only involves her small team. In one fell swoop, Planner creates the plan and simultaneously creates an Office 365 group called Project Apollo Product Development. The PM now has a blank Planner board to begin adding tasks, and a group email address (for team discussions in Outlook) and a SharePoint file library (where the team can upload specifications, designs, etc.) have been set up. If this PM already had an existing group (for example, a Microsoft Teams team called R&D Team ), she could have chosen the option to add the plan to that existing group, so that all members of the R&D Team would immediately have access to the new plan in Planner. This example shows how with just a few clicks a manager can create a new structured workspace , ready to host project tasks, documents and conversations.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to learn how to use the "Create Plan" button in Microsoft Planner to start a new collaborative project. You will become familiar with creating a plan, configuring initial settings (name, privacy, Microsoft 365 group), and integrating with other apps like Teams and Outlook. The roles involved (owner, member, guest) and operational implications will also be explored. The exercise aims to develop practical skills for structuring tasks, assigning responsibilities, and tracking progress in a real-world business context. Consciously using this feature can improve team productivity and collaboration.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Start creating a new plan

1. Go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Enter your Microsoft 365 corporate credentials

3. On the home screen, click on New Plan at the top left

4. Enter the name of the plan (e.g. Q4 Marketing Project )

5. Select privacy : public or private

6. Choose whether to create a new Microsoft 365 group or use an existing one

7. Click on Create Plan to confirm

8. Wait for the dashboard to automatically load

9. Make sure the plan is visible in the navigation pane

10. Add the plan to your favorites by clicking on the star

Set up your plan and add members

1. Click on Members at the top right

2. Select + Add Members

3. Enter the names or email addresses of colleagues to invite

4. owner or member role according to responsibilities

5. Members will receive an email notification

6. Click on Plan Settings (gear icon)

7. Customize the plan name, description, and labels

8. Turn notifications on or off for activities

9. Add buckets to organize tasks (e.g. Analysis , Execution )

10. Save your changes and return to the main dashboard

Integrate with Teams and Outlook

1. Open Microsoft Teams and sign in to the desired team

2. Go to a channel and click + to add a card

3. Select Planner from the list of available apps

4. Select the plan you just created or search for it by name

5. Click Save to add it as a tab in the channel

6. Open Outlook and go to Calendar

7. Click on Add Calendar > From Internet

8. Paste the iCal link of the Planner plan

9. Tasks with a deadline will appear in the calendar

10. Sync with To Do for personal task management

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Starting a corporate rebranding project

A multidisciplinary team (marketing, design, IT) is managing a rebranding project. The manager creates a new plan in Planner to coordinate activities, assign tasks, and monitor deadlines.

a) Creating the plan

Command : New Plan → structures the project collaboratively.

Explanation : Allows you to define goals, privacy and workgroup.

b) Adding members and buckets

Command : + Add Members and + Add Bucket

Explanation : Organize the work into phases (e.g. research, design, launch).

c) Integration with Teams

Command : + in the Teams channel → Planner

Explanation : Allows your team to work on tasks without leaving Teams.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
New plan	Navigation Pane	Start creating a plan
+ Add members	Top right on the plan	Invite collaborators
Plan Settings	Gear icon	Customize name, privacy, notifications
+ Add bucket	Plan Noticeboard	Organize activities by phase
+ Add activity	Inside a bucket	Insert a new activity
Planner in Teams	Teams Channel > +	Integrate Planner into Teams
Add calendar	Outlook > Calendar	Sync tasks with Outlook
Labels	Activity details	Visually categorize activities
Comments	Activity details	Communicate with the team
Graphs	Top bar	View status and workload

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Rapid and structured launch of new projects.

Instant collaboration with team members.

Visually monitor the status of your activities.

Integration fluid with Teams, Outlook and To Do.

Customize buckets, labels, and notifications.

Save time in distributing tasks.

Effective deadline management.

Control roles and permissions.

Continuous improvement thanks to graphs.

Centralization of operational information.

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Managing an Editorial Plan
Create a plan to organize your content posting on your blog and social media, with buckets for Ideas, In Progress, and Published.

Planning a trade show
Use Planner to coordinate logistics, promotional materials, bookings, and supplier communications.

New Product Development
Structure activities across R&D, marketing, and sales, assigning tasks and tracking milestones.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where is the New Plan button in Planner?

2. What privacy options are available during creation?

3. How do I add members to a plan?

4. What roles can be assigned?

5. How do I integrate a plan with Microsoft Teams?

6. How do I sync a plan with Outlook?

7. What is the function of buckets?

8. How do you customize labels?

9. Where are the progress graphs located?

10. What are the advantages of creating a plan over manual management?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

"Create Plan" button in Microsoft Planner to start a new project. You've explored the steps to configure the plan, add members, set up buckets and tasks, and integrate Planner with Teams and Outlook. You've understood the roles involved and how to assign them, as well as visualizing task status using graphs. Through practical scenarios and key commands, you've gained skills to apply Planner in real-world business contexts. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge and prepare for effective and strategic use of the tool.

3. Viewing the list of plans and adding to favorites

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Microsoft Planner offers a list view of plans that allows the user to see all the plans they're part of (or that are public across the organization). The Planner Hub displays "Added Plans" (i.e., plans marked as favorites by the user) and often also a list of "All Plans," or at least the most recently accessed plans. Each plan can be represented with a tile or card that displays its name and some indicators (for example, how many tasks are completed in that plan compared to the total a sort of status overview). The user can mark an important plan as a favorite: the interface typically displays a star icon next to the plan name; clicking the star adds that plan to Favorites . Favorite plans are highlighted at the top of the Planner Hub, often with a compact progress visualization (for example, a bar or percentage of completion), making it easy to quickly check the status without having to open each plan. Then, the list of plans is accessible in the Planner Hub (with a distinction between favorites and other plans). If you have many plans, Planner has a search function to find a plan by name. Additionally, the list may include plans the user has stopped participating in : for example, if a user leaves a private plan or is removed, that plan will no longer appear in their list; while if a user leaves a public plan, that plan, while remaining public, is still accessible via search (until it is archived/deleted). The "Move to Favorites" or "Add to Favorites" option is typically a personal toggle : removing it from Favorites doesn't remove the plan, it simply moves it to the general Plans section. This Favorites feature is similar to pinning your most relevant projects so you can see them immediately when you open Planner.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The plans list is primarily internal to Planner, but there are some indirect interactions with Microsoft 365. For example, since plans correspond to Microsoft 365 groups, a plan's visibility in this list depends on the group's settings : a Public plan can be found even by users who aren't members of it (when using the search function within Planner, they'll be able to see the names of public plans). A private plan, however, won't appear to users outside of it. This reflects consistency with other apps: for example, in Outlook a private group isn't visible to everyone, while in Planner a private plan remains "hidden" from non-members. Another interaction is with Teams : if plans are linked to Microsoft Teams (i.e., added as a tab in a Team channel), users can access the plan both from Teams and from the list in Planner. In this case, being included in Planner's Favorites can make it easier to access it even outside of Teams. Additionally, marking a plan as a favorite in Planner is a per-user preference that isn't reflected elsewhere (for example, there's no "favorite group" concept that syncs with Outlook Planner favorites are independent and only relevant in the Planner app). The plan list in Planner Hub can be sorted or filtered internally (for example, showing favorites first, or most recent) but isn't integrated with other external lists. However, the underlying group structure means that a favorite plan in Planner is likely also an important group elsewhere (perhaps manually marked as a favorite in Outlook or Teams separately ).

c) ROLES INVOLVED

All members of a plan will see that plan in their personal list in Planner. There's no distinction between owner and regular member in the list view: an owner doesn't see "more" information than a member both see the plan name and progress in that Planner Hub tab. External guests added to a plan, having limited web access, may not have a federated Planner Hub listing all plans (they must use direct links); however, if a guest accesses it via the tenant's dedicated URL, they can see the plans they've been added to. In other words, the ability to view multiple plans is mostly a convenience for internal users; for guests, the typical use is to open one plan at a time via links. Regarding favorites , any user regardless of role can mark a plan as a favorite or not: this is a private setting for the user. An administrator doesn't directly influence the favorites list, but can decide which plans (groups) are public or private by adjusting the group settings. If a plan is public, any internal user can view it (perhaps find it via search) and decide to add it to their favorites even without being an active member (although they will have to join to interact with the plan). In private plans, only invited users can mark it as a favorite because only they can see it. In short: the plan list and favorites reflect the user's position with respect to the plans (member, non-member) and the visibility defined by the owner (public vs. private), but it does not vary based on editing permissions: it is a purely navigational list .

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

A program manager who oversees many projects will use the plan list in Planner to keep track of her area of responsibility. Let's say Maria is a PMO (Project Management Officer ) at a company and is a member of 10 different plans (Project Alpha, Beta, ... through Project Kappa). Maria marks the year's four strategic projects (Alpha, Delta, Omega, Kappa) as favorites . So, when she opens Planner in the morning, in her Planner Hub , she immediately sees the boxes for these four key plans at the top, with, for example, green indicators for on-time projects and red indicators for late tasks. The other, less critical plans remain listed below (or she can find them via "All Plans"). This allows her to prioritize her attention : if she notices from the box that Project Delta has many late tasks, she can click on it and delve into the details; conversely, if Project Beta (not her favorite) doesn't require attention, she might not open it at all that day. In another situation, a team member collaborating on a public plan could bookmark it even if they're only slightly following the project, so they can easily retrieve it when needed. For example, a developer on the IT team could bookmark the public plan "Innovation Ideas" created by the innovation department so they can check it occasionally without having to search for it every time. These examples show how the plan and bookmark list feature helps business users organize the projects they're involved in by importance and frequency of use , streamlining navigation in Planner.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to familiarize yourself with the plan list in Microsoft Planner and learn how to manage favorites for quick access to the most relevant projects. You will learn how to navigate the navigation pane, identify active plans, add or remove them from favorites, and understand how this feature integrates with Teams and Outlook. The roles involved (owner, member, guest) and the operational implications will also be explored. The exercise aims to improve personal organization and team collaboration by optimizing access to the most important projects and reducing time spent searching for plans.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

View the list of available plans

1. Go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Enter your Microsoft 365 corporate credentials

3. On the home screen, look at the navigation pane on the left

4. Click on Planner Hub to view all plans

5. Select My Plans to see the ones you are participating in

6. Use the search bar to find a specific plan

7. Sort plans by name or date modified

8. Click on a plan to open it in the content area

9. Check if the plan is already in your favorites (full star icon)

10. If it isn't, go to the next step to add it.

Add a plan to your favorites

1. Return to the navigation pane

2. Locate the plan you want to add to your favorites

3. Click the star icon next to the plan name

4. The star will become full, indicating that the plan is now in your favorites

5. The plan will be moved to the Favorites section at the top

6. You can quickly access it from any Planner screen

7. To remove it, click the star again (it returns empty)

8. Favorites are also synced across Teams and Outlook

9. Plan members will only see their own favorites, not anyone else's.

10. Repeat this for all the plans you want to keep handy.

Interactions with Teams and Outlook

1. Open Microsoft Teams and sign in to the desired team

2. Go to a channel and click + to add a card

3. Select Planner from the list of available apps

4. Find the plan you added to your favorites

5. Add it as a card in the channel by clicking Save

6. Open Outlook and go to Calendar

7. Click on Add Calendar > From Internet

8. Paste the iCal link of the Planner plan

9. Tasks with a deadline will appear in the calendar

10. Favorites in Planner do not affect visibility in Outlook, but they do facilitate quick access

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Managing multiple projects in parallel

A project manager manages multiple company projects simultaneously. To optimize time and reduce confusion, use the "Favorites" feature to highlight only active plans.

a) Identifying active plans

Command : Planner Hub → select current plans

Explanation : Allows you to filter projects relevant to the current period.

b) Add to favorites

Command : Click on the star next to the plan name

Explanation : Allows quick and visible access in the navigation pane.

c) Integration with Teams

Command : + in the Teams channel → Planner

Explanation : Allows you to work on tasks directly from Teams.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Planner Hub	Navigation Pane	View all available plans
My plans	Navigation Pane	Show the plans you participate in
Star ()	Next to the name of the plan	Add or remove from favorites
+ (in Teams)	Teams Channel > +	Add Planner as a tab
Add calendar	Outlook > Calendar	Sync tasks with Outlook
Search bar	At the top of the Planner screen	Find a plan quickly
Ordering	Planner Hub	Sort by name or date
Plan Settings	Gear icon	Customize the plan
Comments	Activity details	Communicate with the team
Graphs	Top bar	View status and workload

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Quick access to priority projects

Synchronization with Teams and Outlook

Better organization of daily work

Simplified navigation between floors

User Interface Customization

Save time searching for plans

More effective activity planning

Autonomous management of favorites for each user

Greater focus on active projects

Reducing information overload

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Quarterly Project Management
Add only current quarter plans to your favorites to maintain operational focus.

Support for multiple teams
If you work with multiple departments, use favorites to separate plans by area (e.g. marketing, IT, HR).

Track recurring activities
Keep plans related to cyclical processes (e.g. audits, training, maintenance) as favorites.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where is the plan list located in Planner?

2. How do I add a plan to my favorites?

3. How do I remove a plan from my favorites?

4. Are favorites visible to other members?

5. How do I quickly access a preferred plan?

6. How do I integrate a preferred plan into Teams?

7. Do favorites affect visibility in Outlook?

8. Which roles can add plans to favorites?

9. How do I sort the plan list?

10. What are the benefits of using favorites?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to view your plan list in Microsoft Planner and use the Favorites feature to improve organization and quick access to your most important projects. You've explored the steps to add or remove a plan from Favorites, how this feature integrates with Teams and Outlook, and which roles are involved. Through practical scenarios and key commands, you've gained skills to apply this feature in real-world business contexts. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge and prepare for effective and strategic use of the tool.

4. Viewing Assigned to me tasks

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Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Planner's Assigned to Me view displays all tasks assigned to you, from any plan. It's a personal dashboard of your tasks , so you don't have to go into each plan to see them. In this view, tasks are typically listed in lists or cards sorted by plan or date. For example, I'll see in a single list: "Task A (from Plan X) due tomorrow not started," "Task B (from Plan Y) due Monday in progress," etc. The Assigned to Me view provides options for organizing or filtering these tasks: you can group them by plan, by progress (not started/in progress/completed), or by due date . In fact, Planner offers the possibility of applying a Progress grouping to this list as well, so as to have, for example, three columns: Not started , In progress , Completed , which extend concepts similar to the dashboard in a personal key (this has been enhanced over time to provide a sort of personal mini- kanban ). The Assigned to me view can be thought of as an integrated to-do list : each item shows the name of the task, the plan it belongs to (useful for context), the deadline and other essential indicators (priority, labels, whether comments have been added). Clicking on a specific task from this view opens the task detail window (where you can update the status, add comments, checklists, attachments, etc.), exactly as you would do by opening the task from its plan dashboard. In short, Assigned to me is a cross-functional view on Planner that centralizes the user's tasks , allowing you to manage your personal workload in a unified way.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The Assigned to Me view is closely linked to the Microsoft To Do app and other unified task experiences. Microsoft has integrated Planner with To Do so that all Planner tasks assigned to a user also appear in the Assigned to Me category in Microsoft To Do. For example, in To Do (whether desktop, mobile, or web via Outlook) there is a smart Assigned to Me list that, when activated, shows exactly the same items as the Planner view (i.e., Planner tasks assigned to the user). This means a user can check off or update their Planner tasks directly from the To Do app or Outlook, and these updates will be reflected in the corresponding Planner plan in real time. Similarly, within Microsoft Teams , the Tasks app (Tasks by Planner and To Do) combines personal To Do and Planner tasks: in the Assigned to me section of this app in Teams, the user sees assigned Planner tasks and can manage them without leaving Teams. Essentially, Planner acts as a data source for other personal task management applications. There are no other direct interactions in this view (for example, it doesn't integrate with Project, although for Project for Web users, assigned Project tasks now also appear in the Assigned to me list, consolidating Planner and Project). One additional interaction: the Assigned to me view in Planner can be added to the Outlook calendar as an iCalendar feed, similar to a plan (see point 8): it's possible to publish a calendar feed of your assigned tasks and then subscribe to it in Outlook. This allows those who wish to see the due dates for all their personal tasks on their calendar. Overall , the Assigned to Me feature transcends Planner and appears in To Do, Outlook, and Teams, offering an integrated personal task management experience across Microsoft 365.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

The Assigned to me view is personal and depends solely on the logged-in user. Each user will only see their own tasks. There are no administrator or supervisor roles in this view: for example, a manager can't open an Assigned to Marco section in Planner unless they access Marco's Planner directly, which isn't possible (they should instead go to the individual plans and filter by Marco's assignee). Therefore, only the user themselves can see their aggregated list. Members, owners, or guests : the view will include tasks assigned to the user regardless of their role in the plan. If an external guest has tasks assigned to them, they too (by logging into the appropriate tenant) will be able to see that list (although the guest experience is limited, tasks assigned to the guest will also appear in their Assigned to me view of To Do if the guest has access to To Do). (Guests often don't have a license for To Do, so in practice they may not have that integration.) There's no difference in functionality between a plan owner and a regular member: if both have tasks assigned to them, they'll see them in their respective personal views. From an administrative standpoint, a Planner admin or Global admin can't access the "Assigned to me" lists of others (privacy is respected: tasks are within plans and there's no predefined multi-user management dashboard). In short, the "Assigned to me" view is the same for all end users and concerns them only; the concept of role almost disappears here because the only important thing is "who the task is assigned to."

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

A typical example: Luke , who works in a consulting firm, is involved in five different projects, each with a separate Planner. Each project manager assigns him tasks in their respective plans. Instead of checking project by project, Luke opens the Assigned to me section in the morning . Here he sees a consolidated list: Prepare presentation for Client X (from the Project X plan) due July 5th , Analyze sales data (from the Project Y plan) due July 6th , Review specifications (from the Project Z plan) due July 10th , etc., with indicators showing him which are already in progress and which have not yet started. Luke can decide to sort by date to understand which is due first, or group by plan if he wants to dedicate the morning to Project X tasks and the afternoon to Project Y tasks. As he completes a task, for example Prepare presentation for Client X , he marks it as Completed directly from this view. The task automatically moves to the completed section, and that change is reflected in the original Project X plan. Meanwhile, his manager (who owns the Project X plan) will see that task marked as completed in the project dashboard. Meanwhile, Luca also has the Microsoft To Do app on his phone: while traveling, he opens To Do and sees the same tasks under "Assigned to me" and adds a note to a task. When he returns to the office, the note also appears in the task details in Planner. This scenario demonstrates how the Assigned to me view helps individual employees centrally manage all the tasks they need to work on, without getting lost among multiple projects, and how it synchronizes with other personal productivity tools.

Immagine che contiene testo, schermata, software, Sito Web

Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to learn how to use the "Assigned to Me" section in Microsoft Planner to effectively track all personal tasks distributed across various plans. You will gain skills in quickly accessing assigned tasks, updating progress, interacting with your team, and syncing tasks with other Microsoft 365 apps like To Do, Outlook, and Teams. The roles involved (member, owner, guest) and the operational implications will be explored. This exercise is designed to improve individual work management, reduce the risk of forgetfulness, and increase personal and team productivity.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Access the Assigned to me section

1. Open your browser and go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 corporate credentials

3. On the home screen, look at the navigation pane on the left

4. Click on Assign to me to open the dedicated section

5. View the list of tasks assigned to the various plans

6. Each task displays the plan name, due date and status

7. Click on an activity to open the details

8. Update status (not started, in progress, completed)

9. Add comments or attachments if needed

10. Close the panel to return to the task list

Manage assigned tasks

1. Sort tasks by due date , priority , or plan

2. Use filters to view only urgent or late orders.

3. Click Completed to archive an activity

4. Add a note or comment to update the team

5. Change the deadline if necessary by clicking on the calendar

6. Assign labels to categorize tasks

7. View your progress in the plan by clicking Go to Plan

8. Sync tasks with Microsoft To Do automatically

9. Receive email notifications for upcoming tasks

10. Schedule a Teams meeting directly from the task

Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. Open Microsoft To Do to view your synced tasks.

2. Tasks assigned in Planner appear in the Assigned to me list

3. Open Outlook and go to Calendar

4. Tasks with a deadline are visible as reminders

5. Open Microsoft Teams and access the plan channel

6. Click on the Planner tab to view your assigned tasks

7. Comment or update status directly from Teams

8. Get notifications in Teams for task changes

9. Use the @mention function to engage colleagues

10. All changes are synced in real time between apps

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Managing individual tasks in a project team

A team member works on multiple projects simultaneously. Use the "Assigned to Me" section to track received tasks, update status, and communicate with colleagues.

a) Access to personal activities

Command : Assigned to me → view all assigned tasks

Explanation : It allows you to have a centralized view of your work.

b) Status update

Command : click on the activity → change status and comments

Explanation : Keeps the team informed of progress.

c) Sync with To Do

Command : open To Do → Assigned to me list

Explanation : It makes it easier to manage personal activities even from mobile.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Assign to me	Navigation Pane	View personal activities
Filters	At the top of the activity list	Show activities by criteria
Go to the plan	Activity details	Access the source plan
Comments	Activity details	Communicate with the team
Labels	Activity details	Categorize visually
Change expiration date	Activity Calendar	Update the date
Completed	Activity Status	Archive the activity
Planner in Teams	Teams Channel > Planner Tab	View and edit activities
To Do	Microsoft To-Do App	Sync personal activities
Outlook	Calendar	View activity reminders

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Centralization of personal activities

Automatic sync with To Do and Outlook

Visual monitoring of activity status

Simplified navigation between floors

Personalization with labels and filters

Save time in daily management

Effective deadline planning

Individual activity control

Greater team accountability

Reducing the risk of forgetfulness

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Weekly Task Management
View all tasks assigned for the week and plan their priorities.

Multi-project support
Track tasks from multiple teams without having to open each plan.

Meeting Preparation
Review your assigned tasks before a meeting to update your status.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where is the Assigned to me section?

2. How do I update the status of a task?

3. How do I sync tasks with To Do?

4. How do I filter tasks by due date?

5. How do I access the source plan of an activity?

6. How do I add comments to an activity?

7. How do I change the due date of a task?

8. How do you categorize activities with labels?

9. How do I view tasks in Outlook?

10. What are the benefits of the Assigned to me section?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to use the "Assigned to Me" section of Microsoft Planner to track and manage personal tasks. You've explored the steps to access the list, update status, communicate with your team, and sync tasks with To Do, Outlook, and Teams. You've understood the roles involved and how this feature improves individual productivity. Through practical scenarios and key commands, you've gained skills to apply this feature in real-world business contexts. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge and prepare for effective and strategic use of the tool.

5. Grid Activity Views

Immagine che contiene testo, schermata, Carattere, numero

Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Grid (or List ) view offers an alternative way to view a plan's tasks in a table format, rather than as cards on a board. In Grid view, tasks are arranged in rows, one per row, with columns representing the main details of each task (e.g., Title, Assignee, Progress, Due Date, Priority, Bucket, etc.). It's a spreadsheet-like table layout , useful for having a lot of information about tasks visible at once and for quickly editing them. For example, in a grid view, you can see a sortable list of all tasks and quickly identify overdue ones by sorting by due date. Microsoft introduced Grid view as part of Planner's evolution toward a unified experience with Microsoft Project: in fact, this interface allows for typical basic project management operations, such as entering numerous tasks in sequence, assigning resources, and setting dates directly in the grid cells. The top part of the plan interface allows you to switch between different views, and when you select Grid View , the content area displays this structured list of tasks. The user can usually add a new task directly to the list (there's a blank row or an "Add New Task" button at the top or bottom of the table), type the name, and immediately fill in fields such as assignee and due date. The grid also allows for inline editing : for example, by clicking on the assignee field of a certain row (task), you can select or change the responsible person without opening the detail tab. In short, the grid view provides a detailed and editable overview of a plan's tasks, preferable when you want to perform mass data entry or analyze tasks with more sophisticated sorting and filters.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The grid view itself is confined to Planner (or Project for the Web in the premium context). However, its appearance is very reminiscent of Excel and encourages data export . In fact, the user, after possibly working in grid view, could use the Export to Excel function (see point 10) to bring the task list into a real Excel file for further analysis. We can say that the Grid view is complementary to Excel: some operations (filtering, complex sorting, pivot tables) are not interactively advanced in Planner, but exporting allows them to be performed in Excel. Furthermore, if the plan is connected to Project (Premium Plans) , the Grid view and Timeline view correspond respectively to the Grid view and Timeline ( Gantt ) view of Project for the Web, ensuring that those working on advanced plans have a very similar experience in Planner and Project. In terms of sharing, there is no direct sharing of the grid with other apps, but there is nothing stopping you from copying and pasting data from the Planner grid to Excel/SharePoint List if needed. It should be noted that the grid is just a representation : any changes made there are reflected in the plan and therefore in all other views (board, calendar, etc.), maintaining consistency.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Grid view is available to all plan members (internal or guest) who access the full Planner interface via the web. There's no role differentiation: a regular member can use the grid to update tasks just like an owner. Naturally, only those with edit rights to the plan can change the data: in Planner, virtually all members (owners or not) have full edit rights to tasks, so they can use the grid to edit. A guest can also create and edit tasks according to the permissions granted (if the administrator has allowed them to add attachments, they can also edit that field in the grid, otherwise not). There's no read-only role in Planner: there are no "visitors" with limited access to tasks, so either you're a member (and can edit the grid) or you don't see the plan at all. A Planner administrator doesn't have a specific view of the grid; however, if custom fields exist (in future updates integrated with Project), some might only be visible with specific licenses a detail beyond the current scope. Note: If admin blocks a user from creating groups , that user will not be able to create a new plan (so no grid because there is no plan), but if they have access to existing plans, the grid will be usable.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Consider an event planning team using Planner to manage conference preparations. Initially, the events manager might find it more efficient to use Grid view to brain- dump all the necessary tasks. She opens the Annual Conference 2025 plan and switches to grid view; there, she clicks Add new task and begins typing: Book venue, Contact caterers, Send invitations, quickly listing dozens of items line by line. In the adjacent columns, she assigns each task to the appropriate team member (e.g., caterers to Luca, invitations to Martina) and sets the estimated due dates. In just a few minutes, she has created a complete , tabular schedule . Later, during a meeting, the team opens the same grid view on the projector to review and update the status: Martina filters the Status column for Not Started, and they update in real time as tasks begin. After the meeting, the manager exports the grid to Excel using the Export Plan to Excel command to send the director an updated list of tasks. In another scenario, an IT department manager manages internal requests like a backlog: with the grid view, he can sort all requests by priority and assignee, deciding in a weekly meeting who does what simply by editing the "Assigned to" and "Priority" cells. These examples highlight how the grid view is invaluable for entering and reorganizing large amounts of tasks quickly and systematically , much like you would do in an Excel spreadsheet but from within Planner.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to familiarize yourself with the task grid view in Microsoft Planner, a mode that provides a neat and detailed overview of a plan's tasks. You'll learn how to navigate tasks, change their status, assign them, filter by labels or due dates, and leverage the grid for more efficient management. Interactions with Teams and To Do, the roles involved (owner, member, guest), and business use cases will be explored. This exercise aims to improve individual and team productivity by facilitating the planning and tracking of tasks in a visual and structured way.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Access the grid view

1. Go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 business account

3. Select a plan from the left navigation pane

4. In the top bar, click on Dashboard to open the default view

5. Make sure tasks are arranged in buckets (columns)

6. Each task appears as a card with a title, assignee, and due date.

7. Click on a tab to open the details

8. Drag the card to another bucket to change its status

9. Use the top bar to switch to Charts or Scheduling

10. Return to the grid by clicking on Noticeboard

Manage tasks in the grid

1. Click + Add Activity in a bucket

2. Enter the title of the activity and press Enter

3. Click on the activity to open the side panel

4. Assign the task to a plan member

5. Set an expiration date

6. Add a detailed description

7. Apply colored labels to categorize

8. Upload useful files or links

9. Add comments to collaborate with the team

10. Save and close the panel

Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. Open Microsoft Teams and go to the team channel

2. Add a Planner tab by clicking +

3. Select the plan and view the grid directly in Teams

4. Edit tasks and comment without leaving Teams

5. Open Microsoft To Do to see your assigned tasks

6. Planner tasks appear in the Assigned to me list

7. Open Outlook and go to Calendar

8. Tasks with a deadline are visible as reminders

9. Receive email notifications for assigned tasks

10. All changes are synchronized in real time

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Coordination of a product launch plan

A marketing team uses a grid view to organize the activities for a new product launch. Each bucket represents a phase: "Planning," "Content Production," "Distribution," and "Follow-up."

a) Organization by phases

Command : + Add Bucket → create columns for each stage

Explanation : It allows you to structure your work in a sequential and visual way.

b) Activity Management

Command : + Add Task → assign tasks to members

Explanation : It distributes responsibilities in a clear and traceable way.

c) Progress monitoring

Command : Drag tasks between buckets

Explanation : Allows you to view the status of each activity in real time.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Noticeboard	Top bar of the plan	View activities in grid
+ Add activity	Inside a bucket	Create a new business
+ Add bucket	At the bottom of the grid	Create a new column
Drag activity	Activity sheet	Change state or phase
Comments	Activity details	Communicate with the team
Labels	Activity details	Categorize visually
Planner in Teams	Teams Channel > +	Integrate Planner into Teams
To Do	Microsoft To-Do App	View assigned tasks
Outlook	Calendar	View activity reminders
Graphics / Programming	Top bar	Other views available

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Clear and tidy display of activities

Real-time updates between team members

Visual monitoring of project status

Intuitive navigation between phases and tasks

Personalization with buckets and labels

Time savings in operational management

Effective deadline planning

Controlling roles and assignments

Greater member empowerment

Reducing the risk of forgetfulness

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Advertising Campaign Management
Organize activities into buckets by phase: ideation, production, publishing, analysis.

Agile software development
Use buckets as sprints and tasks as user stories, assigned to developers.

Corporate Event Planning
Create buckets for logistics, communications, suppliers, and post-event, with tasks assigned to departments.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where is the grid view in Planner?

2. How do I add a new activity to a bucket?

3. How do I assign a task to a team member?

4. How do you categorize activities with labels?

5. How do I move a task between buckets?

6. How do I integrate the Planner grid into Teams?

7. How do I view tasks in To Do?

8. How do I get notifications for activities?

9. Which roles can modify activities?

10. What are the advantages of grid view?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to use Microsoft Planner's grid view to organize, assign, and track tasks in a visual and structured way. You've explored the steps to create buckets, add tasks, assign them to members, and categorize them with labels. You've seen how to interact with Teams, To Do, and Outlook for integrated management. Through practical scenarios and key commands, you've acquired the skills to apply this functionality in real-world business contexts. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge and prepare for effective and strategic use of the tool.

6. Viewing activities in columns (Blackboard)

Immagine che contiene testo, schermata, Carattere, numero

Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Column view, commonly called Board ( sometimes also referred to as a Kanban board ), is the main and most distinctive screen in Microsoft Planner. In this view, tasks are displayed as cards and organized into vertical columns called buckets . Each column represents a logical grouping of tasks: for example, by default, the first bucket is "Unplanned Tasks," where everything goes until you create custom buckets. You can create buckets with any names you like to structure your work (e.g., workflow phases like "To Do," "In Progress," "Completed," or categories like "Development," "Test," " Deploy ," or team breakdowns, etc.). On the board, tiles for the tasks belonging to that bucket appear under each column. Each task card displays a title, assignee (with avatar or initials), colored labels if applicable, the due date if applicable, and a visual status (e.g., a checkmark if completed, or an alarm icon if overdue). Users can drag cards from one column to another to quickly update their organization (e.g., moving a task from the "To Do" bucket to the "In Progress" bucket once it's started) this drag-and-drop is a visual way to update bucket fields (or other groupings, if different filters are applied). The dashboard also allows you to mark progress: by opening a card, you can set its progress (Not Started/In Progress/Completed), and in some cases, this is also reflected by moving the card to a "Completed" bucket if one exists. At the top of the interface, in addition to the buckets, there's a "Group by" drop-down menu that allows you to temporarily change the size of the columns: for example, instead of grouping by bucket, you can choose "Group by Assignee" to see the columns broken down by the person to whom the tasks are assigned, or "Group by Progress" to have automatic columns for Not Started/In Progress/Completed. This flexibility turns the board into a dynamic Kanban : for example, grouping by Progress gives you a classic Kanban. To Do / Doing / Done without having to manually create those buckets. Generally, however, the standard bucket column view is the heart of Planner: this is where teams add new tasks (via a "+ Add Task" button under each column), assign them (by dragging and dropping them onto "by assignee" columns or by opening and setting the assignee), and update the status as work progresses by moving cards. The dashboard provides an immediate overview of workload and status : you can see how many tasks are in a certain status or with a certain person simply by looking at the distribution of cards.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The Planner board (columns) is a visual element available both in the Planner web app and can be integrated into Microsoft Teams . In Teams, it's common to add a Planner plan as a card in a channel : this displays the same Kanban board within the Teams interface, allowing the team to interact with tasks without leaving Teams. This integration means that any changes made to the board in Teams are immediately reflected in Planner and vice versa, since they are the same underlying data. Another notable interaction is with Microsoft Outlook in terms of the calendar: although the board itself isn't reflected in Outlook, each task has a due date that can be published as a calendar event (see point 8), so the columns as a representation of status can be complemented by the calendar view if synced. Additionally, the Outlook sync feature ( iCalendar feed ) allows you to track tasks by date in Outlook , but this complements the board (which is organized by bucket). In terms of notifications, moving tasks between columns (e.g., completing them) can generate email notifications: Planner sends emails when a task is assigned or completed, etc., to the manager or group, thus integrating Outlook to keep members informed. Another interaction concerns Power Automate : Planner board can be used with automatic flows (for example, a flow that notifies a certain person in Teams when a task is moved to the Approvals bucket this is achieved by reading task changes via a connector). In general, however, the board is a representation that remains primarily in Planner/Teams; if advanced representations are needed (e.g., a Gantt timeline ), there is the need to switch to Project or other tools (Planner does not offer a Gantt , only the Schedule view , as mentioned).

c) ROLES INVOLVED: WHO CAN DO WHAT ON THE NOTICEBOARD?

In Planner, all internal members of a plan have equal permissions on tasks in the dashboard . This means that both owners and members (non-guests) can create new tasks, edit them, move them, complete them, and even create, rename, or delete buckets. Planner doesn't currently support granular restrictions : for example, you can't have a task that only a manager can mark as completed if you're a member of the plan, you can. This is important to note: unlike more complex tools, Planner emphasizes simplicity and open collaboration. External guests also have (if added to the group and allowed by the administrator) nearly equivalent rights on tasks: they can create and delete buckets and tasks, edit task fields, and mark completions. The only exception is that to attach files or links, the tenant admin must have enabled guests to do so. Additionally, guests don't receive certain notifications (such as the assignment email) due to technical limitations. So, to recap, owner vs. internal member : no operational difference on the dashboard (the only difference is that the owner can manage plan members, but anyone can manage plan content). Internal member vs. guest : almost the same, except for restrictions on attachments and guest notifications. Visitors (read-only) : they don't exist in Planner; if someone isn't a member, they can't even see the dashboard. This simplified permissions model implies a high level of trust and collaboration: often in corporate contexts, it's established that all plan participants respect the rules (e.g., only the coordinator moves cards to "Completed") without the tool imposing it. For example, anyone can also delete a task luckily, Planner asks for confirmation so the owner role doesn't have superpowers to protect content, but only over user management (an owner can delete the entire plan or add/remove members , something a non-owner member can't do).

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

A software development team uses the Planner dashboard to manage their sprint. They've created buckets: "To Do," "In Development," "In Test," and "Completed." Each feature request or bug is created as a card under "To Do," with all the details. During the daily stand-up, they open the dashboard on a large screen: they immediately see how many cards are in "In Development" and how many are in "In Test." Marco , a developer, decides to start working on a new task: he uses his mouse to drag the "Implement SSO Login" card from the "To Do" column to "In Development." This instantly changes the task's status and implicitly assigns it to him (or he can assign it to him). After two days, Marco completes the task and drags it to "Completed." The team lead can see the card as completed and, satisfied, leaves it there until, perhaps, they can empty the completed bucket at the end of the sprint. Another example: a marketing department uses the board as a campaign Kanban : buckets for "Ideas," "Approved," "Running," and "Completed." All members of the department (design, social media, PR) freely add ideas as cards in "Ideas." The marketing director drags promising cards into the "Approved" bucket during the weekly meeting, marking which ones will become concrete projects. He then assigns each card to a person and moves it to "Running." When a campaign ends, the card moves to "Completed." This column view allows the team to have a constantly updated virtual whiteboard, visible to everyone, where the status of each initiative is clear at a glance. It's very similar to working with post-it notes on a real board, but with the advantage of being integrated into 365: each card can have attached documents (e.g., the creative briefing in Word, the lead list in Excel) and conversations (in comments or via Outlook), making Planner a complete operational base for teamwork.

Immagine che contiene testo, software, Sito Web, Pagina Web

Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to learn how to use Microsoft Planner's "Whiteboard ," which displays tasks in columns (buckets) for visual and intuitive work management. The user will acquire skills in creating, moving, and editing tasks within buckets, assigning tasks, applying labels, and tracking progress. Interactions with Teams, Outlook, and To Do will be explored, along with the roles involved (owner, member, guest), and business use cases. The exercise aims to improve individual and team productivity by facilitating collaborative and transparent planning and coordination of tasks.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Access the Blackboard noticeboard

1. Go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 business account

3. Select a plan from the left navigation pane

4. In the top bar, click on Noticeboard

5. View buckets (columns) representing project phases

6. Each activity is represented by a card with title, assignee and deadline

7. Click on a tab to open the details

8. Drag the card to another bucket to change its status

9. Use the top bar to switch to Charts or Programming

10. Return to the dashboard by clicking on Dashboard

Manage tasks on the dashboard

1. Click + Add Activity in a bucket

2. Enter the activity title and press Enter

3. Click on the activity to open the side panel

4. Assign the task to a plan member

5. Set an expiration date

6. Add a detailed description

7. Apply colored labels to categorize

8. Upload useful files or links

9. Add comments to collaborate with the team

10. Save and close the panel

Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. Open Microsoft Teams and go to the team channel

2. Add a Planner tab by clicking +

3. Select the plan and view the dashboard directly in Teams

4. Edit tasks and comment without leaving Teams

5. Open Microsoft To Do to see your assigned tasks

6. Planner tasks appear in the Assigned to me list

7. Open Outlook and go to Calendar

8. Tasks with a deadline are visible as reminders

9. Receive email notifications for assigned tasks

10. All changes are synchronized in real time

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Managing a corporate training plan

An HR team uses the "Whiteboard" board to organize a training plan. The buckets represent the phases: "Needs Analysis," "Course Planning," "Delivery," and "Evaluation."

🔹 Organization by phases

Command : + Add Bucket

Explanation : It allows you to structure the plan in a sequential and visual way.

🔹 Activity Management

Command : + Add Activity

Explanation : Allows you to assign specific tasks to each team member.

🔹 Progress monitoring

Command : Drag tasks between buckets

Explanation : Allows you to view the status of each activity in real time.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Noticeboard	Top bar of the plan	View activities in columns
+ Add activity	Inside a bucket	Create a new business
+ Add bucket	At the bottom of the bulletin board	Create a new column
Drag activity	Activity sheet	Change state or phase
Comments	Activity details	Communicate with the team
Labels	Activity details	Categorize visually
Planner in Teams	Teams Channel > +	Integrate Planner into Teams
To Do	Microsoft To-Do App	View assigned tasks
Outlook	Calendar	View activity reminders
Graphics / Programming	Top bar	Other views available

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Clear and tidy display of activities

Real-time updates between team members

Visual monitoring of project status

Intuitive navigation between steps and tasks

Personalization with buckets and labels

Time savings in operational management

Effective deadline planning

Controlling roles and assignments

Greater member empowerment

Reducing the risk of forgetfulness

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Internal Communications Project Management
Organize activities into buckets by phase: ideation, approval, publication, feedback.

Internal Audit Planning
Create buckets for each department to be audited and assign tasks to those responsible.

Developing a new service
Structure activities into phases: analysis, design, testing, launch, with clear assignments.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where is the Whiteboard view in Planner?

2. How do I add a new bucket?

3. How do I create a new task in a bucket?

4. How do I assign a task to a team member?

5. How do you categorize activities with labels?

6. How do I move a task between buckets?

7. How do I integrate the dashboard into Teams?

8. How do I view tasks in To Do?

9. How do I get notifications for activities?

10. What are the advantages of column view?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to use Microsoft Planner's "Whiteboard" dashboard to organize, assign, and track tasks in columns (buckets). You've explored the steps to create buckets, add tasks, assign them to members, and categorize them with labels. You've seen how to interact with Teams, To Do, and Outlook for integrated management. Through practical scenarios and key commands, you've acquired the skills to apply this functionality in real-world business contexts. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge and prepare for effective and strategic use of the tool.

7. Activity visualizations in graphs

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Charts view in Microsoft Planner provides a visual overview of the plan's progress through various graphs and aggregate metrics. It is accessible via the "Charts" tab in the top plan bar. This screen typically features a pie chart showing the breakdown of tasks by status (how much work is Not Started , In Progress , or Completed in percentage and number) and one or more bar charts displaying, for example, the number of tasks in each bucket or for each assigned member. Additionally, the number of tasks that are due or late is often highlighted with red indicators to draw attention. Planner's charts are easily interactive: by clicking on a section of the chart, the list of tasks next to it is filtered accordingly (e.g., clicking on the "Late" slice will list only overdue tasks). Overall, the "Charts" view allows the team to quickly answer questions like "how many tasks are completed?" and "who has the most workload?" , Do we have tasks stuck in a certain bucket? It's a built-in mini-dashboard for the project. It's not a Gantt chart or an advanced business intelligence tool, but for most small to medium-sized projects, it offers sufficient insight. For example, if I see in the By Member bar chart that one colleague has 10 tasks assigned and another has 2, I might consider rebalancing the workload. Or if the pie chart shows a large segment still Not Started near the project deadline, alarm bells will ring. This view therefore helps you monitor status in a concise and visual way, without having to read each individual task.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The Charts feature works with Planner's internal data and doesn't integrate directly with other real-time services (for example, Power BI, which is a separate tool). However, there is an important indirect connection: if the user needs more advanced charts or to create custom reports, Planner allows them to export the plan to Excel and then use Excel Pivot or Power BI on that data. Once in Excel, the user can build complex charts and even combine data from multiple plans. Additionally, Microsoft 365 offers Power BI integration (specific connectors or export), so a project manager might decide to use Planner data as input for a corporate Power BI dashboard, going beyond Planner's basic charts. Another integration: the presence of the Chart view within Teams (in the Planner tabs in Teams) allows the team to see progress directly during meetings, without opening a separate browser. There's no mechanism to automatically bring these charts into a Word or PowerPoint report, but a screenshot can be used in status presentations. On the notification side, there's no specific integration: the charts update automatically as tasks in Planner change status; if you wanted an alert if "X% of tasks are late," you'd currently have to do it manually or with a Power Automate flow that counts tasks (there's no native chart-based alert). In short, Planner's charts are self- contained but exportable: they work well with Excel/PowerPoint for manual reporting and with Power BI for more advanced automation.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

All plan members (owners, internal members, guests) can see the Charts view. There are no restrictions: since this is aggregated task data, and since every member can still see all individual tasks (there's no hiding tasks in Planner), the charts don't reveal anything confidential outside the plan. Owners and internal members see the exact same charts. Guest users can also access the Charts view and should see the same charts (including any tasks assigned to internal users). This is because guests, once inside a plan, are considered members of the group (with the only difference regarding certain actions, as mentioned). There are no "visitor" roles that only show certain data, so everyone in the plan has full visibility of the status. An owner can't hide or customize the charts for others the view is standard for everyone. From the Microsoft 365 admin side: there's no way to disable the Charts tab for a plan or similar; it's an integral part of the licensed app. Interestingly, no one outside of the plan members can see these graphs (e.g., a manager who isn't part of the project team can't open Planner and view that project's graphs unless they add themselves as a member). Therefore, the circulation of information via graphs is tied to plan membership.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Let's consider a project team that meets weekly for a status update. Instead of verbally reporting numbers, during the meeting the project manager opens the Plan Charts tab on a monitor. A pie chart immediately appears , with 50% of the tasks completed (green), 40% in progress (blue), and 10% unstarted (gray). This immediately gives the team the sense that they're halfway through their deliverables. Next to it, they see a bar chart by assignee : all members have 5-6 tasks each, except George, who has 12. George is clearly overloaded. The project manager asks, "Can we redistribute some of George's tasks?" and perhaps two tasks are immediately reassigned to two other colleagues (which will then change the chart accordingly). They also notice that the red "Overdue" section is present: by clicking it, the list appears, and they discover that two crucial tasks were overdue yesterday. They immediately decide on corrective action. In a different context, consider a customer service manager who uses Planner to track open issues . Each issue is a task in Planner with a priority and assignee. Every morning, she opens the Charts view of the "Customer Notifications" plan: from the bar graph, she sees that there are three "Urgent" priority tickets (high red bar) and ten "Medium" priority tickets (yellow bar). She immediately contacts the technicians on the three urgent ones. She also looks at the status graph: if there are too many "Not Started" tickets, she calls the team to order. These scenarios illustrate how Planner's Charts view allows key people to understand the status of work at a glance and conduct meetings or make decisions based on real-time data, without having to manually prepare numerical reports. In other words, it serves as an integrated project dashboard for quickly assessing progress.

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Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to learn how to use the graphical task view in Microsoft Planner to monitor project progress visually and at a glance. You will acquire the skills to interpret graphs showing completed, in-progress, and unstarted tasks, view workload by team member, and identify any delays. Interactions with Teams and Outlook, the roles involved (owner, member, guest), and business use cases will be explored. The exercise is designed to improve analytical and operational management skills, facilitating decision-making and resource allocation.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Access the graphical view

1. Go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 business account

3. Select a plan from the left navigation pane

4. In the top bar, click on Charts

5. View pie chart with task status (not started, in progress, completed)

6. Look at the bar chart with workload per team member

7. Click on a section of the graph to filter the corresponding activities

8. Hover over each bar to see the number of tasks assigned to it.

9. Click on a name to view the tasks assigned to that member

10. Return to the dashboard by clicking on Dashboard

Analyze and manage activities from charts

1. Identify overdue tasks in the pie chart

2. Click on a section to open the list of corresponding activities

3. Open the activity by clicking on the tab

4. Update the status (e.g. from in progress to completed )

5. Add comments to report issues or updates

6. Reassign the task if necessary by clicking Assign to

7. Change the deadline by clicking on the calendar

8. Apply labels to help with categorization

9. Upload files or links useful to complete the task

10. Save and close the panel to return to the graphs

Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. Open Microsoft Teams and go to the team channel

2. Add a Planner tab by clicking +

3. Select the plan and click on Charts in the Planner tab

4. View task status directly in Teams

5. Open Outlook and go to Calendar

6. Tasks with a deadline are visible as reminders

7. Open Microsoft To Do to see your assigned tasks

8. Planner tasks appear in the Assigned to me list

9. Receive email notifications for upcoming tasks

10. All changes are synchronized in real time

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Monitoring a software development plan

An IT team uses graphical visualization to monitor the status of development activities. Graphs help identify delays, overloads, and progress.

a) Checking the status of activities

Command : Charts → display pie and bars

Explanation : It allows you to have an immediate overview of the project.

b) Workload Analysis

Command : click on member bar → view assigned tasks

Explanation : Allows you to rebalance assignments between members.

c) Operational update

Command : click on activity → change status and comments

Explanation : Facilitates communication and coordination between departments.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Graphs	Top bar of the plan	View status and workload
Click on the chart section	Pie or bar chart	Filter tasks by status or assignee
Comments	Activity details	Communicate with the team
Labels	Activity details	Categorize visually
Change expiration date	Activity Calendar	Update the date
Planner in Teams	Teams Channel > +	Integrate Planner into Teams
To Do	Microsoft To-Do App	View assigned tasks
Outlook	Calendar	View activity reminders
Assign to	Activity details	Change assignee
Noticeboard	Top bar	Return to column view

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Visual monitoring of activity status

Instant analysis of workload per member

Real-time updates between Microsoft 365 apps

Intuitive navigation between views

Personalization with labels and filters

Rapid identification of delays and critical issues

Effective deadline planning

Controlling roles and assignments

Operational decision support

Reducing the risk of overload

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Marketing Project Progress Tracking
Use graphs to monitor campaign status and rebalance creative workloads.

Customer Support Team Management
View the number of tickets assigned to each agent and identify who needs support.

HR Activity Supervision
Monitor the status of onboarding and training activities for new employees.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where is the Charts view in Planner?

2. How do you interpret the pie chart?

3. How do I view workload by member?

4. How do I filter activities from charts?

5. How do I update the status of a task?

6. How do I integrate graph visualization into Teams?

7. How do I view tasks in To Do?

8. How do I get notifications for activities?

9. Which roles can modify activities?

10. What are the advantages of graphical visualization?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to use Microsoft Planner's graphical view to monitor task status and your team's workload. You've explored the steps to access charts, interpret data, update tasks, and interact with other Microsoft 365 apps. You've understood the roles involved and how this feature improves productivity and operational management. Through practical scenarios and key commands, you've gained the skills to apply this feature in real-world business contexts. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge and prepare for effective and strategic use of the tool.

8. Viewing Activities in the Calendar (Schedule)

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Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Schedule view displays a plan's tasks arranged on a calendar, sorted by start and due dates. The layout typically displays a monthly calendar (with the option to switch to a weekly view), where each day can contain tiles representing tasks due on that date. Tasks appear as "events" on the calendar with their titles, and are often color-coded according to their bucket or priority. If a task has a start and end date, it appears in the calendar as a bar stretching from the start day to the end day, similar to how events that span multiple days appear in Outlook. Tasks without due dates do not appear in the calendar (they may be listed separately as "Undated"). This view allows you to see deadlines and the temporal distribution of work: it's easy to see if certain dates have too many condensed deliverables or if there are periods of empty time. At the top, the user can navigate between months or select Week view to see more detail. Planner often highlights today in this view and marks overdue tasks in red. The Schedule view is particularly useful for planning : the project manager can look at the current and next month and see, for example, that towards the end of the month there are five critical tasks converging on the same day they can decide to move some dates to balance the load (by opening the tabs and changing the deadline). From the calendar it is also possible to create new tasks: by clicking in a cell (i.e., on a date) it is possible to add a task with that preset deadline. Ultimately, Planner's Calendar view offers a temporal perspective complementary to the dashboard: where the dashboard shows statuses and categories, the calendar shows when tasks must occur or be completed. It is not a Gantt chart (it does not show dependencies or relative lengths in a sophisticated way), but it gives a sequential and temporal idea of the plan.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Planner's calendar view is tightly integrated with Outlook through an iCalendar publishing feature . In each plan, an owner can choose the "Add plan to Outlook calendar" option, which generates a public iCalendar feed of the plan's tasks. Once published, any member can subscribe to this calendar in Outlook (a unique link is provided). Essentially, this causes Planner tasks to appear in the user's Outlook calendar as events (typically as a separate calendar that can be overlaid on their own). For example, if a "Final Presentation" task is due on July 30th, once subscribed to the feed, an event called "Final Presentation" will appear on a Planner calendar on July 30th. The user can click it to see the task details and a link back to the Planner tab. This allows them to see project commitments alongside their Outlook appointments , improving personal time planning. Similarly, in Planner's My Tasks view, there's a dedicated iCal feed for tasks assigned to me, so a user can see all their task due dates in Outlook, even if they're from different plans. The Outlook integration is controlled by the fact that only owners can enable publishing (to prevent anyone from sharing the plan link). Once enabled, however, the iCal link is shareable: anyone with it could see the due dates , even external users, so it must be distributed carefully. A 365 administrator can disable the calendar publishing feature for Planner at the organizational level if security requires it. In addition to Outlook, any application that supports iCalendar (e.g., Google Calendar) could theoretically subscribe to the feed, making Planner due dates visible even outside the Microsoft ecosystem if necessary (provided sharing is enabled and desired). Another useful interaction: Microsoft 365 Groups have their own calendar (visible in Outlook) when you publish the plan to iCal , it doesn't integrate directly into the group calendar (it's a separate feed, which is why you have to add it manually), but users often combine the two for visibility. In Teams , Planner's calendar view isn't displayed natively (Teams currently only displays the dashboard and charts), but a Teams user can open the plan in a browser to access it. In short, the most significant integration is with Outlook via iCalendar , which makes Planner's calendar not an island but part of the personal and company calendaring system .

c) ROLES INVOLVED

As mentioned, publishing to the Outlook calendar is limited to Plan Owners . If a non-owner opens the Add to Calendar menu and doesn't see the option, they must ask an Owner to enable it (there's a "Publish, share with anyone" step that only the Owner can do). Once enabled, however, all members (including guests) can use the iCal link to subscribe to the calendar in Outlook and thus see the tasks on their personal calendar. External guests in particular can benefit from the feed if they use it in Outlook or a compatible app , but remember that the iCal link is public: a guest could leak it (which is why the security warning about not sharing it with unauthorized people appears). Within the Planner app itself, the Calendar view is available to all Plan members , regardless of role, and everyone can edit dates by dragging tasks onto the calendar (yes, you can even drag and drop a task from one day to another on the Planner calendar to quickly change its due date). As with the dashboard, there are no restrictions: any member can change the date of any task, reflecting the philosophy of equal permissions. There is no role that "approves the calendar": the trust is that members cooperate in adhering to the plan. Note that iCal publishing is role-free: if enabled, any user with the link (even non-members) can view it, so security here relies on the person who owns the link (not linked to roles; it's a public, unauthenticated feed). An administrator can decide to disable the iCal feature at the tenant level to prevent calendar data leaks, but in that case, no one will be able to publish iCals from plans. Otherwise, internal roles are unaffected by the calendar view within Planner.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

A practical example: a design team plans a series of activities with specific deadlines (sketch review, client presentation, final material delivery). Using Planner's Calendar view , the team lead can drag tasks onto the monthly calendar to ensure they're well-spaced (for example, to avoid having all deliveries for various projects on the same day). Perhaps they notice that "Brochure Delivery to Client A" and "Catalog Delivery to Client B" both fall on Friday the 28th: they decide to move one to the following Monday by dragging the card to the 1st of the following month. In this way, the Planner calendar is used as a true schedule planning tool. Another scenario: a sales manager participates in multiple Planner plans (marketing, product development) and wants to track project milestones because they impact sales activities. Since she can't manually control each plan, she asks the owners of those plans to enable publishing to Outlook . Now the manager has the "Marketing Plan" and "Development Plan" calendars in her Outlook, overlaid on her work calendar. He sees that the Launch Campaign X activity is on the 15th of the month, so he knows he should expect leads generated from the campaign from that day on. He also sees that the development project has a Sprint Demo on the 20th, so he plans to participate. This example shows how integrating Planner with Outlook via calendar makes project activities visible in the company calendar , improving cross-functional coordination. One final example: an Agile project team synchronizes its two-week sprint with the calendar: they publish the feed and all members subscribe. This way, sprint deadlines appear on everyone's personal calendar (e.g., end of sprint, retrospective, etc. if entered as activities in Planner). This helps them stay on top of deadlines during their daily work. In conclusion, Planner's Calendar view and its integration with Outlook make it easier for company teams to connect tasks to times and for individuals to manage their time by having both meetings/appointments and task deadlines in one place.

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Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

"Schedule" view to plan and track tasks over time. You will gain skills in viewing tasks on a weekly or monthly calendar, changing their due dates, assigning them, and organizing them efficiently. Interactions with Outlook, Teams, and To Do will be explored, along with the roles involved (owner, member, guest), and business use cases. The exercise is designed to improve time management, resource allocation, and deadline visibility, fostering more strategic and collaborative planning.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Access the Programming view

1. Go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 business account

3. Select a plan from the left navigation pane

4. In the top bar, click on Scheduling

5. View monthly calendar with scheduled activities

6. Click on Week to switch to weekly view

7. Hover over an activity to view details

8. Click on the activity to open the side panel

9. Drag the task to another date to change its due date

10. Return to the dashboard by clicking on Dashboard

Manage tasks in the calendar

1. Click on + Add Activity at the top left

2. Enter the title and press Enter

3. Click on the activity to open the details

4. Assign the task to a plan member

5. Set the expiration date by clicking on the calendar

6. Add a detailed description

7. Apply labels to categorize

8. Upload useful files or links

9. Add comments to collaborate with the team

10. Save and close the panel

Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. Open Microsoft Teams and go to the team channel

2. Add a Planner tab by clicking +

3. Select the plan and click on Scheduling in the tab

4. View and edit tasks directly in Teams

5. Open Outlook and go to Calendar

6. Click on Add Calendar > From Internet

7. Paste the iCal link of the Planner plan

8. Tasks with a deadline will appear in the calendar

9. Open Microsoft To Do to see your assigned tasks

10. All changes are synchronized in real time

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Planning a communication campaign

A marketing team uses the "Scheduling" view to plan campaign activities. Each activity has a specific deadline and must be coordinated with other departments.

a) Time view of activities

Command : Scheduling → monthly or weekly view

Explanation : It allows you to distribute activities over time in a balanced way.

b) Changing deadlines

Command : Drag the task to another date

Explanation : Allows you to adapt your planning based on priorities.

c) Outlook Integration

Command : Add Calendar > From Internet

Explanation : Allows you to view tasks in your personal calendar as well.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Programming	Top bar of the plan	View activities on calendar
+ Add activity	Top left	Create a new business
Drag activity	Calendar	Change the expiration date
Comments	Activity details	Communicate with the team
Labels	Activity details	Categorize visually
Planner in Teams	Teams Channel > +	Integrate Planner into Teams
To Do	Microsoft To-Do App	View assigned tasks
Outlook	Calendar > Add Calendar	Sync Activities
Assign to	Activity details	Change assignee
Noticeboard	Top bar	Return to column view

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Visual activity planning

Effective deadline management

Quickly change dates with drag & drop

Intuitive navigation between weekly and monthly views

Integration with Outlook and Teams

Better workload distribution

Greater visibility for the team

Automatic notifications for upcoming tasks

Controlling roles and assignments

Reducing the risk of overlaps

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Editorial Planning
View content publication dates and coordinate work between copywriters and graphic designers.

Corporate Event Management
Organizes logistics and communications activities based on the event calendar.

Onboarding Activity Tracking
Schedule activities for new hires based on their onboarding calendar.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where is the Schedule view in Planner?

2. How do I switch from monthly to weekly view?

3. How do I change the due date of a task in the calendar?

4. How do I add a new activity from this view?

5. How do I integrate the Planner calendar into Outlook?

6. How do I view tasks in To Do?

7. How do I assign a task to a team member?

8. How do you categorize activities with labels?

9. How do I get notifications for activities?

10. What are the advantages of the Programming view?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

"Schedule" view to plan and track calendar activities. You've explored the steps to access the weekly or monthly view, create and edit tasks, assign them, and categorize them. You've seen how to interact with Teams, Outlook, and To Do for integrated management. Through practical scenarios and key commands, you've acquired the skills to apply this functionality in real-world business contexts. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge and prepare for effective and strategic use of the tool.

9. Adding members to the plan

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Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Adding members to a plan means inviting others to join the project and access its tasks. Planner's interface makes this easy: at the top of the plan, usually near the name, you'll see a person icon or a "Members" button . Clicking "Members" (or the icon with the current members list) opens a field where you can type the name or email address of the person you want to add. Planner will search the company directory for the name you entered and suggest it, then simply select it. When you add a member, that person will receive an automatic email notification informing them that they've been added to the plan. From that moment, that person also becomes a member of the Microsoft 365 group associated with the plan and will have the same operational rights to plan content (tasks) as other members. The Planner UI immediately updates the visible list of members (often shown as a series of avatars/initials at the top). If the plan is private, only the listed members can see the plan; If it's public, adding a member notifies them and the plan will appear in their Planner, but technically that person could already see the plan before (since it's public) as long as it remained public. The feature also includes the ability to remove members : typically by clicking on the member list again, and perhaps by clicking on the "..." next to a name, "Remove" appears. This way, you can remove someone from the plan (which means removing them from the group). One important limitation: you can't remove the sole owner of the plan directly from Planner if the person who created the plan is still the sole owner, Planner prevents them from being removed, requiring you to first nominate another owner. To nominate another owner, you currently have to do it from the group management interface (for example, via Outlook or Azure AD) because Planner itself adds everyone as a simple member. In short, Planner allows you to add members easily, but the fine-grained management of group roles (promoting to owner, demoting ) is delegated to other tools. It's worth noting that you can also add external guests (people with email addresses outside of your organization): if your administrator allows it, when you enter an external address, Planner recognizes it as "Invite guest" and adds that address as a guest user to the group, starting the guest access process (sending a welcome email with an access link, etc.). This is extremely useful for collaborating with partners, suppliers, or customers on the plan.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Adding a member in Planner is directly tied to Microsoft 365 Groups : when you add someone in Planner, behind the scenes you're adding them as a member of the connected Microsoft 365 group. This means that person will gain access not only to the Planner plan, but also to all group resources: they'll be added to the group's email distribution list (so they'll receive any conversation emails in Outlook), they'll have access to the group's SharePoint (plan files), the OneNote notebook, and so on. So this single "Add member" action has multiple effects: in Outlook, that user will now see the group in the "Groups" section and will be able to participate in conversations; in SharePoint, they'll be able to navigate the site and edit documents; if the group is connected to Teams, that user is automatically added to the Teams team, gaining access to channels and chats. This interconnectivity is crucial: Planner doesn't have its own separate user database; it relies on Microsoft 365 Groups for membership. Furthermore, as mentioned, if the person added is external, they enter the Guest access system : they receive a welcome email to the group and must accept the invitation, possibly creating a guest account. This all happens through the Azure AD/Outlook Groups infrastructure; it's not specific to Planner, but Planner triggers it. Another interaction: to promote a member to owner or change roles, Planner redirects to Outlook as per the guide, you need to open Outlook (web) and edit the group settings, because only there can you define who is the owner. This highlights how the user experience transitions to Outlook for certain advanced operations. Finally, if a user is removed in Planner, they are actually removed from the group that user will also lose access to associated Teams and SharePoint. Conversely, if someone adds a member to the group via Outlook/Teams, that user will automatically appear among the plan's members in Planner. Therefore, you can add people to a plan outside of Planner, and the effect is the same (for example, an IT admin could add members to the group via Azure AD, and those people will find the plan in their Planner). This exchange highlights that Planner's member-adding functionality is simply an interface for managing the underlying M365 group membership.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

In Planner, the ability to add new members depends on the plan's status (public or private) and the role of the user who wants to add them: for a private plan : only group owners can add new members. This means that, although any member can attempt to add someone in the Planner UI, non-owners will be denied their request. In practice, a regular member of a private plan must ask an owner to add them (or the administrator can change the group's permissions to allow members to invite others, but by default only owners).

For a public plan : Since public plans are visible internally, virtually any existing member of the group can invite others (though in many practical contexts, anyone in the organization can simply join on their own). According to the documentation, "owners and non-guest members" can add members to a public plan. This means that if the plan is open, current members can use the add function, and the invited user will be added seamlessly. Additionally, anyone in the organization can find the plan and click "Join" themselves, which automatically adds them as a member (no approval is required for public groups).

External guests cannot add other members (guest or internal). A guest is always limited: they cannot expand the group's membership.

A global administrator can add (or remove) members outside of the Planner interface, as mentioned above, using administrative tools, even without being part of the plan.

On the roles within the plan:

When a user creates a plan, they become the owner . If that user adds other people through Planner, they are added as regular members (not owners). Planner doesn't provide an option to make them owners; that must be done elsewhere (Outlook/Azure).

To remove a member, the person performing the action must be the owner, otherwise they won't see the remove option. Owners can remove other members; if you attempt to remove the sole remaining owner, as mentioned, you won't be able to do so until another owner is designated.

as a visitor in Planner, but if we consider the public plan scenario, a "visitor" would be someone who views the plan without joining: in reality, that user doesn't see the details until they press "Join Plan" (which makes them a member). So you're either in or out; there are no passive consultations.

Microsoft 365 administrators can enable or disable guest access at the tenant level. If guest access is disabled at the group level, even if you try to add an external email address, Planner will return an error because it can't create guests in the group. Administrators can also change the default setting for whether members can invite guests to groups (this would reflect the ability to invite guests in a public plan, for example).

To summarize: on a private plan, only owners can add (for control); on a public plan, all internal members can add others internally , and even external members if the tenant allows it; guests themselves can never add others; owners and members differ on whether they can add privately (not in a public plan, both can) and whether they can remove; promotion to owner must be done externally (but it's typically the existing owner's role to do so via Outlook).

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Consider the Apollo development project from earlier: the PM who created it (the owner) begins adding collaborators. Click Members, type Alessio, and select Alessio Bianchi from the list. Alessio immediately receives an email: You have been added to the Project Apollo plan. Now, when Alessio opens Planner, he sees Project Apollo appear among his plans. The PM also adds Giulia and Martina in the same way. Later, they decide they need to involve an external consultant, lucas@example.com . The PM types the email address, and Planner recognizes it as external it asks for confirmation of the guest invitation. After confirming, Lucas receives an email inviting him to join the group: by following the link, he creates his guest account and can then access the plan (Lucas appears among the plan members with the guest label). During the project, Giulia (a member) wants to add a colleague, but the plan is private and Giulia is not the owner: if she tries, she is not allowed. Then he asks the PM (owner) to add the colleague. This maintains control over who joins. Halfway through the project, Alessio is assigned as co-lead, so the PM decides to make him the owner of the group as well: he opens Outlook, searches for the Apollo Project group, and in the settings promotes him to owner. From that moment on, Alessio could add/remove members like the PM. Later, when the project ends, Martina leaves the company: an IT administrator removes Martina from the company group, which automatically removes her from the plan as well (Planner reflects the change). Meanwhile, Lucas (guest), having finished his consultancy, removes himself from the plan using the Leave Plan option (see point 10) or is removed by the PM via the member list. This entire flow illustrates how adding members in Planner is quick and how it includes immediate notifications to those concerned . Another example: a marketing team creates a plan for a campaign and makes it public because they want the entire company to be able to see and contribute ideas. The plan appears in the results if someone searches for the name; A sales representative finds the campaign interesting and clicks "Join Plan" that person now appears among the members without even having to be formally invited, due to the public nature of the plan. This illustrates the difference: in an open context, public plans allow for more spontaneous collaboration within the company. In short, member management in Planner allows teams to quickly establish the appropriate working group and, thanks to integration with the 365 ecosystem, ensures that new members have access to all related tools (files, notes, chat) and that departing members are uniformly removed.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to learn how to add members to a plan in Microsoft Planner to foster collaboration and effectively distribute tasks. You will gain skills in inviting colleagues, assigning roles (owner, member, guest), and understanding operational and security implications. Interactions with Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft 365 Groups will be explored, as well as business use cases. The exercise is designed to improve project management, facilitate communication between teams, and ensure that each participant has access to the correct information and responsibilities.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Add members to a plan

1. Go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 business account

3. Select a plan from the left navigation pane

4. At the top right, click on Members

5. Click on + Add Members

6. Enter the name or email address of the colleague you want to invite.

7. Select the correct contact from the suggested list

8. Repeat the operation for each member you want to add.

9. New members will receive an email notification

10. Verify that members are visible in the plan list

Manage roles and permissions

1. Go to Outlook > Groups to access the associated Microsoft 365 group

2. Click on Manage group

3. View the list of members and their roles

4. To promote a member to owner , click More > Make Owner

5. To remove a member, click Remove from group

6. Owners can edit the plan and manage members

7. Members can view and edit activities

8. Guests have limited access to features

9. Role changes are automatically reflected in Planner

10. Communicate the roles assigned to the team for clarity

Interactions with Teams and Outlook

1. Open Microsoft Teams and access the team linked to the plan

2. Members added to the plan are automatically team members

3. Go to a channel and click + to add the Planner tab

4. Select the plan and click Save

5. Members can now access their plan directly from Teams

6. Open Outlook and go to Groups

7. Members receive updates and notifications via email

8. Assigned tasks also appear in Microsoft To Do

9. All changes are synchronized in real time

10. Members can collaborate via comments and file attachments

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Starting a cross-functional project

A project manager creates a plan in Planner to coordinate a project involving marketing, sales, and IT. They add members from various departments to assign tasks and monitor progress.

a) Invitation to participants

Command : + Add Members

Explanation : Allows you to involve all key figures in the plan.

b) Role Management

Command : Outlook > Groups > Make Owner

Explanation : It allows you to delegate plan management to multiple managers.

c) Collaboration in Teams

Command : Teams > + > Planner

Explanation : Facilitates access and ongoing collaboration across the plan.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
+ Add members	Planner > Members	Invite new participants
Make owner	Outlook > Groups > Manage Group	Change user role
Remove from group	Outlook > Groups > Manage Group	Revoke access
Planner in Teams	Teams Channel > +	Integrate Planner into your team
Comments	Activity details	Communicate with the team
To Do	Microsoft To-Do App	View assigned tasks
Outlook	Email and notifications	Get updates
Labels	Activity details	Categorize visually
Assign to	Activity details	It distributes responsibility
Noticeboard	Planner	View activities in columns

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Instant collaboration between team members

Automatic sync between Planner, Teams, and Outlook

Greater clarity in the distribution of roles

Centralized access to activities and documents

Customizing roles and permissions

Save time in project management

Better activity planning

Access control and security

Greater empowerment of participants

Reducing the risk of organizational errors

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Cross-team project management
Add members from different departments to coordinate tasks and milestones into a single plan.

Onboarding new employees
Create a plan with tasks assigned to HR, IT, and managers, adding the members involved.

Corporate Event Planning
Involve logistics, communications, and suppliers in the plan for shared management.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. How do I add a member to a plan in Planner?

2. What roles can be assigned to members?

3. Where are member roles managed?

4. How do I promote a member to owner?

5. How does Planner integrate with Teams?

6. How do I get notifications about activities?

7. How do I view assigned tasks in To Do?

8. What are the differences between a member and a guest?

9. How do I remove a member from a plan?

10. What are the benefits of member management in Planner?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to add members to a plan in Microsoft Planner, assign roles, and manage permissions using Outlook and Microsoft 365 Groups. You've explored the steps to integrate Planner with Teams and Outlook, facilitating collaboration and communication between members. You've understood the differences between owners, members, and guests, and how these affect access and features. Through practical scenarios and key commands, you've gained the skills to apply this functionality in real-world business contexts. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge and prepare for effective and strategic use of the tool.

10. Other features

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The Microsoft Planner interface includes a number of additional and complementary features that enrich the user experience. Below, we briefly examine each of these in the four key aspects:

a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONS OF EACH

Conversation : In each plan, the Conversation option (often accessed by clicking "Conversations" from the ellipsis menu in the plan) allows access to the group email thread associated with the plan. This essentially opens Outlook (web version) to the group inbox, where members can send and read emails related to the project. This feature allows members to discuss things in a more extensive or formal way than simply commenting on individual tasks. It's not a real-time chat within Planner, but rather a link to Office 365 group discussions.

Members View : Planner displays the avatars or names of all plan members somewhere (typically at the top) . By clicking on that area (or the Members icon), you can see a full list of plan members and their roles (often including who owns the plan). This isn't quite a detailed view, but rather an informational list. It's useful for keeping track of who's on the team . Actions like adding/removing members are also possible from here.

Viewing Attached Files : Planner doesn't have an internal page listing all attachments, but it does provide a quick link to the plan's "Files ." Clicking "Files" (often from the ... menu ) takes you to the group's SharePoint document library, often directly to the plan's folder (if the plan was created independently, it usually creates a folder of the same name within the group's document library). This contains all the files uploaded to tasks as attachments. This feature effectively takes the user out of Planner and into the SharePoint interface, but it does serve the purpose of accessing all shared project files in a single view.

Open Notebook : Similarly, the "Notepad" option in the Planner menu opens the group's OneNote in online mode. Each group has a pre-configured OneNote notebook; this option allows the team to take project notes, document meetings, brainstorming sessions, and more, all in a shared notebook, without leaving the ecosystem. Planner doesn't display inline notes ; it opens the OneNote (web) app to the associated notebook section.

Add to Favorites : This feature (already discussed in point 3) also appears contextually in the plan: for example, a star icon next to the plan name, which you can click to add or remove the plan from your personal favorites. It's simply a duplicate of the favorites action, convenient for pinning or unpinning the current plan without returning to the hub.

Copy Plan : This option allows you to entirely duplicate an existing plan. From the plan's menu , by selecting Copy Plan , the user can create a new plan that replicates the current one. You will be asked to name the new plan and whether to copy it to an existing group or create a new one. You can also choose which elements to copy: for example, whether to include dates, assignees, labels, task descriptions, attachments, etc. By default, duplicating a plan will copy the structure: buckets, task names, labels, and other optional items, but not the status (copied tasks are all considered unstarted, as a new project). This feature is useful for creating reusable project templates .

Export Plan to Excel : As already described, using Export Plan to Excel Planner generates an .xlsx file containing the list of all the plan's tasks and their details. Specifically, the export includes the plan name, ID, export date, and then a table with columns such as: Task Title, Assignees, Start Date, Due Date, Status, Priority, Bucket, Description, Percent Complete (if integrated with Project), etc. The goal is to provide the data in tabular form for anyone who wants to filter, analyze, or share it with people external to the plan. Exporting does not remove anything from the plan; it is read-only.

Copy Plan Link : This feature provides a direct URL to the current plan that can be shared. It typically appears as Copy Plan Link. Clicking it copies the plan link (a Planner web address containing the plan ID) to the clipboard. The user can paste it into an email, Teams, etc., to take the clicker to the plan in Planner (obviously, they must have permission to view it, otherwise it won't open). It's a quick way to reference the plan as a whole. (Similarly, within tasks, there's a Copy Task Link to reference individual tasks.)

Leave the plan and group : If a member no longer wishes to participate in a plan (or leaves the project), they can use the Leave plan option . This action removes the user from the Microsoft 365 group and therefore from the plan. In Planner, the option often appears in the menu as Leave plan. Once confirmed, the user will no longer see the plan in their list. As noted above, if that user was the sole owner, they won't be able to leave until another owner is present (to avoid leaving the group without an admin). For external guests, it's often suggested to use the leave link found in group notification emails, but the concept is the same. Be careful: leaving a private plan means losing full access to the tasks, and if a task was assigned to you, it remains assigned but you will no longer see it (it should be reassigned by whoever remains); if it's public, you may be able to see it again in the future if you search for it, but you'll have to rejoin. Leaving a public plan removes you from the group but the data remains publicly available (as long as it is public).

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Conversations (Outlook): When you click "Conversations" in Planner, Outlook Web App opens (in a new tab) and points to the group inbox. From there, you can read and send emails. All messages sent to the group (e.g., user@contoso.com) by members will appear in that conversation. If the group is connected to Teams, In the version without an email channel , that conversation option may not be used (Teams teams prefer to use Teams posts, but Planner doesn't display them). In the absence of Teams, it's the primary discussion channel. Emails exchanged here also arrive in individual inboxes if you're subscribed to the group (Outlook setting). Therefore, Planner uses Outlook for asynchronous communication.

Members (Outlook/Azure AD): As mentioned, detailed member (role) management is done through Outlook: clicking on members in Planner doesn't open role details; you have to go to "Group Settings" in Outlook or the Admin Center to promote/ demote owners. So, there's a heavy reliance on Outlook for this.

File (SharePoint): Clicking "File" takes you to the group's SharePoint site. There, you can leverage all the power of SharePoint: versioning , file sharing, online editing, etc. In Planner, when you attach a file to a task by uploading it from your PC, that file is automatically saved to the group's SharePoint document library (in the "Planner Attachments" folder or the plan name). Therefore, document management happens in SharePoint, and Planner delegates it to it. For example, if a user doesn't have permissions on a file (a rare scenario because they have permissions if they're a group member), that attachment won't open in Planner. Guests, if added to the group and if SharePoint guest permissions are enabled (they are enabled by default for guest group members), can open files.

Notepad (OneNote): By opening the notebook, you can use OneNote online with all its features (sections, pages, image insertion, etc.). All plan members can write in it simultaneously. Therefore, Planner uses OneNote as a place for unstructured documentation (e.g., meeting minutes, text-based project plans, etc.).

Copy Plan: When copying a plan, if you choose New Group, Planner is actually creating a new O365 group behind the scenes (transparently to you). If you copy to an existing group, however, it must be a group you are a member of; in that case, the new plan appears as a second (or additional) plan within that group this means, for example, that a Teams team can have two associated plans (which is supported). When copying a plan to an existing group, the members and owners remain those of the target group (so the copy does not carry over the original membership). This feature highlights that Planner supports multiple plans per group , and copying is a way to generate additional plans for existing groups.

Export Excel: The resulting Excel file can be worked on with all Excel features: filters, sorting, conditional formatting, pivots, and charts (the official guide, for example, encourages using pivots and charts in Excel to analyze data). Furthermore, that Excel file can be shared with people who aren't part of the plan , such as a manager who wants a snapshot this way, plan information can be disseminated outside of it in a static format. You can also import that Excel file into Power BI for cross-plan analysis. Exporting is therefore the gateway to BI and advanced reporting.

Copy Plan Link: The generated link typically takes the form https://tasks.office.com/tenantname/en-US/Home/PlanViews/ and a plan GUID. When shared in Teams chat, it generates a preview that prompts you to open Planner. In Outlook, clicking it opens the browser. Therefore, it is integrated as a standard hyperlink.

Leave plan (and group): When a user leaves, as a side effect they are removed from the group membership: this is registered in Azure AD, and therefore that user is also removed from any connected Teams teams, stops receiving emails from the group, etc. In Planner, if that user still had tasks assigned to them, their name remains assigned but appears as external user (in the past, the reference remained even if the person no longer has access). In general, it is good practice to reassign your tasks to others before leaving a plan. This feature is also integrated with the Guest experience : as mentioned in [12], at the bottom of received emails and invitations there is Leave group for guests, which performs the same removal action. This therefore ties the email UX with the status in Planner.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Conversation : All members (including guests with mailbox access if granted) can participate in group conversations in Outlook. Group owners can moderate (e.g., delete messages from the group), but Planner doesn't handle this distinction. So in terms of the Planner UI: if you have access to that option, you're a member and can post. A guest may need to use their own email address to reply to group emails because the Outlook web interface for guests is limited, but essentially they can still post (though guests don't receive copies of task assignment emails as notes, but they do receive copies of group conversations).

Members (list) : The list is visible to everyone on the plan. There's no hiding (all members see who else is a member, including guests). Only owners will see who is the owner.

Files : All plan members have edit access to the group's SharePoint files (because by definition, group members have editing permissions on the site). Guests can have access if the tenant allows it (in 365, by default, group members' guests can edit files). So generally, yes, all members and guests can see and edit attachments. Only visitors (they don't exist in Planner, but in SharePoint a "visitor" could exist if the site was public to the org , but private group sites aren't) aren't included. Owners vs. members: Identical for file libraries, except for managing site permissions (which, however, is outside of the Planner scope).

Notepad : Similar to files, all group members and guests can edit OneNote. The group owner has control over permissions if they wish to restrict them via SharePoint, but by default, no.

Favorites : Any user can mark the plan as a favorite for themselves. This does not affect others. No special role here.

Copy Plan : Anyone who is a member of a plan can attempt to copy it, but be careful: if the user doesn't have the right to create groups , copying the plan to a new group will fail or the option may be disabled. In practice, therefore, the user must be able to create a new plan (same requirement as "Create Plan"), otherwise they can only copy to an existing group of which they must be a member. Also, to copy to an existing group, the user must be a member of that group, and that group must have no restrictions (you can't copy within a group unless you are at least a member). A guest can't create a new plan, so I imagine they can't use "Copy Plan" to generate a new plan; could they perhaps copy it to an existing group if they are a guest of that other group? Probably not, the guest interface is limited. So in practice, internal users who are members of the plan with group creation permissions will be able to duplicate plans, while guests cannot. Owner/member roles within the original plan don't matter: a simple member can copy a plan (he's not modifying the original, he's making a new one).

Export to Excel : Any member (including guests) can export the plan to Excel. Exporting is not restricted to owners. Since guests can read all tasks, they can also export them: there are no known technical impediments. The generated Excel is not role-sensitive; it's a data dump .

Copy plan link : Any member can copy it. A guest can also get the link (for example, by opening Planner in a browser; the URL is there). However, the link itself doesn't grant additional access: if an outsider clicks it, they'll need to authenticate and have a role in the group to view it. So, there's no permission issue when generating the URL.

Leave a plan : Any member (including guests) can decide to leave. An owner can do so, as long as there is at least one other owner remaining (if they are the only owner, they must first promote someone). A guest can do so independently using the email link without having to ask anyone. Once a member leaves, they can obviously no longer interact. Other members will remain. Just one exception: if the plan is public, that user may review it in the future and rejoin; if it is private, they must be reinvited. An owner can remove a member, which is similar to the user leaving in terms of outcome. Therefore, roles: the personal action of leaving is available to everyone, while the action of forcing others to leave is only for owners (as already mentioned).

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Conversation : In the Product X Launch plan, the team decides to use group conversation for general discussions. Francesca opens Planner and clicks Conversation : Outlook Web App opens, she composes a new message Re: Product X Launch Marketing Ideas and sends it. All members receive that email (because they are subscribed to the group). Marco, from his Outlook, responds with other ideas. The collected emails remain in the group inbox; after a few days, a new member added to the plan can read the entire historical thread by going to Conversations in Planner: they gain previous context. This shows how the integrated conversation feature tracks communications in a persistent and shared way.

Member View : During a meeting, the PM opens the member list in Planner to show who's involved. Everyone sees that there are eight internal members and two external guests, so they know who to coordinate with. A department representative is noted as missing, and they're added directly from there.

Attached Files : In the "Draft Contract" task of the plan, Luca uploaded a PDF. Giulia later wants to find it but can't remember which task contains it. She clicks "File" in the plan and is taken to the SharePoint document library. She finds the file "Draft Contract.pdf" and possibly other resources and opens it from there. She can also organize the files into folders if necessary (for example, create folders for "Contracts" and move the PDF into them). All this without disrupting her activities in Planner.

Notebook : The project team uses OneNote to log their weekly meetings. Each time they click "Notebook" from the plan, the notebook opens; they add a page with the date and take notes. A year later, the project manager can return to that notebook and review all the meetings. This centralizes the project's unstructured knowledge.

Favorites : A user signed up for a temporary plan and no longer wants it as a favorite now that it's less active. They open the plan and click the star to remove it from their favorites. This way, it remains listed but not highlighted.

Copy Plan : The sales department has developed a Planner plan called New Client Onboarding Template with a series of standard activities for each new client (account setup, training, 30-day follow-up, etc.). Every time they acquire a new client, the manager opens this template plan and chooses Copy Plan , naming it Onboarding Client XYZ. They choose New Group (so each client is isolated in a dedicated group) and select to copy all dates and checklists but not the assignees (since they will be assigned specifically). In a few seconds, Planner creates a new plan with all the necessary activities pre-populated. The manager then adds the relevant team members to that plan. This saves hours compared to creating a plan from scratch each time. This template is used across many departments in the company: the PMO has project template plans that are copied for new projects, ensuring no critical steps are missed.

Export to Excel : At the end of the quarter, the project manager exports the plan to Excel by clicking "Export Plan" . He obtains a file with all the tasks and their statuses. He uses Excel to filter only the Completed tasks and creates a pivot table to count how many tasks each member completed during the quarter, and how many were overdue. With this data, he creates a chart that he inserts into the quarterly report to management. He also aggregates the Excel files from five different plans into a single Excel file to have a global view of all the program's projects, perhaps using Power Query. This demonstrates how exporting enables advanced analysis and reporting outside of Planner, which is essential in managerial contexts.

Copy Plan Link : A team lead wants to share access to the Planner plan in a spec document. They press "Copy Plan Link ," then paste that link into an internal Word document. Anyone reading the document and clicking it will be taken directly to the plan dashboard (after logging in). Or, a user might ask in Teams "Can you send me the plan link?" and get that URL pasted into chat. This is very convenient, as it eliminates the need to say "Open Planner and search for plan X."

Leave Plan : A project member, Giulia, finishes her work and needs to focus on something else, so she decides to leave the plan to stop receiving notifications and keeping it on the list. She clicks "Leave Plan." A window reminds her that she will no longer see the project; she confirms. Her name disappears from the plan's member list and the Outlook group. The other members notice that Giulia is no longer there and reassign the latest tasks that were under her name. Likewise, Giulia no longer sees "Project X" in her Planner app. If that project is relevant again in the future, she will have to be added again. In another case, an external guest completes her consulting work and, rather than bothering the team to have it removed, uses the "Leave Group" link at the bottom of her Planner emails and is automatically removed. This maintains the cleanliness of the plan's membership , leaving only those who are actively serving.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to explore the advanced features available in the three-dot menu ("...") within a Microsoft Planner plan. The user will learn how to use tools such as Outlook conversations, member management, accessing shared files, OneNote, bookmarking, copying the plan, exporting to Excel, sharing via link, and leaving the plan. Interactions with Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, Excel, and OneNote will be analyzed, along with the roles involved (owner, member, guest), and business use cases. The exercise aims to improve project management, collaboration, and productivity through the thoughtful use of these options.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Conversation (Outlook)

1. Click on the three dots at the top right of the plan.

2. Select Conversation to open Outlook.

3. View the group thread associated with the plan.

4. Send a message to all plan members.

5. Use this feature for updates, requests, or follow-ups.

Members (list)

1. Click on > Members .

2. View the full list of attendees.

3. Check the roles (owner, member, guest).

4. To change roles, open Outlook > Groups.

5. Communicate any changes to the team.

File

1. Click on > File .

2. Access the document library on SharePoint.

3. Upload new files or edit existing ones.

4. Collaborate in real time with other members.

5. Organize files into folders if necessary.

Notepad

1. Click on > Notepad .

2. OneNote connected to the plan opens.

3. Create sections for meetings, ideas, documentation.

4. Write notes shared with the team.

5. Sync changes in real time.

Favorites

1. Click on > Add to Favorites .

2. The plan appears in the Favorites section.

3. To remove it, click on > Remove from favorites .

4. Favorites are visible only to you.

5. Use them to quickly access active plans.

Copy plan

1. Click on > Copy plan .

2. Enter the name of the new plan.

3. Choose whether to copy buckets, tasks, assignments.

4. Click Create to generate the duplicate.

5. Use this feature to create reusable templates.

Export to Excel

1. Click on > Export to Excel .

2. .xlsx file with all the activities.

3. Open the file in Excel for analysis or reporting.

4. Filter by status, assignee, expiration.

5. Share the file with external stakeholders.

Copy link plan

1. Click on > Copy plan link .

2. The link is copied to the clipboard.

3. Paste it into an email or Teams chat.

4. Members with access can open it directly.

5. Useful for facilitating collaboration.

Leave slowly

1. Click on > Abandon plan .

2. Confirm exit from the plan.

3. You will no longer receive notifications or updates.

4. The plan disappears from your list.

5. Only members may leave; owners must relinquish their role first.

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Coordinating a company onboarding plan

An HR team uses all the features in the menu to manage the onboarding of new employees.

a) Centralized communication

Command : Conversation

Explanation : Allows you to send updates to all members via Outlook.

b) Shared documentation

Command : File and Notepad

Explanation : It allows you to store training materials and take shared notes.

c) Reuse and analysis

Command : Copy Plan and Export to Excel

Explanation : Allows you to replicate the plan for new cycles and analyze the results.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Conversation	Menu > Outlook	Communication via email
Members	Menu > List	View and manage attendees
File	Menu > SharePoint	Document collaboration
Notepad	Menu > OneNote	Shared Notes
Favorites	Menu > Add/Remove	Quick access to the plan
Copy plan	Menu	Duplicate structure and content
Export to Excel	Menu	Analysis and reporting
Copy link plan	Menu	Direct sharing
Leave slowly	Menu	Exit from the plan

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Integrated communication with Outlook

Real-time document collaboration

Data analysis using Excel

Quick access to active plans

Reusing plans as templates

Time saving in management

More effective planning

Controlling roles and permissions

Greater transparency among members

Reducing the risk of disorganization

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Recurring Project Management
Use Copy Plan to create standardized templates for monthly or quarterly projects.

Sharing with external stakeholders
Use Export to Excel to provide updates to clients or executives.

Cross-functional collaboration
Centralize files and notes in Planner to avoid dispersion across tools and departments.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. How do I access the three-dot menu in Planner?

2. How do I send a notification to all plan members?

3. Where are shared plan files stored?

4. How do I access the shared notebook?

5. How do I add a plan to my favorites?

6. How do I duplicate an existing plan?

7. How do I export tasks to Excel?

8. How do I share a plan link?

9. How do you abandon a plan?

10. What are the advantages of using the menu?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've explored the advanced features of the "..." menu in Microsoft Planner, learning how to manage communications, members, files, notes, duplications, exports, and sharing. You've seen how these options integrate with Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneNote, and Excel, and how roles affect access and available actions. Through practical scenarios and key commands, you've gained the skills to apply these features in real-world business contexts. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge and prepare for effective and strategic use of the tool.

CHAPTER 2 CREATING A NEW PLAN

Microsoft Planner is a task management tool integrated into Microsoft 365 that allows you to create collaborative plans (sets of tasks organized into Kanban boards ). Creating a new plan in Planner also involves managing an associated Microsoft 365 Group , which has implications for privacy, permissions, and integrations with other Microsoft 365 apps. Below, we detail all aspects of creating a new plan, broken down by phase and organized into four areas: a) Feature Description, b) Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps, c) Roles Involved, and d) Concrete Business Application Examples.

1. Opening the plan creation panel

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Microsoft Planner application (for example, via the Office 365 portal or the dedicated Tasks by Planner web app ). Within Planner, the user accesses the Planner hub , which lists the existing plans in which the user participates. From here, the user clicks the "New Plan" button , which opens the creation panel. This panel allows the user to enter the initial details of the plan (name, privacy, group membership). The process is intuitive and guided : a dialog box appears in which the user enters the Plan Name and selects the configuration options before confirming the plan creation. After filling in the required fields and choosing the desired options, the user selects "Create plan" to complete the operation.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Opening the creation panel is an action within Planner, but it triggers mechanisms that involve other components of Microsoft 365. Specifically, creating a plan initiates the process of creating a Microsoft 365 Group in the background (unless you choose to use an existing group, as described below). This means that when you proceed beyond the creation panel, resources such as an Exchange inbox (for the group), a SharePoint site (for shared files), and a OneNote notebook will be allocated, as all are part of the functionality offered by the linked group. Additionally, Planner is integrated with Microsoft Teams : you can create a plan directly from within Teams by adding a Planner tab in a Teams channel. In this case, the creation panel is accessed via Teams, and the created plan will be automatically linked to the team (i.e., the Microsoft 365 Group) of that channel. Another important interaction is with Microsoft To Do (and the Tasks view in Outlook/Teams): all tasks assigned to a user in Planner also appear in the Tasks Assigned to Me section of To Do, allowing for unified tracking of personal tasks across apps. In short, opening the creation panel is the first step in a flow that connects Planner with Azure AD services (to register the new group and members), Exchange Online (for group mail and notifications), SharePoint (for file attachments to tasks), and optionally Teams (for real-time collaboration on the plan).

c) ROLES INVOLVED

By default, any user with an active Planner license can open the creation panel and attempt to create a new plan. However, organizations can restrict this ability: creating a plan is equivalent to creating a Microsoft 365 group, and a tenant administrator can configure policies so that only specific users (e.g., a security group of administrators or IT representatives) can create new groups (and therefore new plans). In the absence of such restrictions, the standard organization member role is sufficient to start a new plan. There are no special Planner permissions to assign: Planner does not have dedicated administrative roles separate from those of Microsoft 365 groups.

So:

An End User with group creation rights (by default all users) can initiate plan creation and will become the owner of the group created at the same time.

A Microsoft 365 administrator has indirect control: they can enable or disable group creation for ordinary users (affecting their ability to create plans). They can also create plans/groups themselves on demand and assign different owners, depending on their business needs.

Owner vs. Member : When the creation panel opens, the user creating the plan will be the owner of the new plan/group. There are no other members at this stage until the plan is created and possibly populated with other users later.

Guests and Visitors : External users cannot initiate plan creation within the organization (they don't have the licenses or permissions to do so). The concepts of "guest" and "visitor" in Planner are only relevant after creation (guests can be added to existing plans if the admin allows it, while visitors defined as users who aren't members of a plan can only view public plans from the outside). Therefore, during creation, the only active roles are the creator user (future owner) and any background administrators who set the policies.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Consider a project team in a manufacturing company. The Project Manager logs into Office 365 and opens Microsoft Planner to start planning a new project ( Product Launch X ). Clicking New Plan opens the creation window where he enters the plan name Product Launch Project X. Within seconds, without requiring IT assistance, he has a new, ready-to-use plan. Behind the scenes, the company has allowed all employees to create plans freely, as there is an internal policy encouraging self-organization. In another scenario, a consulting firm has instead centralized group creation: a consultant wants to use Planner to coordinate a client's activities, but when he attempts to create a plan, he is redirected to a request to the IT department. Only after approval does IT (who has administrator privileges) create the new plan/group Customer Project ABC on behalf of the team, ensuring that the group complies with corporate naming and security standards. In both cases, opening the creation panel is the initial step in setting collaboration in motion: the difference lies in the governance policies chosen by the organization.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to learn how to access and properly use the new plan creation panel in Microsoft Planner. You will become familiar with the launch interface, choosing a plan name, configuring privacy settings, associating it with a Microsoft 365 group, and creating the plan itself. Interactions with Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft 365 Groups will be explored, along with the roles involved (owner, member, guest), and business use cases. This exercise is designed to improve your ability to launch projects in a structured, collaborative, and integrated manner with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Access the plan creation panel

1. Open your browser and go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 business account

3. Wait for the Planner home screen to load

4. In the left sidebar, click on Planner Hub

5. At the top left, click on + New Plan

6. The creation side panel opens on the right of the screen

7. Enter the name of the plan in the Plan Name field

8. Make sure the name is unique and descriptive (e.g. Q3 Marketing Project )

9. Select privacy : public (visible to everyone) or private (members only)

10. Choose whether to create a new Microsoft 365 group or use an existing one

Configure plan settings

1. Select Create a new group if you want a dedicated team

2. Or click Add to an existing group to reuse an active team

3. If you choose an existing group, search for the name in the search bar

4. Select the correct group from the drop-down list

5. Verify that the group members are the desired ones

6. Check that the plan is visible in the context of the selected group

7. Click on Create plan to confirm the configuration

8. Wait for the plan dashboard to automatically load

9. The plan will now be visible in the left navigation pane

10. Add it to your favorites by clicking on the star next to the name

Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. Open Microsoft Teams and sign in to the team associated with the plan

2. Go to a channel and click + to add a new tab

3. Select Planner from the list of available apps

4. Find the plan you just created and select it

5. Click Save to add it as a tab in the channel

6. Open Outlook and go to Groups in the sidebar

7. Find the group associated with the plan and click on it

8. View group conversations, files, and notebooks

9. Open Microsoft To Do to see your assigned tasks

10. All changes and assignments are synced in real time

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Starting a plan for managing an advertising campaign

A marketing team needs to coordinate a multi-channel advertising campaign. The manager creates a new plan in Planner to organize tasks and assign them to team members.

a) Creating the plan

Command : + New Plan

Explanation : It allows you to start a structured and shared project.

b) Group setup

Command : Create new group or Use existing group

Explanation : It allows you to directly involve the team already operational.

c) Integration with Teams

Command : Teams > + > Planner

Explanation : Facilitates access and ongoing collaboration across the plan.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
+ New plan	Planner > Home	Start creating a new plan
Name of the plan	Creation panel	Identify the project
Privacy	Creation panel	Defines the visibility of the plan
Create new group	Creation panel	Generate a new Microsoft 365 group
Use existing group	Creation panel	Associate the plan with an existing group
Create plan	Creation panel	Confirm and generate the plan
Planner in Teams	Teams Channel > +	Integrate Planner into your team
Outlook > Groups	Outlook	View and manage the group
To Do	Microsoft To-Do App	View assigned tasks
Favorites	Planner > Star next to the plan	Quick access to the plan

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Quick and guided start-up of new projects

Automatic integration with Microsoft 365 Groups

Immediate collaboration with the team

Centralized access to files, notes, and conversations

Customizing privacy and group settings

Save time on initial setup

Effective activity planning

Controlling roles and permissions

Greater organizational clarity and transparency

Reducing the risk of disorganization

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Quarterly Project Management
Create a plan for each quarter and assign tasks to the involved teams, with visibility and traceability.

Corporate Event Planning
Develop a plan for each event, including logistics, communications, and suppliers.

New Product Development
Create a plan for each stage of the development cycle, with clear assignments and deadlines.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where is the New Plan command in Planner?

2. What information is required to create a plan?

3. What is the difference between public and private plans?

4. How do I associate a plan with an existing group?

5. How do I create a new Microsoft 365 group?

6. How do I integrate a plan into Teams?

7. Where do I display the groups associated with plans?

8. How do I get notifications about activities?

9. What roles can create a plan?

10. What are the benefits of guided plan creation?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to access and use the new plan creation panel in Microsoft Planner. You've explored the steps to configure the name, privacy, and associated group, and how to integrate the plan with Teams, Outlook, and To Do. You've understood the roles involved and the operational implications of creating a plan. Through practical scenarios and key commands, you've acquired the skills to launch projects in a structured and collaborative way. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge and prepare for effective and strategic use of the tool.

2. Assigning the name and choosing the 365 group

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Once the creation panel opens, the first field to fill in is the Plan Name . This name identifies the plan in Planner and, if you're creating a new group, will also become the name of the associated Microsoft 365 group . It's important to choose a descriptive and, if possible, unique name: although groups/plans with the same name are allowed (the group's email address will be automatically differentiated), from the user's perspective, avoiding duplicates helps avoid confusion. In addition to the name, the user must decide where to create the plan :

New Group : The default option is where Planner will generate a new Microsoft 365 Group dedicated to the plan. This choice means the plan will have its own set of members (initially only the creator) and independent resources.

Existing group : An alternative option (usually accessed via a link or selector, e.g., "Add to an existing Office 365 group" ) allows you to connect the plan to an existing group, thus reusing an existing team/mailing list. In this case, a new group will not be created, but the plan will be created within the selected one. If you choose "New group ," a few additional details are available:

Group Email : The group will have an email address generated from the name (for example, a Marketing Q3 plan might create a group with the email address marketingQ3@company.com ). If a similar address already exists, a number or variation will be added to make it unique.

Plan/Group Description : There's often a "Description" field (optional, under Options ) to provide context about the plan's purpose. This text will be saved as the group description and can be helpful for future members. If you choose "Add to an existing group" instead , the flow changes slightly:

a) After entering the plan name, the user chooses the option to use an existing group.

b) You are presented with a list of Microsoft 365 groups that the user is already a member of, or a search field to find one.

Note: A user can only see the groups they are a member of or owner of; they cannot create a plan in a group they don't already have access to. This ensures that you can't "take over" someone else's group without being a member.

Once you select the desired group, the privacy settings and membership will be those already in place for that group (see points 3 and 5). The new plan will be listed among the plans in that group.

In both cases, once the Name has been defined and the group option chosen, the user confirms with "Create plan" . The result will be:

A new plan visible in the user's Planner hub.

If new group : A new Microsoft 365 group is created in the background, with the same name as the plan.

If group exists : The plan is associated with the selected group, without creating duplicates. The plan name can differ from the group name (for example, the "Sales Team" group might contain a plan called "Q1 Objectives") members will still see the plan under that common scope.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Choosing to create a plan in a new or existing group affects how the plan interacts with other services:

New Group : In this scenario, Planner enables the full provisioning of a Microsoft 365 Group. In addition to the plan, the following are created:

a) A group mailbox in Exchange Online, which includes a group email address and a shared calendar. This will be used, for example, for task conversations (comments), which will also appear as threads in the group inbox.

b) A group SharePoint site (with a default document library). Any files attached to plan tasks will be stored on this site (in the document library under the Planner or Plan folder ).

c) A shared OneNote notebook , also stored in SharePoint, and other resources such as a Microsoft Power BI plan (if the group is enabled for Power BI) or future integrations.

d) The ability to associate the group with Microsoft Teams : the newly created group can later be enhanced by creating a connected Team (with chat channels), or the group can simply also be used in Outlook, SharePoint, Stream, etc. In practice, a new plan creates a multifunctional collaborative hub thanks to the group backend .

Existing Group : If you're using an existing group, the new plan will reuse all of that group's integrations . For example, if the group is already connected to Teams (an existing "Team"), the newly created plan can be added as a tab in one of the Teams channels without any further configuration. All files uploaded to the plan's tasks will be sent to that group's SharePoint document library (alongside any other team files). Notifications and comments will be sent to that specific group's Outlook inbox. Additionally, if the group had special settings (such as a classification label or expiration policy), the plan will inherit their organizational context.

User experience : In the case of an existing group, existing members will notice the arrival of a new connected plan. For example, in the Planner hub, every user in that group will also see the new plan appear in the list of accessible plans without having to manually add themselves. In the case of a new group, however, initially only the creator will see it until more members are added. In both cases, Planner interacts with To Do/Tasks by consolidating assigned tasks and with email notifications (members receive emails when they are assigned to a task, unless they have disabled notifications). In short, the name/group assignment phase decides whether to create new integrations (a new collaboration ecosystem) or integrate with an existing ecosystem, ensuring that Planner works seamlessly with the tools the team already uses.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

When choosing the name and group, the following factors come into play:

Creator User (Initial Owner) : This user decides the name of the plan and whether or not to create a new group. They should be aware of any company naming policies (some organizations automatically apply prefixes or suffixes to the names of created groups for compliance). For example, certain words may be prohibited in the group/plan name, or a suffix like "-Project" is automatically added. The initial owner must also know whether the group they want to reuse exists and whether they are a member of it; otherwise, this option is not feasible.

Members of existing group : If the user chooses an existing group, they must generally at least be a member of that group. Not necessarily the owner: Planner also allows simple members to add plans to groups they already own. This means that a user who is part of, for example, the Marketing Group can create a new plan within the Marketing Group even if they are not the owner (provided the group does not have specific restrictions). However, in this case, the creator does not become the owner of the group (they remain the original owners), but they will still be the owner of the newly created plan in Planner's eyes. In practice, "plan owner" coincides with "owner or member of the group with the ability to create the plan." Note that in Planner, there is no distinction in permissions between members: all group members (owner or non-owner) can interact with the plan in almost the same way, except for managing members, which remains the privilege of the group owners.

Administrator : They may have defined naming policies for Microsoft 365 Groups that affect the name that can be assigned. For example, if there is a required prefix (such as a department code), the system will automatically add it to the name of the group being created. The administrator also controls the ability to use existing groups created from Microsoft Teams or Yammer . In some cases, connected Yammer groups do not support Planner (so they will not appear among the selectable groups).

Future members : Even if they aren't directly involved in this step, choosing between a new or existing group impacts them. If it's a new group, future members will need to be added manually (steps 4-5). If it's an existing group, future plan members will simply be those added to the group as such (for example, if someone adds a colleague to the group via Outlook or Teams, that colleague automatically becomes a member of all plans in that group).

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Example 1: New group/plan. Internal Project Team A manager creates a plan called "ERP Implementation" to manage an internal IT project. Since this project involves people from multiple departments and there's no established team yet, he decides to create a new dedicated group. He names it and lets Planner create a new Microsoft 365 group called "ERP Implementation." This instantly provides a dedicated collaborative space for the project: they can add ad hoc members and use the group's SharePoint site to store project documents without confusing other teams.

Example 2: Existing group. Departmental Team The Marketing department already has a Microsoft 365 group called Marketing Team used as a distribution list and as a team in Microsoft Teams. To plan next quarter's campaigns, a Marketing member creates a Fall Campaign plan by selecting the option to add it to the existing Marketing Team group . This gives all 20 Marketing members immediate access to the new Fall Campaign plan without having to invite them individually. The plan also automatically appears as a tab they can add in their Teams #Campaigns channel. This reuse of the existing group saves time and ensures that the plan inherits all the resources already shared: for example, they can attach files already present on the Marketing Team SharePoint site to the plan, and any comments on tasks will be visible in the Marketing group's shared inbox, integrating with the way the team already communicates.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to learn how to properly set up a new plan in Microsoft Planner, giving it a meaningful name and choosing the most appropriate Microsoft 365 group. You will gain skills in creating a clear and shared plan, understanding the implications of choosing a new or existing group, and ensuring that relevant members have access to tasks. Interactions with Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft 365 Groups, the roles involved (owner, member, guest), and business use cases will be explored. This exercise is designed to improve the initial structuring of projects and facilitate cross-departmental collaboration.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Naming the plan

1. Go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 business account

3. Click on Planner Hub in the navigation pane

4. At the top left, click on + New Plan

5. The side panel for creating the plan opens

6. In the Plan Name field, type a descriptive title (e.g. Q3 Sales Project )

7. Avoid generic or duplicate names to make searching easier

8. Verify that the name is not already in use by another plan

9. If the name is already in use, modify it slightly (e.g. adding the year or department)

10. Confirm the name and proceed to group setup

Choosing a Microsoft 365 Group

1. After entering the name, select the privacy of the plan: public or private

2. Choose whether to create a new Microsoft 365 group or use an existing one

3. Select Create new group to generate a team dedicated to the plan

4. Enter the group name (can be the same as the plan name)

5. Select the group's language and privacy settings (public or private).

6. If you want to use an existing group, click Add to an existing group

7. Type the group name in the search bar and select it from the list

8. Verify that the group contains the correct members for the project

9. Make sure the group is active and accessible from Teams and Outlook

10. Click on Create Plan to complete the setup

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Initiating a cross-functional project management plan

A manager creates a plan to coordinate a project involving marketing, sales, and IT. He gives the plan a clear name and links it to an existing Microsoft 365 group for easier collaboration.

a) Plan name definition

Command : + New Plan → Plan Name field

Explanation : A clear name makes the project easier to find and understand.

b) Joining the existing group

Command : Add to an existing group → select from list

Explanation : This allows you to directly involve an already operational team.

c) Visibility and Access Verification

Command : Outlook > Groups → Membership and Access Control

Explanation : Ensures that all participants can collaborate.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
+ New plan	Planner > Home	Start creating a new plan
Name of the plan	Creation panel	Identify the project
Privacy (public/private)	Creation panel	Defines the visibility of the plan
Create new group	Creation panel	Generate a new Microsoft 365 group
Add to existing group	Creation panel	Associate the plan with an existing group
Group search bar	Creation panel	Find the desired group
Member Verification	Outlook > Groups	Check the participants
Planner in Teams	Teams Channel > +	Integrate Planner into your team
Create plan	Creation panel	Confirm and generate the plan
Favorites	Planner > Star next to the plan	Quick access to the plan

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Structured launch of new projects

Automatic integration with Microsoft 365 Groups

Immediate collaboration with the team

Centralized access to files, notes, and conversations

Customizing privacy and group settings

Save time on initial setup

Effective activity planning

Controlling roles and permissions

Greater organizational clarity and transparency

Reducing the risk of disorganization

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Quarterly Project Management
Create a plan for each quarter and assign tasks to the involved teams, with visibility and traceability.

Corporate Event Planning
Develop a plan for each event, including logistics, communications, and suppliers.

New Product Development
Create a plan for each stage of the development cycle, with clear assignments and deadlines.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where is the New Plan command in Planner?

2. What information is required to create a plan?

3. What is the difference between public and private plans?

4. How do I associate a plan with an existing group?

5. How do I create a new Microsoft 365 group?

6. How do you verify that the group contains the correct members?

7. How do I integrate a plan into Teams?

8. Where do I display the groups associated with plans?

9. What roles can create a plan?

10. What are the benefits of guided plan creation?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to give a plan a meaningful name in Microsoft Planner and choose the best Microsoft 365 group to share it with. You've explored the steps to configure privacy, create or associate a group, and ensure members have access to tasks. You've seen how to integrate the plan with Teams and Outlook, and how these choices impact collaboration. Through practical scenarios and key commands, you've gained skills for launching projects in a structured and collaborative way. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge and prepare for effective and strategic use of the tool.

3. Set the plan's privacy. Public or private.

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

A crucial step in creating a plan is choosing the privacy level . In Microsoft Planner (as well as for Microsoft 365 Groups), the privacy level of a plan can be set to Public or Private :

A Public Plan is visible to anyone within the organization . This means that anyone in the company (with a Microsoft 365 corporate account) can potentially see the existence of the plan, view its contents, and participate freely. Essentially, a public plan is open: you don't need to be invited to access it; simply find it (for example, using Planner's search function or the list of available groups) and you can join the plan. Note: "Public" here doesn't mean visible outside the organization; it only refers to internal visibility.

A Private Plan is visible only to members who have been explicitly added to it . If a user is not a member, they won't be able to see that plan or its tasks. A Private Plan is invitation-only: the plan creator (or a group owner) must manually add the users who need to participate. Everyone else, even if they belong to the organization, won't see anything about that plan in search results or the Planner hub.

When creating a new plan (and group), the creation panel asks you to select Who can see the plan . Typically, there are two buttons or menus to choose from: Public or Private . The user should evaluate this based on the nature of the project/task:

If the plan contents are not confidential and it might be useful for other colleagues to involve or review, choose Public .

If the plan contains sensitive information, confidential data, or is for a small team , set it to Private to limit access to invitees only.

If you're adding a plan to an existing group , Planner can't change its privacy settings when creating it: the plan inherits the group's privacy settings . For example, if you add a plan to a previously private group, the plan will be private (visible only to members of that group); if the existing group is public (any employee can join the group), then the plan will also be open to participation by the entire organization. In other words, you can't have a private group with a public plan, or vice versa privacy is a property of the containing group as a whole. Therefore, the privacy selector only appears when creating a new group; if you've chosen an existing group, that step is skipped. It's important to note that public/private It can also be changed after creation (for existing groups, owners can change the setting by going, for example, to Outlook > Groups > Edit Group and choosing Public or Private). However, it's good practice to set privacy settings correctly from the start to avoid inappropriate sharing of information or having to remove members later.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The privacy setting has immediate effects on plan and group behavior across Microsoft 365:

Search visibility: Public plans, as mentioned, appear in internal search results. For example, if a user types the name of a project in Delve or the Office 365 search bar, a public plan with that name might appear, while a private one won't. This facilitates discovery of open projects and cross-disciplinary sharing when appropriate.

Outlook (Groups): A public group appears in the Outlook group list as joinable by anyone. An employee can see the public group/plan "Project XYZ" and choose to Join if interested. A private group, on the other hand, appears with a padlock icon and allows only one request to join, which must be approved by the owners. Therefore, privacy determines whether email and group calendar communications are open to everyone or only invited guests.

Teams: In Microsoft Teams, all teams are currently either private or public. If a plan is linked to a Team (i.e., a Teams group), the Team's privacy is the same as the group's: if the Team is internally public (any colleague can join without invitation), the plan is effectively public to all employees. If the Team is private (you must be added as a Team member), the plan is private. Teams does not allow channels or Planner tabs to be visible to non-members. Therefore, Planner and Teams consistently maintain the same visibility circle.

SharePoint: The SharePoint site associated with the group/plan maintains the same level of access. A private group site is not accessible to outsiders; a public group site can be viewed (read) by anyone in the organization, even if they aren't a member. Therefore, if you attach a file to a task in a public plan, that file (saved in SharePoint) can potentially be read by any business user who knows the URL, even if they aren't a member of the plan. Conversely, in a private plan, files are protected and accessible only to group members.

Notifications and Links: If a plan is private and you send the plan link to a non-member colleague, they won't be able to open it (they'll get an "access denied" error until they're added). If the plan is public, that colleague will be able to open the link and see the Planner board (and possibly join to interact). Additionally, in Planner, a public plan may display a "Join Plan" button for non-members who discover it.

Compliance and Auditing: From a security perspective, setting a plan to private helps limit data leakage and makes it easier to apply sensitivity labels if used. For example, if your company uses labels like Confidential that apply to private groups containing sensitive data, setting the plan to private can ensure that content is handled in compliance (e.g., preventing external file sharing on connected SharePoint, etc.).

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Plan/Group Owner: The person who creates the plan initially decides its privacy. Owners of the linked group (initially the creator, possibly joined by other owners) also have the ability to change the privacy later if necessary. Changing from Public to Private or vice versa is an action reserved for Group Owners ; ordinary members cannot make a private group public or vice versa, either through Planner or elsewhere.

Plan members: Members don't have control over their privacy settings, but they are affected by them. In a private plan, members know that only they will see tasks; in a public plan, members should be aware that any colleague could view their activities and progress. This is especially important if sensitive information is included in task descriptions or attachments.

External Users (Guests): "Public/Private" privacy refers to internal visibility. External users (guests) can never see a plan unless they are explicitly added as members (guests) to the group, regardless of advertising. A public group doesn't mean it's accessible over the Internet or to uninvited guests; guests must always be added manually by an owner, as we'll see in point 4, and still fall within the scope of a group that itself remains internal.

IT administrator: can establish guidelines on what should be public or private. For example, they might recommend creating public plans for non-sensitive, cross-functional projects, and private plans for anything involving customer data or confidential information. Some organizations completely disable the creation of public groups/plans due to security policies, but this choice is usually left to the owners. The administrator still monitors the groups created: through the Microsoft 365 admin center, they can see whether a group (plan) is public or private and intervene if necessary (for example, converting it to private if a public group with confidential content was accidentally created, although this scenario is rare and should be handled with caution).

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Example 1: Public Plan for Corporate Event . Events Committee An HR team creates a "Corporate Soccer Tournament" plan as public. This is because the initiative is open to all employees, and they want anyone to be able to view the plan and sign up to volunteer for activities (e.g., organizing teams, refereeing, etc.). By setting it to public, the plan appears in internal searches: a curious employee can find it and decide to participate. The associated email group is public, so anyone with questions can email the group and all interested parties receive them. In Outlook, any employee can join the Corporate Tournament group without approval. This case illustrates how public privacy fosters spontaneous participation and transparency in community activities.

Example 2: Private Plan for reserved project . Research & Development Project An R&D team is working on a new, secret prototype. They create a "Project Alpha R&D" plan and mark it private. This keeps the plan hidden from the rest of the organization: only the associated researchers will be able to see it. All internal design and testing tasks are visible only to the project team. Even if someone were to search for "Project Alpha" on the intranet, they wouldn't find anything. This ensures that confidential information (such as notes on patentable innovations or attachments with lab results) remains confined to the group. At the same time, setting the group private means that only the owners can add new members or share files externally, providing an additional level of control. For example, when a new engineer later joins the team, one of the owners (the project manager) manually adds them; the new member receives an invitation and can only access the plan and files after accepting. This approach keeps the project secure, meeting corporate security policies that require R&D projects to be treated as confidential.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to learn how to properly set the privacy settings for a plan in Microsoft Planner, choosing between "public" and "private" options based on the operational context. You will gain skills in assessing plan visibility, configuring member access, and understanding the implications for collaboration and data security. Interactions with Microsoft 365 Groups, Teams, and Outlook will be explored, along with the roles involved (owner, member, guest), and business use cases. This exercise is designed to improve project management, information protection, and organizational transparency.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Starting plan creation and accessing the privacy option

1. Go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 business account

3. Click on Planner Hub in the side menu

4. At the top left, click on + New Plan

5. The side panel for creating the plan opens

6. Enter a descriptive name in the Plan Name field

7. Under the name, locate the Privacy section

8. Read the description of the two options: Public and Private

9. Think about the type of content and the audience of the plan

10. Select the option that best suits your use case

Differences between public and private plans and operational implications

1. If you select Public , the plan will be visible to your entire organization

2. Organization members will be able to view and join the plan freely

3. If you select Private , only invited members will be able to access

4. Private plans are ideal for confidential projects or small teams

5. Owners can add or remove members at any time

6. Members can view and edit assigned tasks

7. Guests (external users) can only be added if the plan is private and the group allows it

8. The privacy you choose is also reflected in Teams and Outlook

9. You can only change your privacy settings from Outlook > Groups > Settings

10. Choosing privacy affects the security and collaboration of the plan

Integration with Microsoft 365 Groups, Teams, and Outlook

1. After you create the plan, a Microsoft 365 group is automatically created (if new)

2. Open Outlook and go to Groups to view the associated group

3. Check the group privacy: Public or Private

4. Group members receive notifications and updates via email

5. Open Microsoft Teams and access the team connected to the group

6. Add the plan as a Planner tab in a channel by clicking +

7. Team members can access the plan directly from Teams

8. If the plan is private, only group members can view it in Teams

9. Assigned tasks also appear in Microsoft To Do

10. All changes are synchronized in real time across Microsoft 365 apps

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Creating a plan for managing a confidential HR project

An HR team must manage a plan for onboarding new employees. To protect sensitive data, the plan is set to private.

a) Initial setup

Command : + New Plan → select Private

Explanation : Ensures that only authorized members can access the plan.

b) Access control

Command : Planner > Members → Selective Add

Explanation : Allows you to invite only people involved in the project.

c) Secure collaboration

Command : Teams > Planner → Restricted Access

Explanation : Protects confidential information within the team.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
+ New plan	Planner > Home	Start creating a new plan
Privacy (public/private)	Creation panel	Defines the visibility of the plan
Outlook > Groups	Outlook	View and manage the group
Teams > + > Planner	Teams Channel	Integrate Planner into your team
Members	Planner > Plan Details	Add or remove participants
To Do	Microsoft To-Do App	View assigned tasks
Favorites	Planner > Star next to the plan	Quick access to the plan
Comments	Activity details	Communicate with the team
Labels	Activity details	Categorize visually
Edit privacy	Outlook > Groups > Settings	Change the visibility of the plan

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Precise control of plane visibility

Protection of sensitive information

Targeted collaboration with selected members

Simplified access for authorized teams

Secure integration with Microsoft 365 Groups

Effective planning in confidential environments

Increased security and business compliance

Reducing the risk of organizational errors

Greater confidence in project management

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Private HR Projects
Set up private plans to manage onboarding, reviews, and internal documentation.

Prototype Product Development
Use private privacy to protect ideas and activities that are not yet public.

Audit and Compliance Plans
Keep plans involving internal controls and sensitive documents confidential.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where do I set plan privacy in Planner?

2. What is the difference between public and private plans?

3. Who can access a private plan?

4. How do I change the privacy settings of a plan I've already created?

5. Which roles can set privacy?

6. How do I integrate a private plan into Teams?

7. Where do I see authorized members?

8. How do I protect shared files on my plan?

9. What are the advantages of private privacy?

10. When is it advisable to use public privacy?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to properly set a plan's privacy settings in Microsoft Planner, choosing between "public" and "private" options based on your operational context. You've explored the steps to configure visibility, invite the right members, and ensure information security. You've seen how this setting affects access from Teams, Outlook, and To Do, and how it can be used to protect sensitive projects. Through practical scenarios and key commands, you've acquired the skills to manage privacy strategically. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge and prepare for effective use of the tool.

4. Adding new users to the plan

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

After creating the plan (and thus creating its group), the next step is often to invite other users to join. Adding new users to a plan means adding them as members of the associated group. There are several ways to do this:

From the Members panel in Planner: Within the Planner interface, when you open the plan, you'll find the "Members" menu in the top right (usually represented by circular avatar icons and a "+" symbol). Clicking it displays a field for typing the name or email address of the person you want to add. The system suggests names based on your company directory. Once the correct user is selected, confirm, and that person is immediately added to the plan. Each new member will receive an automatic email notification from Microsoft Planner informing them that they've been added to the plan. From this point on, the new user is a full member: they can see all the plan's tasks, edit them, add new ones, etc.

Assigning a task to someone who isn't yet a member: Planner offers a useful shortcut. If you try to assign a task to someone who isn't yet part of the plan, the app will automatically offer to add that user as a member . For example, if I open a task and type the name of a colleague who wasn't on the plan in the "Assign to" field, a warning or prompt like "This person isn't on the plan. Add to the group and assign the task?" will appear. Upon confirmation, the user is simultaneously added to the group (becoming a member) and assigned the task. This feature speeds up the process of adding tasks, avoiding extra steps.

Via Outlook UI (Groups) or other group management points: Because a plan is linked to a Microsoft 365 Group, any standard method of adding members to the group will result in them being added to the plan. For example, from Outlook (web or desktop), an owner can open the Groups section , select the plan's group, and use the "Add Members" option . Similarly, in Microsoft Teams, if the plan is associated with a Team, adding a member to the Team (via "Add Member" to the team) will add them to the group and therefore to the plan. IT admins can also use the admin center or PowerShell to add users to groups. Note about external guests: Adding external users (guests) requires additional steps (described below), typically via Outlook or the admin UI with an email invitation, as the Planner UI does not allow typing external addresses unless the guest feature is properly enabled.

Once you've added a new user:

He appears in the plan's member list (visible in the plan header in Planner).

Receives any plan notifications and can be assigned to tasks.

If the user was added via Planner or Teams, the effect is immediate; if added via Outlook, they will also appear in Planner shortly (membership is centralized at the group level).

If the added user is external (guest), Microsoft 365 will send an invitation email to the guest if they don't already have one. The guest must accept the invitation and authenticate as a guest user in your organization before being able to access the plan. After accepting, their name will appear in the members section labeled "(guest)" and they will have limited access (as described below).

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Adding new users to a plan triggers several interactions:

Notification email: As mentioned, Planner sends a welcome/notification email to the added user, from the group inbox, announcing You ve been added to plan X. These emails travel through Exchange Online . Additionally, the new membership means that user will start receiving all future notifications related to the plan: for example, if the Notify me when a task is assigned option is enabled in Planner, the new user will receive notifications when someone assigns them a task.

Outlook Groups: After being added, the new member appears in the group's Outlook list. If the group was set to send copies of conversations to members (subscription), then the new user will also begin receiving any existing or new group conversations by email (including comments on Planner tasks, which are recorded as email conversations in the group).

Teams: If the group has a connected Team, adding a member to the group via Planner is equivalent to adding them to the Team. In practice, if the owner adds a new user to the plan via Planner, that user will automatically be added to the corresponding Team (they will see the team appear in their Teams list and can participate in channel chats). This is because Teams and Planner share the Microsoft 365 group membership.

SharePoint: The new member gains access to the group's SharePoint site. They can then access all shared files (including any related to Planner tasks).

Microsoft To Do / Tasks in Teams: Tasks from this plan assigned to the new user will begin appearing in the " Assigned to me" view in To Do (or in the Teams Tasks app ). If the colleague previously didn't see these tasks (because they weren't a member), the system will now include them based on their group membership. Conversely, if the user didn't have any tasks assigned to them and is added without assignments, they will simply gain the ability to join the plan and self-assign tasks or receive them.

Power Automate / Graph : From an automation perspective, adding a member to a group is a trackable event (there are connectors in Power Automate for " When a group member is added ," etc.), so your company might have flows that, for example, send a welcome message in Teams or log the event for compliance. This isn't part of Planner itself, but the integration is made easier by the fact that Planner uses standard groups.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

The ability to add new users to a plan depends on the roles:

Group/Plan Owner: Has full control over adding or removing members. Through Planner (Members > Add) or Outlook/Teams, an owner can invite anyone internally and, if guests are enabled, externally. Owners can also appoint other owners (but this must be done in Outlook/Teams as described). By default, the plan creator is the group owner, so initially only they can manage members.

Member (not owner): Can view the member list and assign tasks to existing members, but by default cannot add new members to the group . As confirmed by the guidelines, only owners and admins can add users to plans (especially if the plan is private). There is one partial exception: if members are allowed to invite others (a configurable setting in Microsoft 365 groups, usually disabled for private groups and enabled for public ones), then in public groups a member can also add other members. In general, we consider the "only owners (or admins) can add" rule for private plans, while for public plans any member can report the plan to others and anyone can join without a formal invitation.

IT administrator: Can add users to any group through administrative tools, even without being a member themselves, by forcing membership (useful if the original owner is unavailable). Additionally, the admin manages the Guest feature : only if the admin has enabled guest access to Microsoft 365 Groups will it be possible to add external users to plans. The admin can also set whether non-owner members can invite guests or whether only owners can (recommended setting: owners only).

Added user (internal): Has no active role in the addition process (other than accepting the invitation in the case of groups that require acceptance, such as guests). However, after becoming a member, they may be promoted to owner by the existing owner (for example, if the creator wants to share administration of the plan).

Guest (external) user: Can only be added by a group owner (not by regular members), and the process requires the user to have a guest account in the tenant. Once added as a guest, their role with respect to the plan is limited they will be equivalent to a member with some restrictions (they cannot add others, they cannot delete the plan, etc.; see details in point 5 and roles). The guest must follow the account activation process via the welcome email as explained above.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Example 1: Simple internal addition . Cross-Functional Project Maria creates the new private plan Website Development . After structuring a few initial tasks, she adds the colleagues who will work with her: click on Members and enter Luca Bianchi and Sara Verdi . Luca and Sara instantly receive an email You have been added to the Website Development plan . When they open Planner, they also find Website Development among their plans . Maria immediately assigns some tasks to Luca; Luca also sees in Outlook that he has joined the Office 365 Website Development group and can participate in that group's email conversations. This example shows the typical flow of co-opting colleagues into the newly created plan.

Example 2: Adding via assignment . Emergency Task Force Members of a public plan, "Key Customer Task Force," realize they need to involve an external cybersecurity expert in a specific activity. Paul, the plan owner, creates a "Customer X Security Audit" activity and enters the external consultant's email address (not yet in the plan) directly in the assignees field. The system asks him to confirm that address should be added as a guest to the group. Paul confirms, and a guest invitation is sent to the expert. The expert follows the link in the email, authenticates himself as a Microsoft guest, and accesses the assigned activity in the plan, allowing him to comment and attach documents. Meanwhile, he also appears as a guest member in the plan's member list with a small glyph indicating "external user." This scenario illustrates how Planner allows you to quickly incorporate an external resource into a specific task while maintaining security (the guest sees only this plan and nothing else).

Example 3: Using Teams to add . Agile Team A software development team works in a Microsoft Teams team called DevTeam . They have a Planner plan integrated into the Sprint Board channel . When a new developer is hired and added by the manager to the DevTeam team in Teams, this user automatically appears as a member in the Sprint Board plan . Opening Planner wasn t necessary here; Microsoft 365 consistency means that managing members at the Teams level is sufficient. The new developer receives a welcome message in Teams and immediately sees all user stories and tasks in the Sprint Board in Planner, without having to be added separately to Planner.

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Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to master the onboarding of new users into a Microsoft Planner plan , understanding the interface functionality, the Microsoft 365 roles involved, and interactions with Teams, Outlook, and To Do. Users will learn how to manage access to plans, verify licenses, assign tasks, and ensure synchronization between apps. The exercise aims to develop operational and strategic skills to improve team collaboration. Real-world business scenarios, key commands, and productivity benefits will also be explored. The approach is practical, guided, and focused on organizational efficiency. Users will be able to apply what they have learned in real-world work contexts, optimizing time and resources.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Accessing and opening the Planner plan

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Click Planner in your Microsoft 365 dashboard

3. Select an existing plan or click New Plan

4. Enter the name of the plan and choose the privacy (public or private)

5. Click on Create Plan to confirm

6. Please wait for the plan interface to load

7. Verify that the plan is visible in your plans list

8. Click on the plan name to open it

9. Make sure the view is set to Board

10. Check for the menu at the top right to access advanced options

Adding new users to the plan

1. Click on at the top right of the open plan ⋯

2. Select Members from the drop-down menu

3. The side panel for member management opens

4. Click on Add Members or on the search field

5. Enter the name or email of the user you want to add.

6. Select the correct contact from the suggestions

7. Click Add to confirm

8. Repeat for each user to be entered

9. Make sure new members appear in the list

10. Close the panel by clicking on the X

Check roles and integration with Microsoft 365

1. Access the admin portal: https://admin.microsoft.com

2. Go to Active Users to check your licenses

3. Verify that users have an active Planner license

4. Open Microsoft Teams and access the team linked to the plan

5. Check that new members are present in the channel

6. If not present, add them manually to the team

7. Open Outlook and check the task notifications

8. In Planner, go to Settings → Notifications

9. Make sure your tasks are also visible in Microsoft To Do

10. Create a test task to verify synchronization

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Adding a new employee to the "Innovation Project" plan

A new member of the R&D team needs to be integrated into the plan to contribute to the testing phase. The project manager wants the new user to have immediate access to tasks, receive notifications, and be included in communication flows.

a) Command : Planner → → Members → Add User
Explanation : The user is added to the plan and can view the assigned tasks.

b) Command : Admin Center → Active Users → Check License
Explanation : Ensures that the user has permissions to access Planner.

c) Command : Teams → Linked Channel → Add Member
Explanation : The user is included in team communication and shared files.

Key commands used and how to access them

Command	Access	Function
Add members	Planner → → Members	Add new users to the plan
Create new plan	Planner → New Plan	Start a new project
Verify user license	Admin Center → Active users	Check that the user has access to Planner
Add to Teams	Teams → Manage Team → Add Member	Integrate the user into the connected Teams channel
Activity notifications	Planner → Settings → Notifications	Enable/disable email alerts
View activities in To Do	Microsoft To Do → automatic sync with Planner	Manage activities even from mobile devices
Assign tasks	Planner → Create Task → Assign to...	Delegate specific tasks
Check plan members	Planner → → Members	Check who has access to the plan
Open existing plan	Planner → All Plans → Select Plan	Access an already created plan
Create test activities	Planner → New task → Enter title and assign member	Check that you are receiving notifications

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Instant collaboration between team members
Clear assignment of responsibilities Centralized tracking
of activities Seamless integration with Teams and Outlook Automatic notifications for deadlines and updates Reduced onboarding times Greater transparency in shared projects Mobile access via Microsoft To Do Simplified progress visualization Better coordination between departments and company roles

IDEAS FOR USE IN A BUSINESS CONTEXT

Quickly add external collaborators to shared projects

Adding them directly to your plan allows you to assign tasks, share documents, and track progress in a structured way.

Instant activation of new members in cross-functional teams

Timely inclusion in the plan ensures access to relevant activities and improves collaboration between departments.

Structured support for the operational onboarding of new hires

Onboarding new employees to active plans allows them to understand workflows and responsibilities right away.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. What are the steps to access an existing plan in Microsoft Planner?

2. Where is the command to add new members to a plan?

3. What types of Microsoft 365 licenses are required to access Planner?

4. How do I check if a user has an active license via the admin portal?

5. How does Planner integrate with Microsoft Teams?

6. What notifications does a user receive when assigned to a task?

7. How do I manage the visibility of assigned tasks in Outlook and To Do?

8. Which Microsoft 365 roles can plan members manage?

9. What are the benefits of adding a new user to the plan early?

10. How can I test that Planner is syncing correctly with other Microsoft 365 apps?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

In this exercise, you learned how to add new users to a Microsoft Planner plan, understanding the operational steps and commands to use. You explored interactions with Teams, Outlook, and To Do, and verified the required Microsoft 365 roles and licenses. Through practical scenarios, you saw how to apply these skills in real-world business contexts. You identified key commands, productivity benefits, and the most effective usage ideas. Self-assessment questions help you consolidate your knowledge. You are now able to independently manage the addition of users to plans, improving team collaboration and efficiency.

5. Adding members to the plan

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Adding members to a plan means adding additional people (internal or external to your organization) to that plan's workgroup so they can see and manage tasks. The process is simple: within Planner, open the plan and select the "Members" option , then type the name or email address of the person you want to add. As you type, Planner suggests matching contacts; simply select the person you want to add to the plan. After confirmation, the new member receives an automatic email notification letting them know they've been added to the plan.

Once added, members appear in the plan's member list and can be assigned to tasks . If you attempt to assign a task to someone who isn't already a member, Planner typically prompts you to add them to the plan before completing the assignment. The plan owner can also remove a member at any time if they're no longer needed: simply expand the member list, hover over their name, click the three dots, and choose "Remove." (Note: For security reasons, you can't remove a plan's sole owner; in that case, you'd need to assign a second owner first, as explained below.)

After adding people to your plan, you can immediately assign them tasks . Each member will be able to see all the tasks in the plan, and those assigned to them will also appear in the " Tasks assigned to me " section of the Microsoft To Do app, thanks to the integration of Planner tasks with To Do.

Owner Management: By default, the plan creator is set as the plan owner , while anyone added via the Planner interface is added as a member . If you want another member to become a co-owner (for example, to allow them to change advanced settings or delete the plan), you must change their roles through Outlook (Groups) . Each plan linked to a Microsoft 365 group inherits the owner and member roles from that group. To promote a member to owner: open Outlook (or Outlook Web App) and find the group with the same name as the plan; in the group settings, choose "Edit Group," and in the members list, select the person and click "Make as Owner," then save. Role changes made in the group will automatically be reflected in the Planner plan. Similarly, you can revoke the owner role or remove members from the group (and therefore the plan) through Outlook .

Add external users (guests): If you want to add someone from outside your organization to your plan , Planner supports guest access : you need to add their email address as a "guest user" in the associated Microsoft 365 group. Group owners (e.g., in Outlook or the Azure AD admin center) can do this by sending the guest an invitation. Once they accept the invitation, the guest is added to the plan almost like a regular member, with some limitations (described below). Planner indicates external users with the "Guest" label next to their name. Guests can only access the plan through a direct link or the Planner URL for their company tenant and receive a welcome email with instructions on how to sign in.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Microsoft 365 Groups (Outlook): Adding a member to a Planner plan actually adds that person to the Microsoft 365 group associated with the plan. This means the new member also gets all the benefits of the group, such as access to the group's shared Outlook mailbox (where they'll receive any plan conversations or comments via email), access to the group calendar , the group's OneNote notebook , and files on the group's SharePoint site . Specifically, when you add a member:

Outlook (Group Mail): New members can view group conversations in Outlook. Additionally, if the member or owners have enabled email subscription, any plan messages/comments are forwarded to members' personal inboxes. For example, comments on tasks in Planner are delivered to the group inbox and, optionally, to each member's personal inbox. This allows for plan updates to be communicated via email as well.

Outlook (Group Calendar): While Planner itself doesn't create calendar events, members can use the group calendar to create project timelines. Planner also offers a unique integration: you can export Planner tasks to an Outlook calendar . Using the "Add Plan to Outlook Calendar" feature , the plan publishes an iCalendar feed that, once subscribed, displays task due dates as events in an Outlook calendar named, for example, "Planner - [plan name] ." This helps members view Planner due dates alongside their own calendar commitments.

SharePoint (Group Site): Each group has an associated SharePoint site. When a new member is added to the plan, they automatically gain member permissions on the group's SharePoint site. This allows them to access the shared document library . From Planner, members can attach files to tasks by choosing between local files or files already present on the group's SharePoint site. For example, by clicking "Add Attachment" on a task, you can choose an existing file from the site linked to the plan. This enhances the integration: the plan's files reside in SharePoint, and all added members can view and edit them according to their permissions.

Teams: If the plan's Microsoft 365 group is connected to Microsoft Teams (i.e., it's been converted to a Team ), then adding a member to the plan means adding a member to the Team. Teams and groups share the same membership, so the new member will also have access to the associated Teams channels. Conversely, adding someone via the Teams interface (as a Team member) makes them a member of the Microsoft 365 group, so if that group has a plan, they automatically become a member. Additionally, plan members can use Teams to work on Planner : there's a Tasks by Planner and To Do app integrated into Teams, where each user sees their own Planner tasks. You can also add a Planner tab to a Teams channel to let everyone collaborate on Planner boards directly from Teams. In short, adding members in Planner, Outlook, or Teams is synchronized, improving cross-app collaboration.

To Do and Microsoft 365 personal apps: Every Planner task assigned to a user appears among the tasks assigned to them in their Microsoft To Do app. So, when you add a member and assign them tasks, they can also manage them from their personal to-do list, without having to open Planner. This is an important interaction between Planner and personal productivity apps.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Adding members to a plan involves several roles, each with specific permissions:

Administrator (Global or Group Admin): A Microsoft 365 admin can control Planner features at the tenant level (for example, enable/disable Planner access for certain users via licenses, or control whether users can invite external guests ). Admins can also set policies on Microsoft 365 groups, such as restricting the creation of new groups (thus indirectly controlling who can create new plans). However, the admin typically doesn't intervene in the day-to-day addition of members to individual plans; this is a task left to plan owners or self-management by teams. A global admin can, however, add/remove members from any group/plan from the admin center or via PowerShell, if necessary.

Plan (and group) owner: As mentioned, the owner is initially the creator of the plan. In the context of a connected Microsoft 365 group, group owners are equivalent to plan owners. They have full control : they can add or remove plan members, promote others to co-owners, change plan settings (name, privacy, etc.), and perform destructive actions such as deleting the entire plan. If a plan is set to "private , " only owners (not members) can invite new people. In "public" plans (visible to the entire organization), even internal members who are not owners can freely add other internal members, because the concept of a public plan assumes that anyone can participate; however, owners remain responsible for inviting external guests. In practice, owners provide governance of the plan and the underlying group.

Plan member (internal): A member is a user within your organization who has been added to the plan (and is therefore a member of the associated Microsoft 365 group). Internal members can create and edit tasks , add buckets (columns), and update plan details (except global settings if the plan is private). They can assign tasks to other members, mark completions, attach files, and add comments. In public plans , members have almost the same rights as owners, with a few exceptions, such as the inability to delete the plan or change certain general settings. In private plans , however, some actions are reserved for owners (e.g., only owners can delete a private plan or add other members). An internal member cannot independently promote themselves to owner, nor can they remove existing owners.

Guest (External Guest): A guest user is a member external to the organization (for example, a co-worker from another company or a consultant with an email address other than the company domain) invited to the plan. Guests have limited but operational access : they can view and interact with the plan almost as well as internal members. Specifically, a guest can create and delete tasks and buckets, edit task fields (title, dates, assignments, etc.), and even rename the plan . If granted in the tenant settings, the guest can attach files to tasks (by default, an admin must enable guests to upload files to groups). Guests receive email notifications related to the plan (for example, when they are added to the plan or assigned to a task, they receive the welcome and assignment emails), but They don't receive task reminder notifications in Outlook like internal users. However, there are some things guests can't do : for example, they can't add other members (they don't have the right to invite themselves), they can't delete the plan (whether public or private), and they can't see plans they haven't been explicitly invited to (even if the plan is "public" to the internal organization, an outsider can't see it without an invitation). In short, guests can collaborate on tasks but don't manage the plan's security or membership.

Visitor: In Planner itself, there's no formal role called "visitor." However, similar to other services, any user who isn't a member of a plan but has some visibility of it can be considered a visitor . If a plan is public within the company, then any employee can find it in the Planner Hub or through search, view its activities, and even decide to join the plan themselves (becoming a member). Until they join, that user is essentially acting as a visitor : they have limited visibility, can see public details but can't edit them until they join. For private plans, however, non-member users don't see anything about the plan: not even the plan title appears in searches unless they receive an invitation. Therefore, the concept of "visitor" applies only to internal public plans : for example, a colleague from another department could open a public plan in your area and snoop on its status, but until they click Join , they remain an external observer with no ability to intervene.

To summarize the key privileges:

Internal owners: Full control (add/remove anyone, change settings, delete plan/group).

Internal members: Operational management (create/assign/edit tasks, add buckets, comment). They can invite colleagues to public plans; they cannot invite colleagues to private plans.

External guests: quasi-operational management (can update tasks, create tasks/buckets, comment), but cannot invite others or change plan/group settings.

Internal visitor (non-member, public floor): Read-only until they decide to join.

D) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Internal cross-functional project: Imagine a project team made up of members from different departments (e.g., marketing, sales, R&D) launching a new product. The project manager creates a Planner to organize the tasks. After creating the plan, use the add members feature to include all the colleagues involved: in just a few clicks, add the names of marketing, sales, R&D, etc. Everyone immediately receives an email notifying them that they've been added and can open Planner to view the project dashboard. The manager assigns tasks to each member. This allows each member to see their tasks in To Do and receive email notifications of each assignment , ensuring nothing gets missed. This simple process allows the cross-functional team to start collaborating immediately in Planner, with automatic notifications and visibility, without having to manually send everyone an email with a list of tasks.

Engaging an External Consultant: A company is implementing a new software solution and has hired an external consultant to lead the implementation. The IT manager creates a Planner to track all activities (configuration, training, deployment, etc.) and adds both internal technicians and the external consultant as members. To add the consultant, he uses the guest access feature : he enters the consultant's email address as an external user (guest) in the group. The consultant receives an email invitation, accepts, and gains access to the company's Planner. In the plan, the consultant can see all tasks and even create new ones related to his part of the work. For example, he could create a task called "Configure Module X" and assign it to himself, or attach a technical document to an existing task. All of these actions are permitted as a guest. However, if the consultant notices that another external colleague is missing from the plan, he cannot add them directly (he must ask the internal manager to do so, because guests cannot invite other guests). Thanks to this scenario, the company and the external consultant work in the same planning tool , with all tasks centralized, avoiding exchanging Excel files or disconnected emails.

Extended team on a public plan: A company department creates a Planner plan for continuous improvement initiatives and sets it as a "public plan," visible to the entire organization. The manager initially adds the department's core members. Over time, other employees from other areas become aware of the public plan (they can discover it in the Planner Hub by searching for available projects). For example, a Helpdesk employee notices the "Ideas for Improvement" plan and decides to participate: by opening the plan, they can see all the activities (because it's public) and then click "Participate," becoming a member too. In this spontaneous way, the public plan attracts cross-functional contributions. Roles in this case are lightweight: anyone in the company can join and add their idea as an activity. Here we see the concept of visitor becoming member : initially the employee was a simple external observer, then with a click they become a member with interaction rights. This example illustrates how a public plan can facilitate open, cross-team collaboration, such as brainstorming or gathering input, without having to formally invite every single person.

Removing a member no longer on the project: Consider a project where one of the plan members changes roles within the company or leaves the project midway. The plan owner can easily manage this: go to the plan's member list, click the three dots next to that person's name, and choose "Remove ." That user immediately loses access to the plan (actually, they're removed from the Microsoft 365 group, and therefore also from the project's Team and SharePoint). This way, sensitive information remains visible only to those still involved. The company can then add a replacement as a new member in the same way. In practical terms, if the removed user opens Planner, they'll no longer see that plan in their list. This example highlights how easily teams can manage turnover or changes in skills on a project without opening IT tickets: the owners themselves keep the member list up to date, ensuring security and relevance.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to acquire practical and strategic skills in adding new members to a Microsoft Planner plan , leveraging the user interface and integrations with other Microsoft 365 apps. Users will learn how to navigate the plan, manage members, verify licenses, and ensure synchronization with Teams, Outlook, and To Do. The exercise highlights the roles involved, key commands, and operational implications. Concrete business scenarios will be analyzed to apply the features in real-world contexts. The goal is to improve collaboration, task visibility, and team productivity. Users will be able to manage member onboarding in an autonomous, structured, and integrated manner.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Access to the Planner plan

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Click Planner in your Microsoft 365 dashboard

3. Select an existing plan or click New Plan

4. Enter the name of the plan and choose the privacy (public or private)

5. Click on Create Plan to confirm

6. Please wait for the plan interface to load

7. Verify that the plan is visible in your plans list

8. Click on the plan name to open it

9. Make sure the view is set to Board

10. Check for the menu at the top right

Adding new members

1. Click on at the top right of the open plan ⋯

2. Select Members from the drop-down menu

3. The side panel for member management opens

4. Click on Add Members or on the search field

5. Enter the name or email of the user you want to add.

6. Select the correct contact from the suggestions

7. Click Add to confirm

8. Repeat for each user to be entered

9. Make sure new members appear in the list

10. Close the panel by clicking on the X

Check roles and integration

1. Access the admin portal: https://admin.microsoft.com

2. Go to Active Users to check your licenses

3. Verify that users have an active Planner license

4. Open Microsoft Teams and access the team linked to the plan

5. Check that new members are present in the channel

6. If not present, add them manually to the team

7. Open Outlook and check the task notifications

8. In Planner, go to Settings → Notifications

9. Make sure your tasks are also visible in Microsoft To Do

10. Create a test task to verify synchronization

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Adding a new member to the Internal Training Project plan

A new HR employee needs to be added to the plan to manage training modules. The manager wants the new user to have immediate access to tasks, receive notifications, and be integrated into workflows.

a) Command : Planner → → Members → Add User
Explanation : The user is added to the plan and can view the assigned tasks.

b) Command : Admin Center → Active Users → Check License
Explanation : Ensures that the user has permissions to access Planner.

c) Command : Teams → Linked Channel → Add Member
Explanation : The user is included in team communication and shared files.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Add members	Planner → → Members	Add new users to the plan
Create new plan	Planner → New Plan	Start a new project
Verify user license	Admin Center → Active users	Check that the user has access to Planner
Add to Teams	Teams → Manage Team → Add Member	Integrate the user into the connected Teams channel
Activity notifications	Planner → Settings → Notifications	Enable/disable email alerts
View activities in To Do	Microsoft To Do → automatic sync with Planner	Manage activities even from mobile devices
Assign tasks	Planner → Create Task → Assign to...	Delegate specific tasks
Check plan members	Planner → → Members	Check who has access to the plan
Open existing plan	Planner → All Plans → Select Plan	Access an already created plan
Create test activities	Planner → New task → Enter title and assign member	Check that you are receiving notifications

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

IDEAS FOR USE IN A BUSINESS CONTEXT

Onboarding new members into cross-functional project teams

It allows you to assign specific tasks and ensure immediate visibility into deadlines and responsibilities.

Management of external collaborators in temporary projects

Adding them to the plan allows you to monitor their contributions and facilitate communication with the internal team.

Operational onboarding of new hires into active plans

It promotes rapid and structured integration, reducing the time required to familiarize yourself with workflows.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. What are the steps to access an existing plan in Microsoft Planner?

2. Where is the command to add new members to a plan?

3. What types of Microsoft 365 licenses are required to access Planner?

4. How do I check if a user has an active license via the admin portal?

5. How does Planner integrate with Microsoft Teams?

6. What notifications does a user receive when assigned to a task?

7. How do I manage the visibility of assigned tasks in Outlook and To Do?

8. Which Microsoft 365 roles can plan members manage?

9. What are the benefits of adding a new user to the plan early?

10. How can I test that Planner is syncing correctly with other Microsoft 365 apps?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to add new members to a Microsoft Planner plan, following detailed operational steps and using specific commands. You've explored interactions with Teams, Outlook, and To Do, and understood the importance of Microsoft 365 roles and licenses. Through practical scenarios, you've seen how to apply these skills in real-world business contexts. Key commands allow you to manage onboarding effectively and structuredly. Productivity benefits highlight the positive impact on collaboration and organization. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate the skills you've acquired and verify their applicability.

6. Automatic creation of Office 365 group when plan is created

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

When you create a new plan in Microsoft Planner , a dedicated Office 365 (Microsoft 365) Group is created behind the scenes for that plan, unless you choose to link the plan to an existing group (which we'll cover in point 8). Automatic group creation is a key mechanism: Microsoft Planner relies on the groups infrastructure to manage users and shared resources. In practice, each plan is backed by a Microsoft 365 Group with the same name.

How to create a new plan and group: In the Planner interface (for example, on the web via tasks.office.com or the Office.com launcher ), clicking "+ New plan" opens a dialog box where you can enter the name of the desired plan . At this stage, the user can also specify the privacy settings (Public or Private) and, optionally, whether to use an existing group. If the user simply chooses " Create plan" without further specifications, Planner automatically creates a new Microsoft 365 group with that plan name. This new group is generated in Azure Active Directory and configured with a set of standard resources:

a group email address (e.g. @.onmicrosoft.com );

a shared mailbox in Outlook for group conversations;

a shared group calendar ;

a SharePoint site (specifically, a Team site associated with the group) with a document library;

a shared OneNote notebook ;

the connected Planner app (the plan itself);

the ability to add a Microsoft Teams team to that same group in the future (not automatically, but as an option for the user).

Therefore, choosing "Create Plan" is equivalent to provisioning an entire collaborative package. During creation, Planner may ask you to confirm your privacy settings: a "Private" plan means only invited members will be able to access it (the group will be private), while a "Public" plan means anyone in the organization can see and request to join (the group will be public). This choice immediately affects the group created. From the user's perspective, creation is quick and transparent: it only takes a few seconds for the new plan to appear in the Planner Hub and be ready to use. In those seconds, the system has already set up the underlying group. The user who created the plan is automatically registered as the owner of the new group (and the plan) and is initially the only member until they add others.

A visible sign of this automatic creation is that, if you open Outlook or the company groups list, a new group with the same name as the plan will appear. For example, if I create a plan called "Project Alpha ," an Office 365 group called Project Alpha will be created . You can go to the Groups section of Outlook (web or desktop) and see Project Alpha listed; from there, you can access the group settings or shared mail.

Automatic group creation only occurs when you create a new plan without specifying an existing group. If, however, you choose the "Add to an existing Microsoft 365 group" option when creating the plan and select an existing group, a new group will not be created (the plan will be hosted in the selected group). This scenario will be explored in more detail in point 8, but it's worth noting that this option exists to avoid unnecessary group proliferation.

Automation greatly simplifies the user experience: those who create a plan don't have to worry about manually creating mailing lists, websites, or anything else Planner does it all in one go. However, this simplicity has administrative implications: each new plan creates a new group in the tenant, potentially resulting in many groups if users create multiple plans. Companies can manage this by setting rules: for example, an M365 admin can limit group creation to certain people or enable automatic expiration of inactive groups.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Automatic group creation leads to immediate integrations with other Microsoft 365 applications and services:

Outlook (Group Mail and Contacts): As mentioned, creating a plan creates a group mailbox. This means that a group email address exists immediately. Any email sent to this address (e.g., ProjectAlfa@contoso.com ) will be delivered to all group members. This address could be used for project-related communications. Additionally, the owner can customize some group settings (photo, description, and routing rules) in Outlook. The group also appears in the global contact list, making it easy to CC all plan members at once if needed. Bottom line: as soon as you create the plan, you immediately have a dedicated email channel for the project team , without having to manually set up distribution lists.

SharePoint (Files and Site): The group generates a connected SharePoint site . This site (usually with the URL https ://.sharepoint.com/sites/GroupName ) has a preconfigured Documents document library where members can upload files. In practice, if members attach files to tasks, they are saved directly in that library (in a folder named after the plan). Additionally, the site includes a group OneNote notebook , useful for taking shared notes. All of this happens without manual intervention: for example, if I attach a plan.xlsx file to a task in the Project Alpha plan, that file goes to the Project Alpha SharePoint site, ensuring that all plan attachments are centralized and accessible to members. The SharePoint site can also be visited directly to add documents, create lists, or create project-related pages. Therefore, creating a plan brings with it a dedicated document storage space , integrated with Office (members could co-edit Word/Excel documents on the site, alongside Planner tasks).

OneDrive and Office Online: While not immediately obvious, files uploaded to the plan (on the SharePoint site) are accessible to users via Office Online, and if a member syncs their SharePoint library to OneDrive, they'll have those files in File Explorer. This allows, for example, project documents to be linked to tasks and edited online with Word/Excel by multiple users, with comments on the related tasks in Planner.

OneNote: Every M365 group has a starter OneNote notebook. Planner doesn't use it automatically, but members may decide to take meeting notes or more detailed checklists and save them in the group's OneNote. For example, in the "Notepad" tab in Teams (if the group has Teams) or via SharePoint , the team will find a ready-made OneNote space. This avoids having to share notebooks via email; it's already there thanks to the creation of the plan/group.

Teams: While creating a plan doesn't automatically create a Microsoft Teams team, there's a lot of potential integration . Since there's a group, you can create a Team linked to that group at any time (the option appears in Teams: "Join an existing group" ). Performing this action makes the Alpha Project group a Team, keeping the Planner plan linked. In practice, within the new Team, you can add Planner tabs to funnels, and members can chat in channels, already having the same member roster as the plan. Conversely, if the organization prefers to start from Teams, create a Team (which creates a group), and then add Planner, the end result is the same. Important: Teams, being based on M365 groups, immediately recognizes the Planner plans associated with the group. Therefore, in a Teams channel dedicated to the project, you can add the Planner tab by selecting the newly created plan (it finds it because it's in the same group). All of this shows how creating the group behind the plan allows Teams to easily connect to that workspace.

Stream / SharePoint Video / Yammer : Other apps like Yammer can use M365 groups: if, for example, the project decides to have a Yammer community , it could connect to the existing group. Or share project videos via Stream on SharePoint (which saves videos to the group site). In general, all services that integrate with groups (Planner, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Yammer , Project for the Web, etc.) can leverage the created group. This avoids duplication: once created, the group is a unique container of people and resources.

Security and compliance: From an Azure AD and compliance perspective , each new group has its own controls: the admin can apply sensitivity labels to the group, legal hold, and expiration policies (for example, expiring inactive groups after X months if not renewed). Creating a plan also activates these administrative mechanisms. These interactions aren't visible to the end user, but behind the scenes, the group appears in the Microsoft 365 admin center where it can be managed (for example, adding an email alias, changing ownership, recovering if deleted, etc.). Integration with Microsoft Graph and PowerShell is also enabled: for example, a developer could use the Graph APIs to list the plans and groups they've created.

In short, automatic group creation makes a new Planner plan instantly part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem . The plan isn't a standalone element: it already has context for mail, files, and notes, and can be extended with Teams and other applications. This integrated design is one of Planner's strengths compared to standalone solutions: creating a plan essentially means creating a multifunctional collaboration space .

c) ROLES INVOLVED

During and after the automatic creation of the group, several roles come into play:

User creating the plan (Initial Owner): Whoever initiates plan creation through Planner automatically becomes the owner of the newly created M365 group. This user, without admin intervention, acquires the status of group owner and therefore has elevated privileges over the group: they can add/remove members from the group (even via Outlook or Teams), change group settings in Outlook (e.g., name, photo, privacy), and, of course, have all permissions on the corresponding Planner plan (manage tasks, members, delete plan). Therefore, the plan creator role is equivalent to Group Owner . In terms of governance, the company may have rules about who can create groups: if these rules limit creation to admins or certain users, effectively only those users will be able to create new plans independently (the rest will have to use existing groups). However, in many tenants, by default, all users can create groups and therefore create plans, which grants significant collaborative power to the user base.

Microsoft 365 Administrator: Admins don't directly intervene in group creation, but they define the scope. For example, a Global Admin or an Exchange/Teams Admin can configure whether groups can be freely created. Microsoft 365 provides a PowerShell script to enable "Group Creation. " Restriction allows only a designated security group to create new groups. If your company has enabled this restriction, any unauthorized user attempting to create a plan in Planner will be blocked with an error message. Therefore, the admin role can decide who is allowed to generate new plans/groups. Additionally, the admin can set naming policies for groups, such as adding mandatory prefixes or suffixes to the names of created groups (this would then be reflected in the plan names). Another area of admin expertise: if your company uses sensitivity labels for groups, the person creating the plan may need to choose a label (e.g., Confidential ) when creating it. However, this option is typically not exposed in Planner; it is more common in the underlying group creation interface.

Initial Membership: Upon creation, no other members are automatically added to the group/plan except the creator . So initially, only the owner (creator) and "rest of organization" as external are affected. The creator will then have to manually add colleagues as members of the group/plan (see point 5). There is no "co-creator" role unless the owner adds one as an owner later. It's worth noting that any admins do not become members unless they add themselves or force them to be added (global admins can still read content by virtue of their privileges, but they do not appear as members of the group by default).

Visibility to the organization (everyone's role): Once a group is created, if it's public , every internal user can see it appear in their available groups directory. For example, in Outlook, a user might see "Project Alpha (Public Group)" and decide to explore it. In this sense, all employees become potential visitors . If the group/plan is private , however, no one other than the creator knows of its existence (until they are added as members). Therefore, creating a group with public privacy indirectly involves all users as potential passive participants, while creating a group with private privacy remains limited.

Group Owners and Members (Post-Creation): Once the plan/group has been created, adding people to the member or owner roles takes over the same roles described in point 5.c. That is, we will potentially have multiple Group Owners (with equal rights to the creator) and Group Members . At the initial creation stage, however, there is only one owner and no external members added.

System Services: This isn't a human "role," but it's worth mentioning: group expiration is a service activated by the M365 admin, who can mark a group for deletion if no one renews it within a certain period. So, if a plan/group is created and then abandoned without any activity, the system might send an email to the owner after X months asking, "Do you want to renew this group?" If ignored, the group (and the plan) will be automatically deleted. This is a governance scenario that involves the owners as group lifelines.

In conclusion, the key role in this phase is the creator (owner) and the M365 infrastructure that provides all the resources. The admin may have set constraints upfront, but they aren't actively involved in the individual creation event (unless they've disabled it). From a team perspective, automatic creation relieves them of technical burdens: there's no need to ask IT "create a website for me, create a mailing list for me," which makes the team itself responsible for collaborative management.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Quick start for a new project: A team at a company decides to use Planner to manage an internal project (for example, organizing a company event). The project manager opens Planner, creates a plan called "Event 2025," and sets it to Private because it's intended for the team only. In just a few seconds, without any IT intervention, the plan is created, along with a Microsoft 365 group for "Event 2025." The team now automatically has:

a) a dedicated email address (Evento2025@azienda.com) to use to send communications to all project members at once instead of listing them individually;

b) a SharePoint space where you can upload your guest list, vendor contracts, and schedule into a shared Excel file;

c) a OneNote notebook to jot down brainstorming ideas;

d) the ability to add this plan as a tab in Teams if they decide to also open a chat channel for the project.

No one had to manually create these resources: the team got a complete collaboration environment for free simply by creating the Planner. This allowed them to immediately focus on event activities, rather than technical configurations. Meanwhile, IT has peace of mind because the group is centrally tracked and managed (the project falls under the tenant's general policies).

Cross-functional company initiative (public plan): Management launches a knowledge-sharing initiative open to all employees, so they create a Planner plan called "Corporate Idea Lab" and set it to Public . Planner automatically creates the Corporate Idea Lab (Public) group . This group is now visible to everyone in Outlook and Planner. Management may not initially add anyone in particular, but they announce via internal communications that the group/plan exists and invite people to join freely to share ideas. Because the group is public, any employee can independently search for "Idea Lab" in Planner and open the plan. If interested, they can click Join Group and become a member. Furthermore, having a group means that:

a) there is a mailing list Idea Lab Aziendale where anyone can send an idea via email which will be delivered to all registered members (alternative or complementary to the use of Planner itself);

b) On the associated SharePoint site, participants can collect documentation, articles, or prototypes related to the ideas discussed;

c) you can decide to activate a Teams Team on this group if you need real-time chat for brainstorms ;

d) The IT admin can apply an Internal - Shareable label to this group to mark that its contents should not leave the company.

This example shows how a well-publicized plan can become a hub for spontaneous collaboration supported by the M365 infrastructure. Without automatic group creation, the organizer would have had to request various assets (a mailing list, a SharePoint site, etc.) and waste precious time; with Planner, everything is immediate and integrated, lowering the barrier to cross-organizational initiatives.

Project requiring a centralized repository: A software development team uses Planner to track DevOps activities . By creating the Product X Development plan , they get an M365 group. This is useful because, in addition to the development tasks in Planner, they can use the group's SharePoint site to store specifications, manuals, and software builds centrally and with the appropriate permissions (only team members have access, as it's a private group). They also integrate the team calendar with sprint planning: each sprint is noted as an event on the shared calendar. In technical meetings, they open the group's OneNote to take notes that remain available to everyone without having to send them later. This combined use ensures that the Planner plan isn't just a to-do list, but part of a unified ecosystem where tasks, documents, and communications live together. In practice, the M365 group created by Planner serves as a unified repository for the development project.

Compliance and Governance: An IT example: The company notices a large number of user-created groups, some potentially duplicated or unused. Upon investigation, they discover that many originate from Planner plans that were created and then abandoned. To manage this, IT enables automatic group expiration: the group must be renewed after six months or it will be soft-delete. This way, a user who created a Planner plan will receive a notification after six months: "Your plan group is about to expire. Do you want to renew it?" If the project is still active, the owner can renew with one click and continue. If the project is completed and the plan is no longer needed, perhaps the owner ignores the email, and after a few reminders, the group (and therefore the plan) is deleted. However, imagine that a month after the deletion, someone realizes they've lost access to some important project files. Fortunately, the admin can recover the deleted group within 30 days from the admin center. This also restores the related Planner plan. This scenario illustrates how, thanks to Planner's support for groups, the company can leverage governance tools (expirations, recovery, auditing) across user plans without manually managing each one individually. It's an example of how automatic group creation benefits not only operations teams but also collaborative resource lifecycle management at scale.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal of this exercise is to understand how automatic Microsoft 365 group creation works when creating a new plan in Microsoft Planner. You will learn the implications of this feature, the roles involved, and how it interacts with other apps like Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and OneNote. You will be guided through the steps to create a plan, verify group generation, and leverage its collaborative benefits. The exercise includes real-world business scenarios, key commands, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to enable you to use Planner in an integrated and informed way, improving team and project management.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Creating a plan and generating a Microsoft 365 group

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Click Planner in your Microsoft 365 dashboard

3. Select New Plan

4. Enter the plan name (e.g. Q4 Marketing Project )

5. Choose your plan privacy: Public or Private

6. Click on Create Plan to confirm

7. Wait for the plan and associated group to be automatically created

8. Verify that the group is visible in Outlook (left sidebar)

9. Control automatic creation of SharePoint site and OneNote notebook

10. Open Microsoft Teams and check if the group is available for adding

Exploring group-related apps

1. Open Outlook → Groups → select the newly created group

2. View shared mail and group calendar

3. Access the automatically generated SharePoint site

4. Check for the presence of the document library and team pages

5. Open OneNote → select the group notebook

6. Create a section for your project and share it with members

7. Open Teams → click Add team → From existing group

8. Select the newly created group to turn it into a team

9. Add channels and tabs for Planner, Files, and Notes

10. Make sure all plan members are synced to the team

Roles involved and group management

1. Access the admin portal: https://admin.microsoft.com

2. Go to Groups → Microsoft 365 Groups

3. Search for the name of the group created with the plan

4. Verify group members and owners

5. Add or remove members directly from the portal

6. Check your sharing and privacy settings

7. Verify synchronization with Azure Active Directory

8. Open Planner → click → Members to manage participants

9. Check that each change is reflected in the Microsoft 365 group

10. Test collaboration between Planner, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Creating a plan for launching a new product

The marketing team creates a Planner to coordinate the product launch. When the plan is created, a Microsoft 365 group is automatically generated, including shared email, calendar, SharePoint site, and OneNote.

a) Command : Planner → New Plan → Enter Name → Create Plan
Explanation : The Microsoft 365 group is created automatically and includes collaborative tools.

b) Command : Outlook → Groups → select group → view calendar
Explanation : The team can plan shared events and deadlines.

c) Command : Teams → Add team from existing group
Explanation : The group is being transformed into a team to facilitate communication and access to Planner.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Create new plan	Planner → New Plan	Start a plan and automatically generate a Microsoft 365 group
View Group in Outlook	Outlook → Groups → Select Group	Access shared mail, calendar, and files
Access the SharePoint site	SharePoint → Groups → Select Site	Team document and page management
Open OneNote group block	OneNote → Shared Pads	Collaborative notes for the plan
Create team from existing group	Teams → Add team → From existing group	Transform the group into a team to integrate Planner
Group Member Management	Admin Center → Microsoft 365 Groups	Adding/Removing Members and Configuring Privacy
Plan Member Management	Planner → → Members	Sync with Microsoft 365 Group
Check synchronization	Admin Center → Azure AD	Consistency check between users and groups
Add channels and tabs in Teams	Teams → Teams → Add Channel/Tab	Customizing the work environment
Create tasks in Planner	Planner → New Task → Assign to Members	Operational start of the plan

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Automatic creation of collaborative tools
Instant synchronization between Planner and Microsoft 365 Centralized access to mail, files and calendar Seamless integration with Teams, Outlook and SharePoint Automatic notifications for tasks and meetings Save time in setting up teams Greater transparency in project management Mobile access to all group tools Simplified coordination between departments Reduce errors in member management

IDEAS FOR USE IN A BUSINESS CONTEXT

Launch of a new interdepartmental project

Creating a plan automatically generates a group with shared tools, facilitating collaboration across departments.

Corporate event management

The group created with the plan allows you to coordinate activities, invitations, documents and communications in a single space.

Support for temporary teams or task forces

Planner and its associated group offer a ready-to-use environment for managing urgent tasks or short-term projects.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. What happens automatically when I create a new plan in Planner?

2. What tools are generated along with the Microsoft 365 Group?

3. How do I access the group created by Planner in Outlook?

4. How is SharePoint connected to the plan?

5. How do you turn a group into a Microsoft Teams team?

6. What roles can group members handle?

7. Where do I check for group presence in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center?

8. How do I sync members between Planner and the group?

9. What are the advantages of automatic group creation?

10. In which business scenarios is this feature useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You learned that creating a plan in Microsoft Planner automatically generates a Microsoft 365 group, complete with collaboration tools like Outlook, SharePoint, OneNote, and Teams. You followed the steps to create a plan, explore connected apps, and manage members. You understood the roles involved and the operational implications, with a focus on synchronization between Planner and the group. Business scenarios showed you how to apply this feature in real-world settings. Key commands allow you to act effectively and in a structured manner. Productivity benefits and self-assessment questions reinforce your acquired skills.

7. Canceling the 365 Group and Planner plan

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Deleting ( or deleting) a plan in Microsoft Planner can refer to two related but distinct actions:

1. Delete the plan itself that is, remove the Planner board and all its tasks.

2. Delete the associated Microsoft 365 group which deletes not only the plan, but also all associated resources (email, SharePoint site, etc.).

We need to distinguish between the two concepts: it is possible to eliminate a plan while keeping the group alive, or to eliminate the entire group (which also implies the disappearance of the plan).

Deleting a plan (without deleting the group): Microsoft Planner allows plan owners to delete a plan through the Planner interface. From your list of plans, you need to:

Open the plan in question.

Click on the (More actions) next to the plan name.

Choose Plan Details from the drop-down menu.

again and select Delete Plan .

A confirmation window will appear explaining that the deletion is permanent. You'll need to confirm (often by checking the "I understand this will be permanent" box) and then press Delete . Once confirmed, the plan is permanently deleted. All tasks, buckets, and contents of the plan are irreversibly deleted . In fact, Planner doesn't offer a recovery feature for deleted plans: if you accidentally delete them, there's no specific "recycle bin" in Planner to restore them. The only way to get them back would be to recover the entire group via admin (see below) or manually recreate the tasks.

Important: In the past, deleting a plan automatically deleted the associated group. This is no longer the case : deleting the plan leaves the group intact . This means that all other assets (files, emails, etc.) remain in place, and members remain members of the group. Specifically, if that group had other plans (remember, a group can contain multiple Planner plans), they remain functional. Even if the deleted plan was the only plan in the group, the group still exists; it's simply now a group without any Planner plans (it could be converted to a Team in Teams, or used only for email/ Sharepoint , if desired).

Deleting the group (and therefore the plan): If you also want to delete the group and all its resources, you need to delete the group itself. This is usually done from Outlook (for owners) or the M365 Admin Center (for administrators).

In Outlook, a group owner can:

Go to the Groups section in Outlook, select the desired group.

Click Edit Group .

In the edit screen, choose Delete Group and confirm that you also want to delete all associated content (Outlook will ask you to check boxes to confirm that you are aware of the deletion of conversations, files, etc.).

Confirm the operation.

By deleting a Microsoft 365 group, the system deletes:

the group mailbox (email conversations).

the group's calendar.

the group's SharePoint site (files, pages, OneNote).

and all Planner plans associated with that group .

So, in this mode, the plan will disappear because its primary container (the group) has been removed. Unlike deleting the plan alone, deleting the group is recoverable within 30 days : the platform soft-deletes the group, allowing admins to restore it if necessary. If restored, the plan and its activities will also be restored. This can be a lifesaver if a group/plan has been deleted accidentally or prematurely.

Reverse process of group creation -> deletion: In the context of our points, point 7 is often understood as the "reverse operation" of point 6: that is, after seeing how a group is automatically created with a plan, here we see how to delete it. The reverse process means: if I have a plan that has generated a group, to completely delete it I must first delete the plan (if I want to delete only that) and then decide whether to delete the group as well. Or I can directly delete the group (which will also delete the plan internally).

To summarize:

To delete just the plan: use the option in Planner. Result: The plan and tasks are gone forever; the group remains (with any files and emails still accessible to members).

To delete the group as well: use the option in Outlook or Admin Center. Result: the entire group+plan package is deleted, but recovery is possible within 30 days. (After 30 days, the group is permanently removed from the system.)

Hide a plan instead of deleting it: If you simply want to "archive" the plan without deleting the data, Planner doesn't currently offer an archive feature (a notorious shortcoming). One possible workaround is to hide the plan from personal view: in Planner Hub, you can click "..." on the plan and choose "Hide ." This removes the plan from the user's "My Plans" list, reducing clutter, but doesn't delete it for anyone. Anyone with the link or by searching in "Other Plans" can still reopen it. Hiding is useful when a project is finished but you want to preserve the history: the plan doesn't clutter the daily view, but remains recoverable. However, if many members hide it, the plan can fall into oblivion if no one keeps it in focus. The alternative is export: before deleting a plan, owners can export tasks to Excel using the appropriate function, so they have a backup of the main data.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Deleting a plan or group affects all built-in apps:

Outlook: If you delete only the Planner plan, the Outlook portion (group) remains. Users may still use the group's mailing list, but perhaps without the context of the plan. For example, the Outlook group Project Alpha remains active with its messages, but members may wonder why the Planner plan is no longer there. If you delete the group via Outlook, that action also deletes the group mailbox. This means all conversations and any appointments in the group calendar disappear. Outlook removes the group from the user's group list. Users who had archived conversations in their inbox (if they joined the group) will see those messages removed (effectively, it's as if they were blocked with the deleted group icon). However, Outlook allows for administrator recovery : an Exchange administrator can restore the group mailbox within 30 days and re-bind everything.

Teams: If the group was connected to Teams, deleting the group will be equivalent to deleting the Team in Teams (all channels, chat messages, files). This can be disruptive if unplanned. However, if you only delete the Planner plan but leave the group/Team, any Planner tab in a channel will display an error (plan not found) or be removed in Teams. Team files and chats remain intact. So, for example, if a Team had a channel with a "Tasks" tab (which pointed to the Planner plan), deleting the plan will remove that tab (or make it non-functional). However, the Team can continue to exist and perhaps decide to create a new plan or use other tools.

SharePoint: When just the plan is deleted, the group's SharePoint document library is unaffected. This means files attached to tasks remain on the site. This is crucial: if someone wants to recover project files, they'll still find them on the group site even after the plan has been deleted. If the entire group is deleted, however, the SharePoint site is put into a deleted state (moved to the Sites Recycle Bin for a retention period, typically 30 days). The files become inaccessible to users (because the site is no longer available). A SharePoint admin can recover the site as long as the group is recoverable. After this period, the site and files will be permanently deleted. Note: If you had important files related to the project, it's a good idea to make sure you've copied them elsewhere before deleting the group, or rely on the short-term restore option .

OneNote: Similar to SharePoint: The group notebook (which resides on SharePoint) remains if only the plan is deleted, it is removed if the group is deleted.

To Do: If a plan is deleted, users assigned to tasks from that plan will see them disappear from the "Assigned to me" list in To Do. This can be a bit confusing ("I had 5 tasks, now I only see 2"). On the other hand, it means they no longer have to work on them (because the project is closed). There's no explicit notification in To Do of the deletion; the tasks simply disappear. This happens because behind the scenes, those tasks are marked as nonexistent. Therefore, the To Do-Planner integration reflects the removal immediately.

Power BI / Reporting: Some users use the Planner API or exports to report on task status. If a plan is deleted, any feed or dashboard linked to that plan ID will return errors or blank data. Reporting should also be cleaned up to avoid halved metrics (e.g., "0 tasks in progress" because the plan no longer exists, not because all tasks are complete).

Graph API : Any integrated custom application (Power Automate flows, Graph apps ) that pointed to the plan or group will need to handle its disappearance. For example, if there was a Flow that added a row in Excel when a task was completed, the trigger would no longer fire if the plan no longer exists.

In general, deleting plans and groups closes the collaborative workspace, meaning all connected apps will no longer have that space available.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Who has the power to eliminate plans or groups, and who suffers the effects?

Plan/Group Owner: Typically, only owners can delete a plan. If you open Planner as a non-owner, the "Delete Plan" option may not appear at all. This is especially true for private plans (deletion is reserved for group owners). For public plans, the documents state that members can delete the plan, but this is a subtle detail: typically, logistically, it's the owner who performs the action. Regardless, whoever performs the deletion in Planner must be aware of the significance : there's a checkbox to indicate that they understand the data will be lost. The owner deleting the plan is often also the person responsible for it, so it makes sense that this decision should be made by the designated role.

Plan Members: Regular members generally can't delete a plan (especially if it's private). However, they can leave the plan themselves (leave the group) if they no longer wish to be involved. Leaving doesn't delete it for others, but it removes the user from membership. In a public plan, if, by some absurd chance, a member were to delete it, that action would impact all other members an unusual scenario in terms of permissions (it would be like allowing any member of a project to delete the entire project; this usually requires ownership).

IT Administrator: A Microsoft 365 global admin has full power: via PowerShell or Admin Center, they can delete groups at will, even if they're not a member. For example, if they detect a group/plan created incorrectly or want to remove it for security reasons, they can do so. They can also intervene if the owner has left the company: if a group/plan is "orphaned" (without owners, perhaps because the creator has been disabled), an admin can assign themselves as owner or delete it directly. Additionally, as mentioned, the admin can recover a deleted group within 30 days. This is a typical administrator privilege (user interface owners don't have a "restore" button; they must contact IT). Therefore, the admin acts as a guarantor: they can undo the deletion if necessary, or consolidate assets (e.g., deliberately delete obsolete groups/plans as part of a periodic cleanup).

End users (non-members): If a plan is deleted but a user wasn't a member of it, they may not notice anything. However, if the plan was public and that user was browsing (visiting), they'll no longer find it available. For example, Mario wasn't a member but occasionally checked the public "Monthly Stats" plan; if it's deleted, Mario will no longer see it in the Planner Hub. Since he has no active role, he can't do anything about it. He could contact the owner and ask, "What happened to that plan?"

External guests: If there were guests in the group/plan, deleting it removes them from the collaboration. Since they often don't have visibility into all channels (e.g., the guest can't see the admin center), it's up to the owners to notify them, "We've closed the project and removed the plan."

Task Assignees: This is a subrole : people who were assigned tasks in the plan. When the plan disappears, they suddenly lose those tasks from their personal list. A good owner should notify the team before deleting the plan especially if some tasks are still in progress. For example: We've completed project X, so I'll delete the plan in Planner; make sure you've copied any data you need elsewhere by Friday . This gives assignees a chance to check that they have nothing pending. So, from a role perspective, the owner has a responsibility to communicate with members and assignees.

Permissions summary:

Deleting a plan from Planner: Plan owner (group) or administrator.

Delete group (with plan) from Outlook/Admin: Group owner or administrator.

Recovery within 30 days: administrator only (global admin or via ticket).

d) Concrete examples of business application

Closing a Completed Project: A team has successfully completed Project Alpha . They used Planner extensively during the project. Once it was completed, the project manager (owner of the plan) decides to "clean up." First, he exports the list of completed tasks to Excel, as a historical archive, and saves any final reports to the group's SharePoint. Then, he informs the team that he will remove the plan. Since the group only contained that project, he chooses to delete the entire group to permanently close the workspace. He opens Outlook, finds the "Project Alpha" group, and clicks Delete Group , confirming the complete deletion. Within seconds, neither the Planner nor the group are listed as active resources. Internal email conversations for the project disappear from Outlook (except for any messages archived in individual mailboxes), and the SharePoint site containing the project files ends up in the Sites Recycle Bin (recoverable for 30 days). This example highlights the decommissioning phase of a project: deletion frees up space and reduces clutter in Planner's active plans list, ensuring there's no unused orphaned group. From the members' perspective, everyone had hidden or archived their own items; everyone knew the plan would be closed, so there were no surprises. IT appreciates it when owners archive finished projects because it reduces the amount of live data to manage (while still keeping backups for historical purposes).

Accidental Deletion and Recovery: Suppose a plan owner accidentally deletes a plan. For example, Anna owns the "Marketing Q3 2025" plan, which is linked to a group. She simply wanted to remove the plan from her list (perhaps because Q3 is over and she's creating Q4), and thinks "Delete Plan" is there to hide it. She then clicks Delete Plan and absentmindedly confirms. She immediately realizes she's lost all the activities and data from the previous quarter. Panic! Her colleagues also see history and completions disappear. Anna contacts IT. Unfortunately, IT can't recover a deleted individual plan because Planner doesn't have that option. Fortunately, however, the linked group still exists (it hasn't been touched). IT has an idea: using the Graph API. or PowerShell , try to see if the tasks can be recovered from some log, but there's nothing official. So opt for a workaround : recover the data from the automatic daily Excel export (if it exists) or from the browser cache. Generally, however, in such a case, the task data is lost forever, unless third-party backups are used. This (unfortunate) example highlights the importance of understanding roles: owners should be cautious when it comes to "Delete Plan," and ideally, IT should train users or implement backup tools for Planner, given that there's no built-in recycle bin. Unfortunately, Anna learned the difference between hiding and deleting the hard way.

Removing a plan but keeping the team: A company department has a Microsoft Teams team called "Sales Team" that's active with channels and files. In one of the channels, they added a Planner tab for monthly tasks. After some time, they decided to stop using Planner in that channel because they're switching to another tool. The team owner (who also owns the group) goes to Planner and finds the corresponding plan (which will have a name like "Sales Team General Channel" if created automatically via Teams). They decide to delete only the plan to avoid confusion: they log in to Planner web, find "Sales Team ...," and delete it as a plan. The result: in the Teams team, the Planner tab is now empty (or removed). But the team continues to function with chat and files. The M365 group "Sales Team" obviously remains intact. No other resources are affected. This example illustrates deleting a plan as a feature removal in a broader context: the department keeps its Teams and SharePoint space, but simply decided to turn off the Planner component. In the future, if they wanted a Planner tab again, they could create a new one in that group. In this scenario, it's important for the Team owner to be aware that deleting the plan wouldn't result in losing anything else. And indeed, that's exactly what happened: documents and email remain, only tasks (already abandoned) are removed.

Consolidating duplicate groups: Two plans are accidentally created for similar purposes, resulting in two separate groups that the company later realizes are redundant. For example, two different colleagues created a "Market Research" plan and a "Market Research " plan, but they actually relate to the same project (one created it in Italian, the other in English). After discovering the duplication, they decide to combine efforts. They copy all the tasks from the "Market Research " plan into "Market Research" (either manually or using Planner's Copy Tasks feature ). Once they've verified that everything is consolidated into a single plan, one of the two (the owner) deletes the now-empty duplicate plan. However, a problem remains: there is now an additional M365 group with no associated plan (the "Market Research " group). To avoid confusion, the owner or, better yet, an admin if the owners aren't careful also deletes the "Market Research " group from the organization, as it is no longer needed. This case study shows how deletion is sometimes useful for streamlining the environment of unnecessary containers. IT might periodically perform checks and find groups with no content other than an owner, asking "Do you still need them?" If the answer is no, they proceed with deletion. This helps maintain an organized list of groups and plans available to users, avoiding duplication and confusion.

Immagine che contiene testo, schermata, software, Icona del computer

Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how deleting a plan in Microsoft Planner and the associated Microsoft 365 group is performed . The user will learn to distinguish between removing a plan and completely deleting a group, understanding the implications for Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and OneNote. The roles involved, the commands to use, and the precautions to take to avoid accidental data loss will be explained. The exercise includes real-world business scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to equip the user with the skills to safely and effectively manage plan and group closures in collaborative environments.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Removing the plan from Planner

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Click Planner in your Microsoft 365 dashboard

3. Select the plan you want to remove

4. Click on next to the plan name ⋯

5. Select Add to Favorites to remove it from the main view (optional)

6. To permanently delete it, open Outlook Web App

7. Go to Groups → select the group associated with the plan

8. Click Settings → Edit Group

9. Click on Delete group and confirm the operation

10. The plan and all associated resources will be permanently deleted

Checking group-connected apps

1. Open Outlook → Groups → select the deleted group

2. Verify that shared mail and calendar are no longer accessible

3. Go to SharePoint → check that the group site has been removed

4. Open OneNote → verify that the group notebook is no longer available

5. In Teams, check if the linked team has been removed

6. If the team is still visible, manually remove it from Team Management

7. Access the admin portal: https://admin.microsoft.com

8. Go to Microsoft 365 Groups → verify that the group is no longer present

9. Check Azure Active Directory for any remaining syncs

10. Verify that group files are no longer accessible from OneDrive

Roles involved and required authorizations

1. Only group owners can delete a group from Outlook or Admin Center.

2. IT administrators can force delete from Microsoft 365 Admin

3. Plan members cannot delete the group, only view it

4. Access the admin portal: https://admin.microsoft.com

5. Go to Active Users → check the roles assigned to users

6. Control group management permissions in Azure AD

7. In Outlook, only owners see the Delete Group option

8. In Teams, only owners can remove a linked team

9. Verify that the deletion complies with company policies

10. Document deletion for audit or backup purposes

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Closing a completed project and removing the associated group

The IT team has completed the Infrastructure Migration project and wants to delete the Planner plan and all related resources to avoid confusion and free up space.

a) Command : Outlook → Groups → Select group → Settings → Delete group
Explanation : This action removes the Planner plan and all associated apps (mail, files, calendar).

b) Command : SharePoint → Verify Group Site Removal
Explanation : Confirm that the project documents and pages are no longer accessible.

c) Command : Admin Center → Microsoft 365 Groups → Verify Deletion
Explanation : Ensures that the group has been removed at the administrative level as well.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Delete group	Outlook Web App → Groups → Settings → Delete group	Removes the group and all associated resources
Group Verification	Admin Center → Microsoft 365 Groups	Check the presence or deletion of the group
Remove linked team	Teams → Team Management → Remove Team	Delete the team associated with the group
SharePoint Site Check	SharePoint → Groups → Select Site	Verify the removal of the group site
Check OneNote Lock	OneNote → Shared Pads	Check for the presence of the group notebook
File control in OneDrive	OneDrive → Groups → Select group	Verify the removal of shared files
Check user roles	Admin Center → Active users	Check permissions for group management
Azure Sync Control	Azure AD → Groups → Select group	Check for any remaining synchronizations
Removing from Planner	Planner → → Remove from favorites	Hides the plan from personal view
Documentation deletion	Manual internal or IT ticket	Traceability for audit or backup

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Reduce digital clutter
Eliminate outdated groups and plans Greater clarity in project management Alignment between Planner, Outlook, Teams and SharePoint Fewer unnecessary notifications for team members Save time searching for active plans Better control of shared resources Less content synced across mobile devices Optimize storage space Comply with company retention policies

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Periodic cleaning of completed floors

Deleting inactive plans and groups helps keep the work environment tidy and focused.

Closure of temporary task forces

After completing an urgent task, removing the group avoids future confusion and overlap.

Security and Privacy Management
Removing unused groups reduces the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. How do I permanently delete a Planner plan?

2. What's the difference between removing a plan and deleting a Microsoft 365 Group?

3. Which apps are deleted along with the group?

4. Who can delete a Microsoft 365 Group?

5. How do I verify that the group has been removed from Outlook?

6. How is SharePoint involved in the deletion?

7. How do I remove a team linked to a group?

8. Where do I control user roles for group management?

9. What precautions should be taken before deleting a group?

10. In which business scenarios is this feature useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to delete a Planner plan and the associated Microsoft 365 group, understanding the implications for Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and OneNote. You've followed the steps to safely remove the group, verifying the deletion in all connected apps. You've identified the roles involved, key commands, and required permissions. Practical scenarios have shown you how to apply this procedure in real-world business settings. The productivity benefits highlight the importance of maintaining a tidy digital environment. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate the skills you've learned and test their applicability.

8. Creating a Planner plan from an existing Microsoft 365 group

a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Creating a plan linked to an existing group means that the new Planner plan is associated with an existing Microsoft 365 group (formerly called an Office 365 group) rather than generating a new one. When creating a plan, the Planner interface offers the option to Add to an existing Office 365 group : by selecting it, you can search for and choose the desired group before confirming the creation. Essentially, the plan leverages the selected group s infrastructure members, permissions, and resources rather than creating a separate one. Therefore, if you use an existing group, Planner doesn t create a new parallel group. Conversely, ignoring or skipping the Add to an existing group option will generate a new Microsoft 365 group alongside the plan. This choice is crucial: linking a plan to an existing group avoids group proliferation and maintains cohesive collaboration in a single, predefined space.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

A plan associated with an existing group benefits from full integration with the tools already linked to that group . In particular:

Outlook (Group and Calendar): The new plan won't create a new mailbox or calendar, but will use those of the selected group. The plan itself will have an email address (group alias) that allows you to send messages to all plan members via the group conversation in Outlook. For example, any comments on tasks in Planner can be sent to the group mailbox so members can see them in Outlook conversations if they follow the group in their inbox.

SharePoint: Reusing an existing group doesn't create a new SharePoint site , as the selected group already has one. All documents and files attached to the plan's tasks will be stored in the document library of that group's SharePoint site. This means the team continues to work in the same shared document area , avoiding the dispersion of files across different sites.

Microsoft Teams: Since Microsoft Teams is based on Microsoft 365 groups, adding a plan to an existing group also allows you to easily integrate it into Teams. In practice, if the group is associated with a team (e.g., a departmental team), you can add the plan as a Planner tab in a Teams channel, making tasks visible directly within the Teams platform without additional configuration. The plan is then visible to team members, using the same underlying group.

OneNote and other resources: The group-connected plan will be able to leverage the group's OneNote (for example, the group's shared notebook, useful for project notes) and will also appear among group- connected plans in the interface of other apps (for example, in Outlook under the Groups section or in SharePoint as a possible Planner web part). Additionally, tasks assigned to individual users will appear in the Tasks Assigned to Me section of Microsoft To Do or Outlook, thanks to the integration between Planner and To Do.

c) Roles involved: When it comes to creating a plan for an existing group, various organizational and authorization roles come into play:

User creating the plan: Typically, any group member can create a new plan associated with that group. The user simply needs to have member (or owner) access to the existing group to be able to select it when creating the plan. If the group in question is public , even a user who is not yet a member may be able to see it in the list and add the plan, thereby becoming a member of the group (depending on company policy). In corporate practice, however, the creation of new Microsoft 365 groups is often limited to administrators or specific roles: in such contexts, unprivileged users can only create a plan by leveraging existing authorized groups (just like in this scenario).

A real-world example: "Due to limitations on creating new groups in our Teams environment, we're forced to share a plan to an existing group." This indicates that the organization has restricted the creation of groups (and therefore autonomous plans), forcing the use of pre -approved groups.

Group Owners: The owners of the existing group play a key role. While creating a plan doesn't necessarily require ownership (a member can), group owners retain control over the group's resources . For example, they can manage membership (add or remove people from the group, and therefore the plan), change the group/plan's privacy settings, and generally manage shared content. If the plan is private (because the group is private), only group owners can add new members to the plan by inviting new users to the group. Owners can also delete the plan (which is effectively part of the group): on plans associated with private groups , only an owner can delete them; on public plans , any internal member can delete them, but this typically remains the owners' prerogative for security.

Group members: These automatically become members of the new plan . There's no need to add them individually: upon creation, all existing members are included as plan participants (you'll see them in the plan's "Members" list). These users can create and assign tasks, update statuses, add comments and files, according to normal Planner functionality. However, they can't change general plan settings unless they're group owners (e.g., they can't change the plan name for private groups unless the organization allows this only to owners). However, in many practical cases, any internal member can rename the plan or add buckets and tasks, as Planner tends to be open to plan contributors for ease of use.

Guest Users: If there were external guests in the existing group (such as external partners invited to the group), they will also become guests in the plan. Planner supports guest access : an external user added to the group is included in the plan and can view and edit tasks almost like an internal member. Guests can create and delete tasks and buckets, edit task fields, and even attach files (if the tenant administrator has allowed this for guests). However, guests lack certain privileges : for example, they cannot invite other users, delete the plan, or add new members to the group/plan. They also receive fewer notifications : specifically , they do not receive task assignment emails (Planner does not send guests you've been assigned a task emails), although they can receive other notifications such as comments or plan updates. Guests access the plan via the web (they must use a link to the plan or the planner.microsoft.com URL with the invitation they received) and receive a welcome email when added to the group. Enabling guest users in Planner depends on global settings: if your Microsoft 365 admin disables guest access in groups , you won't be able to add guests to plans.

Global/IT Administrator: The Microsoft 365 or Planner administrator has an indirect role. As mentioned, they can control who is allowed to create groups (and consequently, new independent plans). In the context of an existing group plan, the admin may have set up the company groups to be used for Planner or enforced the use of already approved ones. Additionally, the admin can manage Privacy and Classification settings : when creating a plan (and therefore a group), there is a choice between public or private , which affects the group's visibility throughout the organization. In the case of an existing group, the plan inherits the same visibility level : if the group was public, the plan is visible to the entire organization (anyone can request to join); if it was private, only current members see it and new members require an invitation. The admin may have defined guidelines on these aspects or criteria for naming and expiring groups. In summary, the admin does not manually intervene in the creation of the plan, but sets the rules and permissions within which this operation takes place.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Example 1: Internal project with existing group

Context: The Contoso Marketing team already has a Microsoft 365 group called "Marketing Team" with members, a SharePoint site, and a shared mailbox.

Scenario: The manager decides to use Planner to manage the Q4 campaign. In Planner, they create a new plan called "Q4 Campaign," and under " Add to an existing group, " they find and select the Marketing Team group , then complete the creation.

Result: All members of the Marketing group (who already received emails and accessed the team's SharePoint site) are automatically added as collaborators on the Q4 Campaign plan . No new group or separate workspace is created: the plan lives within the Marketing Team resources . The files that the team attaches to Planner tasks (briefs, images, price lists) are saved in the Marketing Team SharePoint site's document library , perhaps neatly in a dedicated folder. This way, team members can find all project documents on the usual team site, along with other marketing materials, and Planner tasks enrich the existing ecosystem. Furthermore, they integrate the plan directly into the Marketing Team's Teams #General channel as a tab. As a result, members can see the project's chat, files, and Planner dashboard in a single interface (Teams), strengthening collaboration. This example shows how using an existing group preserves continuity : the team doesn't have to migrate to new spaces, and Microsoft 365 tools (SharePoint, Outlook, Teams) all remain consistent and referenced to the same group.

Example 2: Restricting group creation

Context: Company XYZ has decided, for IT governance reasons, to limit the creation of new groups to administrators only. Ordinary employees cannot freely create groups.

Scenario: A project manager at XYZ wants to use Planner for a new project. When he tries to create a plan, he realizes he must use an existing group (since he's blocked from creating a new group). So he chooses an existing Microsoft 365 group from the list (for example, "R&D Projects" ).

Result: Your plan is added to the R&D Projects group universe . All members of that group are notified and involved (even if some aren't interested, perhaps because the project only involved a portion of them). This scenario often occurs in structured corporate contexts: IT policy dictates that new initiatives use predefined groups. The advantage is that IT maintains control over the number of groups created and centralizes resource management. However, as we've seen, this can lead to the plan including "more" people than necessary, unless a dedicated group is created through IT. It's a trade-off between agility (having a new, tailored group) and control (limiting groups). In any case, Planner supports this situation well: associating the plan with an existing group is technically simple and quick.

Example 3: Adding Planner to an existing Team

Context: The Sales division uses a Microsoft Teams team called "Sales EMEA" for daily communications. This team naturally has a Microsoft 365 group behind the scenes.

Scenario: The manager wants to track monthly sales activities, so he creates a Monthly Sales Targets Planner plan , choosing to add it to the existing Sales EMEA group .

Result: The plan is immediately visible to all salespeople on the team. A Planner tab called "Monthly Sales Goals" is added to the EMEA Sales Team's General channel . Salespeople can now update the status of their tasks directly in Teams. Files attached to tasks (e.g., reports, quotes) are uploaded to the EMEA Sales Team's SharePoint site, which is already familiar to the group. With this integration, the Teams team becomes a true hub: chat, meetings, files , and tasks are unified. Adoption is immediate because there's no need to invite users individually: the plan already has all the right members. This example illustrates how Teams and Planner work seamlessly when they share the same Office 365 group foundation.

Immagine che contiene testo, software, Pagina Web, Sito Web

Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Removing the plan from Planner

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Click Planner in your Microsoft 365 dashboard

3. Select the plan you want to remove

4. Click on next to the plan name ⋯

5. Select Add to Favorites to remove it from the main view (optional)

6. To permanently delete it, open Outlook Web App

7. Go to Groups → select the group associated with the plan

8. Click Settings → Edit Group

9. Click on Delete group and confirm the operation

10. The plan and all associated resources will be permanently deleted

Checking group-connected apps

1. Open Outlook → Groups → select the deleted group

2. Verify that shared mail and calendar are no longer accessible

3. Go to SharePoint → check that the group site has been removed

4. Open OneNote → verify that the group notebook is no longer available

5. In Teams, check if the linked team has been removed

6. If the team is still visible, manually remove it from Team Management

7. Access the admin portal: https://admin.microsoft.com

8. Go to Microsoft 365 Groups → verify that the group is no longer present

9. Check Azure Active Directory for any remaining syncs

10. Verify that group files are no longer accessible from OneDrive

Roles involved and required authorizations

1. Only group owners can delete a group from Outlook or Admin Center.

2. IT administrators can force delete from Microsoft 365 Admin

3. Plan members cannot delete the group, only view it

4. Access the admin portal: https://admin.microsoft.com

5. Go to Active Users → check the roles assigned to users

6. Control group management permissions in Azure AD

7. In Outlook, only owners see the Delete Group option

8. In Teams, only owners can remove a linked team

9. Verify that the deletion complies with company policies

10. Document deletion for audit or backup purposes

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Closing a completed project and removing the associated group

The IT team has completed the Infrastructure Migration project and wants to delete the Planner plan and all related resources to avoid confusion and free up space.

🔹 Command : Outlook → Groups → Select group → Settings → Delete group
Explanation : This action removes the Planner plan and all associated apps (mail, files, calendar).

🔹 Command : SharePoint → Verify Group Site Removal
Explanation : Confirm that the project documents and pages are no longer accessible.

🔹 Command : Admin Center → Microsoft 365 Groups → Verify Deletion
Explanation : Ensures that the group has been removed at the administrative level as well.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Delete group	Outlook Web App → Groups → Settings → Delete group	Removes the group and all associated resources
Group Verification	Admin Center → Microsoft 365 Groups	Check the presence or deletion of the group
Remove linked team	Teams → Team Management → Remove Team	Delete the team associated with the group
SharePoint Site Check	SharePoint → Groups → Select Site	Verify the removal of the group site
Check OneNote Lock	OneNote → Shared Pads	Check for the presence of the group notebook
File control in OneDrive	OneDrive → Groups → Select group	Verify the removal of shared files
Check user roles	Admin Center → Active users	Check permissions for group management
Azure Sync Control	Azure AD → Groups → Select group	Check for any remaining synchronizations
Removing from Planner	Planner → → Remove from favorites	Hides the plan from personal view
Documentation deletion	Manual internal or IT ticket	Traceability for audit or backup

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Reduce digital clutter
Eliminate outdated groups and plans Greater clarity in project management Alignment between Planner, Outlook, Teams and SharePoint Fewer unnecessary notifications for team members Save time searching for active plans Better control of shared resources
Less content synced across mobile devices
Optimize storage space Comply with company retention policies

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Periodic cleaning of completed floors

Deleting inactive plans and groups helps keep the work environment tidy and focused.

Closure of temporary task forces

After completing an urgent task, removing the group avoids future confusion and overlap.

Security and Privacy Management
Removing unused groups reduces the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. How do I permanently delete a Planner plan?

2. What's the difference between removing a plan and deleting a Microsoft 365 Group?

3. Which apps are deleted along with the group?

4. Who can delete a Microsoft 365 Group?

5. How do I verify that the group has been removed from Outlook?

6. How is SharePoint involved in the deletion?

7. How do I remove a team linked to a group?

8. Where do I control user roles for group management?

9. What precautions should be taken before deleting a group?

10. In which business scenarios is this feature useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

9. Automatic emails to members upon plan creation

a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

When a plan is created in Microsoft Planner, a routine is triggered to automatically send notification emails to its users. Specifically, if the plan is added to an existing group , all members of that group receive an automatic email informing them that the new plan has been created and that they are part of it. This is usually a message generated by the group's email address (or by the Planner system) that says something like "You've been added to plan X" or "The plan has been created in the group ." This mechanism is intended to immediately inform the team of the existence of a new workspace for tasks.

Automatic emails when a plan is created are a subcategory of Planner notifications. In addition to this, Planner sends other emails in various cases (task assignments, due reminders, comments, etc.), but here we focus on the emails generated upon creation . Note that Microsoft has introduced differences in notifications with the new version of Planner ( Planner Premium ): for example, for the Premium and Portfolios plans , when you are added to a new plan, you (as the added user) receive a notification email, unless the group exceeds a certain size. In fact, if the group has more than 50 members, the addition email might not be sent to avoid mass spam . This limit (50) is mentioned in Microsoft documentation as the threshold beyond which the you have been added to the plan notification is automatically suppressed, precisely to prevent clogging up the inboxes of very large groups.

In summary: immediately after creating a plan , the affected members are notified via email without the need for manual intervention. The plan creator, if it includes other members, can also receive confirmation via email. If creating the plan involves creating a new group (scenario 10), the emails sent can also include welcome messages to the new group for users added at the same time.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Planner's automatic emails interact primarily with Outlook/Exchange , being email in their own right, but there are correlations with other services:

Outlook (Exchange Online): Notifications are emails generated by the Planner/Groups system and delivered to users' personal inboxes (or the group's inbox, as applicable). For example, if the group associated with the plan is an Outlook group, the notification could appear in the group's shared mailbox and be forwarded to members following the group. Users can manage these notifications like regular emails: read them, move them, set up mail rules or filters. On the server side, Exchange Online delivers the message. An Exchange administrator can even configure transport rules (mail flow rules) to intercept these emails and treat them specially (e.g., block them or route them elsewhere).

Teams (tasks) : Microsoft Teams itself doesn't generate notifications for plan creation. However, if the group is tied to Teams and users are more accustomed to Teams than email, they might notice the new plan when it's added as a tab in a channel. Teams provides notifications for Planner task assignments if the Planner app is installed, but not for the "plan created" event. Therefore, email remains the primary signal outside of Planner itself. Generally, with the Teams + Planner integration , members still receive notifications via Teams for tasks assigned to them (in the Teams activity feed) even if email is turned off, but the initial plan creation notification remains a traditional email.

Planner itself (web/mobile interface): In addition to emails, Planner displays in-app notifications (for example, a banner or indicator next to a new plan in the Planner hub might highlight new features). Additionally, mobile users with the Planner app with push notifications enabled might receive a push notification. notification (although, currently, push notifications are more about assigned tasks than plan creation).

Outlook Groups and Calendars: Creating a new plan in a group often causes the Outlook Groups tool to refresh . For example, if you open Outlook and look at the Groups section, you might see that the group has a new Plan associated with it. Some organizations may send a daily digest or update to groups, mentioning that a new Planner has been added. This depends on the groups' notification settings (groups can send updates on recent activity).

In short, the primary interaction is with the email system (Exchange/Outlook), because the notification is an email message. The end user will normally see it as an email and can, if necessary, open Planner by clicking on a link within the email. In fact, the notification typically contains the name of the plan as a direct link to the Planner web plan.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Several roles are affected or need to handle these automatic notifications:

All plan members (recipients): Email recipients are primarily members of the newly created plan (which, as seen, coincides with the group members, if there is a reference group). They don't have to do anything to receive it: they will receive it by default, as is the system. What they can do is decide how to handle it: each user can, for example, choose to unfollow the group in Outlook to avoid receiving group emails (but in that case they might also miss other important conversations). Or they can create a rule in their inbox to automatically archive these notifications, if they deem them superfluous. In Planner, there's a personal setting where each user can disable "Send an email when I'm added to a Premium plan" , which affects these notifications individually. Therefore, the main user control is the individual Planner notification settings . It should be noted that for standard "basic" plans, the "added to plan" notification option may not be available, as it is reserved for Premium plans.

Plan Creator: The person who creates the plan is usually also a member (often the group owner). This user doesn't receive a "you added yourself" email, but they may receive confirmations or see notifications addressed to others. For example, if they create the plan and immediately assign tasks, they'll receive assignment notifications as normal. As the group owner, they may want to inform members in advance to avoid being caught off guard by the email: it's a good practice to tell the team, "I'm creating a new Planner for project X, you'll be notified shortly."

Administrator/IT: Currently, administrators do not have a toggle in the Planner Admin Center to globally disable plan creation emails . This means that the feature is enabled for the entire organization by default . An admin concerned about these notifications being sent to large groups can take indirect action: as mentioned, at the Exchange Online level , a mail flow rule ( transport rule) can be created that intercepts messages with certain characteristics (e.g., a subject containing " added You can also send emails to the plan (or sender = Planner) and block or redistribute them. But this is an advanced action that requires Exchange expertise and has widespread impact. A tenant administrator can also tell users how to manage their settings or provide scripts (PowerShell) to disable account-level notifications, but there's no simple centralized setting . Furthermore, the admin could specify that, for groups larger than a certain size, Planner should be avoided in this way, so as not to generate notifications to too many recipients. Even in this case, however, Microsoft itself avoids sending the email if there are more than 50 members, so the system helps prevent overuse.

External guests: As noted above, guests don't receive task assignment emails , but they do receive the welcome email when they're added to a group. In the case of a plan, if the guest was already in the existing group, they likely won't receive anything new (perhaps a notification if comments are made). If the guest is added to the group at the same time as the plan is created, they'll receive the group invitation email from Microsoft (which is separate, not specific to the plan). Planner itself doesn't distinguish guests by the initial plan email, but as mentioned, it may not send certain emails to guests. In practice, therefore, guests often don't receive the "you've been added to the plan" email , especially if they don't have an internal mailbox, and will discover the plan via the group invitation email and will have to click the Planner link manually.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Example 1: Notifying members of a small team

Context: Anna creates a Product Launch plan linked to the Marketing Italia group , which has 10 members.

What happens: Within seconds, each of the 10 members receives an email in their company inbox with a subject line like You ve been added to the Product Launch plan . The message informs them that they are now part of the plan in Planner.

Reaction: Some colleagues, seeing the email, click on the link and immediately log into Planner out of curiosity; others simply take note. Anna, the creator, had notified everyone in chat that she would be creating the plan, so the email didn't catch them by surprise. This ensures that no one is unaware of the new tool's existence: even those who don't open Planner often are notified via Outlook, reducing the risk of the initiative going unnoticed. For a team of 10, email traffic is negligible, and this feature is useful for quick onboarding to the new plan.

Example 2: Large Group Notification (Impact and Management)

Context: The company has a "Company Wide" group with 200 members, used for general announcements. A user accidentally created a Planner associated with this huge group (perhaps a test run).

What happens: Planner, in accordance with its rules, doesn't send 200 emails to everyone (once the threshold of 50 members has been exceeded, individual notifications are suppressed). However, a generic message may appear in the Outlook group , or those who follow the group may still receive an update. In any case, the system automatically prevents potential spam.

Reaction and resolution: The IT administrator is alerted because a plan created in the general group was unwanted. The plan is deleted and the user is educated on best practices. This (not ideal) example illustrates why Microsoft has an automatic block beyond 50 members: sending hundreds of emails could cause confusion or flood the corporate network. In such cases, IT might also choose to create rules to block any such notifications: for example, set up a rule in Exchange that intercepts emails containing " added you to a plan and not deliver them. This would potentially prevent groups with fewer than 50 members from receiving those emails. However, it's a drastic solution in this specific case, the integrated protection was enough.

Example 3: Handling notifications by a user

Context: Marco is part of many Planner plans and is tired of receiving emails for everything (including creating new plans).

Action: Marco opens the Planner Web app , goes to Settings > Notifications , and unchecks options like Email me when someone adds me to a plan (Premium) and the like. Also, to be safe, he creates a rule in Outlook that moves any emails from Planner @microsoft.com or containing added you to a plan to the Archive folder .

Result: From now on, when they're added to a new plan, they'll no longer receive the inbox notification , or it'll be immediately archived. They'll still see the plans in their Planner app. This example highlights how users themselves can customize how they receive these notifications, especially if they receive a lot of them. In a mature business context, IT could provide a short guide on how each user can manage their Planner notifications to avoid email traffic complaints.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how automatic emails are sent to plan members when they are created in Microsoft Planner. Users will learn to recognize system-generated notifications, the roles involved, and interactions with Outlook and Microsoft 365 Groups. The steps for creating a plan, adding members, and verifying email delivery will be illustrated. The exercise includes real-world business scenarios, key commands, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. Users will be able to effectively manage initial communication with plan members, improving transparency and collaboration from the very beginning of the project.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Creating the plan and activating notifications

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Click Planner in your Microsoft 365 dashboard

3. Select New Plan

4. Enter the name of the plan (e.g. Training Project )

5. Choose your plan privacy: Public or Private

6. Click on Create Plan to confirm

7. Wait for the plan and associated group to be automatically created

8. Verify that the group is visible in Outlook → Groups section

9. Open the plan and click on → Members to add users

10. Make sure each member receives an automatic welcome email.

Checking Automatic Emails in Outlook

1. Open Outlook Web App or desktop client

2. Go to the added member's inbox

3. Look for the email subject: You have been added to the [plan name] plan

4. Open the email to view the welcome message

5. Check for a direct link to the Planner plan

6. Check that the email is from the Microsoft 365 group

7. spam folder .

8. Access the group in Outlook → click Conversations to see the messages

9. Verify that subsequent messages from the plan also arrive correctly

10. If you encounter any problems, please contact your IT administrator to check your settings.

Roles involved and notification management

1. Only plan owners can add members and enable notifications

2. Members automatically receive emails upon addition

3. IT administrators can manage global notification settings

4. Access the admin portal: https://admin.microsoft.com

5. Go to Groups → Microsoft 365 → select the group

6. Make sure notifications are enabled for the group

7. In Outlook, click Group → Settings → Email Subscription

8. Each member can choose whether to receive all conversations in the group

9. In Planner, click → Settings → Notifications to enable/disable

10. Document settings to ensure consistency in future projects

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Launching a plan to manage onboarding activities

The HR team creates a Planner to manage new hire onboarding activities. When a Planner is created and members are added, each participant automatically receives an email with a link to the Planner.

a) Command : Planner → New Plan → Create Plan → Add Members
Explanation : Each member receives an automatic email with direct access to the plan.

b) Command : Outlook → Inbox → Check Welcome Email
Explanation : The email confirms the addition to the plan and provides operational context.

c) Command : Admin Center → Groups → select group → check notifications
Explanation : The administrator can control whether notifications are enabled for all members.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Create new plan	Planner → New Plan	Start a plan and generate Microsoft 365 group
Add members	Planner → → Members	Add users to the plan and group
Automatic email verification	Outlook → Inbox	Check for your welcome email
Group notification management	Outlook → Group → Settings → Email Subscription	Enable/disable receiving group messages
Planner Notification Settings	Planner → → Settings → Notifications	Manages notifications for activities and updates
Group Verification in Admin Center	Admin Center → Microsoft 365 Groups	Check group configuration and notifications
User Role Control	Admin Center → Active users	Check permissions for notification management
Access to group conversations	Outlook → Groups → Conversations	View shared group messages
Spam Control	Outlook → Spam Folder	Check if the email has been filtered
IT Support	Ticket or direct contact	Fix notification issues

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Immediate communication with plan members
Automatic notification without manual intervention Direct access to the plan via email Integration with Outlook and Microsoft 365 Groups Greater involvement from the beginning of the project Time savings in distributing information Tracking of initial communications Mobile access to notifications and the plan
Better coordination between teams and managers
Reduction of errors in the start-up phase

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Initiating cross-functional projects

Automated email ensures all members are informed and ready to collaborate right away.

Management of recurring plans (e.g. audits, maintenance)

Whenever a new plan is created, members receive notifications without the need for manual communication.

Support for the onboarding of new employees

New hires automatically receive access to the plan with tasks, deadlines, and useful documents.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. What happens when you create a new plan in Planner?

2. What emails do members added to a plan receive?

3. Where does automatic email delivery occur?

4. How do I turn notifications on or off in Planner?

5. Which roles can manage group notifications?

6. How do I access group conversations in Outlook?

7. What to do if the email doesn't arrive in your inbox?

8. Which Microsoft 365 apps interact with Planner in this context?

9. How do I check if notifications are turned on in the group?

10. In which business scenarios is this feature useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You learned that when you create a plan in Microsoft Planner, added members automatically receive a welcome email via the Microsoft 365 Group. You followed the steps to create a plan, add members, and check notifications in Outlook. You understood the roles involved, the key commands, and the settings to control to ensure effective communication. Practical scenarios showed you how to apply this feature in real-world business settings. The productivity benefits highlight the importance of timely and automated communication. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills.

10. Automatically create a SharePoint site

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

A key feature of Microsoft Planner is its integration into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. When you create a new plan without linking it to an existing group, the system automatically creates a new Microsoft 365 group for that plan. Creating a Microsoft 365 group generates several shared resources, including a group email address, a calendar, a OneNote notebook , and most importantly, a SharePoint site (team site) . Therefore, each new standalone plan automatically creates a SharePoint site with the same name as the plan (or group). This SharePoint site is a collaboration site associated with the group, designed to contain the files and documents of the team working on that plan.

To clarify: Planner itself doesn't "display" the SharePoint site, but as soon as you create the plan (and therefore the group), you can find the site by going to the SharePoint app or your team sites list. For example, if your plan is called "Project Alpha" and you've chosen not to add it to an existing group, Planner will create a Microsoft 365 group called Project Alpha . A SharePoint site will immediately be provisioned at an address like https://<tenant>.sharepoint.com/ sites / ProjectAlpha . Creation is automatic and usually immediate , although it can sometimes take a few minutes for all the resources (e.g., the document library) to be ready for use.

This SharePoint site is a classic (modern) team site connected to the group: it initially contains an empty Document Library, a Home page, and can be customized like any SharePoint site. The idea is that the team using Planner automatically has a place to store task-related files . In fact, when you attach files in Planner by uploading them from your PC, those files are saved in the document library of the SharePoint site associated with the plan . Planner notifies you if the library is being set up: for example, when you first create a new plan, immediately attempting to attach a file might see a message saying "We're preparing the document library, please try again shortly" a sign that SharePoint is finalizing the setup. After a few moments, you can attach files, and they will be added to the site.

In short, the automatic creation of the SharePoint site is a direct consequence of creating a new M365 group for the plan. It requires no manual intervention: the user doesn't have to go to SharePoint to create anything; everything happens in the background. This is an important integration because it provides the plan with a centralized content repository, without having to configure it separately.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The SharePoint site automatically created for a new plan serves as a connection point to various services:

Microsoft Planner (task files): As already noted, the site's document library is closely linked to Planner for attachment management. Whenever you attach a file to the plan by uploading it from your computer, it is stored in the plan's SharePoint Document Library. Planner also creates a dedicated folder (often called "Planner Attachments" or the name of the plan) to store these files, for better organization. If you attach a file from SharePoint, Planner lets you navigate directly to the associated site's library. This means all the plan's files reside on SharePoint , benefiting from SharePoint's versioning, co-authoring, and permission management. Furthermore, if someone visits the SharePoint site, they will see those files and be able to open them without going through Planner.

SharePoint (user experience): The SharePoint experience is fully available for the new site. This means that the team can, in addition to using Planner, leverage the site for other needs: creating SharePoint lists for structured data, adding content pages , using the home page to communicate updates, etc. Additionally, a Planner web part is available on SharePoint: if desired, the team could insert a box visually displaying the plan's activities into a site page . This strengthens integration: for example, a project homepage could include both key documents and the Planner board at a glance.

Microsoft Teams: If the newly created group decides to use Microsoft Teams in the future, you can "associate" a Team with the existing group (via the option to create a Team from an existing Microsoft 365 Group). This will automatically make the SharePoint site generated with the plan the Team's Files site . Essentially, the plan you create produces a group+site ; if that organization adopts Teams, they may find themselves using that site via the Files tab in Teams. They can also add the plan as a Planner tab in Teams. This demonstrates the unified ecosystem: Planner, SharePoint, and Teams work together through the common group. Even without Teams, the site still appears in the SharePoint list and can be shared or navigated independently.

OneDrive and Office Online: The plan's SharePoint site also appears in the "SharePoint" or " Shared Libraries" section of OneDrive for Business for plan members. This means a user can access the plan's files by opening OneDrive and finding the plan's site in their list of followed sites. Furthermore, when they open or edit a file attached in Planner, they're actually editing it with Office Online directly from the SharePoint site . For example, if a Word document is attached to a task and the user clicks on it, Word Online will open from the group site, enabling real-time co-authoring. This is possible because the file resides on SharePoint and not in a Planner-owned repository.

Outlook (groups): The new SharePoint site is part of the Microsoft 365 group, which also appears as a group in Outlook. Outlook doesn't interact directly with the site other than offering the group's "File" link, which takes you to the SharePoint document library. So, from Outlook (Groups section), a user can click "File" and be redirected to the team site in SharePoint. This is a simple but useful interaction: members don't have to manually search for the site URL; they can find it through Outlook or Planner (the "... > File" button in Planner takes them to the site).

Power Platform: Having a dedicated SharePoint site opens doors for potential automation with Power Automate or PowerApps. For example, you could create a flow that, when a page is added to the site or a file uploaded, creates a corresponding Planner task (or vice versa) using SharePoint as the trigger and Planner as the action, a sign of cross-service integration.

Ultimately, the automatically created SharePoint site isn't a standalone site : it's a living part of the Microsoft 365 environment, integrated with Planner for files, Teams for real-time collaboration, Outlook for links, and other services (OneNote for notes hosted on the site, etc.). This adds value to Planner's simple task list, providing a place to document and share broader task-related information.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Creating a SharePoint site involves considering who will be able to access it and with what privileges:

Plan (and group) owners: The creator of the new plan typically becomes the owner of the M365 group they created and therefore the administrator of the SharePoint site . Typically, the person creating the plan is set as the group owner , meaning they will have site owner privileges (full control) in SharePoint. If additional co-owners (such as co-organizers) are added during plan creation, they will also be site owners. Site owners can configure the site: manage permissions, create new lists or pages, change the site structure, or delete it if necessary (by deleting the group/plan). Since the site is linked to the plan, deleting the group/plan will also delete the site and all its content, although there is a 30-day recovery period for the group/site if it is accidentally deleted.

Plan members (group members): All members of the new plan are added as group members and will therefore automatically have member permissions on the SharePoint site . This means they can contribute to the site: upload and edit files, add items to lists, etc. Site members (non-owners) can read and edit content by default, but cannot change the site's configuration or manage permissions. In practice, plan members will use the site when they attach files in Planner or manually browse SharePoint to find project materials. If the group/plan is set to private , only these people ( owners and members) will be able to access the site; if the group/plan is public , however, others in the organization will also be able to see the site (see next point). One detail: internal members can also access the site directly via URL or from the SharePoint site list without going through Planner it often happens in companies that someone saves the link to the site in SharePoint to view all project files at a glance.

Visitors (internal, non-members): The term visitor in SharePoint refers to users with read-only access to the site. For team sites connected to Microsoft 365 groups, there is no populated Visitors group by default unless the site is public. If the plan/group is public , SharePoint often automatically grants Everyone except external users (i.e., all business users) read access to the site these are essentially visitors . In this case, even an employee who is not a member of the plan can browse the site and view documents (but cannot edit them or view/add tasks in Planner, because they must be a member for Planner). If the plan is private, however, no internal visitors will have access unless an owner explicitly grants read-only permissions to someone. In practice, in organizations, public means that the generated site is open for viewing by anyone in the company who knows the URL; private means access is restricted to members only. Site owners can still manually add people to the "visitors" list if they want to give someone else read-only access (for example, an executive who wants to monitor progress without being an active member). External visitors don't exist: an external visitor is either added as a guest (see below) or doesn't see anything.

Guest users: If external users are added to the group/plan as guests during plan creation (or later) , SharePoint will treat them as site guests with limited permissions similar to members (but subject to guest restrictions). In SharePoint, guests can only access the specific resources they're invited to, which in this case is the entire site if they're members of the group. They can upload and edit files, but for example, they can't open the site via a mobile app if it doesn't support them, and all their activity is labeled "guest." Guest site access requires that the tenant administrator has enabled external access for SharePoint and groups. As mentioned, guests receive an invitation and must authenticate with an account (Azure AD B2B or Microsoft Account) to access the site. Once inside, the site functions almost normally for them, except for a few limitations (for example, as guests, they can't see internal users' address books from the site, they can't create new subsites, etc.). In corporate settings, providing a site via Planner to guests is convenient because that guest automatically has a place to find updated files without having to exchange emails.

SharePoint Administrator / Global Admin: From an IT perspective, a SharePoint admin has visibility and control over all created sites, including those generated by Planner. They can enforce governance policies (for example, group expirations: a group inactive for X days may be automatically deleted unless the owners renew it this would also impact the site and the plan). They can also intervene if an automatically created site needs to be renamed or moved. However, on a day-to-day basis, the admin doesn't intervene on every plan site created; rather, they ensure that general settings (such as external sharing, available site templates, and data classification) are compliant. A global admin also has the power to delete or restore groups and sites as needed, and could, for example, recover files from the site if the team accidentally deletes them.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Example 1: Using the generated site for project documents

Context: The Human Resources department creates a new Onboarding 2025 plan to manage new hire onboarding activities, without associating it with existing groups.

What happens: Planner creates an M365 Onboarding 2025 group and a related SharePoint site.

Application: The HR team begins using the plan to track activities (e.g., Create network accounts, Deliver laptops, Conduct safety training for each new hire). For each activity, they attach PDF forms, guides, and documents required for onboarding. Thanks to the integration, each uploaded file (e.g., the Welcome Checklist ) is automatically saved to the Onboarding 2025 site , perhaps in a folder called Planner Attachments . After a few weeks, the SharePoint site contains a well-organized library of all documents related to new hires in 2025. This gives the HR team a centralized history : regardless of individual Planner activities, the files remain on the site, easily accessible even the following year. They can also create a wiki page on the site with the onboarding procedures, knowing that all plan members (i.e., the HR involved) have access to it. In this example, automatic site creation saved the department from having to ask IT for a new site for the project: it all happened self-service with the plan creation, accelerating the initiative's launch.

Example 2: Cross-functional collaboration via the plan site

Context: A cross-functional project team (IT, Marketing, and Sales) creates a "New Web Portal Launch" plan to synchronize activities. There wasn't a pre-existing group with all these members, so Planner created the group and the ad hoc website.

Execution: In addition to managing tasks in Planner, the team uses the generated SharePoint site as a project repository. The Marketing department uploads the graphic and text materials for the portal to the site; IT uploads the test plans and technical documentation. They also use a SharePoint list on the site to track requirements (an additional use beyond the plan).

Cross- collaboration : Since the group is set to private , only invited members (of the three functions) can access the site. A non-member manager, wanting to monitor, requested read-only access and was added as a Visitor on the site (but not in Planner, so he wouldn't receive all the tasks) now he can visit the home page and site files to see progress. Thanks to the new automatic site, the team has a true project workspace : tasks in Planner and materials in SharePoint, all synchronized and with the same permission lists. When the project ends, IT can archive the site as a historical record and the Planner plan can be closed.

Example 3: Public group and site access

Context: A task force creates an Ideas for Corporate Welfare plan open to anyone in the company who wants to contribute, then marks it as public during its creation.

Consequences: The generated M365 group is public, as is the SharePoint site.

Use case: Some employees aren't active members of the task force, but are curious and visit the plan's SharePoint site (which they discover through internal search). Since the site is public within the company, they can open it as read-only visitors : they can browse uploaded documents (e.g., proposed new benefits) and read updates. If they want to participate more actively, they can join the group/plan (since it's public, they can independently click "Join" in the Outlook group or in Teams). This example illustrates how a Planner-generated site can also serve as an internal information showcase when the plan is public: SharePoint offers a familiar interface for reading documents or statuses, without requiring everyone to be an explicit Planner member. Naturally, only those who become members will be able to interact with the activities. Automatic site creation has also enabled greater corporate transparency in the case of open initiatives, since the content (if public) is widely accessible.

In all these examples, it's clear how the tight integration between Planner and SharePoint (via Microsoft 365 Groups) increases the tools' effectiveness: teams get not just a to-do list , but an entire ready-to-use collaborative environment , where tasks and documents go hand in hand. This eliminates the need to manually set up separate sharing spaces and saves time, while also ensuring that document management practices (versioning, permissions, archiving) are respected because all files reside in SharePoint, under company policies.

11. Integrating Planner into SharePoint

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Planner's integration with SharePoint allows you to create and view a Planner plan directly within a SharePoint site . Specifically, team sites connected to a Microsoft 365 group have the ability to add a new Planner plan or connect an existing one to the site. From the SharePoint site home page, a user can click "New" > "Plan" to create a new work plan shared with the team (or choose an existing plan already associated with the same group). The plan appears on the site with a dedicated navigation link and an interactive Kanban board where all team tasks can be organized into columns (buckets), moved via drag and drop, and updated in real time. Essentially, the SharePoint site also becomes the interface for task management: team members can add new tasks, assign people responsible, set deadlines, and monitor progress directly from the SharePoint page , without having to open the Planner app separately.

In addition to the dashboard, the integration includes visual components: you can add a Planner web part to your SharePoint site that displays plan status panels or progress charts directly on a SharePoint page. For example, a project manager can embed a pie chart summarizing the plan's completed/pending tasks on a site page, providing immediate visibility into project progress, even to authorized visitors. From SharePoint, with a simple click, you can open the complete plan in the Planner web app to access additional features (such as the Calendar/ Gantt view called "Schedule," which isn't visible on the site).

In short, this feature allows you to integrate Planner's operational task management into the SharePoint environment your team already uses for documents, news, and collaboration. Everything you need to plan and track your work is available in one centralized location.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The Planner-SharePoint integration is based on Microsoft 365 groups , which enables a variety of cross-platform interactions with other applications in the suite. When you create a plan from SharePoint, you're actually creating a plan associated with the Microsoft 365 group tied to that site . This means that the same plan is also accessible from other Planner endpoints , such as the Planner web app (planner.microsoft.com) or mobile app, and can be added as a tab in Microsoft Teams if the group has an associated Teams team.

. In practice, SharePoint, Teams, and Planner share the same plans and membership , each offering a different window into the same data.

Some key interactions:

Files and Documents : If you attach files to plan tasks, they are stored in the document library of the connected SharePoint site (typically in the Planner Attachments folder or similar on the team site), avoiding duplication and taking advantage of SharePoint document management.

Outlook and Calendar : Each Planner plan includes a calendar feed ( iCalendar format ) that can be subscribed to in Outlook. This allows, as a best practice, to display Planner task due dates on the Outlook calendar for a consolidated view of your timelines.

Teams : As mentioned, the same plan integrated into SharePoint can also be viewed in Microsoft Teams. For example, you can add the same Planner plan as a tab in a Teams channel, so the team can update tasks both from the intranet site and from their Teams interface. Updating a task from SharePoint or Teams has the same effect (thanks to the group's shared backend ).

Power Automate (Flow) : Planner integrates with Power Automate to create automated workflows. In a SharePoint context, you could set up a flow that, for example, automatically creates a Planner task when a new item is added to a SharePoint list (or vice versa). This is an advanced interaction that leverages Microsoft 365 connectivity to allow Planner to communicate with SharePoint lists, Outlook, Forms, and more, increasing the degree of process automation.

Microsoft Project : For more complex projects, Planner data can be brought into Project (Microsoft's PPM tool). There's no automatic synchronization out-of-the-box, but Microsoft 365 offers coexistence: Planner for agile/operational management and Project (online or desktop) for advanced planning. Planner tasks (especially with the arrival of Planner Premium) can be elevated to actual project schedules if necessary. In any case, Planner remains the immediate tool integrated into the ecosystem: lightweight, web- based , and connected to Teams and SharePoint .

In short, the SharePoint integration is part of a larger picture in which Planner tasks don't "live in isolation" : they also appear within Teams and Outlook (via To Do, as we'll see), and benefit from SharePoint's document management and the ability to automate and report via Microsoft 365 tools.

c) ROLES INVOLVED AND ACCESS PERMISSIONS

Using Planner integrated into SharePoint involves several roles, each with specific responsibilities and permissions. Note that since Planner is based on Microsoft 365 groups, the "Owner" and "Member" roles for the plan correspond to the owners and members of the Microsoft 365 group (and therefore the associated SharePoint site and Teams team). Below is an overview of the main roles and their involvement:

Role	Permissions and actions in the Planner-SharePoint integration
Administrator (IT)	Enable/manage access to Planner at the tenant level (Planner is enabled by default for all users with a Microsoft 365 license). guest policies : Adding guests to groups (and therefore plans) depends on the Guest access setting in Microsoft 365 groups. Can also allow or disallow guests from adding attachments to tasks (configurable at the tenant level). Manage feature releases : For example, the Planner integration on SharePoint might appear first in the Targeted Release section for tenants . The admin can decide whether to enable the Targeted Release to allow early testing of new integrations.
Site/Group Owner	Corresponds to the owner of the Microsoft 365 group associated with the site (e.g., the team manager). They have full power over the plan: they can create a new plan from the site or connect an existing one, rename/delete the plan, and manage its members. Member Management : When you add or remove users from your site as group members, they are automatically added or removed from the connected Planner plan. (Note: Adding a user only as a Site Visitor does not add them to the M365 group and therefore does not give them access to the plan.) Can add external guests to the group/plan (if the organization allows it). Can also promote other members to co-owners of the plan (which also makes them group and site owners).
Site/Group Member (Internal)	They are a standard team member (within the organization). They have full access to the integrated plan's activities : they can create new tasks and buckets, assign tasks to themselves or other members, edit descriptions, attach files, and mark tasks completed. In practice, they collaborate freely as a planner on the SharePoint site (or in Planner/Teams) just like other members. Visibility : See the plan link in the SharePoint site menu and can open embedded Planner pages/ platforms on the site. You can also open the plan in the full Planner app for additional functionality.
Guest User (External Guest)	This is a user external to the organization invited as a guest to the M365 group (and therefore included in the site's members). They can view and interact with the plan almost as well as an internal member : they can create and delete tasks and buckets, edit task fields, mark completions, comment, etc. Restrictions : A guest cannot add other members or guests to the plan (or group). They cannot delete the entire plan or change plan settings if it is private (only internal owners can do this). They can only attach files to tasks if the administrator has allowed it in the group settings (for security reasons). Additionally, guests do not receive assignment reminder emails from Planner (some automatic email notifications are not supported for external users).
Site visitor (internal or external non-member)	A SharePoint visitor (a user with read-only access to the site, but not a member of the M365 group ) does not have access to the Planner plan . The plan only inherits permissions from group members/guests. Therefore, a visitor may see the Planner web part on the site but not the plan details; they will be required to obtain permissions (become a member), or the web part will be blank/not visible. Best practice: If you want to grant view-only access to a plan to additional internal users, treat them as members (possibly without assigning them tasks) rather than attempting to expose the plan to non-member visitors.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Project management on a team website : A project team creates a SharePoint site to centralize documents, calendars, and tasks. Using the integration, they add a Project X Planner plan directly to the site. All team members log in to the site and see the Kanban board with tasks organized by phase (bucket) for example , To Do , In Progress , Completed . The project manager has also added a Planner web part to the home page that displays a summary chart (e.g., how many tasks are late, in progress, or completed). Members can move task cards around as they progress, add comments and attachments (saved in the project's SharePoint library), all without leaving the site environment. During project meetings, they project the site onto a screen, and everyone immediately sees the updated status of their work on the chart and board.

Coordinating cross-functional teams : A marketing department uses SharePoint as a team intranet. For their next campaign, they're creating a "Campaign Q4" Planner integrated into the dedicated section of the website. Inherited permissions ensure that those who already have access to the website (e.g., designers, copywriters, external PR people added as guests) can immediately view and edit campaign tasks. An external member with a guest role, such as the PR agency, logs in to the website and updates their assigned tasks (e.g., "Write press release"), marking them as complete when finished. The guest can also interact: the Planner web part on the website allows them to update progress, and everyone sees changes in real time. This scenario illustrates how Planner+SharePoint facilitates cross-organization collaboration while maintaining access control.

Operational dashboard on the intranet : The General Services department has a corporate SharePoint site where it publishes reports and KPIs. By integrating a Planner plan called "Weekly Activities," used to track recurring activities (e.g., safety inspections, maintenance, supplies), it creates a sort of dashboard . Sub-area managers (cleaning, security, IT) update the tasks in the plan (created on the site) daily. Managers, even those with read-only access to the site, cannot directly see the plan (because they are not members), but the coordinator the site owner regularly exports or presents the Planner graphs on a page visible to everyone, showing the number of completed vs. pending tasks. In this way, Planner information feeds internal communications on SharePoint, while keeping the plan itself private to the employees involved.

e) BEST PRACTICES FOR PLANNER-SHAREPOINT INTEGRATION

Use existing groups for plans , avoiding fragmentation: Whenever possible, add new Planner plans to existing team sites instead of creating them out of context . Creating a plan from the SharePoint site reuses the team's Microsoft 365 group, avoiding creating a new, isolated group. This keeps files, conversations, and tasks centralized in a single, secure, and collaborative space. For example, if your team already has a site (and perhaps a Teams team) for Project Alpha, add the "Project Alpha Tasks" plan there instead of creating a separate, unrelated plan.

Organize tasks into buckets (columns) : On SharePoint, the Planner dashboard will be more readable if tasks are divided into meaningful buckets . Divide tasks by work phase, category, or priority by creating ad hoc columns (e.g., Ideas , In Development , Testing ). This helps the team better visualize the workflow and, on a SharePoint page, makes the status of work immediately understandable without having to filter or search extensively. A long list of dozens of tasks in a single "General" bucket would be less manageable; it's better to create 3-5 buckets to logically group tasks.

Populate key fields (Assignee and Due Date) : For each task in Planner, it's a good idea to always indicate a responsible party ("Assigned to") and a due date , when applicable. Tasks without an assignee or deadline tend to get forgotten. Furthermore, on the SharePoint site, having clear assignees helps you understand who's on top of what, and due dates help highlight delays (Planner can display due tasks in red). This practice also improves integration with To Do (only assigned tasks appear in To Do, see section 3) and with My Day in Teams/Outlook.

Leverage charts and calendar view : The Planner web part in SharePoint currently supports Board and Chart views . Use charts to highlight key metrics (such as how many tasks are completed versus how many are total, broken down by bucket or person). To view tasks on a calendar or timeline instead, open the plan in the full Planner app (via the website link), where Schedule View is available . Best practice: Share the plan's iCalendar link with your team so everyone can overlay Planner task due dates on their Outlook calendars.

Managing external users (guests) : If you need to collaborate with external partners via Planner on SharePoint, properly configure guest access . Make sure your IT admin has enabled guest access for M365 groups and, if possible, allow guests to add attachments (the Azure AD setting for groups) if they'll be sharing documents in tasks. Add external users as guests to the group via the site (or Outlook) this will give them full access to the plan rather than just sharing the site with read access. Remember to train them on how to access it: a guest will need to log in via Planner web at your tenant's dedicated URL or via the direct link to the plan.

Align site and plan permissions : Avoid discrepancies between site and plan viewers. All site members should be plan members which happens automatically if you add them to the group correctly. If you need to give visibility to certain site content to multiple people but don't want to give too many people access to tasks, consider separating the two (e.g., a SharePoint page with public reports separate from the private operational plan). Don't assume a site "Visitor" can consult the Planner; if necessary, provide static views or exported reports for them.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how, when a plan is created in Microsoft Planner , a SharePoint site is automatically generated and linked to the associated Microsoft 365 group. The user will learn how to identify the site, access it, and use it for document management and collaboration. The roles involved, interactions with Outlook, Teams, and OneNote, and the controls for accessing and customizing the site will be illustrated. The exercise includes real-world business scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to provide the skills to use SharePoint as a natural extension of Planner, improving content organization and sharing.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Creating the plan and generating the SharePoint site

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Click Planner in your Microsoft 365 dashboard

3. Select New Plan

4. Enter the name of the plan (e.g. Innovation Project )

5. Choose your plan privacy: Public or Private

6. Click on Create Plan to confirm

7. Wait for the Microsoft 365 group to be created automatically

8. The group automatically generates a linked SharePoint site

9. Open Outlook → Groups section → click on the created group

10. Click on Site to go directly to the SharePoint site

Exploring and using your SharePoint site

1. Once you open the site, explore the team's home page

2. Click on Documents to access the file collection

3. Upload a file by clicking Upload → File or Folder

4. Create a new folder to organize your documents

5. Click New → Word Document to create files online

6. Share a file by clicking → Share

7. Add a page by clicking New → Page

8. Customize your page with sections, images, and links

9. Add members to the site via Settings → Permissions

10. Make sure your files are also accessible from Teams and Planner

Roles involved and site management

1. Plan owners are also SharePoint site owners

2. Plan members have read/write access to content

3. IT administrators can manage advanced permissions

4. Access the admin portal: https://admin.microsoft.com

5. Go to Groups → Microsoft 365 → select the group

6. Click on Site to go directly to the SharePoint site

7. In SharePoint, click Settings → Site Content

8. Manage permissions from Settings → Site Permissions

9. Check synchronization with OneDrive and Teams

10. Document the use of the site for plan management

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Creating a project document management plan

The legal team creates a Planner to coordinate the contract review. When the plan is created, a SharePoint site is automatically generated for uploading drafts, approved versions, and shared notes.

a) Command : Planner → New Plan → Create Plan → Outlook → Groups → Site
Explanation : The SharePoint site is created automatically and becomes the project's document repository.

b) Command : SharePoint → Documents → Upload File
Explanation : Plan members can upload and edit documents in real time.

c) Command : SharePoint → New → Page
Explanation : The team can create informational pages for updates, deadlines, and policies.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Create new plan	Planner → New Plan	Start a plan and generate Microsoft 365 group
Access the SharePoint site	Outlook → Groups → Click on Site	Opens the SharePoint site connected to the plan
Upload file	SharePoint → Documents → Upload	Add documents to the site collection
Create new page	SharePoint → New → Page	Create personalized informative content
Permissions Management	SharePoint → Settings → Site Permissions	Defines site access permissions
Add members to the plan	Planner → → Members	Sync members with SharePoint site
Group Verification	Admin Center → Microsoft 365 Groups	Check your group and site configuration
Synchronization with Teams	Teams → Files → SharePoint	Accessing site files from Teams
Online document creation	SharePoint → New → Word Document	Collaborative content editing
File sharing	SharePoint → → Share	Sending direct links to documents

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Centralized document archive
Instant access to plan files Real-time collaboration on documents Integration with Teams, Outlook and OneDrive Automatic notifications for file changes Reduced content search times Greater transparency in project management Mobile access to files and site pages Structured content organization Support for document governance

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Management of projects with high document production

SharePoint site allows you to store, share, and collaborate on files in an organized and secure way.

Support for legal, compliance, or audit teams

Sensitive documents can be managed in a controlled environment, with customized permissions.

Creation of internal knowledge bases

The site pages can be used to collect guidelines, procedures, and training materials.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. What is automatically created with a Planner plan?

2. Where do I access the SharePoint site connected to my plan?

3. How do I upload a file to my site's document library?

4. Which roles have access to the SharePoint site?

5. How do you customize a website page?

6. How does the SharePoint site integrate with Teams?

7. Where are site permissions managed?

8. How do I sync between Planner and SharePoint?

9. What are the benefits of a SharePoint project management site?

10. In which business scenarios is this feature useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You learned that when you create a plan in Microsoft Planner, a SharePoint site linked to the Microsoft 365 group is automatically generated. You followed the steps to access the site, upload files, create pages, and manage permissions. You understood the roles involved, key commands, and interactions with Teams, Outlook, and OneDrive. Practical scenarios showed you how to apply this feature in real-world business contexts. The productivity benefits highlight the importance of a centralized, collaborative document repository. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate the skills you've acquired and test their applicability.

12. Integrating Planner (Tasks) and To Do into Microsoft Teams

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Microsoft Teams integrates Planner through the Tasks app (known in English as Tasks by Planner and To Do , recently renamed simply Planner within Teams). This application, available in the Teams navigation pane, brings together all of the user's personal and shared tasks across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem . Essentially, within Teams, the user finds a tasks hub that displays both the tasks they are responsible for in the various Planner plans and their own To Do tasks (including any reminders and flagged emails from Outlook).

After adding the Planner/Tasks app to Teams (you can do this by clicking Apps in the sidebar and searching for Planner), the screen offers several useful sections:

My Day A list of tasks that are due today or that the user has chosen to highlight for today, similar to To Do s My Day feature.

My Tasks : A section that includes Private Tasks (tasks you've created for yourself, not yet assigned to a group plan) and the Assigned to Me list (all tasks assigned to you from Planner, Loop, Teams meeting notes, etc.). Messages marked as tasks by Outlook also appear here .

Shared Plans : The list of group (Planner) plans the user participates in. This includes both basic Planner plans and any Premium plans , as well as shared To Do lists. Essentially, every team or group you're part of that has an active Planner plan will appear here with its name.

New Plan : A button/area that allows you to create new plans directly from the Teams app, both personal plans (i.e. for a specific existing group/team) and even personal, non-shared plans.

In addition to the user-facing app, Teams integration also extends to channels : you can add a Planner (Activities) tab within a Teams channel for instant access to the plan from that channel. For example, in a Sales 2025 team, the owner can add a Planner tab in the Pipeline channel and choose to display the Pipeline Q1 plan (either an existing one or a new one created for that team). All channel members will see that tab and be able to interact with tasks related to that project directly in the channel window, alongside conversations and files.

In short, the feature allows you to manage tasks without leaving Teams : users can switch between chat, files, and Scheduled tasks with a click. This provides an integrated productivity experience: chat about a certain task and immediately create a task in Planner in that context; or, by opening your Tasks app, you have a complete overview of what needs to be done individually and across teams, all within Teams.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The Teams Tasks app ( Planner+To Do) is a convergence point for several Microsoft 365 apps:

Microsoft Planner : The integration is native the app reads and writes to Planner plans. Any changes made to a task via Teams are updated in the corresponding Planner plan (viewable via the web or SharePoint) in real time, and vice versa. For example, if I mark a task "Complete" in the Teams app, it will also appear completed for anyone viewing the plan in SharePoint or the Planner app. Plans shared in the Teams app correspond exactly to the Planners in the Microsoft 365 groups to which the user belongs.

Microsoft To Do / Outlook : The Tasks app also incorporates all your personal tasks from To Do and Outlook . Specifically, as we've seen, there are the Private Tasks (for creating quick To Do-style notes) and Flagged Emails (which come from Outlook) sections. This means Teams becomes an input container from Outlook: if I flag an email as a To Do , I find it in the Teams Tasks app, ready to be managed. Furthermore, the Assigned to Me list is the same as To Do: it shows the Planner tasks assigned to the user (see section 3). Therefore, Teams interacts directly with the user's To Do data through the Exchange cloud (which is the To Do database).

Microsoft Project : With the 2024 update, the new Planner app in Teams also begins integrating Project for the web features. It was already possible to add the Project app separately to Teams to view shared projects, but Microsoft is bringing everything together. For example, users with Project licenses can open projects (Project for Web) within Teams, and the Planner app promises to unify those views as well. For now, it's worth noting that Planner tasks in Teams can be considered part of a continuum: if you need dependencies or advanced Gantt charts , you can switch to Project, but remain in Teams.

Teams (Chat, Channels, Meetings) : The interaction within Teams itself is remarkable. You can share a task in a chat (by mentioning @Task or pasting a link to the Planner task). Or, from Teams meeting notes (especially using Loop or OneNote in meetings), you can generate assigned tasks that then appear in the attendees' Assigned to Me list. This closes the loop between meeting and execution : meeting decisions scheduled as tasks are tracked in the Activities app. Additionally, Teams provides notifications about certain Planner actions: for example, if someone assigns you a task in Planner, you might receive a notification in the Teams Activity feed (this feature can be activated via Planner's so-called "Teams app integration ").

From these interactions, it's clear that Teams acts as an aggregator : it integrates "under the hood" with Planner, To Do, Outlook, and other parts of M365 to avoid the user having to switch between apps . All changes are synced : completing a task in Teams also completes it in Planner and removes it from To Do; adding a private task in Teams will also find it in your To Do app on your phone; assigning a task to a colleague in Teams will send them an email notification from Planner and they'll see it in Teams/To Do. This consistency is the main benefit of the integration.

c) ROLES INVOLVED AND ACCESS PERMISSIONS

In Microsoft Teams, the classic roles are Team Owner , Team Member , and Guest within the team, in addition to the Teams administrator at the organization level, of course. Permissions on Planner plans in Teams always derive from M365 groups: that is, team members (internal or guest) are members of the associated plan, team owners are plan owners, etc. Let's look at the roles:

Role	Permissions and actions in the Planner/Tasks integration in Teams
Teams Administrator (IT)	App distribution : By default, the Planner/Tasks app is enabled for all Teams users. Admins can choose to disable it at the tenant level or for specific users from the Teams Admin Center. They can also pin the app for everyone (via Teams setup policies) so that it appears in the user sidebar. Guest control : The admin must have enabled guest access in Teams (which in turn depends on M365 groups) to allow external users to access Planner plans in teams. If guest access is disabled at the directory level, guests will not be able to see the Planner tab in Teams even if added to the team. Security and compliance : The Teams admin can monitor Planner usage via Teams in audit logs and apply compliance labels to Teams groups that obviously affect the team's Planner data.
Team Owner	team management permissions : can add/remove members and guests, which automatically adds/removes those users from the team s Planner plans. You can add the Planner tab to team channels. For example, an owner can decide to create a different plan for each project channel and add it as a tab. You can delete plans associated with the team (by deleting the tab or via the Planner web interface, if you are the group owner). As a co-administrator of the plan, you can change the plan name, add new buckets, etc., just as you would from the web.
Team Member (Internal)	You can access all Planner features within Teams for team plans: add/edit tasks, buckets, assign tasks to other team members, mark completed, etc. You don't need to leave Teams; all these actions are available both in the channel tab and in your personal Activity app. You can also use the Activity app to view plans from other teams you're involved in. In the app, you'll find all the "Shared Plans" of the teams you're a member of and can work on them (within the limits of your role, i.e., as a member, you can't delete the entire plan, but you can edit tasks). He can add the Planner tab to a channel himself if the owners have not disabled it: in fact, by default, all team members can add tabs to channels, therefore also the Planner tab (this behavior is configurable by team owners).
Team Guest (Guest)	A guest added to a team is included in the M365 group and therefore gains access to the team's Planner plan. However, their access through Teams has some restrictions imposed by Teams itself: for example, a guest cannot create new tabs themselves in channels, so they won't be able to add a Planner tab (but they can access existing tabs). As for tasks, a guest can view and update the plan's tasks from the Teams tab: they can change status, add comments, and edit descriptions, just like they would on Planner web. They can also create new tasks if they have edit access to the plan (generally yes, guests in Planner have almost the same permissions as members). They cannot assign tasks to users who are not already members of the plan (since they cannot add people). Technical limitations : A guest won't see the Tasks app in their version of Teams if they're logged in as a guest. The Tasks app displays tasks from their primary account. A guest user in another tenant can only access tasks from the external team through the channel tab or via the web. (If the guest tries to open the Planner app in Teams in guest mode, it may not load because that app isn't available to cross-tenant guests except as a plan in the channel.) In short, the guest experience is somewhat limited: guests typically use Planner via email and direct links, or by joining the team and viewing channels by channel.

Note: There is no concept of a "visitor" in Teams, as anyone who joins a team is at least a Member or Guest. A user who isn't part of the team has no visibility into its Planner plans. Plans created in Teams are by definition private to team members (or public only within the organization if the team is public in the organization). Therefore, access control to tasks is entirely managed through team membership.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Project management directly in Teams : The Product Development team uses Teams for communications and files. To coordinate their work, they've added a Planner tab in the Current Sprint channel linked to the Sprint 5 plan, where they track tasks from the current sprint (user stories, bugs, code reviews). Every morning in the daily stand-up in Teams, they open the Planner tab to see the Kanban board : developers drag their cards from In Progress to Done as they complete them, discussing any blockers in real time in chat. The team lead also looks at the List view in the Teams Tasks app to filter tasks by assignee or due date, and thanks to the bulk editing feature ( List view ), they can quickly update the status of multiple tasks without leaving Teams. This keeps the whole team aligned: there's no need to open Planner on the web; all tracking happens alongside conversations, in the context of daily work.

Unified personal and team tasks : A sales team member uses the Teams Tasks app as his personal dashboard every morning. For example, Mario opens Teams and clicks on Tasks : in the My Day section , he sees the tasks due today, including Contact 5 new leads (his personal reminder in To Do) and Update deal for Customer X (a task assigned to him by the Sales Team Planner plan). With a few clicks, he adds both to his My Day view to focus on them. As he makes progress, he marks the deal task as complete directly from the Teams app; the sales manager will automatically see in Planner that Mario has completed that task. In the afternoon, Mario receives an email with an urgent request he flags it in Outlook, and the email immediately appears under Personal Tasks > Flagged Messages in his Teams Tasks app. This way, Teams becomes your productivity hub: chat with colleagues, update your CRM (via another app), and check/complete tasks without switching between Outlook, Planner, and To Do separately.

Multi-team coordination and reporting : A project manager participates in multiple project teams on Teams (Project Alpha, Beta, Gamma). Instead of opening each team and checking their respective Planners, she uses the Planner app in Teams to get an aggregated view . On the Shared Plans screen , she sees the list: Project Alpha Plan, Project Beta Plan, etc. She opens them one by one to check the status: for example, she notices that many tasks in the Beta plan are late. Directly from Teams, she switches to the Chart view for that plan and takes a screenshot of the load diagram. Then, without leaving Teams, she opens the Beta General channel and posts the image, asking the Beta team for an account. Meanwhile, in Assigned to me , she personally checks if she has any pending tasks on the various projects and updates them. This example illustrates how a user with roles in multiple groups can manage the various Planners from a single app, while keeping everything within Teams (where they are already collaborating via chat and meetings with those teams).

e) BEST PRACTICES FOR PLANNER/TO-DO INTEGRATION IN TEAMS

Pin and promote the Tasks app : To maximize the benefits, encourage users to use the Tasks app (Planner) in Teams as a daily reference. A best practice is for the admin or each user to pin the app icon to the Teams sidebar (right-click Planner/Tasks > "Pin" in Teams). This makes tasks easily accessible. Train employees to regularly check the Assigned to Me section in the app: this reduces the chances of someone "forgetting" about a task assigned to them in Planner because it will still appear among their personal tasks.

Add Planner as a tab in the appropriate channels : Not all channels require a plan, but for those focused on specific projects or workflows, it's helpful to integrate the Planner tab directly . For example, if you have a team with multiple project streams, create a plan for each stream and add it to the relevant channel's tab. This way, everyone working in that channel will always have the relevant task list at hand. Avoid duplication, however: if a plan covers the entire team, consider keeping it as a tab in the General channel to avoid confusing users with too many Planner tabs. Maintain a clear organization : Name your plans explicitly (e.g., don't leave them as "Plan1," but as "Project Alpha Task") so the "Shared Plans" list in the Tasks app is clear.

Leverage list and filter views in Teams : The Planner tab in channels offers the Board and Charts view by default; in the Tasks app, you'll also have the List view with multiple selections. Best practice: Teach your team to use the List view, especially for bulk updates (e.g., moving multiple due dates forward a week list view is faster). Additionally, using filters (by assignee, label, due date) directly in Teams helps you focus on subsets of tasks during team meetings or project reviews without distractions.

Notifications and reminders via Teams : Consider enabling (or having users enable) Teams notifications for Planner. For example, through the Teams Admin Center and Teams app policies, you can ensure that certain Planner notifications appear in the Teams Activity Feed. Alternatively, you can instruct users to enable Planner email notifications and/or mobile notifications from the To Do/Planner app so that every new assignment or important comment triggers an alert. An efficient team keeps everyone informed of task status changes: decide which notification channel works best (Teams vs. email) and adopt it consistently.

Guest Management : If your team includes external users, make sure you understand their experience. Explain to guests how to access tasks ; they'll often have to navigate the channel and click the Planner tab, as they can't use the Tasks app cross-tenant. It's also a good idea to manually email guests the direct link to the Planner plan, so they can open it online if they encounter difficulties using Teams. Also, if guests aren't seeing attachments, remember to enable the attachments option for guests at the tenant level. Test what they see with a test guest account so you can provide support. Finally, don't assign critical tasks to guests without first ensuring they receive notifications (perhaps by adding an internal member as a co-assignee or setting a manual reminder).

Offline alternative/reporting : For situations where some team members don't access Teams often (e.g., managers who prefer email reporting), consider it a best practice to periodically pull a report of activities to share. You can use Export to Excel in Planner Web and then share, or print the list view as a PDF. This isn't specific to Teams, but it helps keep those who don't rely on Teams daily included.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how to use the integration between Microsoft Planner , To Do , and Teams to manage personal and group tasks in a single interface. Users will learn how to view and update assigned tasks in Planner and personal To Do tasks directly from Teams. The roles involved, interactions with Outlook and Microsoft 365, and commands for accessing and customizing the task view will be illustrated. The exercise includes real-world business scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to provide the skills to centralize task management, improving daily organization and collaboration.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Adding the Activities app to Teams

1. Open Microsoft Teams from your desktop or browser

2. In the left sidebar, click on (More) ⋯

3. Near the app Activities (Tasks by Planner and To Do)

4. Click Add to add it to the sidebar

5. Open the newly added Activities app

6. View sections: Assigned to me , Shared plans , Personal activities

7. Click on Assigned to me to see your assigned Planner tasks

8. Click on Activities to see your personal activities from To Do

9. Click on Shared Plans to access group Planner plans

10. Pin the app to the sidebar by right-clicking → Pin

Managing tasks from Teams

1. Click on an activity to open its details

2. Edit title, due date, priority, or notes directly from Teams

3. Add a comment or attachment to the activity

4. Mark the task as completed by clicking the box

5. Create a new personal activity by clicking on New Activity

6. Assign the task to a shared plan by clicking Add to plan

7. Filter tasks by due date , priority , or status

8. View tasks in list , board , or chart view

9. Sync changes with Planner and To Do automatically

10. Get notifications in Teams for assigned or updated tasks

Roles involved and interactions with Microsoft 365

1. Team members can view and update assigned tasks

2. Plan owners can create, assign, and edit tasks

3. IT admins can manage access to the Activities app from Teams

4. Personal tasks come from Microsoft To Do

5. Assigned tasks come from Planner and are linked to Microsoft 365 groups

6. Synchronized tasks are also visible in Outlook → Tasks

7. Files attached to tasks are stored in SharePoint or OneDrive

8. Changes made in Teams are reflected in Planner and To Do in real time.

9. Notifications are managed via Teams and Outlook

10. The integration is available to all users with a Microsoft 365 Business license or higher.

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Coordination of the weekly activities of a marketing team

The marketing team uses Planner to manage campaigns and To Do for individual tasks. Everything is centralized in Teams via the "Activities" app, improving visibility and deadline management.

🔹 Command : Teams → → Activities → Add → View shared plans
Explanation : Members access Planner plans directly from Teams.

🔹 Command : Activity → New Activity → Assign to Plan
Explanation : Tasks are created and assigned without leaving Teams.

🔹 Command : Activity → Filter → Expiration
Explanation : The team can prioritize tasks and better plan the week.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Add Activities app	Teams → → Search Activities	Integrate Planner and To Do in Teams
View assigned tasks	Teams → Tasks → Assigned to me	Show Planner tasks assigned to the user
View personal activities	Teams → Activities → Activities	Show activities from To Do
Create new activity	Teams → Activity → New Activity	Add personal or shared activities
Assign tasks to plan	Teams → Activities → Add to plan	Insert tasks into a Planner plan
Edit Activity	Teams → Activities → Click on Activities	Change title, deadline, priority, notes
Mark completed	Teams → Activities → Click on the box	Mark task as completed
Activity filter	Teams → Activity → Filter	Sort by due date, priority, status
View on dashboard/graph	Teams → Activities → View	Change display mode
Get notifications	Teams → Notifications → Activity	Notices for new activities or changes

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Centralized task management
Unified view of Planner and To Do Greater clarity between personal and group tasks Automatic synchronization between apps Real-time notifications for updates Time savings in operational management Better tracking of deadlines Mobile access via Teams app
Flexible task viewing
More effective collaboration between team members

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Management of weekly activities in operational teams

Members can view and update assigned tasks without leaving Teams, improving work continuity.

Individual and group planning support

Managers can assign tasks in shared plans, while collaborators manage their personal tasks in a single view.

Monitoring deadlines in complex projects

The integration allows you to filter and sort tasks by priority, making it easier to meet deadlines.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. How do I add the Activities app to Microsoft Teams?

2. What main sections are visible in the Activities app?

3. How do I create a new personal task from Teams?

4. How do I assign a task to a Planner plan?

5. Which roles can edit tasks in shared plans?

6. How do I view my tasks from To Do?

7. How are changes made in Teams reflected in Planner?

8. Where are files attached to tasks stored?

9. How do I filter tasks by due date or priority?

10. What are the benefits of integrating Planner, To Do, and Teams?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to use the integration between Microsoft Planner, To Do, and Teams via the Tasks app. You've followed the steps to add the app, view and manage personal and shared tasks, and assign tasks directly from Teams. You've understood the roles involved, key commands, and interactions with Outlook, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Practical scenarios have shown you how to apply this feature in real-world business contexts. The productivity benefits highlight the importance of centralized and synchronized task management. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills.

13. Integrating Planner into Microsoft To Do

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

The integration between Planner and Microsoft To Do allows users to view and manage tasks assigned to them in Planner plans directly within their To Do app , within the context of their personal tasks. Specifically, Microsoft To Do includes a special list called Assigned to Me that displays all the Planner tasks assigned to that user. This feature transforms To Do into a single dashboard for all your commitments : not just self-assigned to-dos or personal checklists, but also tasks from team plans.

At launch (2019), the integration required opt-in: users had to enable Planner connectivity within To Do from their settings (or by clicking a Show list banner that automatically appeared in To Do after updating). Once activated, the new Assigned to me list appeared across all of the user s To Do platforms (web, Windows app, mobile app). This list is now a standard part of To Do for Microsoft 365 business accounts: if a user has at least one task assigned to them in Planner, they will see the Assigned to me category in To Do.

Integration Features:

Tasks imported from Planner into To Do behave like regular To Do tasks . Users can edit their titles, add/edit descriptions, mark tasks as complete or incomplete, set reminders and due dates, and add steps (subtasks). These actions are synchronized: for example, if I add a due date to an imported task from To Do, it also appears in the original Planner; if I complete the task in To Do, it appears completed in the team's Planner. Similarly, if a colleague updates the task in Planner (e.g., changes assignee or marks it complete), To Do will reflect the change within seconds.

To Do s Assigned to Me list shows the plan name and multiple assignees , if any, so the user knows which project each task came from and who else is involved.

Planner tasks also appear in other smart To Do lists . Specifically, any tasks with a due date will also appear in the Planned list in To Do, mixed in with other personal deadlines. Additionally, Planner tasks will appear as suggestions in the My Day list , allowing you to include them in your daily plan. For example, if I have a Planner task due tomorrow, To Do might suggest adding it to My Day today so I can take care of it.

Once enabled, these tasks are indexed in To Do search . So, when you search for a keyword in To Do, matching tasks from Planner plans also appear in the results.

Initial activation : If you don't see your Planner task in To Do, you can check the To Do settings under Connections to ensure that the "Tasks from Planner" option is enabled (if it's disabled). In the updated experience, this is enabled by default for most enterprise users , but it's worth knowing.

In short, the feature can be described as "my Planner tasks in my To Do." It bridges the gap between individual and team work: users no longer have to separately check all the Planner plans where they have something to do; everything is delivered to them in their personal management system. To Do becomes a sort of personal productivity hub where personal reminders, to-dos, team-assigned tasks , and flagged emails converge, all with consistency and simplicity.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The integration between Planner and To Do is also part of an integrated task management ecosystem:

Outlook (To Do) : Microsoft To Do is tightly integrated with Outlook for personal tasks. In fact, To Do replaces traditional Outlook Tasks in most cases. What does this mean for Planner? Simply put, by moving Planner tasks into To Do, they also enter Outlook. For example, a Planner task assigned to you appears in To Do; if you use Outlook on the web, you'll be able to see the same task in Outlook's integrated To Do section (since Outlook now displays To Do lists). If you use Outlook desktop, Microsoft is bringing the same experience there. Therefore, Planner tasks also become visible from your Outlook via To Do integration, albeit indirectly.

Teams (Tasks app) : As described in section 2, the Teams Tasks app ingests To Do data. This means that a task from Planner, once it ends up in the "Assigned to me" list in To Do, will also appear in that person's Teams app, under Assigned to Me . In other words, Planner → To Do → Teams is a continuous flow: an assignment in Planner generates an entry in To Do, which in turn feeds the unified view in Teams.

Planner itself : Synchronization is bidirectional but with some functional limitations. From To Do, the user can edit various fields of the Planner task (title, description, checklist, completed status, date), which updates the task on the plan. However, certain operations are not supported by the To Do interface : for example , it is not possible to create a new Planner task via To Do , nor assign a task to someone else or change the assignee group. For those actions, you must open the plan in Planner. Within To Do, there is an Open in Planner option for each imported task, which launches the Planner web interface on the selected task to allow advanced changes (such as adding an attachment, commenting, moving the task to another bucket, etc.). These limitations should be kept in mind: To Do is primarily used to manage the tasks assigned to you , not to coordinate the entire plan (the Planner app is for that).

Security and data : Planner task data is transmitted and stored in To Do via the Exchange Online service behind To Do. This is transparent to the user, but it means that a Planner task is replicated (as a "reference copy") in the assigned user's Exchange mailbox. There are no particular impacts, except that any mailbox retention rules could theoretically also apply to that data. From an interaction perspective, the user sees Planner tasks as part of their "personal productivity data" combined with other data.

Overall, this integration embodies the "mobile first, cloud first" philosophy : a smartphone user can open the To Do mobile app and see their team's Planner tasks, allowing them to check them off on the go all without having to open a browser or a separate Planner app. At the same time, team collaboration remains centered on Planner/Teams, ensuring everyone sees the same information.

c) ROLES INVOLVED AND ACCESS PERMISSIONS

The Planner-To Do integration is primarily a personal feature . It doesn't introduce new collaborative roles, because on the To Do side, each user only sees their own tasks. However, we can distinguish some roles in the broader context:

Administrator : Ensure users have the necessary licenses (Planner is included with most M365 Business/Enterprise licenses; To Do does not require an additional license, but the user must have Exchange Online active). There is no specific admin switch to disable/enable the Planner-To Do integration (it's part of the service itself). However, if a tenant completely disabled the use of To Do or Planner which is possible via service policy the integration obviously wouldn't work. Best practice for IT admins is to communicate and encourage the use of this integration , perhaps by including it in user guides: many aren't immediately aware that assigned tasks appear in To Do.

Planner member (end user) : This is the main actor. Any internal user assigned tasks in Planner will see those tasks in their To Do. It doesn't matter whether the user is an owner or a member of the plan: the only thing that matters is that the task is assigned to them. If a task is assigned to two people, it will appear in both people's To Do items. The user can, as we've seen, manage these tasks and must be aware of what they can and cannot do from To Do (for example, knowing that they will need to open Planner to add attachments).

Guest (External User) : This is a unique situation. A guest user in a Planner plan typically doesn't have access to their own To Do instance in the host environment . For example, if I invite luca@partner.com as a guest in one of my groups and assign him a Planner task, he'll receive notification emails and be able to access Planner via the web as a guest, but that task won't appear in his personal To Do (the one on his external company account). Currently, the Planner→To Do sync only works for users in the same organization who have an Exchange mailbox enabled on that tenant. Therefore, external guests don't benefit from this integration (unless they have a local mailbox in the tenant, which is a rare scenario). In other words, the integration is intended for internal users . Guests will need to track tasks via Planner email notifications or by viewing their plans directly in Teams/Planner.

Plan owner vs. other member : From the perspective of To Do integration, there's no difference: the owner doesn't "see more." However, on the Planner side, an owner could use the integration in reverse: knowing that assigned tasks will appear to members in To Do, they can be incentivized to always assign tasks to specific people (rather than leaving tasks orphaned) so as to take advantage of the self-reminder via To Do. In practice, plan owners should adopt the "every task has an assigned owner" rule to trigger the inclusion of that task in personal To Dos . Essentially, the key roles here are the internal end user and the Planner plan owner who assigns tasks. Working together: the owner assigns tasks in the plan, the user finds them in their To Do and updates them when done; the owner sees in Planner that they're completed. This virtuous loop creates effective collaboration.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Personal work management integrated with team projects : Francesca is a consultant who works on multiple projects for different clients, alongside their respective teams (internal and external). Each project has a Planner plan where she is assigned certain tasks (e.g., Prepare quotation for Client A in project A, Analyze Client B data in project B). Without integration, Francesca would have to remember to check each plan regularly. However, thanks to To Do, every time someone assigns her a new task in Planner, it immediately appears in her Assigned to me list in To Do (and on her phone) . Every morning, Francesca opens To Do and sees all her tasks: both personal reminders (e.g., Book travel in the Personal list) and the tasks from the various projects. She can rearrange them by dragging them into her My Day to decide what to do today. When she completes the Analyze Client B data, she marks it as completed in To Do; When she later joins the Project B meeting, the project manager already sees in Planner that the task is done without even having to ask for updates, saving time. Francesca also appreciates the Planned list in To Do, where she sees all the project task deadlines alongside her own: for example, if a Planner task is due the day after tomorrow, she sees it labeled by date, perhaps alongside a personal deadline, so she can balance the workload.

Onboarding and cross-functional activities : HR uses a "New Hire Onboarding" Planner where they assign tasks to the various departments (IT needs to create accounts, Facilities needs to prepare the workstation, Tutor needs to provide training, etc.). Marco, who works in IT, has different tasks assigned in that plan for each new hire (e.g., "Configure PC for Alice"). With the integration, Marco doesn't have to open Planner every time: when a new IT task for a hire appears in the HR Planner, it appears in Marco's To Do. He might see it on his phone and can prepare if he has any questions. Once completed (he's set up the PC), he marks it as done in To Do during his coffee break. HR will see the completed task in his Planner and can move on to the next step without sending reminder emails. Additionally, Marco can use the add steps feature in To Do: for "Set up PC for Alice," he adds steps like "Create AD account" and "Install required software" inside the task, so his To Do has an internal track of subtasks (these steps remain visible only to him and other assignees, also appearing in Planner as a checklist). This allows him to break down work without having to create subtasks on the main plan.

Strategic personal use of team tasks : A team leader, Luigi, assigns various tasks to his collaborators in Planner, as well as some tasks to himself. For example, in the "Product Launch" plan, Luigi assigns himself "Prepare final presentation." As an expert To Do user, Luigi uses the integration to better organize himself: he sees that task under Assigned to me and distributes it into small chunks over time, adding it to My Day for a few hours each day. Every evening, he writes a presentation piece and updates the task description in To Do with the completed items; when he finally marks the task complete in To Do, all Product team members will see in Planner that the deliverable is ready. Luigi also uses To Do to ensure he doesn't forget anything: even when he's away from the office, thanks to the app on his phone, he receives reminders about Planner task deadlines (To Do notifications as with any personal To Do). This ensures that delays are reduced: the integration acts as a safety net against forgetting assigned tasks during busy days.

e) BEST PRACTICES FOR PLANNER-TO-DO INTEGRATION

Enable and understand the integration : The first best practice is to ensure everyone has enabled/allowed the integration . While it's automatic these days, it's worth spreading awareness. Include a note in IT onboarding sessions: "If someone assigns you a task in Planner, you'll find it in your Assigned to me in To Do." Show them where to check the setting in To Do Settings (Connections > Tasks from Planner) in case someone has accidentally disabled it. Similarly, encourage users to download the To Do mobile app so they can have their company tasks with them on the go, with push notifications of due dates.

Use My Day and Scheduled in To Do for assigned tasks : Teach your employees to truly integrate Planner tasks into their daily personal planning. For example, suggest that every morning they open To Do, look at Assigned to Me , and add to My Day the team tasks they intend to complete that day. This helps establish daily priorities by including both individual and group work. Also, highlight the Scheduled list : any assigned tasks due in the future appear there. This is helpful for staying on top of important project deadlines perhaps recommend reviewing it at the beginning of the week to prepare for tasks due in the following days.

Understand task limits and context in To Do : Train users on the functional limitations of interaction so they don't get confused. For example: "From To Do, you can complete or update your project tasks, but you can't create new ones for the team or assign them to others ." So, if a user notices a task is missing from the plan, they'll still have to go to Planner or Teams to add it. Also, point out that not everything can be edited : for example, attachments can't be managed from To Do. Best practice: If a task requires reading an attached file, users should open it in Planner (there's a dedicated command) rather than searching for the attachment in To Do. Also clarify that to see the full project (all tasks, not just their own), they'll still need to open the plan in Planner/Teams; To Do only displays their personal work.

Always update status via To Do (or Planner) : Encourage team members to mark tasks as complete in To Do as soon as they finish them . This has two benefits: (1) it clears their personal list of tasks that have already been completed, and (2) it immediately alerts the rest of the team in Planner that the task is closed. An efficient workflow might be: I do the work → I check it off in To Do → maybe I add a final comment or detail in Planner (if necessary) → everyone is on the same page. Instead, discourage practices like keeping external notes or duplicate checklists outside of To Do/Planner, as they risk getting out of sync. To Do becomes your personal master list , so use it diligently.

Multiple task assignees : If your environment uses multiple assignment (up to 11 people per task in Planner, 20 for the new limits), establish a convention about who marks the task complete in To Do/Planner. For example, two co-assignees could agree that the one who completes the last part will complete it. Otherwise, there's a risk that one will complete it in their To Do while the other hasn't finished. In To Do, however, the task will appear to both and disappear for both as soon as one completes it, so communication is important to avoid surprises. Best practice: Use Planner comments (visible by clicking "Open in Planner") to notify the other assignee of the status, or split the task into two individual subtasks if possible.

Keep titles descriptive : Advise project managers and anyone creating tasks in Planner to write clear, self-explanatory titles , as this is the only thing the user will see at a glance in To Do. For example, instead of "Briefing" as the title, use "Apollo Project Briefing with Sales." This contextualizes the task even outside of its original plan. While To Do displays the plan name under the title, if a task is assigned to multiple plans, it could still be confusing. A well-formulated title helps the user understand what needs to be done without having to open Planner for details.

Feedback loop and continuous improvement : Microsoft collects feedback on these integrations (via UserVoice , forums, etc.). If there's a strong need in your organization (e.g. , "We'd like to create Planner tasks from To Do"), let users know that the feature isn't currently available but is being requested (this manages expectations) and encourage them to vote on the relevant forum. In the meantime, consider workarounds : in the case mentioned, the person could create a private task in To Do as a reminder and then formalize it as a group task when they return to Planner not ideal, but at least they won't forget the idea.

f) CONCLUSION

Thanks to these integrations, Microsoft Planner fits seamlessly into everyday workflows . On SharePoint, it brings task management into the intranet and team sites; on Teams, it fuels the collaborative experience by centralizing group and personal activities; through To Do, it provides each individual with a unified view of their tasks. By following the indicated best practices from correctly setting up permissions to adopting habits of daily checklists companies can fully leverage these features to improve productivity and transparency, keeping everyone aligned on common goals. The four thematic areas analyzed for each integration (functionality, interactions, roles, examples) show how to effectively configure and use Planner in multiple scenarios, avoiding pitfalls and maximizing the impact on business collaboration.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how tasks assigned in Microsoft Planner are automatically synchronized and displayed in Microsoft To Do , enabling centralized management of personal and group tasks. Users will learn how to identify tasks from Planner, edit them, complete them, and organize them in To Do. The roles involved, interactions with Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft 365, and commands for accessing and customizing the view will be illustrated. The exercise includes real-world business scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to provide the skills to use To Do as an operational hub for daily task management.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Access Microsoft To Do and view Planner tasks

1. Sign in to https://to-do.microsoft.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. In the left sidebar, click on Tasks assigned to me

3. Please wait for the synced tasks from Planner to load.

4. Make sure each activity displays the name of the source plan

5. Click on an activity to open its details

6. View due date, priority, notes and checklist

7. Click Open in Planner to access the full plan

8. Mark the task as completed by clicking the box

9. Changes are automatically reflected in Planner as well.

10. Add the task to a personal list to better organize it

Managing synchronized activities

1. Click on a task to edit its title, notes, or checklist.

2. Add a reminder by clicking Add Reminder

3. Set an expiration date by clicking Add Expiration Date

4. Add the activity to My Day to highlight it

5. Create a custom list to group similar tasks together

6. Drag the task to another list to rearrange it.

7. Click on Add Steps to break the task into sub-tasks

8. View completed tasks by clicking Completed

9. Sync changes across mobile devices too

10. Receive email or push notifications for upcoming tasks.

Roles involved and interactions with Microsoft 365

1. Planner members see assigned tasks in To Do

2. Plan owners assign tasks that are synced

3. IT administrators can enable/disable synchronization

4. Activities are synced via Microsoft 365 group

5. Changes made in To Do are reflected in Planner in real time.

6. Activities are also visible in Teams via the Activities app

7. Notifications are managed via Outlook and Teams

8. Files attached to tasks are stored in SharePoint or OneDrive

9. Tasks can be filtered by due date, priority, or plan.

10. The integration is available to all users with a Microsoft 365 Business license or higher.

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Personal management of assigned tasks in multiple projects

A project manager receives tasks from multiple Planner plans. Thanks to the integration with To Do, he can view them all in a single interface, organize them by priority, and plan his day.

a) Command : To Do → Tasks assigned to me → View tasks
Explanation : The user accesses all tasks assigned by Planner in a single view.

b) Command : To Do → Add to My Day
Explanation : The most urgent tasks are highlighted for the current day.

c) Command : To Do → Add Reminder
Explanation : The user receives timely notifications to not forget deadlines.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
View Planner Activities	To Do → Tasks assigned to me	Show tasks assigned by Planner
Open tasks in Planner	To Do → Click on task → Open in Planner	Access the full plan
Mark completed	To Do → click on task box	Mark task as completed
Add to My Day	To Do → Click on tasks → Add to My Day	Highlight activities for the day
Add reminder	To Do → Click on task → Add reminder	Set notification for activity
Add expiration	To Do → Click on task → Add due date	Defines a completion date
Add steps	To Do → Click on task → Add steps	Break the task into subtasks
Create custom list	To Do → New List	Organize activities by project or theme
View completed tasks	To Do → click on Complete	Show completed activities
Automatic synchronization	Planner ↔ To Do ↔ Teams ↔ Outlook	Keeps all activities up to date

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Unified task management
Centralized view of assigned tasks Personal organization of Planner tasks Automatic synchronization between Planner and To Do Timely notifications for due dates and reminders Daily planning with "My Day" Filters for priority, due date and plan Mobile access via To Do app Tracking of completed tasks Better balance between personal and group activities

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Personal planning for multitasking managers

Managers can consolidate all assigned tasks from different teams into a single view and effectively plan their day.

Supporting individual productivity in distributed teams

Team members can manage tasks assigned to them in Planner directly from To Do, even on mobile devices.

Monitoring activities in parallel projects

Collaborators involved in multiple projects can filter and organize tasks to avoid overlaps and delays.

Self-assessment questions

1. Where can I find tasks assigned by Planner in To Do?

2. How do I access the Planner plan from a task in To Do?

3. What changes can I make to a task from To Do?

4. How do I highlight an activity for the current day?

5. Which roles can assign visible tasks in To Do?

6. How do I set a reminder for a task?

7. How does To Do integrate with Teams and Outlook?

8. Where are files attached to tasks stored?

9. How do I organize a task in a custom list?

10. What are the benefits of syncing Planner and To Do?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You learned that tasks assigned in Microsoft Planner are automatically synced to Microsoft To Do, in the "Tasks Assigned to Me" section. You followed the steps to access, edit, and organize tasks, set reminders, and plan your day. You understood the roles involved, key commands, and interactions with Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint. Practical scenarios showed you how to apply this feature in real-world business contexts. The productivity benefits highlight the importance of centralized and personalized task management. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills.

14. Planner Notebook (OneNote Built-in)

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

The Plan Notebook in Microsoft Planner is a OneNote- based digital notebook created automatically for each plan. When you open the Notebook section of a plan, Planner launches OneNote and allows you to create or use a notebook dedicated to that project. This notebook is shared with all plan members and is designed to collect information that complements tasks: meeting notes, checklists, brainstorming, project documentation, etc. Each plan therefore has its own corresponding OneNote , typically named after the plan itself and stored in the associated SharePoint group's document library. The integration is seamless: the notebook updates in real time and is synchronized with the plan , allowing the team to have a centralized repository of all relevant notes. There's no need to manually create this notebook: Planner provides it by default for each new plan, providing a space for writing and sharing structured textual information right from the start.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The Plan Notebook uses OneNote as its go-to application, taking advantage of all its collaborative editing and multimedia capabilities . Key interactions include:

SharePoint/OneDrive : The plan's OneNote file is stored on the group's SharePoint site (often in the Documents library or a dedicated folder, such as Site Assets ). This means it's also accessible via OneDrive ( Shared Libraries section ) by group members, with automatic backup and versioning of content.

Microsoft Teams : If your Planner plan is associated with a Microsoft Teams team (which is common, since Teams uses Planner to manage tasks in tabs), the notebook can be opened directly in Teams. For example, by adding a OneNote tab in the team channel, you can link it to the plan notebook to have notes and tasks side by side. The integration is seamless: the Teams group shares the same OneNote as the plan, avoiding duplication.

Outlook (Groups) : In the Outlook web portal, each Microsoft 365 group has a Notebook section that links directly to the group's OneNote (i.e., the plan's notebook). This allows members to access notes directly from Outlook web or the Outlook client (if supported), without opening OneNote separately.

OneNote app (Desktop/Mobile) : The plan notebook, being a regular OneNote notebook, can be opened in the OneNote app on any device. Plan members can then take notes offline or online, with cloud syncing. They can also take advantage of advanced OneNote features (search, tags, drawings, audio, etc.) in their project notes.

Other Office apps : From OneNote pages, you can generate Planner tasks (for example, by writing task tags in OneNote; with some additional integrations, you can send those actions to Planner). Generally, OneNote and Planner aren't directly linked out-of-the-box (there are no visible Planner task fields in OneNote by default), but using Power Automate or add-ins, notes can be turned into tasks and vice versa.
In short, the Planner notebook is tightly integrated into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem : it appears as part of the group's content, leveraging SharePoint services for storage and OneNote for access, and is accessible from Teams, Outlook, and, of course, the OneNote app. This integration makes it easy for teams to switch between Planner tasks and project notes without leaving the Microsoft 365 environment.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

In the context of Plan Notebook, roles correspond to access levels on the Microsoft 365 group (which controls OneNote):

Administrator : A Microsoft 365 IT administrator can generally enable or disable guest access to groups and thus influence external users' participation in the notebook. Additionally, they can manage advanced permissions on the site via SharePoint policies (such as preventing external sharing of OneNote content or applying compliance labels to data). Typically, however, the administrator does not intervene in the day-to-day content of the notebook, leaving management to the plan owners.

Plan Owners (Group) : Whoever creates the plan becomes the owner of the associated group. Owners have full power over the notebook: they can rename, move, or delete it (for example, via the OneNote or SharePoint interface). They can add/remove sections and pages, and most importantly, manage which group members will have access to the notebook. If necessary, an owner can also replace the default notebook with another (an advanced operation that requires moving the existing OneNote file and reconnecting it). In standard scenarios, owners simply use the notebook as editors with the same permissions as members, but are responsible for sharing the plan with the right people.

Plan Members : All internal members of the organization added to the plan (who become members of the M365 group) have full read/write access to the plan's notebook. They can create and edit any OneNote page, insert content, organize sections, and more. The notebook is a collaborative space: by default, there are no permissions distinctions between members (there are no read-only roles for internal members: either you're in the group and can edit, or you don't have access). This means that every member can freely contribute to project notes, updating important information for the team.

Guest users (external guests) : If the group/plan includes external guests (users from other organizations or with personal email addresses invited to the group), they will also have access to the notebook, with nearly the same permissions as internal members. Microsoft Planner adheres to the guest access model for Microsoft 365 groups. Guests can view and edit plan notes, create pages, and collaborate, provided the administrator has enabled guest access to SharePoint/OneNote. Note: By default, guests are allowed to edit group content such as files and notes; however, there may be specific restrictions imposed by the organization (for example, the administrator could revoke guests' ability to add files, which in OneNote would be equivalent to preventing them from inserting attachments or images). In general, an invited guest will have the same capabilities as a OneNote member (they can add notes, sections, etc.), receive links to group files, and can access the notebook through the plan URL.

Visitors : There's no "visitor" role for tasks or notes in Planner that is, you can't grant view-only permissions to a user who isn't a member or guest. However, if the Planner group is public within the company, any colleague can freely join the plan and become a member (the "visitor" in this case boils down to the stage where a user sees the existence of a public plan and decides to participate). As for the notebook, an internal visitor (non-member) could access the group's public SharePoint site as read-only, viewing OneNote content only through the site . In practice, however, to actively interact with the plan notebook , the user must be added to the group as a member or an authenticated guest. Therefore, "visitors" can be considered to have no practical, active role in using the plan notebook: they're either in (member/guest) or out.

Roles and Permissions on the Plan Notebook (Summary)

Role	Access to the plan's OneNote notebook	Possible key actions
Microsoft 365 Administrator	Indirect (manages global group and SharePoint settings)	Enable/disable guest access to groups; apply content sharing and security policies.
Floor Owner (Group)	Full access (edit)	Everything a member can do, plus : manage plan members/guests; rename or delete the notebook; transfer the notebook to another site; publish permissions.
Member of the plan	Full access (edit)	Create and edit notes pages; organize sections; insert content (text, images, attachments); view all notes in the plan.
Guest (external guest)	Full access (edit) (if enabled by admin)	Create and edit notes pages; contribute to notes just like an internal member, unless your organization has restrictions (e.g., attaching files).
Visitor (non-member internal)	No direct access to Planner/OneNote area (can only view public content on SharePoint if the group is public)	You can see the existence of the public plan and join it. Without joining, you can't interact with the notes; at most, you can read OneNote pages if the site URL is public to the organization.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Project Meetings and Minutes : A project team can use the plan notebook as a shared notebook for meeting minutes and decisions. For example, each weekly project meeting has a dedicated page in OneNote (within the plan notebook) where topics discussed, decisions made, and actions to be taken are recorded. Thanks to the integration, all plan members can open OneNote directly from Planner and consult or update the minutes in real time. This ensures that key information (insights, requirements , ideas) is easily accessible and linked to the work plan. Additionally, any tasks arising from the meeting can be added to Planner (either manually by copying them to the tasks or using tools like Tasks in OneNote to send them to Planner), creating a close link between discussion and action.

Project Knowledge Base : The notebook serves as a mini-knowledge base for the team. Imagine a Marketing department launching a new campaign: in addition to the tasks in Planner (e.g., "Prepare a brochure draft" with a deadline), the plan's OneNote collects all the creative ideas, market research, contact lists, approved texts, and guidelines . Over time, the notebook builds a historical memory of the project, which new members can easily access. There's no need to ask "Can you send me the notes?": just go to Planner, click on Notebook , and you'll immediately have the entire archive of the team's notes and materials.

Integration with Training or Checklist : In the Human Resources field, you could create a Planner plan for the onboarding of new hires , where each new hire has a series of tasks to complete (fill out documents, take courses, provide mentoring, etc.). The plan's notebook can contain detailed guides, internal FAQs, and manuals that new hires need to consult. For example, the "Read the company policy" task can link to the OneNote section with the full policy. A concrete example: Contoso SpA creates an "Onboarding 2025" plan in Planner; among the tasks, "Complete safety training." In the associated notebook, the "Safety Training" section contains all the training materials and a space for the trainer's notes. New hires check off the task in Planner only after reading and perhaps jotting down any concerns in OneNote. This Planner-OneNote collaboration ensures that tasks are accompanied by up-to-date and easily accessible resources.

IT Projects and Technical Documentation : A software development team could manage the development of a new feature in Planner (with tasks, deadlines, and assignees) and use the notebook to write technical documentation or logs of issues encountered. For example, each development task could have a link to a OneNote page where the developer notes architectural choices or configuration instructions. This is also useful for turnover: if a colleague takes over a task, they can read the notes on the plan's OneNote to understand the status and details.

In all these cases, Planner's integrated notebook improves collaboration by providing a unified place for information , complementing the to-do list. While Planner organizes who does what and by when , OneNote preserves the how and why the textual and informational context that helps the team complete tasks in an aligned and informed manner.

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Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how to use the Plan Notebook , the OneNote notebook automatically integrated into Microsoft Planner when creating a plan. You will learn how to access the notebook, create sections and pages, share content, and collaborate with plan members. You will learn the roles involved, interactions with Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint, and the controls for customizing and making the most of your digital workspace. The exercise includes real-world business scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to provide the skills to use OneNote as an integrated documentation and collaboration tool within Planner plans.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Accessing your plan notebook from Planner or Teams

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Click on Planner and open the desired plan

3. Go to Outlook → Groups section → select the plan group

4. Click on Notebook to open the integrated OneNote

5. Alternatively, open Teams → select the team connected to the plan

6. Click + in the tab bar → select OneNote

7. Select the group notebook and click Save

8. Notepad will now be accessible directly from Teams

9. You can also open Notepad from https://www.onenote.com for a full view.

10. Verify that all plan members have read/write access

Creating and managing content in the notebook

1. Create a new section by clicking on + Section

2. Rename the section with the name of the project or theme

3. Create a new page by clicking on + Page

4. Enter a title and start writing notes, lists, or memos.

5. Add images , files , or links using the Insert menu

6. Create to-do lists with checkboxes

7. Highlight important content with colors or tags

8. Share the page by copying the link or inviting members

9. Add a OneNote tab to a Teams channel for quick access

10. Sync changes across all your devices in real time

Roles involved and interactions with Microsoft 365

1. Plan owners are also notebook owners

2. Plan members can edit and view notes

3. IT administrators can manage advanced permissions from SharePoint

4. The notebook is stored on the group's SharePoint site

5. It is also accessible from Teams , Outlook and OneNote Web

6. Changes are automatically synced between Planner and OneNote

7. Content can be exported to PDF or Word for sharing

8. Notes can be linked to Planner activities

9. Attached files are stored in SharePoint and accessible from Notepad

10. The integration is available to all users with a Microsoft 365 Business license or higher.

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Collaborative documentation for an internal training plan

The HR team creates a Planner to organize training courses. Use the integrated notebook to collect materials, meeting minutes, and participant feedback.

a) Command : Outlook → Groups → select group → Notebook
Explanation : The team accesses the shared notebook to start writing content.

b) Command : OneNote → New Section → New Page
Explanation : Each course has a dedicated section with pages for materials, notes, and checklists.

c) Command : Teams → Channel → + → OneNote
Explanation : The notepad is accessible directly from the team channel for quick updates.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Open Piano Notepad	Outlook → Groups → Notebook	Access the group's OneNote block
Add OneNote to Teams	Teams → Channel → + → OneNote	Integrate the notepad into the team channel
Create new section	OneNote → + Section	Organize content by topic
Create new page	OneNote → + Page	Inserts text or multimedia content
Insert content	OneNote → Insert → File, Image, Link	Adds support materials
Share page	OneNote → Share	Invite members or copy link to page
Automatic synchronization	OneNote ↔ Teams ↔ SharePoint ↔ Planner	Keeps all content up to date
Permission Management	SharePoint → Group Site → Settings → Permissions	Defines who can access or edit the notebook
Export content	OneNote → File → Export	Save notes to PDF or Word
Activity Connection	Planner → Tasks → Insert Link to OneNote Page	Link notes to specific plan activities

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Centralized and shared documentation
Instant access from Planner, Teams and Outlook Structured organization by sections and pages Automatic synchronization between devices Real-time collaboration between plan members Reduced time spent searching for materials Tracking of decisions and meeting notes Mobile access via OneNote app
Support for team knowledge management
Seamless integration with SharePoint and Planner

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Collection of meeting minutes and notes

Each plan meeting can be documented on a dedicated page, accessible to all members.

Creation of operational guides and checklists

Plan activities can be accompanied by detailed instructions and checklists in the notebook.

Training materials and resources repository
The team can upload presentations, links, and documents useful for each phase of the project.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where is the built-in notepad in a Planner?

2. How do I access Notebook from Teams?

3. What content can you insert into a OneNote page?

4. How do I organize my notebook by project or theme?

5. Who can edit the plan notebook?

6. How do I link a OneNote page to a Planner task?

7. Where are notepad attachments stored?

8. How do I add a section or page in OneNote?

9. Which Microsoft 365 apps work with Notebook?

10. In which business scenarios is this feature useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You learned that each Planner plan automatically generates a built-in OneNote notebook, accessible from Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint. You followed the steps to access the notebook, create sections and pages, insert content, and share it with plan members. You understood the roles involved, key commands, and interactions with Microsoft 365 apps. Practical scenarios showed you how to apply this feature in real-world business contexts. The productivity benefits highlight the importance of collaborative, centralized documentation. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills.

15. Automatically integrate Planner with OneDrive

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

The automatic integration with OneDrive is actually an integration with the SharePoint Online infrastructure behind Microsoft 365 Groups. In practical terms for the user: when we create a new plan in Planner, a dedicated file space is generated (or linked) for the plan, hosted on SharePoint, but conveniently accessible through the OneDrive and Planner interfaces. In particular:

Every Planner plan has a Files section (accessible from the "..." menu item in the plan). This section displays all the files that have been uploaded to the plan's tasks. Where are these files saved? They're stored in the SharePoint document library of the Microsoft 365 group associated with the plan . This happens automatically: as soon as a plan (and therefore a group) is created, Microsoft 365 sets up a SharePoint site with a document library behind the scenes. When a user attaches a file to a Planner task by choosing the File -> Upload option , that file is uploaded to that SharePoint library, either in a folder named after the plan or in the "Shared Documents" folder on the group site.

For the end user, this means they don't have to worry about where to save project files : by adding them to tasks, they are automatically centralized in the plan's document area. Furthermore, using OneDrive (app or web), it's possible to browse this library: on OneDrive for Business, there's a " Shared Libraries" section where the name of the newly created group/plan containing the shared files appears. Then, from the OneDrive app or Windows Explorer (if the library is synced), plan members can manage the files as if they were in a local folder, except that they are synced for all members .

Planner Integration : Within Planner itself, tasks display previews of attached files and direct links. For example, if a task has a Word document attached, this can be set as the thumbnail image on the task card, so that a thumbnail of the document appears on the Planner board. Clicking on the file from the task directly opens the preview or the online editor (Office for the web). This underscores the tight integration: Planner also becomes an access point for project documents, not just a to-do list.

In short, the feature consists of having an integrated document repository : every uploaded attachment (Office files, PDFs, images, etc.) is stored centrally and automatically shared with all plan members, without the need for manual document exchange via email or external storage. The term "OneDrive" refers to the fact that the files are accessible to the user via the OneDrive for Business service , but technically the files reside on SharePoint (which is the basis of OneDrive in a corporate context). This integration is "automatic" because the user doesn't have to configure anything: it appears by default with the plan. As a note, if you create a plan in an existing group , it will use the same file library already existing for that group. If you create a new plan, however, a new group with its own file library is created.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The plan's file vault touches several parts of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem:

SharePoint Online : The plan's document library is in SharePoint. This allows you to use all SharePoint features on attached files: versioning (every change to the file is saved as a new version, which can be consulted in the history), consistency checking, permissions, controlled external sharing, and real-time co-authoring of Office files. This last point is crucial: if a Word file is attached to a Planner task, members can click it and edit it simultaneously in Word Online or Word desktop, with the changes syncing for everyone. This eliminates conflicts or the need to merge changes from different copies. Furthermore, in the SharePoint interface , you can create views or organize plan files into folders. For example, the Files area could have folders for "Documents," "Contracts," and "Presentations" related to that project. Any organization made in the SharePoint library is reflected when opening the Files section from Planner.

OneDrive for Business : From the user's perspective, OneDrive acts as a window into the plan's files . When opening OneDrive for Web, the group name (which usually coincides with the plan name) appears in the list of shared resources. From there, the user can upload new files, open them in Office, or sync them to their PC (via the OneDrive Sync client ). For example, a plan member can decide to sync the project's SharePoint library locally to access files even when offline: this is done in OneDrive by clicking "Sync" on the library. After that, a linked folder will appear in File Explorer where documents can be worked on even from a PC; every saved file will be automatically updated for everyone.

Microsoft Teams : If Planner is connected to a Teams team (for example, added as a Planner tab in a channel), then the plan files are the same as the channel files (Teams and Planner share the group). This means that in Teams, the same files uploaded to Planner will appear in the Files tab of the same channel. Conversely, files uploaded via Teams (to the channel's SharePoint document library) will also be visible in Planner if you go to the Files section. In practice, Teams, Planner, and SharePoint share the same files , facilitating consistent use of documents: no matter which interface you upload them from (Teams, Planner, or SharePoint), they always end up in the same place.

Outlook (client and web) : Microsoft 365 Groups also expose shared files in Outlook ( Group Files section when viewing a group in Outlook). Therefore, members can access Planner files from Outlook without opening other apps. Furthermore, if you send an email to the group with document attachments, these email attachments don't automatically end up in SharePoint; instead, you can manually save a group attachment to the group library. This highlights that, while Planner's primary integration is with SharePoint/OneDrive, the group ecosystem allows you to centralize relevant documents on the group website.

Office Online and Office Desktop : As mentioned, interacting with plan files is a breeze thanks to Office. Clicking an Office file attached to a task opens Office Online in your browser for one-click editing (Word Online, Excel Online, etc.). Alternatively, you can click "Open in Desktop App" and work on the file in Word/Excel desktop, which will open it directly from the SharePoint URL. Saved changes will immediately be saved in SharePoint, so all members will see the updated version. The tight integration also enables scenarios like opening a Word document from Planner or @mentioning a colleague in the document comments the colleague receives a notification with a link and can respond, keeping the discussion going on the document. In short, plan files benefit from all the synergies Office 365 offers for co-editing and commenting.

Power Platform : Since files are on SharePoint, they can be referenced by workflows (Power Automate) or applications (PowerApps). For example, you could have a workflow that sends a notification or copies the file elsewhere when a file is uploaded to that library (i.e., when someone attaches a file in Planner). Or a Power BI application could read the contents (if they're structured data). These are advanced interactions, but they're possible thanks to SharePoint harmonization.

In short, the OneDrive/SharePoint integration transforms Planner into a document hub : from any Microsoft 365 application, you can access project files (whether Office documents, images, or other types) without having to search for them in external tools or network shares. This reduces file duplication and maintains a single source of truth for project documents.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Managing and using shared files in the plan involves the following roles (aligned with Microsoft 365 group roles):

IT Administrator : The administrator's role here primarily concerns content governance settings . They can set retention policies or classification labels on group SharePoint sites, decide whether to allow external file sharing (for example, whether files in the library can be shared with external, non-members), and enable/disable features like syncing to unmanaged PCs. Additionally, the administrator can define the default storage location (although for Planner, this is not changeable: by default, it's the group library and can't be moved elsewhere unless you manually move files). Last but not least, the administrator can view all created sites (including those in Planner groups) through the SharePoint Admin Center and apply backups or special permissions if necessary.

Plan/Group Owner : The owner has full control over the site's document library (they are automatically added as a SharePoint site administrator as a member of the Owners group). This means that, in addition to everything a member can do (see below), they can manage the library's settings : create or delete folders, change permissions (for example, manually adding a read-only user to files, even without adding them to the group this is possible on the SharePoint side), permanently delete files, or configure integrations such as Power Automate flows on that library. The owner can also decide to add other owners (promoting a member to owner), which is useful for delegating management. In a Planner context, an owner should ensure that files are organized and maintain clean space (e.g., eliminating duplicates, ensuring file names are understandable, etc.), although these are best practices rather than technical requirements. Additionally, only owners can delete the entire plan (and therefore the group and its files) an action that would delete all files from the cloud, subject to SharePoint's retention period (the files would end up in the site's Recycle Bin for some time).

Plan Member : Internal members have editing permissions on the plan's files. In SharePoint, group members are typically assigned to the "Edit" group , which allows them to add new files, edit/upload files, create folders, and delete files uploaded by anyone. In practice, all members can collaborate freely on documents : for example, a member can open a file uploaded by another, edit it, and save it; or they can upload a new document they deem useful for the project. There are no individual file restrictions between members: every file in the plan is shared with all members. It should be noted that if multiple plans share the same group (therefore the same file library), members also have access to files on other plans in that group. However, if we are talking about a specific, isolated plan (dedicated group), the files are visible only to members of that plan. Members cannot change SharePoint's advanced settings (that's reserved for owners), nor can they change other users' permissions; Additionally, if the admin has banned external sharing and they try to share a file with an outsider, they will be blocked.

Guest : External users added to the plan have file access similar to internal members, but with some potential limitations. By default, a guest added to the group is added to the SharePoint site with either visitor (read) permissions or member ( edit) permissions , depending on policy. Currently, in Microsoft 365, a guest in a group can edit site content if they've been directly added as a member of the group (which owners can do). Therefore, in many practical cases, the guest will be able to upload and edit files like a regular member (especially if the administrator has allowed guests to add files). However, the user experience differs slightly: the guest doesn't see the file library via personal OneDrive (the shared libraries section of the OneDrive app typically only shows sites from the current organization, and the guest is external), but can access it via SharePoint links or via Teams/Planner web. Additionally, the guest can't easily sync files to OneDrive client without special procedures, because an external user's OneDrive for Business doesn't directly "mount" third-party tenant repositories. In short, guests can collaborate on files (if allowed) by accessing them via the web, editing online, or downloading and re- uploading, but they may have a less integrated experience than their internal colleagues. Important: Guests cannot invite other users to files or change permissions; their access is limited to what the group allows.

Internal Visitor : If the plan group is public within the organization, a non-member internal user technically has read permissions on the group's SharePoint site (this is because public groups often automatically add "Everyone except outsiders" as site visitors). This means they can view the plan files if they know the site URL or through SharePoint search . However, through the Planner or OneDrive interface, a non-member won't see that plan in their files until they decide to join the group. Once they join (by auto-adding, since it's public), they become a member and therefore have full edit access. Therefore, the concept of "visitor" for plan files only applies to non-member internal users who are browsing : they can open documents if the group is public, but they can't contribute to them or see them in Planner. In private groups, no visitors outside the plan have access to the files.

In summary, file roles follow the same logic as those for notebooks: owners and members (internal) have full access, guests have fewer restrictions, and non-members have no access at all (if the group is private) or at most can read (if the group is public). This system ensures that only team members can act on documents , maintaining control, but also allows external collaborators to be involved fairly transparently when necessary, with adequate security.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Project Document Management : Imagine a team working on a tender. They create a "XYZ Tender" Planner to divide the tasks (gathering requirements, writing specifications, reviewing, submitting a bid, etc.). As they work, they'll have numerous documents: draft technical proposals, Excel spreadsheets with costs, PDFs with client requirements, etc. Thanks to integration, each document is attached to its respective tasks : for example, the "Prepare financial bid" task contains the Excel spreadsheet with the calculations attached. The entire team can open that Excel spreadsheet directly from the task and edit it in real time via Excel Online, avoiding exchanging versions via email. At the same time, in the Files section of the plan, they can see all the project's attachments in a single list. This makes life easier: if they search for "XYZ Tender final.docx," they know it's in the plan, not lost in emails. Furthermore, once the tender is over, they can archive the SharePoint site to store all the documentation produced, maintaining a history.

Shared repository for cross-functional teams : In a product development context, various departments (engineering, marketing, sales) collaborate on a launch. They create a " Q1 Product Launch " Planner with tasks for each department. File integration allows for a single shared folder where, for example, marketing uploads brochures, engineering uploads technical drawings, and sales uploads customer lists, and everyone can see each other's files. It's no longer necessary to ask colleagues "Can you send me that file?"; simply open the group's Planner or OneDrive. A salesperson can find the official PDF of the technical presentation prepared by the engineers in the plan, because they attached it to the "Prepare technical datasheet" task in the Planner. Everyone therefore works from the same document base, avoiding duplication and ensuring version consistency.

Version control and auditing : Another business example is document quality control. If the company has ISO policies, each procedure must be reviewed and approved. Using Planner, you can assign chapter review tasks to various managers; the attached Word documents reflect the versioning in SharePoint. Thus, in the "Review Procedure 123" task, the user opens the attached Word document, edits it, and saves it. SharePoint tracks that John made changes on a certain day (version 2.0, etc.). The supervisor can compare versions and approve. All of this is integrated: in the plan, they see the status of the tasks (who completed the review), and they can extract a log of user changes from the files. A concrete example: ACME Corp manages the annual review of corporate policies with Planner: each policy is a shared document in the "Policy Review 2025" plan, and they assign update tasks to their respective owners. Each owner updates the attached file and completes their task. At the end of the process, compliance automatically has both the completion status (thanks to Planner) and the updated documents with history (thanks to SharePoint).

Easy external access : Let's consider a project where we collaborate with an external consultant. We add them as a guest to the Planner plan. Traditionally, exchanging files with external users has been done via email or services like Dropbox, but that's not necessary here: the consultant accesses the Planner via the web and can download the necessary files or upload their deliverables. For example, the "Market Analysis (External)" task is assigned to the consultant, who uploads the PDF report as an attachment once completed. The internal team immediately sees the file in the plan without any additional steps. The only caveat is that the iCalendar link (details in the next point) should not be shared publicly, to maintain control, but the files are already securely secured by group permissions. This model streamlines B2B collaboration because the external user works on the same artifacts as the internal user, in a protected company environment (SharePoint) without opening indiscriminate doors (it's not an open link; a guest login is required).

Overall, the OneDrive/SharePoint integration streamlines project document management : each relevant file is located next to the related task, visible to everyone involved, and can be edited collaboratively. This reduces errors (e.g., working on old versions), increases productivity (no more hunting for files), and keeps the entire work process traceable and centralized in the Microsoft 365 platform.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how files attached to tasks in a plan in Microsoft Planner are automatically stored and managed via OneDrive or SharePoint , depending on the context. The user will learn where files are saved and how to access, edit, and share them. The roles involved, interactions with Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft 365 Groups, and commands for managing documents efficiently will be illustrated. The exercise includes real-world business scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to provide the skills to use OneDrive as a document workspace integrated with Planner.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Attach files to a task in Planner

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Open the desired plan from the Planner dashboard

3. Click on an existing activity or create a new one

4. In the activity window, click Add Attachment

5. Select Upload File to upload a document from your device

6. Or select Link to enter a URL

7. Or click on SharePoint to choose a file already present on the site

8. Once uploaded, the file will be visible in the activity tab

9. Click the file to open it in a new Office Online tab.

10. Verify that the file is stored on the group's SharePoint site

Access and manage files in OneDrive/SharePoint

1. Open https://onedrive.live.com or sign in from Microsoft 365 → OneDrive

2. Go to Shared → Shared with me to find Planner files

3. If the plan is linked to a group, open SharePoint → group site

4. Click on Documents to access the file collection

5. Find the associated Teams plan or channel folder

6. Click a file to open or edit it in Office Online

7. Click on → Share to send the file to a colleague

8. Click on Details to see who modified the file

9. Download a copy by clicking on → Download

10. Sync the folder on your PC with the OneDrive app to work offline

Roles involved and interactions with Microsoft 365

1. Plan owners can attach, edit, and manage files

2. Plan members can view and edit shared files

3. IT administrators can manage permissions and access from SharePoint

4. Files uploaded to Planner are stored on the group's SharePoint site

5. If the plan is not linked to a group, files are saved in personal OneDrive

6. Files are also accessible from Teams → Files tab of the channel

7. File changes are synced in real time between Planner and OneDrive

8. Files can be opened and edited from Word, Excel, or PowerPoint Online

9. Change notifications can be received via Outlook

10. The integration is available to all users with a Microsoft 365 Business license or higher.

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Document management in a contract review plan

The legal team creates a Planner to manage contract review. Each task contains an attachment with a draft document, automatically stored in SharePoint.

🔹 Command : Planner → Tasks → Add Attachment → Upload File
Explanation : The file is saved to the group's SharePoint site and linked to the task.

🔹 Command : SharePoint → Documents → Open File
Explanation : Team members can edit the file in real time from their browser.

🔹 Command : OneDrive → Shared with me
Explanation : Files attached to tasks are also accessible from OneDrive for personal management.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Add attachment to a task	Planner → Tasks → Add Attachment	Link files to an activity
Upload file	Planner → Add Attachment → Upload File	Insert a document from your device
Open files in Office Online	Planner → Tasks → Click on file	Edit the file directly in the browser
Access shared files	OneDrive → Shared with me	View shared Planner files
Access the document collection	SharePoint → Group Site → Documents	Manages plan files
Share files	SharePoint/OneDrive → → Share	Send links or invite collaborators
Sync Folder	OneDrive → Sync	Work offline with plan files
View change history	SharePoint → Files → Details	Check who changed what
Download file	SharePoint/OneDrive → → Download	Save a local copy of the document
Permission Management	SharePoint → Settings → Permissions	Defines who can access or modify files

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Automatic archiving of attached files
Centralized access to plan documents Real-time collaboration on shared files Synchronization between Planner, OneDrive and SharePoint Notifications for changes and updates Reduced time in document management Tracking of versions and changes Mobile access to files via the OneDrive app
Integration with Teams and Outlook
Greater security and control over documents

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Project management with shared documentation

Files attached to tasks are stored in SharePoint, ensuring access and structured collaboration.

Support for legal or compliance teams

Each activity can contain a document to review, with traceability of changes and versions.

Organization of events or marketing campaigns

Graphic materials and operational plans can be attached to tasks and managed from OneDrive.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where are files attached to tasks in a Planner stored?

2. How do I attach a file to a task in Planner?

3. What's the difference between files saved in OneDrive and SharePoint?

4. How do I access my plan files from OneDrive?

5. How do I edit a file attached to an activity?

6. Who can view and edit attached files?

7. How do I share an attached file with a colleague?

8. How do I sync files for offline work?

9. Which Microsoft 365 apps interact with Planner files?

10. In which business scenarios is this feature useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You learned that files attached to tasks in a Planner plan are automatically stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, depending on your plan configuration. You followed the steps to attach, access, edit, and share files, understanding interactions with Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft 365 Groups. You identified the roles involved, key commands, and document management methods. Practical scenarios showed you how to apply this feature in real-world business contexts. The productivity benefits highlight the importance of an integrated and secure file management system. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your acquired skills.

16. Integrate the Planner calendar into Outlook calendar

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Microsoft Planner allows you to view your plan's schedule within Outlook by subscribing to an iCalendar calendar . In practice, every Planner plan (especially the "basic" plans, not those for separate To Do lists) can display its tasks with dates as a calendar that can be viewed in Outlook. This feature is activated through the "Add plan to Outlook calendar (publish iCalendar )" option available in the plan menu. Here's how it works, step by step :

Activation ( Publish ) : Initially, the plan's calendar is private . Only a plan owner can choose to publish the plan as an iCalendar feed . Publishing means generating a public URL (an ICS link) that represents the task calendar. When the owner clicks Add plan to Outlook calendar, if the feed wasn't already active, they'll be prompted to publish it . Once published, that URL can be used by anyone who knows it to see (read-only) the plan's due dates. For this reason, it's important to share that URL only with authorized people anyone who owns it, even outside of your organization, could subscribe to the calendar and see the titles, due dates, and descriptions of the tasks. (Note: If the plan is private, it remains private in Planner, but the ICS feed is public to anyone who has the link; it's not a publicly listed link, but it's security by obscurity .)

Subscribe : Once you have the iCal feed , team members (or even other interested users) can add it to Outlook . In Outlook (for example, on the web, under Calendars -> Add Calendar -> Subscribe from Web ), paste the URL of the plan's iCalendar feed . You can give the calendar a name (e.g., Project X Due Dates ) and save. From then on, the plan's calendar appears in your Outlook calendar list . Any Planner task with a due date (or start date, in some cases) is rendered as an all-day event in that calendar. For example, if I have a task called Complete Report due on July 30th, I'll see an event titled Complete Report for July 30th in my calendar. If the task also has a start date, it might appear as a start-to-finish event.

View : These events added from the feed are read-only in Outlook they appear under Other Calendars and don't appear in the user's primary personal calendar (unless one overlaps them). Clicking on one of them will reveal a preview of some details from Planner: due date, completion status, progress (if applicable), and a checklist summary. There's also a link to "Open this task in Microsoft Planner" that takes you directly to the task in Planner. This way, you can jump from the calendar event to the full detail in Planner (including comments, assignees, etc.).

Sync : The integration is a subscription feed, meaning that when tasks in Planner change , Outlook notices them frequently (usually within a few hours, because iCal feeds are updated periodically). For example, if I add a new task with a due date, that event will appear in the subscribed calendar; if I move a task's date forward, the calendar event will update accordingly. If a task is marked as complete, it will likely stay in the calendar (it won't disappear, because the iCal feed lists all tasks with dates, both completed and uncompleted, although Outlook may display them differently).

Assigned to me : In addition to the calendar for the entire plan, Planner also allows you to publish an iCal feed for all my assigned tasks (across multiple plans). In Planner, in the My Tasks view , there's the option to "Add 'Assigned to me' to Outlook calendar." It works similarly: it generates an iCal feed with all the deadlines for tasks assigned to that user. A user may prefer to subscribe to this personal feed so they can see all their Planner deadlines in Outlook (regardless of plan). This feed, which is also public to those with the link, must be activated manually and can be deactivated. Essentially, calendar integration consists of publishing the Planner dates via iCalendar , and then possibly subscribing to them in Outlook (or other calendars) . It's not a two-way synchronization: it's a read-only flow from Planner to Outlook . Therefore, marking a task completed from the Outlook calendar is not possible (you have to open the task in Planner). Likewise, moving the event to the calendar won't change the due date in Planner (you'll need to adjust it in Planner and wait for the update). This is primarily a consolidated view feature .

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Planner's calendar integration is mostly about Outlook, but there are a few notable interactions and additions:

Outlook (Calendar) : As described, the main place of interaction is the Outlook calendar. It's worth noting that the Planner-derived calendar event isn't a "real" Outlook appointment , but an event from a read-only internet calendar. This means, for example, that you won't be able to invite people to the event directly or receive reminders for that event from Outlook itself (it depends on the client, but internet calendars in Outlook typically don't send pop-up notifications). It's really just a visual information layer . Furthermore, if a user no longer wants to see the due dates for a certain plan, they can simply deactivate or remove the subscribed calendar.

Outlook (Groups) : Every Microsoft 365 group also has an Exchange group calendar (used primarily with Outlook groups and Teams Meetings). Note that the group calendar does not automatically display Planner tasks . Planner integration occurs solely via the iCalendar feed, which is separate from the actual group calendar. So, if the team uses the group calendar to schedule meetings or other events, those entries exist separately from Planner tasks (even if they are conceptually linked to the same project). The user will still be able to see both in Outlook by overlaying the calendars (the group calendar with meetings and the Planner feed with tasks).

Microsoft Teams (Tasks in Teams) : Exists in Teams the app Tasks by Planner and To Do , which It aggregates tasks from Planner and To Do. However, this app offers a task list, not an integrated calendar view. However, if a user prefers to work within Teams, they can view their Planner tasks there, and for a calendar view, they will need to open Planner on the web or Outlook. There is currently no direct sync with the Teams calendar.

Microsoft Outlook Mobile : If a user has subscribed to the Planner calendar on Outlook desktop/web, it usually also appears in the smartphone calendar (in the Outlook app, if synced with the account). Therefore, a project manager could check the plan's deadlines in the Outlook Calendar app from their phone simply by enabling the view of that web calendar.

Other calendars (not Outlook) : The iCalendar feed generated by Planner can be used in any calendaring application that supports .ics feeds. This includes, for example, Apple Calendar on Mac/iPhone, Google Calendar , etc. One use case: an external consultant who doesn't use Outlook could still subscribe to the plan feed on Google Calendar to see milestones. Or, internally, you could import the feed into a company intranet that displays calendars. This flexibility is provided by the iCalendar standard ; it's not limited to Outlook. Of course, always be careful who manages the URL: if you paste it into a public Google calendar, potentially anyone viewing that calendar could deduce the link.

Power Automate/ Graph : More indirectly, a company might decide to automate synchronization if it wants something more robust: for example, with a Power Automate script programmed to bounce deadlines to a real Exchange Calendar with invitations. In general, however, the supported and simple solution is a manual iCal feed.

Planner Views : Within Planner itself, there's a Schedule View that displays tasks on a calendar (monthly or agenda view). This is similar to a calendar but lives within Planner. Outlook integration allows you to bring that view out into Outlook for broader coordination.

Key benefits : This interaction allows you to track project deadlines in the company calendar . This is useful because many users live in their Outlook calendar; seeing Planner tasks there also contributes to integrated time management . For example, if I have three tasks due on Friday in Planner and two meetings, I'll see everything at a glance and be able to organize myself accordingly. Furthermore, for managers, being able to activate and deactivate multiple project calendars in Outlook allows for a multi-project overview : I can select Plan A and Plan B views and compare workloads or avoid overlapping tasks on certain days. It's a convenient way to consume Planner information without having to open the Planner web app, especially for those who already plan their week in Outlook.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Calendar integration involves fewer roles than other features, as it's optional and client-side (Outlook). However:

Plan Owner : This is the person who can enable publishing of the plan's iCalendar feed . If the owner doesn't perform the "Publish, share with anyone" action from the plan settings, regular members won't see the option to add to Outlook. Therefore, the owner has the key role in deciding whether to make the plan's calendar shareable . Once published, the owner can also revoke publishing by choosing the "Don't publish, keep private" option . publish , keep private). This would invalidate the existing iCal URL , deactivating sync for those who had subscribed to it. Essentially, the owner controls the toggle for this integration for their plan.

Plan Member : Once the feed is published, members are free to use it . They can retrieve the URL (found in the plan options) and add it to their calendars. You don't need to be an owner to subscribe; just make sure it's published. In a typical scenario, the owner activates publishing, then shares the URL via message or notification to members, and each member imports it into their Outlook. However, members can't modify the feed; for example, they can't filter which tasks appear all tasks with dates appear for everyone. A member can, however, choose not to use this integration at all if they don't need it (don't paste the feed into Outlook).

Non-member (internal) users : If the iCal link is shared with a colleague in the organization who isn't part of the plan, they can still add the calendar and see the tasks . There's no permission control over the feed: iCalendar is like a static, generated file; it doesn't verify roles. So, essentially, anyone with the URL, whether they're a member or not, can see the content . Therefore, if you want only members to see it, you should treat the URL as confidential information. (Note: An internal user could discover a plan's iCal URL if it's set to public and accidentally navigates to the ICS endpoint with the plan ID, but this is highly unlikely without explicit sharing.)

External users (guests) : Similar to non-internal members, a guest can use the iCal link if provided. However, the Planner and Outlook UI for guests is currently limited. A guest added to the plan typically doesn't have access to the host organization's Outlook Groups interface, so they must manually obtain the URL. Once they have it, however, they can add it to their calendar client (even Gmail, etc.) and view the due dates. Be careful: the task names and details will be visible, so it's best to only provide it to those who can see it.

Administrator : At the governance level, the admin might want to know if there's a way to disable this feature (for example, if a company doesn't want task data to be published in an unauthenticated feed). In the Planner 2025 admin center, there's no specific toggle for the iCalendar feed (it's a user- level feature ). However, an admin can train users on how to use the URL securely. In high-security environments, it might even be considered not using it to avoid potential leaks (although with long GUIDs, it's unlikely anyone would guess the URL). The admin also doesn't have an active role: they can't see all published calendars, nor can they centrally subscribe to them. It's a local team decision.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Personal planning and time management : A professional who works on multiple projects may have trouble keeping track of all their deadlines in Planner. By integrating their calendars into Outlook, they'll have a single, unified calendar . For example, John Smith works on three Planner plans (Project A, B, and C), each of which has multiple tasks assigned to him with different deadlines. By publishing the iCal feeds for each plan and adding them to Outlook, John can see: "Tuesday task X (Project A) is due; Wednesday task Y (Project B) and Z (Project C) is due." This allows him to allocate time knowing that he has two deadlines due on Wednesday. Without this integration, he would risk having to manually check Planner regularly or losing track of a deadline. Instead, his Outlook calendar becomes the dashboard for all his responsibilities.

Multi-team project coordination : A project manager managing multiple teams (each with its own Planner plan) can overlap their calendars to avoid conflicts. For example, PM Giulia Bianchi oversees the Development and QA Teams, each with its own plan. If testing (QA) needs to take place after development, Giulia can use her Outlook Planner calendars to see if the dates match : she can view the Development Timeline and QA Timeline calendars together. Noticing that the QA plan has tasks scheduled before development is completed, she'll spot it early (because the activity blocks on the calendar overlap unusually) and can intervene to realign the schedules. This is an example of lightweight portfolio management made possible by Planner+Outlook : without having to use Microsoft Project, she can visually compare different schedules on a common calendar.

Communicating with external stakeholders : A manager might want to share project milestones with a client or executive who doesn't use Planner. By publishing the feed and sending the iCal URL to the client, they can view key dates in their own calendar (e.g., Google Calendar). For example, the development company provides the client with an iCal feed with the project's release and review dates. The client adds it to their corporate calendar to be notified when, for example, " Beta Demo September 15" arrives. This involves the client transparently, without giving them full access to Planner (we maintain internal control, sharing only the deadlines). Of course, you need to be sure to share only what's relevant: it's best to create summary tasks for each milestone (and perhaps avoid including detailed internal tasks) if the intent is to inform external parties.

Executive overview : In some companies, managers like to have a consolidated view of projects without delving into the details of individual tasks. A manager might have high-level calendars for all strategic projects in Outlook (perhaps fed by automatic Planner). For example, Director Luca Verdi is following 5 initiatives: he will ask project managers to ensure their Planner plans have Milestone activities with dates for each important phase, to publish the feeds, and he will add them to Outlook naming the calendars Project Alpha - timeline, Project Beta - timeline, etc. Thus, looking at the month of October, he can immediately see if any project deadlines overlap with others (e.g., everyone is scheduled to go live on the same day, a potential problem) and can act accordingly. This improves governance capabilities , while maintaining the operational simplicity of Planner.

Personal reminders : A team member can leverage the iCal feed to receive additional notifications about deadlines, if the client supports it. For example, by adding the Planner calendar to their smartphone, they could set the calendar app to show notifications X days before each event. So, if Planner normally only sends reminder emails on the due date, the user can get alerts up to 2 days in advance via their calendar a neat little productivity hack .

In all these cases, the Planner-Outlook integration increases the visibility of tasks and deadlines . Without duplicating information (tasks only remain once in Planner), it allows them to be consulted in different environments , adapting to users' workflows and improving time management.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how to integrate a Microsoft Planner calendar into your Outlook calendar, allowing you to view task deadlines directly in your work environment. You will learn how to publish your plan's calendar, obtain the iCalendar link , and import it into Outlook. Interactions with Microsoft 365 Groups, Teams, and SharePoint will be illustrated, along with the roles involved and operational implications. The exercise includes real-world business scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to provide the skills to manage tasks and commitments in an integrated manner, improving planning and collaboration.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Publish the Planner calendar

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Select the desired plan from the left sidebar

3. Click on the three dots next to the plan name

4. Select Add plan to Outlook calendar

5. In the window that opens, click on Publish to generate the iCalendar link

6. generated iCalendar link

7. Make sure your plan is linked to a Microsoft 365 group

8. Check that tasks have due dates set

9. iCalendar link with team members if needed.

10. Close the publishing window and return to the Planner dashboard

Import the calendar into Outlook

1. Open Outlook Web or Desktop and go to the Calendar section

2. Click Add Calendar → From Internet

3. Paste the iCalendar link you copied earlier

4. Give the calendar a recognizable name (e.g. Project X Planner )

5. Click Save to complete the import

6. Make sure the calendar is visible in the left sidebar

7. Click on the calendar to view its contents

8. Turn on overlay view to compare it with other calendars

9. Customize the calendar color to distinguish it

10. Check that tasks with deadlines are correctly synchronized

Manage roles and interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. Make sure your plan is associated with a Microsoft 365 group

2. Go to the group's SharePoint site → Documents section

3. Open Microsoft Teams → channel linked to the plan → Planner tab

4. View tasks and deadlines also from Teams → Calendar tab

5. Check plan access permissions from Planner → Members

6. Plan owners can publish and edit the calendar

7. Members can view the imported calendar in Outlook

8. Changes to tasks are automatically reflected in your Outlook calendar.

9. Expiration notifications can be received via Outlook

10. The integration is available to all users with a Microsoft 365 Business license or higher.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Add Plan to Outlook Calendar	Planner → ... next to the plan name	Publish your plan calendar and generate iCalendar links
Publish calendar	Planner Dialog Box	Enable calendar sharing
Copy iCalendar link	Planner → Calendar Publishing Window	Get the link to paste into Outlook
Add calendar from the Internet	Outlook → Calendar → Add Calendar → From Internet	Import an external calendar via link
Assign calendar name	Outlook → Calendar Import Window	Customize the name of the imported calendar
View in overlay	Outlook → View	Visually compare multiple calendars
Customize calendar color	Outlook → Calendar → right-click on the calendar name	Visually distinguish calendars
Check synchronization	Outlook → Calendar → View Tasks	Check that the activities are updated
Plan Member Management	Planner → Plan → Members	Defines who can edit or view the plan
Access from Teams	Teams → Channel → Planner/Calendar Tab	View tasks and deadlines from Teams

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Centralized view of tasks and deadlines

Automatic synchronization between Planner and Outlook

Better time and priority management

Reducing the risk of project overlaps

Notifications and reminders built into Outlook

More efficient planning for teams and individuals

Integration with Microsoft 365 Groups and Teams

Greater transparency in business management

Mobile access via Outlook app

Greater control and security in sharing

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Cross-functional project management

Project managers can integrate Planner plans into Outlook calendars to coordinate deadlines across different teams.

Corporate event planning

The HR team can view event preparation activities directly in the shared calendar.

Monitoring of operational activities

Department managers can track tasks assigned to employees in real time.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where is the option to publish a Planner calendar?

2. What is the format of the link generated for the integration?

3. How do I add a calendar from the Internet to Outlook?

4. Are changes in Planner automatically reflected in Outlook?

5. Is it possible to display multiple calendars in one place?

6. Which roles can publish a Planner calendar?

7. In which business scenarios is this integration useful?

8. Which Microsoft 365 apps work with this feature?

9. How do I customize the built-in calendar view?

10. What are the main advantages of this integration?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to integrate a Planner calendar into your Outlook calendar, improving visibility and task management. You've followed the steps to publish the calendar, obtain the iCalendar link , and import it into Outlook. You've understood the interactions with Microsoft 365 Groups, Teams, and SharePoint, and the roles involved in management. Practical scenarios have shown you how to apply this feature in real-world business contexts. Key commands allow you to work independently and precisely. Productivity benefits highlight the importance of integrated planning. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your acquired skills. You're now able to use Planner and Outlook synergistically for more effective work management.

17. Integrating Planner with PowerApps

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Integrating a Planner plan with PowerApps allows you to build custom applications (with little or no code) that interact with Planner data . Microsoft PowerApps is part of the Power Platform and allows advanced users or citizen developers to create web or mobile apps connected to various data sources through connectors . Planner has predefined connectors (both in PowerApps and Power Automate) that allow you to read, create, and update tasks, plans, and groups. Essentially, the Planner plan can serve as a backend for a custom application that implements specific business logic not covered by the standard Planner interface.

How it works :

Using PowerApps (Canvas app, for example), the app creator can add a Planner data source using the Microsoft Planner connector . The connector, once authenticated with Microsoft 365 credentials, provides access to operations such as ListPlans () (list of plans available to the user), ListTasks () (tasks within a certain plan), CreateTask , UpdateTask , etc. Within the app, these calls can then be executed as if they were functions, obtaining task data in real time.

Often, the integration is implemented by combining PowerApps and Power Automate : the logic can be delegated to Flows that perform complex actions in Planner, triggered by events in the app. For example, pressing a "Create task" button in the PowerApps app can trigger a Flow that uses the Planner - Create a task action to add the task to the plan. This approach is recommended if you also want to handle subsequent operations (such as notifying via email that a task has been created, or updating a separate database).

Once the PowerApps app is connected to Planner, the app's end user can view Planner data in a different UI . For example, you can create a card ( gallery ) that displays all the tasks in a specific bucket of the plan, with specific fields and a custom style (colors, logos). The user can select an item and view the details in specially designed forms. They can also edit fields (e.g., change the status or add comments) and save the app will send these changes to Planner via the connector, updating the actual task in the plan.

The integration also allows you to cross-reference Planner data with other data within the same app. For example, PowerApps could take task names from Planner and combine them with information from an external database (e.g., customer IDs from an ERP) to create a unified view. This is very powerful because it bridges any functional gaps: Planner itself tracks tasks, but if we wanted to associate a custom field (which the basic Planner doesn't support) with each task, such as a cost or address, we could build an app where these are managed in parallel, while still keeping the tasks in Planner aligned.

Simply put, the Planner-PowerApps integration allows you to: create more scenario-specific interfaces based on Planner tasks, add business logic around tasks (validations, multi-level steps, correlations with other systems), offer mobile or field users a simplified way to interact with plans, while keeping Planner as the underlying system that centralizes information and collaboration.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

This integration affects several Microsoft components:

Power Automate : Almost inseparable from PowerApps when it comes to data integration. With Power Automate, you can create flows that react to events in Planner (e.g., When a task is created in Planner, do X ) or in other systems and write to Planner (e.g., When an item appears in a SharePoint list, create a task in Planner ). For example, you could automate the creation of tasks in a plan when a ticket is assigned in an ITSM system. Additionally, if we build an app to, say, enter a series of recurring tasks via forms, we can have the app call a Flow that generates multiple tasks in Planner at once.

Microsoft Teams : PowerApps can be integrated into Teams as tabs (Personal Apps or Channel Tabs). An interesting scenario is creating a Teams app that acts as an advanced dashboard for Planner. For example, a Teams app that displays task charts (perhaps also using Power BI) and allows quick action on tasks (via PowerApps). This app will connect to Planner in the background. Therefore, team members might never open the standard Planner interface, using the custom app within Teams instead, but still work with the same Planner data. This demonstrates the adaptability of the experience.

Dataverse / SharePoint / other data : A common integration is to enrich Planner with external data. If we have a database (e.g., Dataverse) with demographic information, the PowerApp can display both Planner data and that data, providing context. For example, in a Training Management app, we might have a list of available courses in Dataverse and completed enrollment tasks in Planner; the app could combine the two to show which courses are due and automatically create enrollment tasks through a Flow.

Power BI : Not directly related to PowerApps, but it's worth mentioning that Planner data can be analyzed with Power BI (there's a content pack for O365 Planner or it can be extracted via Graph API). A company could then create KPI monitoring of the progress of various plans. If this analysis highlights problems (delays, unbalanced workloads), PowerApps could offer the option to intervene (rebalancing tasks via a dedicated interface). All of this creates an integrated flow: analysis (BI) -> action (App) -> updated data (Planner).

Microsoft Graph API : Both PowerApps and Power Automate use the Microsoft Graph API behind the scenes to operate on Planner. In contexts where even more extensive customization is needed, a developer could bypass PowerApps and write a custom application (in C#, Python, etc.) that calls Graph directly. But with PowerApps, much of this is already done via connectors.

Benefits : The primary interaction with the PowerApps platform means you can quickly build customized solutions , using Planner as a task engine. This means:

Customized user interfaces: e.g., a simplified mobile app for field agents where they only see three buttons to log a service, which is essentially the same as creating a Planner task in a technical support plan. This overcomes any limitations of the Planner mobile app (which, while existing, may not be suitable for specific workflows).

Process integration: PowerApps can drive multi-step processes . For example, an approval process where a Planner task needs to be passed from one department to another; the app could feature a "Move to Next Stage" button that, behind the scenes, changes the bucket or reassigns the task in Planner and notifies the next team. Planner itself doesn't have this workflow concept, but the app can implement it by using Planner as a state repository.

Extend Planner's functionality: If you need an additional field (e.g., "Expected Expense" for each task), the app can predict that input and save the data in parallel (in the task title/description or another source), something the standard interface doesn't allow.

Consolidate information: In areas like sales, a sales rep might want to see Customer X's revenue data from the CRM alongside their Planner task, "Send quote to Customer X." An app can display both types of data on a single screen (tasks from Planner and data from the CRM), optimizing the user experience.

In short, PowerApps opens the door to augmented Planner use cases where the end user may not even realize Planner is there, but takes advantage of its structure and collaborative integration.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

To create and use the Planner integration with PowerApps, there are two distinct roles:

PowerApps Maker / Developer : This is the person (it can be a highly skilled team member or an IT pro) who designs and implements the application . This role requires the appropriate license (for Canvas apps with standard connectors like Planner, the standard Microsoft 365 license is sufficient, since the Planner connector is "standard", not premium). The maker must have access to the involved Planner data typically, they are a member or owner of the plans themselves, at least during development, to be able to test the calls. From a permissions perspective, the maker will use their own identity or a service identity to connect to the Planner connector: development is often done using a user account connection (which therefore sees the plans to which that user has access). If the app will be used by others, you can set each user to use their own credentials to access Planner ( delegated access) the most common scenario or, in specific scenarios, use a service account with permissions on all necessary plans (less recommended for auditing reasons). The maker is also responsible for sharing the app with the appropriate end users and possibly managing the Power Platform environment (if necessary, creating it in an environment other than Default).

Power Platform/M365 Admin : If the app is deployed enterprise-wide, the admin may want to monitor connector usage . The Planner connector has no additional costs or restrictions, but the admin may want to enforce Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies that prevent connectors from interacting with each other if they belong to different categories (for example, if Planner is classified as an enterprise service and another connector is public, they may prohibit mixing them in the same app). Fortunately, Planner, SharePoint, etc., are often all in the same internal category, so there are no roadblocks. An admin may need to approve some connections if the environment is restrictive, but generally the user can connect Planner themselves. The traditional IT admin (the Exchange/SharePoint one) is not directly involved in this context, other than to grant PowerApps licenses and ensure that relevant users can create apps. If the integration is part of an official project, there's likely involvement from a PowerApps Center of Excellence or a development team overseen by the admin. In terms of Planner roles, the Planner admin itself doesn't intervene here; perhaps the Azure AD admin would, if special permissions needed to be granted to a registered app (in the case of Direct Graph , but with connectors, this is unclear).

Plan Owner/Member (end user) : These are the intended users of the integrated app . From their perspective, a plan member will use the PowerApps app instead of (or in addition to) the standard Planner interface to perform certain tasks. For example, a member accesses the app on their smartphone and can easily view their tasks and change their status with a tap . This user must obviously have permissions on the underlying Planner plan (if they're not a member of the plan, the connector using their credentials won't see anything or won't be able to create tasks in the plan). Therefore, the app is usually distributed to the same users who are in Planner . In scenarios where you want non-members to be able to create tasks, you can have the app use a service account, but then the tasks will appear to be created by that account and must be managed carefully (this goes somewhat beyond standard roles). Therefore, as a general rule, classic Planner roles (owners, members, guests) remain valid. If the app says show all tasks for plan X , a user who is a member will see them, a user who is not on the plan will not see them.

Guest as app user : External guests can also use the app if the app is shared with them and the Planner connector supports guests (typically, a guest can only access the plans they're added to via Graph ; if they open the app and log in with their guest account, they should see the tasks for the plans they're part of). Cross-tenant app sharing needs to be configured, but it's technically feasible. In a training scenario (e.g., training external resellers), the app could also be given to guests, and the tasks reside on the plan where those guests are added.

Visitor : In this PowerApps context, the concept of visitor doesn't apply because only those with at least read access to the data can see it in the app. There's no way to say "this non-member user can still see the tasks" without granting them at least the guest role. Therefore, "visitors" in the Planner sense don't apply here.

Ultimately, roles determine who can build the integration (Makers with appropriate permissions) and who can use it (members/guests of the plan with which the app will communicate). Governance ensures that data doesn't leave the corporate perimeter unintentionally when combined in apps.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Apps for field workforces : A classic example is a maintenance company with field technicians. These technicians need to receive tasks and update status as they move between customer sites. Using Planner's native mobile app might be too generic or require too many steps. Instead, create a mobile PowerApp called, for example, "Maintenance Today" that shows each technician only the Planner tasks assigned to them for the current day, with details like the customer address (taken from another database) and a large, prominent "Done" button. When the technician arrives and finishes the job, they click "Done" in the app; the PowerApp in the background calls the Planner connector to mark that task as completed and perhaps even starts a Flow that notifies the manager. This makes status updates immediate and tailored . Contoso , for example, has implemented this: maintenance tasks are created by the dispatcher in the "Interventions" Planner plan and assigned to technicians; Technicians can view and complete their own jobs in real time using the customized app, without having to search through dozens of other colleagues' tasks on Planner. This has eliminated the use of paper forms and integrated the process with the central monitoring system.

Training Management : In the context of "PowerApps Training for Office," consider an internal training portal. For example, a company wants to manage employee enrollment in mandatory training courses. They could use a Planner plan where each course is an activity and each person has a subtask, but this isn't ideal using pure Planner. Instead, they create a "Training Tracker" PowerApp : the app draws from a list of courses (in SharePoint or Dataverse) and a Planner "Training" plan for employee tasks. When an employee enrolls in a course from the app, the system actually creates a task in Planner like "complete course Y by [date]" and assigns it to that person. In the same app, the employee sees the list of their assigned courses (which comes from Planner) with completion percentages. If they click "Mark as Completed" at the end of the course, the app calls Update Task in Planner to set the completed status and perhaps insert the outcome as a comment (via Flow). HR managers, through another screen of the app, see reports on who completed what (cross-referencing data from Planner and the course database). This scenario illustrates how Planner provides the assignment and tracking engine, but the user experience is completely tailored to HR needs, with company branding and ease of use for non-technical staff. The result is an internal training system that combines the advantages of Planner (assignment and team visibility) with a custom course management system .

Content Approval and Workflow : Imagine a marketing team producing content (articles, social posts, videos). They might use Planner to track the creation, review, and publication stages of each piece of content. However, the workflow may require more steps than Planner can easily handle. A PowerApp comes into play : the app presents a request form for new content (which a product manager might fill out); upon submission , a Flow creates a new task in Planner, Write article about X, assigned to a copywriter. The copywriter sees the To be written section in the app with that request and can attach a draft directly from the app (which perhaps behind the scenes uploads it to SharePoint and links to the task). Once marked as ready, a Flow reassigns the task to the reviewer and changes the bucket to In review. The reviewer in the app sees that content in their To be approved section, opens the attachment, adds a comment to Planner via the app, and approves. Finally, a Flow publishes the content and closes the task. All of this is orchestrated with Planner as the backbone (tasks passed from one person to another) but with the PowerApp as the guided front-end, ensuring each role sees only what they need to do at each stage. This solution increases process compliance and reduces errors (e.g., forgetting to move on to the next person), and leverages Planner for its natural role of tracking and multi-user assignment.

Interactive project dashboard : A project manager may want a richer view of the status of a plan: for example, a dashboard with graphs (how many tasks are completed, how many are overdue) and the ability to add status notes, update priorities, etc. You could build a PowerApps page (perhaps integrated into Teams) that displays a dashboard : a pie chart of tasks by status (obtained by adding up the tasks via connector at that moment), a list of the 5 most urgent tasks (filtered by deadline), and an Export Report button next to it that could trigger a Flow to email a summary PDF. This type of app isn't so much for intensive input as for consolidated visualization and quick actions . The PM and stakeholders can consult it to get a quick overview of the project and perhaps interact with it to make small adjustments (e.g., moving a due date via a calendar control in the app that sends the update to Planner). It's like having a mini- portal for the project, created without code, that uses Planner as the underlying database.

Integration with external systems : Some companies may have legacy or industry-specific systems. Let's say a company wants to integrate reports from a website with Planner. Instead of developing a new app, they use PowerApps Portals (or a simple PowerApp exposed in public mode): external customers fill out a report form (for example, a support request). This, via Power Automate, creates a ticket on Planner (the " HelpDesk " plan) with all the information. Internal technicians manage the ticket on Planner as usual. Then, perhaps still via the app, the customer can check the status by entering a code (which corresponds to the task ID on Planner, obtained via Graph ). Although this goes beyond the classic combination, it demonstrates potential: Planner can act as a task manager even in processes where the initiator/user is not on Office 365 , thanks to interfaces created with PowerApps/ Powr Automate that act as a bridge.

These examples show how the integration with PowerApps makes Planner extremely flexible to use. Companies with specific needs can model their own solutions without sacrificing the benefits of having tasks in Planner (transparency, integration with Teams/Outlook, easy assignment). It enables mobility, automation, and integration with other data scenarios that go beyond Planner's native capabilities. Ultimately, Planner can be seen as a ready-to-use service for task management that, via PowerApps and Power Automate, can be inserted into any business flow, from the simplest to the most complex, speeding up processes and breaking down barriers between tools. As stated in a recent case study, connecting Planner to PowerApps helps companies eliminate bottlenecks , allowing real-time updates and maintaining consistent project visibility wherever they are.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how to integrate a Microsoft Planner plan into a custom app built with PowerApps, allowing you to view, create, or update tasks directly from a customized interface. You will learn how to connect Planner as a data source via Microsoft Graph , use Power Automate to automate flows, and design interactive screens. The roles involved, interactions with Teams, SharePoint, and Microsoft 365 Groups, and the commands for building customized business solutions will be illustrated. The exercise includes practical scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to provide the skills to create business apps that leverage Planner as their operational engine.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Create a PowerApps app connected to Planner

1. Sign in to https://make.powerapps.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Click Create → Blank Canvas App

3. Name your app and choose the layout (phone or tablet)

4. Go to Data → Add Data Source

5. Select Connectors → search and add Microsoft 365 Groups

6. Also add the Microsoft Planner connector (preview)

7. Insert a gallery to view the plan's activities

8. Set the gallery's Items property to Planner.ListTasks (" Plan_ID ")

9. Add labels to display Title, DueDateTime , PercentComplete

10. Save and publish the app for testing in a corporate environment

Automate flows with Power Automate

1. Go to https://make.powerautomate.com

2. Click on Create → Automated Flow

3. Choose a trigger like When a new item is created in SharePoint

4. Add a Create Task in Planner action

5. Select the destination Planner group and plan

6. Map the fields: Title, Expiration Date, Assignee

7. Add a Send Teams Notification action to notify the manager

8. Save and activate the flow to test it with real data

9. Verify that the task is created correctly in Planner

10. Monitor flow execution from Run History

Manage roles and interactions with Microsoft 365

1. Planner owners can create and edit tasks

2. Microsoft 365 group members can view and update data

3. PowerApps developers can design apps connected to Planner

4. IT admins can manage permissions and connectors from Azure AD

5. Tasks created from PowerApps are also visible in Teams → Planner

6. Activity changes are reflected in real time across all connected apps.

7. Data can also be stored or read from SharePoint or Dataverse

8. Notifications can be sent via Outlook or Teams

9. It is available for users with a Microsoft 365 Business license or higher.

10. Apps can be shared with the entire organization or specific teams

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Technical assistance

A technical support team wants to manage customer requests from a PowerApps form, automatically creating tasks in Planner.

🔹 Command : PowerApps → Add Planner Connector
Connects the app to the activity plan.

🔹 Command : Power Automate → Create Task in Planner
Automate the creation of tasks from filled out forms.

🔹 Command : Teams → Planner → View Tasks
Technicians can see assigned tasks directly in Teams.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Create canvas apps	PowerApps → Create → Canvas Apps	Start building a custom app
Add data source	PowerApps → Data → Add Data Source	Connect Planner and Microsoft 365 Groups to the app
Insert gallery	PowerApps → Insert → Gallery	View plan activities in the interface
Set Items Properties	PowerApps → Gallery → Items	Defines the data source for the gallery
Create automated flow	Power Automate → Create → Automated Flow	Start a flow to create activities from external events
Add Create Activity action	Power Automate → Add Action → Planner	Create a new activity in the Planner plan
Send Teams notification	Power Automate → Add Action → Teams	Notify team members of new activities
App Permissions Management	PowerApps → Share	Defines who can use the app
View activity in Teams	Teams → Channel → Planner Tab	Show tasks created by PowerApps
Flow monitoring	Power Automate → Run History	Check the outcome of automated flows

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Quick access to activities from custom apps

Automate workflows between Planner and other apps

Reduction of manual errors in task creation

Greater traceability of requests and assignments

Automatic notifications to improve team responsiveness

Integration with SharePoint, Teams, Outlook, and Dataverse

Centralized visualization of operational activities

Customizing the interface for specific roles

Mobile access via PowerApps app

Granular control of permissions and sharing

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Management of internal IT requests

A PowerApps app allows employees to submit requests, which are transformed into Planner tasks for the IT team.

HR Onboarding Task Tracking
uses an app to automatically assign tasks to new hires via Planner.

Quality control in production

Operators complete checklists from PowerApps and generate Planner tasks for corrective actions.

Self-assessment questions

1. How do I connect Planner to a PowerApps app ?

2. Which connector provides access to Planner plans?

3. How do I view tasks in a PowerApps gallery?

4. Which command allows you to create activities from a flow?

5. How do I send a Teams notification from Power Automate?

6. What roles are involved in integration management?

7. Where do I see tasks created by PowerApps?

8. Which Microsoft 365 apps interact with Planner in this context?

9. How do I monitor the execution of a flow?

10. In which business scenarios is this integration useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to integrate Microsoft Planner with PowerApps to create customized business solutions. You've followed the steps to connect Planner as a data source, design a user interface, and automate flows with Power Automate. You've understood the interactions with Microsoft 365 Groups, Teams, and SharePoint, and the roles involved in management. Practical scenarios have shown you how to apply this integration in real-world contexts such as IT, HR, and manufacturing. Key commands allow you to operate autonomously and precisely. Productivity benefits highlight the importance of an integrated ecosystem. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills. You're now able to design apps that leverage Planner as their operational engine.

CHAPTER 3 - PLAN VIEWING METHODS AND TOOLS

1. Access the Microsoft Planner application

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Simplified, multi-device access. Microsoft Planner is a cloud application : it requires no local installation and is accessed with your Microsoft 365 company credentials. Access typically occurs via a web browser , by logging in to the Office 365 portal and selecting the Planner icon from the app launcher (the waffle ). Once the app is open, users can create new plans, assign tasks, and collaborate with colleagues in real time. In addition to the web, Planner is available within Microsoft Teams (via the Tasks by Planner and To Do apps ) and through dedicated mobile apps , ensuring operational continuity across PCs, Macs, tablets, and smartphones. In short, wherever users access their Microsoft 365 account, they can use Planner to organize their team's work.

b) Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

Integration into the Microsoft ecosystem. Planner is tightly integrated with other Microsoft 365 services, making it easier to access and share information:

Microsoft Teams: As noted, Planner integrates with Teams. Each plan can be added as a tab in a Teams channel , allowing team members to interact with tasks directly during Teams conversations. Additionally, the Teams Tasks app aggregates all personal tasks from Planner and To Do in one place, making it easy to manage tasks without leaving Teams.

Outlook (Microsoft 365 Group): When you create a Planner plan, you're actually creating and using a Microsoft 365 Group (if one doesn't already exist). This automatically generates a shared mailbox and group calendar. While Planner itself doesn't have an interface within Outlook, the plan's calendar can be synchronized with Outlook by subscribing to the plan's iCalendar feed , allowing due dates and tasks to appear as calendar events (this is done manually, as the plan's calendar doesn't automatically appear in Outlook by default).

To Do: Planner integrates with Microsoft To Do by displaying tasks Assigned to me . Users can open To Do and find a list that aggregates all their assigned tasks across Planner plans, allowing them to manage daily personal commitments alongside team activities.

Office Suite and SharePoint: Because it's based on M365 Groups, a Planner plan shares file space with SharePoint and OneDrive. Attachments added to tasks can come from OneDrive/SharePoint or be uploaded from the device: in either case, they're saved in the document library of the SharePoint site associated with the plan. This means that, for example, a document attached to a task is immediately available to all members through SharePoint (or the group's Files section ). Likewise, each plan has a linked OneNote notebook (on the group's SharePoint site), accessible from the "Notebook" tab in Planner: if the team wants to take structured notes, they can use OneNote and know it's an integral part of the plan's workgroup.

Power Platform: Planner offers connectors for Power Automate (Flow) to create automated workflows (e.g., custom notifications, automatic task creation from Forms, etc.), and integrates with Power BI for advanced task data analysis. Additionally, Power Apps can be connected: for example, you can create custom applications that read or write Planner tasks via available APIs and connectors.

In short, Planner isn't an isolated silo: it's connected to Teams, Outlook/Exchange, SharePoint/OneDrive, OneNote, and other services to offer an integrated experience. A user can create a task in Planner, discuss it in Teams, attach a file from SharePoint, and the due date will appear in the shared calendar all thanks to seamless interactions between Microsoft 365 apps.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Who can access and manage Planner? Using Planner involves different roles with different permissions:

Administrator (Tenant/IT Admin): The Microsoft 365 admin has overall control over Planner at the organizational level. Fortunately, Planner is enabled by default with many Office/Microsoft 365 licenses (Business Essentials, Standard, E1/E3/E5, etc.), so there's usually nothing to install. However, the admin can manage some settings, such as whether or not to allow guests to be added to plans (depending on the tenant-level Microsoft 365 Groups - Guest Access setting ). Additionally, using Microsoft 365 Group Policy, the admin can control who can create new plans (actually, who can create the underlying Microsoft 365 groups). Often, the company might restrict the creation of new groups (and therefore new Planner plans) to specific people or roles to maintain governance. The administrator does not have access to the contents of all plans (he does not appear in the plans automatically), but can intervene via administrative tools (for example, to recover data from a plan associated with a group, or to delete a group/plan on request).

Plan (and group) owners: When a user creates a new plan in Planner, they become the plan owner . This is essentially the same as owning the associated Microsoft 365 group. Owners have full power over the plan: they can add or remove plan members, invite external guests , change the plan name, and delete the plan and its associated group. If the plan is "private" (visible only to invited members), only owners can add members to the plan. If the plan is "public" (visible internally to the organization), owners can still manage members, but any internal user can independently join the plan (and become a member themselves).

Members: Plan members are typically internal colleagues within the organization added to the plan's M365 group. Each member can create, view, edit, and complete tasks within that plan. In Planner, there is no distinction between member permissions: all members (not guests) can add buckets, create new tasks, assign tasks to others, add labels, attach files, and write comments. By default, standard members can also edit plan details (such as description, name, and colors) essentially, the plan is a peer-to-peer collaboration, except for management operations reserved for owners (user management, plan deletion). Internal members receive email notifications from Planner (for example, when they are assigned to a new task) and can see the plan in their list of plans in Planner.

Guests: Users outside the organization (for example, a partner company employee with an email address outside the company domain) can be invited to join a plan if the administrator has enabled the feature and the group owner has added them as guests . A guest user receives an invitation email and, after accepting, can access the Planner plan via a direct link or via planner.office.com using a Microsoft account associated with their email address. Guests can collaborate almost as well as internal members : they can create and delete tasks and buckets, edit their details, mark completions, and add comments. However, there are limitations: for example, a guest cannot invite other users or add new members to the plan, nor can they delete the entire plan. They also do not receive all email notifications (Planner does not send reminder emails to guests for assigned tasks). Guests can attach files only if the administrator has granted guests general permission to access the group's SharePoint files. In practice, the guest is conceived as an external collaborator with operational rights on the tasks, but with controlled access.

Visitors: The term visitor in Planner doesn't identify a specific role like it does in SharePoint. A visitor could be understood as someone who views a public plan without being an active member . For public (internal) plans , any business user can potentially open the plan and view tasks in a read-only manner (as long as the plan remains public to the organization). However, if they want to interact (for example, update or assign tasks to themselves), they will need to join as a member . In enterprise contexts, plans are often kept private to invited members only, so the term visitor is rare. If the plan is private, no one outside the members can see it; if it is public (company-wide visibility), non-members are considered viewers/visitors until they join. In short, Planner provides active member/contributor roles rather than read-only roles.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Planner access and usage scenarios.

Onboarding a new project: Company XYZ launches a new cross-functional project. The project manager creates a Planner plan from the Office 365 portal and adds all project team members. Thanks to the integration, participants are immediately notified via Outlook that they've been added to the group. One of the members, for example, Marketing, accesses Planner directly from Teams because the PM has added Planner as a tab in the project's Teams channel. Without leaving Teams, everyone starts adding tasks and deadlines. The experience is seamless: a user can even use the mobile app during a meeting to quickly add a task that came up during the discussion. This example shows how Planner is accessible from anywhere and leverages existing tools (Teams, Outlook) to facilitate collaboration.

Involving an external collaborator: A consulting firm is managing a product launch plan for a client. With IT consent, they invite a representative from the external communications agency as a guest to the Planner plan. This guest receives an email and, after accepting the invitation, can access the plan (with a guest account) via the client organization's dedicated URL. Within the plan, the guest creates activities related to the advertising campaign and attaches the necessary graphic files. The IT administrator had already enabled file sharing with guests, so the guest can upload a PowerPoint presentation; that file is automatically stored on the project's SharePoint site. Every internal user can see and open that attachment from Planner. Thanks to the guest role, the company was able to actively involve an external partner in its Planner, while maintaining security (limited permissions) and traceability (all changes are recorded within the context of the plan).

Cross-team visibility via a public plan: In a smaller organization, the manager decides to create a public "Corporate Roadmap" Planner within the company, where he lists the main quarterly initiatives as tasks. All employees, even those not explicitly added, can access this plan from their Planner (using the "All Plans" feature, they can search and find the public plan). For example, a new hire can access Planner from the portal, discover the "Corporate Roadmap" plan, and view the status of various initiatives effectively acting as an informed visitor . If some of them contribute in the future, the manager can promote them to members of that plan. This scenario illustrates how Planner can also be used as an open internal noticeboard for high-visibility projects (even though this is not its primary function, which remains the operational management of team tasks).

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how to properly access the Microsoft Planner application and view available plans based on your role and business context. You will learn how to use the different access methods (web, Teams, mobile), navigate between plans, view tasks, and interact with related Microsoft 365 apps. The roles involved, interactions with Outlook, SharePoint, and Microsoft 365 Groups, and the controls for managing plan views will be illustrated. The exercise includes practical scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to provide the skills to access and view Planner effectively and seamlessly.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Web access to Microsoft Planner

1. Go to https://tasks.office.com

2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 account

3. In the dashboard, view recent or favorite plans

4. Click on a plan to open it and view activities

5. Board view to see activities by bucket

6. Chart view to analyze the status of your tasks

7. Use the Schedule view to see your calendar due dates

8. Click on an activity to open its details and edit it.

9. Use the filter to view only the tasks assigned to you

10. Add the plan to your favorites for quick access

Accessing Planner from Microsoft Teams

1. Open the Teams app and go to the desired team channel

2. Click + to add a card to the channel

3. Select Planner from the available apps

4. Choose an existing plan or create a new one

5. View tasks directly in the Planner tab

6. Board view to manage tasks by bucket

7. Assign tasks to team members directly from Teams

8. Get notified about changes to channel activity

9. Interact with tasks without leaving Teams

10. Sync changes with Planner Web automatically

Access Planner from mobile devices

1. Download the Microsoft Planner app from the App Store or Google Play

2. Open the app and sign in with your Microsoft 365 account.

3. View available plans on the home screen

4. Tap a plan to open it and see activities

5. Use the mobile view to scroll through buckets

6. Tap an activity to edit or comment on it

7. Use the filter to view only the tasks assigned to you

8. push notifications for deadlines and updates

9. Sync changes with Planner Web and Teams

10. Work offline and sync as soon as you have a connection.

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Real-time project management

A distributed project team accesses Planner across Teams, web, and mobile to manage tasks in real time.

a) Command : Teams → Channel → Planner Tab
Allows you to view and edit tasks directly in the channel.

b) Command : Web Planner → Schedule View
Helps you plan deadlines and view your workload.

c) Command : Mobile App → Push Notifications
Allows team members to receive updates even when they are away from the office.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Access Planner Web	https://tasks.office.com	View and manage Planner plans
Dashboard View	Web Planner → Plan → Noticeboard	Organize activities by bucket
Chart View	Web Planner → Plan → Chart	Analyze the status of activities
Program View	Web Planner → Plan → Schedule	View deadlines on the calendar
Add plan to favorites	Web Planner → Plan →	Quick access to the most popular plans
Access from Teams	Teams → Channel → Planner Tab	View and edit tasks in the context of the team
Add Planner Tab	Teams → Channel → + → Planner	Integrate Planner into the Teams channel
Mobile access	App Planner → Login → Plans	Manage tasks from your smartphone
Filter assigned tasks	Web/Mobile Planner → Filter	View only personal activities
Push notifications	Planner App → Settings → Notifications	Get real-time updates

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Flexible access from web, Teams and mobile

Automatic synchronization between devices

Better management of tasks and deadlines

Multiple views for analysis and planning

Real-time notifications for updates and deadlines

Integration with Microsoft 365 Groups and Outlook

Mobile access to work anywhere

Direct collaboration in Teams channels

Track changes and assignments

Personalizing the user experience

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Cross-functional project management
Teams can access Planner from Teams to update tasks during meetings.

Corporate Event Planning
The HR team uses Web Planner to view deadlines and assign tasks.

Operational support on the move

Field technicians use the mobile app to update task status in real time.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. How do I access Microsoft Planner?

2. How do I view activities by bucket?

3. Which view allows me to see calendar deadlines?

4. How do I integrate Planner into a Teams channel?

5. Which roles can edit tasks in Planner?

6. How do I access Planner from mobile devices?

7. Which Microsoft 365 apps work with Planner?

8. How do I get notifications about activities?

9. How do I filter assigned tasks?

10. In which business scenarios is this feature useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to access the Microsoft Planner application from the web, Teams, and mobile devices, and how to view tasks effectively. You've followed the steps to navigate plans, use different views, and interact with tasks. You've understood the interactions with Microsoft 365 Groups, Outlook, and SharePoint, and the roles involved in management. Practical scenarios have shown you how to apply this functionality in real-world business contexts. Key commands allow you to operate independently and precisely. Productivity benefits highlight the importance of flexible and integrated access. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your acquired skills. You are now able to access and view Planner strategically and collaboratively.

2. View the list of plans you participate in

Immagine che contiene testo, schermata, Carattere, design

Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Overview of all the projects you're collaborating on. When a user launches Microsoft Planner, they're greeted by a summary page showing the plans they're involved in (the so-called Planner Hub ). This feature is essential because many users are involved in more than one plan/project at the same time. In the Planner Hub, plans are typically divided into sections:

Favorite Plans: Users can " pin " (add to favorites with the star icon) plans to keep them always visible. These will appear at the top of the page, allowing one-click access to the most critical projects.

Recent Plans: The most recently opened or modified plans are displayed first, so you can quickly pick up any work left unfinished on a recently viewed project.

All Plans: A comprehensive list of all the plans the user is a member of , sorted alphabetically or by predefined criteria. From here, you can select any plan to open it. For example, if a user collaborates on five different project plans, they'll all be listed here. Each The plan pane displayed may include the plan name, the team/group it belongs to (if the group name differs from the plan), and sometimes mini-indicators for example, a small graph showing how many tasks are completed out of the total, or the icons of certain members. This provides a quick overview of the status of the various plans before even entering them.

The "floor list" also functions as a navigation menu : clicking on a floor name opens that plan. Additionally, the interface allows you to search for a floor by name using a search bar, which is useful if you have many floors.

Plan List feature provides users with a single dashboard to navigate all their projects in Planner, without having to remember or manually track down each individual plan. This is a key usability feature: it makes Planner a centralized tool, not fragmented for each project.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Visibility of plans within the ecosystem. The plan list lives primarily within the Planner app itself, but there are points of contact with other apps:

Teams (Shared Tasks): Within Microsoft Teams, the Tasks app offers a "Shared Plans" tab that also lists all the Planners the user is participating in (essentially, akin to the Planners list, but integrated into Teams). This way, a user who prefers to always work within Teams can see the list of plans and open them without leaving Teams. Selecting a plan from there will open the embedded Planner view for that team/project.

Outlook (Groups): Each plan corresponds to a Microsoft 365 group; users can see a list of the groups they're part of in Outlook (in the "Groups" section of their mailbox). While Outlook Groups focuses on shared mail and calendaring, there's a consistency in membership: if you're a member of Group X , that group might have a Planner plan associated with it. In some organizations, using Outlook Web App , you can find links to Planner from within the group (for example, a "Plans/Planner" link in the group's resources). So indirectly, Outlook helps you find the plans available through groups.

SharePoint Home / Delve: In the Microsoft 365 environment, there are pages like SharePoint Home or Delve that display colleagues' recent projects and activities. It's not explicitly integrated, but in some cases a public Planner plan may be mentioned or linked to on an intranet (e.g., a link to the project plan on a SharePoint page). These interactions, however, aren't automatic: the plan list usually resides in Planner itself.

Email notifications: While not strictly speaking another "app," it's worth noting that when new plans are created or the user is added to a plan, they receive email notifications (from the Microsoft 365 group). These emails contain the plan name and a link to open it. Then, using Outlook, a user can click to access the plan . From an experience standpoint, this integrates the plan list with email: the user is guided to the plans they join.

Generally, the aggregated plan list is a concept internal to Planner (or Teams via the Tasks app). For example, we don't see a plan list directly in SharePoint or OneDrive. However, the M365 Groups integration allows the Planner app to "remember" the user all the project contexts in which they participate. And via Teams, that list is recalled again in another context, a sign of the suite's interoperability.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

List access and visibility based on role.

Members (internal) and owners: A user's plan list is personal: it contains the plans in which they are members. There is no difference between owner and simple member in terms of visibility: an owner of three plans and a member of two others will see all five plans listed. In other words, being a plan owner does not give you access to additional plans beyond those you are involved in. Therefore, the list is specific to each individual, and each plan appears in the lists of all its participants.

Guest (external guests): A guest user, after accepting the invitation, can access Planner for the host organization. However, the guest experience is a bit more limited: guests often don't have the rich Planner Hub that internal users do . They must follow the link to the project plan or log in via the dedicated tenant URL (e.g., planner.cloud.microsoft.com/organization ) by entering their guest credentials. Once logged in, they will presumably only see the plan they were invited to. If, for example, a guest were invited to multiple plans (potentially from different groups) within the same organization, they might see a list of those plans (but this scenario is less common). In short, the "plan list" for a guest corresponds to the specific plans they were added to, with no favorites/recents breakdown and possible interface limitations.

Administrator: A tenant administrator doesn't have a consolidated list of all company plans easily accessible in Planner (since they aren't members of all plans). They can access information through admin logs or tools like the Group Admin Center, but there's no global Planner dashboard showing all the plans running in the organization. Each admin, being a user as well, will have their own plan list if they participate in projects, but nothing else. This is important for privacy: only those who are members of a plan can see it in their hub.

Visibility of public plans (internal visitors): If a plan is public at the organization level, it appears in the "All Plans" section, potentially available to all users via a join. Previously, Planner allowed users to search for public plans to join; today, an internal user who knows the name of a public plan can find it. Until they join the plan, that user is a visitor : they may see it listed, but they won't appear as a member until they click "Join." Once they join, the plan effectively enters their personal list. Therefore, the concept of a visitor for the plan list is reduced to public plans that they haven't yet followed: they are visible but not active in their dashboard.

External Visitors: Not applicable An external user must be a guest to view a plan, otherwise they have no access to your organization's plans.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

program project manager : Maria is a project manager for a consulting firm and collaborates on several projects with different clients. At any given time, Maria has six active plans in Planner (Project Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta). Every morning, she opens Planner and immediately sees a list of the six plans in her Planner Hub . She has starred the three most critical projects of the month (Alpha, Beta, Gamma), which then appear at the top as Favorite Plans . Looking at the summary graphs on the tiles, she sees, for example, that in Plan Beta, only five out of ten tasks are completed (orange indicator): she immediately understands that there is backlog. She then clicks on that plan to delve deeper. This makes her job easier: the list of plans offers her initial monitoring and quick navigation between different contexts. Without it, she would have to manually open each project separately or remember their URLs. Even while in a meeting, Maria can check the status of her various plans in the Planner app on her smartphone and update an urgent task, always having the consolidated list at hand.

Cross-functional team with multiple planners: An internal product team uses Planner for multiple purposes: a plan for feature planning ( Product Roadmap ), one for managing technical backlog tasks ( Sprint Development ), and one shared with marketing for the launch ( Go-to-market Plan ). Each product team member is involved in all of these plans. From the Planner home page , members can switch between them in one click. For example, after updating the status of some tasks in Sprint Development, the Product Manager returns to the Planner Hub and immediately opens the Go-to-market plan to check ongoing marketing activities. The transition is seamless and promotes coordinated work: the plan list serves as a central hub for managing parallel projects. Additionally, thanks to the Teams integration, the same list of plans is available in the Teams app: during a call, the Product Manager opens the Activities app in Teams and sees the same plans in the Shared section so he can quickly answer a question about the status of a task, without having to open the browser.

Public Plan as Knowledge Base: Continuing the previous example of the public Company Roadmap , imagine a newly hired employee. Alice has just been hired and, while browsing Planner, discovers a public plan called 2025 Initiatives . Even though she isn't a member of the plan, she can click it and see a list of the company's macro-activities for the year (e.g., New Office Opening Completed, ERP Implementation In Progress, etc.). This provides context for the company's work. The plan list, in this scenario, also highlights the available public plans. Alice notices 2025 Initiatives in All Plans , opens it as read-only, and then decides to click Join to stay updated: at that point, the plan becomes one of her favorites. This example shows how Planner can also be used to transparently share project statuses , leveraging the plan list to spread knowledge about cross-functional projects.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to learn how to quickly and organizedly view all the Planner plans you participate in, leveraging the app's native features and integrations with Microsoft 365. You'll discover how to access the list of plans from the web, Teams, and mobile, how to identify them based on their Microsoft 365 group, and how to manage them using favorites or filters. The roles involved, interactions with Outlook, SharePoint, and Teams, and the controls for accessing and organizing plans will be illustrated. The exercise includes business scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to provide the skills to navigate active plans and collaborate effectively.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

View plans from Planner Web

1. Go to https://tasks.office.com and log in

2. On the home screen, locate the Recent Plans section

3. Scroll down to view All Plans you participate in

4. Click on a plan to open it and view its activities

5. Use the search bar to find a plan by name

6. Add a plan to your favorites by clicking the star icon

7. Remove a plan from your favorites by clicking the star again

8. Sort plans by date modified or by name

9. Check the Microsoft 365 group associated with the plan (visible in the title)

10. Click on next to the plan name to access more options

View plans from Microsoft Teams

1. Open Microsoft Teams and go to the desired team channel

2. Click on the Planner or Tasks tab if it already exists

3. If not present, click on + to add a new card

4. Select Planner from the available apps

5. Choose an existing plan from the group or create a new one

6. View plan activities directly in the tab

7. Switch between plans using the drop-down menu at the top

8. Check the plan name and associated group in the title bar

9. Add the card to your channel favorites for quick access

10. Sync changes with Planner Web automatically

View plans from mobile devices

1. Download the Microsoft Planner app from the App Store or Google Play

2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 account

3. On the home screen, view recent plans

4. Tap All Plans to see the complete list

5. Use the search bar to find a specific plan

6. Tap a plan to open it and see activities

7. Add a plan to your favorites for quick access

8. View the details of the group associated with the plan

9. Receive push notifications for updates on active plans

10. Sync data with Planner Web and Teams automatically

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Quick access to Planner plans

A project manager participates in multiple Planner plans for different teams and needs to access them quickly from different devices.

a) Command : Web Planner → Recent Plans / All Plans
Allows you to view and access active plans in a centralized way.

b) Command : Teams → Channel → Planner Tab
Allows you to view plans directly in the team context.

c) Command : Mobile app → All plans
Ensures immediate access even on the go, with automatic synchronization.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
View recent plans	Web Planner → Home	Show recently used plans
View all plans	Web Planner → Home → All Plans	Complete list of plans you participate in
Add to favorites	Planner Web / Mobile → Star Icon	Save plan for quick access
Plan search	Planner Web / Mobile → Search Bar	Quickly find a plan by name
Access from Teams	Teams → Channel → Planner Tab	View plans in the context of the team
Add Planner Tab	Teams → Channel → + → Planner	Integrate Planner into the Teams channel
Mobile access	App Planner → Login → All Plans	View and manage plans from your smartphone
View associated group	Planner Web / Teams / Mobile	Identify the Microsoft 365 group linked to the plan
Push notifications	Planner App → Settings → Notifications	Get real-time updates
Automatic synchronization	Planner Web / Teams / Mobile	Keeps data up to date across all devices

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Quick access to all active plans

Automatic synchronization between devices

Better organization of activities by project or team

Reduced plan search time

Real-time notifications for updates

Integration with Microsoft 365 Groups and Teams

Mobile access to work anywhere

Direct collaboration in Teams channels

Activity tracking by plan

Personalizing the user experience

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Multi-project management

A project manager can quickly access all active plans to monitor the progress of the work.

Distributed operational support

Distributed teams can access plans from Teams or mobile to update tasks in real time.

Corporate event planning
The HR team can manage multiple plans for onboarding, training and internal communications.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where are recent plans located in Planner Web?

2. How do I view the full list of plans?

3. How do I add a plan to my favorites?

4. How do I access Planner from Teams?

5. Which roles can view plans?

6. How do I access Planner from mobile devices?

7. How do you identify the group associated with a plan?

8. How do I get notifications about activities?

9. How do I filter plans by name?

10. In which business scenarios is this feature useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to view the list of plans you're participating in in Microsoft Planner, using web, Teams, and mobile access. You've followed the steps to access recent plans, search for specific plans, add them to your favorites, and identify the associated group. You've understood the interactions with Microsoft 365 Groups, Outlook, and SharePoint, and the roles involved in management. Practical scenarios have shown you how to apply this feature in real-world business contexts. Key commands allow you to operate independently and precisely. Productivity benefits highlight the importance of flexible and integrated access. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills. You're now able to navigate Planner plans strategically and collaboratively.

3. The open plan in Planner (detailed view of a project)

Immagine che contiene testo, schermata, Carattere, design

Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Plan Details How to View and Manage Tasks. Opening a plan in Planner is like delving into the operational details of a project. The open plan screen is the workspace where day-to-day task management takes place. The plan's main components and view modes include:

Board (Column Board): This is Planner's main view, often referred to as Board Mode . Here, tasks are represented as cards arranged in buckets . Buckets are user-definable categories for example, project phases ( To Do, In Progress, Completed ) or custom categories ( Development, Testing, Deployment, etc.). Each task card displays essential information such as the task title, due date (if applicable), the image of the assignee(s), any colored labels, or an attachment icon if there is a file. This view allows for immediate and visual interaction : the user can create new tasks in the desired bucket by clicking Add Task, drag a card from one bucket to another (for example, move a task from the To Do column to In Progress to indicate that it has started), or reorder tasks within the same bucket. This is a Kanban -style experience , very useful for managing workflows. Clicking on a single activity opens a detail panel with all its properties.

Task Details: It's worth describing what's inside a task once clicked. The panel displays: assignees (one or more plan members can be assigned, or none), bucket membership , completion status ( checkbox to mark "completed"), priority (e.g., urgent, important, medium, low), start and due dates , text description , subtask checklist , attachments (files or links), and comments . All these fields can be edited from here. The comment entered notifies other members (via email from the group) and is a form of contextual conversation about the task.

Alternative Views (Charts and Schedule): In addition to the Board, the plan offers analytical views:

a. Charts: Selecting the Charts tab changes the central panel to display statistics. For example, a pie chart breaks down tasks by status (completed/in progress/not started), highlighting how many tasks are finished or not. There are also bar charts : one for buckets (showing the count of tasks in each bucket and how many are completed), one for priorities (how many are urgent, medium, low), and one for members (how many tasks assigned to each person and how many are completed). These charts allow you to understand the progress of the plan and the distribution of the workload. For example, the members chart allows you to see if any of the people have too many tasks compared to others ( workload imbalance ). The project manager can thus balance assignments. The charts are interactive: by clicking on a section (e.g. the Late slice), the view can be filtered by corresponding tasks.

b) Schedule: The Schedule tab displays a calendar where each task with a due date appears as an event on the corresponding day. If a task has both a start and due date, it appears as a bar across the days (like a period). This timeline/ calendar view is handy for keeping a temporal perspective: it allows you to see overlap between tasks, check if there are too many tasks due on the same day, or if the plan is empty in certain weeks. You can also create new tasks by clicking directly on the calendar on a given day. It's not an advanced Gantt chart (dependencies require switching to Project Online), but it's effective for simple planning. Other features in the plan view: In the top bar of the open plan, in addition to Boards, Charts, and Schedule, there may be a Members item (from which you can quickly manage who is part of the plan) and a menu with options such as Planner Feed (to get the plan's iCalendar link , useful for Outlook), Export to Excel (to download the task list to a file), or Conversations (which opens an Outlook Group for related emails). Additionally, the user can mark the plan as a favorite (star) from here, and access the plan settings (e.g., change the name, description, or graphic theme). In the open plan context, all changes occur in real time and are visible to all members.

In short, the open plan view in Planner offers both a big-picture overview (with boards and charts) and the ability to drill down into each task to update status, collaborate, and attach relevant information . It's the team's shared workspace for that project.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

A Planner plan as an integrated central hub. When working within an open plan, you're actually interacting with various tools in the suite:

Teams (plan tabs): Many teams prefer to access their plans through Teams. In a Teams channel, adding a Planner tab will display the same board and views as the Planner plan, but embedded within the Teams interface. Any updates made in Teams are reflected for those viewing the plan on the web, and vice versa. Essentially, Planner in Teams is the same content in a different container. This encourages Planner use because teams living in Teams don't need to open a separate app. For example, during sprint meetings, the development team opens the Planner "Sprint Backlog" tab and updates tasks together, while remaining in the Teams call window.

SharePoint (Planner web part): For corporate projects, there's often a dedicated SharePoint site. SharePoint offers a Planner web part that can be inserted into a site page, allowing you to easily view the tasks for a specific plan. For example, a PMO could create a project dashboard in SharePoint with embedded Planner charts: managers and stakeholders browsing the page can see how many tasks are completed, without having to manually open Planner. This is made possible by native integration: the web part connects to the existing plan and exposes its key data (respecting permissions: only members will see the full details).

Files and documents (SharePoint/OneDrive): Attachments added to plan tasks are saved in the connected group's SharePoint document library . Specifically, if I attach Presentation.pptx to a "Prepare Presentation" task , that file is uploaded to the group's SharePoint site document library (usually in a "Planner Attachments" folder or similar). Therefore, from an open plan, clicking an attachment will actually open the file from the SharePoint/Office Online environment. This means all plan files are centralized and subject to the same SharePoint security and versioning policies . Users can also choose "Link" as an attachment to connect to existing files on SharePoint/OneDrive, avoiding duplicates. Furthermore, the "Files" section in Teams (if the group has a Team) will display those files, as it's the same document area. The integration thus ensures that documents and tasks remain aligned: a member can find them from the task in Planner or by browsing the SharePoint site it's the same repository.

OneNote: Every M365 team has a OneNote notebook. From the open plan, the Notebook option launches OneNote Online, opening the team's shared notebook. Team members can use this feature to take meeting notes, document requirements, or gather structured project information. It's a one-click integration: from the task board, you can go to the notebook without searching elsewhere. For example, the team can decide to keep a meeting log in the associated OneNote; when needed, the shortcut is directly in the Planner plan menu.

Outlook and Calendar: For those who prefer a unified calendar, Planner offers the option to publish the plan's calendar . From the Plan view, by accessing the iCalendar link , a user can subscribe to it in Outlook (or other calendars) and see all task deadlines as events in their Outlook calendar. There's no two-way sync (you can't move the deadline from Outlook), but it's useful for receiving reminders and viewing tasks within your personal calendar. Additionally, email notifications : whenever a user comments on a task, the comment is emailed to other members (via the group's shared inbox). This means that within Outlook, you can follow discussions about tasks and respond (even via email, with the response appearing in Planner in the comments). This synergy keeps members aligned, even if they don't open Planner constantly but do check their email: the communication thread remains active across multiple channels.

Power Automate/Flow: From a planning perspective, a user can create additional workflows. For example, by integrating with Microsoft Forms , each new response to a questionnaire can generate a task in Planner. Or with Power Automate , set up a message to be sent to Teams when a task is completed. These aren't visible in-app features in Planner, but the platform allows for them; many companies leverage them to automate ticket management, approvals, etc., using Planner as the foundation for tracking tasks.

In short, working in an open Planner naturally involves files (SharePoint/OneDrive), communication (Teams/Outlook), notes (OneNote), and scheduling (Outlook Calendar) it's a connected operational hub . Each element of the plan is echoed in another Microsoft 365 app, ensuring that the project isn't isolated but part of the company's digital workflow.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Permissions and capabilities within a plan. Within an open plan, roles determine who can do what on activities and on the plan itself :

Plan Owner: Typically has additional plan management powers . In addition to everything a member can do for individual tasks, the owner can: modify the plan's settings (name, description, icon, and especially privacy), add/remove members (thus inviting new colleagues to the project or removing those no longer needed), and delete the plan entirely at the end of the project. If a plan is private, only the owner can add new members; if it's public, owners supervise any joins. In a plan created within a Microsoft Teams team, team owners are automatically considered plan owners. In practice, the owner role is often held by the project lead or the person who created the plan, and provides control over membership and configuration.

Plan Member: Each (internal) member can freely create, assign, edit, and complete tasks . Members can move tasks on the board, add new buckets if the organization allows it, use all views (boards, charts, calendars), and update content. They can also write comments and view/comment on others' comments. In short, from an operational standpoint, all plan members are equivalent editors on tasks (there are no read-only roles for internal members). The idea is to fully enable collaboration: the application still keeps track of who completes what (at the activity log level, each task shows who recently modified it).

Plan guest: If an external user is present as a guest in the group, they will have almost the same rights within the plan as an internal member: they can create new tasks, edit them, assign them to themselves or others (even other guests if there are any), add buckets, etc. The main differences: the guest cannot add other members (neither internal nor external) and cannot change plan settings or delete it, because they will never be the owner (only internal users can be group owners). Furthermore, as mentioned, they may have attachment restrictions if policy dictates it. Otherwise, when a guest updates a task, internal members see that change in real time like any other. Guests appear with a "(Guest)" label next to their name in the plan's member list, just to distinguish them. One important point: comments a guest writes will be emailed to internal members, but if they reply via Outlook, will the guest receive those emails? Yes, if they are included in the group. However, Planner itself does not send assignment notifications to guests, so the owner must communicate the assignment in another way or rely on the guest to regularly consult the plan.

Visitors (internal, not on the plan): If the plan is private, there are no visitors, period. If the plan is public, an internal user who is not a formal member can open the plan and view activities (read). In this situation, the system does not allow them to make changes (they cannot move or edit activities) until they click to join, becoming a member. Therefore, conceptually, an internal visitor to a public plan is read-only . External visitors do not exist without an invitation (there is no way for an outsider to see anything unless they are added as a guest).

IT Admin: The administrative role has no direct intervention within the open plan unless using additional tools. An administrator could use PowerShell or admin interfaces to extract task lists or control configurations, but is not involved in day-to-day use. For example, if a plan owner leaves the company, the global administrator can assign another owner to the group/plan to prevent it from becoming an orphan.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Visual Project Management (Boards and Charts): The ACME software development team uses Planner to manage sprint work. When they open the Sprint 5 - Project XYZ plan , the 10 team members see the Kanban board with columns " Backlog , In Progress , In Review , Completed ." Every morning, they hold their daily stand-up meeting looking at the board on a monitor: a developer drags a task from Backlog to In Progress when he starts working on it. QA moves a task to Review once testing is finished. At the end of the sprint, almost all the cards are in the Completed column. Switching to the Charts view , the Scrum Master sees a completely green pie chart (all tasks completed) and notices from the member-by-member chart that each developer has completed similar numbers of tasks a good sign of balance. However, one task is incomplete and overdue (and appears red in the chart), allowing the team to immediately discuss that overhang and reschedule it for the next sprint. In practice, the Board+Charts combination in Planner provided both a daily operational control and a final sprint summary, in a very simple and visual way, facilitating the team's agile work.

Extended Group Coordination (Schedules and Integrations): Another example: the Marketing department is organizing a large event. They have a Planner called "Annual Event 2025" with dozens of activities (location, catering, speakers, press releases, etc.), each with its own deadlines. They use the Calendar view extensively : the Event Manager opens the Program tab to see how many tasks need to be completed each week. Noticing that in the week before the event, eight tasks are due on the same day, she decides to better distribute the workload by moving some dates (she can do this by dragging tasks from one day to another on the calendar). She also integrates Planner with Outlook: she copies the plan's iCal link and adds it to her personal calendar, so every morning in her Outlook, she sees the events "Task: Contact catering (due today)." This helps her ensure she doesn't miss anything. Having involved external vendors (e.g., the graphic design agency for the flyers is a guest on the plan), the Event Manager also leverages Teams : she regularly opens the plan via the Teams tab during weekly update calls with all stakeholders. In a meeting, directly in the Planner tab in Teams, they marked some already completed tasks as completed and added a comment on "Confirm speech outline" tagging the guest (who, however, will not receive the email notification from Planner since he is external, but is still mentioned in Teams chat separately). In the end, thanks to the calendar view , the team met all milestones on time, and the Planner graphs showed linear progress (no last-minute work spikes). This scenario highlights how the open plan view supports both time planning and execution control , integrating with preferred working methods (some in Outlook, some in Teams) to adapt to the team's operational flow.

Documentation and knowledge sharing in the plan: Let's consider an IT consulting project with an extended team. The "CRM Implementation for Client X" Planner includes company consultants and client representatives (added as guests). Each activity represents a deliverable (e.g., "Completed Requirements Analysis," "Configuration of Sales Form"). During meetings, the team uses the integrated OneNote functionality : by clicking Notebook from the plan, everyone opens the project notebook and writes the minutes of the meeting. At the same time, in Planner, they divide the newly emerged actions, creating tasks for each with an assignee and due date. Thanks to the integration, each attachment (specification documents, diagrams) uploaded to a task is saved to the project's SharePoint site and organized into folders. At the end of the project, the client requests a handover of all the documentation: since everything is already centralized, the company easily exports the task list to Excel and shares the SharePoint folder with the files. In this case, Planner, in addition to being a management tool, served as a structured repository for completed work , with tasks tracked and documents neatly attached. The client appreciated the transparency: through guest access, they were able to follow the status of the various phases in real time (thanks to the graphs , they could see completion percentages) and received email notifications for comments on tasks, remaining fully engaged in communications. This example demonstrates how an open plan in Planner can serve as a complete collaborative hub , where not only are to-dos tracked, but project knowledge (notes, files, discussions) is centralized and the Microsoft 365 ecosystem is used to provide participants with the right tools to successfully complete the work.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to learn how to explore an open plan in detail in Microsoft Planner, understanding the task structure, bucket organization, assignments, deadlines, and progress. The user will discover how to use the different views (board, chart, schedule), how to interact with tasks, and how to leverage integrations with Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft 365 Groups. The roles involved, key commands, and real-world business scenarios will be illustrated. The exercise aims to provide the skills to track and manage projects in a visual, collaborative, and integrated way.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Explore the detailed plan view in Planner Web

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Select the desired plan from the Recent Plans or All Plans section

3. View Dashboard : Activities organized by bucket (columns)

4. Click on an activity to open the detailed panel

5. Edit title, description, checklist, due date and assignees

6. Add colored labels to categorize tasks

7. Set priority and completion status

8. Add comments to collaborate with the team

9. Attach files or links useful to the activity

10. Close the panel to return to the main dashboard

Use alternative plan views

1. Click on Chart to view task status by bucket, priority, and assignees.

2. Analyze the number of completed, in-progress, and unstarted tasks

3. Click Schedule to see activities on a calendar

4. Drag tasks into the calendar to change their due date

5. Filter tasks by assignee, label, or date

6. Export the plan to Excel for advanced analysis

7. Add the plan to your favorites for quick access

8. View tasks assigned to you in the My Tasks section

9. Switch between plans using the side menu

10. Sync changes with Teams and Outlook automatically

Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. Go to Teams → Channel → Planner tab to view your plan in the context of your team

2. Get notifications via Outlook for assigned tasks or comments

3. View files attached to tasks on the group's SharePoint site

4. Open files directly in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint Online

5. Add tasks from Outlook via Microsoft To Do → Planner

6. Plan owners can edit buckets and assignments

7. Members can update tasks assigned to them

8. IT administrators can manage permissions and access from Azure AD

9. Changes are synced in real time between Planner and Teams

10. Activities can also be viewed from Power BI for reporting

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Advertising campaign

A marketing team uses Planner to manage an advertising campaign, tracking every stage of the project through the detailed plan view.

a) Command : Web Planner → Board → Click on task
Allows you to update status, assign members, and attach materials.

b) Command : Web Planner → Chart
Allows you to analyze project progress by priority and assignees.

c) Command : Web Planner → Schedule
Helps you plan deadlines and prevent operational overlaps.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Dashboard View	Web Planner → Plan → Noticeboard	Organize activities by bucket
Open a business	Web Planner → Click on tasks	View and edit activity details
Add labels	Web Planner → Activities → Labels	Categorize activities with custom colors
Chart View	Web Planner → Plan → Chart	Analyze the status of activities
Program View	Web Planner → Plan → Schedule	View activities on calendar
Filter activities	Web Planner → Filter	Show only tasks by assignee, label, or date
Add to favorites	Web Planner → Plan →	Save plan for quick access
Access from Teams	Teams → Channel → Planner Tab	View and edit tasks in the context of the team
Notifications via Outlook	Outlook → Planner Notifications	Get updates on assigned tasks or comments
Access to attached files	SharePoint → Group Site → Documents	View files linked to activities

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Clear and structured visualization of activities

Real-time synchronization between Planner, Teams, and Outlook

Better management of priorities and deadlines

Visual monitoring of project progress

Automatic notifications for updates and assignments

Integration with Microsoft 365 Groups, SharePoint, and Power BI

Access from any device

Seamless collaboration between team members

Track changes and comments

Customize your view for specific needs

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Marketing campaign management

Each stage of the campaign is represented by a bucket, with activities assigned and tracked via the graph view.

Agile software development

Dev teams use the board to manage sprints, backlogs, and assignments, with real-time updates.

Corporate event planning

The events team organizes activities by phase (logistics, communications, suppliers) and monitors deadlines in the calendar.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. How do I access the detailed view of a task in Planner?

2. What are the three main views available in a plan?

3. How do you categorize activities with labels?

4. Where do I view my calendar activities?

5. How do I filter tasks by assignee or date?

6. Which roles can modify activities in a plan?

7. How do I get notifications about assigned tasks?

8. Where are the files attached to the activities located?

9. How do I access Planner from Teams?

10. In which business scenarios is the detailed plan view useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to explore the detailed view of an open plan in Microsoft Planner, using the Board, Chart, and Schedule views. You've followed the steps to edit tasks, assign members, attach files, and track progress. You've understood the interactions with Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, and Microsoft 365 Groups, and the roles involved in management. Practical scenarios have shown you how to apply this functionality in real-world business contexts. Key commands allow you to work independently and precisely. Productivity benefits highlight the importance of visual and collaborative management. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills. You're now able to manage projects in Planner with a comprehensive and integrated view.

4. The Microsoft 365 Planner Group

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Planner and Office 365 Groups When you create a new plan in Microsoft Planner, a new Office 365 Group (M365 Group) is also automatically created , unless you explicitly choose to associate the plan with an existing group. The Microsoft 365 Group provides the shared infrastructure for the plan: it includes a shared mailbox (for Outlook conversations), a shared calendar, a SharePoint document library (for plan files), a OneNote notebook, and more. In other words, a Planner plan lives within a Microsoft 365 Group , taking advantage of all its collaborative resources.

It's also possible to add multiple plans to an existing group : the user can choose the "Add to an existing Office 365 group" option instead of creating a new one. This way, multiple separate plans can coexist with the same membership and the same group assets (files, notes, etc.). For example, a team could have a single "Marketing" group with a separate "Social Media Campaign" plan and a separate "Trade Show Event" plan within it. A single Microsoft 365 group can host multiple Planner plans (for example, for different projects with the same people). In the past, deleting a plan could delete the entire associated group, but now deleting a plan doesn't delete the group : the group remains active along with any other plans it contains. (If it was the last plan in the group, the group still exists, even if it has no plans.)

A plan can be "public" or "private" : a public plan is visible to anyone in the organization (it can be found via internal search), while a private plan is visible only to invited members. Note that making a plan public or private is equivalent to making the underlying Office 365 group public/private: the two concepts are the same. In practice, a "public plan" is equivalent to a public Microsoft 365 group, accessible to all internal users (who can freely join to view and contribute), while a private plan resides in a private group, accessible only by invitation.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

As an integral part of a Microsoft 365 Group, a Planner plan naturally interacts with several apps and services across the Microsoft 365 suite:

Outlook (group conversations): Each group has its own inbox and group email address. The Planner dashboard often includes a " Conversation " command , which opens Outlook to the group's inbox , allowing for email discussions among plan members. Essentially, members can share general project updates or comments through the group conversation in Outlook, which serves as a centralized email forum for the plan team. For example, when a user adds a comment directly to a task in Planner, it is emailed to the group inbox (and delivered to members subscribed to group notifications) so that a record of the discussion remains. This ensures that task conversations are archived and accessible to the team.

SharePoint (Plan Files): Documents and files uploaded to Planner tasks are automatically saved to the associated group's SharePoint document library. By clicking on the "Files" section within the Planner interface, you can see a list of all files attached to tasks, which reside in the group's SharePoint site document library. Planner members can then co-edit these files directly via the integrated SharePoint/OneDrive. It's also possible to attach a file already in the group library to a task ( Attach > SharePoint ) instead of uploading a new one. This makes Planner a central point where each task has its associated documents, avoiding dispersion: the files reside on the team site and respect the group's permissions .

OneNote (Notebook): Each M365 team has a shared OneNote notebook . From the plan view, there's a link (typically labeled "Notebook" ) that opens the team's OneNote notebook , allowing the team to take structured notes, collect project information, capture meeting minutes, brainstorm, and more, in a shared environment. This OneNote is automatically available to all team members on the plan (because they're members of the team) and remains a centralized reference for project notes.

SharePoint (Group Site): In addition to files, the group has a connected SharePoint site . You can add a Planner web part to a SharePoint page to display the status of a plan within the site. For example, you can create a project homepage on the group's SharePoint site and include the Planner dashboard there to provide visibility into task status even to those browsing the internal site.

Teams: A Microsoft 365 Group can be upgraded to a Microsoft Teams Team . If the group linked to the plan is also used in Teams (i.e., if a Teams team has been created for that group), the Planner plan can be added as a tab in Teams (we'll see details in the Teams section). Generally speaking, Teams, Planner, Outlook, SharePoint, and so on are connected to each other through the common entity of the group.

To Do: Tasks assigned in Planner also appear in the " Assigned to me" list in the Microsoft To Do app for individual users. This means that, for a plan member, Planner tasks assigned to them also appear in their personal tasks (along with Outlook/ ToDo tasks ) a useful addition for individual productivity (more details in the Outlook/To Do section).

Power Automate and other services: Since Planner data is accessible via Microsoft Graph , you can create workflows (Power Automate) for custom integrations: for example, advanced notifications, automatic task creation from Forms or emails, etc. (This is beyond the scope of this analysis, but it's useful to know that the M365 ecosystem allows for extensions to the standard Planner functionality.)

In short, the Office 365 Group acts as the glue between Planner and other Microsoft 365 tools. The result is an integrated experience: files uploaded to a task are immediately available via SharePoint/OneDrive, project conversations happen via group email (visible in Outlook), notes in OneNote, and so on, without having to manage separate permissions just be a member of the group/plan.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Because it is based on M365 groups, the access roles for a Planner plan correspond to the roles in the associated Microsoft 365 Group:

Group owners: Internal users who have the "owner" role in the group (typically the plan creators or other designated members). They have full power over the group: they can add/remove members, change group settings (name, image, privacy), delete the group, etc. Within the context of the plan, a group owner can also delete the plan or change its name and settings (e.g., enable/disable group notifications). If the plan is private, only owners can add new members to the plan. Owners are also full members and can therefore perform all operational actions (create/edit activities, assign tasks, etc.).

Group (Internal) Members: Users within the organization added as ordinary members (not owners) of the group. They can access all group resources and actively collaborate on the plan (view, create, and update tasks), but cannot change the group's "structural" settings (e.g., they cannot add other members if the plan is private, and they cannot delete the group or the plan in certain cases). In a public plan , by default, any internal member can independently join the group and therefore see it in Planner; furthermore, in public groups, members may be able to add other members without approval (since the group is open). For private plans , however, internal members can add other members only if they are owners ; ordinary members cannot invite other internal users without an owner. In general, however, for plan operations (tasks) , there is no clear distinction between owners and members: both can create, assign, edit, and complete tasks, use labels, create buckets (columns), add attachments, and so on. The Planner experience for an owner and an internal member is nearly identical, except for the plan management options (e.g., advanced Plan Settings visible only to owners for private plans).

Guests (external guests): Planner supports external user (guest) access to plans, leveraging the Guest Access feature of Office 365 Groups. A guest is a person with an external email address invited as a member of the group. If the tenant administrator has enabled guests in groups, an owner (or even an internal member, if allowed) can add an external user to the group/plan via email. Once they accept the invitation, guests can access the Planner plan almost like an internal member : they can create and assign tasks, edit their details, add comments, mark completions, create buckets, and even rename the plan. However, there are important limitations for guests : they cannot invite other users (obviously, being external) and cannot add new members/guests to the plan; they cannot delete the plan; and to attach files, they must have permission from the tenant administrator by default, a guest cannot upload files unless the Allow guest users to access group files setting is enabled (a setting that allows them to contribute to the SharePoint library). In practice, a guest can update tasks and attach links, but uploading documents may require an active policy that allows this. Another limitation: the guest doesn't receive email notifications from Planner about assignments (Microsoft currently doesn't send task assignment emails to guest users for security reasons). Guests do receive some notifications , however : for example, if mentioned in a comment or added to a group, they receive invitation emails and can view the schedules if they subscribe to the calendar (see Outlook section). A guest user can view the plan via Planner Web (they must use the dedicated URL with the tenant, e.g., planner.cloud.microsoft.com/tenant to log in to the host org ) or via a direct link to the plan.

Visitors: In Planner , there is no "visitor" role with read-only permissions. Access to plans is restricted to group members (internal or guest). For a public plan , however, anyone in the organization can theoretically view the plan and join it freely. Until they formally join, an internal user might be able to see the name of a public plan and perhaps some details via search, but in general, full interaction requires becoming a member. There is no " read-only " role: a user is either a member (and can interact) or not. Only through external solutions (reports, exports, non-interactive web parts ) can passive visibility be granted to non-members. Therefore, in the Planner context, "visitors" can be understood as internal users who are not members : for private plans, they see nothing; for public plans, they can explore the plan and decide to participate if interested.

The following table briefly summarizes some key operations and the ability of different roles to perform them (distinguishing between internal members whether owners or simple members and external guest members):

Main permissions in a Planner plan (M365 Group)

Plan functionality	Internal members (owners/members)	Guest members (external)
View plan and activities	Yes (if group member)	Yes (if added as a guest)
Create new tasks and buckets	Yes	Yes
Edit activity fields	Yes (title, description, dates, assignees, etc.)	Yes (same fields)
Comment on activities	Yes	Yes
Attach files/links to activities	Yes	Yes (if allowed by the tenant) ⚹
Invite new internal members to the plan	Yes (only owners if private floor)	No
Invite external users (guests)	Yes (usually owners; members if permitted)
Delete activity	Yes (can delete plan tasks)	Yes (can delete tasks)
Delete the entire plan	Yes (owners only)	No
Change plan name and settings	Yes (owners can do everything; internal members can name)	Yes (editable plan name)

⚹ The ability for guests to attach files depends on a tenant-level setting: your administrator must have enabled the ability for guests to access group files .

As you can see, owners and internal members share most of the same operational features. The main differences concern plan management and membership : for example, only owners of a private plan can add new members or delete the plan. In a public plan, even non-owner members can add colleagues (since the plan is open). External guests can collaborate on activities almost as well as internal members, but they have no say in managing the plan itself (they cannot add people, delete the plan, etc.).

Administrator role: Global or group administrators in Microsoft 365 have the power to enable or disable Planner in their organization (for example, turning the Planner app on/off for everyone, or restricting group creation), but they don't have access to the contents of private plans unless they are added as a member . In other words, being a system administrator doesn't automatically grant access to someone else's Planner plan : the admin must add themselves as a group member (or reset group ownership) to see and manage tasks. This is to ensure team privacy: tasks are visible only to designated participants. However, the admin can control general settings, such as who can create groups (affecting who can create new plans), whether members can invite guests, and can intervene if necessary (for example, restoring a deleted group/plan within 30 days, thanks to the group recovery feature). Additionally, using the Admin Center or PowerShell, you can get a list of all existing groups/plans, but internal details (task titles, etc.) remain visible only to members. In short, day-to-day plan management (task creation, updates, etc.) is delegated to the team members themselves, and governance functions (policies, permissions) are the responsibility of the IT admin.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Cross-functional project with shared assets: A company launches a new product and creates an Office 365 group called Product Launch 2025. Within this group, a plan called Launch Plan 2025 is created using Planner to manage all launch-related activities (marketing, sales, supply chain). Thanks to the group's integration, the marketing team uploads the campaign calendar to the group's OneNote ; the sales team attaches price lists as Excel files to the plan's tasks (which end up in the group's SharePoint library ); all project members discuss progress using the group email in Outlook (emails sent to ProductLaunch2025@company.com are visible to all members). Additionally, with external partners involved, they add a guest (e.g., an external marketing consultant) to the group/plan, allowing them to view and update assigned tasks (such as Prepare advertising banners ) and collaborate by perhaps uploading a link to shared files on OneDrive. The IT administrator ensures guest access to the groups is enabled and authorizes guests to upload files to the group, so the consultant can directly attach graphics to tasks in Planner. All project information is centralized: documents on the SharePoint site, conversations in group inbox, tasks in Planner with unified permissions via group membership.

Managing multiple plans within the same team: An internal IT department uses a single Office 365 group called IT Team to coordinate work. Within this group, it creates different Planner plans: one for managing internal tickets , one for scheduled maintenance tasks , and one for special projects . All IT technicians are members of the group, so they automatically have access to all these plans. When a new colleague joins the department, an owner adds them to the IT Team group via the Admin Center or Outlook; that person immediately gains permissions to all the plans in the existing group and can see them in Planner (without having to be added to each plan individually). This simplifies onboarding: the IT manager doesn't have to remember to invite the new hire to 5 different plans just add them to the IT Team group . Conversely, if a project needs to be shared with another department (e.g., marketing), IT can choose to create a separate plan with a new, specific group, ensuring that only those involved have access. In this scenario, the IT Team group also has an associated Microsoft Teams team : technicians prefer to interact there. Thanks to interoperability, they add the main plan tabs (e.g., "IT Ticket") to the general Teams channel and can update tasks directly from Teams (see the following section on Teams), while still maintaining the data unified in the common Office 365 group .

Engaging external stakeholders on a public plan: A company publishes a Planner plan as an " open Kanban board" to share the progress of strategic initiatives with the entire organization. They set the plan (and its associated group) to Public , calling it, for example, "Strategic Roadmap 2025." This way, any employee in the organization can find and view the plan in a read-only format. Those who want more timely updates can join the group (auto-join, since it's public) by becoming a member, so they can receive notifications and perhaps comment. Company management, which owns the plan, maintains control over which tasks can be added or modified. This "open" use of Planner and Office 365 Groups creates transparency : everyone can see priorities and progress (from the CEO to the new hire, just search for the plan in Planner), but only the core team carries out the tasks (they're the only ones who need to take action). This is an example of how a public plan can serve as an internal communication tool, leveraging the group's open membership.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand what happens at the Microsoft 365 infrastructure level when you create a new plan in Planner. You'll learn that each plan generates (or is associated with) a Microsoft 365 group, which serves as a repository for members, files, conversations, and shared tools. Interactions with Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, and OneNote will be explored, as well as the roles involved in group management. The exercise provides the skills to identify the group associated with a plan, access its resources, and leverage the integration for effective collaboration. It includes business scenarios, key commands, benefits, and self-assessment questions.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Create a new plan and generate the Microsoft 365 group

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Click on New Plan in the left sidebar

3. Enter a name for the plan (e.g. Q4 Project )

4. Select Create a new group (default option)

5. Choose whether to make the plan public or private

6. Add team members who will collaborate on the plan

7. Click on Create Plan to complete the operation

8. Planner automatically creates an associated Microsoft 365 group

9. The group includes: Planner, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, OneNote

10. Verify group creation from Outlook or Teams

Access Microsoft 365 group resources

1. Go to https://outlook.office.com/groups to view your active groups

2. Select the group associated with the plan you just created

3. Access the group's shared mail (Outlook)

4. Click File to open the SharePoint document library

5. Open the SharePoint group site to manage content and pages

6. Sign in to your group's OneNote to take shared notes

7. Open Microsoft Teams → Add the group as a team if it doesn't exist yet

8. View your Planner plan directly from Teams → Planner tab

9. Manage group members from Outlook or Azure AD

10. Sync tasks and files between Planner, Teams, and SharePoint

Understand roles and interactions between Microsoft 365 apps

1. Plan owners are also Microsoft 365 group owners 👑

2. Plan members are automatically members of the group

3. IT administrators can manage group permissions and policies

4. Planner tasks are also visible in Teams and To Do

5. Files attached to tasks are stored on the group's SharePoint site

6. Group conversations are accessible from Outlook Web App

7. Shared notes are saved in the group's OneNote notebook

8. Activity notifications can be delivered via Outlook

9. Groups can be monitored and managed from the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

10. The integration is available to all users with a Microsoft 365 Business license or higher.

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Product release cycle

A development team creates a Planner to manage a product's release cycle. The plan automatically generates a Microsoft 365 group that centralizes all resources.

a) Command : Planner → New Plan → Create New Group
Create a Microsoft 365 group with access to Planner, SharePoint, Outlook, and OneNote.

b) Command : Outlook → Groups → Select Group
Access the group's shared mail and files.

c) Command : Teams → Add existing team → Link group
Integrate the group into Teams for real-time collaboration.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
New plan	Web Planner → New Plan	Start creating a new plan and associated group
Create new group	Web Planner → New Plan → Default Option	Automatically generate a Microsoft 365 group
View groups	Outlook Web → Groups section	List of Microsoft 365 Groups you join
Accessing SharePoint	Outlook Web / Planner → File	Opens the group's document collection
Accessing OneNote	Outlook Web / SharePoint → Blocks notes	View group shared notes
Add group to Teams	Teams → Add team → From existing group	Integrate the group into a Teams team
Member Management	Outlook Web → Group → Member Settings	Add or remove members from the group
Access to conversations	Outlook Web → Group → Conversations	View shared mail
File synchronization and tasks	Planner / Teams / SharePoint	Keeps content up to date across apps
Group Monitoring	Microsoft 365 Admin Center	Centralized management of groups and permissions

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Automatically create a complete collaborative environment

Centralized storage of files and documents

Integrated communication via group mail

Shared notes accessible from OneNote

Real-time collaboration via Teams

Automatic sync between Planner, Outlook, and SharePoint

Simplified member and permission management

Greater traceability of activities and communications

Access from any device and Microsoft 365 app

Centralized administrative control

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Cross-functional project management

Each project generates a Microsoft 365 group that centralizes tasks, files, and communications between departments.

Onboarding of new employees

A dedicated onboarding Planner creates a group with documents, checklists, and communication channels.

Corporate event management

The group associated with the plan allows you to coordinate logistics, materials and communications in a single space.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. What is automatically created when you generate a new Planner plan?

2. Which Microsoft 365 apps are linked to the generated group?

3. Where are files attached to plan activities stored?

4. How do I access the group's shared mail?

5. What is the difference between owner and group member?

6. How do you integrate groups into Microsoft Teams?

7. Where are the group's shared notes located?

8. How do you manage group members?

9. Which corporate roles are involved in managing the group?

10. In which business scenarios is this feature useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You learned that creating a new plan in Microsoft Planner automatically generates a Microsoft 365 group, which serves as a container for collaborative tools like Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, and OneNote. You followed the steps to create a plan, access group resources, and understand the roles involved. You explored the interactions between Planner and other Microsoft 365 apps and how to leverage them to improve collaboration. Practical scenarios demonstrated real-world business applications. Key commands allow you to work independently and precisely. Productivity benefits highlight the importance of an integrated environment. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills. You are now able to manage Planner plans with full awareness of the underlying Microsoft 365 group.

5. Viewing the plan in Outlook

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Microsoft Outlook, as a mail and calendar client, does not have a native Planner view built directly into the interface (for example, there is no Outlook module that displays Planner boards). However, through some integrations, Outlook can be used to view plan tasks as calendar events and access the plan through Office 365 groups :

Accessing your plan via Groups in Outlook: In the Groups section of Outlook (especially in Outlook on the web or Outlook 2016/2019 with Groups enabled), each Office 365 group appears as a folder with the group name. Because each Planner plan is associated with a group, users can find the plan name as a group in Outlook and access its resources. For example, if you are a member of an Alpha Project plan , in Outlook (web) in the left sidebar, under Groups , you will see a group called Alpha Project . Selecting that group will reveal group email, the group calendar, and often a direct link to the Planner plan. In Outlook on the web, when you open a group, options like Conversations , Files , Notebook , and Planner appear in the top bar clicking Planner will open the plan in a window/browser displaying that plan s dashboard. Outlook therefore serves as an entry point: from within the Outlook group, you can access the associated Planner board. In short, to find the plan via Outlook, a user can open Outlook Web App, expand Groups , find the name of the plan/group, and select the Planner icon. The plan will open in web mode within Outlook itself or in a new tab. This integration is designed for those who work primarily from Outlook and want quick access to the plan without having to open the Planner app separately.

Viewing Due Dates in Outlook Calendar: One of the most useful features is the ability to project your Planner plan onto your Outlook calendar . Planner offers an Add Plan to Outlook Calendar command that generates a calendar feed (in iCalendar format ) containing your plan's tasks. Once you subscribe to that feed in Outlook, your Planner tasks appear as calendar events in your Outlook view, with start and end dates corresponding to the task dates. For example, if a Planner task is due on July 30th, an all -day event will appear in your Outlook calendar on July 30th with the task's title. Clicking on that event in Outlook opens the details (progress status , checklist, and a link to Planner for changes). This is a Calendar view of your plan , useful for planning your time: by overlaying your Planner calendar with your personal calendar, you can see meetings and tasks together.

a) How the subscription works: To add a plan to Outlook, a plan owner must first publish the iCalendar feed (a one-time operation). From the Planner web app, the owner clicks the plan menu (arrow next to the name) > Add plan to Outlook calendar > and in the publish options ( Publish, share with anyone ), select the calendar. This generates a unique .ics URL. Once this is done, all plan members will see the Add to Outlook option and can easily subscribe to the feed. In Outlook, the feed is added as a subscription-based Internet calendar (not a standard Exchange calendar). The calendar appears in Other Calendars under the plan's name. Tasks are displayed as events and also include an Open this task in Microsoft Planner link that takes you directly to the task's tab in Planner. Each user can manage the visibility of this calendar by turning it on or off as an overlay on their own calendar.

b) Update: The subscribed Planner calendar is read-only from Outlook you can't complete or edit tasks from there (you must open them in Planner). Updates are polled from the iCal feed; any changes to tasks (dates, titles) made in Planner may take a few minutes to be reflected in the Outlook calendar (since it's a subscription feed). If no longer needed, any user can remove the calendar. At any time, an owner can "unpublish" the calendar (making the iCal feed private again ), preventing future access.

Assigned to Me in Outlook/To Do: Microsoft To Do is integrated with Outlook (especially Outlook Web and the Outlook mobile app) as a Tasks module. All Planner tasks assigned to a user flow into the Assigned to Me smart list available in To Do. In Outlook on the Web, for example, there s a Tasks icon (which opens the To Do UI): there, the user can see the list of tasks assigned to them from Planner, mixed with any personal tasks. From this view, the user can mark a task as complete or edit some basic fields (e.g., title, checklist completion), and those changes will be synced to the Planner plan. This means that, without leaving Outlook , a user can manage their Planner tasks alongside their To Do tasks. For example, a project manager can open Outlook in the morning and check all their to-dos (which include flagged emails, personal To Dos , and tasks assigned to them by Planner from various projects) under Assigned to Me. This integration is one-way: it displays Planner tasks in Outlook/ ToDo , but doesn't display any ToDo tasks in the plan (obviously). It's primarily for your convenience.

Outlook add-ins and connectors: Microsoft has made add-ins available to connect Outlook and Planner. For example, there's a third-party add-in called iPlanner (on AppSource ) that lets you turn an email into a Planner task directly from Outlook. Alternatively, using Microsoft Power Automate, a user can create a flow that says "when I flag an email, create a task in Planner." These solutions aren't standard out-of-the-box, but many organizations are adopting them to integrate the two tools. Another native connector is the ability (on the web) to send messages to a plan : an Office 365 group can have connectors that send notifications about certain actions. For example, a Planner connector for Outlook Groups could send updates to the group conversation when a task was completed. However, with the advent of Teams, these Outlook connectors are less commonly used.

In general, Outlook allows you to view and stay up-to-date on your Planner in two ways: via group email (as seen in the previous section, to participate in discussions and comments) and via the calendar (to keep track of task deadlines). Additionally, for individual users, with To Do integrated into Outlook, tasks assigned in Planner become part of their personal workflow.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS (IN THE OUTLOOK EXPERIENCE)

The same integrated nature already mentioned continues here with an emphasis on interactions involving Outlook:

Integration with Microsoft To Do (Outlook Tasks): As mentioned, Outlook (web and mobile) hosts the Microsoft To Do interface for managing personal tasks. The inclusion of Planner tasks in To Do is a key integration : all Outlook applications (OWA, Outlook mobile, and the new Outlook desktop app) display a centralized list in Tasks that combines tasks from different sources including Planner tasks assigned to the user. This eliminates the need to check the Planner app separately to see his tasks: if Alessio has 5 tasks assigned across 3 different plans, he'll see them all listed in the To Do/Outlook app, indicating the plan they come from and when they're due. Interaction: Alessio can mark a task as complete from there, or rename it, or add a checklist step these changes are sent to the Planner service and therefore visible to all other members of the plan. Some advanced operations (e.g., changing task assignees or adding attachments) aren't possible from To Do; you need to open the card in Planner (which you can do by clicking on the task). In any case, this interaction increases personal productivity and makes your tasks easier to find.

Planner email notifications: Planner automatically sends email notifications for certain events, and these emails appear in Outlook (either the user's inbox or the group's inbox). For example, by default, Planner can send an email to a user when a new task is assigned or when a task is about to expire (two days in advance, etc.). These emails arrive from the Planner inbox or the group and contain a summary of the task with a link to the plan. Additionally, if enabled in the plan settings, Planner can send an email to the group whenever a task is assigned or completed. In this case, that email appears in the shared mailbox (visible to all members in Outlook in the Group folder). Notifications are customizable: each user can choose from the "Plan Settings > Notifications" menu whether to receive personal emails for assigned/completed tasks. However, they cannot disable comment emails: whenever someone comments on a task, a copy is sent to the group inbox and (if the user is subscribed to group conversations) also to their personal inbox . In Outlook, users can set rules or filters to manage these notifications. This interaction ensures that those who primarily use email don't miss important updates from their plans without having to open Planner: they receive them as summary emails.

Calendar: Overlay and Sharing: After adding a plan as a calendar in Outlook ( iCal feed ), users can overlay that calendar with their own or other group calendars. For example, Maria, who manages the Trade Show Event plan in Planner, added the relevant feed to Outlook. She can view preparatory deadlines (stand reservations, materials submissions, etc.) on her work calendar alongside her personal meetings and deadlines. She can also share the iCal link with an external partner if she wants them to see the dates (note: a plan's iCal link is public and accessible to anyone who has it, so it should be shared with caution). A useful feature: a user can also add their personal Assigned to Me feed this way, Outlook will have a calendar with all their assigned tasks from all plans. This is like a To Do calendar: for example, it displays Task X (from plan A) due today; Task Y (from plan B) due tomorrow on her calendar, useful for those who prefer to manage their time via calendar.

Enterprise search : Thanks to the integration with M365 Groups, Microsoft 365 search (the search bar in Outlook, SharePoint, Delve, etc.) can also return results from Planner. For example, searching for a task name in Delve or Office.com search may show up in results if the plan is public or the user has access to it, since everything is part of the enterprise index .

In short, Outlook interacts with Planner primarily to receive information from plans (in the form of emails or events) and to provide access to plans (via groups). This creates a seamless experience: the manager planning their calendar sees Planner deliverables appear on their timelines; the team member immersed in email receives notifications of new tasks in their inbox ; the to-do-oriented user sees all their assigned tasks in Outlook/ ToDo without switching applications.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Role-wise, there are no additional roles specific to Outlook: the roles discussed previously apply. However, we can detail how each role interacts with Outlook:

Plan owner (group owner): This is the only person who can enable publishing of the Planner calendar ( iCal feed ) from the plan. If a non-owner tries to add the plan to Outlook and finds that the option is unavailable, they will need to ask an owner to do so. Additionally, the owner can decide whether to enable the "Send email to the group for each assigned/completed task" option in the plan settings (which triggers notifications in the group's shared inbox). Otherwise, using Outlook, an owner has the same options as a member regarding viewing the calendar and receiving notifications.

Internal plan member : Can add the calendar feed (after it's published) and view/edit their own workflow in To Do/Outlook. Each member can decide for themselves whether to receive personal email notifications (individual settings). When a member comments on a task (for example, via Planner), that action generates an email to the group: all members (including them) will see it in their group inbox in Outlook. Members can opt to receive copies of group emails in their personal inbox (Outlook has a "Follow in Inbox" toggle for groups). If enabled, for example, comments from Planner will also arrive as direct emails for greater visibility.

Guest (external) user: A guest can't automatically add the plan to their Outlook because they don't have a mailbox hosted by the organization. However, they can use the iCalendar link published in their calendar (e.g., external personal Outlook, Google Calendar, etc.) to view the plan's due dates. They must manually retrieve the URL (which can be provided by the owner). Guests receive some emails from the system (group invitations, file links, etc.), but as mentioned, they don't receive assignment notifications . They can still keep track by opening Planner for Web or using iCal on an external calendar. In short, the Outlook experience for guests is limited compared to internal users.

a) Non-members (internal visitors): For public plans, a non-member can add the iCal feed if they get the URL (in theory, since it's public, the feed is accessible to everyone in the organization if shared). However, by default, only members see the option in Planner. So it's rare for a non-member to subscribe to the calendar without first joining the group. For private plans, they obviously can't do anything.

b) Administrator: Outlook doesn't have any special roles, except for possibly setting the default tenant-level setting for groups to send notification emails, or managing the Exchange-level setting for iCal subscriptions . But these are technical details. The admin could generate the feed if forced to add themselves as the owner, but they typically don't intervene here.

In summary, to view a plan in Outlook, you need to be a member (whether owner or not) of that plan/group. The owner has the additional role of enabling calendar publishing. Internal members take full advantage of notifications and To Do integration. Guests have some limitations and must use indirect channels for the calendar portion.

d ) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Managing project deadlines in her personal calendar: Martina is the project manager for the "Website Development" plan in Planner, with dozens of tasks and their corresponding deadlines. Every Monday morning, Martina opens Outlook and looks at her weekly calendar. Thanks to the integration, she's subscribed to the plan's calendar in Outlook, so she sees that the "Complete design draft" task is due on Wednesday , and the "Final content review" task is due on Friday . With these tasks visible alongside her meetings, Martina plans to block off half a day on Wednesday to help the designer, and she moves a non-urgent call from Friday to Thursday, thus freeing up Friday for the review. This way, the project's timeline is managed in Outlook, drawing on Planner data, ensuring she doesn't miss deadlines. When Martina clicks on the "Final content review" event in her Outlook calendar, she sees the task details (late, 80% complete) and clicks "Open this task in Planner" to add a follow-up comment directly in the task card.

Email notifications and engagement: In the sales team, Franco doesn't access Planner often; he prefers to work via email. However, he's assigned some tasks in the "Q4 Sales Plan" plan . Thanks to email notifications , when his manager assigns him a new task ("Contact 5 new leads by the end of the month"), Franco immediately receives an email notification in Outlook informing him of the new task. He reads the description directly from the email and sees that there's an "Open in Microsoft Planner" link if he needs to see more details. In another case, a colleague comments on one of his tasks, asking for an update: in this case too, Franco sees an email appear (addressed to the group mailbox, but a copy of which he receives in his inbox because he follows the group) with the text of the comment. Even without opening Planner, he can reply to that email, and his reply will end up as an additional comment attached to the task (thanks to Outlook's group functionality). This example shows how Planner and Outlook work together to keep everyone informed : Frank stays on his email workflow and doesn't miss anything, and the rest of the team sees their updates appear in the right context in Planner.

Using Outlook Tasks/To Do for personal productivity: Alice is a member of four Planner plans (different projects) and finds herself with about ten tasks scattered across the various planners. Every morning, she opens the Microsoft To Do app on her PC (or directly from the Tasks page in Outlook web): here she goes to the Assigned to me list , where she finds a consolidated list: Send quote to customer XYZ (from the Sales plan) due today ; Update monthly report (from the Marketing plan) due tomorrow ; etc. Alice uses this list as her personal to-do list . For example, she marks a task as completed that she finished last night (via smartphone) and adds the most urgent task to her day. When she marks a task as completed in To Do , the task is immediately marked as completed in the corresponding Planner plan, notifying the team. This way, her project colleagues see that the action is done, without Alice having to open Planner or send emails. In practice, Alice manages her Planners via Outlook/ ToDo , which saves her time and consolidates all her to-dos in one place. This is especially useful in a company when a person is involved in multiple project teams: instead of opening five different Planners to find out what needs to be done, she opens Outlook (To Do) and knows it immediately.

Communicating progress via a shared calendar: A department uses a team calendar in Outlook to view all commitments. They've added feeds from various Planner plans whose deadlines they want to track (Plan A, B, and C) to an overlay Outlook calendar . During the weekly department meeting, they open that shared calendar in Outlook in month view to discuss upcoming deadlines: they immediately see which tasks from the various projects are nearing completion or are overdue (perhaps colored differently by plan). This scenario uses Outlook as a management dashboard to track numerous activities without having to access individual project management tools.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Enabling Plan View in Outlook

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Select the desired plan from the My Plans section.

3. Click on next to the plan name.

4. Select Add plan to Outlook calendar .

5. Copy the generated ICS URL.

6. Open Outlook and go to the Calendar section.

7. Click Add Calendar > From Internet .

8. Paste the ICS URL and confirm.

9. Make sure your tasks are visible in your calendar.

10. Save changes and sync.

Interacting with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. Open Microsoft Teams and go to the project channel.

2. Add Planner as a tab in your channel.

3. Select the plan already integrated into Outlook.

4. View synced tasks in your Teams calendar.

5. Click on a task to open it in Planner.

6. Change the deadline or assignment directly.

7. Get automatic notifications in Teams.

8. Open Outlook and check for updates in your calendar.

9. Export the plan from Planner to Excel.

10. Share the Excel file via Outlook.

🔹 Subpoint 3: Affected account roles and business applications

1. Plan Owner: Create and configure the integration.

2. Plan Members: View and update tasks.

3. IT Admins: Enable Planner and Outlook.

4. Project Manager: Monitor progress via calendar.

5. Team leader: assign tasks and check deadlines.

6. Collaborators: Receive notifications and update tasks.

7. HR: Plan onboarding and training.

8. Marketing: manages editorial campaigns and deadlines.

9. Sales: Coordinate follow-ups and appointments.

10. Management: Analyze exported reports for decisions.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND ACCESS

Command	Access	Function
Add Plan to Outlook Calendar	Planner > ... > Add to Calendar	Generate ICS URLs for synchronization
From the Internet	Outlook > Calendar > Add Calendar > From the Internet	Import tasks into Outlook calendar
Edit Activity	Outlook > click on event > Open in Planner	Update tasks directly from Outlook
Export plan	Planner > ... > Export Plan	Create Excel files with tasks and deadlines
Add Planner to Teams	Teams > Channel > + > Planner	View and manage activities in the Teams channel
Activity notifications	Teams > Settings > Notifications	Get alerts about deadlines and changes
Calendar View	Outlook > Calendar	Show activities as scheduled events
Automatic synchronization	Outlook/Teams > Shared Calendar	Update activities in real time
Opening the activity sheet	Outlook/Teams > click on activity	View details and edit
Plan sharing	Outlook > New Message > Excel Attachment	Send exported plan to collaborators

Productivity benefits

1. Centralized viewing of activities.

2. Greater coordination between departments.

3. Reduce delays with notifications.

4. Quick access to information from multiple apps.

5. More precise and shared planning.

6. Greater transparency in workflows.

7. Ease of updating activities.

8. Seamless integration between Planner, Outlook, and Teams.

9. Reporting and analysis support.

10. Better time and priority management.

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

IT Project Management

Technical teams can view development and maintenance tasks directly in their Outlook calendar, avoiding overlaps and facilitating release planning.

Marketing editorial plans

Due dates for articles, social posts, and advertising campaigns are synced between Planner and Outlook, allowing the content team and sales department to coordinate in real time.

Employee Onboarding

HR can create an onboarding plan with activities spread out over time, visible in the new hire's and the relevant team's Outlook calendar, ensuring a smooth and monitorable process.

Corporate event management

Event-related tasks (bookings, invitations, logistics) are assigned in Planner and displayed in Outlook, facilitating coordination across cross-functional teams.

Quality control and audit

Audit teams can schedule inspections and reviews, viewing due dates in a shared calendar, with automatic notifications and exportable reports for management.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. What is the command to add a Planner plan to Outlook calendar?

2. Where do I paste the ICS URL in Outlook?

3. What roles are involved in managing the plan?

4. How do I edit a task from Outlook?

5. Which Microsoft 365 apps work with Planner?

6. How do you export a plan to Excel?

7. What are the benefits of synchronizing with Outlook?

8. How do I get notifications about activities?

9. In which business contexts is this integration useful?

10. What commands allow viewing in the calendar?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've explored how to view a Microsoft Planner plan directly in Outlook, improving task management and team collaboration. You've learned how to set up integration via ICS URLs, edit tasks from Outlook, export plans, and use Teams for notifications. You've identified the roles involved and key commands, applying them to real-world business scenarios. This approach enables a unified view of tasks, reduces coordination time, and increases productivity.

6. Viewing the plan in Teams

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Microsoft Teams is Microsoft 365's centralized collaboration platform. Planner integrates tightly with Teams, offering two main ways to view and work with plans within Teams:

Planner tab in a Teams channel: Within a team (Teams group), you can add the plan as a tab in one of the channels. To do this, click the + button at the top of the channel, choose the Planner app (now simply Planner formerly Tasks by Planner and To Do ), and create a new plan or select an existing one. Once added, the tab displays the classic Planner interface: Board, Charts, etc., but nested within Teams . All members of that team can click the tab and interact with the plan directly from Teams , just as they would on the Planner website. This means they can add/move tasks, edit details, filter activities, view the Kanban board , the Gantt chart (if premium), all without leaving the Teams environment . Visually, it's the same Planner Web app, adapted into a tab. This makes it very convenient for a team to keep track of tasks: for example, during a channel meeting, they can open the Planner tab and update the status of tasks together in real time.

Planner (Tasks) app on Teams: Teams offers an integrated application (pin on the left side of the interface) called Planner (or Tasks ). This app collects all of the user's tasks across Microsoft 365 : it includes Planner tasks (shared plans) and personal To Do tasks, in separate sections. Specifically, the app displays:

My Day : optional section with daily focuses (compiles today s activities from various lists).

My Tasks : This is where you ll find Assigned to me (all Planner tasks assigned to you, just like in To Do), Flagged emails ( flagged emails from Outlook), and other views like Private tasks (personal quick drafts).

"Shared Plans" (My Plans): A list of all the Planner plans you're participating in, organized by team or recent use. You can access any plan from here.

Creating plans: Directly from the Teams app, the user can create a new plan (personal or for an existing team).

Essentially, the Planner app in Teams provides a unified task dashboard similar to To Do, but also includes all team activities . It's great for users who prefer to manage everything from Teams, without opening different apps. For example, a member of three projects can see all their tasks under " Assigned to me" and their various projects under "My Plans." They can click on each plan and open it, all within Teams. This app was previously called "Tasks by Planner and To Do" to indicate its hybrid nature; since April 2024, it has been renamed simply Planner in Teams, bringing the new experience consistent with Planner web.

In both cases, the key feature is that Teams brings Planner into the everyday work environment (which for many users is Teams). There's no need to switch between apps : you can collaborate on chats, meetings, and tasks all in one place.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS (IN THE TEAMS EXPERIENCE)

The integration of Planner into Teams amplifies and partially overlaps the interactions already seen:

Teams and Office 365 Groups: Each Teams team is built on top of an M365 group. The team's Planner plan is simply the underlying group's plan (the same one you might open via Outlook or Planner web). Teams provides the interface . When you create a team from scratch, behind the scenes you create a group, and vice versa . So, adding a Planner tab in Teams to a Team X channel will create a plan associated with Group X. If the team was connected to an existing group with plans, you can choose those existing plans to display. Essentially, it's a one-to-one correspondence: Team = M365 Group = container of one or more plans . Teams doesn't duplicate data, it exposes it.

Real-time collaboration: Teams encourages shared use during chats and meetings. For example, members can discuss a specific task in a channel chat while simultaneously having the Planner tab open to check the status. As they edit a task in the Planner tab, others see the changes instantly (Planner automatically saves every change). They can also use the instant chat feature on the tab : each tab in Teams has a conversation icon attached, which opens a chat thread related to that tab in the channel. So, if the team wants to comment on the plan at a general level, they can post in that thread , and the messages will appear in the channel with a reference to the tab (not really a comment on the individual task, but a general discussion). This is useful for meta-discussions, although task-specific comments remain in Outlook/group, as mentioned.

Teams Notifications for Planner: When using Planner within Teams, you can enable notifications directly in the Teams interface . Specifically, if a user has a plan as a tab in Teams and is assigned to a new task , a notification will appear in their Teams Activities feed (the bell). This notification will include the title of the task, who assigned it, and which plan it's in, with a link to open the details directly in Teams. This is a feature Microsoft introduced to prevent people from missing important notifications if they're working in Teams and don't check their email. This only works if the plan has a Teams tab; otherwise, it doesn't (it must be linked to Teams). Teams notifications don't replace email notifications: typically, the user receives both, unless they've disabled email. So, an assignee might see a banner in Teams saying You've been assigned task X in plan Y and simultaneously receive the traditional email. This improves the responsiveness of teams, as many use Teams as their primary day-to-day tool and might ignore an email for hours, whereas a notification within Teams is more prominent.

Integration with Microsoft To Do (Tasks) in Teams: The Planner app in Teams (formerly Tasks), as described, unifies personal and group tasks. This effectively incorporates Microsoft To Do into Teams. For example, the "Personal Tasks > Flagged Emails" section is a To Do item that appears within Teams. When a user flags an email in Outlook , it appears a few seconds later as a task in the dedicated section in the Teams app (if open). Conversely, if they complete a task assigned to them in Teams, it will disappear from the Outlook To Do list because it's the same information. Teams thus becomes a personal task hub , reflecting exactly what's in To Do/Outlook, without having to open them separately. This is especially useful for those who spend all day in Teams: they can check and update their to-do lists from the Teams sidebar. Note: Some premium features (such as the Timeline/ Gantt view , or Goals) in Planner may only be available on web/desktop and partially in Teams depending on updates, but Microsoft is aligning the experiences.

Interaction with SharePoint and Files: Clicking a file attachment in a Teams task (Planner tab) opens the Office web document directly in Teams (thanks to SharePoint/OneDrive file integration within Teams). Files attached to tasks can then be opened in the Teams viewer itself. Once again, Teams acts as a unified container: the user can view a Word file attached to a Planner tab without opening a browser or external Word, because Teams has a built-in file viewer .

Interaction with OneNote/Notes: Within the Teams channel, in addition to Planner, they often also add the OneNote tab if the group uses it. There's no direct link between Planner and OneNote in Teams other than this proximity (unlike in Outlook for the web, where there was a dedicated button). However, the user can manually add a link to the notebook in task descriptions or comments.

Power Automate and Teams: Teams supports Adaptive Cards and bots. Microsoft has a Power Automate template that sends a message to the Teams channel when something happens in Planner (e.g., "task completed, assigned, etc."). In the absence of email, some teams prefer to have a "Planner Notifications" Teams channel where a flow automatically posts notification cards for certain actions. This is obviously customizable, but it's a possible interaction bringing Planner updates into Teams conversations. There's also a native connector called Planner in Teams that can send digests to the channel about upcoming deadlines, but its use is less common.

Meetings and Planner: Within Microsoft Teams Meetings, if you use the Meeting Notes feature or the Tasks recap, you can create tasks during a meeting that are then logged in Planner (by default, they go to a special plan called "Tasks from Planner and To Do" or a plan connected to the Teams meeting). This is a new scenario (with Teams Premium & Copilot, etc. ): for example, during a Teams meeting, Copilot or the user can generate tasks, which will then appear in the Teams Planner app as assigned to someone. This highlights the direction: Teams is also the place where tasks are created (not just displayed).

In short, Teams extends Planner on two fronts: direct collaboration on the plan within channels and unified management of all tasks in the dedicated app . Interaction with other apps is primarily already mediated by the group (files, OneNote, etc.), and Teams leverages this by offering a seamless experience (opening files in-app, notifications in feeds, etc.).

d) ROLES INVOLVED

Regarding roles in the Teams context:

Team Owner vs. Team Member : These correspond to the owner and member of the M365 group. A Team Owner is the owner of the group, so as we've seen, they can manage members and plans. For example, if a team member tries to add a Planner tab in a public team, they can do so freely; in a private team, all members can generally add tabs, but only Team Owners can create a new plan linked to that team if it doesn't already exist (group creation is limited, but in Teams, creation occurs on an existing group, so usually all members can create an additional plan in the same team). In practice, there are no particular restrictions : if you're already part of the team on Teams, then you have access to the plan in the same way. The Team Owner will act as the plan owner by default (they can delete it, rename it, etc.), while Team Members will act as members. Within Teams, however, these role differences are not noticeable: everyone on the team sees the tab and can use the plan. Only operations like Remove this card or Delete plan may be reserved for the person who created it (group owner).

Guests in Teams: Teams supports external users as guests. If a guest is added as a member of a Team, they will have access to (almost) all team features. Important: A guest in a Teams team can also access the Planner tab of the channel, since they are a member of the M365 group. Therefore, an external user invited to Teams will be able to open the Planner tab, view and update tasks (within the limits of guest access: they cannot add new members to the plan or change certain settings). In the Teams interface, the guest will have a nearly identical experience to an internal member when it comes to viewing the plan. Obviously, the tenant admin will need to have enabled guest access to planners (which coincides with guest access to groups, as discussed above). Guests cannot add the Planner app to the side or create their own plans but they do work within the teams they are part of. The only exception: on Teams mobile , Microsoft limits some features for guests, but generally it works on desktop.

Non-Team Visitor: An internal user who isn't on a specific team can't see that team's plan within Teams (obviously, because they don't see that team). If the plan were public at the org level but the team wasn't (an inconsistency that's not possible: public plans reside in public groups, which in Teams would be "public teams"), the preferred access route would still be to add them to the team.

Teams admin: The Teams admin can enable or disable Planner integration in their organization . For example, they might decide to hide/disable the Planner app in Teams for all users (application policy). By default, Planner is enabled for everyone in Teams. The admin can also use Teams Admin Center to pin the Planner app for everyone by default (making it visible on the left), facilitating its adoption. There are no admin roles restricted to Planner in Teams: governance is via the same settings as Planner for web (which apply to Teams). A Teams admin might, for example, want to block the Planner app for specific users this is possible via app permission policies.

In conclusion, anyone with Team access has access to the plan (tab) with the same editing capabilities as on the web. There's no "reader" role in Teams: if you're logged in, you can edit based on the plan's permissions. Team Owner acts as the plan owner for things like deletion, but on a day-to-day basis, there's no visible distinction in Teams. Guest functions as a nearly equal member, barring known restrictions.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Updating tasks during the daily meeting (using the Planner tab): The Software Alpha development team , made up of 6 developers, 1 tester, and 1 project manager, works in a dedicated Microsoft Teams team . Every morning they have a short stand-up meeting on the #Generale channel . During the Teams call, the PM opens the Planner Current Sprint tab that they added to the channel. On the shared screen, everyone sees the Kanban board with the To Do / Doing / Done columns . Each developer, in turn, updates the status of their tasks directly there: for example, Marco drags & drops the Implement login task from Doing to Done ; Sara sets the progress of the API backend task to 50% and adds a comment stuck waiting for resources . These changes are immediately visible to all participants. In the meantime, if they need to discuss, they use the meeting chat or the microphones. Everything happens in a single Teams context , without having to say open Planner for me in the browser saving time. When finished, the PM writes a summary message in the channel and pings a specific task using the task link copy feature and paste it into the Teams message to draw attention (the link opens the task tab in Planner). In this scenario, the Teams + Planner tab made the meeting interactive and allowed the plan to be updated directly as part of the collaboration, keeping everyone in sync.

Managing multi-project tasks in the Teams app: A staff member, Chiara, participates in multiple work groups (Team A, Team B, and Team C in Teams). Chiara has made it a habit to use the Planner app integrated into Teams to keep track of everything. She's pinned the Planner icon to the left bar in Teams. Every morning, when she clicks there, Chiara sees the "My Tasks" screen , which shows her tasks: Tasks assigned to me (5 from Team A, 3 from Team B, 2 from Team C, all together with priorities and due dates); Flagged emails (2 emails she marked yesterday to follow up on); and at the bottom, the list of Plans (Team A Project X, Team B Processes, Team C Marketing, etc.). From this view, Chiara decides what to focus on: she drags some tasks to "My Day." As she works, she marks two tasks as completed (this update is sent to their respective plans, notifying her colleagues). Additionally, she can create a new one directly from Teams: click "+ New Plan" in the Planner app and create a personal plan called " Personal ToDo ," where she starts listing tasks that she might later move to formal projects. The advantage for Chiara is that she doesn't have to open a browser on Planner or the To Do app separately : all her task management work is centralized in the Teams interface, which she uses for chats, meetings, and files. This increases personal efficiency and reduces the risk of missing something (notifications of assigned tasks appear as badges on the Planner icon in Teams and in the activity feed, as well as via email).

Teams notifications instead of emails (improved responsiveness): The Customer Service team adopted the use of a Planner plan to track ongoing customer requests (not as ticketing, but as internal follow-up tasks). They added this plan as a tab in their Teams on Teams and disabled personal email notifications to avoid too many messages. Now, whenever the supervisor assigns a new request to an agent, notifications appear in Teams for that agent. For example, Assigned task 'Call Customer X' in the Requests plan appears in the feed. The agent clicks the notification, which opens directly to the task card in Teams with all the details, and can start working on it right away. This Teams -centric approach has made the team faster: previously, some ignored Planner emails until they opened Outlook; now, the real-time notification in Teams alerts them immediately during their work shift, and they can also click Complete on the card when done, generating immediate feedback to the supervisor. Additionally, using a Power Automate , they set up that when a task is marked as completed on Planner, the flow sends a message in the Teams channel Task ABC completed by Mario so that the team and managers are aware of it without having to open the card. In this scenario, Teams + Planner created a Integrated workflow of notifications and updates that keeps everyone aligned in real time.

Project Dashboard in Teams: A project manager creates a Dashboard tab on the project team using a SharePoint page, where they insert the Planner web part (for a quick overview of Kanban ), perhaps alongside a Power BI report. Project members can go to this tab for a high-level view: they see the Progress Chart (from the Planner web part ) with percentages complete and statuses, and a burndown chart from Power BI. If they want operational details, they can then switch to the actual Planner tab. This is an advanced use, but it demonstrates how Teams can serve as a container for integrated dashboards , combining Planner data (via the SharePoint web part or the app itself) with other indicators, all within the familiar context of the project channel.

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Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to learn how to view and manage a Microsoft Planner plan directly within Microsoft Teams, leveraging the integration between the two platforms to improve team collaboration and productivity. You'll discover how to add a Planner plan to a Teams channel, navigate tasks, use available views, and interact with tasks without leaving the Teams environment. Interactions with Microsoft 365 Groups, Outlook, and SharePoint will be illustrated, along with the roles involved and key commands. The exercise includes business scenarios, benefits, and self-assessment questions.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Add a Planner plan to a Teams channel

1. Open Microsoft Teams and sign in to the desired team

2. Select the channel you want to add the plan to

3. Click on the + symbol at the top to add a new tab

4. Search and select the Planner app (or Planner Tasks and To Do )

5. Choose whether to create a new plan or connect an existing one

6. Give the tab a name (e.g. Q4 Marketing Plan )

7. Click Save to add the card to the channel

8. The plan will now be visible as a tab in the selected channel

9. All team members will be able to access and collaborate on tasks

10. Changes will be automatically synced with Planner Web

Use plan view in Teams

1. Click on the newly created Planner tab in the Teams channel

2. View tasks organized by bucket in the Dashboard

3. Click on an activity to open its details and edit it.

4. Assign members, set deadlines, and add checklists

5. Add comments to collaborate directly on the task

6. Chart view to monitor plan status

7. Switch to Schedule view to see deadlines

8. Filter tasks by label, assignee, or status

9. Get notifications in the channel for every update

10. Add useful files or links directly to the activity

Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. The plan is linked to a shared Microsoft 365 group

2. Files attached to tasks are stored on the group's SharePoint site

3. Assigned tasks are also visible in Microsoft To Do

4. Activity notifications are delivered via Outlook

5. Team members can also access the plan from Planner Web

6. Changes made in Teams are reflected in Planner and vice versa

7. Plan owners can manage buckets and assignments

8. Members can update tasks assigned to them

9. Shared notes can be managed through group OneNote

10. The integration is available for users with a Microsoft 365 Business license or higher.

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Editorial planning

An internal communications team wants to manage editorial planning directly in Teams, without having to switch between apps .

a) Command : Teams → Channel → + → Planner
Adds the plan as a tab visible to the entire team.

b) Command : Planner Tab → Board View
Organize tasks by content type (newsletter, posts, events).

c) Command : Planner Tab → Schedule View
Allows you to schedule publications on a weekly basis.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Add Planner Tab	Teams → Channel → + → Planner	Integrate a Planner plan into the Teams channel
Create new plan	Planner Tab → Create New Plan	Start a new plan connected to the group
Connect existing plan	Planner Tab → Use Existing Plan	Associate an already created plan to the channel
Dashboard View	Planner Tab → Noticeboard	Show activities by bucket
Chart View	Planner Tab → Chart	Analyze the status of activities
Program View	Planner Tab → Schedule	View activities on calendar
Add comments	Activities → Comments	Collaborate directly on the activity
Add file	Activity → Add Attachment	Link documents from SharePoint or OneDrive
Filter activities	Planner Tab → Filter	View activities by label, assignee, or status
Activity notifications	Teams → Channel → Planner Notifications	Get automatic activity updates

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Task management integrated into the team workflow

Automatic sync between Teams, Planner, and Outlook

Greater clarity in the distribution of tasks

Visual monitoring of plan progress

Real-time notifications for updates and deadlines

Integration with Microsoft 365 Groups, SharePoint, and OneNote

Access from any device via Teams mobile

Seamless collaboration between team members

Track changes and comments

Customize your view for specific needs

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Agile sprint management

Development teams can manage backlogs and sprints directly in Teams, with updates visible to everyone.

Corporate event planning

The events team can coordinate logistics, communications, and suppliers in a single Planner tab.

Customer support

The support team can track requests and assigned tasks in real time, with automatic notifications.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. How do I add a Planner plan to a Teams channel?

2. What views are available in the Planner tab in Teams?

3. How do I edit tasks directly from Teams?

4. Where are files attached to tasks stored?

5. How do I get notifications about activities in Teams?

6. Which roles can modify activities in a plan?

7. How do I filter my activity view?

8. Which Microsoft 365 apps work with Planner in Teams?

9. How do I sync changes between Planner and Teams?

10. In which business scenarios is this integration useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to view and manage a Planner plan directly in Microsoft Teams, leveraging the integration between the two platforms to improve collaboration. You've followed the steps to add a plan to a channel, use the available views, and edit tasks. You've understood the interactions with Microsoft 365 Groups, SharePoint, Outlook, and OneNote, and the roles involved in management. Practical scenarios have shown you how to apply this feature in real-world business contexts. Key commands allow you to work independently and precisely. Productivity benefits highlight the importance of integrated management. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills. You're now able to use Planner in Teams for effective and collaborative work management.

7. Viewing Plan Tasks in Microsoft To Do

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Microsoft To Do allows you to view Planner tasks assigned to you in a dedicated list called Assigned to You . By enabling this integration in To Do settings, all Planner tasks assigned to you automatically appear in the To Do app, alongside your personal tasks. This provides a unified view of tasks: for example, a team member can see both their individual tasks and those assigned via Planner plans in To Do, avoiding having to check each plan separately. In To Do, Planner tasks can be edited down to the essential details: the name, due date, description (notes), and any internal checklists can be added or updated directly from the To Do app. The user can also flag a Planner task for the day ( My Day ) via To Do to manage daily priorities. For any advanced changes (e.g., changing assignees, adding labels or attachments), To Do provides a direct link that opens the task in the full Planner interface.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The integration between Planner and To Do is part of a broader strategy to unify tasks in Microsoft 365. Planner tasks visible in To Do are also synchronized with Outlook (in the Outlook Tasks section or the Tasks app in Outlook Web App), since Microsoft To Do is also the basis for task management in Outlook Web App. Furthermore, this connectivity is part of Microsoft Tasks , which integrates To Do and Planner: for example, within Microsoft Teams there is an app called Tasks that also aggregates personal tasks (To Do) and Planner tasks into a single view for the team. Essentially, Planner, To Do, and Teams share the same task pool , allowing users to access their tasks from different locations. The integration requires no complex setup: all you need is a valid Planner license and the option to enable it in To Do. If the option is not available, you may need to contact your administrator to verify that your account has a Planner license. An additional benefit of this interaction is the ability to leverage To Do features such as reminders or categorization on tasks from Planner, improving personal workload management.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

When viewing Planner tasks in To Do, the roles involved are primarily those of the end user (member or owner of the plan to which tasks are assigned) and the Microsoft 365 administrator for service enablement. Specifically, the plan owner (i.e., the person who created the Planner plan) and other plan members can assign tasks to people; if a task is assigned to a user, they will see it in their personal To Do. There are no special permissions for this view each user only sees tasks assigned to them . External guests added to a plan (guests) can also take advantage of the integration, as long as they have access to To Do with the organization's account as guest users. However, guest access may be limited if the administrator disables connectivity for external users. The administrator role comes into play to ensure that users have the necessary Planner license: if a user can access Planner (for example, via Teams or shared links) but doesn't formally have the license, To Do may not display the integration. The admin can also manage, at the tenant level, whether or not the Tasks experience (which combines To Do and Planner) is enabled in Teams and Outlook. Visitors (users with read-only permissions on SharePoint/Teams resources but not members of the Planner group) generally can't see Planner tasks in To Do because they aren't direct assignees of tasks in those plans.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

A practical example is the case of a project manager involved in multiple projects: let's say Mario is a member of three different Planner plans (for projects A, B, and C) and receives tasks for each. Thanks to the To Do integration, Mario opens his To Do app every morning and finds all the tasks assigned to him across the various projects in the "Assigned to you" list. From a single list, he can see that, for example, he has five tasks to complete this week (even if they come from different plans), decide which ones to complete first by adding them to the My Day section , and check them off as he completes them. This streamlined flow increases personal productivity, as Mario doesn't have to check each Planner plan separately which is especially useful in companies where each employee is involved in multiple initiatives. Another example: in a marketing team , each campaign has its own Planner plan with tasks assigned to various specialists (social media, designer, copywriter). Each team member sees the assigned tasks in To Do (e.g., the designer sees the graphic design tasks for the various campaigns all together in his or her To Do). This allows each person to manage their daily work without missing deadlines, even while participating in many different plans. From an administrative standpoint, when a new employee joins the company, IT ensures they are assigned the appropriate license (which includes Planner) so they can immediately view and manage their team tasks via To Do. These scenarios demonstrate how viewing plan tasks in To Do promotes personal organization and clarity of priorities by consolidating tasks from various sources in one place.

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Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how to view and manage tasks assigned to Microsoft Planner directly within Microsoft To Do. Users will learn how to leverage the integration between the two applications to track personal and group tasks in a single interface. Access methods, interactions with Outlook, Teams, and Microsoft 365 Groups, the roles involved, and key commands will be illustrated. The exercise includes business scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to provide the skills to use To Do as a daily operational control tool integrated with Planner.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Sign in to Microsoft To Do and view your Planner tasks

1. Go to https://to-do.microsoft.com or open the desktop or mobile app

2. Sign in with your Microsoft 365 account

3. In the left sidebar, click on Assign to me

4. Make sure Planner Tasks is enabled in your settings

5. Tasks assigned in Planner will automatically appear in this section

6. Click on an activity to view its details

7. View the name of the plan and bucket it comes from

8. Add personal notes or reminders to the task

9. Mark task as completed directly from To Do

10. Changes will be synced to Planner and Teams in real time.

Customize task management in To Do

1. Create a custom list to group similar tasks together

2. Drag Planner tasks into custom lists (visually only)

3. Add due dates and reminders for each task

4. Set priorities to organize your most urgent tasks

5. Today view to focus on your daily activities

6. Add steps (sub-tasks) to break down complex tasks

7. Sync the list with Outlook to receive notifications

8. Scheduled feature to view future activities

9. Archive completed tasks to keep your list organized

10. Access To Do from your mobile too for on-the-go updates.

Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. Tasks assigned in Planner are visible in To Do thanks to Microsoft Graph

2. Changes made in To Do are reflected in Planner and vice versa.

3. Tasks are linked to the Microsoft 365 group in the Planner plan

4. Files attached to tasks are accessible from SharePoint

5. Notifications can be received via Outlook or Teams

6. Plan members can only view tasks assigned to them

7. Plan owners can track progress from Planner

8. Tasks can also be viewed in Teams → Planner

9. Personal notes added in To Do are not visible in Planner

10. The integration is available for users with a Microsoft 365 Business license or higher.

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Sales Management

A sales manager receives tasks from multiple Planner plans and wants to manage them all in a single day view.

a) Command : To Do → Assigned to me
View all tasks assigned to me by Planner in a single list.

b) Command : To Do → Today
Select the tasks to complete today.

c) Command : To Do → Add Reminder
Set notifications to help you remember important deadlines.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Assign to me	To Do → Sidebar → Assign to me	View assigned tasks in Planner
Planner Activities	To Do → Settings → Connections	Enable sync with Planner
Today View	To Do → Today	Shows the tasks to be completed during the day
Add reminder	To Do → Tasks → Reminders	Set an alert for the activity
Add expiration	To Do → Task → Due Date	Sets a deadline for completion
Add priority	To Do → Tasks → Priorities	Organize activities by urgency
Add steps	To Do → Tasks → Add Steps	Break the task into subtasks
Create custom list	To Do → New List	Organize activities by project or area
Mark as completed	To Do → Activities → ✓	Mark the task as completed
Synchronization with Outlook	To Do → Settings → Accounts	Get notifications and sync with Outlook calendar

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Centralized view of assigned tasks

Automatic synchronization with Planner and Outlook

Better priority and time management

Reducing the risk of forgetfulness or delays

Personalized notifications for each activity

Integration with Microsoft 365 Groups, Teams, and SharePoint

Mobile access for real-time updates

Simplified collaboration between team members

Tracking of completed tasks

Customization of daily operational management

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Personal management of assigned tasks

Employees can track all tasks received from different Planner plans in a single view.

Operational control for team leaders

Managers can use To Do to check the status of assigned tasks and plan priorities.

Support for individual productivity

Each employee can organize daily and weekly activities with reminders and deadlines.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where do I see tasks assigned to me from Planner in To Do?

2. How do I enable sync between Planner and To Do?

3. What views are available in To Do?

4. How do I set a reminder for a task?

5. Are changes made in To Do reflected in Planner?

6. Where are files attached to tasks stored?

7. Which roles can view tasks in To Do?

8. How do I organize tasks into custom lists?

9. Which Microsoft 365 apps work with To Do?

10. In which business scenarios is this integration useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to view and manage tasks assigned to you in Microsoft Planner directly from Microsoft To Do, leveraging the integration between the two applications. You've followed the steps to access the "Assigned to Me" section, customize task management, and synchronize them with Outlook. You've understood the interactions with Microsoft 365 Groups, Teams, and SharePoint, and the roles involved. Practical scenarios have shown you how to apply this feature in real-world business contexts. Key commands allow you to work independently and precisely. Productivity benefits highlight the importance of centralized management. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills. You're now able to use To Do as a daily operational tool integrated with Planner.

8. Viewing the plan in SharePoint

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a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

SharePoint Online allows you to display a Microsoft Planner plan directly on a site thanks to native integration. This means that on a team site ( modern site) connected to a Microsoft 365 Group, you can add a Planner web part or create a plan through the SharePoint interface. From the site's home page (or a dedicated page), a user can click "New" -> "Plan" to create a new plan or choose "Use an existing plan" to display an existing Planner plan linked to that group. Once added, the plan appears as an integral part of the site: typically, the Planner Kanban board (with buckets and task cards) is displayed directly on the SharePoint page, or you can navigate to different Planner views (Board, Charts, Schedule/Calendar, etc.) if supported. Essentially, SharePoint acts as a container in which the plan is embedded, allowing users to review and update tasks without leaving the site. For example, on a project site called "Project X," you could have a section that displays the Planner dashboard with all the project's tasks, with the ability to drag tasks between columns, mark completions, and so on, just as you would in the Planner app. This integrated view improves communication and alignment within the team, since the SharePoint site not only contains documents and information but also the updated status of the plan's tasks in real time (e.g., how many tasks are completed, how many are in progress, and so on, possibly visible through Planner's Charts view ).

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The integration between Planner and SharePoint is closely linked to the use of Microsoft 365 Groups . Each Planner plan belongs to a Microsoft 365 group (which can correspond to a Teams team, an Outlook group, or a SharePoint site). Viewing the plan in SharePoint leverages this relationship: the group SharePoint site recognizes and can host the group's Planner plans. Technically, the Planner web part in SharePoint is only available for sites connected to a group (not for isolated communication sites). Furthermore, this feature complements interactions with Teams : the same plan can be viewed as a tab in Microsoft Teams (by adding a Planner tab in the corresponding Teams channel) and simultaneously as a section on the SharePoint site. All these views (Teams, Planner web, SharePoint) are synchronized: a task marked as completed in SharePoint will also be completed in Teams and the Planner app, as the underlying content is the same. SharePoint also offers the ability to display a link to the plan in the site navigation menu, making it easy to access Planner even through the site sidebar. In terms of other apps: if you click "Conversation" (Planner feature) from the plan in SharePoint, Outlook (group conversation) opens to discuss the plan; if you click "File," you navigate to the SharePoint document library; if you click "Notebook," OneNote opens (all these options are available from the "..." menu). Thus, SharePoint acts as a central hub where the plan is contextualized alongside the group's documents (OneDrive/SharePoint), notes (OneNote), and conversations (Outlook/Teams).

c) ROLES INVOLVED

The roles that influence the display of a Planner plan in SharePoint are primarily related to permissions on the SharePoint site and membership in the plan's Microsoft 365 group . The site owner (who, in a team site connected to the group, is usually also the group owner and therefore the plan owner) has the ability to add or remove the Planner web part and decide where to place it (for example, on the home page). Site members (i.e., group members) also typically have editing permissions on the site's pages, meaning a member may be able to add the Planner web part if they have page editing rights . In practice, adding a plan to SharePoint is often performed by a team member with specific IT skills or by the project owner. External guests who are group members should be able to access the SharePoint site and view the plan, provided they have been properly invited to the group. By default, guests have nearly the same Planner permissions as members, so if a guest is in the group, they will be able to see and interact with tasks via SharePoint as well. Site visitors (users with read-only access to the SharePoint site but not group members ) will have limitations: the Shared Plans feature in Planner means that if a plan has been shared via a file or link, it may be visible to non-members, but only in special cases via Graph API or Loop components . Typically, a visitor who isn't a member of the group won't see the content in the Planner web part, as access to the plan requires group membership or an explicit invitation. Therefore, for most business scenarios, only group owners, members, and guests can actually view and interact with the plan embedded in the SharePoint site. The Microsoft 365 administrator role in this context relates to global configurations: for example, the admin can decide whether to enable group creation (required to create plans) or the SharePoint integration feature (which is enabled by default). Additionally, if the organization uses Targeted Release (preview versions), the admin can control who sees features like the Planner web part first on sites. In summary: Group owners and members can see and use the plan on SharePoint; guests, if included, can as well; non-member visitors generally cannot (except for specific sharing); the Admin governs the general settings (licenses, service enablement).

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Imagine a company that manages projects through SharePoint project sites . For example, Project Team Alpha has a dedicated SharePoint site where it stores all project materials (documents, calendar, announcements). To coordinate activities, the team uses a Planner plan called "Project Alpha Activities." Thanks to the integration, a Planner web part has been added to the SharePoint site's homepage , displaying the project's task board. When all team members visit the site, they can immediately see how many tasks are "To Do, In Progress, Completed" and who they are assigned to, without having to open the Planner app separately. For example, the project manager can open the site during the update meeting and project the page: the entire team sees the Planner Kanban board updated in real time and discusses visible progress. Another scenario: a company department creates a SharePoint site as a team intranet where, in addition to internal news, it posts the team's Planner plan to track recurring activities (e.g., weekly schedules, operational tasks). Employees access the intranet and can interact with their tasks directly from the dedicated section. This increases transparency and participation , as everyone has visibility into their colleagues' workload and deadlines, integrated into the SharePoint environment they perhaps use every day for other information. From a project administrator's perspective, having Planner on the SharePoint site also means being able to easily connect related content : for example, next to the Planner web part, there could be a document library with project files and perhaps a news feed; this way, a collaborator can see both unread documents and assigned tasks at a glance. In short, the plan view in SharePoint is used by companies to integrate task management and document collaboration into a single space, reducing the need to jump between multiple applications and creating a single focal point for the project or team.

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EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how to access and view a Microsoft Planner plan within a SharePoint site connected to a Microsoft 365 group. You will learn how to integrate Planner as a web part into a SharePoint page, navigate tasks directly from the site, and leverage interactions with Outlook, Teams, and OneNote. The roles involved, key commands, and real-world business scenarios will be illustrated. This exercise provides the skills to create operational and informational dashboards that include Planner plans, improving transparency and collaboration.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Add a Planner plan to a SharePoint page

1. Go to https://sharepoint.com and open the Microsoft 365 Group website.

2. Click New Page or edit an existing page

3. Click + to add a new web part

4. Planner web part

5. Select the plan to display from those associated with the group

6. Choose the default view (Board, Chart, or Schedule)

7. Give the web part a title (e.g. Project X Activity )

8. Click Publish to make the page visible

9. Verify that the activities are displayed correctly on the page

10. Share the page link with your team members

Navigate and interact with your plan from SharePoint

1. Go to the SharePoint page that contains the Planner web part

2. View tasks organized by bucket in the Dashboard

3. Click on an activity to open its details in a side window.

4. View assignees, due dates, labels, and checklists

5. Changes you make are automatically reflected in Planner Web

6. Chart view to monitor the status of your tasks

7. Switch to Schedule view to see deadlines

8. Attached files are accessible via SharePoint → Documents

9. Assigned tasks are also visible in Microsoft To Do

10. Notifications are delivered via Outlook or Teams

Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. The plan is linked to a shared Microsoft 365 group

2. Tasks are synced between SharePoint, Planner, Teams, and To Do

3. Files attached to tasks are stored on the group's SharePoint site

4. Shared notes can be managed through group OneNote

5. Conversations about the plan can take place in Teams → Associated Channel

6. Group members can view and edit tasks

7. Plan owners can manage buckets, assignments, and due dates

8. Activities can be exported to Excel for advanced analysis

9. Changes are trackable via activity history in Planner

10. The integration is available for users with a Microsoft 365 Business license or higher.

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Activity progress monitoring

A project team wants to create a SharePoint dashboard that includes the Planner plan to monitor task progress in real time.

a) Command : SharePoint → New Page → Add Planner Web Part
Inserts the plan directly into your project site page.

b) Command : Planner Web Part → Chart View
Allows you to monitor the status of tasks by priority and assignees.

c) Command : SharePoint → Share Page
Makes the dashboard accessible to all team members.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
New page	SharePoint → Site → New Page	Create a new page for the group site
Add Planner Web Part	SharePoint page → + → Planner	Inserts the Planner plan into the page
Select plan	Planner Web Part → Select Plan	Link an existing plan to your SharePoint site
Dashboard View	Planner Web Part → Dashboard	Show activities by bucket
Chart View	Planner Web Part → Chart	Analyze the status of activities
Program View	Planner → Schedule web part	View activities on calendar
Publish page	SharePoint → Page → Publish	Makes the page with the integrated plan visible
Access to attached files	SharePoint → Documents	View files linked to activities
Share page	SharePoint → Page → Share	Send the page link to team members
Activity Sync	Planner / SharePoint / Teams / To Do	Keeps data up to date across apps

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Integrated activity view in a SharePoint dashboard

Automatic sync between Planner, Teams, Outlook, and To Do

Greater transparency in project management

Visually monitor task progress

Real-time notifications for updates and deadlines

Integration with Microsoft 365 Groups, SharePoint, and OneNote

Access from any device via browser

Seamless collaboration between team members

Track changes and attached files

Customize the page for specific needs

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Project dashboard

A SharePoint site dedicated to a project can include the Planner to track tasks, documents, and communications in a single view.

HR Portal

The HR team can create a SharePoint page with Planner plans for onboarding, training, and contract deadlines.

Quality management

The quality department can publish audit and inspection plans to SharePoint, along with assigned tasks and attached documentation.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. How do I add a Planner plan to a SharePoint page?

2. What views are available in the Planner web part?

3. Where are files attached to tasks stored?

4. How do I sync changes between Planner and SharePoint?

5. Which roles can modify activities in a plan?

6. How do I access a Microsoft 365 Group's SharePoint site?

7. How do I share SharePoint pages with my team?

8. Which Microsoft 365 apps work with Planner in SharePoint?

9. How do I track activity from SharePoint?

10. In which business scenarios is this integration useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to display a Planner plan within a SharePoint page, creating an integrated, collaborative dashboard. You've followed the steps to add the Planner web part, select the plan, and publish the page. You've understood the interactions with Microsoft 365 Groups, Teams, Outlook, and OneNote, and the roles involved in management. Practical scenarios have shown you how to apply this functionality in real-world business settings. Key controls allow you to operate independently and precisely. Productivity benefits highlight the importance of visual, centralized management. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills. You're now able to use SharePoint to effectively display and share Planner plans.

9. Viewing files attached to the plan in OneDrive

Immagine che contiene testo, schermata, Carattere, diagramma

Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

When you attach a file to a task in Microsoft Planner, that file is uploaded and stored in the file area of the group linked to the plan. In practice, each Planner plan belongs to a Microsoft 365 Group that has a SharePoint site with a document library ; attachments uploaded to Planner cards are stored in that library. Many users access these files by saying "I see them on OneDrive," because from the OneDrive for Business portal, you can browse not only your personal files, but also files shared on group sites (they appear under the "Shared Libraries" section with the name of the group/plan). Therefore, "OneDrive," in the view sense, is the unified interface for personal and group files. For example, if the plan is called "Project Alpha," a folder (often with the same name as the plan or a generic name like "Shared Documents" ) will be created in the Project Alpha site's document library where the attachments will reside. In some cases, Planner automatically creates a "Planner Attachments" folder or uses the root of the library; however, users can find files by navigating to Planner's Files tab or directly in SharePoint. This feature allows you to centralize attachments : all plan members have access to the attached file, avoiding separate copies. From the task details tab in Planner, clicking on the attached file will open the document stored in SharePoint (via Office online). Additionally, Planner offers a "File" option in the plan's "..." menu that directly opens the associated document library: from there, you can view all the plan's files , create new folders, or upload other documents (even if they aren't related to a specific task). In short, each attachment is saved in the cloud (SharePoint) and not locally: this means the file remains available to anyone with access to the plan, even if the original author leaves the organization, because the data resides in the common area and not in the uploader's personal OneDrive.

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

Storing Planner files in SharePoint/OneDrive enables multiple interactions. First, it allows you to use Office Online or desktop applications on those files: for example, a Word document attached to a task can be opened and co-edited in real time by multiple members directly from SharePoint. OneDrive for Business serves as an access point : through the OneDrive app or web portal, a user can navigate to the Shared Libraries section and find the site related to the plan, viewing and opening all attached files without having to go through the Planner interface. Furthermore, by integrating with Teams , plan files are also accessible via the Files tab of the Teams channel if the group has a connected Team (in Teams, channel files correspond to the same SharePoint library). This means that an image attached to a task in Planner could also be seen in the Project Team's files folder in Teams, since it's all the same repository. The presence of attachments in SharePoint also enables SharePoint's typical versioning, sharing, and security features : every time you modify an attached file (for example, updating an Excel spreadsheet related to a task), SharePoint keeps track of the versions; if you want to share a file with someone outside of the plan, you can use the SharePoint/OneDrive sharing link with access controls (respecting the company's external sharing policies set by the administrator). Another aspect is integration with Microsoft Search : the contents of attached files are indexed, so by searching using the Office.com or SharePoint search bar, you can find a file attached to a task by searching for its name or content. In short, using SharePoint/OneDrive as a backend , Planner files benefit from all the document integrations of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Managing and viewing file attachments in OneDrive/SharePoint depends on the permissions roles on the group and the document library . Group/plan owners are also owners of the SharePoint site and have full control over the files: for example, they can configure permissions, create folders, and delete documents. Group members typically have editing permissions on the shared document library, allowing them to upload new files, edit existing ones, and attach them to tasks. External guests, if added to the group, also have access to the files according to the permissions the group assigns them: by default in Microsoft 365, a guest member of a group has nearly equivalent rights to an internal member on the library (they can view and edit files). However, the tenant-level SharePoint administrator can limit what guests can do (for example, prevent them from downloading files or accessing without MFA authentication, depending on policies). Visitors (users not in the group but with read-only access to the site, if granted) may be able to see the files if someone has added them to the library's permissions with read privileges. However, in standard groups, the document library doesn't have visitor users assigned by default; this requires explicit action (for example, a site owner sharing the library or specific files with other users). It's more common for only full plan members to have access. On the administrative side, a global or SharePoint administrator can configure content retention and compliance : attached files fall under the organization's retention policies (for example, if a Data Loss Prevention or retention policy exists, it will also apply to documents on the group site). Additionally, an administrator can determine whether users can sync the library to their desktop (using OneDrive sync ) a useful option if you want to always have project files available offline on your PC. To summarize: Owners and Plan Members have full access to attached files via OneDrive/SharePoint; Guests do too (subject to security restrictions); any Visitors only if specifically shared; the IT Admin defines the sharing and retention policies that these files must comply with.

d ) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

Consider a project situation : a team needs to develop a new product and uses Planner to assign tasks like "Prepare Technical Specifications," "Build Prototype," "Quality Testing," etc. Each task requires documents: for example, "Prepare Technical Specifications" requires a Word file with the requirements, while "Quality Testing" requires an Excel spreadsheet with the test results. When members attach these files to their respective tasks in Planner, the documents are saved centrally in the project's SharePoint library. This means that all members know they can always find the latest version of the specifications in SharePoint/OneDrive under the project folder. If a colleague edits the specifications Word document, the updated version is immediately available to everyone else no one risks working on an outdated version sent via email, because the attachment in Planner points to the live file in the cloud. From a broader company perspective, this mechanism increases collaboration : emails aren't cluttered with attachments, and everyone works on the same shared files. Another example is managing a marketing campaign : the campaign Planner includes tasks with attached graphics, text, and budgets in Excel. The marketing team can use OneDrive/SharePoint to quickly view or download all the campaign assets; perhaps a graphic designer opens OneDrive, goes to the "Marketing Q4 Campaign " group library, and directly finds the images a colleague uploaded as attachments to a task. From an IT perspective, this also provides greater security and governance : if an employee leaves the company, project files remain on the group's SharePoint and are not lost. Furthermore, rules can be applied (for example, classifying documents as confidential or preventing external sharing if the tenant requires it) to protect data. In short, viewing plan files in OneDrive/SharePoint allows companies to centrally manage project documents , foster teamwork on files, and maintain control over content.

Immagine che contiene testo, software, Pagina Web, Icona del computer

Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how files attached to tasks in a Microsoft Planner plan are stored and displayed in OneDrive, especially when the plan isn't associated with a Microsoft 365 group. You'll learn how to distinguish between OneDrive and SharePoint storage, access, edit, and share attached files. Interactions with Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft 365 Groups will be illustrated, along with the roles involved and key commands. The exercise includes business scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions. The ultimate goal is to provide the skills to manage file attachments in Planner through OneDrive effectively and seamlessly.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Attach files to a task in Planner and store them in OneDrive

1. Sign in to https://tasks.office.com with your Microsoft 365 account.

2. Select a plan not linked to a Microsoft 365 group

3. Create a new business or open an existing one

4. Click Add Attachment in the task window

5. Select Upload File to upload a document from your device

6. The file will be automatically saved to your personal OneDrive

7. Click on the file to open it in Office Online and edit it.

8. Verify that the file is accessible only to plan members

9. Copy the file link to share it with other users

10. Save the activity to confirm the attachment

Access attached files from OneDrive

1. Go to https://onedrive.live.com or open the OneDrive app

2. Sign in with the same Microsoft 365 account you use in Planner.

3. Click on Shared → Shared by me

4. Find the file attached to the Planner activity

5. Click on the file to open it in Office Online

6. Click on → Share to send the file to a colleague

7. Click on Details to see who modified the file

8. Download a copy by clicking on → Download

9. Sync the folder on your PC with the OneDrive app to work offline

10. Organize files into folders for more efficient management

Interactions with other Microsoft 365 apps

1. Attached files in Planner are also accessible from Teams → Files tab

2. File changes are reflected in real time between Planner and OneDrive

3. Files can be opened and edited from Word, Excel, or PowerPoint Online

4. Change notifications can be received via Outlook

5. Plan owners can attach, edit, and manage files

6. Plan members can view and edit shared files

7. IT administrators can manage permissions and access from OneDrive Admin

8. Files can be shared with external users if authorized

9. Previous versions of files are recoverable from OneDrive → History

10. The integration is available for users with a Microsoft 365 Business license or higher.

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Customer activity organization

A freelance consultant uses Planner to organize client tasks and attaches documents that are automatically stored in OneDrive.

a) Command : Planner → Tasks → Add Attachment → Upload File
The file is saved to the consultant's personal OneDrive.

b) Command : OneDrive → Shared by me
The consultant can access and share attached files with clients.

c) Command : OneDrive → → Version History
Allows you to recover previous versions of edited documents.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Add attachment	Planner → Tasks → Add Attachment	Link files to an activity
Upload file	Planner → Add Attachment → Upload File	Insert a document from your device
Open files in Office Online	Planner / OneDrive → click on file	Edit the file directly in the browser
Access shared files	OneDrive → Shared by me	View shared Planner files
Share files	OneDrive → → Share	Send links or invite collaborators
View change history	OneDrive → Files → Version History	Check who changed what
Download file	OneDrive → → Download	Save a local copy of the document
Sync Folder	OneDrive → Sync	Work offline with plan files
Organize files	OneDrive → New Folder	Create a structure to manage attached files
Permission Management	OneDrive Admin → Settings → Permissions	Defines who can access or modify files

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Automatic archiving of attached files

Centralized access to plan documents

Sync between Planner, OneDrive, and Teams

Reducing the risk of document loss

Notifications for changes and updates

Real-time collaboration on shared files

Track versions and changes

Mobile access to files via the OneDrive app

Greater security and control over documents

Customizing document management

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Management of individual projects

Professionals can attach documents to tasks and manage them in OneDrive for complete control.

Customer support

Files shared with clients through Planner are stored in OneDrive and updated in real time.

Training and onboarding

Onboarding materials are accessible from OneDrive for new hires.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where are files attached to a Planner plan that isn't associated with a group stored?

2. How do I attach a file to a task in Planner?

3. How do I access file attachments from OneDrive?

4. How do I share an attached file with a colleague?

5. How do I recover a previous version of a file?

6. Which roles can modify attached files?

7. How do I sync files for offline work?

8. Which Microsoft 365 apps interact with Planner files?

9. How do I get notifications about file changes?

10. In which business scenarios is this feature useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You learned that files attached to tasks in a Planner plan not associated with a Microsoft 365 Group are automatically stored in your personal OneDrive. You followed the steps to attach, access, edit, and share files, understanding interactions with Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft 365 Groups. You identified the roles involved, key commands, and document management methods. Practical scenarios showed you how to apply this feature in real-world business settings. The productivity benefits highlight the importance of an integrated and secure file management system. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills. You are now able to use OneDrive as an integrated document workspace with Planner.

10. The notebook linked to the plan in OneNote

Immagine che contiene testo, schermata, Carattere

Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

a) DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONALITY

Microsoft Planner offers integration with OneNote , allowing you to have a digital notebook linked to your plan. Within the Planner interface (web version), in the menu of the plan, there is a Notebook item : selecting it opens a new browser tab loading OneNote online, typically with a new notebook already created for that plan. In reality, the notebook used is the one associated with the plan's Microsoft 365 Group; if it's the first time it's opened, OneNote will automatically create a dedicated section or a new notebook for the project. This notebook is shared with all plan members and allows you to take notes, write documentation, and collect information related to tasks and the project in general. For example, a plan called Product Launch X could have a OneNote named the same, with sections like Meeting Notes, Brainstorming, Test Plans, etc., where the team keeps text, images, lists, and more. The experience is seamlessly integrated: users can start in Planner by managing tasks and then, with a click on Notebook, switch to OneNote to jot down details or discuss ideas that aren't included in individual tasks. Once opened, the notebook can be used both online and in OneNote desktop (via the Open in OneNote option ). Since it's saved on SharePoint, every change is synchronized in real time for everyone. In short, the feature provides a centralized location for plan notes , complementing the operational management of tasks: Planner tracks who does what and when , while OneNote captures the how and why (reasoning, minutes, unstructured content).

b) INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER MICROSOFT 365 APPS

The Planner notebook in OneNote is an example of integration between Microsoft 365 productivity tools. Since it's based on a OneNote notebook hosted on SharePoint , everything related to that OneNote falls within the group's ecosystem: for example, the notebook is also accessible from the group's SharePoint site (there's usually a Notebook link in the site menu) and from Microsoft Teams (if the group has Teams, the "Files" section of the channel might show a Notebooks folder with the notebook file, and you can optionally add OneNote as a tab in the channel to access the same notes). Additionally, OneNote itself can have integrations: you can create Planner tasks directly from OneNote in some cases (with add-ins or via Microsoft Graph /Power Automate), but more commonly, users use OneNote to record information and perhaps manually add references to Planner tasks. In Outlook, if the group appears in Outlook, there's often a link to the group's notebook. Therefore, notes taken in OneNote are accessible from any device via the OneNote app (Windows, Mac, mobile) since they are synced to the cloud. This portability means that, for example, during an out-of-office meeting, a member can open OneNote on their tablet, write in the project notebook, and upon their return, all their colleagues will find those notes updated. Another useful interaction: within OneNote, you can paste links to Planner tasks (by copying the link to a task and inserting it into a OneNote page), thus creating cross-references clicking that link will open the corresponding Planner task in the browser. Conversely, Planner doesn't automatically reference individual OneNote pages, but their joint use is intended as a complementary experience : Planner structures the project, while OneNote collects data and notes freely. From an integrated suite perspective, the Planner-OneNote pairing is reminiscent of the Project-OneNote pairing in traditional projects, but here it's accessible to all teams. Finally, using the Microsoft Graph API or tools like Power Automate , you could also automate certain integrations (e.g., creating a new OneNote page when a new plan starts, or extracting notes from OneNote for summaries), a sign that the data resides in connected services and is open to further integration.

c) ROLES INVOLVED

Accessing and managing the plan notebook involves roles similar to those for files: they depend on group membership and permissions on the OneNote resource (which is stored in SharePoint). Plan/group owners implicitly have full access to the group's OneNote, and can also manage permissions if necessary through SharePoint (the notebook is a file in the document library, usually in the Site Assets Notebook or Documents folder with a .one extension). Group members have editing permissions on the notebook: they can create sections, write pages, edit them, and delete them. There's no "internal" distinction between owner and member when using OneNote: everyone collaborates freely, so it's a good idea for the team to establish conventions for how notes are organized (but technically, they're equivalent). External guests, if included in the group, will be able to access OneNote: when they click Notebook in Planner, they'll also be taken to OneNote online (after logging in with their guest account) and will be able to read/edit the notes. There were previously restrictions on guests in OneNote, but Microsoft 365 now allows guests to access the group notebook unless the administrator has disabled OneNote sharing with external users. Non-member visitors will not have access unless the notebook has been shared separately with them with specific viewing or editing permissions (a rare scenario for project notes; it's preferable to add the collaborator as a formal guest to the group). The Microsoft 365 administrator can intervene in several ways: they can control OneNote functionality at the tenant level (for example, disabling group note-taking, although this would be unusual) or enforce notebook policies (for example, preventing external cut and paste to protect data). Additionally, the administrator defines whether group owners can add guests who then access the notebook and whether the OneNote data is subject to any sensitivity labels. In regulated contexts, the administrator may be able to export or review OneNote content for eDiscovery , just like emails and documents. To summarize for operational roles: Plan Owners and Members = OneNote editors; Guests = editors (if allowed); Non-group visitors = no access; IT Admin = functionality and security governance.

d) CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF CORPORATE APPLICATION

A practical example : a team holds weekly meetings for a project managed with Planner. While Planner tracks assigned tasks (who should do what), discussions, ideas, and decisions emerge during the meetings, all of which are recorded in the connected OneNote notebook. The project manager opens OneNote (via the Notebooks item in the plan in Teams or SharePoint) at the beginning of each meeting and notes the key points, perhaps on a page titled "Meeting of 07/19/2025." On that page, they write down the topics discussed, checklists of things to review, and can also insert OneNote tags like "To Do" next to new actions that emerge. Later, reviewing those notes, they can create corresponding tasks in Planner. All project members can consult this OneNote history to see what was discussed in their absence or refresh their memories of decisions made. From a business perspective, this replaces the traditional meeting minutes: centralized and always available. Another example: a creative team uses the plan's notebook to collect brainstorming and reference materials . In the "Fall Social Media Campaign" Planner, they manage tasks (posts to prepare, graphics to create, etc.), while in the attached OneNote, they have pages with slogan ideas, image clippings (pasted into notes), and lists of hashtags to use. This organization provides context : someone completing a task in Planner can open OneNote and immediately find related details (e.g., opening the "Facebook Post Ideas" page to see the draft text while marking the publishing task as completed). On a business level, using OneNote integrated with the plan increases shared knowledge : unstructured information (that doesn't fit into a specific Planner field) finds its way into the project notebook, preventing it from getting scattered in personal notebooks or isolated documents. Finally, imagine the role of a new member joining the plan: in addition to seeing the tasks in Planner, they can read the entire note history in OneNote to quickly get up to speed. This reduces onboarding time for a complex project, because Planner will tell them what needs to be done , and OneNote will tell them why they're doing it and how they got there . In short, the notebook connected to Planner via OneNote is used by companies to consolidate project documentation and informal communications into a collaborative repository, instantly accessible within the context of the work plan itself.

Immagine che contiene testo, software, Pagina Web, Icona del computer

Il contenuto generato dall'IA potrebbe non essere corretto.

EXERCISE ON THE TOPICS COVERED IN THE PARAGRAPH

Objective of the exercise

The goal is to understand how to access and use the OneNote notebook linked to a Microsoft Planner plan, leveraging Microsoft 365 integration to document meetings, action notes, ideas, and project materials. The user will learn how to locate the notebook associated with the plan's Microsoft 365 group, edit it, share it, and integrate it with Planner tasks. Interactions with Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook will be illustrated, along with the roles involved and key commands. The exercise includes business scenarios, productivity benefits, and self-assessment questions.

OPERATIONAL STEPS

Access the OneNote notebook connected to the plan

1. Go to https://portal.office.com and select OneNote from the app launcher

2. Go to Groups → select the Microsoft 365 group associated with the plan

3. Click Group Notebook to open OneNote Online

4. Make sure the notebook name matches the Planner name.

5. Navigate between sections and pages already present in the notebook

6. Create a new section for the current project or plan

7. Add a new page for operational notes, meetings or checklists

8. Insert text, images, tables, or file attachments into the page

9. Share the page with team members via link

10. Auto-save: All changes are synced in real time

Using OneNote from Teams and SharePoint

1. Open Microsoft Teams → select the team channel linked to the plan

2. Click + → select OneNote to add it as a tab

3. Select the group notebook and section to display

4. View and edit notes directly from Teams

5. Open SharePoint → go to Documents → Site Notes

6. Click Notebook to open OneNote in your browser

7. Changes made in Teams or SharePoint are reflected everywhere

8. Files attached to notes are stored on the group's SharePoint site

9. Notes can be exported to PDF or printed

10. Change notifications can be received via Outlook

Interactions with Planner and other Microsoft 365 tools

1. The notebook is connected to the Microsoft 365 group of the Planner plan

2. Plan members can access and edit the notebook

3. Plan owners can organize sections and pages

4. Notes may contain direct references to Planner activities

5. Meetings scheduled in Outlook can be documented in OneNote

6. Notes can be linked to shared calendar events

7. Files attached to notes are also accessible from SharePoint

8. Changes are trackable through OneNote's version history

9. Notes can also be viewed from mobile devices

10. The integration is available for users with a Microsoft 365 Business license or higher.

OPERATIONAL APPLICATION SCENARIO

Highlight of weekly meetings

A project team uses the OneNote notebook connected to the Planner to document weekly meetings and gather actionable ideas.

a) Command : OneNote → Groups → Group Notebook
Accesses the shared notebook associated with the plan.

b) Command : Teams → Channel → + → OneNote
View and edit notes directly in the team context.

c) Command : OneNote → New Page
Create a page for each meeting with agenda, notes and actions to assign.

KEY COMMANDS USED AND HOW TO ACCESS THEM

Command	Access	Function
Group Notebook	OneNote → Groups → Select Group	Opens the shared plan notebook
New section	OneNote → Add Section	Organize your notes by topic or stage
New page	OneNote → Add Page	Inserts a new operational note or meeting
Add OneNote tab in Teams	Teams → Channel → + → OneNote	Integrate the notepad into the team channel
View Notes in SharePoint	SharePoint → Documents → Site Notes	Opens notepad from the group's website
Share page	OneNote → Page → Share	Send direct link to a note
Insert attachment	OneNote → Insert → File	Link documents to notes
Version history	OneNote → Page → History	View previous changes
Export to PDF	OneNote → File → Export	Save the note in PDF format
Mobile access	OneNote App → Login → Groups	View and edit notes from your smartphone

PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS

Centralized and shared documentation

Automatic sync between Planner, Teams, and SharePoint

Better traceability of decisions and meetings

Support for the management of operational activities

Notifications for changes and updates

Integration with Microsoft 365 Groups and Outlook

Mobile access for real-time updates

Seamless collaboration between team members

Structured information storage

Customizing sections and pages

IDEAS FOR USE IN A REAL BUSINESS CONTEXT

Meeting minutes

Each weekly team meeting is documented in OneNote, with links to the corresponding Planner tasks.

Idea gathering and brainstorming

The notebook sections are used to collect operational proposals and attach supporting materials.

Operating manuals and procedures

The team creates a section with guidelines and procedures, always accessible and updatable by everyone.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

1. Where is the notebook linked to a Planner plan?

2. How do I access Notebook from Teams?

3. How do I create a new section or page in OneNote?

4. How do I share notes with my team?

5. Where are files attached to notes stored?

6. Which roles can edit the notebook?

7. How do I link a note to a Planner task?

8. How do I view notes on mobile devices?

9. Which Microsoft 365 apps work with OneNote?

10. In which business scenarios is this feature useful?

SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU LEARNED

You've learned how to view and use the OneNote notebook connected to a Planner plan, accessing it from OneNote, Teams, and SharePoint. You've followed the steps to create sections and pages, attach files, share notes, and sync them with plan tasks. You've understood the interactions with Microsoft 365 Groups, Outlook, and Teams, and the roles involved in management. Practical scenarios have shown you how to apply this functionality in real-world business contexts. Key commands allow you to work independently and accurately. Productivity benefits highlight the importance of integrated documentation. Usage ideas and self-assessment questions help you consolidate your skills. You're now able to use OneNote as a strategic complement to managing Planner plans.

4. CONCLUSIONS

Throughout this eBook, Microsoft Planner has proven to be a powerful and versatile tool for task management and team collaboration. Using a hands-on approach, we've explored each key feature, from basics like creating a plan, assigning tasks, and managing team members, to advanced integrations with Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, OneNote, To Do, and Power Platform.

Planner isn't just a digital to-do list, but a true operational hub that centralizes tasks, documents, communications, and notes, offering a constantly updated and shared overview. Its intuitive interface, multiple views (board, grid, charts, calendar), and the ability to customize buckets, labels, and notifications allow each team to adapt Planner to their needs, both in agile contexts and structured projects.

What did you learn?

Organize your work : Create plans, divide tasks into buckets, assign responsibilities, and track progress in real time.

Collaborate effectively : Engage internal and external members, share files and notes, communicate through comments and integrated conversations.

Integrate Planner into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem : leverage Teams for daily collaboration, Outlook for deadline planning, SharePoint and OneDrive for document management, OneNote for shared documentation, To Do for personal task management.

Automate and customize : Use Power Automate and PowerApps to create custom workflows and apps, tailoring Planner to specific business processes.

Manage roles and permissions : Understand the differences between owners, members, guests, and visitors, ensuring data security and governance.

Concrete advantages

Centralization of information : all activities, files and communications are collected in a single environment, reducing the risk of dispersion and duplication.

Greater transparency and accountability : Each team member is clear about what they need to do, by when, and with what resources.

Flexibility and scalability : Planner adapts to both small teams and complex projects, thanks to the ability to create multiple plans, integrate tools and customize views.

Operational efficiency : Thanks to notifications, filters, data export and automations, the time spent managing tasks is significantly reduced.

Seamless collaboration : The ability to engage external guests, integrate Planner into Teams and SharePoint, and access from any device makes collaboration seamless even in distributed or hybrid environments.

And now?

I invite you to immediately put into practice what you have learned:

Experiment : Create a new plan for a real project, involve colleagues, try different views, and integrate Planner with other Microsoft 365 tools.

Customize : Tailor buckets, labels, and notifications to your team's needs.

Automate : Explore Power Automate to streamline repetitive processes.

Share : Use the export and sharing features to keep stakeholders and collaborators informed.

Planner is a constantly evolving tool : stay up to date on new features, participate in user communities, and share your best practices to contribute to an increasingly effective culture of collaboration.

Thanks for following this journey!
Whether you're a project manager, team member, or IT manager, Planner can become your daily ally in organizing, tracking, and successfully completing every project.

If you'd like a customized version of the conclusions (for example, with references to a specific business context or a call to action for readers), let me know: I can adapt the text to your needs!

5. LEARNING PLAN. 4 months (16 weeks - 1 hour per day)

a) Learning Modules Table

Each week includes:

5 days of study (1 hour per day)

1 day of practical training or review

1 day of self-assessment

Structure of the Plan (Macrothemes)

1 2 - Microsoft Planner Fundamentals and User Interface

3 4 - Creating a new plan, managing privacy, and adding members

5 6 - Organizing tasks: buckets, assignments, labels, and priorities

7 8 - Views: board ( Kanban ), grid, charts and calendar

9 10 - Integration with Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, and To Do

11 12 - File Management, Shared Notes (OneNote), and Automation with Power Automate

13 14 - Security, Roles, Permissions, and Group Management in Microsoft 365

15 - Customization, plan duplication, data export and operational best practices

16 - Final review, complete exercise and test

b) Weekly self-assessment template

You can use this outline every Sunday to reflect on what you have learned:

Week [n ] Theme: [insert theme]

1. What did I learn this week?
Write 3 key concepts that you understood.

2. What exercises did I complete?

Mark the ones you did or briefly describe what you did.

3. What tools or features have I used in SharePoint?
E.g., document libraries, versioning, Power Automate, etc.

4. Questions I can answer now:
For example, how do you create a collection? How do you set up a flow?

5. What is still unclear to me?
Write down any doubts or concepts to review.

6) How do I rate my level of understanding (1 5)?

Relative to a topic studied
1 = none, 5 = full mastery

7) Actions for next week:
E.g. review a topic, do an exercise, ask for support.

c) 90 Review Questions and Correct Answers

REQUESTS

Week 1 2: Microsoft Planner Fundamentals and User Interface

1. What is Microsoft Planner and which suite does it belong to?

2. What is the main function of the Navigation Pane in Planner?

3. What's in the Planner content area?

4. What are the main views available in Planner?

5. How do I access Planner from the Microsoft 365 dashboard?

6. What's the difference between Planner Hub and My Plans ?

7. What does the Create Plan button do?

8. Which roles can access Planner?

9. What's the difference between an internal member and a guest in Planner?

10. Where are all tasks assigned to a user displayed?

Week 3 4: Creating a new plan, managing privacy, and adding members

1. What are the steps to create a new plan in Planner?

2. What is the difference between public and private planning?

3. What does creating a new Microsoft 365 Group with my plan entail?

4. How do I add members to a plan?

5. Who can add members to a private plan?

6. What happens when you add a member to a plan?

7. How do I promote a member to a plan owner?

8. What notifications does a new member added to a plan receive?

9. How do I manage member roles in Planner?

10. Can external guests be added to a plan? If so, how?

Week 5 6: Organizing tasks: buckets, assignments, labels, and priorities

1. What are buckets in Planner?

2. How do I create a new activity in a plan?

3. How do I assign a task to a plan member?

4. What is the function of colored labels?

5. How do I set the priority of a task?

6. How do I change the due date of a task?

7. Can I attach files to a task? Where are they stored?

8. How do I add a checklist to a task?

9. How do I move a task between buckets?

10. How do I mark a task as complete?

Week 7 8: Views: board ( Kanban ), grid, charts, and calendar

1. What is the difference between Board and Grid view?

2. What is the Charts view for?

3. How do I access the Schedule view?

4. What do the buckets in the Dashboard represent?

5. How do I filter tasks by assignee or label?

6. What does the pie chart show in Charts view?

7. How do I add a new activity directly from the calendar?

8. Can I drag tasks in the calendar to change their due date?

9. How do I export plan data to Excel?

10. What information can I get from the Member Charts view?

Week 9 10: Integration with Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, and To Do

1. How does Planner integrate with Microsoft Teams?

2. What does the Activities app do in Teams?

3. How do I add Planner as a tab in a Teams channel?

4. How does Planner integrate with Outlook?

5. How do I view Planner tasks in Microsoft To Do?

6. Where are files attached to Planner tasks stored?

7. How do I access the OneNote notebook connected to my plan?

8. Can I sync my Planner due dates with my Outlook calendar?

9. How do I display a Planner plan on a SharePoint page?

10. What are the benefits of integrating Planner and OneDrive?

Week 11 12: File Management, Shared Notes, and Automation with Power Automate

1. How do I attach a file to a task in Planner?

2. Where are files attached to tasks stored?

3. How do I access the shared plan notebook?

4. Which roles can edit the OneNote notebook plan?

5. How do I create an automation rule with Power Automate for Planner?

6. Can I create Planner tasks from a Forms module using Power Automate?

7. How do I export Planner tasks to Excel?

8. How do I connect Planner to PowerApps?

9. What automatic notifications can Planner send?

10. How do I manage versions of attached files in Planner?

Week 13 14: Microsoft 365 Security, Roles, Permissions, and Group Management

1. What is the difference between an owner and a member in a Planner plan?

2. Who can delete a Planner plan?

3. How do I manage access permissions for attached files?

4. What does making a plan public involve?

5. How do I add an external guest to a Microsoft 365 group?

6. What permissions does a guest have compared to an internal member?

7. How do I verify the privacy of a Planner plan?

8. Who can change the privacy settings of a plan already created?

9. How do I remove a member from a plan?

10. What happens to files and tasks when you delete a Microsoft 365 group?

Week 15: Customization, plan duplication, data export

1. How do I copy an existing plan in Planner?

2. What elements can be copied when duplicating a plan?

3. How do I customize a plan's name and description?

4. Is it possible to customize activity labels?

5. How do I export plan activities to Excel?

6. What are the best practices for bucket management?

7. How do you archive a completed plan?

8. How do I use the Add to Favorites function?

9. What are the advantages of duplicating a template plan?

10. How do I share direct links to activities or plans?

Week 16: Final review, full practice, and test

1. What are the basic steps to create and manage a Planner?

2. How do you assign a task and track its progress?

3. What visualization tools help monitor project status?

4. How does Planner integrate with Teams and Outlook?

5. How do I add and manage plan members?

6. What are the main differences between public and private plans?

7. How do I export data and reports from Planner?

8. What automations can be useful for task management?

9. How do I manage shared files and notes within a plan?

10. What are the best practices for effective collaboration in Planner?

CORRECT ANSWERS

Week 1 2: Microsoft Planner Fundamentals and User Interface

1. A task management tool in the Microsoft 365 suite.

2. Allows you to navigate between plans, activities and personal views.

3. Show details and features of the selected plan.

4. Noticeboard, Grid, Charts, Calendar.

5. From the Microsoft 365 app launcher .

6. Planner Hub shows all your plans, My Plans only those you participate in.

7. Start creating a new work plan.

8. Internal members with a Microsoft 365 license; guests with an invitation.

9. Guests have limited access and are by invitation only.

10. In the Assigned to me section.

Week 3 4: Creating a new plan, managing privacy, and adding members

1. Click on New Plan , enter a name, choose privacy settings, add members.

2. Public is visible to the entire organization, private only to invited members.

3. A group is created with mail, SharePoint site, OneNote, etc.

4. From the Members menu or by assigning tasks to new users.

5. Only plan/group owners.

6. Receive an email notification and access to the plan's tasks and files.

7. From Outlook, by promoting the member to group owner.

8. Welcome emails and notifications about assigned tasks.

9. From Outlook or the Microsoft 365 admin portal.

10. Yes, if the administrator allows it and via email invitation.

Week 5 6: Organizing tasks: buckets, assignments, labels, and priorities

1. Columns that group tasks by phase, category, or team.

2. By clicking + Add Activity in a bucket.

3. From the activity panel, by selecting the desired member.

4. They visually categorize activities.

5. From the activity details, choosing the priority.

6. From the activity details, by changing the expiration date.

7. Yes, they are stored on the group's SharePoint.

8. From the activity detail, adding a checklist.

9. Dragging the activity card between buckets.

10. By checking the Completed box in the activity.

Week 7 8: Views: board ( Kanban ), grid, charts, and calendar

1. Dashboard displays activities by bucket, Grid in tabular format.

2. Provides a visual overview of the status of tasks.

3. By clicking on Program in the top bar of the plan.

4. They represent phases, categories or work teams.

5. Using the filters at the top of the board or grid.

6. The breakdown of activities by status (completed, in progress, not started).

7. By clicking on a day in the calendar and entering a new activity.

8. Yes, by dragging the activity to another date.

9. From the menu > Export to Excel .

10. Number of tasks assigned and completed for each member.

Week 9 10: Integration with Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, and To Do

1. Adding Planner as a tab in a Teams channel.

2. Bring together all your personal and group activities in Teams.

3. From the Teams channel, click on + and choose Planner.

4. iCalendar feed for due dates and linking to groups.

5. In the Assigned to me list of To Do.

6. In the group's SharePoint document library.

7. From the > Notepad menu or via the SharePoint site.

8. Yes, by publishing the plan's iCalendar feed.

9. Adding the Planner web part to a SharePoint page.

10. Centralized access, sync, and collaboration on files.

Week 11 12: File Management, Shared Notes, and Automation with Power Automate

1. From the activity details, click on Add attachment .

2. In the group's SharePoint document library.

3. From the > Notepad menu or from the SharePoint site.

4. Group/floor owners and members.

5. Creating a flow in Power Automate with triggers and Planner actions.

6. Yes, through Power Automate which connects Forms and Planner.

7. From the menu > Export to Excel .

8. Adding Planner as a data connector in PowerApps.

9. Notifications for assignment, due date, and task completion.

10. SharePoint manages versions and history of attached files.

Week 13 14: Microsoft 365 Security, Roles, Permissions, and Group Management

1. The owner can manage members and settings, the member only activities.

2. Only plan/group owners.

3. From SharePoint, by setting permissions on the document library.

4. All members of the organization can see it and join.

5. From Outlook or the admin portal, by inviting external email.

6. The guest can collaborate but cannot manage members or advanced settings.

7. From the plan detail or from Outlook > Groups > Settings.

8. Group/floor owners only.

9. From the plan members menu or Outlook > Groups.

10. All files, tasks, and notes are deleted along with the group.

Week 15: Customization, plan duplication, data export

1. From the > Copy Plan menu.

2. Bucket, tasks, labels, checklists, deadlines (optional).

3. From the plan detail or settings.

4. Yes, from the activity details or plan settings.

5. From the menu > Export to Excel .

6. Give clear names to the buckets, divide them into phases or categories.

7. Hiding the plan or exporting the data before deleting it.

8. By clicking on the star next to the plan name.

9. It allows you to reuse standardized structures and processes.

10. From the menu > Copy plan link or Copy activity link .

Week 16: Final review, full practice, and test

1. Create plan, add members, organize tasks, track progress.

2. From activity detail, assigning members and updating status.

3. Dashboard, Charts, Calendar, Grid.

4. Planner integrates with Teams via tabs and with Outlook via iCal feed .

5. From the plan members menu or from Outlook/Teams.

6. Public: Visible to everyone; Private: Only invited members.

7. From the menu > Export to Excel or via reporting.

8. Automations with Power Automate for notifications, task creation, reminders .

9. Files on SharePoint, notes on OneNote, accessible from Planner and Teams.

10. Define roles, use clear buckets, assign responsibilities, leverage integrations.