Microsoft Planner: New version brings improvements for teamwork and project management

In spring 2024, Microsoft plans to release a revised version of Planner that integrates all project management tools in Teams. What impact will this innovation have on teamwork and project management? What role will artificial intelligence play? And how can companies prepare for these changes?

Microsoft is spring-cleaning its project tools. At the Ignite event, the product managers announced that they will be merging the To Do, Planner and Project applications into one program. The new version of Microsoft Planner will be available via Microsoft Teams. The aim is to increase productivity, simplify collaboration and improve the user experience by integrating artificial intelligence with Microsoft Copilot.

Teams as a central platform for project management

The new Microsoft Planner is intended to be a central platform for managing tasks and projects that is specially tailored to the needs of modern teams. This means it could also hold its own against competitors such as Atlassian and Asana.

Thanks to its integration with Microsoft Teams, Planner enables direct communication and collaboration within the tool, which reduces the need to switch between different applications. A user-friendly interface and easy integration into everyday working life should make Planner an indispensable tool for project managers.

Premium plans are available for professional users, with which even complex dependencies can be mapped and adapted in a project plan. Agile project methods such as Kanban or Scrum are supported. Available resources and capacities can be easily managed. And in premium mode, goals and their achievement can also be tracked.

Focus on onboarding and community

The onboarding of new employees and customers is to be facilitated by new functions. Another important aspect of the new Microsoft Planner is the focus on community and learning. The Microsoft 365 Champion program plays a crucial role in this by supporting users and improving the introduction of new tools and strategies in organizations. The availability of training resources and the opportunity to exchange ideas with other users should not only promote personal development, but also contribute to a better culture of learning and innovation.

Artificial intelligence as support

Microsoft's artificial intelligent assistant Copilot supports the creation of premium plans. It offers suggestions and analyses that can help with decision-making and project planning. For example, it can create and structure tasks for complex projects and monitor the team's workload.

It remains to be seen whether the new Microsoft Planner can actually change the way teams collaborate and manage projects. However, the integration of proven tools in a single platform, the emphasis on the importance of community and learning and the use of advanced AI technologies sound promising.

Confident use of Microsoft project tools with Skill IT

If you would like to learn more about the possibilities of Microsoft Teams in the meantime, until the Planner is published in a few weeks, our "Managing Microsoft Teams" course is just the thing.