Are you struggling to keep track of your assignments, projects, or group work? Microsoft Planner, available to all University of Pittsburgh students, faculty, and staff as part of the Microsoft 365 plan, might be the solution you've been looking for. Keep reading to learn more!

What is Microsoft Planner?

Microsoft Planner is a digital task management tool that helps you visually organize and manage your work. It enables you to create plans, organize and assign tasks, share files, and collaborate with others. Whether you are working on a group project, organizing an event, or just managing your own daily to-do list, Microsoft Planner can streamline your workflow and keep you on track this upcoming academic year.

Key Features and Uses

• Task Management: Create tasks, set due dates, and assign them to team members. This feature ensures everyone knows their responsibilities and deadlines.
• Boards and Buckets: Organize tasks into different buckets for better categorization. This is particularly useful for breaking down projects into manageable sections.
• Progress Tracking: Monitor the progress of tasks with visual charts and checklists. This helps in identifying bottlenecks and ensuring timely completion of your projects and assignments!
• Collaboration: Share your plans with others and work together in real time. You can attach files, add comments, and get notifications about task updates.
• Integration with Microsoft 365: Seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft 365 apps like Outlook, Teams, and OneNote, enhancing your productivity.

Who Should Use Microsoft Planner?

At the University of Pittsburgh, Microsoft Planner is part of the comprehensive Microsoft 365 suite. Just log into office.com with your Pitt credentials. Then, click on the waffle (9-dot square) in the upper left corner and select Planner. If you don’t see it, click on More Apps to see the complete list of Microsoft 365 apps available to you. You can use Planner from any web browser or download the mobile app onto your phone or tablet. (Sorry, no desktop app at this time.)

Why Use Microsoft Planner?

• Enhanced Organization: Keep all your tasks and projects in one place.
• Improved Collaboration: Work more effectively with your team to stay on the same page.
• Increased Productivity: Spend less time managing tasks and more time completing them.
• Better Visibility: Adding tasks to your Outlook calendar and having a central location for each plan helps make sure you see current and upcoming tasks so nothing falls off the radar.

Microsoft Planner is a valuable resource that can help you stay organized and efficient. Take advantage of this tool provided through Pitt’s Microsoft 365 license and see how it can transform the way you manage and complete your work!

Plan to Learn Planner

Getting started with Microsoft Planner is pretty easy, but you’re not on your own. If you're new to Planner or need a refresher, LinkedIn Learning offers an excellent introductory video called “Microsoft Planner Essential Training” that walks you through the basics.

In addition, Microsoft has a comprehensive Planner support site with video tutorials and online articles about everything from getting started and understanding the app to building a plan, staying on track, and integrating it with other apps like your Outlook/Teams calendar.

Start planning smarter and achieve more with Microsoft Planner today!

-- By Haree Lim, Pitt IT Student Blogger