Specifically, the unification of Planner and Tasks means both personal and assigned tasks can be viewed together in Microsoft Teams. It connects tasks that have been added to Team channels, Microsoft To Do, Outlook, and Planner. Office 365 Planner makes it easier for businesses to manage teamwork operations, allowing the creation of team-wide email notifications, project due dates, and visual dashboards. When Microsoft launched Planner in 2016, the company said it simplified workflow management. In Microsoft Teams, Planner is more useful as an integrated Tasks experience that links with other services.
Features
In its blog post, Microsoft details the core features of the new Tasks app:
“Users have smart views including tasks assigned to you, priority as well as the start or due date. Users can choose the view that works the best for them – list, boards, charts, schedules – to get things done. Tasks for HQ and Firstline Workers in Teams – Tasks targeting, publishing and reporting. Tasks targeting, publishing and reporting in Teams allows corporate and regional leadership to send task lists targeted to the relevant locations, such as specific retail stores, and track their progress through automatic real-time reports. Managers have tools to easily direct activities within their stores, and Firstline Workers have a simple prioritized list available via their personal or company-issued mobile device showing them exactly what to do next.”
Microsoft points out Teams desktop users will continue to see the app named as Planner for the time being. However, the name will morph to Tasks by Planner and To Do before finally becoming Tasks.
