Microsoft Planner Essentials (2026)

The Planner tool in Microsoft 365 is a powerful task management app. This app offers features similar to standalone project management apps but without the high price tag since Planner is free with most Microsoft 365 Business plans.

What does Planner do and how can teams use it effectively to delegate and manage tasks? Microsoft trainer Vicki Drewa will show you not only how to create a new plan and attach it to a team or group, but also how to use your plan effectively. You’ll learn how to set up buckets for process management, add tasks, assign team members, and track the tasks effectively. You’ll also learn how to filter your plan to see just what you need and view dynamic charts to track everything. Engage in this course to learn the ins and outs of Planner and impress all your colleagues with your advanced task management skillset.

Topics covered include:

• Describe the purpose of Planner and exploring its components
• Create a new plan from a template and a blank plan
• Work with cards to create task cards, add information, and assign the tasks
• Add attachments to a card and set progress and priority for tasks
• Modify cards by reassigning tasks, adding comments, and customizing labels
• Copy, move, modify, and delete cards
• Add new buckets, rename, reorder, and delete them
• Manage the plan by changing the Group By options, filtering and finding tasks, and changing the views
• Mark tasks as complete, modify plan settings, and share a plan
• Leave and delete plans
• Integrate Planner with Microsoft 365 apps
• Export a plan to Excel, add it to an Outlook calendar, and integrate with SharePoint and Teams
• View your tasks in the To Do app

Enjoy award winning HD content in the “Uniquely Engaging”TM Bigger Brains Teacher-Learner style! Taught by top subject matter experts, Bigger Brains courses are professionally designed around key learning objectives and include captions and transcripts, downloadable handouts, and optional LinkedIn digital badges on course completion.