Microsoft To Do and Planner in Microsoft Teams are both task management tools within Microsoft 365, each with distinct functions but now more integrated than ever. Here’s how they differ and how they work together to enhance productivity.
Purpose and Use Cases
Microsoft To Do is designed for personal task management, helping users organize daily activities, set reminders, and prioritize tasks. It integrates with Outlook, allowing you to convert emails into tasks and manage them alongside personal tasks.
Planner in Microsoft Teams is intended for team-based project management. It consolidates Microsoft Project, Planner, and To Do, allowing for managing team tasks, assigning work, and tracking project progress. It also offers advanced project management features like Gantt charts and resource management.
Integration Between To Do and Planner
Viewing To Do Tasks in Planner:
In Planner, all your To Do tasks are visible under My Tasks. Toggle “Private” to filter and view only your To Do tasks.
Flagged emails from Outlook appear as tasks under My Tasks in Planner, integrating your email workflow with task management.
Viewing Planner Tasks in To Do:
In Microsoft To Do, enable the option to view Planner tasks in the settings. These tasks appear in the Planned section, allowing you to manage personal and team assignments within To Do.
Features
Microsoft To Do offers:
Task lists, reminders, and prioritization.
The My Day feature to focus on daily tasks.
Integration with Planner, showing assigned tasks in the Planned section.
Planner in Microsoft Teams offers:
Task assignment and tracking with visual boards.
The My Tasks section, where you can see all tasks, including those from To Do.
Advanced project management tools like Gantt charts and resource management.
Best For
Microsoft To Do is best for individuals managing personal and work-related tasks in one place.
Planner in Microsoft Teams is best for teams collaborating on projects, with advanced tools for project managers and team leaders.
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