Microsoft 365 provides an array of applications designed to help users better manage their workloads. This article will explore three Microsoft apps that are especially helpful for task management: To Do, Lists, and Planner.
What is Microsoft To Do?
Microsoft To Do is an intelligent to-do list that was designed to provide users with a centralized location from which they can manage all their tasks. This versatile application has options for organizing an array of daily tasks, such as grocery shopping, work, travel, and even leisurely activities like which movies to watch. Lists created in To Do can contain as many items as the user wishes and can be given corresponding due dates with starring options and reminders for the most pressing tasks. To Do lists can be created and accessed on tablets, laptops, desktops, or mobile devices. In addition, lists created in To Do can sync across devices so that your to-do list goes wherever you do.
Using Microsoft To Do for Task Management
Microsoft To Do comes with many built-in features to help users stay on top of tasks. Here are just a few of its most popular task-management tools:
- Intelligent suggestions help To Do users manage their most pressing or time-sensitive tasks. By clicking on the lightbulb, To Do provides an overview of any lingering tasks from the previous day, as well as a list of upcoming tasks. This application’s smart algorithm ensures that the suggestions it provides are in line with users’ daily goals.
- Because “My Day” lists in To Do start with a clean slate, users have a space to intentionally consider and manage the tasks of the day.
- To Do integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft Office 365 apps, which ensures that no task is lost in the shuffle. Outlook can automatically sync any task with To Do, which means lists are available on multiple apps and can be accessed across devices.
- Because To Do was designed on an enterprise cloud, it provides all users with advanced security options, such as data encryption to help keep tasks private.
What is Microsoft Lists?
In 2020, Microsoft Lists evolved from SharePoint Lists to become a new, front end platform with which users can manage their ideas and data. Lists facilitates collaboration between team members, as well as clients, and provides users with a way to create and organize lists of all kinds. This app’s click-to-edit templates offer a time-saving method for keeping track of tasks, taking notes, and creating intelligent, flexible lists. Lists is controlled from a centralized spot, Lists Home, where users can view and manage each of their lists.
Using Microsoft Lists for Task Management
Lists includes many of the basic components of a to-do app, as well as some more specialized features, to help with everyday task management:
- Lists can be viewed in a variety of ways, such as calendar view or timeline view, so that each user can select the method that is most suited to their needs.
- Lists can be created from Excel spreadsheets, which is a helpful time-saving feature.
- Users can track activities and add attachments to any list, as needed.
- With the help of this app’s “Manage Rules” feature, it’s possible to automate lists based on the creator’s preferences. This helpful feature allows automated notifications and reminders to be sent as needed.
- For those who wish to share their list with others for collaborative purposes, new list rules can be established that are most suited to the needs of all users.
- Lists integrates well with Microsoft Teams. Users can create, share, and access lists directly from the Teams app without the need to leave a meeting. In addition, Teams users can change the appearance of a list into a grid, card, or calendar view. Custom filters can also be incorporated.
What is Microsoft Planner?
Microsoft Planner is an application for managing tasks as well as team projects. This versatile tool helps users share files, collaborate on projects, create plans, and delegate tasks. It also can provide regular progress updates from team members. Planner’s Kanban board interface incorporates task cards and other task-management tools, such as a chat feature and charts.
When plans are created in Planner, they’re given their own board where tasks and sub-tasks can be sorted into different buckets. This provides a helpful way for users to organize tasks based on whether or not they’ve been completed, as well as who is in charge of that task. When making project updates or changing assignments, Planner users can do so easily by dragging and dropping that task into a different column.
Using Microsoft Planner for Task Management
Microsoft Planner offers a variety of features that help streamline task management:
- The “My Tasks” feature provides users with an overview of all tasks that have yet to be completed. When working on group projects, team members can use this feature to make comments or attach files to different tasks using Outlook or Teams.
- Email notifications send gentle reminders to Planner users to alert them of approaching deadlines. These emails provide a short summary of the tasks that are approaching in the upcoming weeks.
- “Schedule View” offers an overview of every task currently on their calendar, which is helpful for planning ahead.
- It’s possible to assign one task to multiple team members when working on group projects.
- Tasks can be grouped and filtered depending on their due date.
- Planner integrates with other experiences and apps that are part of the Microsoft 365 family. Teams users can view all tasks in Planner when they select the “Tasks” feature. In addition, with the help of the @mentions feature, tasks can be assigned in comments in Excel, Word, or PowerPoint. In addition, “Import Planner into Outlook” provides users with a way to add Planner to Microsoft Outlook’s calendar.
As the above article indicates, Microsoft Office 365 provides many helpful features, tools, and integrations that allow users to manage their tasks between devices, applications, and team members.
Learn More About Microsoft Office with Hands-On Classes
The more you know about Microsoft Office, the more professional opportunities you will have across industries. A great way to begin learning about Microsoft Office is to sign up for one of Noble Desktop’s Microsoft Office courses. These small group classes are offered in-person in Manhattan, as well as in the live online format. For students and professionals on the go, there are also in-person and live online Microsoft Office courses available through Noble Desktop or one of its affiliate schools. A variety of course options are offered, ranging in duration from three hours to three days and costing between $229 and $1,785. You can also browse in-person Microsoft Office classes in a city near you.
In addition, for those who wish to learn more about project management, look no further than Noble Desktop’s Microsoft Project classes. If you are in the Manhattan area, there are several in-person Project courses available from Noble Desktop and its affiliate schools.