What is Microsoft To Do?

Microsoft To Do is a cloud-based app designed for task management, which was created to help users organize daily tasks. This versatile tool provides users with options to make notes, lists, and reminders for different purposes, as well as to create personalized plans for the day. Customizable features like color themes, dark modes, and emojis are also available in To Do to give each list a unique feel. In addition, the “My Day” feature provides users with intelligent suggestions based on their lists so that they can stay on top of their daily tasks and projects. To Do is a helpful tool for managing to-do lists of all types and purposes, such as for shopping, paying bills, managing tasks, notetaking, and organizing business calendars, among others.

To Do originated over a decade ago. In 2011, a Berlin startup launched a cloud-based application for task management called Wunderlist. Four years later, Microsoft acquired this app, along with its 13 million users. In the years after acquiring Wunderlist, Microsoft phased this product out and replaced it with Microsoft To Do. By 2020, Wunderlist was officially shut down, although it is still possible to import Wunderlist data into To Do.

Main Features of Microsoft To Do

Microsoft To Do offers several helpful features and tools for managing tasks:

• To Do users can add notes to any task, which are helpful for later reference or clarification purposes. They can also attach up to 25MB of files to a task.
• The daily planner offers “My Day,” a tool that suggests tasks for users to prioritize each day.
• Due dates for accomplishing tasks can be set up in To Do, as well as reminders of looming deadlines.
• Shared lists provide users with notices so that they know when others complete or erase a task, as well as when new tasks or added to a list.
• Lists can be transformed into groups using To Do. This is a particularly helpful feature in instances such as if a user has a shopping list as well as a list pertaining to home-based chores to be completed over the next few days. These two lists can be merged into one group called “Home Tasks” to provide an even more streamlined organizational structure. 
• The search bar in To Do, which is located at the top of the app next to the user’s name, provides a convenient way for users to use hashtags in list titles and keyword tags in order to provide more helpful and focused search options.

Benefits & Drawbacks of using Microsoft To Do

To Do users appreciate this application for a variety of reasons:

• Lists that were created in To Do can be accessed from any location at any time. Users can see lists on desktop apps for Mac or Windows, web browsers, and mobile devices that use Android or iOS. 
• It’s easy to collaborate using To Do. Anyone who wishes to share assigned tasks or lists with colleagues or coworkers can do so. Lists can also be shared with family members or friends as needed.
• Users who wish to incorporate live hyperlinks into tasks, subtasks, or notes, can do so.
• Sub-tasks help To Do users break large tasks into smaller, more manageable portions so that no task feels daunting or overwhelming.
• Because To Do is part of the Microsoft 365 suite of applications, it can sync to other Microsoft 365 products. Tasks can be synced between To Do and Outlook. To Do also natively integrates with Planner, which enables it to automatically access personal and work-related tasks and place them all in one centralized location. Integration is also possible between To Do and Gmail, Evernote, Slack, and Trello, among others. 
• This app’s drag-and-drop function allows users to easily move items up and down a list as needed. 
• A variety of guides, articles, and walkthroughs are available to help To Do users become familiar with the features of this app. 
• To Do’s easy-to-use interface offers insights into usage patterns so that users can learn which tabs, elements, or icons are most helpful in different contexts.
• Thanks to industry-grade file-sharing capabilities, To Do users can easily and safely share files with other users, as well as establish various levels of permissions so that access to files can be regulated.
• Tasks can be sorted in a variety of ways when using To Do, such as by creation date, alphabetically, by importance, or by due date.
• Lists created in To Do can be emailed, printed, or pinned to the user’s Start Menu.

In addition to the above-mentioned perks of working with To Do, there are a few drawbacks to this application to consider as well:

• It can be difficult to share tasks with others or assign tasks to others. In addition, it can be somewhat confusing which lists are shared and which are not, as well as to move tasks between these lists.
• Some users feel that this app could do a better job managing overdue tasks, projects, or assignments by providing reminders.
• Although To Do has automation capabilities, this app is more focused on setting tasks up instead of the act of accomplishing them. Some users feel that it would be beneficial if this app had a more robust automation capacity directly devoted to task accomplishment.
• Unlike Microsoft Teams, To Do cannot incorporate custom backgrounds.
• Even though tasks lists in To Do contain columns of data, they cannot be directly imported into Microsoft Excel. 

Those who work with Microsoft To Do for their daily task management find this application to be a helpful, easy-to-use platform for staying on top of both personal and professional projects.

Start Learning Microsoft Office with Hands-On Classes

Proficiency in Microsoft Office can open professional doors across industries, as well as lead to upward career mobility. 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, varying in length from three hours to three days and costing between $229 and $1,785. Those who wish to study close to home can also browse in-person Microsoft Office classes to find nearby learning options.