Are you too stressed to function? Making to-do lists on scraps of paper you can’t find later? Losing track of assignments amid midterm season chaos? Whether you’re chronically under-organized, or just facing an ever-increasing mountain of to-do’s, it’s time to make a plan that actually works for your workload. That’s where Microsoft Planner can help.
In a nutshell, Microsoft Planner is a visual task management tool that helps you organize work. You can create Plans, organize to-do list items into Tasks, group Tasks into Buckets, and feel oh-so-satisfied when you check things off the list. Basically, you get the ease of a daily task list with the power of full project management all in one place. In other words, Microsoft Planner keeps track of everything you need to do — and it’s free with your Pitt credentials.
💡 A Plan for Everything
To get started, access Planner at microsoft365.com and log in with your Pitt credentials. Once you’re in, click + New Plan to start with a basic grid and board or use a pre-made template if you’re looking for something specific. Whatever you choose, you’ll generate a new board that you can make your own.
The main components of a Plan are Tasks and Buckets, a.k.a. where the magic happens. Your Buckets are custom columns that help you break big projects into manageable chunks or workflows. The best part is that you can move Tasks between Buckets by simply dragging them, in case plans change or your Task moves through different Bucket stages. Working on a research project? Create Buckets for Research, Writing, Editing, and Final Review. Keeping track of where tasks are in a workflow? To Do, In Progress, Review, and Complete. Name them whatever makes sense for your work.
You can make as many or as few Plans as you want. If you like to have all of your to-do’s in one place, you can create one all-encompassing mega Plan. If you prefer to break things up, you can create Plans for individual projects or assignments. No matter how you Plan, you’re sure to be better off.
✅ Create A Task and Get to Work
The bread-and-butter of Microsoft Planner is the Task, and don’t worry — creating them is a breeze. The amount of detail you add to your Tasks is up to you, and they’re infinitely edit-able in case plans change. You can set due dates, assign them to specific people (including yourself!), add notes or checklists, and even attachments to keep extra organized.
Add a Label if you’re interested in even more compartmentalization. Your Labels are confined to a given Plan, so you can get as specific as you want based on your Plan. This comes in handy if, for instance, you create a general “School” or “Work” Plan and you want to visualize what Task relates to which class or project.
👁️ Multiple Views for Different Styles
Planner makes your to-do lists visible and trackable. It works in the way you already think about tasks. Some people think in lists. Others need a visual board. Planner offers multiple views so you can work in the way that makes sense to you:
- Grid view: Spreadsheet-style list with all your task details
- Board view: Kanban-style cards organized in columns (buckets) you can customize
- Schedule view: Calendar layout showing when things are due
- Chart view: See status breakdown so you know how much work you have left
You can easily switch between views instantly depending on what you need to see. And if you need to zoom in, Planner has a solution for you — My Day.
🌅 My Day: Your Daily Command Center
Start each day by reviewing what needs your attention, like, now. The My Day view automatically pulls tasks from all of your plans into one focused list based on what’s due that day. It's like having a morning huddle with yourself about the day ahead.
Remember: Features like My Day rely on being Assigned to you with a Due Date. So, if you’re not seeing tasks in My Day, check to make sure those two items are filled in correctly.
🤝 More Collaboration, Less Headaches
Share your plans with teammates and stay organized without the hassle. You can attach relevant files, assign Tasks to your group members, and keep on top of due dates. No more digging through email chains to figure out what happened while you were offline. Everyone knows what they're responsible for and when it's due, which means fewer "Wait, I thought you were doing that" moments.
🔗 Integration with Microsoft 365
You can access Microsoft Planner from any browser and log-in through Pitt Passport. But that’s not the only place you can see your Plans. Planner is integrated with Microsoft Office, Project, Teams, and To Do, so you’re never far from your Tasks. Everything connects, which means less switching between apps and more time actually working.
Plan Now, Thank Yourself Later
Most productivity tools promise to change your life and then just add one more thing to manage. Planner is different — it's already part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem you're using anyway, and best of all, it doesn't require you to change how you work. It just makes what you're already doing more visible and a whole lot less stressful. Now, it’s up to you to create a plan and enjoy the feeling of finally getting organized!
— Pitt Digital
