Microsoft Planner Premium is leveling up in 2025 with AI-driven tools, workflow automation, and deeper integration with Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365. Here’s what you need to know:
- AI-Powered Features: Copilot lets you create project plans, assign tasks, and track progress using natural language commands. AI also prioritizes tasks based on deadlines, team availability, and dependencies.
- Workflow Automation: Power Automate handles repetitive tasks like notifications, document updates, and next-step triggers, saving time and improving efficiency.
- Premium Templates: New templates for goals, sprints, events, and training make planning faster and more organized.
- Integration with Teams & Dataverse: Update tasks directly in Teams and leverage Dataverse for advanced analytics, custom dashboards, and secure data management.
- Governance Tools: Role-based access controls, naming conventions, and compliance monitoring ensure secure, scalable collaboration.
Pricing starts at $10.00 per user/month (billed annually). To get the most out of these updates, businesses should plan migrations carefully, train teams on AI tools, and align workflows with the new capabilities.
How to Use the NEW Planner Premium for Projects
AI Features in Microsoft Planner Premium
Microsoft Planner Premium is stepping into 2025 with a lineup of AI-driven tools designed to make task management smarter and workflows smoother. By integrating advanced automation, these features aim to simplify daily operations and assist teams in planning and decision-making with greater ease.
Copilot Integration for Smarter Task Management
One standout addition is Microsoft Copilot, which brings natural language capabilities into task management. With this feature, users can create projects, adjust timelines, and manage schedules simply by typing or speaking commands. It takes the hassle out of manual setup, making project planning faster and more intuitive for teams.
Real-World Applications of AI in Planner Premium
The AI-powered tools in Planner Premium go beyond just task creation. They help with resource allocation, progress tracking, and deadline management, automating repetitive tasks that often slow teams down. For example, adaptive scheduling can adjust timelines dynamically, saving time and allowing teams to focus more on strategic priorities rather than administrative details. These features are designed to cut down on manual effort while keeping projects on track.
New Features and Workflow Automation in Planner Premium
The 2025 roadmap is set to redefine how teams plan and execute their projects. Let’s dive into how these premium templates simplify planning and integrate seamlessly with AI.
New Premium Templates for Better Planning
Microsoft has introduced a suite of premium templates designed to streamline project planning and take workflow automation to the next level. Launched in January 2025, these templates cater to a variety of scenarios, making it easier for teams to get organized and stay on track.
"We’ve added new premium templates – Goals & Objectives, Project Retrospective, Event Planning, Training Plan, and Sprint Retrospective – that can help you set goals, organize sprints, plan events, and more!"
- NancyatMSFT, Microsoft
One standout is the Goals & Objectives template, which helps teams align their efforts by allowing up to 10 goals per plan (though Microsoft suggests focusing on 3–5 goals). Each task is linked to a single goal, ensuring clarity and focus. For instance, if a team is working on launching a new drone delivery service, they can use Copilot to generate measurable objectives by simply asking, "Add a set of goals for launching a new drone delivery service." These objectives can then be tracked through various views like Board, People, Grid, and Charts.
Access to these templates starts with Planner Plan 1, priced at $10.00 per user per month when billed annually.
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Integration with Microsoft Teams and Business Apps
Microsoft Planner Premium strengthens its integration with business applications to create a more unified workspace, simplifying project management tasks and processes.
Planner’s Updated Role in Microsoft Teams
With Planner Premium, users can now seamlessly access and update tasks directly within the Microsoft Teams environment. This integration keeps both communication and task updates in one place, helping teams manage workflows more efficiently. By embedding Planner into Teams, users benefit from centralized task management, which also opens doors for advanced data and automation capabilities.
Connecting Planner Premium with Dataverse and Power Platform
Planner Premium enhances its functionality by linking to Microsoft’s broader data ecosystem, offering advanced analytics and automation tools. Task data is stored in Microsoft Dataverse, acting as a hub for custom integrations and deeper insights. This setup addresses the limited analytics of standard Planner, enabling users to create custom dashboards with Power BI. These dashboards can track key metrics like task duration, average completion times, and workflow phase performance.
The integration with Power Platform further extends Planner’s capabilities. According to a commissioned study by Forrester Consulting, organizations leveraging the Power Platform saw a 7% revenue increase in 2024, driven by access to over 1,000 connectors. Power Automate allows teams to build advanced workflows using Planner data, including custom tables and fields, for automation tailored to specific needs. Dataverse ensures that all Planner data aligns with Microsoft’s security standards, offering role-based access controls for added protection. Additionally, tools like nBold enhance collaboration by automating templates for consistent setup and governance.
nBold‘s Role in Template-Based Collaboration
nBold complements Planner Premium by automating the creation of standardized collaboration spaces in Microsoft Teams. Using nBold’s advanced templates, organizations can deploy pre-configured Teams that include everything from channels and apps to Planner boards, SharePoint sites, and documents – ready for immediate use.
nBold also simplifies project management with its Planner Templates, which automatically generate standardized Planner boards and task templates. Its Governance Automation feature enforces naming conventions, approval workflows, guest-access controls, and lifecycle policies for Teams. These features cut setup times from hours to minutes, ensuring consistency across projects, departments, and initiatives while maintaining streamlined collaboration processes.
Moving to Planner Premium and Governance Best Practices
Shifting to Planner Premium calls for a carefully structured migration plan and a solid governance strategy. Proper planning ensures a smooth transition, maintaining business operations while unlocking the benefits of advanced features and AI tools.
Step-by-Step Migration Guide
Kick off the migration with a pilot group before expanding to the entire organization. Start by evaluating your current task management setup to identify which projects would benefit most from Planner Premium’s enhanced capabilities.
- Phase 1: Pre-Migration Assessment
Take stock of your projects, workflows, and custom configurations. Document existing automation flows, custom fields, and integration points with Microsoft 365 applications. - Phase 2: Environment Preparation
Set up licenses, configure permissions, and enable integrations. Establish robust security policies within the Microsoft 365 admin center to safeguard your data. - Phase 3: Data Migration and Testing
Transfer project data while verifying its integrity and ensuring workflows function as expected. Allocate time for thorough testing before the official rollout. - Phase 4: User Training and Adoption
Train your teams on the upgraded interface and AI tools to ensure a seamless transition and encourage adoption.
Once the migration is complete, implementing governance strategies becomes essential for managing collaboration at scale.
Governance Strategies for Large-Scale Collaboration
Governance plays a key role in maintaining order and efficiency when deploying Planner Premium across large teams. Start by establishing clear naming conventions for projects, teams, and tasks. Standardized prefixes for departments, project types, or priority levels can simplify navigation and improve searchability.
Managing permissions requires a thoughtful approach to balance security with accessibility. IT administrators can use Microsoft 365 groups and Azure Active Directory to implement role-based access controls. This ensures sensitive projects remain secure while enabling collaboration on larger initiatives.
Tools like nBold can help enforce governance policies by automating templates for naming conventions, security settings, and workflow structures. For compliance, Microsoft Purview provides centralized monitoring, allowing organizations to track data usage, monitor access patterns, and generate compliance reports efficiently.
After governance adjustments, it’s important to update workflows and configurations to take full advantage of Planner Premium’s capabilities.
Updating Current Workflows and Settings
To align with Planner Premium’s new features, update Power Automate workflows to fit its updated data structure. Some organizations may need to adjust connectors to work with the new Planner APIs – some flows might require significant revisions, while others may only need minor tweaks.
Security policies, permissions, and integrations must also be reviewed and migrated. Administrators should check settings across SharePoint, Teams, and external sharing configurations to ensure they align with Planner Premium’s requirements.
Leverage AI tools like Copilot to enhance productivity by integrating features like automated task suggestions and progress tracking into your workflows. Be sure to update project management documentation to reflect these changes and provide clear instructions for users.
Finally, don’t overlook third-party applications and custom solutions. For example, if you’re using Power BI for project reporting, update its data connections to align with Planner Premium’s new data sources. This will enhance report accuracy and provide deeper insights into project performance.
A successful transition requires careful planning, effective communication, and ongoing support to ensure both the migration and adoption processes run smoothly.
Conclusion: Getting More Done with Microsoft Planner Premium 2025
The 2025 roadmap for Microsoft Planner Premium is packed with updates designed to simplify task management and improve team collaboration. By incorporating AI tools, enhanced automation, and refined governance features, it aims to address the changing needs of modern organizations.
Key Points for Business Leaders
Microsoft is introducing AI-driven features, such as Copilot integration, to handle routine tasks and provide contextual recommendations directly within Microsoft Teams. These additions are designed to make decision-making easier and streamline daily workflows.
Enhanced integration with Power Automate ensures smoother processes and greater project consistency. Premium templates will also make project setups quicker and more efficient by embedding standardized practices across departments, helping teams hit the ground running.
Governance tools are getting a significant upgrade, with centralized administration and compatibility with Microsoft Purview. These updates include role-based access controls and automated policy enforcement, ensuring security and scalability for enterprise-level deployments.
The roadmap also emphasizes deeper connections with Microsoft Teams and the Power Platform ecosystem. By leveraging Dataverse, organizations can expect better reporting and consistent data management across tools.
With these advancements, businesses can start planning for a smoother transition and improved project management workflows.
Next Steps for Using Planner Premium
To take full advantage of these updates, organizations should first assess their current project management processes. Look for areas where the new features – like AI and automation – can deliver measurable improvements. Piloting these updates with teams already using Microsoft Teams can help establish customized workflows and build internal expertise.
Consider using nBold’s template-based collaboration tools to simplify deployment. nBold offers automated provisioning for team creation, security settings, and workflow structures, ensuring governance policies are in place from the beginning.
Invest in training programs focused on the new AI and automation capabilities to accelerate adoption and boost team productivity.
FAQs
How will AI features in Microsoft Planner Premium improve team project management?
Microsoft Planner Premium is stepping up the game in team project management with its AI-powered features. These tools take care of those tedious, time-consuming tasks, making workflows more efficient and boosting team collaboration. For instance, AI can assign tasks automatically by analyzing team members’ workloads, propose practical deadlines, and even highlight potential delays before they escalate into bigger problems.
On top of that, AI-driven insights and predictive analytics give teams a heads-up on risks and help allocate resources more wisely. These capabilities ensure teams can stay organized, make smarter decisions, and deliver better results – all with less hassle.
How can businesses prepare for a smooth transition to Microsoft Planner Premium 2025?
Switching to Microsoft Planner Premium 2025 can be a seamless process with the right steps in place. Start by confirming your business’s eligibility for the upgrade. Once that’s sorted, take advantage of automated migration tools. These tools not only make the transition easier but also help safeguard your data from potential risks during the process.
It’s also a good idea to prep your data ahead of time. For example, export your current plans and organize workflows using tools like Power Automate. Doing so can help make the migration smoother and more efficient.
Don’t overlook the importance of communication. Keep your team informed about the upcoming changes and ensure they’re trained on the new features. This proactive approach can encourage better adoption of the updated system and minimize any disruptions during the transition.
How do Microsoft Teams and Dataverse integrations enhance collaboration and data management in Planner Premium?
The combination of Microsoft Teams, Dataverse, and Planner Premium takes teamwork and data organization to the next level by bringing everything together in one place. With Dataverse, your team can store, manage, and share data, apps, and workflows effortlessly, ensuring everyone is always working with the latest information.
Planner’s integration with Teams makes task management a breeze. You can assign tasks, monitor progress, and share updates – all without leaving the Teams app. This tight integration keeps your team on the same page, boosts coordination, and enables smarter, data-driven decisions. Together, these tools make managing projects simpler and help your team stay productive.