Microsoft Planner: New Bulk Editing Feature and Project Manager Enhancements

Significant Enhancements Coming to Microsoft Planner

Microsoft recently unveiled a series of noteworthy upgrades to Microsoft Planner, focusing primarily on enriching the functionality of its Project Manager agent. This AI-driven virtual project manager is engineered to simplify project planning and execution by defining objectives, converting them into actionable tasks, and managing their completion.

Email Notifications for Enhanced Task Management

Earlier this year, Microsoft introduced real-time task notifications for the Project Manager agent within Teams, alerting users when tasks are completed or when input is needed to advance a task. In the latest update, Microsoft is expanding this notification capability to include email alerts, ensuring that users can stay informed about task progress even when they are not logged into Teams.

Automated Status Reports in Public Preview

Another significant feature now available in public preview for users is the capability to generate automated status reports. This tool compiles and summarizes key project information, including progress, milestones, risks, and next steps. By utilizing this feature, teams can maintain a clear understanding of a project’s status. Currently, this functionality is available to English-speaking users, with plans for support in additional languages forthcoming.

Expanded Language Support

The Project Manager agent will also support over 40 languages, aligning its capabilities with Microsoft 365 Copilot. While Arabic and Hebrew will be added shortly, this expansion will make the agent accessible to a broader range of users who prefer to interact in their native language.

New Bulk Editing Feature for Increased Efficiency

In addition to enhancements related to the Project Manager agent, Microsoft Planner now features a bulk editing option. Users can streamline workflow processes by accessing the Grid view of their plans and selecting multiple tasks for simultaneous updates. This function allows users to modify task assignments, adjust priorities, update progress, or alter start and due dates all at once, significantly enhancing productivity.

Transition from Microsoft Project to Planner

In a related announcement, Microsoft informed users that beginning August 1, all users will transition from Microsoft Project for the web to Microsoft Planner. Alongside this migration, the Project and Roadmap applications in Microsoft Teams will be retired. Fortunately, Microsoft assures that no user action is required for this transition; all licenses will seamlessly carry over.

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