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Can Viva Goals Transfer Planner Tasks to Microsoft Project Gantt Charts?

Nimra Malik Oct 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to know if they can transfer tasks from Microsoft Planner to Microsoft Project to generate Gantt charts and how Viva Goals fits into this workflow.

How to Transfer Planner Tasks to Microsoft Project Gantt Charts using Viva Goals

Product: Microsoft Project, Microsoft Planner, Viva Goals
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Defining organizational goals, listing tasks, and visualizing them in a Gantt chart format across different Microsoft ecosystem tools.
Observed behavior: The user is unsure about the integration capabilities between Viva Goals, Planner, and Project, and whether their specific Microsoft Project version supports importing tasks to create a Gantt chart.

Before you start

Before attempting to sync or transfer tasks, verify your exact version of Microsoft Project (e.g., Project Online, Project for the web, or Project Desktop) as integration features vary significantly between versions.

Solution 1Recommended

Check Version Compatibility and Clarify Tool Roles

Understand the designated role of each Microsoft tool and check if your Project version supports direct importing.

Viva Goals is designed for setting and tracking organizational objectives (OKRs), not for granular project scheduling. Microsoft Planner handles lightweight task management, while Microsoft Project is built for comprehensive project scheduling, including Gantt charts.

Direct transfer of tasks from Planner to Project Desktop requires specific workarounds or third-party connectors, whereas Project for the Web offers different native integration capabilities.

Check Project Version

Identify your Microsoft Project version by opening the application, clicking on 'File' in the top ribbon, and selecting 'Account' to view the product information.

Define Viva Goals OKRs

Navigate to the Viva Goals dashboard to set up your high-level Objectives and Key Results. Do not use this interface to list granular daily tasks.

Use Planner for Execution

Create your team tasks in the Microsoft Planner Board view. These tasks represent the day-to-day execution of the goals defined in Viva.

Migrate to Project for Gantt Charts

If you require detailed timeline dependencies, you must manually recreate these tasks in Microsoft Project Desktop or use an automation tool to bridge the data, as native one-click export from Planner to Project Desktop is not supported.

Check Version Compatibility and Clarify Tool Roles

Version Limitations: Most older desktop versions of Microsoft Project do not natively support one-click importing of Microsoft Planner tasks without the use of add-ins or automated cloud flows.

Solution 2

Sync Planner Tasks to Project Using Power Automate

Utilize Microsoft Power Automate to create a custom flow that sends Planner tasks into Microsoft Project.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Create Gantt Charts Easily with WPS Spreadsheet

If managing multiple Microsoft tools like Viva Goals, Planner, and Project is too complex or costly, WPS Office provides a simpler, free alternative. You can easily create professional Gantt charts directly in WPS Spreadsheet using built-in templates. It is lightweight, fully compatible with Microsoft Excel formats, and requires no complicated automated flows.

1. Open WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office on your computer and click on 'Spreadsheet' to start a new document.
2. Search for Gantt Templates: Click on the 'Templates' tab in the top navigation ribbon and type 'Gantt' into the search bar.
3. Download and Edit: Select a free Gantt chart template, click 'Use Now', and replace the placeholder data with your actual project tasks and dates.

Easily build project schedules and Gantt charts with free templatesFully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formatsLightweight, all-in-one suite combining Word, Excel, and PDF toolsRequires no complex ecosystem setups or Power Automate flows

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Viva Goals automatically generate Gantt charts?

No, Viva Goals is specifically designed for tracking organizational Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). It does not have built-in capabilities to generate detailed, timeline-based project management Gantt charts.

Does Microsoft Planner have a native Gantt chart view?

Microsoft Planner does not feature a native Gantt chart view. It provides Board, Grid, Charts, and Schedule views. To visualize tasks on a traditional Gantt chart, you need to use Microsoft Project or export the data to another tool.

How do I export Microsoft Planner tasks to Excel?

You can export your Planner tasks to Excel by clicking the three horizontal dots (...) at the top of your Planner board and selecting 'Export plan to Excel' from the dropdown menu. You can then use the downloaded spreadsheet to create custom Gantt charts.

Is Microsoft Project included in standard Microsoft 365 business plans?

No, Microsoft Project is typically not included in standard Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise subscription plans. It usually requires a separate, standalone subscription for each user who needs to create and manage project schedules.

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