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How to Copy Tasks and Assignees Between Projects in Microsoft Planner

John Wilson Sep 25, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to duplicate existing tasks and their corresponding team member assignments to new project plans that share similar workflows.

Can Microsoft Planner Copy Tasks and Assignees Between Projects?

Product: Microsoft Planner
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating a new project plan by reusing the task structure, deadlines, and resources from a previous project.
Observed behavior: The native 'Copy a plan' feature successfully duplicates basic task details but drops plan members, assignments, and certain other elements.

Before you start

Verify that you have the necessary Microsoft 365 permissions to create new groups and plans before attempting to duplicate an existing project.

Solution 1Recommended

Duplicate the Plan Structure and Reassign Members Manually

Use the built-in copy feature to transfer the reusable workflow and task structure, then manually add members and assignees to the new plan.

Microsoft Planner's 'Copy a plan' function is designed to recreate the framework of a project. However, because new plans are often linked to different Microsoft 365 Groups with distinct member lists, Planner drops the user assignments to prevent permission conflicts.

Access the original plan

Open Microsoft Planner and navigate to the specific plan you want to duplicate.

Initiate the copy process

Click the three horizontal dots (...) at the top of the plan board and select 'Copy plan' from the dropdown menu.

Configure the new plan

Name your new plan, choose an existing Microsoft 365 Group or create a new one, and select the specific elements (like Priority, Dates, and Checklists) you want to include, then click 'Copy'.

Reassign tasks manually

Open the newly copied plan, ensure all required team members are added to the group, and manually assign them to their respective tasks.

Duplicate the Plan Structure and Reassign Members Manually

Feature Limitations: Currently, Microsoft Planner does not support copying task assignments, plan members, task comments, or file attachments during the duplication process.

Solution 2

Submit Feature Feedback to Microsoft

Request comprehensive task and assignee duplication capabilities directly from Microsoft to help prioritize future updates.

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1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free office suite.
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Frequently Asked Questions

What task details actually get duplicated when I copy a plan in Microsoft Planner?

When you copy a plan, Planner duplicates the task names, buckets, priority, start and due dates, descriptions, checklists, and labels. It intentionally excludes plan members, task assignments, attachments, and comments.

Can I copy an individual task to another project instead of the entire plan?

Yes. Click the three dots on a specific task card and select 'Copy task'. You can then choose a different destination plan and bucket, and select which task elements to transfer. However, assignees will still not be copied.

Why doesn't Microsoft Planner allow copying assigned members?

Microsoft Planner ties task assignees directly to the membership list of the specific Microsoft 365 Group associated with the plan. Because a copied plan may belong to a completely different group with different members, Planner prevents assignee duplication to avoid permission errors.

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