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How to Group and Vote on Sticky Notes in Microsoft Whiteboard

Ayan Masood Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know if Microsoft Whiteboard supports grouping related sticky notes and automatically counting votes on them to prioritize topics for discussion.

How to Group and Vote on Sticky Notes in Microsoft Whiteboard

Product: Microsoft Whiteboard
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Organizing ideas, categorizing feedback, and determining team priorities during a collaborative brainstorming session.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Whiteboard does not currently offer built-in functionality for locking sticky notes into formal groups or automatically tallying user votes.

Before you start

Ensure you have the latest version of Microsoft Whiteboard installed, as new features are frequently rolled out to the platform. Keep in mind that you will need to rely on visual workarounds rather than automated tools for grouping and vote tallying.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Manual Grouping and Visual Reactions for Voting

Since automatic grouping and vote counting are not native features, you can achieve the same result by visually clustering notes and utilizing the built-in reactions menu.

While Microsoft Whiteboard does not currently support selecting multiple sticky notes to 'Group' them into a single object, you can establish clear categories by arranging notes spatially.

Voting can be handled seamlessly by asking meeting participants to leave standard reactions or draw symbols on the notes they wish to prioritize.

Categorize manually

Click and drag related sticky notes close together on your whiteboard canvas to form distinct visual clusters.

Add category headers

Select the 'Text' tool from the toolbar and type a clear heading above each cluster of sticky notes so participants understand the groupings.

Vote using reactions

Instruct participants to click on the sticky note they want to vote for and select the 'Thumbs up' or 'Heart' icon from the context menu that appears.

Vote using the Pen tool

Alternatively, have users select the 'Pen' tool from the inking menu and draw check marks directly on the sticky notes to signify their votes.

Tally votes manually

Once the voting phase is complete, manually count the reactions or check marks to determine the priority of your discussion topics.

Submit a Feature Request: If your business operations heavily require formal voting and automatic vote counting, consider submitting a formal feature request through the Microsoft Whiteboard feedback portal.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I automatically count votes on sticky notes in Microsoft Whiteboard?

No, Microsoft Whiteboard does not currently support automatic vote counting. Meeting facilitators must manually tally the reactions, check marks, or thumb-up symbols left on the notes.

Is there a way to lock grouped sticky notes together?

While you cannot formally 'group' sticky notes into a single locked object using built-in whiteboard tools, you can manually arrange them in grids or distinct clusters to keep related ideas organized visually.

Will Microsoft add an automatic voting feature to Whiteboard in the future?

Microsoft frequently updates its software suite based on direct user feedback. If you rely on automatic voting for business requirements, it is highly recommended to submit a request via the Microsoft feedback portal to encourage its development.

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