How to Make Recurring Planner Tasks Start on Their Scheduled Date
Question details
The user wants to configure recurring tasks in Microsoft Planner so that the next occurrence remains pending and only appears when its actual scheduled start date arrives.
- Product
- Microsoft Planner
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Managing recurring task schedules and workflows in Microsoft Planner.
- Observed behavior
- Microsoft Planner natively creates the next occurrence of a recurring task immediately after the current task is marked as complete, disregarding the future scheduled start date.
Ensure you have access to Microsoft Power Automate with appropriate permissions to create and manage scheduled cloud flows connected to your Microsoft Planner workspace.
Use Power Automate to Schedule Future Tasks
Since Microsoft Planner does not natively delay the creation of recurring tasks, you can use Power Automate to automatically create the next task only when the specific start date arrives.
By setting up a Scheduled Cloud Flow in Power Automate, you bypass Planner's default behavior. The flow will act as a timer, generating a new task in your designated bucket exactly when you need it.
Log into Microsoft Power Automate, click on 'Create' from the left sidebar, and select 'Scheduled cloud flow'. Name your flow and set the starting date, time, and recurrence frequency (e.g., every 1 week).
Click 'New step', search for 'Planner' in the operation search bar, and select the 'Create a task' action.
Select the appropriate 'Group Id' and 'Plan Id' from the dropdown menus. Fill in the 'Title' of your recurring task and select the 'Bucket Id' where it should appear.
Use dynamic content or expressions (like utcNow()) to dynamically set the Start Date and Due Date based on when the flow triggers.
Save the flow and run a manual test to verify that the task appears in Microsoft Planner accurately according to the schedule.
Submit a Feature Request to Microsoft
Advocate for native support to delay recurring task creation by submitting feedback directly to the Microsoft development team.
Manage Projects Seamlessly with WPS Office
While Microsoft Planner requires complex Power Automate workflows for customized scheduling, you can easily track tasks, deadlines, and project timelines using the versatile spreadsheet templates available in WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, comprehensive suite that is highly compatible with Microsoft Office.
- 1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free version for your operating system.
- 2. Access the Template Library: Open WPS Spreadsheet, click on 'New', and browse the built-in Template library.
- 3. Start Tracking Tasks: Search for 'Task Tracker' or 'Schedule' to instantly apply a professional layout for tracking recurring tasks manually without complex automation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Microsoft Planner create the next task immediately after I complete one?
Microsoft Planner is designed to generate the next instance of a recurring task as soon as the current one is marked complete. This default behavior ensures the task remains visible in the bucket, but it currently lacks a native setting to hide it until its future start date.
Will using Power Automate cost extra on my Microsoft 365 plan?
For most Microsoft 365 enterprise, business, and education plans, standard Power Automate features (including the Planner connector) are included for free. However, premium connectors or exceptionally high usage limits may require an additional license.
Can I assign users to the task automatically via Power Automate?
Yes. When configuring the 'Create a task' action in your Power Automate flow, you can add the email addresses or user IDs of the team members in the 'Assigned User Ids' field to automatically assign them upon task creation.
