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How to Notify Microsoft Planner Assignees About Task Comments

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users need a way to notify task assignees when new comments are added to their tasks in Microsoft Planner.

Product: Microsoft Planner
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Adding comments to project tasks in Microsoft Planner Basic plans.
Observed behavior: Task assignees do not receive comment notifications automatically unless they have previously commented on that specific task.

Before you start

Verify that your organization uses Microsoft Planner Basic plans, and check if you have access to Microsoft Power Automate to create custom notification workflows.

Solution 1Recommended

Create a Custom Notification Workflow Using Power Automate

Since Planner does not natively notify assignees who haven't commented, use Power Automate to build a custom alert system.

By default, Planner Basic plans only send task comments to the plan's Microsoft 365 group and to users who have previously participated in the task's comment thread. Power Automate can bridge this gap by monitoring task updates and triggering direct messages.

Open Power Automate

Select a Planner Trigger

Search for Microsoft Planner triggers and choose an appropriate trigger, such as when a task is updated.

Retrieve Task Details

Add an action to get task details so the workflow can evaluate if new comments have been appended to the task.

Configure the Notification Action

Add a final action to send an email or post a message in Microsoft Teams directed specifically to the task assignee's profile.

Community Support: For detailed assistance with configuring the specific workflow logic for comment extraction, you can post your questions in the official Power Platform Community.

Solution 2

Submit a Feature Request to the Planner Feedback Community

Advocate for native notification capabilities by submitting feedback directly to the Microsoft product team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why didn't my team member receive an email when I commented on a Planner task?

In Planner Basic plans, comment notifications are only sent to the plan's associated Microsoft 365 group and to individuals who have previously left a comment on that specific task. Passive assignees are not notified automatically.

Where are Microsoft Planner comments stored by default?

Task comments in Planner are stored within the Microsoft 365 Group inbox associated with the plan. Members may need to check the group's email thread instead of their personal inbox to see new comments.

Can I use Power Automate to send Teams messages instead of emails for Planner comments?

Yes, when setting up a custom workflow in Power Automate, you can select Microsoft Teams actions (such as 'Post message in a chat or channel') to alert assignees instead of using traditional email actions.

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