How to Organize, Search, and Sort Multiple Microsoft Planner Plans
Question details
Users need a way to organize, search, and sort tasks across a large number of plans (e.g., 40+ plans) within Microsoft Planner.
- Product
- Microsoft Planner
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Managing and navigating a high volume of active plans and tasks within an organization's Microsoft 365 environment.
- Observed behavior
- Microsoft Planner lacks built-in advanced cross-plan sorting, searching, and filtering features, making it difficult to manage dozens of plans natively.
Ensure you have active Microsoft 365 licenses with access to Power Automate, SharePoint Online, and Power Apps, as these tools are required to build cross-plan workarounds.
Consolidate Planner Tasks in SharePoint using Power Automate
Use a Power Automate flow to collect tasks from multiple plans and sync them to a SharePoint list, enabling advanced filtering and searching.
Since Planner does not support global cross-plan search natively, exporting the data to SharePoint is the most reliable workaround. SharePoint lists offer robust column sorting, filtering, and searching capabilities.
Open SharePoint Online and create a new blank list. Add relevant columns to store task data, such as Task Name, Plan Name, Due Date, and Status.
Open Power Automate and create an automated cloud flow. Use the Planner connector to trigger when a task is created or modified across your plans.
Add a 'Create item' or 'Update item' SharePoint action to your flow. Map the dynamic content from your Planner tasks (like title and dates) to the corresponding columns in your SharePoint list.
Once the flow runs and populates the list, navigate to your SharePoint list to use the column headers for sorting or the search bar to find specific tasks across all plans.
Create a Custom Management Dashboard via Power Apps
Develop a dedicated Power App to connect your Planner data and build highly customizable search capabilities and reporting dashboards.
Pin Frequently Used Plans in Planner Hub
Use Planner's native pinning feature to keep your most important or active plans easily accessible at the top of your hub.
Track Projects and Tasks Effectively with WPS Office
While Microsoft Planner requires complex Power Automate workarounds to search and sort across extensive plans, WPS Office provides a lightweight, flexible alternative. By utilizing WPS Spreadsheet's powerful filtering and built-in project management templates, you can effortlessly organize, sort, and track all your team's tasks in a single, highly customizable document.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Install WPS Office for free on your preferred device.
- 2. Open a Project Template: Launch WPS Spreadsheets, navigate to the Template library, and search for 'Project Tracker' or 'Task List'.
- 3. Customize and Filter: Input your tasks across multiple projects and use the native Data Filter and Sort features to organize everything exactly how you need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Microsoft Planner have a global search feature for all plans?
By default, Microsoft Planner does not support a global cross-plan search or sorting feature. To view tasks across dozens of plans simultaneously, you must utilize workarounds like syncing data to SharePoint or building custom Power Apps.
How can I request native sorting features in Microsoft Planner?
You can submit feature requests directly to Microsoft's product development team by visiting the Microsoft Feedback portal (feedbackportal.microsoft.com) and adding your suggestions under the Planner category.
Are Power Automate and Power Apps free to use with Planner?
Basic functionalities of Power Automate and Power Apps are included in most Microsoft 365 Enterprise and Business subscriptions. However, if you require premium connectors or exceed standard execution limits, additional licensing may be required.
