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How to Track Individual Task Completion in Microsoft Planner

Camila Milosovich Oct 8, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to track the task completion status for individual members assigned to a single group task in Microsoft Planner.

How to Track Individual Task Completion for Group Participants in Planner

Product: Microsoft Planner
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Assigning a shared task to multiple users and needing to know when each specific user finishes their portion of the work.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Planner only records task completion for the entire task; marking it complete closes it for everyone, with no separate individual status provided.

Before you start

Since Microsoft Planner treats a shared task as a single entity, marking it complete closes the task for all assignees. To track individual progress, you will need to restructure how tasks are assigned or utilize task automation.

Solution 1Recommended

Create Individual Tasks for Each Participant

The most reliable workaround is to create separate, identically named tasks and assign one to each participant.

By assigning a unique task card to each person instead of adding multiple assignees to one card, you can monitor exactly who has finished their work and who is still in progress.

Create the base task

Open your Planner board and click 'Add task' under the desired bucket.

Name the task specifically

Enter the task name and append the participant's name to easily identify it (e.g., 'Monthly Report - John').

Assign to a single user

Click 'Assign' and select only one specific team member from the list.

Duplicate for other members

Click the three dots (...) on the task card, select 'Copy task', and assign the new copied task to the next participant.

Create Individual Tasks for Each Participant

Tip for Checklists: If you do not want to create multiple tasks, you can keep a single task and add a Checklist item for each participant's name. They can check off their name when they finish.

Solution 2

Automate Task Creation with Power Automate

Use Microsoft Power Automate to automatically generate individual Planner tasks for a list of users, saving time on manual duplication.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can multiple people be assigned to one task in Microsoft Planner?

Yes, you can assign multiple people to a single task in Planner. However, the task will only have one overall completion status. If one person marks it as complete, it is moved to the completed section for everyone.

Is there a way to quickly duplicate a task a set number of times?

Planner does not have a bulk duplicate feature natively. You can copy a task manually by clicking the three dots (...) on the task card and selecting 'Copy task', or you can use Power Automate to script bulk task creation.

Will Microsoft add individual completion tracking to Planner?

Microsoft continuously updates Planner based on user feedback. You can advocate for this feature by clicking the Settings (gear icon) in Planner, selecting 'Send Planner feedback', and submitting a feature request.

Can I use task checklists to track individual progress?

Yes, an alternative workaround is to create a single shared task and add a checklist item for each assignee's name. Participants can simply check the box next to their name when they finish their portion, leaving the main task open until everyone is done.

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