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Microsoft To Do vs Planner: Choose the Best Tool for Personal and Team Tasks

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users need a simple and effective alternative to managing tasks via an email inbox, looking for a solution that integrates with Outlook and Teams to better organize both personal and collaborative team work.

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Finding the right application within the Microsoft ecosystem to manage individual daily workflows and structured collaborative team projects.
Observed behavior: Currently relying on email for task management, resulting in disorganized workflows and a need for dedicated personal and team task tracking tools.

Before you start

Evaluate your primary goal: determine whether you are mostly tracking individual daily habits and personal deadlines, or if you need to delegate tasks and track progress across an entire team.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Microsoft To Do for Personal Task Management

Best for individual use, integrating seamlessly with Outlook to manage daily priorities and personal reminders.

Microsoft To Do is designed specifically for individual task tracking. It serves as an excellent upgrade from managing tasks in an email inbox, offering a dedicated space for personal organization.

It provides features like due dates, reminders, priorities, and subtasks, making it easy to break down complex personal goals into manageable steps.

Access Microsoft To Do

Open Microsoft To Do via the web browser, desktop application, or the integrated sidebar in Outlook.

Utilize the My Day View

Click on the 'My Day' tab to curate a focused list of tasks you want to accomplish today, separate from your broader project lists.

Create and Organize Lists

Click 'New List' to categorize your personal workflows, then add individual tasks, set due dates, and attach files as needed.

Integration Update: While Microsoft is bringing To Do, Planner, and Project capabilities together into a unified Planner experience, the dedicated Microsoft To Do app remains fully available and supported.

Solution 2

Use Microsoft Planner for Team Collaboration

Ideal for structured team tasks, project management, and collaborative tracking within Microsoft Teams.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Manage Tasks and Projects with WPS Office

If you are looking for a versatile way to manage projects without expensive Microsoft 365 subscriptions, WPS Office provides powerful Spreadsheet tools. You can easily build customized task trackers, Gantt charts, and Kanban-style lists in a familiar, lightweight interface.

1. Download and Install WPS Office: Get the free WPS Office suite from the official website and launch the application on your device.
2. Open a Task Tracker Template: Navigate to the WPS Spreadsheet application, click on 'Templates', and search for 'Task Tracker' or 'Project Management'.
3. Customize Your Team's Workflow: Apply the template and customize the columns to assign team members, track statuses, and monitor due dates with seamless Microsoft Excel format compatibility.

Completely free and lightweight office suite for daily productivityFully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx), Word (.docx), and PowerPoint (.pptx) formatsRich library of built-in templates for project management, task tracking, and timelinesAvailable across Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android devices

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I view my Planner tasks in Microsoft To Do?

Yes, Microsoft To Do features a smart list called 'Assigned to me'. Any tasks that are assigned to you in Microsoft Planner will automatically appear in this list, allowing you to manage your personal and team tasks in one unified view.

Is Microsoft To Do being replaced by Planner?

No, Microsoft To Do is not going away. Although Microsoft is unifying To Do, Planner, and Project capabilities into a new Planner experience within Teams, the standalone Microsoft To Do app remains available and fully supported for individual task management.

Which tool is better for subtasks?

Both tools handle subtasks, but in different ways. Microsoft To Do uses 'Steps' within a task to break down personal items. Microsoft Planner uses 'Checklists' within a task card to track multiple deliverables required to complete a team assignment.

How do I move my tasks from my email inbox to these tools?

If you use Outlook, you can seamlessly flag an email, which will automatically turn it into a task in the 'Flagged email' list in Microsoft To Do. You can then add it to your 'My Day' view or move it to a specific personal list.

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