Microsoft has launched Planner, a project management app which will soon roll out to all Office 365 subscribers.
It’s a Web-based tool designed to let the subscribers easily lay out plans for projects and business objectives and then share them with other people.
What you can do with Microsoft’s Planner?
Microsoft has positioned Office 365 as a key to user’s productivity work flow, and this app is supposed to make it easier for you to stay on track and collaborate with colleagues effectively.
After creating a plan, you can create and assign tasks, share files and update your colleagues on the status of key to-dos.
However, the app appears to be a response to the likes of Asana and Trello that have built their businesses on making it easier for other companies to improve their employees’ productivity.
What is the difference between Planner and Microsoft Project?
Microsoft’s another app, Microsoft Project that is aimed at helping project managers build plans is more tailored for people whose entire job is project management.
However, Planner is supposed to help even non-experts to build plans.
What else?
The launch of this app is in line with other Microsoft products which are aimed at taking complex business productivity tools and turning them into apps and services that are more easily used by ordinary folks.
These include PowerApps, a citizen development tool that’s supposed to make it possible for non-developers to build simple applications to make business data more accessible to others in their line of business.
Planner will be rolling out to all Office 365 tenants in the coming weeks. And you’ll find it in the app launcher online when it’s available for your organization.