New Planner and Project for the Web Accelerator Implementation

Are you ready to revolutionize your project management practices with Microsoft’s New Planner and Project for the Web Accelerator? We’ve got you covered with our comprehensive implementation plan designed to streamline your processes and boost productivity! 🚀

1. Consultation

Deliverable: Document capturing requirements/configuration for New Planner and P4W – Accelerator

• Clarification of needs and presentation of solutions: Let’s kick things off with a meeting to present both solutions and understand your needs thoroughly.
• Discovery of the client’s environment: We’ll delve into your existing processes, platforms, and team dynamics to tailor our solutions perfectly to your requirements.
• Establishment of requirements and strategy: Together, we’ll create a comprehensive document outlining the requirements and strategy for deploying New Planner and the Project for the Web Accelerator.

2. Pilot Implementation

Deliverable: Working New Planner and P4W – Accelerator environment

• Configuration of Microsoft licenses: We’ll define the roles and propose licenses accordingly, ensuring seamless integration with your existing environment.
• Configuration of the working environment: Our experts will set up a sandbox environment for testing and development, configuring the solutions to match your workflow.
• Implementation of New Planner and Project for the Web Accelerator: We’ll install and configure both suites, including Power Apps Accelerator solutions and security profiles.

3. Training

Deliverable: At least two online training sessions covering the relevant topics.

• Project Management – Fundamentals: Get started with a foundational training session covering essential project management concepts.
• Project Planning and Control with MS Project for the Web Accelerator: Dive deep into planning and control methodologies tailored to Project for the Web Accelerator.
• Project Reporting with Power BI: Learn how to harness the power of Power BI for comprehensive project reporting and analysis.

4. Support

• Updates/modifications of reports: As your needs evolve, we’re here to provide ongoing support and updates to ensure your solutions remain optimized.
• Updates/configuration/settings: Need to tweak configurations or settings? Just let us know, and we’ll take care of it for you.

With our expert guidance and support, you’ll be up and running with New Planner and Project for the Web Accelerator in no time, revolutionizing your project management practices for enhanced efficiency and success! 💼✨

Nuances between Microsoft’s New Planner and Project for the Web:

New Planner:

New Planner is an evolved version of Microsoft Planner, designed to offer enhanced project management capabilities within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. It provides users with a simple and intuitive interface for organizing tasks, assigning responsibilities, and tracking progress across projects. Some key features of New Planner include:

1. Task Management: Users can create tasks, assign them to team members, set due dates, and track their progress easily.
2. Board View: Tasks are organized into boards, allowing users to visualize their project’s workflow and move tasks across different stages effortlessly.
3. Integration with Microsoft 365: New Planner seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft 365 applications such as Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint, enabling smooth collaboration and communication within teams.

Project for the Web:

Project for the Web is a robust project management solution built on the Microsoft Power Platform. It offers more advanced project planning and tracking capabilities compared to New Planner. Some key features of Project for the Web include:

1. Advanced Project Planning: Project for the Web allows users to create detailed project plans, define tasks, dependencies, and timelines using Gantt charts.
2. Resource Management: Users can allocate resources to tasks, track resource availability, and manage resource workloads effectively.
3. Financial Management: Project for the Web enables users to track project costs, budgets, and financial resources, providing greater visibility into project finances.
4. Integration with Power Platform: Project for the Web seamlessly integrates with other Power Platform applications such as Power BI for advanced reporting and Power Automate for workflow automation.

In summary, while New Planner is more focused on simple task management and team collaboration, Project for the Web offers advanced project planning, resource management, and financial tracking capabilities suitable for managing complex projects and portfolios within organizations. Both solutions complement each other and can be utilized based on the specific needs and requirements of the project and organization.

Keep Project for the Web in parallel with New Planner within an organization?

Project for the Web

Project for the Web is a powerful project management solution that offers advanced capabilities for planning, tracking, and managing projects. It is well-suited for organizations that require:

1. Advanced Project Planning: Project for the Web provides robust tools for creating detailed project plans, defining tasks, dependencies, and timelines using Gantt charts. This makes it ideal for managing complex projects with intricate schedules.
2. Resource Management: With Project for the Web, users can efficiently allocate resources to tasks, track resource availability, and manage resource workloads. This is particularly valuable for organizations with multiple projects and shared resources.
3. Financial Management: Project for the Web enables organizations to track project costs, budgets, and financial resources. This feature is beneficial for projects that require careful budgeting and financial oversight.

New Planner

New Planner, on the other hand, is a simplified task management tool designed for organizing and tracking tasks within teams. It is suitable for organizations that prioritize:

1. Ease of Use: New Planner offers a simple and intuitive interface for creating tasks, assigning them to team members, and tracking their progress. It is user-friendly and accessible for teams of all levels of technical proficiency.
2. Team Collaboration: New Planner facilitates collaboration within teams by allowing users to share tasks, comment on task updates, and attach files. It fosters transparency and communication, making it easier for teams to work together effectively.

Keeping Both in Parallel

In certain scenarios, it may be beneficial for an organization to keep both Project for the Web and New Planner in parallel, depending on the nature of their projects and the needs of their teams. For example:

1. Different Project Types: Organizations may have a mix of projects, some of which require the advanced capabilities of Project for the Web, while others are more suited to the simplicity of New Planner. Keeping both tools allows teams to choose the appropriate tool based on the project requirements.
2. Team Preferences: Different teams within an organization may have varying preferences and requirements when it comes to project management tools. Some teams may prefer the comprehensive features of Project for the Web, while others may find New Planner more suitable for their needs.
3. Scalability: As the organization grows and undertakes more complex projects, it may transition from using New Planner exclusively to incorporating Project for the Web for projects that require more advanced planning and management capabilities.

In conclusion, while Project for the Web and New Planner serve different purposes and cater to different needs, there are scenarios where keeping both tools in parallel can offer flexibility and cater to the diverse requirements of an organization’s projects and teams.

Overview of the New Microsoft Planner and Project for the Web Licensing

The New Microsoft Planner

• Microsoft is unifying its existing task management and planning tools – Microsoft To Do, Microsoft Planner, and Microsoft Project for the Web – into a single, new Microsoft Planner experience.
• The new Planner will first be available within the Planner app in Microsoft Teams in Spring 2024, with a web experience to follow later that year.
• The new Planner will bring together the simplicity of To Do, the collaboration of Planner, the power of Project for the Web, and the intelligence of Microsoft Copilot into a unified experience.
• Key features of the new Planner include:
  • Streamlined and faster user experience with simplified navigation
  • A “My Tasks” view to see and manage all your tasks in one place
  • A “My Plans” view to access your To Do lists, Planner plans, and Project projects
  • The ability to pin favorite plans to the left navigation pane
  • Premium features like Goals view, People view, Timeline view with dependencies, and custom fields
  • Integration with Microsoft Copilot to help create plans and suggest new tasks

Licensing

• The existing Project Online Plan 1 license will become the new Planner Premium license, providing access to the advanced features of the new Planner.
• Existing Project for the Web customers will be given access to the premium functions of the new Planner app without the need for additional licenses.
• Microsoft plans to share more details on pricing and licensing for the new Planner, including the Copilot capabilities, in the coming months.

In summary, the new Microsoft Planner aims to provide a unified, intelligent, and collaborative work management solution that combines the best features of Microsoft’s existing task and project management tools. The licensing details are still being finalized, but it appears the new Planner Premium will replace the existing Project Online Plan 1 license.

License Considerations:

1. Subscription Plan: Organizations need to assess their Microsoft 365 subscription plans to ensure they include access to both Project for the Web and New Planner.
2. User Needs: Determine the specific needs of each user or team within the organization. Some users may require the advanced project management features offered by Project for the Web, while others may only need the task management capabilities provided by New Planner.
3. Cost Considerations: While New Planner is often included in many Microsoft 365 subscription plans, Project for the Web may require a higher-tier subscription plan. Organizations should evaluate the cost implications of providing access to both tools for their users.
4. User Training: Ensure that users are trained on how to utilize both tools effectively based on their roles and project requirements. This may involve providing training sessions or resources to help users understand the features and functionalities of each tool.

In summary, organizations should review their Microsoft 365 subscription plans, assess user needs, consider cost implications, and provide appropriate training to ensure effective utilization of both Project for the Web and New Planner within their environment.

What is the difference between Planner Premium and Project for the Web

Planner Premium vs Project for the Web

Functionality

• Planner Premium: Provides more advanced features like Goals view, People view, Timeline view with dependencies, and custom fields.
• Project for the Web: Offers more comprehensive project management capabilities, including the ability to track dependencies, scheduling, roadmaps, and other advanced project management features.

Complexity

• Planner Premium: Designed for simpler team projects with fewer deliverables and dependencies.14
• Project for the Web: Better suited for more complex, medium to large projects with extensive deliverables and dependencies.

Licensing

• Planner Premium: The existing Project Online Plan 1 license will become the new Planner Premium license.
• Project for the Web: Existing Project for the Web customers will be given access to the premium functions of the new Planner app without the need for additional licenses.

In summary, Planner Premium is a more lightweight, collaboration-focused tool, while Project for the Web provides a more robust and feature-rich project management solution for complex projects. The licensing changes indicate that Planner Premium will replace the existing Project Online Plan 1, while Project for the Web customers will be able to access the premium Planner features without additional cost

How does Planner Premium compare to Project Online

Planner Premium vs Project Online

Functionality

• Planner Premium: Provides more advanced features like Goals view, People view, Timeline view with dependencies, and custom fields.
• Project Online: Offers a more comprehensive set of project management capabilities, including resource management, scheduling, roadmaps, financial management, risk and issues tracking, and program/portfolio management.

Complexity

• Planner Premium: Designed for simpler team projects with fewer deliverables and dependencies.14
• Project Online: Better suited for more complex, medium to large projects with extensive deliverables, dependencies, and resource requirements.

Licensing

• Planner Premium: The existing Project Online Plan 1 license will become the new Planner Premium license.
• Project Online: Available in three different plans – Plan 1, Plan 3, and Plan 5 – with increasing levels of functionality and pricing.

Integration

• Planner Premium: Tightly integrated with Microsoft Teams, allowing for seamless collaboration.34
• Project Online: Integrates with the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem, including Outlook, SharePoint, and other Office apps.

In summary, Planner Premium is a more lightweight, collaboration-focused tool, while Project Online provides a more robust and feature-rich project management solution for complex projects. The key differences are in the depth of functionality, with Project Online offering advanced capabilities like resource management, scheduling, and portfolio-level features that are not available in Planner Premium

How does planner premium integrate with other office 365 apps

Planner Premium Integration with Office 365

Microsoft Teams

• Planner integrates with Microsoft Teams, allowing users to create a dedicated team channel for their project and facilitate instant communication and file sharing.13

SharePoint

• Planner integrates with SharePoint, enabling easy document management and version control so the project team always has access to the latest files.1

Outlook

• Planner integrates with Outlook, allowing users to sync their Planner tasks with their Outlook calendar to ensure deadlines and reminders are never missed.1

OneNote

• Planner integrates with OneNote, providing a central repository for project notes, brainstorming sessions, and other relevant information, keeping everyone on the same page.1

Microsoft To-Do

• Planner integrates with Microsoft To-Do, enabling users to have a consolidated view of their personal tasks and project-related tasks in one place.1

Microsoft Loop

• The new Planner experience will integrate with Microsoft Loop, allowing users to bring existing Planner plans into a Loop workspace and track their team plan alongside other project content in one place.2

Microsoft Viva Goals

• Planner will integrate with Microsoft Viva Goals, connecting to your objectives and key results (OKR) to inform plans and provide high-level visibility.2

In summary, Planner Premium seamlessly integrates with the broader Microsoft 365 ecosystem, including Teams, SharePoint, Outlook, OneNote, To-Do, Loop, and Viva Goals. This tight integration allows for enhanced collaboration, streamlined task management, and improved visibility across the organization