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Build a Plan or List for Recurring Process?

Anonymous
2024-04-10T19:08:02+00:00

Hi All,

I could use guidance on the best path to pursue for a solution. The details:

Use Case: A team I am supporting in my HR role has a recurring process. The process "cycle" is two weeks long, every time, always starts on a Monday (so literally two business weeks). The tasks within the process never change and are mapped to individual days in the cycle (Monday Week 1, Tuesday Week 1, etc.).

The desire for that team is to have a better way to track completion of each task, who completed it, and any notes for the rest of the team, in one area. Currently tasks are tracked by an SOP document in Word and completion is communicated in Teams, easy for that all to get lost though with no real "check off" system and them communication in a totally different area (Teams).

Originally I was planning on building a plan template in Planner for Teams, and then trying to automate it to reproduce every cycle. Then I was wondering if creating a List would be better.

My Ability - Limited. I can get automated flows going, but I am still learning Power Apps and that feels difficult for me. I'm no expert, so I need the best solution that is easy to implement and better than what they are doing now.

Just curious on pros/cons of using Planner vs. Lists for this use case. Thank you!

Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Teams for business | Tasks | Other

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-04-11T11:14:46+00:00

    Hello John_Slo,

    Good day!

    When deciding between Microsoft Lists and Microsoft Planner for managing recurring tasks and checklists, consider the following pros and cons:

    1. Microsoft Lists:
      • Pros:
        • Allows for version history.
        • Can be replicated from other lists.
        • Initial tasks can be imported from Excel.
        • Supports custom metadata.
        • Enables creation of multiple views.
        • Offers calendar view.
        • Allows granular security (admin/member or visitor).
        • Supports row-level security.
        • Provides the ability to format rows and cells based on logic/rules.
      • Cons:
        • Requires creating/building a list with custom columns/fields.
        • Primarily suited for checklists rather than task/project management.
        • Calendar view cannot be integrated with Outlook.
    2. Microsoft Planner:
      • Pros:
        • Ready to be used out-of-the-box.
        • Integrated with Microsoft 365 Groups.
        • Can be integrated with Outlook.
        • Allows copying of an existing plan.
        • Provides various built-in views for organizing/grouping tasks.
      • Cons:
        • Cannot add custom metadata fields.
        • No granular security (everyone has the same access to a plan).

    In summary, the best option for your team will depend on their specific needs and preferences. If they are looking for a simple and easy-to-use solution, Planner may be the way to go. If they need more customization options and reporting capabilities, Lists may be a better fit. I hope this helps! 

    Thank you for being part of the Microsoft community.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-04-11T02:59:01+00:00

    Hello  John_Slo,
       Good morning! Thank you for posting in the Microsoft community.We have received your query and you can expect to receive a response from one of our community moderators accordingly.At this point, we appreciate your patience and cooperation. Thank you.

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