how do I know which tool to use?

Question

I need a tool for tracking multiple processes. Do I use Power Automate, Forms, or Planner?

Answer 1

Hi @Michelle Bull,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum and thank you for reaching out with your question. I appreciate your interest in selecting the most suitable Microsoft tool for tracking multiple processes, and I am happy to help clarify how each option works so you can make an informed decision.

To begin, it may be helpful to understand that Microsoft Forms, Microsoft Planner, and Power Automate are created for different purposes within a workflow. Because of this, the right choice depends on whether your primary focus is collecting information, managing tasks, or automating steps.

1/ Microsoft Forms

Microsoft Forms is mainly used for gathering structured information, such as surveys, request submissions, or intake forms. It is an excellent tool when your goal is to collect data or user input. However, Forms does not provide features for monitoring progress or tracking the lifecycle of a process.

2/ Microsoft Planner

Microsoft Planner is generally the most appropriate choice when you want to track work across multiple steps. It offers visual task boards, the ability to assign owners, and clear indicators of task status and due dates. As a result, Planner is ideal when you need to follow the progress of ongoing activities or processes rather than simply gather information.

3/ Power Automate

Power Automate becomes especially useful when you want to streamline or connect parts of your workflow. It allows you to create automated flows that move information between services, reduce manual tasks, and trigger actions based on conditions. For example, you can take responses from a Form and automatically create tasks in Planner, send notifications, or track updates in SharePoint.

Since each tool supports a different part of the process, many real scenarios benefit from using them together. Forms can capture input, Planner can manage and track the work, and Power Automate can connect the steps to make the workflow more efficient. The appropriate combination usually depends on the complexity of your process and whether your priority is data collection, task management, or automation.

I hope this information helps you identify the right tools. Please feel free to reach out again and leave comment under this post so that I can provide recommendations that better match your needs.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your question with the community.

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Answer 2

Use different tools for different parts of the scenario and combine them if needed.

1. For automating and orchestrating the processes
   • Use Power Automate when the goal is to automate steps: move data between systems, send notifications, route approvals, or update SharePoint/Planner/other apps automatically.
   • Power Automate is designed to automate manual and repetitive processes across Microsoft 365, desktop apps, and other services, following a plan → design → make → test → deploy lifecycle.
   • Example: When a SharePoint item is created or a Microsoft Form is submitted, automatically create a task in Planner, send an approval, or update a status column.
2. For collecting input or requests that start a process
   • Use Microsoft Forms (not detailed in the context, but typically) to collect structured responses from many people (requests, registrations, surveys).
   • Then use Power Automate to trigger flows when a response is submitted and push that data into SharePoint, Planner, or other systems.
3. For tracking and managing the work itself
   • Use Microsoft Planner when a team needs to track tasks and processes visually:
     • Create plans, buckets, and tasks.
     • Assign tasks, set due dates, attach files, add descriptions, and move tasks through buckets to represent stages in a workflow.
   • Planner is lightweight, web and mobile based, and integrates with Teams and SharePoint.
   • Example: Track a process by creating a task at the start, attaching files, adding details, and moving the task between buckets such as “Untriaged → Reviewed → In Progress → Completed,” reassigning as needed.
4. How to combine them for multiple processes
   • Use Forms (or SharePoint lists) to capture requests or inputs.
   • Use Power Automate to:
     • Trigger when a form is submitted or a SharePoint item is created/updated.
     • Automatically create or update Planner tasks, assign owners, and set due dates.
   • Use Planner as the main board where the team tracks and manages the work across multiple processes (e.g., by service, by workflow stage, or by process type).

Summary:

• Need automation and integration between systems → Power Automate.
• Need to collect data from people → Forms (then automate with Power Automate).
• Need to track and collaborate on tasks and process stages → Planner.

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References:

• When to use Microsoft Project, Planner, To Do, or the Tasks app in Teams
• Track a process in Microsoft Planner
• Business apps and business process automation
• Choose the right integration and automation services in Azure
• Introduction: Planning a Power Automate project
• Planner help & learning
• Track your message center tasks in Planner