Project Online (Project Center) to Planner Premium – Migration & Gantt Chart Availability

Question

Hello Community ,

We are currently working on transitioning from Project Online (Project Center / Project Web App) to the new Microsoft Planner (Planner Premium) experience, as Project Online is being decommissioned.

Our primary requirement is to ensure that users can continue working with Gantt chart (Timeline view) functionality in Planner without impacting existing project data.

Current Scenario:

• Users are licensed with Planner and Project Plan 3

• When accessing Planner, users are being redirected to Project Online (PWA)

• Existing projects are created and managed in Project Center (Project Online)

• Users primarily rely on Gantt charts / timelines

Requirement:

We would like to:

• Move users from Project Online to Planner

• Avoid any disruption before decommissioning

• Ensure existing projects, timelines, and dependencies are preserved

• Enable users to work fully within Planner Premium

Observations:

• Planner provides Timeline (Gantt-like) view

• However, existing projects are still opening in Project Online

• The “Import Project” option is not visible for some users in the Planner interface

Queries:

1. Is there a direct migration path from Project Online (PWA) to Planner Premium?
2. Can existing Project Online projects be automatically available in Planner, or do they require export/import?
3. Is the .MPP import approach the recommended method for transition?
4. What are the limitations when moving from Project Online to Planner (especially for Gantt charts and dependencies)?
5. Why might the “Import Project” option not be visible, even when users have Planner and Project Plan 3 license?
6. Is there any timeline from Microsoft for full UI transition from Project Online to Planner?

Additional Info:

We are planning to test with a pilot project before rolling this out organization-wide and would appreciate guidance on the best approach.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Answer 1

Hi @THARUN KATTA,

According to your concern, kindly let me explain briefly each of your questions:

1/ Is there a direct migration path from Project Online (PWA) to Planner Premium?

Unfortunately, there is no native and automatic path to migrate from PWA to Planner Premium. It's because there are several options for transition (Planner, Project Server, Dynamics 365 or Project desktop) which means Planner is not a prescribed option so you will need to manually back up and transition your data to your chosen successor.

2/ Can existing Project Online projects be automatically available in Planner, or do they require export/import?

The answer is no. It's because that Project Online and Planner are different services with different architectures (Planner uses Dataverse while PWA use SharePoint/Project Online). Therefore, existing PWA projects need to be migrated/recreated as Planner Premium plans.

3/ Is the .MPP import approach the recommended method for transition?

Importing .mpp is not available in Planner's main UI and the recommended instead is using Planner Power App/Accelerator for migrating.

4/ What are the limitations when moving from Project Online to Planner (especially for Gantt charts and dependencies)?

Planner Premium does also support Timeline (Gantt), dependencies, milestones, critical path, custom fields, and premium scheduling views, but it is simpler and less customizable compared to Project Online. Based on sharing experiences:

• Refer to with MPP import, some data like resources and baselines are not imported so you may need to reassign
• If your scheduling model/settings differ, task calculations can behave differently post-migration

For references:

• Project Online -> Planner Premium (Project for the web) scenario migration steps - FluentPro
• Import an MPP file into Microsoft Planner as a premium plan – Sensei Project Solutions™

(These links are shared by community members for your convenience. It points to a third-party site that is not managed or verified by Microsoft. We can’t guarantee the quality, safety, or suitability of any content or software found there. Please review carefully and make sure you understand any potential risks before using it.)

5/ Why might the “Import Project” option not be visible, even when users have Planner and Project Plan 3 license?

It is because that the option import .mpp files option is not available in Planner's UI and also the import experience is surfaced through the Power App layer which happen outside standard Planner's UI. Therefore, Planner + Project Plan 3 is necessary for premium capabilities, but it does not automatically mean the user will see an Import Project button in the main Planner surface.

6/ Is there any timeline from Microsoft for full UI transition from Project Online to Planner?

Unfortunately, there has not been any clear information about this respect. Microsoft has published the Project Online retirement date on September 30 and related milestones but has not been any clear statement about UI transition standpoint. However, I believe the moment for full UI transition will be well-prepair and functional in a short period of time after PWA retirement date.

For more details about PWA retirement, you can refer to:

• Transitioning to Microsoft Planner and retiring Microsoft Project for the web | Microsoft Community Hub
• Microsoft Project Online is retiring: What you need to know | Microsoft Community Hub

Hope this information may help. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.    

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. I'm looking forward to your reply.

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Answer 2

1. There is no direct, automated migration path from Project Online (PWA) to Planner Premium documented in the provided content. Project Online and the new Planner are separate services. The transition to Planner does not change Project Online data or APIs, and Project Online can continue to be used while Planner is adopted.
2. Existing Project Online projects are not automatically surfaced as Planner premium plans. The context explicitly states that Project Online functionality and OData endpoints remain operational and supported, and that customers can continue to use Project Online while starting to use premium features in Planner. There is no indication that Project Online projects automatically appear as Planner plans; any move would require a migration approach (for example, export/import or custom integration), designed and tested by the organization.
3. The provided content does not describe .MPP import as a recommended or supported end‑to‑end transition method from Project Online to Planner. It only clarifies that Project Online APIs and ProjectData OData endpoints remain available and that no changes are required to existing integrations unless moving off Project Online, in which case Graph or Dataverse queries should be considered. No specific recommendation is given for .MPP‑based migration.
4. Limitations when moving from Project Online to Planner, based on the context:
   • Project Online and Planner have different data models and capabilities. While Planner premium plans provide advanced features such as Timeline (Gantt) view, dependencies, sprints, custom fields, team workload, and goals, there is no guarantee of 1:1 parity with all Project Online constructs.
   • Roadmaps that previously showed Project Online projects alongside premium plans and Azure DevOps projects are being replaced with Portfolios in Planner, and Portfolios only show premium plans. Existing Roadmaps that depended on Project Online projects will not behave the same in the new Planner Portfolios experience.
   • Any existing integrations that rely on Project Online’s ProjectData OData schema will not automatically translate to Planner; a separate integration using Graph or Dataverse would be needed if moving fully to Planner.
5. The visibility of “Import Project” is not covered in the provided content. What is covered is licensing and capability access:
   • Planner in Microsoft 365 users can create basic plans and use Grid, Board, Schedule, and Charts views.
   • A Planner Plan 1 (formerly Project Plan 1) license is required to create premium plans and access additional views such as Timeline, People, and Goals.
   • Users with Planner and Project Plan 3 or Planner and Project Plan 5 have access to advanced capabilities with premium plans in Planner (report creation, Timeline/Gantt, dependencies, sprints, custom fields, team workload, goals).
   • Planner in Microsoft 365 users can edit premium plans created by licensed users but need a paid license to access advanced capabilities.
   The absence of “Import Project” for some users is therefore likely related to feature rollout or UI behavior not described in the context; the documentation only confirms that licensing controls access to premium capabilities, not specific buttons.
6. Regarding a Microsoft timeline for full UI transition from Project Online to Planner:
   • The context states that functionality in Project Online will not stop with the transition to Planner and that customers can continue to use Project Online while starting to use Planner premium features.
   • It also notes that Project Online retirement should be reviewed in the relevant section, but no specific retirement or full UI cutover date is included in the provided content.
   • For naming and branding, it confirms that in April 2024 Project Plan 1 was renamed Planner Plan 1, and as of September 18, 2024, Project Plan 3 and Project Plan 5 were renamed Planner and Project Plan 3 and Planner and Project Plan 5, with pricing tiers maintained.

For a pilot approach based on the available information:

• Continue to run Project Online in parallel while enabling Planner premium capabilities for users with Planner and Project Plan 3 or Planner and Project Plan 5.
• Use Project Online’s existing APIs (ProjectData OData endpoints) and integrations as‑is during the pilot; no changes are required by the Planner transition itself.
• For any move off Project Online, design and test a migration or coexistence model that:
  • Re‑creates key structures (tasks, dependencies, dates) in Planner premium plans.
  • Validates that Timeline (Gantt) and dependencies in Planner meet business needs.
  • Uses Graph or Dataverse queries for new integrations, as recommended when moving away from Project Online.

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References:

• Frequently asked questions about Microsoft Planner
• Microsoft Planner for admins