Overview
Microsoft Planner is a visual task management tool included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions. While Planner doesn't offer native time tracking features, teams can add time tracking through third-party integrations, Power Automate workflows, or manual workarounds.
Native Planner Capabilities
Task Management - Built-in features:
- Visual task boards (kanban-style)
- Task assignment to team members
- Due dates and priorities
- Checklist items within tasks
- File attachments
- Comments and collaboration
- Progress tracking by bucket
What Planner Doesn't Include:
- No time tracking or timers
- No time estimates
- No work log or timesheet features
- No billable hours tracking
- No time-based reporting
Adding Time Tracking to Planner
Power Automate Integration - Custom workflows:
- Create automated time logging flows
- Connect Planner tasks to time tracking apps
- Sync task completion to timesheets
- Generate time reports from Planner data
Third-Party Apps - External integrations:
- Toggl Track - Browser extension for Planner tasks
- Clockify - Time tracking with Planner integration
- Harvest - Track time on Planner tasks for billing
- Everhour - Embedded time tracking in Microsoft ecosystem
Manual Workarounds - DIY solutions:
- Task checklist items for time entries
- Comments field for time logs
- Custom fields in Microsoft Lists
- Separate Excel timesheet linked to Planner
Power Automate Time Tracking Workflow
Example Flow:
- Task marked complete in Planner
- Power Automate triggers
- Prompt user for time spent
- Log time to SharePoint list
- Update task with time data
- Generate weekly timesheet report
Capabilities:
- Automated time entry reminders
- Task completion to time log sync
- Custom time tracking forms
- Integration with external time systems
- Scheduled time reports
Microsoft 365 Ecosystem Approach
Planner + Lists - Combined solution:
- Planner for task management
- Microsoft Lists for time tracking
- Link tasks to time entries
- Custom views and reports in Lists
- Power BI dashboards for analytics
Planner + Project - Enterprise solution:
- Microsoft Planner for team task boards
- Microsoft Project for detailed planning and time tracking
- Sync tasks between systems
- Project handles time estimates and actuals
- Planner for daily task execution
Planner + Teams - Collaboration focus:
- Planner tab within Teams channels
- Teams chat for communication
- Third-party time tracking bots in Teams
- Unified collaboration experience
- Time tracking via Teams integrations
Third-Party Time Tracking Solutions
Harvest + Planner:
- Track time on Planner tasks
- Convert time to invoices
- Client billing
- Expense tracking
- QuickBooks integration
Toggl Track + Planner:
- Browser extension adds timer to Planner
- Automatic task sync
- Simple time reports
- Free tier available
- Mobile app support
Everhour + Microsoft 365:
- Embedded time tracking
- Budget management
- Billable hours
- Team scheduling
- Integrates across Microsoft tools
Limitations for Time Tracking
No Native Support - Requires workarounds:
- Additional tools and subscriptions
- Integration complexity
- Data in multiple systems
- Not as seamless as native features
Basic Task Management - Planner is lightweight:
- Limited project management features
- No Gantt charts
- No resource management
- No time-based dependencies
Better Alternatives Exist - For time-critical projects:
- Microsoft Project (time tracking built-in)
- Azure DevOps (for development teams)
- Dedicated project management tools with native tracking
When Planner Time Tracking Works
- Small teams with simple time tracking needs
- Organizations fully in Microsoft 365 ecosystem
- Teams willing to use multiple integrated tools
- Task-focused work vs complex project management
- Budget-conscious teams (Planner included with M365)
When to Use Alternatives
Microsoft Project - For:
- Detailed time estimates and actuals
- Resource management and capacity planning
- Complex project schedules
- Enterprise project portfolios
- Built-in time tracking features
Azure DevOps - For:
- Software development teams
- Sprint planning with time tracking
- Integrated code and work tracking
- Capacity and velocity metrics
Dedicated PM Tools - For:
- Organizations not in Microsoft ecosystem
- Need for native time tracking
- Client billing and invoicing
- Advanced project analytics
Pricing Considerations
Microsoft Planner:
- Included with Microsoft 365 Business plans
- Part of Office 365 subscriptions
- No additional cost
Time Tracking Add-Ons:
- Power Automate: Free tier available, premium flows $15/user/month
- Third-party tools: $0-20/user/month additional
- Total cost: M365 subscription + time tracking tool
2026 Status
As of 2026, Microsoft continues positioning Planner as a simple task management tool while directing teams needing comprehensive time tracking toward:
- Microsoft Project for project management
- Microsoft Lists for custom time tracking
- Third-party integrations for specialized needs
Planner's strength remains visual task collaboration within Teams, not time tracking.
