What is Microsoft To Do?

Microsoft To Do is a cloud-based app for task management. It allows users to create lists for anything, such as work, home projects, or groceries. In each list you can add as many tasks as you like. Keep everything on track by setting due dates and reminders for each task and starring your most important tasks. Use steps to break down your larger tasks into more manageable pieces and notes to record extra details. Since all your tasks are stored on Exchange Online servers, they’ll also appear automatically in Outlook tasks. You can use Microsoft To-Do for organizing all aspects of your life.

The main URL of Microsoft To-Do is https://to-do.office.com/. You can control To-Do settings from Microsoft 365 admin center -> Settings -> Org settings:

User-level licenses for Microsoft To Do have rolled out to tenants in most Microsoft 365 subscriptions, so customers can configure their access to Microsoft To Do for Windows, iOS and Android on an individual basis.

In addition to controlling access to the app, users with enabled licenses for Microsoft To Do see the Microsoft To Do tile in the Microsoft 365 App Launcher (in the All apps section) and on the Office.com portal (in the Explore all your apps section).

Note:  The visibility of the tile depends on users having enabled licenses for Microsoft To Do and Exchange Online.

Plan your day with intelligent Suggestions

Managing your to-dos and lists can sometimes take as much effort as completing them. Microsoft To-Do helps you focus and plan your day from the moment you open the app. Every morning, your My Day list starts out with a clean slate, allowing you to be more intentional about what you want to get done.

You can also head to Suggestions to see what the most pressing priority is for the day. Just tap the lightbulb, and you’ll see any to-dos from the day before, what’s due or upcoming, and other helpful suggestions based on Microsoft To Do’s smart algorithm. Just add the ones you want to get done to My Day by clicking on the + sign on the right side.

How Much Does Microsoft To Do Cost?

One excellent aspect of Microsoft To Do is that it’s free. You don’t have to pay for anything. To get the app which is available for Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and the web you need a Microsoft account, which could be a business or school email run by Microsoft, an Outlook.com email, or Skype credentials.

Are there any requirements or prerequisites for Microsoft To Do?

Use of Microsoft To Do with a work or school account is subject to a few conditions. In addition to an enabled license for Microsoft To Do, users will also need mailboxes in Exchange Online for tasks in Microsoft To Do to sync and store. Since these are crucial functions of the app, users without cloud-based mailboxes through Exchange Online will not be able to use Microsoft To Do.

Note: Microsoft To Do on the web will soon no longer require a To Do license, as it’s being made a part of Outlook on the web, which is licensed through Exchange Online.

How compliant is Microsoft To Do and underlying service behind it?

Since Microsoft To Do uses Exchange Online for data storage and synchronization, customers benefit from the reliability, security and compliance they’ve come to expect. Data is encrypted at rest on Exchange servers and in transit to and from the Microsoft To Do app on your browser or device.

The Microsoft To Do web app hosted on https://to-do.office.com is developed according to industry compliance standards (as are the native apps for Microsoft To Do) and the web app has also been through audits, such as the SOC 2 (Service Organization Controls) Type 1 audit.

When to use Microsoft To Do vs. Microsoft Planner

Which one should you use to manage your projects and tasks?

Use Microsoft To Do when you want to manage your individual tasks across To Do, Outlook, and Planner, make daily to do lists, and share specific lists with teammates and friends. Use Planner when your organization has a subscription to Microsoft 365 and you want to manage and schedule teamwork visually, use charts to track progress, and collaborate across Planner, Teams, and Outlook using Microsoft Groups.

To work on individual tasks or shared lists, start with To Do. You can add tasks directly in To Do or in Outlook flag an email to have that email show up as a task in the flagged email list.

To schedule tasks, either add a reminder or a due date and the task will appear in the Planned list and in Outlook for the Web in the My Day pain.

You can also create a new to do list every day by adding items to the My Day list in To Do. Anything you don’t complete will show up in My Day’s suggestions the next day. You can collaborate in To Do by sharing a list to either a teammate at an organization or to family or friends using a personal account.

You can either invite people via email or share a direct link with them. Manage access and stop sharing.

Microsoft To Do vs. Microsoft Planner Comparison

To Do integration with Planner bridges the gap between individual and team tasks. To Do is your hub for organizing and focusing on all your tasks. Planner is a collaborative space for you and your team to see how everyone’s tasks fit into a plan. Together, To Do and Planner simplify work management by allowing you to focus on your tasks at hand and easily jump back into Planner to collaborate with your team.

Planner connectivity is enabled by default, but you can also control it, enable or disable it.

1. Go to To Do, either from your Office 365 app launch, http://to-do.office.com, or through your Windows, Android, or iOS app.
2. Select the gear icon in the upper-right corner, then To Do Settings
3. In the pop-out window, scroll down to the Connected apps section and ensure Planner is turned on

Tasks assigned from Planner are automatically added to your To Do task database which means your Assigned to Me tasks act much like traditional To Do tasks and can appear across a few other lists if you’d like. These lists include:

• Assigned to me: This is the default list where all your Planner-assigned tasks will appear. From this list you can:
  • Edit the task title and description
  • View and edit checklist items and due dates
  • Mark a task as complete or incomplete
  • View the Planner plan name and assignees
  • Open the task in Planner or in Teams

• Planned: Any Planner task with a due date appears in your Planned list, giving you another outlet for keeping all your tasks organized.

• My Day: Planner tasks also appear as Suggestions in your My Day list, just like traditional to-do tasks. From Suggestions, you can add Assigned to Me tasks to your My Day list to help you focus on what’s most important right now. Any action you can take on a task in Assigned to Me is also available to you in the My Day list.

And since Planner tasks live in the To-Do database, you can find them using To Do’s search functionality.

There are a few features not yet supported when working with Planner tasks in To-Do. These include creating a Planner task from within To-Do, adding and editing assignees or attachments, creating a recurring task, and using drag-and-drop to reorder tasks within a list or to reorder steps within a task.

Conclusion

In an era of constant distractions and overwhelming workloads, Microsoft To Do stands out as a reliable and efficient task management tool. With its user-friendly interface, smart suggestions, cross-platform availability, and collaborative features, the app empowers individuals and teams to streamline their tasks, increase productivity, and ultimately achieve their goals. Whether you’re organizing your personal life or collaborating with others, Microsoft To Do is a valuable companion that simplifies your daily routines and helps you stay on top of your tasks.

The integration betweens Microsoft To Do and Microsoft Planner offers a comprehensive solution for task management and project collaboration. By combining the simplicity of To Do’s personal task organization with Planner’s robust project management features, users can streamline their workflows, prioritize tasks effectively, and foster collaboration within teams. The synchronized task management, centralized hub, collaborative planning, and cross-platform availability make this integration an asset for individuals and teams seeking to optimize their productivity and achieve project success.

We at Impactory GmbH can help you implement Microsoft To Do and/or Microsoft Planner into your organization business processes and improve your employees goals and targets. Do not hesitate to contact us if you still need help or assistance related to Microsoft To Do or Planner.