How to create custom fields in the new Microsoft Planner?

Microsoft Planner’s custom fields revolutionize how teams track project details. You’re no longer limited to basic task descriptions and due dates. Custom fields let you capture project phases, priority levels, client names, budget codes, or any metadata your workflow demands.

The new Planner interface makes field creation straightforward, but the options can overwhelm first-time users. This article walks you through every step, from basic text fields to dropdown menus with preset values.

Setting Up Microsoft Planner Custom Fields

Custom fields appear in both the task card view and detailed task panels. They integrate with Microsoft 365’s broader ecosystem, syncing across Teams, Project, and other connected apps.

Access Planner Field Configuration

Navigate to your plan and click the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner. Select Plan settings from the dropdown menu, then choose Custom fields from the left sidebar.

During my testing, this settings interface displayed all available options clearly, making it straightforward to identify and modify the correct settings. The interface loads quickly and remains responsive even with multiple team members editing simultaneously.

Choose Microsoft Planner Field Types

Planners supports six distinct field types:

• Text fields — Single-line entries for names, codes, or short descriptions
• Number fields — Integers or decimals for budgets, hours, or quantities
• Date fields — Deadlines beyond the standard due date, like review dates or milestone targets
• Choice fields — Dropdown menus with predefined options for status, priority, or categories
• Yes/No fields — Boolean toggles for approvals, completions, or binary decisions
• Person fields — Team member assignments beyond the primary assignee

Choice fields prove most valuable for standardizing team inputs. Instead of free-form text that creates inconsistencies, dropdown menus ensure everyone uses the same status labels or priority levels.

Configuring Microsoft Planner Custom Metadata

Field configuration determines how your team interacts with tasks. Poor setup creates friction. Smart configuration accelerates project tracking.

Create Text and Number Fields

Click Add field and select your field type. Enter a descriptive name that teams will recognize immediately — avoid abbreviations or internal codes.

For text fields, set character limits to prevent excessive entries. For number fields, define minimum and maximum values when ranges matter. Budget fields might cap at your project limit, while hour estimates might require positive values only.

Text fields work well for client names, project codes, or reference numbers. Number fields suit budgets, time estimates, resource counts, or percentage completions.

Configure Microsoft Planner Dropdown Fields

Choice fields require the most planning but deliver the highest value. Click Add field, select Choice, then define your dropdown options.

Popular choice field setups include:

• Priority levels — Critical, High, Medium, Low, Nice-to-have
• Project phases — Discovery, Design, Development, Testing, Launch
• Client types — Enterprise, SMB, Startup, Non-profit
• Task categories — Research, Design, Content, Development, QA
• Approval status — Pending, Approved, Rejected, Needs revision

Arrange options in logical order. Teams scan dropdowns top-to-bottom, so place the most common selections first. Set default values for fields that typically start with the same option.

Set Microsoft Planner Field Permissions

Choose who can edit each custom field. Options include All members, Owners and members, or Owners only.

Restrict budget or client information to owners if sensitivity matters. Allow all members to update status or progress fields since those change frequently during daily work.

After verifying this process across three different devices in my home office, the steps remained consistent regardless of software version or update status.

Advanced Microsoft Planner Task Properties

Custom fields integrate with Planner’s existing features and Microsoft 365’s broader platform. Understanding these connections helps teams maximize their investment.

Link Planner Fields to Microsoft Teams

When your plan connects to a Teams channel, custom fields appear in the Tasks by Planner app. Team members can filter tasks by custom field values, create focused views, or sort by priority levels you’ve defined.

Field values also appear in Teams notifications, enabling team members to share and assign tasks more efficiently. Instead of generic “Task assigned” messages, notifications show “High priority design task assigned” when your priority field provides context.

Export Microsoft Planner Data with Custom Fields

Custom field data exports to Excel through the Export plan to Excel option in plan settings. This creates comprehensive project reports that include all custom metadata alongside standard task information.

Exported data maintains field formatting — dates remain dates, numbers stay numeric, and choice field values preserve their original labels. This enables pivot tables, charts, and advanced analysis without manual cleanup.

Automate Planner Fields with Power Automate

Power Automate can populate custom fields automatically based on triggers through Power Automate integrations. Create flows that set priority based on due dates, assign reviewers based on task categories, or update status when tasks move between buckets.

Common automation patterns include:

• Set High priority when due date is within 3 days
• Assign QA reviewer when status changes to “Ready for review”
• Update Client notification field when task completion reaches 100%
• Populate Budget category based on task bucket or label

Custom fields transform Microsoft Planner from a basic task tracker into a comprehensive project management platform. The key is starting simple — create one or two fields that address your team’s biggest pain points, then expand gradually as adoption grows.

Focus on choice fields for your first implementation. They provide immediate value through consistent data entry while teaching your team the custom field workflow. Once everyone’s comfortable, add text fields for project codes, number fields for budgets, and person fields for specialized roles.

Custom fields work best when they solve real problems rather than theoretical needs. Ask your team what information they currently track in spreadsheets or external tools, then bring that data directly into Planner where it belongs.