How to Add Microsoft Planner to Outlook?

Are you struggling to keep track of your tasks across Microsoft Planner and Outlook? Let’s walk through how to integrate Microsoft Planner with Outlook so you can manage all your tasks in one place, schedule effectively, and improve your team’s productivity.

Prerequisites

  • You will need a Microsoft 365 account with access to both Planner and Outlook
  • Outlook desktop app (latest version)
  • Appropriate permissions in your organization

Step-by-Step Integration Process

  1. Access Planner Settings:
    • Open Microsoft Planner in your web browser
    • Navigate to the plan you want to add to Outlook
    • Hit the arrow at the right-hand side of the plan name to open the drop down.
    • Select Add Plan to Outlook Calendar
    • Then in the Add plan to Outlook calendar with an iCalendar feed pop-up select Publish. This effectively publishes the Plan feed accross the entire plan group.
    • Then hit the Add to Outlook link at the right hand side.
  1. Add Calendar to Outlook:
    • In Outlook, go to the Calendar View.
    • Expand the Other Calendars list and hit your Plan name.
    • A New Calendar containing your Plan tasks will open up.
    • Tasks will appear as calendar items
  2. Optionally – Add your Calendar using the ICal link
    • Open Outlook desktop client.
    • Go to Calendar view.
    • Click Add Calendar in the Home tab.
    • Select From Internet.
    • Paste the calendar URL from Planner.
    • Name your calendar and finally click OK.

Note that once imported you are able to set your Planner calendar look and feel as shown below.

Common Issues and Solutions

  1. Planner Add-in Not Appearing
    • Restart your Outlook desktop Client
    • Ensure that the ical URL was correctly pasted
    • Check whether the plan calendar is visible in Outlook web
  2. Sync Issues
    • Ensure you’re signed in with the same account in both apps
    • Check your internet connection
    • Wait a few minutes for sync to complete
  3. Permission Errors
    • Verify you have the right permissions in both Planner and Outlook
    • Contact your IT admin if needed

Best Practices

  • Keep planner task titles clear and descriptive
  • Use consistent naming conventions for tasks and to-dos
  • Don’t create duplicate tasks across platforms

If you’re interested in learning more about Microsoft Teams integration with Outlook, check out our guide on how to add Teams to Microsoft Outlook.

Managing Planner Calendar Views

  • Select which plans appear in your calendar
  • Customize how tasks appear
  • Filter by due date or priority
  • Color-code different plans

For additional tips on managing Outlook integrations, you might find our article on fixing Teams and Outlook plugin issues helpful.

Organization Tips and Tricks

  1. Create separate views for different projects
  2. Use labels consistently
  3. Set up regular review periods
  4. Archive completed tasks regularly

Remember to regularly check your Planner and Outlook sync status to ensure all your tasks stay up to date. If you encounter any issues, start with the troubleshooting steps above.