Mastering Microsoft Planner: Updated Methods for Exporting Plans and Locating Plan IDs

In today's edition of the 🧭 Microsoft 365 Compass 🧭 newsletter, I’m excited to share recent updates to Microsoft Planner that simplify accessing important information and managing tasks more efficiently.

This newsletter serves as an update to my tutorials, How to Export a Microsoft Planner Board to Excel and How to Find a Microsoft Planner Plan ID. The updated methods outlined below make exporting Planner boards easier than the approach demonstrated in my earlier video tutorial. Additionally, due to recent changes by Microsoft, the method for finding the Plan ID shared in that tutorial is no longer effective, so I’ve included a new solution for you.

Exporting a Microsoft Planner Plan to Excel

Thanks to a recent Microsoft update, exporting your Planner tasks to Excel has never been easier. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Navigate to the Planner task list you want to export.

2. Click on the dropdown next to the plan name.

3. Select "Export Plan to Excel."

4. Your task list will download as an Excel file.

This updated method simplifies the process and ensures you can keep your tasks organized outside of Planner if required. 

Finding a Microsoft Planner Plan ID

A Plan ID is a unique identifier for your Microsoft Planner board. It’s essential if you need to use the Microsoft Planner connector in a Power Automate workflow. For instance, in my tutorial demonstrating how to create a new Planner task whenever a Microsoft Form is submitted, the Plan ID is a critical piece of information passed into the workflow to ensure tasks are added to the correct plan.

Previously, finding a Planner Plan ID required copying the URL of your Planner board and extracting the ID manually. Now, Microsoft has made it even simpler. Simply follow these steps or check out my latest YouTube tutorial:

1. Export the Planner Board to Excel using the steps above.

2. Open the Excel file and click on the Plan Name tab.

3. Locate the cell labeled "Plan ID," which contains the information you need. Copy and paste the value in Column B.

If you’re building Power Automate workflows, simply pass this Plan ID into the relevant action for seamless automation.

These updates make managing and automating your Planner tasks faster, easier, and more efficient than ever before. Whether you’re organizing projects or integrating Planner with other Microsoft 365 tools, these changes will save you time and effort.

What Challenges Are You Facing?

Are there scenarios, questions, or use cases you’re struggling with in Microsoft 365? Maybe there’s a feature you’re curious about or a task you can’t quite figure out. I’m here to help!

Reply to this email with the details—whether it’s a specific problem, an idea for a tutorial, or a workflow you’d like to simplify. Your input helps me create content that’s tailored to your needs.