Microsoft Planner Time Tracking

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:

1. Task marked complete in Planner
2. Power Automate triggers
3. Prompt user for time spent
4. Log time to SharePoint list
5. Update task with time data
6. 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.