Well, as of May 2nd, 2025, it’s official, Microsoft Project for the web is being retired and transformed into Planner for the web. This will be happening over the next few months, and we provide further insights within this article.
Why is Microsoft Project for the web becoming Planner?
I’m sure you’ll agree that with the myriads of Microsoft task and project management apps available in M365, with shared features, it can be confusing when deciding on which one to use for which purpose. With this considered, there was an obvious need to streamline the apps and user experience whilst also incorporating Copilot AI-driven productivity features. The new Planner experience combines the simplicity of Microsoft Planner with the power of Project for the Web.
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Does this Replace Microsoft 365 Planner?
No, there will essentially be two high-level variants of Planner:
- Planner ‘Basic’ plan in Microsoft 365: this is the version that’s included as standard in M365, designed for small teams.
- Planner ‘Premium’ plan: this replaces Project for the web and provides wider scheduling capabilities, via the following licensing plans where the key differences are around scheduling capability:
- Planner Plan 1
- Planner and Project Plan 3
- Planner and Project Plan 5
Beyond this, there’s also a further distinction between the Planner experiences:
- Planner for the web; this experience is designed for enterprise power users and PMOs. It can be accessed outside of Microsoft Teams via web browser, and more importantly, embedded and integrated with a Power App, such as the Accelerator+ which offers wider portfolio, programme management views, governance features and support for advanced resource management, cost management, RAID logs and much more.
- Planner in Teams; this experience is designed for smaller teams managing simple projects and initiatives that don’t require a more comprehensive end-to-end project and portfolio management solution.
What Happens to Existing Accelerator+ and Project for the Web Users?
Project for the web and the new Planner for the web offer nearly identical functionality, therefore whilst there will be a slight change/upgrade in scheduling experience, there’s no other impact:
- Migration: expect an automated, seamless transition.
- Licensing: your existing licenses will work, no changes.
- Customisations: rest assured if you are using the Accelerator+ you will see a switch from Project to Planner for the web, there will be no disruption or impact to your projects or associated data.
What are the Microsoft Project to Planner Transition Timelines?
The switchover is expected to complete by September 2025, and by early August users opening Project for the web will be redirected to Planner for the web via the following link https://planner.cloud.microsoft
Users of the Accelerator+ solution will be contacted and provided with specific readiness instructions.
What’s happening to Microsoft Project Online?
Although feature changes are anticipated, Project Online will continue to receive active support from Microsoft. Currently, there has been no formal announcement regarding retirement dates, which is positive news for existing users.
We will update our existing customers about the upcoming Project Online changes and provide readiness guidance.
How Do I Extend Microsoft Planner for the web for my PMO
If you’re looking to transition from basic Microsoft Planner or spreadsheets to a fully featured PMO solution that’s powered entirely through native Microsoft 365 apps, we can help! We were recently recognised as being one of the world’s leading Microsoft Project & Portfolio Management partners, and we know PMO’s and project management pretty well, just take a quick peek at our case studies! So, talk to us.
