Microsoft Planner vs Asana: Which One Fits Your Project Management Needs?
Ideally, you would want something that lets you to monitor all business activities and automate workflows, increasing efficiency. This is where the right Project Management (PM) tool comes in. It helps your team(s) understand the company's mission, vision, project objectives, and strategic initiatives required to achieve those goals. Asana and Microsoft Planner are two well-known PM tools that can assist you in achieving this.
In this piece, we will compare and contrast both software systems, enabling you to determine the most suitable option. We will cover their price points, standout features, integrations, ease of use, customer support, compliance, and data security. By the end, you will have a clear understanding of the pros and cons of each platform, empowering you to make an informed decision. Read on to learn more…
Microsoft Planner
Microsoft Planner is a part of the Microsoft Office 365 family and is designed to make task scheduling and project tracking easier for teams. It offers project planning, task assignment, and progress tracking through Kanban boards. With Microsoft Planner, users can have a personalized view that displays all tasks across different groups and plans.
This web-based and mobile-friendly tool is available to all Office 365 subscribers and can be accessed through Microsoft Teams and SharePoint. It is lightweight, versatile, and provides convenient accessibility. Key features of Microsoft Planner include Task Groups, Analytics, Buckets (Columns), Hub View, Advanced Grouping, and Collaborative Task Management, among others.
Asana
Asana is a cloud-based project and work management suite that allows teams to assign tasks, create subtasks, set deadlines, and easily track updates. It excels in managing complex and large projects with multiple synced workspaces and automated communication.
Key features of Asana project management software include Remote Access, Workload and Portfolios, Customization, Collaboration, Online Support and Communities, and Asana Timelines. Additional useful functionalities include Document Management, Workflow Tracking, and Task Supervision. To visualize work progress, Asana provides Calendars, Gantt Charts, Kanban Boards, and Lists.
Standout Features Of Microsoft Planner
Time for a sneak peek at the primary features of Microsoft Planner.
Task Groups
Microsoft Planner simplifies task organization by allowing you to group them into relevant categories. This ensures seamless monitoring of every stage in a project.
Analytics
Assess individual task progress and track overall project status with visual aids like bar graphs and pie charts. These graphical representations facilitate easy interpretation of information and identification of trends.
Buckets (Columns)
Unlike traditional lists, Microsoft Planner offers a graphical way to organize tasks. You can categorize tasks into “Buckets” (columns) based on their theme, and even assign unique names to these Buckets.
Hub View
Microsoft Planner provides a central hub, referred to as a “plan” in the app, where you can get an overview of the project. This feature allows users to track overall progress, monitor deadlines met by individuals, and identify those who require new assignments.
Advanced Grouping
Categorize task assignments by individuals, deadlines, or other filters to enhance organization. Swimlanes provide a clear depiction of project advancement and workflow.
Collaborative Task Management
The “My Tasks” feature displays all pending tasks, enabling team members to associate files and add comments directly from applications like Outlook, Outlook Groups, Teams, and more.
Standout Features Of Asana
The main functionalities of Asana include the following.
Workload and Portfolios
The creation and analysis of individual portfolios allow for a comprehensive review of team performance across different departments. The Workload tab facilitates effective delegation of responsibilities by providing a clear overview of assigned work.
Remote Access
Accessing your projects online is made easy with the ability to connect from any location and device at your convenience.
Collaboration
In the Asana Calendar View, you can attach files, leave comments, and provide positive feedback using the Like button for acknowledging your team members’ work on each task.
Online Support And Communities
If you encounter any difficulties while using Asana, you can rely on the online Asana Community Forum for prompt assistance in resolving your queries and getting back on track with your work. Additionally, access other valuable resources such as Asana Help, webinars, training, and courses to expand your knowledge. Utilize the Asana Guide to review documentation for maximizing your use of Asana.
Asana Timelines
Easily establish project stages and track task status using the Asana Timelines feature as progress is made.
Customization
Personalize your Workflow process to align with your preferences by creating your own Asana Calendar, Boards, and Timelines from scratch or utilizing pre-existing templates available in the catalog.
Now that you have an idea about the standout features of both PM tools, let’s see how they fare against one another in terms of pricing, user-friendliness, integrations, customer support, and other similar metrics…
Microsoft Planner Vs Asana: Pricing
There are four pricing tiers available for Asana: Basic, Premium, Business, and Enterprise. The Basic plan is suitable for individuals or small teams seeking a free plan. The Premium and Business subscriptions are ideal for larger teams needing extra features. They are billed annually and charged per user monthly. The Enterprise plan provides enhanced protection, management, and support, and is recommended for large teams working on multiple projects. Microsoft Planner is included in the Office 365 subscription license bundle and enables you to invite individuals without an Office 365 license to your plan.
Click Get Pricing now to discover the perfect project management solution that not only meets your business needs but also fits your budget perfectly.
Microsoft Planner Vs Asana: Target Audience/Market
Asana is predominantly utilized by organizations that don’t leverage Office 365. It is popular among virtual teams and those who want a simple and affordable task management solution. In contrast, Microsoft Planner is primarily used by enterprises already using Office 365 products.
Microsoft Planner Vs Asana: Platform Type
Microsoft Planner and Asana have distinct characteristics. Microsoft Planner is a task management tool integrated with Microsoft Office 365, while Asana is a project management platform that integrates with multiple apps.
Microsoft Planner focuses on facilitating specific activities, such as creating, naming, categorizing, and setting start and due dates for tasks. On the other hand, project management software encompasses a broader range of functionalities. It serves as a comprehensive solution for Planning, Communication, Organization, and Project Delivery. It includes all the features of task management tools and extends to Planning, Resource Management, Task Dependencies, File Management, Time Tracking, Milestone and Event Settings, and Reporting.
Asana, an all-in-one application, replaces the need for multiple emails, spreadsheets, and sticky notes associated with each task. It streamlines the process by organizing and managing the project flow. It allows you to assign tasks to team members, define task priorities, and track project progress to ensure everyone is aligned.
Microsoft Planner Vs Asana: Time Tracking
Teams using Microsoft Planner’s Hub View can easily monitor task allocation and progress. On the other hand, Asana lacks the ability to track time spent by members on individual tasks, which makes it impossible to determine the time expended on a task. If a project requires billing based on time monitoring, Asana users will have to resort to using third-party time tracking software. While this may not be a significant drawback, integrating third-party software for task tracking can result in unnecessary expenses and complications. In contrast, Microsoft Planner offers this feature free-of-charge with its Hub View.
Microsoft Planner Vs Asana: Integrations
Asana is an effective project management tool that enables real-time collaboration among team members through platforms like Slack. It integrates with various applications such as Dropbox, Salesforce, and Gmail to promote transparency and collaboration while focusing on business objectives.
While Asana’s integrations improve accessibility, protecting sensitive information is crucial in mitigating potential risks. Asana implements rigorous security measures to ensure data security and recognizes the importance of privacy.
In comparison, Microsoft Planner primarily offers integrated services from Microsoft, assuring data protection through its threat protection assurance. Although it integrates with Microsoft Teams, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Planner has limited external capabilities. This limitation makes Asana the preferred choice among businesses for external collaborations.
Microsoft Planner Vs Asana: Getting Started
Asana offers a free Basic plan for teams of up to 15 individuals, along with free trials for higher subscriptions. In contrast, Microsoft Planner does not provide a trial or free version. An Office 365 account is necessary to access Microsoft Project.
Asana’s free version includes unlimited tasks, projects, and discussions, while the Premium plan offers additional features like admin controls and unlimited dashboards.
Despite limited functionality, Asana’s trial version surpasses Microsoft Planner by allowing users to sign up for a free trial and experience the effectiveness of Asana’s collaborative digital planning tools.
Microsoft Planner Vs Asana: Client Support
Assessing a software vendor’s customer service quality is crucial for organizations to determine their preferred product. The speed, clarity, and personalization of the vendor’s response to queries, as well as their provision of new features and overall assistance, directly impact user experience. Asana offers email, ticket, and training help, while Microsoft Planner only offers ticket support. However, both vendors provide a vibrant community support system.
Microsoft Planner Vs Asana: User-Friendliness
Both Asana and Microsoft Planner are comprehensive project management tools. However, users unfamiliar with the Microsoft ecosystem may find Microsoft Planner less intuitive. In contrast, those familiar with Microsoft products can quickly start using Microsoft Planner. Although Asana is relatively user-friendly, it is still a complex platform. Teams new to project management and planning tools may need extra time to adapt to it initially.
Parting Thoughts
The rise of digital workspaces has led organizations to adopt digital tools for improved communication and business activity management. Asana and Microsoft Planner are the primary collaborative workflow management tools available, offering similar features but with their own strengths, weaknesses, and target users. To make an informed choice, it is essential to thoroughly assess all factors and select a software solution that aligns with your specific business requirements.
Contact us at (661) 384-7070 to receive professional expert advice on selecting the best suitable project management tool for your business needs.
