Baselines in Microsoft Planner

Baselines in Microsoft Planner

Take a closer look at how to work Baselines in Microsoft Planner Come along with our Solutions Architect Mia Reed, as she guides you through the basics of how to work baselines along with an informative FAQ for any questions you might have!

Add a baseline
1. Navigate to the “Tasks” tab
2. Select “Baseline” on the top right

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3. Click “Baseline” and select “Create Baseline”

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4. The baseline information displays –

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5. Update as needed
a. The Baseline name can be renamed
b. Add a note

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6. To delete a baseline, click the ellipses and select “Delete”

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View Baseline after schedule updates

Risks, issues, changes, and/or delays may affect your schedule. Throughout the project lifecycle, you
can compare your current state with the previously measured baseline.
1. Navigate to the “Tasks” tab and click “Baseline”
2. View baseline details to see how much your project has changed.

 

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*New Update*

  • Previously, when adding a note, the baseline would inaccurately display that the project was “On Track” even if it was behind schedule. This has now been corrected, and baselines reflect the accurate number of days behind.
  • New Information Display: Planner now shows the creation date of the baseline and the user who created it, providing better transparency.
  • Upcoming Enhancements: Microsoft has hinted at future updates that will allow multiple baselines to be set, which is currently unavailable but supported by backend improvements.

FAQs

Can I import my Baselines from Planner Desktop and/or other tools?
No, Baselines cannot be imported to Planner while importing the project.

Can I create multiple Baselines?
You can capture only one Baseline at the moment. To have an updated Baseline, you can delete the
existing one and recapture the current state of project.

Are only project level details being captured?
No, it also records specific details for each task, including start and finish dates, percent completion,
duration, and work. It’s important to note that while task-level data is present in Dataverse, it is
currently not available on the user interface. However, plans are underway to make this information
accessible in the future. Stay tuned for updates on this.

Can I export the details I captured?
Project and task level details will be stored in Dataverse and can be exported from there

Staying Agile with Project for the Web

Project for the Web is Microsoft’s latest application for Project and Portfolio management.  Microsoft used feedback from Project Managers to create a streamlined application that is intuitive, easy to adapt, and includes features that will allow your organization to build the type of projects that you need.  To ensure that all of your organization’s needs are met throughout the project life cycle, Marque360 has created PPM360, a pre-configured accelerator for Project for the Web.  PPM360 includes an intake app (Intake360), tools for Project, Portfolio, Program and Resource Management, an integration with Microsoft Teams, and a customized Power BI report pack.

When discussing scheduling and project management the main focus is often on waterfall projects, but In today’s fast-paced business environment, organizations are increasingly adopting Agile project management methodologies to enhance collaboration, improve flexibility, and deliver successful outcomes.

In this article, we will take a look at some key ways that Project for the Web and PPM360 can help with Agile projects.

Creating an Agile project in Project for the Web

Project for the Web supports the ability to create projects using templates.  A pre-configured template may be used to give the project team a head-start by providing them with a standard format, list of tasks, and/or categories or projects can be built step-by-step.   Intake360 offers the ability to select an agile project during the intake phase, so that when the project is created, the associated fields and/or schedule templates are already in place.

Create User Stories

User stories are at the core of Agile project management. Each user story represents a specific feature or requirement from the perspective of the end user. MS Project for the Web provides an intuitive interface for task entry. Project Managers can also assign story points or effort estimates to each user story to gauge the level of effort required.  Task level information can be captured using custom fields (ex. User Need, Story Points) or fields that are built into Project for the web (ex. Priority, Sprint, Progress).

 

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Figure 1 – In this example, the schedule includes a “Size” for each item to aid in sprint planning.

 

Figure 2 - In this example, a custom field is used to identify different item types.

Figure 2 – In this example, a custom field is used to identify different item types.

Prioritize Backlog Items

Maintaining a prioritized backlog is essential for Agile project success. Collaborate with the team and stakeholders to prioritize user stories based on business value, dependencies, and urgency. MS Project for the Web allows you to easily create and manage the backlog and sprints, ensuring that the team focuses on delivering the most valuable features first.  New sprints can be added and defined with just a few clicks.

Figure 3 - By default, all tasks display as part of the Backlog. The “Add sprint” button is used to create /define each sprint.

Figure 3 – By default, all tasks display as part of the Backlog. The “Add sprint” button is used to create /define each sprint.

 

Figure 4 - After clicking "Add Sprint", options to name the sprint and identify the 'Start' and 'Finish' dates display.

Figure 4 – After clicking “Add Sprint”, options to name the sprint and identify the ‘Start’ and ‘Finish’ dates display.

 

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Figure 5 – Enter sprint details and click “Add sprint”.

 

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Figure 6 – Once a sprint is created, simply drag, and drop items from the backlog.  New sprints may be added at any time.

Viewing Agile tasks in Project for the Web

Project for the Web already includes an easy to use “Board” view which acts as a customizable Kanban board for the team members to group tasks in multiple, meaningful ways.  For example, you can create custom Kanban boards to visualize your project’s workflow stages, such as “Not Started” “In Progress” and “Completed”.

Figure 7 - Quickly view sprint progress using the "Group by" feature and defined "Buckets"

Figure 7 – Quickly view sprint progress using the “Group by” feature and defined “Buckets”re7

 

Figure 8 - Use filters and grouping together to focus on progress for a specific sprint.

Figure 8 – Use filters and grouping together to focus on progress for a specific sprint.

Collaboration:

Effective collaboration is essential for successful Agile project management. MS Project for the Web facilitates collaboration by enabling real-time updates, file sharing, and seamless communication within the project team. PPM360 provides an integration between MS Project for the Web and MS Teams so that all members of the project team can seamlessly move between communicating with team-mates and updating tasks.  Features such as @mentions and comments to engage team members and foster a collaborative environment that promotes knowledge sharing and problem-solving.

Integration with traditional Agile project management applications:

For some projects, a more traditional agile project management tool (like Azure DevOps) may be required.

At Marque360 we have developed integrations between Project for the Web/PPM360 and other applications that are traditionally used to manage Agile projects.

Conclusion:

MS Project for the Web empowers Agile project teams with a comprehensive set of tools to streamline project management processes, foster collaboration, and deliver successful outcomes. By embracing the Agile mindset and leveraging the features offered by MS Project for the Web and PPM360, you can effectively manage and track Agile projects, adapt to changing requirements, and optimize productivity. Stay agile, stay focused, and unlock the true potential of your projects with MS Project for the Web.

We would love to talk with you more about the myriad of options available during a demo!

Marque360 empowers businesses with innovative project management solutions and expert services.

Address 591 Mantua Blvd, Suite 201, Sewell, NJ 08080

Email: info@marque360.com