Automating Microsoft Planner with Ultimate Forms Actions

Introduction

Business processes rarely begin and end in a single system. Information is often captured in SharePoint, communicated by email, tracked in spreadsheets, and finally executed in Microsoft Planner or Teams. This fragmentation slows down execution, introduces errors, and makes it difficult for managers to track the true status of work.

The new Planner automation capability in Infowise Ultimate Forms Actions solves this problem by letting organizations create, assign, update, and synchronize Microsoft Planner tasks directly from SharePoint, automatically and without writing any code.

With this feature, every process that begins with a SharePoint form can instantly generate structured tasks inside Planner boards. This makes SharePoint the system of record and Planner the system of execution, connected seamlessly through Ultimate Forms.

This article explores how the feature works, provides background on Ultimate Forms Actions and Microsoft Planner, and highlights real-world scenarios where the integration delivers immediate business value.

Background: Ultimate Forms Actions

Ultimate Forms is known for its powerful no-code automation engine called Actions.

Actions enable the system to perform automated operations whenever a SharePoint list item is created, modified, or reaches a defined condition. Traditional workflow automation (e.g., approval routing, notifications, updates, document generation) is handled entirely inside SharePoint without relying on Power Automate or external connectors.

Typical Actions include:

• Create item

• Update item

• Send email

• Generate PDF/Word documents

• Set permissions

• Call external APIs

Now, Actions have expanded to include direct interaction with Microsoft Planner. It now lets users automate the creation and synchronization of plans, buckets and, most importantly, tasks.

This expands Ultimate Forms as a cross-system orchestration platform while retaining the simplicity of no-code configuration.

Background: Microsoft Planner

Microsoft Planner is a lightweight, collaborative task management tool that integrates deeply with Teams, Microsoft 365 Groups, and Outlook. Organizations use it to manage:

• Team activities

• Assignments

• Backlogs

• Project tasks

• Tickets

• Personal to-do work

A Planner task includes:

• Title

• Description

• Bucket

• Priority

• Assignment(s)

• Due date

• Attachments and checklist items

• Progress status

Planner shines as a visual task board for execution and collaboration, but it lacks a strong connection to structured data entry or business process logic.

That’s where SharePoint + Ultimate Forms comes in.

Introducing Automated Planner Task Creation via Actions

The new Actions capability lets you automatically create Planner tasks whenever a SharePoint item is created or updated. This means:

• A SharePoint form becomes the trigger

• Rules decide when tasks should be created

• Task details can include mapped values from SharePoint

• Tasks are created in the correct Planner plan and bucket (including dynamic routing)

• Tasks can be dynamically assigned to users (including both pre-defined users and dynamicly, from column values)

• Updates in SharePoint can automatically update the related Planner tasks

This creates an end-to-end automation framework between structured data collection and team execution.

How It Works

Step 1: Configure an Action

Within Ultimate Forms:

1. Open Actions

2. Create a new Action

3. Choose the new Manage Planner action type

4. Select the target Group (Team) and Planner Plan. These values, like many others across Ultimate Forms, can be mapped to column values, calculation and function results for dynamic, context-relevant assignment.

Step 2: Map SharePoint columns to Planner properties

You can use SharePoint columns to define:

• Task Title (e.g., “Review Request: [Title]”, required)

• Bucket (required)

• Assigned To (Person/Group column or any text column containing emails, optional)

• Description (optional)

• Start Date (optional)

• Due Date (optional)

• Priority (number, 0-10, with 0 being the highest, optional)

• Progress (number, 0-100%, optional)

Dynamic tokens make it possible to personalize tasks per user or use date calculations (e.g., Due Date = Created Date + 3 days).

Step 3: Define When It Runs

Actions can trigger:

• On item creation

• On item modification

• On schedule (based on date column values or daily/weekly/monthly, etc.)

Additionally, you can optionally specify conditions for the action execution (e.g., Status = Approved).

Step 4: Grant permissions

When you save the action, the system will first check if the current user has already granted access to MS Planner. If this is the first time you are creating a Manage Planner action, you will have to grant permissions. A pop-up window will request the following permissions

• Read/write for Groups - needed to create new plans and well new comments on tasks
• Read/write for Tasks - needed to create and modify tasks

If you are not allowed to grant the permissions yourself, you will be prompted to ask an Administrator to grant the permissions for you.

The permission grant is performed once per user, no matter how many actions you create.

Key Advantages of Using Ultimate Forms to Automate Planner

1. True end-to-end workflow between SharePoint and Planner

SharePoint is excellent for structured data entry. Planner is excellent for team execution.
Now they function as one connected system.

Users no longer need to manually create Planner tasks after submitting SharePoint forms. Actions handle everything behind the scenes.

2. No Power Automate or premium connectors

Planner integration often requires Power Automate flows, licensing, and developer involvement.
Ultimate Forms achieves the same results using built-in functionality without additional tools, licenses, or scripting.

3. Consistency and accuracy

Every Planner task uses the same templates, field mapping, and naming conventions—reducing human error and ensuring compliance.

4. Automatic assignment and due dates

Actions can read assignments and deadlines from SharePoint fields and apply them automatically to Planner tasks.

Examples:

• Assign task to the manager selected in the form

• Set due date based on project start + 14 days

• Define priority based on form choice fields

5. Supports large-scale operations

Organizations handling hundreds or thousands of workflows get instant scalability.
Ultimate Forms generates Planner tasks automatically, even for high-volume processes.

6. Works across Teams, Planner, SharePoint, and Microsoft 365 Groups

Tasks appear wherever users work:

• Microsoft Teams Planner tabs

• Planner web app

• To Do

• Email notifications

• SharePoint dashboards

The integration removes silos and unifies the user experience.

Real-World Examples

Below are detailed scenarios where automated Planner task creation transforms operations.

1. Project Kickoff Task Automation

Scenario:
A new project is created in SharePoint. Each project requires tasks like scheduling mobilization, holding a kickoff meeting, reviewing requirements, and preparing documentation.

Automation:

• PM completes a SharePoint “Project Initiation” form

• Ultimate Forms automatically creates a new Plan and then adds a set of Planner tasks:

  • “Schedule Kickoff Meeting” assigned to PM

  • “Create Project Folder Structure” assigned to Operations

  • “Review Requirements Document” assigned to Business Analyst

• Due dates and priority values come from SharePoint data

Benefit:
The moment a project is approved, all tasks appear in Planner.
No one needs to remember them. Nothing is missed.

2. New Employee Onboarding

Scenario:
HR submits a SharePoint “New Hire” form. Each new employee requires a coordinated onboarding checklist across departments.

Automation:
Planner tasks created automatically, such as:

• “Set up user account” assigned to IT

• “Prepare workstation” assigned to Facilities

• “Schedule orientation session” assigned to Training

• “Prepare welcome package” assigned to HR

Benefit:
All departments receive tasks instantly. HR can track progress in SharePoint while teams complete them in Planner.

3. Customer Service Intake Process

Scenario:
A SharePoint form captures a new customer issue or request.

Automation:
Ultimate Forms creates a Planner task:

• “Investigate ticket #[ID]”

• “Contact customer”

• “Document resolution summary”

Tasks are assigned based on the category chosen in the form.

Benefit:
The support team gets tasks instantly in Planner; SharePoint maintains the full case record.

4. Compliance and Regulatory Reviews

Scenario:
A periodic audit or compliance review is initiated.

Automation:
Actions create Planner tasks for:

• Reviewing documents

• Collecting evidence

• Performing field inspections

• Preparing reports

Each task is assigned to the correct team member listed in the parent SharePoint record.

Benefit:
Compliance processes stay predictable, traceable, and timely.

5. Marketing Campaign Execution

Scenario:
Marketing opens a new campaign request.

Automation:
Planner tasks generated automatically:

• “Create landing page”

• “Prepare email sequence”

• “Design graphics”

• “Schedule social posts”

Assignments are taken from the form’s selected owners.

Benefit:
Campaign execution begins instantly with clear accountability and timelines.

6. Procurement & Purchase Approval Tasks

Scenario:
A purchase request passes approval.

Automation:
Planner tasks for procurement teams:

• “Request vendor quote”

• “Review quote with requester”

• “Generate PO in system”

Benefit:
Ensures procurement workflows remain consistent and fully documented.

Best Practices for Implementing Planner Automation

1. Define your task templates clearly before building.

2. Use dynamic field mapping for task names, due dates, and assignments.

3. Keep Planner structure organized:

   • One plan per department or process

   • Buckets for workflow stages

4. Use Ultimate Forms conditional logic to create tasks only when needed.

5. Test with a small team before scaling.

Conclusion

Automating Microsoft Planner task creation through Ultimate Forms Actions closes a major gap in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. SharePoint becomes the trigger point for structured data entry and workflow logic, while Planner becomes the center for task execution and team collaboration.

This integration:

• Eliminates manual task entry

• Enforces process consistency

• Enhances visibility across systems

• Reduces workload

• Speeds execution

• Improves accuracy and accountability

Whether you’re managing onboarding, projects, compliance, procurement, or customer service, Planner task automation ensures your workflows start strong and stay on track, every time.