MS project sync with planner

Question

MS project sync with planner

Renana Ben Ami 0

Hey,

Could you please assist me with the MS Project synchronization with Planner?

I understand that you have the feature enabled and working on your end, but for some reason I'm unable to use it. Could you please advise what my options are or if there is any alternative way to connect the two systems?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

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2 answers

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Answer 1

Hi @Renana Ben Ami

Regarding your issue, may I kindly ask what are you hoping the "Link to plan" feature will do for you?

Do you want it to copy your Project schedule into Planner, create tasks in Planner from your Project plan, or keep the two in sync so updates flow automatically?
When you try the feature, is the option greyed out, missing, or showing an error?

The built-in "Link to plan" feature may not do what it appears to. Even when it's enabled and working, it doesn't sync anything it only adds a shortcut link on a Project task that points to an existing Planner plan. It doesn't copy tasks into Planner, create tasks, or keep the two updated in either direction, and each Project task can only link to one plan.

For more details, please refer to: Sync Project online with planner using the feature available in project online

It may work in one setup and not another because the feature relies on Project being connected to Project Online (Project Web App). Without the right subscription and environment in place, the option won't appear or work at all.

A couple of things worth keeping in mind for the long term. There's currently no built-in way to sync Microsoft Project Desktop with Planner. Project is designed to work with Project Online, and Microsoft treats Project and Planner as separate products. On top of that, Project Online is scheduled to retire on September 30, 2026, so this isn't a reliable feature to build a long-term workflow around.

For more details, please refer to: Microsoft Project Online is retiring: What you need to know

Hopefully it clears thing up and if you have any other questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask.

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Answer 2

Renana Ben Ami 0

Hi,

Thank you very much for your response.

I would like to create tasks from MSproject in Planner so that it is easier and more convenient to manage my team. As the PMO, I work on complex projects, so we need to continue using MSproject as our primary scheduling tool.

My vision is to use a platform that can automatically publish or synchronize tasks from MSproject to Planner. The synchronization does not necessarily need to work both ways—I'm mainly interested in a one-way flow from MS Project to Planner.

Based on your experience, what would you recommend as the best approach?

Thanks, Renana

Jess-Q 12,705 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-15T15:01:17.19+00:00

Hi @Renana Ben Ami,

The automatic one-way sync you're describing where Project stays the master and Planner updates to match whenever your schedule changes isn't something the built-in tools currently support. Microsoft treats Project and Planner as two separate products, each with its own infrastructure, so there's no native feature that automatically publishes or synchronizes tasks from Project Desktop into Planner, regardless of the license you hold.

The reason comes down to how the two products are designed. Project Desktop is built to publish to and work with Project Online, not Planner, and the two were never meant to share a live task connection. Because of Microsoft's ongoing transition from Project Online toward Planner, the two remain treated as distinct tools rather than a single connected system.

So in practical terms, the continuous "Project updates, Planner follows" flow you have in mind isn't achievable through built-in functionality today. If this feature would be helpful for your workflow, as Microsoft user I suggest submitting this as feedback via the Ideas · Community platform, this allows others to see and upvote your suggestion, and helps our product development team better understand user needs and prioritize improvements. The more voices they hear, the greater the chance we’ll see enhancements in future updates.

Please note that as forum moderators, we are not directly involved in product design decisions and do not have access to the development roadmap. However, we want to assure you that your feedback has been acknowledged and is truly valued.

I apologize for the inconvenience this have caused you and thank you for your understanding and feedback.