My session will cover using all these tools to manage project: Forms for capturing project requests and post project surveys One Note for meeting minutes (templates, tagging), capturing in-person whiteboard work sessions Planner: Tricks for using labels to manage action items Lists and Loop for capturing issues/Actions Whiteboard (templates) for Brainstorming sessions and for project Postmortems

1. Making Work life Easier: How to Manage a
Project from Initiation to PostMortem using One
Note, Planner, Lists, Loop, Whiteboard and
Forms
Deb Walther

2. THANK YOU SPONSORS

3. USING M365 TOOLS FOR
MANAGING PROJECTS
NEW ENGLAND COLLABDAYS 2023

4. The Tools
• SharePoint/Teams: collaboration tools for storing and managing files,
communication. Provides a place to work.
• Lists: mini database for tracking information and tasks
• Planner/To Do: Project Management tool
• Loop: Provides a place to work via a canvas (Preview)
• One Note: digital notebook
• Forms: Survey and Quizzes
• Whiteboard: collaboration via free space or templates

5. ORGANIZATION/COMMUNICATION

6. SharePoint/Teams
SharePoint
• File storage
– Teams stores files in the “Documents”
Library in SharePoint
• Pages/News: Web Parts on pages display
content
– Filtered lists as Dashboards
– Audienced content
• Hosts lists: trackers
Teams
• Channels for workstreams
– Posts
– Meetings
– Files
– Tabs to display specific content

7. One Note
• Online Notebook
• 2 versions: app and web versions plus a mobile app
– Some differences: templates, passwords
• Notebooks stored in SharePoint Library
– Can have more than one
• Your personal notebook lives in One Drive: do not
share

8. One Note
• Project notes
– Organize by section, then pages (sub pages) in the section
– Grouped sections
– Grab screen shots, add videos
• Meeting Minutes
– App version allows templates
• Use Mobile to take pictures
– Physical whiteboard content

9. Loop
• Loop is a space to collaborate on projects
– Consists of pages used to share information, manage
tasks, communicate and asynchronously collaborate
• Provides AI-powered suggestions
• Must enable in Tenant
– Free now (public preview), after 03/20/2024, will need
either M354 Biz Std, Biz Premium, E3 or E5

10. Working with Loop
• Create a Loop Workspace
– Set up Pages to display important project-related
• Add Elements to the Page
– Project Brief and Project planning templates create
most elements of a Project Charter
– Task Element
• Loop Tasks display in Planner as a separate plan
• Not 2-way: Planner tasks are not visible on Loop

11. Loop Elements
• “/” brings up Elements
• Click on the 6 dots and convert into a Loop
Component
– Loop components are portable, editable pieces of
content that stay in sync across all the places they are
shared

12. Forms
• Survey and Quiz tool
• Internal and externally enabled
• Data exportable to Excel
• Can link to Lists via Power Automate
• Data is owned by you

13. Whiteboard
• Collaborative
brainstorming tool
• Blank board or use
Templates
– “Break the ice” games
– Brainstorming
– Problem solving
– Project Planning
– Project-Post Mortems

14. TASK MANAGEMENT
TOOLS

15. Planner/To Do
• Lightweight project/task management tool
– Uses a Kanban board, similar to Jira
• View tasks by board, grid, chart or calendar
– Check lists
– Assign to
– Due Date
– Status
• Organize tasks by buckets, labels, assigned to, status, priority and Due date
(late, this week, next week, future)
• Option to export to Excel, Outlook and more
• Tasks from multiple Planners are consolidated in a person’s To Do
– One stop task management

16. Lists
• Create from a Custom List
– Change the Content Type to Task
– Fields magically appear
• Create using OOTB Issues or Work Progress Tracker templates or your own
template
• Use lists to perform workflows/create dashboards
– Notifications
– Embed in SharePoint pages or Teams tabs
• Downside: Tasks do not auto appear in To Do
– Can use Power Automate to add this functionality

17. Loop Tasks
• Lightweight tasks with no “plan owner” that can
be edited/deleted by anyone
• Tasks are created in Loop and displayed in Planner
– One-way-Tasks created in Planner will not be displayed
on the Loop element
• Multiple Task lists created on a Loop page result in
each task list creating a new bucket in the plan

18. RUNNING A PROJECT
SDLC

19. Pre-Project
• Use Forms to:
– Create a project request tool
– Survey the organization to discover an unmet need

20. Planning/Kickoff
• Create a collaboration space:
Teams/SharePoint
– Use calendar to schedule meetings
– Create channels for workstreams
• Meetings
• Planning
• Requirements
• Design
• Build
• Test
• Implement
• Closeout
• Create a Project Charter: Loop
– Defines the objective, what’s in scope,
what’s not: goals and milestones
– Identify Key Stakeholders
– Initiate my RACI matrix (Responsible,
Accountable, Confer and Inform)
• Create a Project Plan: Planner
• Use Whiteboard for “Break the ice”
games
• Meetings scheduled via Teams
• Meeting Minutes via Loop or One Note

21. Gather Requirements/Analysis
• Brainstorming: Whiteboard or use One Note mobile app to capture output from a
physical Whiteboard
• Use Whiteboard or Visio online to develop Process Flow
– Process must be defined before
• Use Excel to manage requirements
– If performing a vendor assessment for software:
• Weigh the requirements as a Must (5) , High Want(3) Low Want (1)
• Grade the vendor’s ability to meet the requirement: High (5) , Med (3) low (1) not at all (0)
• Multiply the requirement vs Vendor ability and sum the results
• Provides a non-emotional assessment of a vendor
• Update Planner with Tasks
• Meetings scheduled via Teams
• Meeting Minutes via Loop or One Note

22. Designing
• Develop POC (proof of concept)
• Develop plan for implementing
• Develop testing to requirements
• Update Planner with Tasks
• Meetings scheduled via Teams
• Meeting Minutes via Loop or One Note

23. Build and Develop & Testing
• Configure software/develop code
• Track issues with & display in Teams or SharePoint
– Create an Issues List
– Loop Issues Tracker Page
• Use Whiteboard to perform problem solving exercises
– Root cause analysis: 5 Why’s, Fishbone
– Loop Issues Tracker: Embed Whiteboard
• Update Planner with Tasks
• Meetings scheduled via Teams
• Meeting Minutes via Loop or One Note

24. Implementation
• Performance testing
• Issues List
• Update Planner with Tasks
• Meetings scheduled via Teams
• Meeting Minutes via Loop or One Note

25. Deployment
• Use News in SharePoint
• Create a contest using Forms
– Have folks answer questions or provide URLs
– Collect responses within Forms or use Power Automate
to move to a list

26. Closeout
• Use Whiteboard to perform a Postmortem
– What went well, what did not go well, what was unexpected
– Send out a week before the meeting
• Entries are anonymous
– Capture action items for future projects
• Use Loop for Closeout
– Project Closeout Element
• Post go live survey via Forms
– How did we do?
– Gather requirements for next update

27. References
• Enabling Loop: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-365-blog/learn-how-to-enable-the-microsoft-
loop-app-now-in-public-preview/ba-p/3769013
https://teams.handsontek.net/2021/11/18/add-microsoft-loop-pages-team-microsoft-teams/
• Embed Loop in SharePoint:
– https://sharepoint.handsontek.net/2023/10/16/embed-microsoft-loop-pages-
sharepoint/#:~:text=To%20take%20advantage%20of%20Microsoft%20Loop%20in%20SharePoint,the%20Loop%20page%20in%20you
r%20clipboard%20More%20items
• Planner
– https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/manage-your-tasks-from-loop-task-lists-and-collaborative-notes-in-planner-and-to-do-
94383070-5f2f-4954-8607-7b7ebff5d43e

28. SPONSORED BY SKYTERRA TECHNOLOGIES
6 TRAFALGAR SQUARE | SUITE 100
NASHUA, NH 03063
603-769-3172
WWW. SKYTERRATECH.COM

29. Bing Chat Response
• Searching for: how to use Loop, Lists, SharePoint, Teams, One Note, whiteboard and planner for project management
• Managing a project using Microsoft 365 tools can be a great way to collaborate with your team and keep track of your progress. Here are some possible steps
you can follow:
– Create a Loop workspace for your project and invite your team members to join. A Loop workspace is a shared space that allows you and your team to see and group
everything important to your project, making it easy for you to catch up on what everyone is working on and track progress toward shared goals1.
• Add Loop components to your Loop workspace, such as lists, tables, notes, or tasks. Loop components are portable pieces of content that stay in sync across all the places they are
shared. They can help you organize your ideas, data, and files in a flexible and interactive way1.
• Use Loop pages to create a flexible canvas for your project, where you can bring together people and all your components, links, tasks, and data. Loop pages can start small and
continue to grow to match the size of your ideas. You can also share Loop pages across M365 apps as a link or as an embedded Loop component1.
– Use Microsoft Teams to communicate with your team members, share files, and host meetings. You can also add Loop components to Teams chats or channels, so you
can collaborate in the flow of work without switching apps2.
– Use Microsoft Lists to create smart lists that track information and organize work. Lists are simple, smart, and flexible, so you can stay on top of what matters most to
your team. You can also integrate Lists with other M365 apps, such as Teams, SharePoint, or Outlook3.
– Use SharePoint to create a site for your project, where you can store and manage documents, web pages, and other resources. SharePoint sites are secure, easy to use,
and customizable. You can also connect SharePoint sites with other M365 apps, such as Teams, OneDrive, or Power BI4.
– Use OneNote to take notes, capture ideas, and organize information. OneNote is a digital notebook that lets you write, draw, clip things from the web, and sync across
devices. You can also share OneNote notebooks with your team members and access them from any M365 app.
– Use Microsoft Whiteboard to brainstorm, sketch, and collaborate visually with your team. Whiteboard is a digital canvas that lets you draw, write, add images, and
more. You can also add Loop components to Whiteboard sessions, so you can work with the latest information in your preferred app.
– Use Microsoft Planner to create plans, assign tasks, and track progress. Planner is a simple and visual way to organize teamwork. You can also integrate Planner with
other M365 apps, such as Teams, Outlook, or To Do.
– These are some of the ways you can use Microsoft 365 tools to manage a project effectively. For more information on how to use each tool, you can check out the links I
provided or visit the Microsoft Support website. I hope this helps! 😊

30. How to Embed a Loop into SharePoint
• Open your Whiteboard and click on the Share button in the top-right corner.
• The link is auto-copied
• Edit the SharePoint page
• Add an Embed web part and paste the code into the Website address or
embed code field.
– <iframe src=“url” height="700px" width="100%"</iframe>
• Save and publish your page.