007 Microsoft for meeting planners

Hi again planner! This week we are exploring the suite of apps from Microsoft,

and how they can help you plan and manage better meetings.

Microsoft offers a library of software solutions for businesses that run the gamut from email management to data collection and analysis, presentation creation, and visualization software. Most companies have a Microsoft business subscription and they usually exist in two types: 365 (online only) or 365 upgraded where you can access apps online AND download some of the apps to your computer, which allows you more options and to be able to use it when you’re not online. Let’s look at some of their offerings:

The Office Suite: this list probably looks familiar as you likely use these on a daily basis. If not, read on for a quick summary of what they do…

• Outlook: Outlook is Microsoft’s email and calendar management software. Outlook lets you send and receive emails, manage contact information like an address book, make and share appointments, and see other people’s calendars within your company.

• Teams: Teams is a communication software system that allows you to make and receive video calls, set up and host virtual/online meetings, and text chat with people both in and outside your company.

• Excel: Excel is a spreadsheet software that allows you to calculate, sort, filter, and manage numerical data. Excel is great for budgeting, tracking registration numbers, and more.

• Word: Word is a management software for text documents. It allows you to organize, format, and edit text heavy documents.

• PowerPoint: The original presentation software from Microsoft, this is the default option for most people creating slides and sharing videos, etc. during business meetings and other presentations to groups.

The Others: these are other apps Microsoft offers that you may not be using but should really explore. They offer solutions that can improve your efficiency and are just plain fun and effective…

• Planner: The gold standard for meeting planners, MS Planner was designed to help you manage your “tasks, to-do lists, plans, and projects across Microsoft 365 apps in one place online”. It was updated in 2024 and merged Project, To-Do, and Copilot into one app. The basic version of Planner is included in your Office 365 business subscription but you can upgrade to Planner Premium to get access to more add-ons like premium templates, financial tracking, and more. Meeting planners can use the “project management” template (formerly a separate software called “Project”) to manage meeting details, to-do lists, and connect across other apps to collaborate on events with a team.

• Forms: Do you need to collect information from meeting attendees? Or manage the meeting registration process? Consider using Forms. It’s an easy to use online survey and quiz software that you can share online and then download the results to Excel.

• OneNote: Are you a note taker? One Note is a digital notebook that lets you type, sketch, highlight, add images, and share notes across teams.

• SharePoint: Do you need to collaborate on files and documents with a group? SharePoint lets you share documents, vendor contracts, and schedules with stakeholders. Multiple users can access and edit a document or file and it has controls to make sure you're always using the latest info.

• Special note: SharePoint is different than OneDrive because documents in SharePoint can be edited by anyone that is granted access, while OneDrive is designed more as a storage solution for files that don’t need to be shared with others.

Stay tuned as we explore Microsoft apps in more depth in the coming weeks. Which one would you want to learn more about first? Take our one question survey at this link (we even used MS Forms): https://forms.office.com/r/fg03nvHwcR

Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/products-apps-services