The older I get, the more forgetful I become. Where was I going with this?…. Oh, yes, sometimes it’s helpful to have some sort of app or tool help remind you of the things you need to do, which is the concept behind Microsoft’s new List app. Not to be confused with To-Do, Microsoft’s consumer lists app, Microsoft Lists is designed to be the next evolution of SharePoint Lists. SharePoint users have been using lists for years to track issues and organize information, and Microsoft Lists will work across Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook.
While it does initially sound confusing like the To-Do function and other existing features that allow you to track tasks, Lists is essentially an evolution of these with actual integration into Microsoft’s different apps. Microsoft Lists will include templates for quick lists, configurable colour formatting, and even the ability to create alerts and processes. Lists can track issues, assets, routines, contacts, inventory, and more for companies. While Microsoft has created a separate web and mobile app for Microsoft Lists, it’s also fully integrated into Microsoft Teams.
So essentially, the program is more of an assistant of sorts that can keep your different tasks and work across all the Microsoft apps and help you stay on track for your deadlines. Pity, it can’t integrate with an external coding repository and write code and articles for me too, because then it truly could automate my day. So, even though I may not use Office 365 exclusively for most of my tasks, anything that helps to track your work should be considered a useful feature.
Lists will come in three main views: grid, gallery, and calendar. The primary grid view includes rows and columns that can be configured and reordered. Gallery view will largely be used for lists that include images, and calendar is for lists that include dates. Rules can also be applied to lists to allow for certain “if this, then that” scenarios and further automation of some of the tasks.
Microsoft is planning to launch Lists later this year.
Last Updated: May 22, 2020
