Last week Microsoft announced To-Do a new task management app that aims at helping you plan your day. Microsoft seems to have put the Wunderlist acquisition to good use and the To-Do is designed by the folks behind the Wunderlist. Well, this has also caused an outcry since Wunderlist patrons are unsure about their favorite apps future while the Microsoft To-Do has apparently left them wanting for more.
Well, I have been using Wunderlist myself for quite some time and while the To-Do is not same as the Wunderlist it surely does come with a few mention worthy features. Just to ease the tension and make you familiar with the Microsoft To-Do in this segment we will show you how to use Microsoft To-Do app.
How to use Microsoft To Do app
For the uninitiated, the To-Do’s a new intelligent to-do list app from Wunderlist which comes baked in with features like With My Day and Suggestions. The To-Do comes laced with Outlook Tasks integration and will slowly pick up new features in the future builds.
2. What is the use of To-Do?
To-Do lets you manage all your daily task with finesse. Think of it as a technologically advanced sticky note that stays in all your devices. You can set due dates and reminder times for everything and also organise each of the to-dos into subcategories. All of the tasks will be stored on Exchange Online servers and thus will automatically appear on Outlook Tasks. Furthermore, each to-do will also come with a note feature wherein you can doodle whatever you like and refer it later.
3. How is To-Do Helpful for me?
It doesn’t matter what you do but maintaining a to-do list is one of the basic disciplines. Before opting for task managers I used to make a mental note of things but soon most of the stuff evaporated and it leads to things getting messier. The intelligent suggestions in the to-do will help you to accomplish all the tasks and if you leave out on some don’t worry as it will appear on the tomorrow’s to-do list.
4. How to import your data from other apps on The Web?
Thankfully the To-Do supports both Wunderlist and Todoist. Follow the steps listed below,
- Head over to Settings Menu and select “Import”
- Ensure that the Microsoft account with which you have signed is same as the account from where you are importing stuff.
- Select the data to be imported
- Make sure to select and import your subtasks as separate to-dos
- Select “Start Importing.”
5. Which accounts can you use the To-Do with?
Every time I start using a new service I am wary of signing up and maintaining separate credentials for the same. Personally, I prefer using my Facebook access for the apps but again with To-Do, you can use your personal Microsoft Account. It’s better to check with your IT administrator if the Microsoft To-Do preview is available to you or not. In case you want to manage your personal Microsoft account you can do so here.
6. How to Sync your account with Microsoft To-Do?
This is one of the most important aspects of Microsoft To-Do. The task manager can be accessed across various devices provided you are signed up with the same account. To-Do updates every 5 seconds so the changes made should appear across all platforms and devices in a matter of 5 seconds. In case your app is not syncing for some reason head over to account settings and Sync manually by selecting “Sync.”
7. How to reset your Password on Microsoft To-Do?
Since the Microsoft To-Do doesn’t come with separate credentials. In case you have forgotten the password for your personal Microsoft Account you can reset it here. If the account is an enterprise one then please follow your IT administrators advice.
8. Why do I receive a message to contact my IT admin?
The first scenario this can happen is if your license for Business Essentials, Business Premium and Enterprise E1, Enterprise E3 or E5 is missing or if you don’t have a valid license, Additionally one would also require an Exchange Online mailbox for storage and sync to work. If the message persists contact your IT administrators as they will be in a better position to troubleshoot.
Yet another possibility is that the To-Do has not been enabled by your administrator. This will also happen if the To-DoPreview is switched to “Off” in the O365 Admin Center and one cannot install until the switch is toggled to “On” state.
This message will also pop up if you don’t have a compatible mailbox since the To-Do preview currently requires an Exchange Online mailbox for the purpose of storing and synching the same. When it comes to Exchange the following plans are supported, Exchange Essentials, Exchange Online Kiosk, Exchange Online Plan 1, Exchange Online (Plan 1), Exchange Online (Plan 2), Exchange Online (P1), and Exchange Online POP.
9. How to Create a list on To-Do?
Its simple, just click on ‘+New List’ which is an option that lies below My Day, To-Do and the other lists. After doing so you can rename the list which is named “Untitled List” by default.
10. How to Restore a deleted To-Do task or list?
One needs to understand that the lists are available on both Exchange Online and also Outlook Tasks. This makes it very easy to recover a deleted list.
- Login to the Windows desktop app with the same credentials as that on To-Do.
- Switch to the Folder List by using CTRL+6 and then expand the deleted items folder, it’s here you should be able to see the deleted Tasks.
- Restore the deleted folders by right clicking on the ‘Deleted Folder’ and move the Folder to “Tasks”
11. How do suggestions and My Day work?
The Suggestions and My Day have been the cornerstone of the To-Do app these features are designed to help you focus on important tasks at hand and let the To-Do do the rest. The intelligent Suggestions will suggest you the recurring tasks for your day and you can simply begin by selecting them. The incomplete tasks in To-Do will be carried on to the next day and the due date notifications will help you manage the tasks in a much better way.
12. How can I Pick the background image for a list on the web?
This is a feature that most of the Wunderlist users will be familiar with. Microsoft To-Do lets you choose different backgrounds for each To-Do list. One can change the background by selecting the three dots on the top and then Choose Theme. You can choose one of the 5 illustrated themes or even a solid background. That said unlike Wunderlist the Microsoft To-Do doesn’t allow you to choose custom images for background and this is something that might be taken care of in the future updates.
All said and done the Microsoft To-Do is a formidable replacement for the Wunderlist but again there are many avenues that one might simply not be familiar with. It’s more of getting used to the tool and exploring all the new things that get added. Also, the deep Microsoft Office integration is a blessing in disguise, especially so for the Enterprise users.
If you face issues while using it, this post will show you how to troubleshoot Microsoft To-Do app problems.