The Microsoft Lists application is the next tool that could come within the Office suite, and its idea is interesting. It is an advanced task manager , the name of Lists makes us think of simple lists of elements, but it really offers much more.
In fact, Microsoft 365 business accounts (the old Office 365) have long had access to Lists. Personal users couldn’t use it, even with a paid subscription, something that changes with the free trial version of Microsoft List that has been released.
The popularity of Microsoft Teams for remote work has led to its inclusion in Windows 11 for everyone, and now the so-called Microsoft List – MSA (short for “Microsoft account”) is going to become popular. The first 200,000 users who sign up will be able to try it for free.
Microsoft Lists lists offer many planning and control options , so they are used to manage tasks, in the style of the popular Trello. For example, it is possible to put due dates, priorities, assign it to a person in charge of the task and his superior, create categories and include descriptions.
In fact, they can be almost completely customized, but by default we are advised to use some of the useful predefined templates : error management, travel, inventory control, event organization, employee hiring, etc.
You can even use a calendar view for those projects where dates are key, export data to Excel, or implement various automations.
Microsoft Lists is oriented towards productivity , like all Office apps, we are not talking about a simple notes app to write down the shopping list. It is based on collaboration between users and integrates with the rest of the company’s tools.
At the moment, Lists can only be used from the web browser , it does not have a native program for computers or mobile phones, although it is to be imagined that various apps will arrive over time.
Although the focus is on managing team work on certain projects, the free version of Microsoft List – MSA points to possible personal uses in the future . For now there are no templates, but ideas such as gift lists, recipes and menus, apartment hunting or holiday planning are suggested.
At the end of the text we have the link to join the trial version of Microsoft Lists, which is free, although it has a limit of 200,000 participants.
In general, Lists will be a good addition to Office for managing team projects , but for personal use it will need to be simplified quite a bit. Alternatives to Evernote on the market, such as Google Keep or Microsoft’s own OneNote, are more appropriate for simple lists.
