Key Takeaways
- Microsoft Lists offers real-time collaboration, robust Microsoft 365 integration, and customizable templates for efficient information management.
- With a variety of column types, sharing tools, export options, and rules, Microsoft Lists is a powerful ally for streamlined workflows.
- Although still in Preview, Microsoft Lists is essential for professionals, small business owners, and growing teams for effective organization.
Although there is no shortage of database apps out there, Microsoft Lists stands tall among them with real-time collaboration, a robust Microsoft 365 integration, a long list of features, and more. Whether you are managing projects, assets, or planning your social media schedule, Microsoft Lists can be a powerful ally to streamline your workflow. Continue reading if you are still on the fence about using Microsoft Lists.
Related
10 best productivity apps every PC should have
Supercharge your workflow with these must-have productivity apps.
What is Microsoft Lists?
Microsoft Lists is a digital Swiss Army Knife that manages and organizes all your important information. It’s an evolution of SharePoint lists, and brings more features to the table to get the job done. After all, not everyone prefers a complex tool like Microsoft Excel to create databases.
Although Microsoft Lists prioritizes simplicity, it doesn’t skimp on features. It carries an easy-to-use user interface and offers a healthy list of customizable templates, multiple column types, and various formats like grid, calendar, and gallery to visualize and manage your information.
One of the biggest USPs of Microsoft Lists is its flawless integration with Microsoft 365 services like Teams, SharePoint, and Power Platform. You can share your lists in Teams channels, automate workflows, and even create custom apps without any coding knowledge.
Microsoft Lists: Eligibility and availability
Launched in 2020, Microsoft Lists was initially intended for and limited to business and enterprise users only. However, in late 2023, Microsoft made it available for everyone to use. You only need a Microsoft account to get started with Lists. Microsoft Lists is in Preview for now and the software giant hasn’t announced whether it’s planning to launch a native app on the desktop. There is no timeline for ending the preview either, so don’t let that hold you back.
Microsoft Lists is available on iOS, Android, and the web. As always, you can install Microsoft Lists as a PWA (Progressive Web App) on your desktop and Mac.
Microsoft Lists templates
There are several ways to create a list in Microsoft Lists. You can either make one from your existing list, use a CSV file, or pick a template. Most users should use a template to create the perfect list in no time. It offers 11 templates, and we expect the collection to grow when Lists comes out of Preview. Templates include:
- Issue tracker
- Employee onboarding
- Event itinerary
- Asset management
- Recruitment tracker
- Travel requests
- Work progress tracker
- Content scheduler
- Gift ideas
- Expense tracker
- Recipe tracker
Of course, these are only some of the common use cases for Microsoft Lists. You can always create one from scratch based on your requirements. The possibilities are endless here.
Microsoft Lists features
Here are some of the noteworthy Microsoft Lists features to help you create ideal databases.
- Different column types: You have multiple options to choose from when you create a column in Lists. You could use text, choice, date and time, person, number, yes/no, hyperlink, image, lookup, and average rating as the column type.
- Column customization: Once you create a column, you can customize it in several ways. For example, when you pick a status column, you can edit it to enter a description, type, add choices, and set a default value. The editing options differ based on your column type.
- Robust sharing tools: Once your list is ready, you can share it with peace of mind. You can password-protect the sharing link and even set an expiration date if you’d like.
- Export options: You can export your list to Microsoft Excel or Power BI.
- Rules: You can design your rules to receive alerts when a task status changes.
Related
5 best project management tools for personal use
Manage your personal projects like a pro with these handy productivity tools
Alternatives to Microsoft Lists
As of now, Microsoft Lists still feels basic compared to some of the established solutions out there. If you are looking for alternatives to create and share databases, check the list below.
- Airtable: Airtable is flexible and scalable, offers excellent integration with third-party apps, and has an AI add-on to automate your workflow like a pro.
- Asana: Asana is another feature-rich Microsoft Lists alternative out there. You can manage your personal tasks and projects, have goal management, create a campaign, and manage each type of information effectively.
- ClickUp: ClickUp is an all-in-one solution to manage everything in one place. It offers time-tracking, docs, projects, dashboards, and a lot more to elevate your productivity.
- monday.com: In many ways, monday.com is quite similar to ClickUp. It combines different utilities in a single place. With a campaign dashboard, project management, and custom workflows, you have ample options to create an effective database.
Whether you are a professional, small business owner, or run a startup with a growing team, Microsoft Lists can be an excellent tool to organize your work more fluidly and efficiently. It’s an essential part of my Personal Management Knowledge system that I created using Microsoft 365 services like OneNote, Outlook, and To-Do.
