How to update Microsoft Planner from Excel

The CData Excel Add-In for Microsoft Planner enables you to edit and save Microsoft Planner data directly from Excel. This article explains how to transfer data from Excel to Microsoft Planner. This technique is useful if you want to work on Microsoft Planner data in Excel and update changes, or if you have a whole spreadsheet you want to import into Microsoft Planner. In this example, you will use the Tasks table; however, the same process will work for any table that can be retrieved by the CData Excel Add-In.

Establish a Connection

If you have not already done so, create a new Microsoft Planner connection by clicking From Microsoft Planner on the ribbon.

You can connect without setting any connection properties for your user credentials. Below are the minimum connection properties required to connect.

• InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
• Tenant (optional): Set this if you wish to authenticate to a different tenant than your default. This is required to work with an organization not on your default Tenant.

When you connect the Driver opens the MS Planner OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the Driver. The Driver then completes the OAuth process.

1. Extracts the access token from the callback URL and authenticates requests.
2. Obtains a new access token when the old one expires.
3. Saves OAuth values in OAuthSettingsLocation to be persisted across connections.

Retrieve Data from Microsoft Planner

To insert data into Microsoft Planner, you will first need to retrieve data from the Microsoft Planner table you want to add to. This links the Excel spreadsheet to the Microsoft Planner table selected: After you retrieve data, any changes you make to the data are highlighted in red.

1. Click the From Microsoft Planner button on the CData ribbon. The Data Selection wizard is displayed.
2. In the Table or View menu, select the Tasks table.
3. In the Maximum Rows menu, select the number of rows you want to retrieve. If you want to insert rows, you need to retrieve only one row. The Query box will then display the SQL query that corresponds to your request.
4. In the Sheet Name box, enter the name for the sheet that will be populated. By default the add-in will create a new sheet with the name of the table.

Insert Rows to Microsoft Planner

After retrieving data, you can add data from an existing spreadsheet in Excel.

1. In a cell after the last row, enter a formula referencing the corresponding cell from the other spreadsheet; for example, =MyTasksSheetInExcel!A1.
2. After using a formula to reference the cells you want to add to Microsoft Planner, select the cells that you are inserting data into and drag the formula down as far as needed. The referenced values you want to add will be displayed on the Tasks sheet.
3. Highlight the rows you want to insert and click the Update Rows button.

As each row is inserted, the Id value will appear in the Id column and the row's text will change to black, indicating that the record has been inserted.