If you’re new or just wondering why you should give it a shot, this Microsoft lists for beginners tutorial is for you. Microsoft Lists is one of those underrated tools that could change how you organize and manage data. Sure, there are plenty of ways to create lists—Outlook, Excel, Word, and even other apps like Trello or Notion—but Microsoft Lists stands out for its simplicity and flexibility.

In this post, I’ll walk through how to create, customize, and manage lists right inside Office 365. By the end of this guide, you’ll see why it’s a great tool to manage your tasks, content, or even YouTube-related projects.

Getting Started with Microsoft Lists

To begin, log into your Office 365 account. Once on the dashboard, look for Lists in the left-hand toolbar. If it’s not there, don’t worry! You can also find it easily by clicking the app launcher (the grid icon at the top left) and selecting Lists.

Navigating the Lists Homepage

When you open Microsoft Lists, you’ll see your Recently Used lists and the ones you’ve marked as Favorites. These are handy for a quick overview of what you’ve been working on.

Now, let’s create a new list in Microsoft Lists! You’ll have a few options:

  • Create from a template (like issue trackers or content schedulers)
  • Import from Excel
  • Start from a blank list

For now, we’ll walk through creating a blank list from scratch.

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Creating Your First List in Microsoft Lists

  1. Click on “Create a new list.”
    Choose Blank List to start from scratch.
  2. Name Your List.
    Let’s call it “Schedule” for this example. You can add a description if you want, though it’s not required.
  3. Choose a color and icon.
    This is mainly for visual clarity when you’re managing several lists. Pick something that makes sense for the task!

Once you’ve done that, hit Create and wait for your new list to open.

Customizing Columns in Your List

Here’s where the real power of creating a list with Microsoft Lists comes in: its customizability. Out of the box, you’ll see a Title column. This column is “hard-coded,” meaning it’s required for every task you enter on your list. Everything else, though, is up to you!

Adding a “Date Added” Column

  1. Click “Add a Column.”
    Select Date. This will allow you to add a column showing when each task was added.
  2. Name the column.
    Let’s call it Date Added.
  3. Adjust the settings:
    • I prefer the exact date instead of the friendly date setting (e.g., “2 days ago”).
    • Set a default value of today’s date so it gets filled in automatically.
  4. Save the column.

Adding a “Program” Column

Next, let’s add a Choice column. In this example, we’ll create a column called Program, with the choices representing different software—Excel, Word, Lists, and so on.

For each choice, you can even add a different color for quick, visual reference. For example, choose green for Excel, blue for Word, etc.

Adding More Specific Columns for Your Workflow

  • Status: This will be another Choice column, where you can track things like “Ready,” “Scheduled,” or “Published.”
  • Published To: Since this is for a YouTube content schedule, let’s allow multiple selections here. You can add YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

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Adding Tasks to Your List in Microsoft Lists

Once you have your columns set up, you’re ready to start adding tasks.

  1. Click on “New” to add a new item to your list.
  2. A box will pop up. This is where you’ll input your task details such as the title, status, and where it’ll be published.
  3. Hit Save when you’re done.

You’ll quickly see how easy it is to add more tasks.

View and Edit in Grid View

You may want to switch to Grid View, especially when managing multiple tasks. Grid View lets you see everything at once in a spreadsheet-style format, making it easier to edit multiple items quickly.

To switch, click the Edit in Grid View button at the top. This is helpful for correcting errors or bulk editing tasks without having to open each one individually.

Advanced Features: Alerts and Automation

There’s plenty more to explore in Microsoft Lists to make your work effortless:

  • Alerts: Set up automatic alerts when something changes in your list. Just click on Automate and select Create Rule. You’ll get notified via email or even text message if you prefer.
  • Automation with Power Apps: Lists also integrates smoothly with other Microsoft tools like Power Apps, Power BI, and Power Automate. You can automate updates, reminders, and even create custom workflows.

Filtering and Viewing Options

It’s easy to filter your list to find exactly what you need without scrolling for ages.

Simply click on the Filter button and select criteria from your columns, like filtering for tasks related to Excel, high priority items, or tasks marked as “Published.” Want a cleaner view? Try switching between Compact List and Gallery views to see what works best for your workflow.

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Conclusion

And there you have it! Microsoft Lists is not just another way to manage your to-do’s—it’s a versatile, customizable tool that helps you stay organized, whether you’re tracking issues, projects, or content creation schedules. The ease with which you can add, edit, and filter tasks makes it a true time-saver.

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Let me know in the comments how you’re using Microsoft Lists, or share your tips with other beginners!

Thanks for reading, and happy list-making!

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