Trello Planner is a calendar that sits beside your board, so you can see your day and your cards together and drag a card into a time slot to plan when you'll work on it. You open it from the navigation bar or by pressing g then p, and as of October 2026 it connects to Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook Calendar, up to 10 accounts.
Here's the catch. Dragging a card into Planner schedules focus time, and focus time never moves the card's due date. So your calendar can say Thursday while the card still says it's due Tuesday. And Smart Schedule, the AI that suggests focus time for you, is only on the Standard, Premium and Enterprise plans.
What Trello Planner shows you
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shortcut | g then p |
| Days shown | 1, 3 or 7, depending on browser width |
| Calendars | Google and Outlook, up to 10 accounts |
| Due cards shown | Personal boards, or cards assigned to you on shared boards |
| Smart Schedule | Standard, Premium and Enterprise; not on mobile |
The shortcut has one quirk worth knowing. You press g, then p. Press the second key first and nothing happens. And because Planner shows 1, 3 or 7 days depending on how wide your browser is, a narrow window can make it look as if most of your week has gone missing. Widen the window and the rest comes back.
Connecting Google Calendar or Outlook
Planner supports Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook Calendar, and you can connect up to 10 accounts. When you don't pick an account, Planner uses your default one.
The first time you connect, you'll only see your default Google calendar. Any others on that account stay hidden until you tick them. If your team calendar or a shared calendar isn't showing, that's the first thing to check, before you assume the connection failed.
Why some cards with due dates don't appear
Not every card with a due date shows up in Planner. A card appears only if it's on a personal board, meaning you're the only member, or it's on a shared board and assigned to you.
That rule is the answer to most of the questions people ask about Planner. A card with a due date on a shared board won't appear until you're assigned to it. Filters let you choose per board whether to show all cards, only those assigned to you, or hide that board altogether, which is handy when one busy board would otherwise crowd out everything else.
Focus time: blocking out time for a card
Drag a card to a slot in Planner and you've scheduled focus time. Focus time events you create appear in your connected calendar, so the block sits alongside your meetings. The card link only shows inside Planner, though, so your calendar shows the block without the Trello card attached to it.
Remember the catch here. Focus time doesn't change the due date. If you plan to work on something after its due date, Trello won't stop you or update the card, so it's worth glancing at the due date as you drag.
To remove focus time, delete it in Planner or in Google Calendar directly. Unlinking the card isn't enough, because that leaves the event sitting in your calendar.
Smart Schedule and Planner Rules
Smart Schedule is Trello's AI for suggesting focus time. You can ask for it in two places: Schedule focus time from a card's menu, or Plan My Day from the Planner menu. It suggests slots, and you accept or decline each one, or use Schedule All. It's not available on mobile, and it's only on the Standard, Premium and Enterprise plans.
Proactive Smart Schedule goes a step further, and you switch it on under AI Settings. Planner Rules, which you write in plain language, then control three things: card sources, which can be your Inbox plus up to one other board; card preferences; and scheduling preferences, such as working hours, focus length and days to avoid.
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The rules are where you get the value. Set your working hours and the length of focus block that suits you, and add the days you never want work booked into, before you let it suggest anything.
How to start using Trello Planner
- Open Planner from the navigation bar, or press g then p.
- Select Connect a calendar.
- Pick Google or Outlook and allow access, then tick any extra calendars you want to see.
- Drag a card into a time slot to schedule focus time.
- Optional, on a paid plan: switch on Proactive Smart Schedule under AI Settings and write your Planner Rules.
My verdict on Trello Planner
I'd use it if your to-do list lives in Trello and your meetings live in Google or Outlook, because seeing both side by side is the fastest way to find out whether your week is realistic. Drag your three most important cards into slots on Monday morning and you've got a plan. I'd skip Smart Schedule if you're on the free plan, since it isn't included, and I'd set Planner Rules before turning on the proactive version so it books around your real working hours. If you're comparing Trello with Microsoft's task app, read Microsoft Planner vs Trello, which is a different product to this Planner, and if you like working from the keyboard, the full list of Trello shortcuts goes beyond g then p.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I open Trello Planner?
From the navigation bar, or press g then p. Pressing the second key first does nothing.
Which calendars work with Trello Planner?
Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook Calendar, with up to 10 accounts connected.
Why isn't my card showing in Trello Planner?
Cards with due dates appear only if they're on a personal board where you're the only member, or on a shared board and assigned to you.
Does focus time change the due date in Trello?
No. Dragging a card to a slot schedules focus time and doesn't change the due date.
Is Trello Smart Schedule free?
No. Smart Schedule is on the Standard, Premium and Enterprise plans only, and it isn't available on mobile.
How do I delete focus time in Trello Planner?
Delete it in Planner or in Google Calendar directly. Unlinking the card leaves the event in place.
