Integrated chat and task management

Microsoft Planner (via Microsoft Teams ) or Workast (via Slack) are the best lightweight task management options built directly into major team communication apps.[reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/projectmanagement/comments/1cmu2vr/help_i_need_a_simple_teamtask_management_tool_for/)[[2](https://slack.com/intl/en-in/solutions/task-management)](https://slack.com/intl/en-in/solutions/task-management)

The right choice depends on which communication platform your team already uses:

Communication App	Native / Integrated Task Tool	Best For	Key Features
Microsoft Teams	Microsoft Planner	Teams already in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem	Kanban boards, file attachments, native Teams tab integration
Slack

Top Built-In Options Explained

• Microsoft Planner (Microsoft Teams): If your organization uses Microsoft 365, Planner comes included without requiring extra paid software licenses. You can add a Planner board as a tab directly inside any Teams channel, assign tasks, set due dates, and track progress using simple visual boards.[reddit.com](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CPcky1KQJo)[[2](https://slack.com/intl/en-in/solutions/task-management)](https://www.reddit.com/r/projectmanagement/comments/1cmu2vr/help_i_need_a_simple_teamtask_management_tool_for/)[[3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CPcky1KQJo)](https://screenrec.com/project-management-software/task-management-software/)
• (): is purpose-built for . It lets your team create to-do lists, assign tasks, and set due dates without leaving the chat interface. You can turn any random conversation into an actionable task using a simple command or shortcut.

If you let me know which chat app your team uses (Slack or Microsoft Teams) and how complex your tracking needs are , I can help you set up the right tool or integration.

For a fully remote company, choosing tools that tightly couple project tracking with built-in chat or asynchronous communication helps prevent information silos and reduces the fatigue of context-switching between a dedicated messenger (like Slack) and a separate project tracker.

The top platforms that successfully combine robust project tracking with native chat or async communication features include:

• Basecamp: Famous for pioneering project management tailored to remote, async-first teams. It deliberately avoids overly complex database configurations in favor of built-in "Campfire" chat for quick questions, dedicated message boards to replace scattered email threads, and automatic check-ins to replace status meetings.
• ClickUp: Functions as an all-in-one work hub. It combines comprehensive task tracking, docs, and visual project views (Gantt, Kanban, calendars) with ClickUp Chat , a native hub supporting topic-specific channels, threaded DMs, and built-in screen/voice recordings ("Clips") for rich asynchronous updates.
• Notion: While fundamentally a flexible documentation and workspace platform, Notion natively blends project/task databases with embedded inline comments, @mentions, and real-time/async discussion blocks directly on project pages. Many remote teams use it as a central knowledge-and-tracker hybrid to minimize noisy instant messaging.
• Asana: Features deep task-centric communication where conversations and updates live explicitly inside the task or project they concern rather than getting lost in a separate chat channel. It also supports async video messaging integrations to keep distributed team members aligned across time zones.[alexberman.com](https://alexberman.com/asynchronous-communication-tools)[[2](https://betterdeskhabits.com/asynchronous-communication-tools)](https://betterdeskhabits.com/asynchronous-communication-tools/)
• Miro: Best suited for visual project planning, brainstorming, and mapping workflows. Miro combines an infinite canvas tracker with built-in live/async commenting, threaded feedback blocks, video chat, and audio/video walkthrough tools ("Talktrack") so teams can review progress asynchronously.

If you'd like, let me know:

• How large your remote team is
• Whether your workflow leans more toward agile/engineering sprints or client-facing management

I can help you narrow down which tool fits your team's exact style.