Kanban Tool basics

Need a quick answer to what Kanban Tool is, how it works, and why it’s suitable to team management? You’re in the right spot! The first minute of this video covers the basics, and the next four highlight some of the service’s top features:

Kanban Tool is a powerful visual management application that helps teams organize work and projects using the Kanban method. Initially designed for Scrum & Kanban software development, it is presently used for any and all project management workflows, letting teams view their entire project on a dynamic Kanban board. No matter your team size, collaborating in Kanban Tool is always seamless and real-time; you can easily visualize all tasks, oversee projects, and achieve exceptional results!

Since our launch in 2009, Kanban Tool has seen impressive growth globally. Today, it’s recognized as one of the leading platforms for visual project management. With its user-friendly interface, intuitive design, and a variety of powerful features, it’s built to simplify and streamline your processes.

We’re committed to delivering excellent customer service, top-notch security, and reliability. Our users often call it the best Kanban tool out there. Ready to boost your productivity and outpace the competition? Sign up now and get started!

For more videos on using Kanban Tool, please visit the Kanban Tool YouTube channel.

For more videos about Kanban Tool, please visit the Kanban Tool YouTube channel.

To set up a new account, head over to kanbantool.com and sign up using the free trial option. During setup, you’ll create a unique subdomain for your team.

Although the service’s use begins with a free trial period, please note the account name, e.g., dream-team.kanbantool.com, cannot be changed at a later stage. Please choose it carefully.

This account name will serve as your custom login URL. For example, if you choose dream-team, your dedicated login page will be dream-team.kanbantool.com/login. All team members will log in through this page, each with their own username and password.

The person who starts the account - the account owner - has full control over which boards team members can access, and what actions they can take on them.

For a quick walkthrough of the account creation process, please view this video:

Account users with at least the project manager access privilege can create new boards from the dashboard - the list of all projects shown upon logging in. Just use the blue create new board link.

To get back to the dashboard from a board view, click the hamburger menu icon to unfold the board navigator, and then click the home icon, or your account name.

When starting a new board, you can define a completely custom layout, ask the AI Assistant to suggest a design specific to your needs, or use one of the available templates.

Not sure if you got it right the first time round? A board’s layout, as well as other board features, can be adjusted at any time from the Settings → Board Editor page. That is also where you can add swimlanes to your workflow.

Furthermore, to make the most of time tracking & reporting and have task timers start and stop automatically as cards move through your workflow, be sure to assign the right Lane Types to your Doing and Done columns. That too can be updated in the Board Editor.

For more videos on using Kanban Tool, please visit our YouTube channel.

To get started with Kanban Tool faster, please download the complete User Manual here.

The complete list of Kanban Tool features is available on the Product page.

Kanban Tool’s development is driven by our internal backlog, shaped by the invaluable feedback from our users and customers. We carefully review every suggestion sent to us and truly appreciate the input. Accepted ideas are added to the backlog, with priority given to the most requested and impactful features.

We are committed to continuous improvement, implementing updates regularly—often every few weeks—to ensure Kanban Tool evolves to meet your needs.

Want to dive into Kanban and start using it like a pro?
Head over to the Kanban Guide! It’s packed with everything you need: an introduction to the Kanban method and its principles, a look at the core Agile philosophy and all the related frameworks, Lean metrics, and more.

Ready to set up your own Kanban board?
Check out our Express Board Tutorial to using boards and cards in Kanban Tool, available from the Tools menu in the top-right corner of any board.

Need further help to get started? We’ve got you covered:

• Watch this short Getting Started with Kanban Tool video
• Explore the Kanban Tool 5-minute Walkthrough or the product Deep Dive
• Download the complete Kanban Tool User Manual
• Get inspired with Kanban Tool use case examples
• Unlock productivity now with the rapid productivity tips.

If you don’t want to miss out on the latest Kanban Tool updates, please follow us on X, Facebook and LinkedIn. In-depth descriptions of new product features are usually presented on our Blog. Stay connected!

Not signed up yet? Follow this guide to create an account and get started!

If you’re new to the Kanban method, check out our “How to Introduce Kanban to Your Team?” blog post.

For a brief overview of Kanban Tool’s features, head to the Tools menu at the top-right corner of your board and watch the built-in tutorial.

Setting up your Kanban board

When creating the board, think about your workflow and the steps each task needs to go through. The simplest setup might be: To do, Doing, Done. For more complex workflows, consider something like: To do, Waiting for approval, Approved, Doing (divided into sub-columns: Buffer, Working), Quality Assurance, Done.

It’s best to start simple—consider using one of the pre-designed templates, e.g., Basic or Time-driven. You can always adjust the layout as your process evolves.

Looking for inspiration?

Explore examples of typical workflows here:

• Kanban Tool video use case examples
• Selected Kanban Tool client use cases

Need Guidance?

Download the Kanban Tool User Manual (PDF) for step-by-step instructions on creating your first board, or watch this 3-minute video tutorial to hit the ground running!

Good news! The changes you make on your Kanban board are automatically saved and synced to the cloud, eliminating the need for manual saving.

To maximize your productivity with Kanban Tool and save valuable time, be sure to check out these features:

• Column & swimlane collapsing
• Creating tasks from email
• Task comments/chat
• Mobile apps for Android & iOS
• Process automation
• Filtering the board view
• Searching across all your boards
• Time tracking & reporting
• Due date reminders
• Rich selection of free board add-ons, including Recurring and Postponed Tasks, Checklist Templates, Task Summary, and AI Assistant.

Mix and match the features you like to supercharge your productivity!

The Enterprise plan includes everything that comes with the Team plan, plus:

• Time tracking and reporting, providing detailed analysis of your team's working times,
• My work widget, simplifying individual task management across multiple Kanban boards
• Process automation, offering extensive ability to make dependencies between actions on your board, i.e. automatic in-depth card edits and custom notifications,
• and User groups, significantly simplifying team-based board access management.

Aside from these rich features, the Team plan supports the standard Kanban Tool functionality, as presented on the product page.

Both plans support unlimited boards with attachments, and unlimited users - with the monthly subscription fee directly proportional to user volume.

Time tracking & reporting are available exclusively for the Enterprise plan subscribers. To check your account’s current plan, head to Account administration → Plan & billing details.

Activating the feature is easy: the timer will automatically start for any task moved to an In Progress type of column. You can also manually start the timer by right-clicking on a closed task and selecting Start timer.

To ensure your “In Progress” or “Doing” column is set up correctly, go to Settings - Board Editor and click the pencil icon below the column name. There, you can check the Lane Type for your working stage.

For more details on configuring time tracking, please view this guide.

You can easily organize your boards by creating folders from the dashboard, using the Create new folder link. Each folder can hold as many boards as you wish, keeping the dashboard tidy and accessible.

When you share a folder with a member of your account, they automatically gain access to all the boards within it. It’s a great way to streamline access to entire project portfolios across the company.

If you’re on the Enterprise plan, you can further enhance board access management with the built-in user groups feature. Learn more about it here.

• Click the “+” icon:

• Use the Add Task Box, available under → Power-Ups:

• Double-click anywhere inside a column to instantly add a new card:

• Import tasks in bulk with the powerful import utility:

• Send tasks directly to the board via email:

• Take advantage of the API to build tasks your way and supercharge your workflows!

For more videos on using Kanban Tool, please visit our Kanban Tool YouTube channel.

If you’re on a Kanban Tool Team or Enterprise plan, you can use as many boards as you need. Free plan users can work on up to two boards.

Finding the dashboard

The dashboard is the list of all your boards. Here’s how to access it:

• Click the hamburger menu in the top-left corner of any board.
• Click the home icon from the board navigator and exit to the dashboard.

Creating or deleting a board

Once you’re in the dashboard, you’ll see a list of boards you’ve created or that others have shared with you.

• To delete a board, click the More menu (the three lines haburger icon) next to the board’s name, and select Delete.
• To create a new board, simply click the Create new board link on the right end of the dashboard.

Trouble creating or managing boards?

If you can’t create a board or don’t see the sharing or delete options, it’s likely a permissions issue. Please contact the team member who invited you to Kanban Tool to request an update to your account or board access rights.