Kanban Tool Support

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How to import tasks from a spreadsheet?

You can import multiple tasks into Kanban Tool quickly in just a few simple steps.

Import tasks - Tools menu option

Importing options

Bulk task creation can be done using any of these methods:

  • Upload a CSV file – Simply import a spreadsheet file.
  • Copy and paste from Excel – Drag or paste data directly into the import window.
  • Type or paste text – Manually enter task details into the import table.
Import tasks - Options

What data can you import?

Kanban Tool supports importing both default and custom fields—giving you complete flexibility in managing your tasks. The only required field is the task name.

Here’s a breakdown of the fields you can import, provided that you have enabled and customized them all at your board’s Card Types and Card Template pages:


type format comments char limit
name text   250
stage (column) text as defined at Settings - Board Editor 256
swimlane (row) text as defined at Settings - Board Editor 256
checklist text e.g., item 1; item2; item 3; 1000
description text   59600
external link text/URL   1024
card type text as defined at Settings - Card Types 255
priority 1, 0, -1 1 high, 0 normal, -1 low 2
start date YYYY-MM-DD   10
due date YYYY-MM-DD   10
assigned to Name Surname as defined on your People page 255
external ID number   256
estimated time number of hrs e.g., 2 (two hrs), or 2:30 (two hrs 30 min) 6
difficulty number as defined at Settings - Card Template 250
tags text   256
custom field text as defined at Settings - Card Template 6500
custom field non-text as defined at Settings - Card Template 256
ID* number refers to the native ID of existing tasks;
*only to be used for updating existing cards		 8

What data cannot be imported?

Due to technical limitations, you cannot import file attachments, task comments, task history (e.g., creation date, update times) nor task dependencies.

Step-by-Step guide to importing data

1. Prepare your CSV file

  • If your file has a title row, either remove it before uploading or use the built-in Ignore first row option.
  • Ensure data separators (commas, semicolons, etc.) are correctly detected.
Import tasks - adjust the format

2. Assign data fields

  • Kanban Tool will try to detect most of the field types, especially if you’re re-importing an exported file.
  • For empty or unwanted columns, select (ignored) in the field selection dropdown.
  • For all other columns select the right option—click the field header and pick the type from the dropdown.
  • For task entries that support a selection of options (e.g., card type) you will also be able to choose the right option from a dropdown. Whenever you see an arrow at the end of a cell, it means it contains cues for you to choose from.
Import tasks - Choose the data type

3. Upload & verify

  • Click the Import button.
  • If there’s an issue, look for a black exclamation mark (!)—hover over it to see the error details.
Import tasks - Uploading and errors

Mass-update tasks via import

Need to update existing tasks instead of adding new ones? Just include either the task ID or External ID in your CSV file. Imported data will replace existing values, making it easy to update due dates, assigned users, priorities or tags.

Note: Need to back up or analyze task data?
Exporting tasks to a spreadsheet is also supported.