Kanban card

Practical tips for customizing, describing, and filtering Kanban Tool task cards. Learn how to assign tasks to team members, organize and visualize complex tasks, link related items, and resolve common card management challenges.

How to customize the Kanban card template?

Want to tailor your Kanban cards to fit your workflow? It’s easy! Just head to your board’s Settings to adjust the Card Template. The board's Settings page

  • Pick your fields
    Choose from a variety of default and custom fields to display the information that matters most.
  • Save your changes
    Once you’ve selected the fields, simply save your settings, and your cards will update automatically.
The Card Template Settings

Editing the Default template sets the base layout for all your cards. You can also create specialized templates for specific card types (colors) to keep things organized.

Keep in mind: Specific character limits apply to all fields.

What information can appear on a Kanban card front?

Your Kanban cards can display a wealth of details! By updating a card’s specific data fields, you can unlock specific information in the closed task view. Depending on what you’ve added to individual cards, and which fields are enabled in your card template, you may see some or all of the following:

  • Task ID – Keep track of your tasks with unique identifiers
    On-card info: Task ID
  • Priority – Instantly recognize high-priority items
    On-card info: Priority
  • Comments – Hover to see the comment count at a glance
    On-card info: Comments
  • Tags – Hover to view applied tags for quick categorization
    On-card info: Tags
  • External link – Preview links with a hover or click to access them directly
    On-card info: External links
  • Due date – Hover to see the full due date
    On-card info: Due date
  • Due date countdown – Displays the days remaining (for tasks due within 9 days)
    On-card info: Due date countdown
  • Difficulty points – Customizable and optional, with values based on your Card Template settings
    On-card info: Difficulty
  • Checklist progress – Track to-do list completion at a glance
    On-card info: Checklist
  • Dependencies – View the status of dependent tasks completion
    On-card info: Dependencies
  • Assignment – Hover to see the assignee’s full name
    On-card info: Assignment

Want your cards to pack even more information? Enable the Card Icons power-up to display extra on-card indicators.

Kanban Tool Card Icons to choose from

Need further customization? The Task Summary power-up lets you project any card data—custom fields included—onto the card front, so you can tailor your workflow exactly how you need it.

Task Summary Power-Up

With these options, your Kanban board works the way you do!

How to move Kanban cards?

The easiest way to move a card? Drag and drop! Simply click, hold, and move the card, or cards, to the new spot—quick and intuitive.

Drag and drop selected tasks elsewhere

Need more options? Try these:

  • Right-click & move
    Use the card’s dropdown menu by right-clicking and selecting Move.
Move a card with the context menu Move option
  • Move multiple cards at once
    Hold CTRL and click to select multiple cards, then right-click to move them all in one go.
Move selected cards
  • Move all cards in a column
    Right-click an empty space in a column and choose Move all to shift all the cards at once.
Move all tasks in a column by right-clicking the column header

These options give you the flexibility to organize your board exactly how you want—fast and hassle-free!

Can I see the full due date on a closed card?

Yes!
By default, cards display the number of days left until their due date. But to see the exact date, just hover over the calendar icon on the card.

Due date countdown and preview

Want the full due date to be visible at a glance on all cards with the due date set? Enable the Task Summary power-up from the board settings, and set it up to show due dates:

Due date with Task Summary

If you don’t see a due date field on your cards, head to Settings → Card Template and turn it on. Keep in mind that board settings are only accessible to project managers or board owners.

What does it mean to block a task?

Blocking a task means marking it as temporarily unworkable due to an issue preventing progress. The Card Blocking feature helps visualize this by “freezing” the card until the problem is resolved.

Kanban Tool Card Blocking Feature

Blocked tasks can’t be moved using the standard drag-and-drop action, making it clear that work is on hold. To use this feature, just enable the Card Blocking power-up.

Can I create a customizable priority field?

Yes! You can set up a custom priority selector using one of the 15 available custom fields.

A Custom Kanban Tool Priority Field

How to customize your priority field:

  • Go to Settings → Card Template
  • Enable a custom field and rename it (e.g., Priority Level)
  • Choose Dropdown with options as the field type
  • Enter your preferred priority values, separating them with semicolons
    (e.g., Ultra; Mega; High; Normal; Low )
Kanban Card Custom Priority Field

Adding visual priority indicators

While a custom priority field won’t generate the standard priority arrows on card fronts, you can use the Card Icons power-up to assign icons to each priority level.

For example, if you named your custom field Priority level, you may configure Card Icons to visually represent each level, like this:

Custom Card Icons setup for the custom priority field

Important note: Avoid naming your custom field simply Priority, as this will interfere with the custom icons setup.

And here’s how your custom priority icons will look on the cards:

Custom icons visible on tasks with custom priority values

How can I link cards together?

There are several ways to connect cards for better workflow visibility and navigation:

Attach one task to another

Make a task card an attachment to another for quick access. Attached tasks open on top of the linking ones for easy navigation. Just go to Attachments and select Link to a task.

Link cards as attachments

Use the Task Dependencies power-up

For complex projects, the Task Dependencies power-up helps break down large tasks into smaller pieces and visually organize their relationships.

Link cards as dependencies

Apply the same tag to multiple cards to group them together. You can then filter by that tag to instantly find all linked tasks.

Link cards with tags

Mention tasks in comments or checklists

Need to reference a task across different boards? Type # in a comment or checklist item to open the global search and link directly to any task you have access to.

Link cards with task search in comments
Link cards with task search in checklist

Every card has a unique web address. Copy the URL from your browser and paste it into another card’s description, external link field, or a custom field to create a direct connection.

Link cards with URLs

Can I assign a task to multiple users?

No, a task can only be assigned to one user at a time. However, there are several ways to share work effectively:

Use checklists for subtasks

Break tasks into smaller checklist items and assign them to different team members.
Each person will receive an email notification when assigned a checklist item, just like with full task assignments.

Multiple user assignment via checklist

Easily find your assigned work

Users can search across all boards for their tasks and checklist items. Just type your initials after @, e.g. @XY, into the search bar to see everything assigned to you.

Search all boards for tasks assigned to a given user

Use task dependencies for complex workflows

If a work element involves multiple people, consider using the Task Dependencies power-up to create a structured hierarchy where different team members are assigned to each related task.

Multiple user assignments via dependencies

This way, teamwork stays seamless while keeping assignments clear!

Can I create subtasks?

Absolutely! You can break down your tasks by adding subtasks as checklist items within your cards.

From an open task view, simply click + Add checklist at the top to start adding items.

Create subtasks

Each checklist item can be assigned to a team member, who will receive email notifications—just like with regular task assignments.

Assign subtasks to users

Need more control? Just hover over a checklist item to assign it, edit, delete, or rearrange it.

Editing a subtask

Want to go even further? You can create nested checklists for more structure. When a checklist item has its own sublist, it transforms into a list heading with a distinct look. Once all sub-items are completed, the heading will automatically mark as done.

Adding nested subtasks

For quick references, type # to open the global search and link related tasks.

Searching for tasks to reference in a checklist

Looking for a different approach to connecting tasks? Try Task Dependencies to build a structured workflow with linked tasks.

Can I create a custom template for different card colors?

Yes! You can assign custom card templates to specific card colors, allowing for tailored layouts based on card type.

When switching to a particular card type—below the default template under Settings → Card Template—you can rearrange or remove fields to match its unique needs. This makes it easy to ensure different job types capture the right information in the right order.

Customize card template by card color

Keep in mind that the default template serves as your baseline. Any field you want available in a specific card type must first be enabled in the default template. From there, you can remove unnecessary fields for certain card types.

The images below show different card templates in use on the same board simultaneously!

Customize card template - example A Customize card template - example B

Do you provide card-specific stats (lead time, cycle time, work time, wait time)?

Yes! You can track card-specific stats through the Lead & Cycle Time diagram, which provides key details such as start time, end time, and cycle time for each task.

The lead and cycle time diagram details

You can display tasks’ lead time through the Task Summary power-up.

Lead time from Task Summary

The time log—accessible from the task itself—records how much time different team members have spent working on a task.

The time log on a task

You can also view work time entries in the Summary View of the Time Report, where you can group entries by task and user for a clearer breakdown.

The summary time report

Note: The time log and Time Report features are available exclusively on the Enterprise plan.

Why is there a question mark instead of my task size?

Tasks with question marks in place of a numerical Task Difficulty value

This can happen for one of two reasons:

  • You’ve kept the default difficulty levels, and selected unknown difficulty for the task
    Task Difficulty - default options
  • You’ve set up custom difficulty levels, but entered values that lack a number,
    e.g. easy, regular, hard.
    Task Difficulty options lacking numbers
    While you can add text descriptions to your Task Difficulty levels in the drop-down menu, only the numerical values will appear on the card fronts.
    Make sure your Task Difficulty levels include a numerical value besides a description:
    Task Difficulty text options with numbers

How to add web links to Kanban cards?

For the easiest access to web links, we recommend using the External Link field, or a custom field with the web link type.

You can also add links directly to the card description field—they’ll be automatically recognized and highlighted. To open one, simply click on it and select the first available icon, Open Link.

Another option is the Web Attachments power-up, which lets you hide links under one-click buttons, saving card space and reducing visual clutter.

Want to add a link to the board instead of an individual card? Try the Pinboard power-up!

How can I make the due date more prominent on my card?

Task Summary

The simplest approach is to display full due dates directly on card fronts with the Task Summary power-up.
To enable this:

  • Go to Settings → Power-Ups → Task Summary.
  • Select the due date to show on closed cards.
Showing due dates on closed cards

Increase the font size

Another way to make the due date more visible is by increasing the card’s font size.
There are two ways to do that:

  1. Use the built-in zoom at Settings → Board Background to scale up all board view elements.
  2. Manually increase the font size alone:
    • Go to Settings → Power-Ups → Developer Tools.
    • Click the blue link to scripts on GitHub.
    • Navigate to the Large Font script, copy its link, and paste it into the Developer Tools dialogue box.
    • Paste the link to the slot titled Enter links to the selected scripts: and save the changes.

How to use due dates in Kanban Tool?

To enable due dates on your Kanban cards:

  • Go to Settings → Card Template from your board view. The settings link on a board
  • Ensure the due date field is selected.

Once enabled, the due date will be visible on task cards and can be edited directly.

Viewing due dates:

  • Inside the card:
The due date field inside a task card
  • On card fronts: Hover over the calendar icon to see the due date.
Due date indicator on card front
  • Countdown mode: When 9 or fewer days remain, the number of days left will appear next to the calendar icon.
A due date countdown
  • Overdue tasks: If the due date passes, a bold 0 or - # days will appear, making it clear at a glance.
An indicator of an overdue date

You can also track due dates in the Calendar Widget, enabled via Settings → Power-Ups.

The Calendar Widget power-up

Tip: Need to track when a task starts? Enable the start date field to accompany your due dates and together make up a timeline view.

The large calendar widget - a timeline view

Tip: Want to make the due date display more noticeable on your cards? You’re welcome to!

How does the Estimated Time field work?

The Estimated Time field helps you set a time estimate for completing a task.
If you’re on the Enterprise service plan, you’ll also get a visual comparison of your estimate vs. actual tracked time.

How to enable & use it

  • Go to Settings → Card Template and activate the Estimated Time field.
  • Your cards will now include a field where you can enter estimated task duration.

Time estimate formatting examples

  • 6 → 6 hours
  • ,5 → 30 minutes
  • :25 → 25 minutes
Adding the estimated time to a card

Visual estimates tracking

  • Within the estimate:
    A pale green progress bar appears at the bottom of the card, showing that the recorder working time is still within the estimated value. Time tracked fits within the estimate
  • Exceeding the estimate:
    If you go over, the progress bar turns red, making it clear how much extra time passed. Time tracked exceeds the estimate
  • After completion:
    The progress bar remains as a record of whether the task was finished within or beyond the estimated time.

This feature helps you track efficiency and manage workloads more effectively!

How to make comments in Kanban Tool?

Efficient team communication is key! Task comments help keep discussions organized, ensure everyone knows which card you’re referring to, and create a record for future reference.

Adding a comment

  • Open a task and click the red chat icon in the bottom-right corner.
    Enter the comments side panel with the red chat icon
  • Enter your message, attach files if needed, and tag team members for notifications.

Notifying team members

  • Click below the comment editor to select a user, or
  • Type @Name, @Surname, @Initials, or @group directly in the comment.
  • The mentioned user(s) will receive an email with your comment and a direct link to the card.
    Selecting whom to notify about a comment

Replying to comments

  • Team members can reply from the board or directly via email—just like a regular conversation!
  • @Mentions work in email replies too—just include @Name, @group, etc. to notify someone.
Mention a user in an email reply to a comment

Attachments & task references

  • Attachments: Files added to a comment will also be included in email notifications. You can also attach files when replying via email.
  • Linking tasks: Click the paperclip icon to attach related tasks.
  • Mentioning tasks: Type # and select a card to create a direct link to it.
    Referencing other tasks inside a comment

Keeping track of conversations

The comments side panel displays both task updates (task history) and comments in chronological order for easy tracking.

The comments / history side panel

Enhance communication with reactions!

Try the Comment Reactions power-up to respond with emojis instead of typing, making communication quick and expressive.

Emoji reactions to comments

How to make card fonts larger?

The quickest way is to increase the task font sizes is to use the board zoom feature, found under Settings → Board Background.

If you’d like even larger text on closed cards, you can use a simple trick! Head to Settings → Power-Ups → Developer Tools and add the Large Font script to an empty slot. That’s it!

Need more details on Developer Tools? Learn more here.

How to edit a card description in full screen?

Need more space to update your card description? Just place the cursor inside the description field as if you’re about to type. A stretch arrow will appear in the top-right corner—click it to switch to full-screen mode!

The full screen editing mode in a task description field

To return to the regular view, simply press ESC.

Tip: You can also use handy keyboard shortcuts while editing.

How to print a task card?

Need a printed copy of your task card? It’s easy!

  • Open the task and select Save as image from the context/hamburger menu.
    Print your card by saving it as an image
  • The image will be saved to your browser’s default download folder.
  • From there, you can print it using your computer’s print settings or any image editor.

And that’s it—you’re all set!

In case you are looking to print the entire board view, please turn here.

Keyboard shortcuts for the card description field

Want to format text faster? Instead of relying on the built-in formatting icons, you can use these handy shortcuts:

  • CTRL + b bold
  • CTRL + s strike-through
  • CTRL + i italics
  • CTRL + k hyperlink
  • CTRL + u underline
  • CTRL + p image insert
  • CTRL + a select all
  • CTRL + x cut
  • CTRL + v paste
  • CTRL + z undo last action.

Try them out and speed up your workflow!

How to recover a deleted task?

For completed work, we recommend archiving tasks instead of deleting them. Archiving helps maintain your account’s Analytics and keeps a record of your progress.
The delete option is best for tasks created by mistake or those that no longer matter in your project.

Accidentally deleted a task? Here’s what to do:

  • Immediate undo: If you realize the mistake right away, press CTRL + Z to instantly restore the task.
  • Recover from the database: If some time has passed, deleted tasks may still be recoverable as long as they remain in our system.

Who can restore deleted tasks?

Only the user who deleted the task, account owners, or admins can restore deleted tasks.

How to search for deleted tasks?

To find and restore a deleted task, open the search window—click the magnifying glass icon at the top-right corner—from any board, and use one of these search queries:

  • deleted_at:? → View all deleted tasks available for recovery.
  • deleted_at:<2018-06-14 → Find all tasks deleted before a date.
  • deleted_at:>8.hours → See all tasks deleted within the last 8 hours.
Find deleted tasks that can still be recovered

Once you find the task, simply click the Restore task button.

Restoring a deleted task

Tip: After restoring a task, you may need to reload the page to display all comments and attachments.

Changing card colors

Want to customize your tasks with different colors? It’s easy!
Just right-click on a task and select Change type from the dropdown menu.

Changing a card's color/type

Need more color options? You’ve got 22 shades to choose from.
To add a new card color, head over to Settings → Card Types, then click + Add card type. Simply name your new card type, pick a color, and hit Add new—and you’re all set!

Editing available card colors under settings

How to use tags?

Want to organize your tasks better? Tags make it easy!

Enabling tags

First, ensure tags are enabled on your Card Template in board Settings.

Adding tags

When you open a card, you’ll see a Tags field. Just type in a tag, hit Enter, and exit the card—your changes will be saved automatically.

Adding a new tag to a card

If a tag has already been used on at least one card in the board, it will appear in other cards’ Tags dropdown, so you only need to type out brand new tags.

Adding a tag existing on the board to a card

Filtering with tags

Tags help you quickly find tasks using board filtering. You can type the tag name directly, or use
tags:’your tag’
for more precise results. For full details on filters and search syntax, check out this guide.

Filtering a board by a specific tag

Removing tags

Need to remove a tag? Just click the small x next to it.

Removing a tag from a card by clicking on the X

Can I show task ID on closed cards?

Yes! To do that, go to board Settings → Card Template and turn on the External ID field.

Task IDs visible on card fronts

Additional options

You can customize how the ID appears by choosing to:

  • Show or hide the ID on the front of cards.
  • Allow the ID to be editable or fixed.
  • Automatically generate an ID for each new task.
  • Use sequential numbering—starting from “1”—or a randomly generated multi-digit number—matching the task’s internal ID, which you can see in the task’s web address
    (the last 8 digits of an open-task URL)
    .

Another way to display IDs

For even more flexibility, try the Task Summary power-up. It lets you display the task ID
—or any other card details—on closed cards, giving you full control over what information is visible.

Can I use Markdown to edit text?

Yes! Elements of Markdown formatting is supported in Kanban Tool comments and the Board Readme power-up, making your text easier to read and organize.

Markdown formatting guide

  • Bold text → *bold text*
  • Italicized text → _italicized text_
    Both can also be used in checklist items.
  • Links → [anchor text](https://www.example.com)
  • Images → ![title](https://image.jpg)
  • Lists →
    * First item
    * Second item

Can I define data format of a custom field?

You can set a format specifier for custom card fields that require structured input—like timestamps, zip codes, or order numbers. This helps standardize data entry and makes typing faster for your team.

Using format specifiers

  • 0 → Any digit
  • a → Any letter
  • * → Any character

For example, if your order numbers always start with ORD, followed by three digits, and end with Z, you could use:
ORD000Z

Handling optional & predefined values

  • Optional values: Enclose them in square brackets [ ].
    Example: [0]aa → An optional digit followed by two letters.
  • Predefined values: Enclose them in curly brackets { }.
    Example: {+1} 000 → “+1” is automatically added before a phone number.
  • Displaying special characters: Use ` before a placeholder character to show it in the field.

Examples of common format specifiers

  • Phone number: +{1}(000)000-0000
  • Time value: 00:00
  • Zip code: 00000
  • Deal value: $00000.00
  • Timestamp: 00:00:00:00
  • Order number: [AAA]000-000
An example of a task with predefined custom fields formatting
Card template example of custom fields with predefined formatting

How to mention other tasks in the comments?

Need to reference another task in a comment?
Just type # in the comment window to quickly search for tasks across all your boards! You can find tasks by name, due date, last update time, and more. For a full list of search options, check out the complete search syntax guide.

Adding a task reference in a Kanban Tool task comment

Once added, the task reference becomes a clickable link, making it easy for your team to jump straight to the details.

How to quickly spot a task’s location?

Automatic location display

Need to find where a task sits on your board? Just check the narrow bar below the task title! It displays the column and swimlane the task is currently in. If you’re viewing tasks from a different project board, the board name will also be included.

Current task location

You can change the task’s location by clicking its current location and selecting a different board, swimlane or column for it to move to.

Use the location display to move a task elsewhere

“Locate this task”

If you come across a Kanban card in a task list—such as My Work or search results—and you want to not only learn where it sits, but also go to that location, it’s not a problem!
Simply open the task, click the context menu (the hamburger icon), and hit Locate this task . This handy shortcut instantly takes you to the task’s exact spot, highlighting the card for you.

The Locate this task option

Also, in the My Work list specifically, you can click the small link icon next to the task name, to be taken to the task’s location. The icon shows only for tasks on boards other than the one you’re currently viewing.

Go to task links in My Work

How to use the start date field?

Kanban Tool cards have always included due dates to help you track when tasks need to be completed. With features like the due date countdown, Calendar Widget, Due Date Reminder emails, and Task Reminders power-up, staying on top of deadlines has never been easier!

Still, with the addition of the start date field, you can also mark when work on a task should begin. Using both start and due dates helps you plan more efficiently, bringing greater clarity to your workflow. You’ll always know what needs attention and when—making prioritization a breeze.

The start date field on a Kanban Tool card

Visualize your task timeline

When you set both a start and due date, your task gets a clear timeline in the interactive calendar, giving you a complete picture of its planned duration.

The large calendar view of tasks timeline

Quickly identify key tasks

Take advantage of start date-related board filters to instantly spot tasks that need your attention.

Filtering the board for tasks with an active timeline

Easy setup

Enable the start date field in your board’s Settings → Card Template, and streamline your planning with a clearer task timeline.

What types of custom fields are available?

Get ready for customization galore! Kanban Tool cards go beyond the basics, offering default fields like type, due dates, and attachments. But the real magic? You can add up to 15 custom fields to tailor your workflow exactly how you need it.

Here’s what you can choose from:

  • Text field
  • Web link
  • Number
  • Dropdown with options
  • Multiple choice grid
  • Date
  • User list
  • Progress indicator
  • E-mail address
  • Votes
  • Rating
  • Address

Total flexibility, your way

Customize your card templates to perfectly fit each project—every board can have a different setup! Plus, you can decide which fields appear on specific card types (colors), ensuring every task gets the right details.
Keep in mind that each of the in-card fields supports a limited number of characters.

Boost efficiency

Want even quicker access to key info? Choose which fields remain visible on closed card fronts, making it easier than ever for you and your team to find what matters at a glance.

With probably the most personalized card templates around, you’re in full control of how you organize and track your work. Utilize custom fields to take your Kanban game to the next level!

What are the character limits for each field?

To keep your Kanban Tool cards running smoothly and maintain data integrity, each field type has a set character limit. Here’s a quick rundown of the maximum number of characters allowed for each:

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

Please honor these limits when filling out your task cards—going over them will prevent your changes from being saved.
By keeping your data concise and well-structured, you’ll ensure seamless workflow management across your boards!