How To Setup a Kanban Board in Notion

Lee Stanton January 19, 2022

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Notion is an excellent app that teams use for project management and other functions. It contains many tools to help the group work productively. One of these tools is the Kanban board. If you’re unsure how to create a Kanban board in Notion, look no further. Here, you’ll find out all you need to know about this productivity tool.

How to Set Up a Kanban Board in Notion on a PC

The Kanban board is an invention from Japan, with which an industrial engineer can limit work-in-progress and boost worker efficiency. It works by listing everything crucial, so anyone can tell what’s next on the priority list.

The traditional Kanban board has three columns:

To-do
Doing
Done

The first option is obvious, encapsulating all the tasks that have yet to be addressed. Once someone starts a job, it gets moved to the “Doing” column. That’s where all the works in progress are.

Finally, once a task is completed, it will be moved to “Done.”

Notion is incredibly versatile, and while it doesn’t have a Kanban board template, you can still create it for future boards. Even better, as you can download Notion templates, ready-made examples are available. However, you can always make your own if you prefer.

Here’s how to create a Kanban Bboard on PC:

Part One

Launch Notion.
Select “Add a Page.”Notion: Setup Kanban Board
From “Database,” pick “Board.”
Pick between “Board-Inline” and “Board-Full Page.”
Rename the first column to “To-Do.”
Make two more columns for the other two statuses.

Inline boards are for those who want the board to be on an existing page. For example, if you already have a page waiting for the Kanban board, pick this option.

However, if you want the Kanban board to be separate from other pages, select “Full Page” instead. It will remain its own entity.

Part Two

Here, we’ll work on making cards. Cards are the tasks that fit into one of the three columns. As they’re movable, creating one for each job is enough.

Click on a card on the Kanban Board or add a new one.
Once opened, add at least one property to the card.
For a deadline, add a “Date” property.
Next, pick “Multi-Select” for “Project.”

Doing so lets you set deadlines for the project, which is crucial for timekeeping and scheduling. The “Project” option will allow you to handle several projects within a single Kanban board. This way, you only need one instead of many.

We also recommend sorting the cards by the deadline. That way, you can prioritize the most urgent tasks.

Click on “Sort.”
Select “Add a Sort.”
Change the property to “Deadline.”
Confirm the choice.

This creates a rather barebones Kanban board. If you want something more complex, you can fiddle with the settings and experiment further.

How to Set Up a Kanban Board in Notion on an iPhone

Notion works on mobile devices as well. If you have some time and want to create a Kanban board on the go, feel free to get the app and set it up using the following steps:

Part One

Launch Notion for iPhone.
Swipe from the left.
Select “Add a Page.”
Find the option for creating a board.
Pick the type you want.
Rename the first column to “To-Do.”
Name two more for “Doing” and “Done.”

The mobile app is somewhat similar to the desktop version. Therefore, you can change platforms without having to relearn too many things.

Part Two

Add a card to the Kanban board.
Add properties to the card.
Pick “Date” for “Deadline.”
Select “Multi-Select” for “Projects.”

If you want to add more properties, feel free to do so simultaneously.

To sort the cards by deadline, follow these steps:

Tap on “Sort.”
Pick “Add a Sort.”
Make sure the property in effect becomes “Deadline.”
Confirm the option.

As with PC, you can keep working on the Kanban board and customize it as you please.

How to Set Up a Kanban Board in Notion on an Android Device

There’s little difference between the mobile versions of the Notion app. However, we’ll list the instructions for Android here too.

Part One

Launch Notion on your Android device.
Swipe left and open the sidebar.
Pick “Add a Page.”
Create a Board.
Pick the type you want.
Rename the first column to “To-Do.”
Name two more for “Doing” and “Done.”

If you’re not going to customize your cards in-depth, feel free to skip Part Two.

Part Two

Add a card.
Give the card some properties.
Pick “Date” for “Deadline.”
Select “Multi-Select” for “Projects.”

You can always customize the properties and then clone cards so they keep the same properties.

Here are the steps for sorting the cards by deadline:

Select “Sort.”
Tap on “Add a Sort.”
Select “Deadline” for the Sort property.
Confirm the option select “Done”.

How to Set Up a Kanban Board in Notion on an iPad

These are the steps for making a simple Kanban board on Notion for iPad.

Part One

Open Notion on your iPad.
Swipe left and open the sidebar to start.
Pick “Add a Page.”
Make a Board.
Pick the type you want.
Name the first column “To-Do.”
Name two more “Doing” and “Done.”

Part Two

Add a card.
Pick some properties.
Pick “Date” for “Deadline.”
Select “Multi-Select” for “Projects.”

For sorting, consult these instructions:

Select “Sort.”
Tap on “Add a Sort.”
Select “Deadline.”
Confirm the choice.

Moving Cards

The Kanban board’s simplicity lets you move cards as the task has a new status. Here’s how to move the cards from a column to another:

Click on any card you want to move.
Hold the left mouse button.
Drag it to another column.
Release your finger.
Now, your card will reflect its new status.

With this function, you can move the cards anywhere you need. It’s even possible to move them back to “Doing” if you find out you’re missing something.

Additional FAQs

Can You Use Notion on iPhone?

Yes, you can use Notion on your iPhone. It even works very well on Android devices. However, the complete features are all on the desktop version.

Does Notion Have an iOS Widget?

Yes, there’s a Notion Widget supported for iOS 14.0 and newer. Once you download the app from the App Store, you can add the widget anywhere on your iPhone home screen.

What Is a Board in Notion?

Boards are one of Notion’s most customizable features for managing projects and tasks. The Kanban board is only one of many possible ways to set a Board up.

Keep Everything Tidy

Clear goals are much better targets than vague aims, and you’ll find the team performing better with a Kanban board. Thanks to how versatile Notion is, you can make it as complicated or simple as you like. Your group can even pitch some ideas.

Do you use a Kanban board for organizing ideas? What alternative do you prefer if not? Let us know in the comments section below.