How to Use Trello as Your To-Do List

With projects getting larger by the day, finding a task management tool that works for you and your business is more important than ever. With Trello to-do lists, project management never looked the same.

Trello task lists are fun, flexible, and customisable ways to get your ideas into action. Combine them with the Blue Cat Reports power-up to enhance your productivity using data analysis.

Can I Use Trello As A To-Do List?

Yes! Trello to-do lists offer a simplistic approach to collecting your tasks in one place. There is no limit to the number of lists you can create, and you have the freedom to name them as you go to group similar tasks together.

Whether you want to organise your personal or professional life better, Trello is an interactive project management tool that offers a variety of components, including boards, cards, and lists. If you’re looking to inspire and organise your team and avoid disorganisation, using Trello as a to-do list is your best option.

How To Create And Manage A To-Do List In Trello?

Step 1: Setting Up A Trello To-Do List

To create a Trello to-do list, you first need to log in to your Trello account. Once logged in, you will be prompted to create your to-do list board. Inside each board, you can add unlimited Trello task lists. Simply choose the “Add List” button and edit the name of your list.

If you use Trello for project management, we highly advise you to create at least three lists, such as:

• To-do list
• In progress list
• Completed tasks list

Step 2: Add Your Tasks

Once you’ve created your lists, it’s time to fill them in with your cards. Each card will represent a detailed task. To better manage your cards and ensure optimal user experience, Trello offers a variety of features such as coloured labels, file attachments, assigned members, schedule dates, and description boxes. Inside each card, you also get an activity section where you can solve any issue with your team to avoid confusion.

Step 3: Add Power-Ups

Step up your game with power-ups! Trello offers a variety of plugins to take your project management to the next level. Depending on which power-ups you add, you can visualise data in beautifully designed reports, measure for how long your cards have been active, create Forms to create Cards in Trello, or even connect boards and sync their tasks together.

How To Get The Most Out Of Trello To-Do Lists

Once you’ve established your lists and cards, make your workspace user-friendly and start inviting your team to collaborate on the lists.

Here are 10 top tips to help you get the most out of Trello’s task management.

1. Prioritize Tasks By Adding Labels

Labels are the best way to prioritise your tasks visually in your Trello to-do board.

To create a label, simply choose a card and click on the “Labels” option. Then choose your preferred colours and edit their names. Each card can display more than one label.

After you’ve set your labels, you get the option to display only the labelled cards you want to see. So, for example, if your list appears overwhelming, you can go to the menu and click “Search Cards”, then filter to show only the labels you need at that moment.

2. Create Advanced Checklists To Keep Your Team On Track

Sign up to Trello Premium or Enterprise to get the option to create advanced in-card checklists for your Trello to-do board. Checklists are excellent to keep everyone on track and hold your team accountable for a project. Under this system, everyone has a clear understanding of their responsibilities.

To use checklists, simply open your preferred card, choose the checklist option, and proceed to add tasks, assign members and due dates.

3. Use Trello’s Butler Automation Robot

Butler is Trello’s automation robot. Butler can perform repetitive actions and set up commands for:

• Buttons that run actions on cards or boards
• Rules that are triggered by specific actions
• Due dates that work in accordance with other due dates
• Scheduled commands that run on particular days

For example, you can use Butler to set a card to turn red when a due date is approaching and place it on top of your Trello to-do list. This valuable feature works with AI to better suit your needs and suggest new automation ideas to improve your workflow.

4. Utilize Custom Fields

Custom fields are when your Trello Cards really become your own by adding your own custom data to the back of every Card. Add your own data, from email addresses and phone numbers to additional dates and text fields. You can also add your own drop down fields and checkboxes as well.

All of your custom fields can be displayed on the front of your Cards in Trello. Custom fields are one of our favourite features of Trello because they can take a generic task management tool and make it really your own! Trello custom fields also work nicely with Trelo automations (previously Butler). If you are going to start using them remember to look for Power-Ups which also play nicely with the Custom fields, such as our new Forms Power-Up 😻.

5. Let Google Drive Do The Job For You

Use a Google Drive Power-Up to organise your attachments. Bring all your valuable files and folders into your Trello cards, search and attach the ones you need and get a preview of your documents in real-time.

TOP TIP:

You can even turn your Trello board into a Google Slides presentation in no time!

6. Customize Your Trello View

Choose how you want to view your Trello workspace to help you visualise what tasks need to be done, who is in charge of each one, and the due dates. Simply choose from the “Board” option to swap your view to one of the following:

• Timeline
• Table
• Dashboard
• Calendar

The Trello view feature is available for Premium and Enterprise customers. With this feature, you get a bird’s-eye view of your projects, and you’re able to generate tailored reports to your needs.

7. Create Templates For Repetitive Tasks

Save time when repeating deliverables or tasks by creating templates out of cards. You can do that by selecting the “Make A Template” from your preferred card’s menu. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s a huge time saver!

8. Create Reference Cards For Your Team

To avoid repeating identical instructions, create reference cards that are always available in the left lanes of your board. These instructions can include links, attachments, guides, or instructions for the whole team.

For example, create a reference card on how Trello tasks lists work for your team. Once you answer these fundamental questions, it’ll be easier to keep everyone on the same page and confident about their work.

9. Decide On A Team Manager

Assign one person to manage each board to avoid everyone moving, planning, changing, and deleting their lists and cards. Although each team member will play their part in the Trello task management, it’s crucial to have a project manager overlooking the situation and making adjustments when necessary.

10. Dive Into The Data

Trello is also an excellent source of insights and data. Project managers can get the most out of the platform by reporting power-ups on their Trello to-do lists, such as Blue Cat Reports. These systems help them organise, analyse, visualise and extract data from past projects that indicate actionable steps to better planning and resources allocation. That way, it’s easier to manage a future project and task completion.

Is Trello Better Than Todoist?

Although both Trello and Todoist are excellent project management tools, they vary in multiple ways. For example, Trello offers advantages that are hard to find in other task management apps, such as a free version that supports access to most essential project management features.

More specifically, Trello gets the upper hand regarding the minimalist design, absence of ads, personalisation, iOS compatibility, and in-app purchases.

Overall, Trello is a project management tool better suited for high-level and long-term projects requiring team collaboration. However, compared to Trello, Todoist offers fewer possibilities for sharing and collaborative workspaces.

Which One Is Better: Trello or Notion?

Notion is a comprehensive management tool for various things, but if you want to focus entirely on project management, Trello is the perfect fit for you. Both are ideal for simple task management, but when it comes to more complex project management between teams, Trello has the upper hand. Trello allows you to add integrations, and it is straightforward to use. Although Notion is a bit more affordable than Trello’s paid version, it is not beginner-friendly, and therefore it may take you longer to adjust to the interface.

Final Thoughts On Using Trello As A To-Do List

To conclude, the productivity possibilities of Trello’s to-do lists are endless. If you want to avoid disorganisation, confusion, and frustration, it’s the best fit for you. By harnessing its advantages, you’ll be able to master project management for personal or professional use.

Download Blue Cat Reports today to further capitalise on the plugin’s ability to help you visualise and analyse your Trello data.