Manage issue boards

Issue boards at a glance

An issue board is a visual work area where issues appear as cards in columns. You use it to arrange board columns, place existing issues, and manage the board record from the Issues area.

When you create a board, choose one of three templates: Default, Simple, or Empty. The board record then gives you access to its columns and issue cards.

Before you start

You need a selected project before the Boards view can load its boards. Sign in to the application. If no project is selected, the page shows No project selected and Pick a project from the switcher to see its boards.

Find and open a board

A board card is the list entry for one saved board. Open it when you want to work with that board's columns and issue cards.

Prerequisites

• Select the project whose issue boards you want to use.
• Sign in to the application.

Steps

1. In the Issues area, open the Boards view.

2. Optional: Select Refresh to request the current board list again.

3. Choose the next action.

   If you want to…	Select…
   start when the list shows No boards yet	Create board; the create-board dialog opens
   create a board from a populated list	New board; the create-board dialog opens
   open a board that is already listed	the board card; the board record opens

4. If the board record is open, optionally select All Boards to return to the board list.

Result: The create-board dialog is open after you select Create board or New board, or the selected board record is open after you select its board card.

Create or duplicate a board

Creating a board starts a new board record. Duplicating copies an existing board's columns and cards into a new board, so use duplication when you want to preserve an existing board arrangement.

Create a board

Prerequisites

Steps

1. In Name, enter the board name.

2. In Description, enter an optional description.

3. In Color, select a color preset.

4. In Start with template, select one of the following options.

   If you want to…	Select…
   Use the four-column starting layout	Default
   Use the three-column starting layout	Simple
   Add your own columns from the beginning	Empty

5. If you selected Default or Simple, select Add all current open issues to this board when the board should begin with the project's current open issues.

6. Select Create board.

The dialog uses Name as a required field and limits it to 80 characters. Description is optional and limited to 500 characters. Add all current open issues to this board is available for Default and Simple, not Empty.

After a successful creation, the application displays Board created and opens the new board record.

Result: The new board record opens with the selected template and optional open issues.

Duplicate a board

Prerequisites

• Open the board list.
• Know which saved board you want to copy.

Steps

1. On the board card, open Board options.

2. Select Duplicate.

3. In Name, review the pre-filled copy name and edit it if needed.

4. In Description, enter an optional description.

5. In Color, select a color preset.

6. Choose the next action.

   If you want to…	Select…
   create the duplicate	Duplicate board
   close the dialog without duplicating	Cancel

Duplicate mode does not show Start with template or Add all current open issues to this board. A successful duplication displays Board duplicated and opens the new board record.

If creation fails, the dialog can display Could not create the board. Try again.

Result: A new board copy opens, or the dialog closes without changing the board list.

Configure the board and its columns

Board settings control the board record itself. Columns control how issues are grouped and which issue status a column represents.

Update board details

Prerequisites

• Open the board record or the board card's options menu.
• Have a new board name ready when you change the name; the field is required for saving.

Steps

1. On the board card, select Board options.

2. Select Edit board.

3. In General, edit Name, Description, or Color.

4. Choose the next action.

   If you want to…	Select…
   save the board details	Save changes
   manage the board columns	Columns

The Name field is required and accepts up to 80 characters. Description is optional and accepts up to 500 characters. A successful save displays Board updated.

Result: The board settings close after the details are updated, or the Columns tab opens for column management.

Add or edit a column

Prerequisites

• Open Board settings on a board record.
• Select Columns.

Steps

1. Choose how to open the editor.

   If you want to…	Open the editor with…
   create a new column	Add column
   edit an existing column	the existing column, which opens Edit column

2. In Name, enter the column name.

3. In Maps to status, select one of Open, In Progress, Resolved, Closed, or None.

4. In Color, select a color preset.

5. In WIP limit, enter a limit, or leave it blank for no limit.

6. Choose the final action.

   If you are…	Select…
   creating a column	Add column
   editing a column	Save

The column name is required and limited to 60 characters. A WIP limit is optional; an entered value has a minimum of 1. None is a purely organizational column mapping that does not change issue status. A successful action displays Column added or Column updated.

Result: The column list shows the new or updated column.

Reorder or remove columns

Prerequisites

• Open Board settings and select Columns.

Steps

1. Drag a column to its new position.
2. Select a column to open its editor.
3. Select Delete column.
4. When other columns exist, choose the destination column for its cards.
5. Select Delete.
6. Select Done when you finish column management.

When the column has other columns available, the confirmation asks where its cards go. When it is the last column, the confirmation says This is the last column on the board — delete the board instead if you want to remove everything. and Delete is disabled. A successful removal displays Column deleted. If saving or deleting fails, the editor can display Could not save the column. or Could not delete the column.

Result: The board shows the saved column order, or the column is removed and its cards are handled according to the selected destination.

Add, filter, and move issues on a board

Issues appear as cards on the board. Use Add Issues to place existing issues on the board, Filter to narrow the cards shown, and drag cards between columns to change their board position.

Add existing issues

Prerequisites

• Open a board record with at least one destination column.
• Know which existing issues you want to place on the board.

Steps

1. Select Add Issues.
2. In Search issues..., enter search text when you want to narrow the list.
3. In the status filter, select Any status, Open, In Progress, Resolved, or Closed.
4. In the priority filter, select Any priority, Critical, High, Medium, or Low.
5. Select the checkbox beside each issue to add, or select Select all visible.
6. In Add to column, select the destination column.
7. Select Add issue or Add issues, according to the number of selected issues.

The Add to column choices come from the board's saved column names. The first column in board order is selected when the dialog opens. If no issues match, the dialog displays No issues to add.

After a successful addition, the application displays Added <count> issue(s) to the board. If the addition fails, it can display Couldn't add issues.

Result: The selected issues appear in the chosen board column.

Filter the board cards

Prerequisites

• Open a board record with cards available to filter.

Steps

1. Select Filter.
2. In Filter cards, choose values under Priority.
3. When the board contains matching values, choose values under Category, Assignee, or Audience.
4. Under Reporter email, select Any, Has email, or No email.
5. Select Reset to remove the choices in the filter panel, or select Clear all from the active-filter strip.

The Category, Assignee, and Audience sections appear when the board has matching values. Priority and Reporter email are always available in the filter panel. Active choices appear in the filter strip and can be removed individually.

Result: The board shows only the cards that match the selected filters.

Move a card between columns

Prerequisites

• Open a board record with an issue card and at least one destination column.

Steps

1. Drag the issue card to its destination column.
2. When the destination is at its WIP limit, review the confirmation prompt <column name> is at its WIP limit (<count>). Add anyway?.
3. Confirm the move when you want to add the card despite the limit.

If the move fails, the application can display Couldn't move the card — please try again.

Result: The card appears in its destination column, or it remains in its original column when the WIP-limit confirmation is declined.

When a board action goes wrong

Use this table to match the exact message to the action you were taking.

Continue with the board's issues

After you finish board maintenance, continue with the individual issue represented by a card or review the issue's status guidance. Creating a board opens its new board record, and deleting a board leaves the issues on the project even though the board view is gone.