How to Build a Kanban Board in Notion (With Template)

You need a way to see what’s in progress, what’s blocked, and what’s done—all at a glance. A kanban board gives you that visual clarity, and building one in Notion means you keep everything in the same workspace where your docs and notes already live.

Notion’s database system makes kanban boards flexible enough for solo projects, client work, or small-team sprints. You can customize properties, link boards together, and switch between views without losing data.

This guide walks you through every step—from creating your first board to setting up advanced filters and templates you can reuse.

Why Use Notion for Your Kanban Board?

Notion combines the visual drag-and-drop flow of kanban with the power of a relational database. Unlike sticky notes or standalone kanban tools, you can attach files, link to meeting notes, filter by assignee, and switch to calendar or table views instantly.

You also avoid paying monthly fees for separate project-management tools. Everything—tasks, wikis, roadmaps—lives in one place, which is especially useful for freelancers and small teams.

If you’re weighing options, check out our comparison of Notion vs Jira for small teams to see when Notion is enough and when you might need more.

Step 1: Create a New Database in Notion

Open Notion and click “+ New page” in your sidebar. Give it a name like “Project Kanban” or “Marketing Tasks”—whatever describes the work you’ll track.

Type /board and select “Board view” from the menu. Notion creates a new database and displays it as a kanban board by default.

You’ll see a few sample cards and columns (typically “To Do,” “In Progress,” “Done”). These are just placeholders—you’ll customize them in the next steps.

Step 2: Add Essential Properties to Your Cards

Properties are the metadata fields that make your board powerful. Click “+ New property” at the top-right of your board or open any card and click “+ Add a property.”

Here are the core properties every kanban board should have:

• Status (Select): This controls which column each card appears in. Notion creates this automatically when you choose Board view.
• Person (Person): Assign tasks to yourself or teammates.
• Due Date (Date): Set deadlines and filter overdue items.
• Priority (Select): Options like High, Medium, Low help you focus on what matters.
• Tags (Multi-select): Label tasks by project, client, or category.

Click the property name to rename it or change its type. For example, you might rename “Status” to “Stage” or add a “Client” relation if you manage multiple clients.

Keep it simple at first. You can always add more properties later as your workflow evolves.

Step 3: Customize Your Workflow Columns

Your kanban columns are determined by the options in your Status property. Click the “•••” menu at the top of any column to edit, add, or delete stages.

Common workflow stages include:

• Backlog: Ideas and tasks you haven’t started yet.
• To Do: Prioritized work ready to begin.
• In Progress: Active tasks.
• Blocked: Tasks waiting on something (approval, input, etc.).
• Done: Completed work.

Drag columns left or right to reorder them so your workflow reads naturally from left to right. You can also assign colors to each status for quick visual scanning.

If you’re running agile sprints, consider grouping your board by sprint instead of status. Learn more in our guide on how to run Scrum in Notion.

Step 4: Add Your First Tasks

Click “+ New” at the bottom of any column to create a card. Give it a short title that describes the task, like “Write blog outline” or “Review client feedback.”

Open the card to add details: assign it to someone, set a due date, choose a priority, and write notes in the body. You can also attach files, embed links, or create sub-tasks using a checklist or linked database.

Drag cards between columns as work progresses. Notion automatically updates the Status property when you move a card.

If you manage recurring projects, use the “New template” button (click the ▼ next to “+ New”) to create card templates with pre-filled properties and checklists. This saves time when you onboard clients or launch campaigns.

Step 5: Filter and Sort Your Board

Once you have a dozen or more cards, filters help you focus on what’s relevant. Click “Filter” at the top-right of your board and add rules like:

• Show only cards where Person is Me
• Show only cards where Priority is High
• Hide cards where Status is Done

You can combine multiple filters. For example, show only high-priority tasks assigned to you that are due this week.

Click “Sort” to arrange cards by due date, priority, or creation date. Sorting doesn’t change the Status column—it only reorders cards within each column.

Filters and sorting are non-destructive. Turn them off anytime to see the full board again.

Step 6: Switch Between Views

One of Notion’s best features is that you can view the same database in multiple ways. Click “+ Add a view” at the top-left of your database and choose Table, Calendar, Timeline, or List.

For example:

• Use Calendar view to see all tasks by due date.
• Use Table view to bulk-edit properties or export data.
• Use Timeline view to map out project phases over weeks or months.

Each view can have its own filters, sorting, and visible properties. Your original Board view stays intact—you’re just looking at the same data from different angles.

This flexibility makes Notion kanban boards more versatile than standalone tools, especially when you need to plan sprints or report progress to stakeholders.

Step 7: Link Databases for Advanced Workflows

If you manage multiple projects or teams, you can link databases together. Create a new “Projects” database with one card per project, then add a Relation property in your kanban board that links each task to a project.

This unlocks powerful rollups: sum up completed tasks per project, calculate total hours, or filter your kanban to show only tasks for a specific client.

You can also embed the same database on multiple pages. For example, show a filtered version of your kanban board on a client-facing page (with only their tasks visible) while keeping the full board internal.

If you’re planning two-week sprints, our Notion sprint planning template guide explains how to structure linked databases for backlog, active sprint, and retrospectives.

Using a Pre-Built Notion Kanban Template

You don’t have to build everything from scratch. Notion offers free templates in its template gallery, and you can duplicate them to your workspace with one click.

Go to notion.so/templates and search for “kanban” or “project board.” Look for templates that match your use case—marketing campaigns, software development, content calendars, etc.

Click “Duplicate” to add the template to your workspace, then customize the properties, columns, and views to fit your workflow.

For more advanced project management, check out our list of the best Notion templates for project management. If you’re running agile sprints with a team, Scrum Board PRO offers a complete setup with sprint boards, backlog, burndown charts, and bug tracking—ready to use in 10 minutes with no monthly subscription.

Best Practices for Maintaining Your Notion Kanban Board

Limit work in progress. Kanban works best when you finish tasks before starting new ones. Set a WIP limit for your “In Progress” column—5 to 10 cards is a good starting point for small teams.

Archive or delete completed tasks regularly. Too many “Done” cards slow down your board. Create a filter that hides tasks completed more than 30 days ago, or move them to an archive database.

Review your board weekly. Drag cards that are still blocked, update due dates, and reassign tasks if priorities shift. A quick 10-minute review keeps your board accurate and actionable.

Use card covers and icons. Add an emoji icon or cover image to each card for faster visual scanning. This is especially helpful when you manage multiple clients or project types on one board.

If you’re deciding between kanban and other agile methods, read our breakdown of kanban vs Scrum to see which fits your team’s needs.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t add too many properties at once. Start with Status, Person, and Due Date. Add more fields only when you have a clear reason—each property adds visual clutter and maintenance overhead.

Don’t create too many columns. More than six workflow stages usually means your process is too complex or you’re using Status to track multiple dimensions (priority and progress). Use separate properties or filters instead.

Don’t skip card templates. If you onboard clients, plan campaigns, or launch products repeatedly, templates save hours and ensure consistency.

Don’t forget to set permissions. If you share your board with clients or contractors, click “Share” at the top-right and choose who can edit, comment, or view. You can also restrict access to specific views or pages.

When to Use Notion Kanban vs Other Tools

Notion kanban boards work best when you need flexibility and all-in-one organization. They’re ideal for freelancers, small teams, and anyone who wants to keep project tasks, meeting notes, and documentation in the same workspace.

However, if you need real-time collaboration with dozens of users, advanced automation, or enterprise-grade reporting, tools like Jira or Asana may be better. See our Notion vs Jira comparison for a detailed breakdown.

For a deeper dive into kanban principles and how to apply them to any tool, read our guide on what a kanban board is and how to use it in 5 easy steps.

Next Steps: Scale Your Notion Workspace

Once your kanban board is running, you can expand your Notion setup with linked databases, dashboards, and automated workflows. Explore the Notion templates section on Digitify for more guides and ready-to-use systems.

Start small, test your workflow for a week, and iterate. The best kanban board is the one you actually use—and Notion makes it easy to adapt as your projects and team evolve.

Frequently asked questions

Can I create a kanban board in Notion for free?

Yes. Notion's free Personal plan includes unlimited boards (databases) and all the core kanban features: Board view, properties, filters, and templates. You only need a paid plan if you want to collaborate with more than 10 guests or use advanced admin features.

How do I share a Notion kanban board with my team?

Click 'Share' at the top-right of your page, then invite teammates by email or copy a shareable link. You can set permissions to Full Access (edit), Can Comment, or Can View. If your team is on a paid workspace, everyone sees live updates instantly.

Can I use the same Notion database as both a kanban board and a calendar?

Yes. Click '+ Add a view' at the top-left of your database and choose Calendar. Both views show the same data—changes you make in one appear in the other instantly. You can also add Table, Timeline, or List views.

How do I move completed tasks out of my kanban board in Notion?

Add a filter that hides cards where Status is Done, or create a separate Archive database and use a relation property to move old tasks there. You can also delete completed cards if you don't need to reference them later.

Can I automate task movements or notifications in Notion kanban boards?

Notion has basic automation through database templates and buttons, but it doesn't offer built-in triggers like 'move card when due date passes.' You can use third-party tools like Zapier or Make to connect Notion to other apps and create automated workflows.

What's the difference between a Notion kanban board and a Trello board?

Both use drag-and-drop cards and columns, but Notion's kanban is part of a full database system—you can switch views, link databases, and keep all your docs in one workspace. Trello is simpler and faster for pure kanban, but less flexible for complex workflows or integrated documentation.