Managing Cards

This guide shows you how to transform basic Trello cards into powerful project management tools by adding labels, due dates, attachments, descriptions, and checklists. These features help you organize work, track deadlines, store important files, and break down complex tasks into manageable steps.

When to Customize Cards

Card customization becomes essential when you need to:

• Categorize cards by priority, department, or project phase using color-coded labels
• Set deadlines and track time-sensitive deliverables with due dates
• Store reference documents, images, or files directly on cards
• Break down large tasks into smaller, trackable action items

Prerequisites

Before customizing cards, you need:

• An existing Trello board with at least one list
• One or more cards already created in your lists
• Edit permissions for the board (owner or team member access)

If you haven't created cards yet, see Add Cards to Lists for step-by-step instructions.

Accessing Card Customization

To begin customizing a card, you first need to open the card's detailed view where all enhancement options are available.

1

Click on any card in your board to open its detailed view. This example shows clicking on a card titled "Test add card" which opens the card back where all customization options are located.

2

In the card's right sidebar, locate and click the Add section. This reveals all the enhancement options including Labels, Members, Dates, Attachment, and more.

Adding Labels for Organization

Labels provide visual categorization using colors and custom text. They help you quickly identify card types, priorities, or project phases across your board.

1

Click on Labels from the Add section. This opens the labels menu where you can see existing labels or create new ones for your board.

2

Choose from the available color options. Each color can represent different categories - for example, red for urgent tasks, green for completed items, or blue for in-progress work.

3

Click the checkbox next to your chosen color to apply the label to the card. The label will immediately appear on the card front.

4

Click Add a label to create a custom label with specific text. This allows you to add descriptive names like "High Priority," "Marketing," or "Bug Fix" to make labels more meaningful.

Setting Due Dates

Due dates help you track deadlines and manage time-sensitive tasks. Trello displays due dates on card fronts and can send notifications as deadlines approach.

1

Click on Dates from the Add section. This opens the date picker interface where you can set due dates and start dates for your tasks.

2

In the due date field, type your desired date. You can enter dates in various formats like "7/24/2025" or "July 24, 2025". Trello will automatically format the date correctly.

3

Alternatively, use the calendar interface to select your due date. Click on the specific day (in this example, 25) to set it as the due date. This method is helpful for visualizing dates relative to the current month.

4

Click the Save button to apply the due date to your card. The due date will now appear as a badge on the card front, and you'll receive notifications as the deadline approaches.

Adding Attachments

Attachments allow you to store files, images, documents, or links directly on cards. This keeps all project-related materials in one centralized location.

1

Click on Attachment from the Add section. This opens the attachment options where you can upload files from your computer or attach links from cloud storage services.

2

Click Choose a file to open your computer's file browser. You can attach various file types including documents, images, PDFs, spreadsheets, and presentation files. Trello supports files up to 10MB for free accounts.

Writing Detailed Descriptions

Card descriptions provide space for detailed explanations, requirements, notes, or instructions that don't fit in the card title.

1

In the main card area, click Add a more detailed description… to open the description text editor. This area supports rich text formatting including bold, italic, links, and lists.

2

Click in the description text area and begin writing your detailed content. You can format text using the toolbar or keyboard shortcuts. The editor shows helpful tips like "Hit 'Enter' for a new paragraph, and 'Shift + Enter' for a simple line break."

Creating Checklists

Checklists break down large tasks into smaller, manageable action items. They provide visual progress tracking and help ensure nothing gets overlooked.

1

Click on Checklist from the Add section. This opens the checklist creation dialog where you can name your checklist and start adding items.

2

In the Title field, enter a descriptive name for your checklist. This example shows "step1

" but you might use names like "Project Requirements," "Testing Tasks," or "Launch Checklist."

3

Click the Add button to create the checklist. This adds the checklist section to your card where you can start adding individual checklist items.

4

In the checklist item field, type your first task or action item. This example shows "test content" being added. Enter specific, actionable items like "Review design mockups" or "Test user authentication."

5

Click Add to save the checklist item. You can continue adding more items to build a comprehensive task list. Each item will have a checkbox that team members can check off as tasks are completed.

Best Practices for Card Customization

Label Organization Strategy

• Create a color-coding system that everyone on your team understands
• Use labels consistently across all boards in your workspace
• Limit the number of labels per card to avoid visual clutter

Due Date Management

• Set realistic due dates that account for dependencies and resource availability
• Enable due date notifications in your Trello settings to stay on track
• Mark cards complete when finished to keep your dashboard accurate

Attachment Organization

• Use descriptive file names before uploading to make attachments easily identifiable
• Consider using cloud storage links instead of direct uploads for large files
• Set one attachment as the card cover image to provide visual context on the board view

Verification and Next Steps

After customizing your cards, verify that:

• Labels appear correctly on the card front and follow your color-coding system
• Due dates are visible and notifications are configured appropriately
• Attachments are accessible and properly named
• Checklists show progress percentages on the card front
• Descriptions provide sufficient context for team members to understand the task

Summary

Card customization transforms basic Trello cards into comprehensive project management tools. By adding labels for visual organization, due dates for time management, attachments for file storage, detailed descriptions for context, and checklists for task breakdown, you create a complete information hub for each work item.

These enhanced cards provide your team with all the information they need to complete tasks efficiently, track progress visually, and maintain organized project documentation. Start with one or two customization features and gradually add more as your workflow requirements grow.