Project Boards - Kanban System

Overview

Project Boards are Corcava's powerful Kanban-style visual project management system. Each board provides a flexible workspace where your team can organize tasks, track progress, and collaborate effectively. Multiple boards can exist within a single project, allowing you to organize different workflows, phases, or aspects of your work.

Think of boards as digital whiteboards with sticky notes that your entire team can access, update, and collaborate on in real-time.

Board Fundamentals

What is a Project Board?

A Project Board is a visual workspace that uses the Kanban methodology to organize work into columns representing different stages of your workflow. Each board contains:

Columns - Represent stages in your workflow (To Do, In Progress, Done, etc.)
Tasks - Individual work items that move through your workflow
Labels - Color-coded tags for categorizing and organizing tasks
Automation - Intelligent workflows that trigger actions based on task movements
Team Collaboration - Real-time updates and activity tracking

Key Benefits

✅ Visual Organization - See all work at a glance with intuitive Kanban layout
✅ Flexible Workflows - Customize columns to match your team's process
✅ Real-time Collaboration - Multiple team members working simultaneously
✅ Progress Tracking - Clear visibility into project status and bottlenecks
✅ Automation Integration - Reduce manual work with smart automations
✅ Client Transparency - Optional client portal access for project visibility

Multiple Boards Per Project

Projects can contain multiple boards to support complex workflows:

Common Board Patterns:

Main Workflow - Primary development or delivery process
Bug Tracking - Separate board for issue resolution
Planning Board - Backlog and feature planning
Client Feedback - Dedicated space for client review and approval
Marketing Activities - Campaign tasks and deliverables
Administrative Tasks - Internal project management activities

Creating and Setting Up Boards

Board Creation Process

Step 1: Navigate to Board Creation

Go to Project Boards section
Click "Create Board" button
Or create directly from within a project

Step 2: Configure Board Details

Board Title (required) - Clear, descriptive name for the board
Project Association - Link to existing project (can be changed later)
Description (optional) - Detailed overview of board purpose

Step 3: Initial Setup

Board owner is automatically set to creator
Team assignment inherits from associated project
Basic permissions configured based on user roles
Board is immediately available for column and task creation

Board Properties

Required Information:

Title - Descriptive board name (up to 255 characters)
Project Link - Association with existing project
Team Assignment - Automatically assigned to your team

Automatic Configuration:

Owner - User who created the board
Permissions - Based on project and user roles
Labels - Empty label set ready for customization
Columns - Ready for workflow setup

Best Practices for Board Setup

✅ Clear Naming - Use descriptive titles that indicate board purpose
✅ Logical Organization - Group related work on the same board
✅ Workflow Alignment - Match board structure to your team's actual process
✅ Team Coordination - Discuss board structure with team before creation
✅ Client Consideration - Plan for client portal access if needed

Board Management & Operations

Active Board Management

Viewing Boards:

Board List - Overview of all accessible boards
Search Functionality - Find boards by name or project
Filtering Options - Filter by project, owner, or status
Quick Access - Recent boards and favorites

Board Navigation:

Board View - Full Kanban interface with all columns and tasks
Archive View - Access to completed and archived tasks
Settings Panel - Board configuration and management options
Activity Feed - Complete history of board changes

Editing Board Settings

Basic Information:

Access Board Settings - Click board menu or settings icon
Update Details:
- Change board title and description
- Modify project association if needed
- Update board-specific settings
Save Changes - Apply modifications immediately

Advanced Configuration:

Permission Settings - Control who can access and modify the board
Automation Rules - Set up automated workflows and notifications
Integration Settings - Connect with Slack, Telegram, or other tools
Archive Policies - Define when and how tasks are archived

Board Permissions & Access

Role-Based Access:

Superadmin & Organization Manager:

✅ Full access to all team boards
✅ Can create, edit, delete any board
✅ Can modify board settings and permissions
✅ Access to all board data and reports

Sales Manager:

✅ Can create boards for their projects
✅ Can manage boards they own
✅ Can assign team members to their boards
✅ Limited to boards they own or are assigned to

Project Viewer (Client):

✅ View-only access to assigned boards
✅ Can see task progress and completion status
✅ Can view comments and file attachments
❌ Cannot create or modify tasks
❌ Cannot change board structure

Team Members:

✅ Can work on assigned boards
✅ Can create and modify tasks within boards
✅ Can collaborate and add comments
✅ Can track time and update task status

Main Board View

Header Section:

Board Title - Clear identification of current board
Action Buttons:
- Archive - Access completed and archived tasks
- Automations - Configure automated workflows
- Link Bot - Connect Telegram or Slack bots
- Filters - Show/hide tasks based on criteria

Main Workspace:

Column Layout - Horizontal scrolling Kanban columns
Drag & Drop Interface - Move tasks between columns
Real-time Updates - See changes from other team members instantly
Visual Indicators - Progress, assignments, and status at a glance

Drag & Drop Functionality

Task Movement:

Between Columns - Drag tasks to different workflow stages
Within Columns - Reorder tasks by priority or preference
Visual Feedback - Ghost elements show where tasks will be placed
Automatic Saving - Changes saved immediately upon drop

Column Management:

Reorder Columns - Drag columns to match your workflow sequence
Column Settings - Configure column behavior and properties
Add/Remove Columns - Modify workflow as processes evolve

Responsive Design

Desktop Experience:

Full Kanban Layout - Multiple columns visible simultaneously
Keyboard Shortcuts - Quick navigation and task creation
Multi-window Support - Open multiple boards in different tabs

Mobile & Tablet:

Touch-Optimized - Swipe and tap interactions
Responsive Columns - Horizontal scrolling on smaller screens
Quick Actions - Essential functions easily accessible

Board Labels & Organization

Label System

What are Labels? Labels are color-coded tags that help categorize and organize tasks within boards. They provide visual organization and enable quick filtering and identification of related work.

Label Properties:

Title - Descriptive name for the label
Color - Visual identifier (multiple color options)
Board-Specific - Each board has its own set of labels
Multiple Assignment - Tasks can have multiple labels

Creating and Managing Labels

Creating New Labels:

Access Label Management - Open board settings or label panel
Add New Label:
- Enter descriptive title
- Choose color from available palette
- Save to make available for tasks
Apply to Tasks - Assign labels to relevant tasks

Label Organization:

Consistent Naming - Use clear, standardized label names
Color Coding - Develop consistent color meanings across boards
Regular Review - Periodically clean up unused or redundant labels

Common Label Patterns

By Priority:

🔴 High Priority - Critical tasks requiring immediate attention
🟡 Medium Priority - Important tasks with moderate urgency
🟢 Low Priority - Tasks that can be completed when time allows

By Category:

🔵 Development - Technical implementation tasks
🟣 Design - Creative and visual work
🟠 Marketing - Promotional and outreach activities
🟤 Admin - Administrative and organizational tasks

By Status:

⚪ Blocked - Tasks waiting for external dependencies
🔴 Bug - Issues requiring fixes
🟢 Feature - New functionality development
🟡 Review - Tasks pending review or approval

Board Automation & Integration

Automation Capabilities

Corcava's board automation system enables intelligent workflows that reduce manual work and ensure consistent processes.

Available Automations:

Task Movement Automations:

Auto-assign - Automatically assign tasks when moved to specific columns
Status Updates - Update task status based on column placement
Time Tracking - Start/stop time tracking based on task movement
Notifications - Alert team members of important changes

Daily Reporting:

Progress Summaries - Automated daily progress reports
Team Updates - Summary of completed work and upcoming tasks
Client Reports - Automated updates for client transparency
Slack/Telegram Integration - Reports delivered to team channels

Integration Options

Slack Integration:

Real-time Notifications - Task updates sent to Slack channels
Daily Reports - Automated progress summaries
Team Alerts - Important milestone and deadline notifications
Custom Channels - Route different types of updates to appropriate channels

Telegram Integration:

Bot Commands - Manage tasks directly from Telegram
Instant Notifications - Immediate updates on task changes
Team Communication - Project updates in team chats
Personal Alerts - Individual notifications for assigned tasks

Webhook Support:

Custom Integrations - Connect with external tools and systems
API Triggers - Automated actions based on board events
Data Synchronization - Keep external systems updated with board changes

Setting Up Automations

Configuration Process:

Access Automation Panel - Click "Automations" button in board header
Choose Automation Type:
- Daily reports for progress summaries
- Task completion notifications
- Column movement triggers
Configure Settings:
- Select target channels or recipients
- Set timing and frequency
- Customize message templates
Test and Activate - Verify automation works as expected

Best Practices: ✅ Start Simple - Begin with basic notifications before complex workflows
✅ Team Coordination - Ensure team members want automated notifications
✅ Regular Review - Periodically assess automation effectiveness
✅ Avoid Spam - Balance useful information with notification overload

Board Archive & History Management

Archive System

What Gets Archived:

Completed Tasks - Tasks moved to "Done" columns
Old Boards - Boards no longer actively used
Historical Data - Complete record of all board activity
File Attachments - All uploaded files and documents

Archive Benefits:

Clean Organization - Remove clutter while preserving data
Historical Reference - Access to complete project history
Performance - Faster board loading with archived items separate
Compliance - Maintain records for audit and legal requirements

Managing Archives

Accessing Archives:

Board Archive View - Click "Archive" button in board header
Browse Archived Items - View completed tasks and old data
Search Archives - Find specific archived tasks or information
Restore if Needed - Bring archived items back to active status

Archive Operations:

Manual Archive - Move specific tasks to archive
Automatic Archive - Tasks auto-archived based on completion status
Bulk Operations - Archive multiple items simultaneously
Selective Restore - Bring back specific archived items

Data Preservation

What's Preserved:

✅ Complete task details and descriptions
✅ All comments and team discussions
✅ File attachments and documents
✅ Time tracking records
✅ Activity history and audit trails
✅ User assignments and role information

Archive Restoration:

Full Restoration - Complete task restoration with all data
Selective Recovery - Restore specific elements as needed
History Preservation - Archive/restore actions tracked in history
Permission Respect - Restoration follows current permission settings

Board Filtering & Search

Filter System

Available Filters:

User Assignment - Show tasks assigned to specific team members
Label Categories - Filter by one or more labels
Date Ranges - Tasks within specific timeframes
Task Status - Active, completed, or blocked tasks
Priority Levels - High, medium, or low priority items

Search Functionality

Search Capabilities:

Task Names - Find tasks by title or keywords
Description Content - Search within task descriptions
Comments - Locate tasks with specific comment content
File Names - Find tasks with specific attachments
User Names - Tasks assigned to or created by specific users

Advanced Search:

Multiple Criteria - Combine different search parameters
Date Ranges - Search within specific timeframes
Boolean Operators - Use AND/OR logic for complex searches
Saved Searches - Store frequently used search criteria

Getting Started with Your First Board

Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Create Your Board

Navigate to Project Boards → Create Board
Enter descriptive board title
Select associated project
Save to create the board

Step 2: Set Up Your Workflow

Create columns that match your process (To Do, In Progress, Review, Done)
Configure column settings (mark "Done" columns appropriately)
Set up any special column behaviors

Step 3: Add Initial Tasks

Create tasks in appropriate columns
Add descriptions and details
Assign team members
Apply relevant labels

Step 4: Configure Team Access

Ensure team members have appropriate permissions
Set up any needed automations
Configure client portal access if required

Common Board Templates

Development Board:

Backlog - Future features and improvements
To Do - Tasks ready to start
In Progress - Active development work
Code Review - Completed work pending review
Testing - Features being tested
Done - Completed and deployed features

Marketing Campaign Board:

Planning - Campaign strategy and preparation
Content Creation - Writing, design, and asset development
Review & Approval - Client or stakeholder approval
Scheduled - Content ready for publication
Live - Active campaigns and content
Analysis - Performance review and optimization

Client Project Board:

Discovery - Requirements gathering and planning
Design - Creative development and mockups
Development - Implementation and building
Client Review - Feedback and revision cycles
Final Approval - Client sign-off
Delivered - Completed deliverables

Advanced Board Features

Multi-Board Management

Board Relationships:

Project Grouping - Multiple boards within single project
Cross-Board Dependencies - Tasks that depend on other boards
Shared Resources - Team members working across multiple boards
Unified Reporting - Progress tracking across all project boards

Board Coordination:

Consistent Labeling - Use similar label systems across related boards
Team Communication - Regular updates on cross-board dependencies
Timeline Alignment - Coordinate schedules across different workflows
Resource Management - Balance team capacity across boards

Performance Optimization

Large Board Management:

Archive Regularly - Keep active boards focused on current work
Use Filters - Focus on relevant tasks to improve performance
Limit Columns - Avoid excessive workflow complexity
Task Organization - Break large tasks into smaller, manageable pieces

Best Practices: ✅ Regular Maintenance - Clean up completed tasks and outdated information
✅ Team Training - Ensure all team members understand board conventions
✅ Process Evolution - Adapt board structure as team processes improve
✅ Client Communication - Keep clients informed of board organization and access

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Performance Issues

Slow Board Loading:

Archive completed tasks regularly
Reduce number of active tasks per column
Check internet connection and browser performance
Clear browser cache if needed

Drag & Drop Not Working:

Refresh browser page
Check browser compatibility
Ensure proper permissions for task movement
Verify no conflicting browser extensions

Permission Problems

Cannot Create/Edit Tasks:

Verify user role and permissions
Check project assignment status
Confirm board access rights
Contact team administrator if needed

Missing Board Access:

Ensure proper project assignment
Verify team membership
Check if board has been archived
Request access from board owner

Next Steps

Now that you understand project boards, you're ready to explore:

Column Management - Master workflow stages and column configuration
Task Management - Learn advanced task organization and collaboration
Team Collaboration - Optimize team coordination and communication
Automation Setup - Configure intelligent workflows and integrations

Remember: Project boards are the visual heart of your project management system. Taking time to set up boards that match your team's actual workflow will dramatically improve productivity and collaboration.