How To Get Started With Trello, Use Cases, Pricing Plan and Features

This web-based software was released at a TechCrunch event by Fog Creek founder, Joel Spolsky. It is a Kanban-style, list-making application that is developed by Trello Enterprise, a subsidiary of Atlassian.

Trello launched the Power-Up platform in 2016 which allows 3^rd party developers to build and distribute extensions known as power-ups.

On January 9 2017, Atlassian announced its intent to acquire Trello for $45 million and the transaction was made with $360 million in cash and $65 million in shares and options. As of October 2019, Trello announced they had 50 million users. They have integrations like Giphy, Zendesk and SurveyMonkey.

Trello users can create their task boards with different columns and also move the tasks between them. Trello can be used for both personal and business purposes including gaming, lesson planning, real estate management, school bulletin boards, accounting, and software project management.

 

Trello	Ratings
Ease of use	5.0
Pricing	4.5
Automation	4.5
Integration	5.0
Analytics	4.5

      

Getting Started with Trello

1. Select Get Trello for free.

2. Enter your email and select Continue.

3. Create your Trello workspace by naming your workspace and inputting your teammates’ email addresses. When done, click on Create your Workspace.

This is your Trello workspace.

Pricing Plan   

1. Free Plan – ($0)

Free for your whole team and it’s for individuals or teams that are looking to organise any project. This plan comes with unlimited cards, up to 10 boards per workspace, custom backgrounds and stickers, 2 Factor Authentication, iOS and Android mobile apps, unlimited activity log, unlimited storage (10 MB/file), unlimited Power-Ups per board, 250 workspace command runs per month.

2. Standard Plan -$5 per user/month if billed annually and $6 when billed monthly.

This plan is for small teams that need to manage work and scale collaboration. It comes with everything in the free plan including unlimited boards, custom fields, saved searches, single board guests, advanced checklists, unlimited storage (250 MB/file), and 1000 workspaces command runs per month.

3. Premium Plan – $10 per user/month if billed annually and $12.50 when billed monthly.

This plan is for teams that need to track and visualize multiple projects in several ways including boards, calendars, timelines and dashboards, workspace views: table and calendar, collections, workspace-level templates, simple data export, observers, unlimited workspace command runs, and priority support.

4. Enterprise Plan – $17.50 for 50 users

                                   $13.13 for 1000 users per month/user when billed monthly and $157.50 when   

                                   billed annually per user.  

                                   $16.25 for 5000 users per month/user and $195.00 annually.

This plan is for organisations that need to connect work across teams with more control and security. You’ll have to contact Trello’s sales team to get a custom bill.

This plan comes with everything in the Premium plan including unlimited workspaces, public board management, organisation-wide permissions, attachment permissions, power-up administration, multi-board guests, free SSO and user provisioning with Atlassian Access.

How Trello’s Dashboard Works

1. The Workspaces option gives you an overview of all your created and current workspaces.

2. The Recent option lets you know and find what tasks and boards you’ve viewed.

3. The Starred option helps you star important boards and also access them quickly and easily.

4. The Templates option gives you access to explore several templates from the Trello community.

5. The Create option gives you the option of creating a workspace – starting with a template or creating a board.

Features of Trello

1. Task Creation

This involves creating a task/project from start to finish. You are able to create a board, manage information, track tasks statuses and ensure you deliver them.

How It Works

Under your workspace (PCurve Workspace), select Boards and click on create your first board. Pick a background, enter a board title, choose the visibility of your workspace and select Create.

This task is divided into 3 sections – To Do, Doing and Done. Tasks that you create can be kept or listed in any of the categorised sections. Select/highlight the To do section, click on Add a card and input a title for the card. You can add more cards if you wish to.

Select any created cards/tasks to make further edits, add a description, add a comment or two and an option to add this card/task to a card. When you scroll towards the end of the card, there’s an Actions option with few prompts or buttons, select Make templates and scroll back to the top of the card. Select create card from template, edit the card if need be and select create card.

Over to the next section – Doing – select +Add a card, and enter a title for the card. You select +Add a card to create new cards or tasks or you select the little icon beside +Add a card to create or edit a card template.

Highlight any of the tasks in the Doing sections and make edits. I chose the renovating Product Curve website and since I used it from a previous template, I need to edit it.

Moving to the Done section, you click on +Add a card to create a task. Highlight any of the cards/tasks to make edits where necessary. You can add fields to your tasks/cards (dates, members or labels). You can also add another list/category by selecting Add another list after the Done section.

2. Workspace Views  

This feature gives you better ways to see your cards/tasks in your workspace in two formats – calendar and/or table.

How It Works

There are two view options under Workspace views.

Click on the + symbol next to Workspace Views. Enter a title (I inputted P.C Uno), select a view (either table/calendar), choose the workspace visibility (private or visible) and choose a board you wish to view (in this case, PCurve Uno. If you have more than one board, select one out of them). When done, select Create.

3. Templates

You have the opportunity of selecting pre-made cards/boards that cut across categories like Personal, Remote work, Team management, Product/Project Management, Design or Business.

How It Works

Select the Template option and click on Explore templates. You either choose from the featured category or the categorized section.

Select a template from any category (I chose the Design Project Board template, read through the brief summary and select Use Template. When you select Use Template, edit the title, add a workspace (if you created or have more than one), you can decide to keep cards and templates and then select Create.

This template has 6 lists – Information, To-Do, WIP (Work in Progress), Review, Done and Supplier. This is currently in the Board view, to see more views, click on the arrow after Table and select one or more views to add.

This is the Dashboard view.

Each tile/section can be edited and you choose your desired type of visual representation. I chose Pie chart and clicked on Next. You select what type of tiles and select edit tile. At the bottom of the Dashboard view, you can add another tile by selecting the + sign, add a tile, select Next, add a timeframe and type and then click on Add tile.

This is the Timeline view. It’s similar to the calendar. What distinguishes them is that for the Timeline view, your list is by the side. Click on the + sign in front of any of the list (Information), to add dates and schedule.

I selected Reference Images to make further edits. You can move this card (reference images) to another board. To schedule this card, add a start date (highlight it) and a due date (also highlight it) and select Save.

This is the Map view.

Select +Add a card, enter a title for the card, select Search Google Maps and add a location, select Information and add to another list and position. When done, select Add. Select the three dots after Share to add custom fields, include stickers, change the board background and know more about the board.

You can add more tasks to any of the lists by clicking on +Add a card on any list/section, add a title and select enter.

To add another template, click on Templates at the top of the dashboard and select from the top templates or click Explore templates. You can edit the board title, choose the visibility and decide to keep cards and then select Create.

This is a newly created template. Because I didn’t select keep cards, I have to create lists under Ready for Launch and Launched. Your templates are viewed under Your boards.

4. Power-Ups

Trello’s power-up feature helps to supercharge your workflow by giving you the freedom to bring additional features to your boards and also to integrate your apps into Trello.

How It Works

Go to Your Boards and select any of the templates or boards. Select a card/task to make further edits. Scroll down the card and select +Add Power-Ups under Power-Ups. There are up to 11 categories when selecting a Power-Up.

Select one of the power-ups by clicking Add. When you scroll down, there are Essential Power-Ups and Trello Integrations.

I selected Analytics & Reports by Screenful and selected Add. Read through the brief and select Add. With this Power-Up, you get insights and analytics from your Trello data and projects. You can also create automated reports, there’s an intuitive editor, and you’re able to share and schedule.

These power-ups/features come alongside Screenful:

a. Dashboards – helps you create sprints, track your leads and see other key metrics.

b. Card Size – lets you set weights (hours/story points) for your cards.

c. OKR Cards

d. Epic Cards

e. Card Dependencies

f. Card Priority

g. Scaled

You’ll have to edit your Power-Up. Note that most of the Power-Ups requires configurations.

5. Integrations

This helps you discover and find apps or new ways to get work done in Trello. You can filter from categories ranging from Automation, Analytics $ Reporting, Developer tools, Product & Design, IT & Project Management.

How It Works

Select an integration under any category – I chose Mailchimp under Marketing & Social Media. Select Enable. Read through the brief/summary and click on Add Power-Up.

Select a board to add it to, click on the select bar and pick a board, select Add. Select Go to board, click on Power-Ups and click on Add Power-Ups. To disable this Power-Up, select settings and click on disable.

To add more integrations, select another integration under a category – I chose Dropbox under File management, click on configure, click on connect to Trello and input your details – email and password.

6. Automation

Trello gives you the flexibility of automating your workflow without the need/use of code.

How It Works

Select any board under Your Boards – I selected Design Project Board – and click on Automation. Select any option from the options displayed before you.

I selected Rules. This option helps you automatically react to your actions on a board. Click on Create Rule, click on +Add Trigger and select a trigger and actions and then click on Save.

Go to the Card Button to create custom buttons that will appear at the back of every card. Click on Create Button, select Add Action, you can edit the icon, input a title, add an action, select some triggers and click on Save. You cab decide to enable this automation on all boards on this workspace, on this particular board or share with the workspace.

Click on the Board Button to create custom buttons that will appear at the top of the board. Click on Create Button, select Add Action, add an action, select triggers and select Save.

Trello Ranking and Why We Recommend It

Trello is a web-based, kanban-style, list making software used in creating task boards. But how does it stack up against specific user-centric parameters? These are what we found:

1. Task Management  

The kanban-style task and project management tool is perfect for different and all kinds of teams and projects. You’re able to set up a board, automate tasks and collaborate among teammates.

2. Communication

You’re able to add some communication and collaboration Power-Ups to your boards. This enables and promotes more fluid cross-team collaboration.

3. Document Management

You can add some file management Power-ups and integrations that will help you achieve files, documents and attachments.

4. Dashboard

This helps you visualize and comprehend your teams’ state of work. You get actionable teamwork insights, build reports on specific data. There’s also a dashboard Power-Up that can be added to your boards.

5. Integration

Trello makes it easy for you to connect your favourite apps to enhance your (teams’) productivity.

6. Support

Trello’s support is available during normal business hours – Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. They can also be reached via their support email.

7. Security

Trello is SOC2 Type 2 certified.

8. Scheduling & Planning

You make use of the Timeline and Calendar view to create a custom calendar to schedule existing and new tasks. The cards will be arranged according to their due date. Labels, members or checklist are also added.

9. Mobile App

Trello app/platform is available for both iOS (Version 14 or higher) and Android (Version 8.0 or higher) platforms. It’s free and it connects you seamlessly to your work.

Comparative Analysis: Trello vs Basecamp

This section takes a look at Basecamp as an alternative project management tool when compared with Trello.

Basecamp was formerly known as 37signals, it was founded by Carlos Segura, Jason Fried and Ernest Kim as a web design company in 1999. Basecamp’s primary features include to-do lists, time tracking, form-like messaging, milestone management and file tracking.

The tool is also designed to help workers overcome challenges like meetings, chat and (long) email threads.

Features of Basecamp

1. Dashboard

This feature helps you organise your scheduled meetings and calls, assignments and projects.

2. Messages

This feature replaces emails and it’s a centralized place to have major discussions.

3. To-Dos

You’re able to make lists and tasks, set due dates to tasks. You can also track progress and responsibilities.

4. File & Document Management and Support

There’s unlimited space to organise and share documents and image.

5. Scheduling

You set up milestones and events to avoid forgetfulness.

6. Views

The Hills and Card Table views gives you a unique take or way of viewing your projects.

7. Reports

You have insights/updates on tasks, projects and assignments completion and progress.

8. Door

This feature helps you link services and tools that makes your work easier.

Basecamp Pricing

Basecamp has 2 pricing plans.

1. Basecamp

This plan is ideal for freelancers, smaller teams and startups. It goes for $15 per user per month. It comes with all features, 500GB storage for files and documents and month-to-month pay as you go.

2. Basecamp Pro Unlimited

This plan goes for $299 per month and it’s billed annually. It’s perfect for growing businesses, companies and larger groups that want the best. It comes with every feature including a 1:1 onboarding tour with the Basecamp team, an option to pay annually for simplified accounting, 10x file & document storage (5TB), first-in-line 24/7/365, priority support and an option of paying annually by check.   

Benefits That Make Trello Stand Out

1. Trello has the best kanban style/system in a project management tool. The cards are intuitive and simple to navigate, it also offers lot of functionality – file attachment, checklist for subtasks, external integrations. Trello also makes up for the lack of reports with the Power-Up feature and integrations.  

2. Trello user interface is beginner friendly and easy to use. Trello has a unique simplicity and has the concept of kanban project management.

3. Trello offers a lot of app integration including major apps like Slack and Mail Chimp to enhance user experience.

4. Trello’s onboarding process is smooth.

Conclusion  

If you’re trying to get your hands on a good project management tool, Trello is your go-to tool. It’s beginner friendly, has a simple onboarding process and it’s perfect for personal use and also for a team.