Set Up a Trello Board for Task Management in SMEs

On 9 August 2026 I create a Trello board for a five-person team.

Create account and workspace

Go to trello.com and sign in with a Google or Microsoft address. The free plan is sufficient at first. Skip this step and you cannot share boards with others later.

Create board and define lists

Click “Create new board”. Name it “Weekly tasks”. Add three lists: “Inbox”, “In progress”, “Done”. The free plan allows a maximum of ten open boards. Without these lists the board loses clarity immediately.

Create cards for tasks

Make one card per task in “Inbox”. Add due date and assignee. Each card may contain only one task. Skip this step and unclear entries pile up later.

Set up labels and filters

Use coloured labels for urgency. The free plan allows five labels. Filter by clicking the magnifying glass icon at the top. Without labels you will not find single cards again within seconds.

Test Butler automation

Butler works only in limited form on the free plan. Create a rule that automatically moves cards with a due date to “In progress”. The rule activates only after saving. Skip the test and manual moves continue.

Upgrade to Premium

Switch to Premium in workspace settings for 10 US dollars per user per month (Atlassian price list as of 2025). This gives unlimited Butler rules and 250 MB attachments per card. Stay on free and the team hits the ten-board limit.

Invite team members

Click “Invite” and enter email addresses. Grant only “Member” rights, not admin rights. Skip the invitation and everyone keeps working in isolation.

Run weekly review

Every Monday filter overdue cards and move them. This step is forgotten most often. Then outdated cards accumulate and the board loses its purpose.