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How to Use Kanban Boards in Microsoft Teams

Task Management with a Microsoft Teams Kanban Board 

 

Have you ever had a situation where a team has worked so hard, but the result is not as good as expected? No one understands what the cause is, the team is burnt out, but you dont see the results you expect. You try different training and techniques but still experience missed deadlines and dissatisfied clients.  

With the growing speed of decision-making, the need for productivity tools has skyrocketed. Currently, among the most popular tools are project management software, to-do lists, time trackers, task managers, and, of course, kanban boards – a project management tool that is visual and is widely used across teams of all sizes. Kanban boards allow teams to easily visualize the entire project, identify the causes of problems, and solve those problems.  

With kanban boards, workprocess optimization is painless; each team member can track their contribution to the common cause thanks to the convenient board view. There are many kanban board apps available on the market, and some of the most prominent are designed to be used with Office 365 tools, meeting all your task management needs in one platform. With Office 365 kanban boards that you can find in Microsoft 365 tools or download from third-party developers, you can assign tasks, track progress, and identify each team members workload.  

In this article, we will look at two kanban Office 365 apps that will help you to set the rhythm for your team and focus on getting work done without being distracted by secondary tasks.  

  

What are Kanban Boards 

Kanban boards are a useful format for visualizing, tracking, and managing tasks in a project. Digital kanban board apps help you to do this quickly and easily. You can create cards to represent tasks and move them between various categories (for example, in progress, not started, done, pending, and high priority) as that task progresses. Office 365 kanban boards and other kanban tools are widely used in software development, marketing, construction, logistics, and any industry with a constant flow of tasks. 

A kanban board is a very easy-to-use project management tool that is great if youre working in a team or collaborating with someone. An Office 365 Kanban tool is the perfect app for visual task management. Whether you need to reduce imperfections in your work or increase efficiency, Office 365 kanban boards help you to do this in the most convenient way possible.   

 

How to Use Kanban Board Pro for Task Management  

As a part of the Office 365 suite, Microsoft Teams gives you the opportunity to use task management apps within the platform without needing to switch applications. With kanban boards in Microsoft Teams or any other project management app, you can better structure and plan your tasks. Here are some steps you can follow when using a kanban board for task management: 

  1. Determine the categories or columns you want to use on your Office 365 kanban board. These could be stages of a project, such as to do, in progress, and done, or they could be distinct types of tasks, such as high priority, medium priority, and low priority. 
  2. Create a list of tasks that need to be completed. These tasks should be written on sticky notes or cards and can be organized in a separate document or spreadsheet if desired. 
  3. Place the tasks on the kanban board accordingly to create a convenient board view. For example, a task that needs to be started would go in the to do column, while a task that is currently being worked on would go in the in progress column. 
  4. As tasks are completed, move them to the appropriate column in your Office 365 kanban tool. For example, a finished task would be moved to the done column. 
  5. Review and update your Office 365 kanban board regularly. This could be done daily or weekly depending on the needs of your team. As new tasks are added or existing tasks are completed, update the board accordingly. 

          By using a kanban board, you can easily visualize the progress of your tasks and projects and identify any bottlenecks or areas where work is getting stuck. This can help you stay organized and on track and can make it easier to collaborate with team members. 


           

          How to Create a Kanban Board in Microsoft Teams  

          To create a Microsoft Teams kanban board, you will need to use any kanban Office 365 app. There are several apps that offer a kanban board view, but the two most popular options are Azure Boards and Kanban Board Pro by Virto. Let’s take a closer look at them and compare their features. 

           

          Azure Boards  

          Azure Boards, an Office 365 kanban tool, is a part of Azure DevOps: a service offered by Microsoft based on the Azure cloud computing platform. It provides a complete set of tools for managing software development projects. It enables teams to plan, develop, deliver, and maintain software more efficiently.  

          Here are some of the things you can do with the kanban Office 365 app Azure Boards: 

          • Plan and track work using kanban boards, backlogs, and custom work item types. 
          • Set up a Microsoft Teams kanban board for quick access. 
          • Collaborate with a team using work items, pull requests, and team conversations. 
          • Get real-time insights into the progress and quality of your work using dashboards and reports. 
          • Customize and extend this Office 365 kanban tool to meet the specific needs of your organization. 

            Being an Office 365 kanban tool, Azure Boards is designed to support agile development methodologies, such as Scrum, Lean, and Kanban ( these are different methodologies that use different board views.). This kanban Office 365 app can be used with a variety of programming languages, platforms, and tools, making it a versatile choice for teams working on software projects. 

              

             

            How to Set Up Azure Boards in Microsoft Teams  

              

            To set up a Microsoft Teams kanban board using Azure Boards you can follow these steps: 

            1. Open Microsoft Teams and click on Apps in the left sidebar. 
            1. In the search box, type Azure Boards, and select the app from the list of results. 
            1. Click the Add button to add the app to your Microsoft Teams account. 
            1. Once the app is added, you can access it from the left sidebar by clicking on the Azure Boards icon. 
            1. To configure the app, click the Configure button in the bottom-right corner of the Azure Boards tab. 
            1. In the configuration window, select the Azure DevOps organization and the team project that you want to use for your Office 365 kanban board. 
            1. Click the Save button to save your changes and complete the setup process. 

            After you have set up your Microsoft Teams kanban board, you can use it to plan and track work and collaborate with your team much more quickly and efficiently. 

              

              

            Notable Features of Azure Boards  

              

            Some notable features of this kanban Office 365 app include the following: 

            • Agile toolAzure Boards supports agile development methodologies such as Scrum, Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), and Kanban. It provides tools like kanban boards, backlogs, and custom work item types to help teams plan and track work. 
            • Collaborationthis Office 365 kanban tool enables team collaboration using work items, pull requests, and team conversations. It also integrates with other Azure DevOps tools, such as Azure Repos and Azure Pipelines, to provide a seamless development experience. 
            • Customizationan Office 365 kanban board from Azure allows you to customize and extend its functionality to meet the specific needs of your organization. You can create custom work item types and add custom fields and rules. 
            • IntegrationAzure Boards integrates with third-party services such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, Visual Studio, and GitHub. This enables teams to use Azure Boards in the environment that works best for them. 
            • Reporting and analyticsthis kanban Office 365 app provides real-time insights into the progress and quality of your work with dashboards and reports. You can use these tools to track and analyze key metrics, such as team velocity, lead time, and cycle time. 


              Limitations of Azure Board  

              While Azure Boards has many powerful features, it also has some limitations. 

              Firstly, to use it in Microsoft Teams, you need an associated Azure DevOps organization,(this is a comprehensive Microsoft solution that is designed for collaborative work on software development projects.) otherwise, you won’t be able to set up a Microsoft Teams kanban board at all. This means that the use of this kanban board is limited to DevOps projects.  

              What is more, Azure Boards does not integrate with SharePoint, nor does it work with SharePoint lists. Basically, Azure DevOps is your own database where you can create a kanban board using the Azure Boards tool. It has limited integrations with tools like Microsoft Teams: it is not possible to create a Microsoft Teams kanban board right in the app.  

              The positive side is that all the limitations of this Office 365 kanban tool are easily overcome by Kanban Board Pro by Virto! 

                

                

              Kanban Board Pro by Virto  

              Kanban Board Pro by Virto is a tool that allows users to create and manage kanban boards within Microsoft SharePoint. With Virto kanban board users can create custom kanban boards to track and manage their work and can add this board to Microsoft Teams as a separate tab. Virto provides a range of features and tools to help teams plan and track work: 

              • Customizable kanban boards – users can create and customize their Office 365 kanban boards and create a column set fully relevant to their business process. 
              • Swimlanes to sort tasks – users can group tasks by any parameter: project, assigned users, priority, or whatever best suits their needs. 
              • Workflow automation – users can automate workflows using rules and conditions to streamline business processes. For example, these can be used for notifications, reminders, and approvals. 
              • Integrations – Kanban Board Pro is compatible with Office 365 and integrates with a range of tools and platforms, such as Microsoft Teams and Outlook. 

                In short, Kanban Board Pro by Virto is an Office 365 kanban tool that allows users to create and manage boards within Microsoft SharePoint Online, SharePoint On-Premises, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook. Using this tool, users can track and manage their work more efficiently. It provides a range of features to help teams plan and visualize their work, and it can be customized and extended to meet the specific needs of an organization. 

                  

                  

                How to Set Up Kanban Board Pro in Microsoft Teams  

                 

                Setting up a Virto kanban board in Microsoft Teams is easy and only requires a few quick steps: 

                 

                1. Launch the Teams app and click “Apps at the bottom of the left menu.  
                1. Type Virto kanban in the search bar on the left.  
                1. Click on the app and then on the Add to a team button.  
                1. Choose the team you want to add this Microsoft Teams kanban board to.  
                1. Select the board you want to use in Microsoft Teams ( (boards need to be configured in SharePoint using the Kanban Board Pro app before adding them to Teams) 
                1. Configure the kanban board according to your requirements.  

                  

                Your feature-rich Microsoft Teams kanban board is ready to use! If you still have questions, here are the full instructions on how to set up a Virto kanban board.  

                 

                  

                Notable Features of Kanban Board Pro in Microsoft Teams  

                Kanban Board Pro by Virto is a powerful Office 365 kanban tool for managing and organizing projects within Microsoft Teams. This kanban Office 365 app offers a range of notable features that make it an ideal choice for teams looking to improve their productivity and efficiency. Let’s take a closer look at them: 

                 

                • Color-coding – assign distinct colors to different tasks or categories on your Office 365 kanban board to quickly identify and distinguish between different types of work. 
                • View several lists on one boardview multiple lists or projects on a single kanban board; this is helpful if you have many tasks or projects that you need to track. 
                • Graphs and charts – analyze your teams productivity by generating charts and graphs based on data from your Office 365 kanban board. You can turn these charts on or off for a specific board, and you can also set permissions to control who can view the charts.  
                • Customizable cards – customize the data that is displayed on the cards on your Office 365 kanban board. You can choose which fields to display in the board view, and you can also control the layout and appearance of the cards, including enabling comments and adding task watchers. 
                • Filters – the filter icon in the topleft corner of this Office 365 kanban tool can be used to apply default or custom filters to Microsoft Teams tasks. 
                • Templates – to get started quickly, create a template from Virto kanban board you have used before. 
                • Responsive design – Kanban Board Pro has a mobile version, which is highly convenient for working when on the go. 
                • History of changes – see a record of all the changes that have been made to a task or project on your Virto kanban board, including who made the changes and when they were made. 
                • Permission management – control who has access to your kanban Office 365 app and what actions they can take. For example, you can give certain users the ability to create new tasks or move tasks between columns while restricting these actions for others. 
                • Dark theme – switch the Office 365 kanban board to a dark color scheme. Using a dark board view may be more comfortable for your eyes in a low-light environment or if you prefer a darker aesthetic. 

                That’s not all – we’re working on improving the app even more. Soon it will be possible to quickly create a kanban board directly in Microsoft Teams! Stay tuned for updates. 

                   

                  

                Summary  

                 

                In conclusion, Kanban Board Pro by Virto is a powerful tool for managing tasks and projects. A Virto kanban board includes features such as color-coding, customizable cards, and permission management. You can enjoy a flexible board view and a visual way to track work and stay organized. The ability to view multiple lists in one Office 365 kanban board and generate graphs and charts to analyze team productivity is particularly useful for larger organizations. The dark theme is also a nice touch for those who prefer a darker aesthetic or work in low-light environments. 

                If you are interested in trying Kanban Board Pro by Virto for yourself, now is the perfect time to start a free 30-day trial of this Office 365 kanban tool. With its wide range of features and customization options, a Virto kanban board is sure to improve your task management and help you stay on track with your projects. So don’t delaystart your trial today and see how Kanban Board Pro can transform the way you work! 

                  

                 

                FAQ
                 

                Does Microsoft Teams Have a Kanban Board?  

                To use a kanban board in Microsoft Teams, you should download an Office 365 kanban tool called Kanban Board Pro by Virto. Of course, you do have the option to create a Microsoft Teams kanban board with custom Microsoft native apps like Planner or Azure Boards, but the most user-friendly and customizable option is Kanban Board Pro.  

                  

                How do I Create a Kanban Board in Office 365?  

                To create an Office 365 kanban board, use Kanban Board Pro by Virto. It is a convenient and feature-rich third-party Office 365 kanban tool, and it will take you a few steps to set it up: 

                1. Install Kanban Board Pro by Virto on your SharePoint site. You can download this Office 365 kanban tool from the Microsoft AppSource store or from the VirtoSoftware website. 
                2. Open the Office 365 home page and click on the apps icon in the top-left corner. 
                3. In the list of apps, click on the SharePoint icon. 
                4. In the SharePoint dashboard, click the site that you installed Kanban Board Pro on. 
                5. In the site, click on the Kanban Board Pro app to open it. 
                6. Click the Add Board button to create a new Office 365 kanban board. 
                7. Give your board a name and select a group to share it with, then click the Create button. 
                8. In the new board, click the Add Column button to create a new column for your kanban board. 
                9. Give your column a name and add any additional columns as needed. 
                10. To add a new task, click the Add Task button and enter the task details, such as the name, due date, and assignee. 
                11. To move a task to a different column, click and drag the task to the desired column. 

                                    After you have created your Office 365 kanban board, you can use it to plan and track work, collaborate with your team, and get real-time insights into your progress thanks to the convenient board view. 

                                      

                                      

                                    Is Teams Planner a kanban board? 

                                    Yes, Microsoft Teams Planner is a kanban board. It is an Office 365 kanban tool that offers basic features to help teams collaborate and work together efficiently. Just like any other kanban Office 365 app, it provides a range of tools to help teams plan and track work in addition to a kanban board view, for example, task lists and calendars. 

                                    There are several advantages to using Kanban Board by Virto instead of Teams Planner: 

                                    1) Customizable notification system, while Planner offers only a couple of options. 

                                    2) Subtasks that allow breaking down a single task into smaller steps. 

                                    3) Ability to group information not only by columns, but also by swimlanes. Last but not least: the full list of Kanban Board Pro settings can be opened right in MS Teams, while you cannot even configure the Planner’s notifications in Teams: it must be done in your Microsoft 365 workspace in the browser.
                                     

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