How to build kanban boards on ClickUp

beginner 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Building Kanban boards in ClickUp involves creating a Space or Folder, switching to Board view, customizing columns, and adding tasks. You can drag tasks between columns to track progress through your workflow stages.

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Prerequisites

Active ClickUp account
Basic understanding of Kanban methodology
Workspace with appropriate permissions
Project or Space already created

Step-by-Step Instructions

Navigate to your Space or Folder

Log into ClickUp and select the Workspace where you want to create your Kanban board. Click on an existing Space or Folder, or create a new one by clicking the + New Space button in the sidebar.

Organize your Kanban boards by project or team to keep workflows separate and manageable.

Switch to Board View

Once in your Space or Folder, look for the view options at the top of the page. Click on Board from the view selector dropdown. If you don't see Board view, click the + View button and select Board from the available options.

You can create multiple Board views with different filtering criteria for the same set of tasks.

Customize Your Kanban Columns

Click the Settings icon (gear) in the top right of your Board view. Select Group by and choose Status. You'll see default columns like To Do, In Progress, and Done. To add custom columns, click + Add Status and create statuses that match your workflow (e.g., Backlog, Review, Testing).

Keep your columns aligned with your actual workflow stages to ensure the board reflects real progress.

Add Tasks to Your Board

Click the + Add Task button at the bottom of any column to create new tasks directly in that status. You can also click + New Task at the top of the view. Add task names, descriptions, assignees, due dates, and priority levels as needed.

Use task templates to maintain consistency when creating similar types of work items.

Configure Board Settings

Click the Settings gear icon and explore options like Card Display to choose what information appears on task cards. Enable Subtasks if you want to see subtask progress, add Custom Fields to display additional data, and adjust Swimlanes if you want to group by assignee or priority.

Minimize card information to essential details to keep your board clean and easy to scan.

Set Up Board Filters

Use the Filter button at the top of your board to show only relevant tasks. You can filter by assignee, due date, priority, tags, or custom fields. Save frequently used filter combinations by clicking Save Filter and giving it a name.

Create saved filters for different team members or project phases to quickly switch perspectives on your board.

Drag Tasks to Update Progress

To move tasks through your workflow, simply drag and drop task cards from one column to another. This automatically updates the task status. You can also move multiple tasks by selecting them with Ctrl/Cmd + click and dragging together.

Use keyboard shortcuts like 'S' to quickly change task status without dragging if you prefer.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Board view is not available in my Space

Check your ClickUp plan - Board view is available on all paid plans. If you're on a free plan, upgrade or contact your workspace admin to enable this feature.

Tasks are not appearing on my board

Verify your Filter settings and ensure tasks have the correct Status assigned. Click Clear All Filters to see all tasks, then reapply filters as needed.

Cannot create new columns or statuses

You need Admin or Owner permissions to create new statuses. Contact your workspace administrator or check your permission settings in Settings > Spaces.

Board loads slowly with many tasks

Limit the number of tasks displayed by using Filters or Date ranges. Consider archiving completed tasks or moving them to a different Space to improve performance.

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