Have you ever found yourself wondering whether Trello could be a good fit for your business needs?
Maybe you're thinking about the possibility of using this tool to keep track of time? However, you're not sure if it's even something that can be done in Trello.
Well, you're in for a treat because we've gone ahead and prepared a comprehensive guide that delves into the world of time tracking within Trello.
You won't have to spend precious time trying to navigate this on your own anymore.
This article covers everything you need to know, and it's all right here at your fingertips.
So, let's get started together:
What is Trello? Why use Trello?
Trello is a popular web-based project management and collaboration tool that uses a visual approach to help individuals and teams organize tasks, projects, and information. It's designed to make task management more intuitive and efficient through the use of boards, lists, and cards.
Trello's main features: Trello Card, Trello Board & more
Trello offers users a relatively broad range of features to suit their varied needs:
Boards
Boards are the top-level organizational containers in Trello. They represent projects, teams, or categories of tasks. You can create multiple boards for different purposes and customize them according to your needs.
Lists
Lists are columns within a board that help you categorize tasks or stages of a project. You can name lists based on workflow stages (e.g., "To-Do," "In Progress," "Done") or any other organizational structure that suits your project.
Cards
Cards are individual tasks, ideas, or units of work within lists. They hold information, descriptions, attachments, due dates, and other details related to a specific task. Cards can be moved between lists to reflect progress.
Labels
Labels are color-coded tags you can apply to cards to categorize tasks by type, priority, or any other criteria. They provide a visual way to quickly identify and differentiate tasks.
Due dates
You can set due dates for cards to help manage timelines and deadlines. Overdue cards are visually highlighted. Thanks to that, you can be sure that important tasks are not overlooked.
How to track time in Trello
So, the thing is, you can't actually track the time with Trello. Sounds surprising, right? Well, that's the reality.
Let's take a closer look to understand why.
Despite the fact people often use Trello for handling small projects, it doesn't have all the usual tools you'd find in a typical app for managing projects and time.
Instead, it's more like a special board that helps you organize things - a bit like arranging cards on a bulletin board. However, it doesn't have features for making reports or keeping track of time.
So, if you're working on something big or with a serious team, Trello might not be the best choice.
Still, there are 2 ways to figure out time with this software:
Solution 1
- in your work logs section, add a description
- open or create a new card and add time (your worked hours) there, right in the description part
- export your logs and generate Excel files that include your time reports
Solution 2
Use a third party tool thanks to Trello's Power-Ups option. This solution, however, is not viable. Here's why:
- They might not get along: sometimes, these tools don't really work well with Trello. This can mess up how accurately you track your time.
- Getting started can be tough: making these third-party tools play nice with Trello can be quite confusing, especially if you're just starting out. It's like trying to solve a puzzle with tricky pieces.
- Money matters: a lot of these tools come with a price tag. If you're not careful, all these extra costs can really add up and put a strain on your budget.
- Privacy concerns: when you use outside tools, you're sharing your project and time data with another company. It's like telling someone your secrets, and that might make you worry about who's listening.
- Learning new things: you'll have to learn how to use both Trello and these third-party tools.
Alternatives to Trello for tracking time
So, as you can see, Trello isn't the perfect time tracker. In fact, it's not one at all. And if you were thinking of using it purely with the purpose of measuring time, we have better options for you:
Unrubble
Unrubble offers a seamless fusion of project management and time tracking, elevating your productivity to new heights.
In contrast to Trello, Unrubble not only enables you to organize tasks and projects visually but also empowers you with comprehensive time tracking capabilities.
With Unrubble, you can effortlessly transition from planning to execution while keeping a precise record of the time invested in each task.
This unique synergy keeps your projects not only well-structured but also efficiently managed in terms of time allocation.
Unrubble truly stands out by bridging the gap between project management and time tracking. It's an invaluable asset for individuals and teams striving for enhanced efficiency and project success.
Why it's the best alternative out of all:
- It's easy to use: Unrubble has a simple and friendly design, which is great for people who are just starting out or not so tech-savvy.
- Plenty of useful feature: Unrubble doesn't hold back on features such as time tracking, scheduling, PTO planning, timesheets, mobile time clocks and more.
- Works well with others: Unrubble is SSO ready and has a flexible API, allowing you to connect it to other tools you work with on a daily basis.
- See the big picture: create reports that show how your projects are going and how your team is progressing with their work.
- Teamwork made easy: every team member from your team can easily work together by letting everyone share files, talk, and see updates in real-time.
- Safety first: No one besides your team can access the personal and business data that is stored in Unrubble.
Start tracking time with Unrubble today!
Clockify
Clockify goes beyond Trello's powers by offering an all-encompassing time tracking solution suitable for freelancers, small businesses, and teams.
While Trello primarily focuses on task management, Clockify shines with its time tracking features.
With Clockify, you can effortlessly track time on tasks, projects, and clients, ensuring accurate insights into your work hours.
Its relatively user-friendly interface and comprehensive reporting tools make it an alright choice for those seeking time management insights and enhanced project profitability.
TrackingTime
Unlike Trello's primary focus on visual task management, the TrackingTime time tracker zeroes in on robust time tracking and project management.
This dedicated approach lets you efficiently manage your tasks while recording your work hours.
TrackingTime's specialized reporting and analysis features grant you the ability to gauge project progress, team performance, and overall productivity.
So if you prioritize accurate time tracking and comprehensive project insights, TrackingTime offers a clear advantage over Trello's broader task-oriented approach.
Tmetric
Tmetric offers a seamless integration of time tracking with popular task management tools like Asana and other options such as Jira alternatives.
This integration empowers you to track time without having to switch between multiple platforms.
Tmetric's strength lies in its ability to streamline your workflow. As such, it allows users to focus on tasks and projects while effortlessly recording their work hours.
When you bridge the gap between task management and time tracking, Tmetric provides a unique advantage for individuals and teams seeking a consolidated approach to work management.
As we mentioned earlier, third-party tool integrations are not always the best option.
Essentially, each of these alternatives brings its own strengths to the table. They offer specialized features that cater to various preferences and workflows.
Depending on your priorities, whether it's comprehensive project management, dedicated time tracking, or seamless integration, you can choose the tool that aligns best with your specific needs and enhances your productivity.
Wrapping up
So, are you still considering adding Trello to your tool stack?
While it's a relatively reliable solution, it doesn't offer everything in one place. You will be satisfied with its project management option but simply forget about powerful and efficient time tracking.
For that, there are a ton of alternatives on the market, with the best one being Unrubble.
Try it today for a one-of-a-kind time tracking experience you've not even dreamt of.
FAQ
What is Trello?
Trello is a web-based project management tool that uses visual boards, lists, and cards to help individuals and teams organize tasks and projects.
What are Trello’s features?
Trello offers boards, lists, and cards for task organization. It helps teams collaborate visually and manage projects more effectively.
Is Trello a time tracking solution?
Trello is primarily a task management tool, not a dedicated time tracking solution. It lacks built-in time tracking features.
Can you track time in Trello?
No, Trello doesn't offer native time tracking. It's designed for task organization, not comprehensive time management. The only way you can do it is by using third-party apps and integrations.
What are good Trello alternatives for tracking time?
Some alternatives for time tracking include Unrubble, Clockify, TrackingTime, and Tmetric. These tools offer dedicated time tracking features beyond Trello's capabilities.The best of them all is Unrubble.
