Trello, the simple yet highly effective cloud-based productivity tool, now has more than 50 million users worldwide. That, in itself, should tell you just how good this tool is for professionals. Project managers now can infuse a bit of fun and ease into their project management processes.
From individuals to teams, small businesses, and even large organizations, Trello is used with much success across the board. If you are a fan or currently use Trello for your day to day projects, learning about helpful Trello shortcuts can help improve your productivity levels even further.
Improve Your Productivity with Trello Shortcuts and Tricks
Granted, the mere fact that you are using Trello means that your project management is significantly streamlined, at least as far as the collaboration and reporting end is concerned.
However, needing to learn how to use this tool and do everything you can do on it with the set SOP (standard operating procedures) could slow you down some.
Did you know that you can control Trello with nothing but keyboard shortcuts? Once you learn and master them, these shortcuts enable you to reduce the number of steps it would normally take to execute most specific commands. This, in turn, cumulatively saves you time.
Here are some Trello shortcuts you can start using today instead of dragging things around with the mouse:
Shortcut 1: Use “N” to Insert a Card Anywhere
One of the biggest time wasters on Trello is the fact that you have to scroll to the bottom of your lists if you want to insert a new Trello card. With this shortcut, you no longer have to do that.
If you are looking to insert cards on a brand new board, all you have to do is press “N” on your keyboard when on that board, and a new card will be added.
If you want to add a new Trello card to a Trello board that’s already in play, mouse over a card and press “N” on your keyboard; it automatically adds a new card below.
Shortcut 2: Use Arrow Keys to Navigate Around the Board
When on Trello, the arrow keys on your keyboard should be your friend. Whenever you want to navigate between cards, all you have to do is press the arrow key that points in the direction of the card you want to navigate to.
For example, if you want to go to adjacent cards on the left or the right of the current one, you press the key to the left (left arrow) or the right (right arrow). The up and down keys also work the same way.
If you want to go to the card above the one you are on, press the up arrow, and if you want to go to the card below the one you are on, press the down arrow.
You can also open a card by pressing the “Enter” key and close one by pressing the “ESC” key.
Shortcut 3: Use “D” to Keep Track of Due Dates
One of the biggest problems facing project managers is people falling behind on their duties and not observing sensible project timelines. Setting a due date to cards on Trello will help keep everyone accountable and remind them to pick up the slack to meet project targets.
One of the easiest ways to set a due date on a card is to hover over it with your mouse and press the “D” button on your keyboard. This will instantly load the due date selector and allow you to view, edit, and customize it as you wish.
Shortcut 4: Create a New List by Double Clicking
While there is no single shortcut key for creating a new list, you can use this trick to shorten the number of steps you need to get one created. All you have to do is double click your mouse when between two lists or on any empty spot on the board, and a new list will appear. This saves you a great deal of time instead of scrolling to the right until you find the end of your line of lists.
Shortcut 5: Use the < and > Keys to Move Cards to Adjacent List
The simplest way to transfer a card to the adjacent list is to use the < and > keys on your keyboard. This will quickly move the card to the desired list, either on the left or the right. You can also use the “,” or “.” to move your cards to the bottom of the adjacent lists on the left or the right.
Shortcut 6: Use the “C” Button to Archive a Card
The truth is, as streamlined as Trello aims to be, boards still get cluttered from time to time. When you have too many cards on your board, you need to archive a few of them to keep the board neat and organized.
To do this, navigate through the cards on the board using the arrow keys until you get to the one you want to be archived. Once you find it or them, press “C” on your keyboard, and it will be automatically archived. You can retrieve it later should you need it.
Shortcut 7: Use the “F” Button to Pull up the Filter Menu
This “filter function” is one of the best features on Trello and one of its greatest strengths as a productivity tool. Using it allows you to filter through all the other things on the board and view only specific cards.
To open this function, press the “F” button. From there, you can easily sift through your cards by a variety of parameters, including label, due date, search term, and team member.
If you want to search through Trello using a specific keyword, all you have to do is press the forward-slash “/” button.
Each of these shortcuts is easy to apply and will make your experience on Trello that much better and more seamless.
