Cards
Contents
Introduction to cards
Cards are the core element of . They represent what you want to manage and this may be activities, issues, changes, practically anything.
To edit or change cards, you need to have the requested privilege. See Boards privileges for more information on privileges management.
Below is a short video tutorial to learn basic operations with cards.
{{#ev:vimeo| https://vimeo.com/330317625%7C800%7Ccenter%7CVideo tutorial on basic cards management.}
Cards management
Create cards
To add a card, just press the + icon or use the lane context menu (...) in the lane where you want create the card.
Remember that the card is not created until it is saved.
Move cards
Moving card can be done visually by clicking and dragging a card. Release mouse button in the position where you want to place the card. The target location shall be in the same board.
Alternatively, cards can be moved with the card context menu. To activate the menu, click the left mouse button when your mouse cursor is on the card. Move to Lane and Move to Board menu items allow to move the card to a target destination. This works on multiple cards too.
When using the move menu commands, cards are placed left top in the target lane.
Delete cards
Cards can be removed or archived. Removing deletes definitively the cards without any possibility to restore them. Archiving moves cards in a repository from where they can be later restored.
Deleting can be simply done by selecting one or more cards and pressing the Del key. Alternatively, cards can be deleted with the card context menu. To activate the menu, click the left mouse button when your mouse cursor is on the card, then choose Remove. This works on multiple cards too.
Archiving is performed with the card context menu. To activate the menu, click the left mouse button when your mouse cursor is on the card, then choose Archive. This works on multiple cards too.
Select multiple cards
To select more cards, click on the cards you want to select while holding down the Ctrl key or select a continuous range of cards holding down the Shift key while clicking on the first and the last of the range.
Cards details and settings
Remember that the card is not created until it is saved. Additionally, the changes done are lost if the card is not saved.
The card contains several fields that can be edited, organized in different forms: General, Appearance, Assignment, Attachments, History, Statistics and Chat.
The following table, explains the available settings for General.
| Setting | Use |
|---|---|
| Title | This allows to set the title of the card, appearing visually in the card. |
| Description | This field contains the detailed description of the card. |
| Priority | This allows to define the priority of the card. Priority levels and labels can be customized. See Settings for more details. |
| Assigned Resources | This field is read only and shows the resources (among board members) to whom the card is assigned. Resources are assigned in the Assignment form. |
| Due Date | This field is composed of two parts. In the first a date can fit, while in the second a time. These define the due date and time for the completion of the card. A visual sign is displayed on the card in the board to show a due date assignment. |
| Planned Start | This field is composed of two parts. In the first a date can fit, while in the second a time. These define the date and time by which the card is planned to start. |
| Planned Finish | This field is composed of two parts. In the first a date can fit, while in the second a time. These define the date and time by which the card is planned to finish. A visual sign is displayed on the card in the board to show a planned finish assignment. |
| External Link | This field is composed of two parts. The first one, starting with "http://", allows to insert an hyperlink to an external document or site. The second, starting with "Text", allow to enter a text to provide details about the link. |
| Lane | This is a read only field, displaying the name of the lane where the card is positioned. |
The following table, explains the available settings for Appearance.
| Setting | Use |
|---|---|
| Color | It enables to modify the background colour of the card. Note that this setting overwrite the background colour deriving from the Priority settings. |
The following table, explains the available settings for Assignment.
| Settings | Use |
|---|---|
| Resources | This setting allows to assign resources to a card (e.g. to ask them to perform the task). All the resources invited to the board are listed in the Unassigned column unless already assigned. Move resources to the Assigned column to assign them to the card. A notification is sent to the resource when assigned (see Notifications) and a visual sign is added to the card to show the assignment. |
Attachments form allows to add file attachments to the card. To add an attachment, use either one of the following methods:
- drag & drop files in the upper dotted area of the form;
- use Select files... command to select the files with the OS file explorer.
After the files are placed, they are not attached yet. To achieve this result, use the Upload & Save command. The loading process status is shown in the File area of the form. The presence of attachments in a card is shown with a visual sign on it in the board.
History form reports the tracking of all the changes performed on the card. Author, date and time and message (explaining the change) are displayed in the form. Changes of board, lane position and to fields are logged.
Statistics form includes fields that are used in reporting.
| Settings | Use |
|---|---|
| Commitment Point | This stores the date and time when the card was committed to be worked. |
| Work in Progress | This stores the date and time when the card start to be worked. |
| Delivery Point | This stores the date and time when the work for the card was completed. |
| Working Time % | This field contains the percentage of the time the card was worked while it remained in working status. This is a corrective factor. |
| Defective | This field is used to categorize the card as a defect. |
These information are read-only unless the user has board layout privilege, see Boards privileges for more information on privileges management. To save changes, use the Save command.
Component Cards form allows to define cards related to the one edited that can act as a higher level grouping card. The functionality allows to add existing (+ icon) or create new cards. The related cards are independent from the one edited and can be edited, moved and managed independently. However, the relationship is highlighted in two ways:
- a grouping card has a different shape showing multiple overlaid cards;
- a card part of another, has an icon showing the relationship on it.
Estimation form includes fields that are used in reporting.
| Settings | Use |
|---|---|
| Story Points | This allow to assign a complexity rating for the card among one of the values listed. Possible values are set in board settings. It will be soon possible to define the estimation value collaboratively using planning poker feature soon (to be released yet). |
Planning Poker form allows to set the story point estimations in a collaborative way, using the approach known as "planning poker". Participants to a "planning poker session" can be all those invited to the board with the needed privileges (see Boards privileges for more information on privileges management).
Users with 'Edit Poker' privilege have the following commands to manage a "planning poker" session.
| Settings | Use |
|---|---|
| Start New Session | This starts a "planning poker" session. When started, user can select the time available to vote (in seconds). |
| Stop Voting | This stops the "planning poker" session before the time set as available. |
| Cancel Session | This cancel a "planning poker" session. All votes are lost. |
After a "planning poker" is ended (either because the voting time is elapsed, or because the session is stopped or because all participant voted) the system calculates shows the average vote based on those submitted. The session coordinator (the one who started the session) can now set the estimation by using the Apply Session command.
This opens a new box where the suggested estimation can be edited and a comment added (see figure below). By pressing the Apply command, the estimation is finally set in the Story Point value of the 'card'.
Chat form enables to chat about the card. Only members of the board with collaboration privilege can view the form and chat. See Boards privileges for more information on privileges management and Chat for more information on chat tool.
Cards commands
The availability of the commands described below depends on the privileges of the user. Only members with edit content privilege have access to those commands that allow to change the card.
Commands available from the General form of the card.
| Settings | Use |
|---|---|
| Block / Unblock | It allows to warn about the corresponding status for the card. The blocked status is shown with a visual sign on the card in the board. To set the card blocked and later unblocked, the system prompts to enter a text that should contain the explanation of the action. This text is displayed on the board when passing with the mouse on the blocked sign. |
| Copy Card | This command copies a card in memory. The copied card can be pasted in a lane by using the lane context menu (see Lane commands). |
| Copy Card Link | This command copies a hyperlink to the card. The hyperlink can be pasted as text in mails, chats or any other object and allows to open EasyBoards® specifically focusing on the card. |
| Notify | This command allows to subscribe for notifications for the card. Accordingly, email notifications are sent to the subscribers when changes occur to the card. For more information on notifications, read Notifications. |
| Save | It allows to save the card content. |
| Save & Exit | It allows to save the card content and exit returning to the board. |
| Close | This command closes the card without saving changes. |
Other cards commands are available from the context menu activated from the board, clicking the right mouse button when pointing the card.
| Settings | Use |
|---|---|
| Open | It simply opens the card. The same occurs by double clicking with the left mouse button on the card from the board. |
| Copy | This command copies a card in memory. The copied card can be pasted in a lane by using the lane context menu (see Lane commands). |
| Copy Card Link | This command copies a hyperlink to the card. The hyperlink can be pasted as text in mails, chats or any other object and allows to open EasyBoards® specifically focusing on the card. |
| Edit | It opens the card for editing. The same occurs by double clicking with the left mouse button on the card from the board.. |
| Priority | This allows to set Priority for the selected cards (one or more). |
| Appearance | This command allows to set the background colour for the selected cards (one or more). |
| Assign | This command allows to assign resources (board members) to the selected cards (one or more). |
| Attachments | This opens the card focused on the Attachments form where the user can add and remove file attachments for the card. |
| Move to Lane | This moves the selected cards (one or more) to another lane in the same board. |
| Move to Board | This moves the selected cards (one or more) to another board and lane. |
| Archive | This moves the selected cards (one or more) in the archive repository from which they can be later restored. |
| Remove | This removes (deletes) the selected cards (one or more). Removed cards cannot be restored. |
| Block / Unblock | It allows to warn about the corresponding status for the card. The blocked status is shown with a visual sign on the card in the board. To set the card blocked and later unblocked, the system prompts to enter a text that should contain the explanation of the action. This text is displayed on the board when passing with the mouse on the blocked sign. |
| Notify | This command allows to subscribe for notifications for the card. Accordingly, email notifications are sent to the subscribers when changes occur to the card. For more information on notifications, read Notifications. |
| Stop Notifications | This command stops the subscription for notifications for the selected cards (one or more). For more information on notifications, read Notifications. |
Cards visual signs
Visual signs are placed in boards on the cards to immediately visualize key information. The management of these signs (icons and position) is mostly automatic. However, it is possible to sort the preferred order of the sign categories in the board (see Boards settings management).
Available signs are the following:
| Sign | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Assigned resources | ..... |
| Blocked status | ...... |
| Card hierarchies | ..... |
| Card identifier | ...... |
| Defective card | ..... |
| Due date or planned finish date | ...... |
| Progress report | ..... |
| Presence of attachments | ..... |
| Presence of hyperlinks | ..... |
| Subscription for notifications to the card | ..... |
| Read/Unread card | ..... |
