Trello adds 4 major project management features I didn't know I needed - and they're free

2 hours ago 2

The latest version of Trello is even more helpful at keeping your projects organized

I've used Trello for years now. Not only does it help keep my many projects running smoothly, but it's also very easy to use. A few days ago, I opened the desktop app to take care of some things, and I was prompted to try the latest features. Naturally, I said yes and was shown a quick wizard outlining the new functionality.

I was immediately impressed.

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What's new with Trello?

Essentially, Trello has become a one-stop shop for all your project management needs. When you open the desktop app, you'll notice a small floating bar at the bottom center of the page. On that bar, you can choose from four different "apps":

Inbox
Planner
Board
Switch Board

Let me explain what those features do.

1. Inbox

For each board you have, there's an associated email address. Send an email to that address and it appears in the Inbox. From the Inbox, you can drag an email to a list and it automatically becomes a card.

To find the email address associated with a board, open the Inbox and hover your cursor at the top of the new sidebar (where it says Inbox). Click "Add from email," then click More Options. In the More Options pop-up, you'll see the board's email address, which you can copy and use.

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You don't need any special formatting. Type whatever you want for the card, send the email, and it arrives in the board's Inbox ready to drag into a list.

2. Planner

Planner is a calendar -- but it's not just a basic calendar built into Trello.

You connect a third-party calendar to your Trello board, and Trello currently supports only Google Calendar. Once you've linked a board, you can view your events, but you can't drag and drop events into cards. Even so, it's convenient to have a calendar within the app so you don't have to switch back and forth between the desktop app and your browser.

A Google Calendar displayed in the Trello app.

3. Board

Board is exactly what you think it is--a view of your Board. As you click a button in the toolbar, you enable or disable each feature view. For example, you can open Calendar, then close Board view to see a full-month calendar instead of a sidebar.

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You can have all three features open (Inbox, Calendar, Board), or you can click the Switch Board button and...

4. Switch Board

Click the Switch Board button, and a pop-up appears where you can select the board you want to view. This replaces the old sidebar and is a big improvement. I always found the sidebar less efficient and not very user-friendly; now it's simple, elegant, and it blends seamlessly into the new Trello experience.

When I was first alerted to the changes, I thought, "Oh, come on! What they had was fine," but fine doesn't always cut it. These new additions have made the app and service even better. Given that I depend on Trello daily, I've found the workflow more seamless, so I can manage my projects even better.

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