SharePoint Kanban Solution Updated

The release of Kanban Task Manager for SharePoint V4 gives enhancements requested by evaluators who already use SharePoint for task and project management but want to have all the extras that Kanban Task Manager gives. Current users will instead appreciate that we have added a possibility to create Excel reports on task data.

Select task list
By default Kanban Task Manager uses a custom SharePoint list for the tasks that are visualized on the kanban board, but in the new version organizations can switch to another task list. When they do, the tasks in the selected list will be displayed on the kanban board. They will be color coded by project or responsible and possible to drag between phases and lanes just like the tasks in the default list.

Pick responsible from user accounts
The Kanban Task Manager custom lists for Phases and Responsibles can still be used, but from this version the default option is to instead use the Assigned To field, to pick the responsible for each task. The creator of the tasks is picked by default, so you only have to assign the task if you are creating it for someone else.

Phases = Status options in task list
Kanban Task Manager is now using the task list's Status options as phase names, but if you prefer the old way, with a custom Phases list that option is also possible.

The default SharePoint options for Status in tasks lists are Not Started, In Progress, Completed, Deferred and Waiting on someone else. These values may be changed in the list settings of the task list, but we also give a possibility to do it from the Kanban Task Manager Configure page.

Excel reports
The Outlook version of Kanban Task Manager has had Excel reports from the first release, but it is a bit more complicated when you build on SharePoint.

However, our Lead Developer Jayant Rimza, who has been responsible for the development of the new SharePoint version, is an excellent problem solver. He never gives up, so now the SharePoint version of Kanban Task Manager also has Excel reports on how tasks have been handled.

Upgrade
kalmstrom.com Subscribers have free upgrades, and we recommend current users to upgrade their installations. Just replace the .wsp file and reactivate Kanban Task Manager, and then you can continue working with your tasks. Refer to the Revisions page for a full list of enhancements and bug fixes.

You can continue using our custom lists for Phases or Responsibles, but if you want to switch to the SharePoint options described above you can do that in the settings.

Try it
If you have not yet tried Kanban Task Manager for SharePoint, you are welcome to evaluate the solution. There is plenty of documentation on our website, and should you still have questions I hope you will contact us. We are here to assist you!


Peter Kalmström
CEO and Systems Designer
kalmstrom.com Business Solutions