Agency operations
How to migrate your agency from Trello in an afternoon
How to migrate from Trello to Skybase with a JSON export: what comes across, how to invite your team and clients, and what to tidy up on day one.
8 min read
Import a Trello board
Bring the board across, not just the cards.
Export a board from Trello as JSON and upload it to Skybase. Lists become columns, cards become jobs, named labels become statuses and checklists become tasks, with comments and due dates kept. The people on the board are waiting at the end to be invited.
What comes across
Every part of the board, and where it lands
One board becomes one project, named after the board unless you change it.
| On the Trello board | In Skybase |
|---|---|
| Lists | Columns, in the same order |
| Cards | Jobs, in the same order, with their descriptions and due dates |
| Labels with a name | Statuses, added to the project's own. A card's first named label becomes its status, and any others aren't kept |
| Checklists | Tasks on the job, with ticked items already complete. A card's checklists become one list of tasks |
| Comments | Comments on the job, with their original dates |
| People on the board | Placeholders you can invite |
| People on a card | Collaborators on the job |
Archived lists are left out, archived cards arrive as archived jobs, and cards whose due date was marked complete arrive as completed jobs. Attachments aren't part of the import, and imported jobs start at Normal priority.
How it works
Export, upload, check, import
- 1 In Trello, open the board menu, choose Print, Export, and Share, then the JSON export. Trello's help says all board members can export a board to JSON.
- 2 In Skybase, an administrator opens All projects and chooses Import from Trello.
- 3 Choose .json file, then Upload & Preview. The file can be up to 10 MB.
- 4 Check the Import Summary: lists, cards, labels, checklists, comments and members. Rename the project if you like.
- 5 Choose Import, and the board arrives as a project.
Then invite the people
Everyone on the board, waiting at the end
The last step lists everyone who was on the board. Give each person an email address and a role: Team Member, Single Project Guest or Multi Project Guest. Inviting them moves their cards and comments onto their real account.
- Choose Skip for now and they stay as placeholders you can assign work to, though they can't sign in
- A client invited as a single-project guest is free
- Comments keep their author: the placeholder for whoever wrote them, or you if they weren't on the board
After the import
Tidy up in an hour
Statuses, then types
A label that described a state, like Waiting on client, makes a good status. A label that described a kind of work, like Design, is better as a job type with custom fields for its brief.
Give each job an owner
People on a card come in as collaborators, so give each job an owner with the bulk Assign to.
Trello stays as it was
The import reads a file, so the board in Trello doesn't change. Try one board, see how it looks, and move the rest when you're ready.
- One board at a time
- From a JSON file of up to 10 MB, each board its own project.
- Lists, cards, labels, checklists, comments
- All come across, in the same order.
- People invited at the end
- Clients as single-project guests, free.
FAQ
What people ask about importing
For a step-by-step move, read How to migrate your agency from Trello in an afternoon. The other integrations are on the integrations page.
Who can run the import?
Administrators. Import from Trello sits on the Projects page, and a brand new workspace offers it on its welcome screen too.
Does it bring attachments?
No. Download any files you still need from the board before you stop using it.
Will every comment come across?
Every comment in the file does, with its original date. Trello's help says a board's JSON export includes its 1,000 most recent actions, comments among them, so the oldest comments on a long-running board may not be in the file.
Can I import several boards?
Yes, one at a time. Each board becomes its own project.
Do imported jobs set off automations?
Not during the import. Rules run on the changes people make afterwards. A rule that waits on time counts from the day of the import, so one that archives jobs after 14 days in Done can act on imported jobs two weeks later.
Will my reports include the imported work?
Imported jobs count as created on the day of the import, and cards already marked done count as completed that day. Lead time becomes meaningful for the work that starts in Skybase.
Read next
Running projects
Kanban for agencies: a board your team and clients will use
How to set up a kanban board for agency work: columns for stages, statuses for states, job types, priorities and due dates that everyone can read.
9 min read
- Guide Getting started with Skybase Find your way around a new workspace: projects and boards, adding jobs and tasks, your Inbox, and the shortcuts that save time. Read the guide
- Guide Invite your team and clients Members or guests? How to invite people to your workspace, a project or a single job, and which roles count towards your bill. Read the guide
Bring your first board across today.
Free plan, no credit card. The Trello import is on every plan.
Free plan · No credit card · Clients always free