Why this matters
Your team drags finished client tasks to Done but forgets to tick them complete. Their due dates keep showing as overdue, the board looks worse than the work really is, and every Monday someone spends ten minutes tidying it.
In this module you hand that job to Trello. One automation rule on the free plan marks every card complete the moment it lands in Done, whoever moves it, and you test it on a real card.
What you’ll build
A saved, enabled rule on the Client onboarding board: "when a card is added to list Done by anyone, mark the card as complete".
A test: the Cobalt Legal card dragged to Done ticks itself complete and its due date turns green, without anyone opening it.
What you need
- Nothing to start the practiceThe practice is built from real Trello screens and does not touch any Trello account.
- A Trello board with a Done list, to do it for realThe board from module 1 is perfect.
Concepts
2 ideas you’ll use in the practice.
Trigger, then action
A rule is a trigger (when a card is added to list Done) plus one or more actions (mark the card as complete). Trello walks you through Select trigger, Select action, Review and save.
Set the trigger to "by anyone" on a team board; "by me" only fires for your own moves.
Free, with a monthly allowance
Automation is on Trello's free plan with a monthly allowance of rule runs; Reports at the bottom of the Automation panel shows usage. A rule like this runs once per finished card.
Good next rules: add your standard checklist to every new card in To do, or move a card to In progress when someone is added to it.
Practice
Do every step yourself in a practice copy of the real tool. It checks your work, and “Do it for me” finishes any step you get stuck on.
Do it for real
Now repeat it in your own account. Tick each step as you go.
Quick check
3 questions to check you’ve got it.
1. Which trigger setting makes the rule work for the whole team?
- by anyone
- by me
- by anyone except me
Show the answer
by anyone. "by me" only fires for your own actions.
2. What does this rule do?
- Marks a card complete when it lands in Done
- Deletes cards in Done
- Emails the client
Show the answer
Marks a card complete when it lands in Done. Trigger: a card is added to Done. Action: mark the card as complete.
3. Where are rules created?
- Board header lightning bolt > Rules > Create automation
- Card > Labels
- Workspace settings > Billing
Show the answer
Board header lightning bolt > Rules > Create automation. Automation lives on the board, under the lightning bolt.