How to Set Up a Board in Linear
Here's how to create and configure a Kanban board in Linear — from scratch to a working team workflow.
Step-by-step
Create a new project or space
In Linear, boards live inside projects or workspaces. Start by creating a new project and selecting the board layout.
Define your columns
Add columns that match your workflow stages. A basic PM board: To Do → In Progress → In Review → Done. Linear supports custom workflows — you can rename, reorder, and add columns freely.
Set up card fields
Configure what information appears on each card. Recommended: assignee, priority, due date, and labels. Linear supports custom fields if you need to track additional metadata.
Add your first cards
Create cards for your current work items. Import from a spreadsheet or previous tool if Linear supports it — check the import settings under your workspace.
Share with your team
Invite your team to the project. Set appropriate permissions — most PMs give engineers edit access and stakeholders view-only. Linear supports guest access for external stakeholders.
Pro tips
- Don't over-engineer your first board. You can add columns and fields as the team finds gaps.
- Use Linear's automations to auto-move cards when status changes — reduces manual drag-and-drop overhead.
- Review the board layout after 2 sprints and adjust based on where cards pile up.