How to Export Trello Boards and Cards

Edited 1 week ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

TrelloWindowsMacLinuxExportData ManagementCardsBoardsWorkflowProductivityProject ManagementOrganizationSoftwareBackupReportingSharingCustomizationTips

Trello is a popular project management tool that individuals and teams use to organize tasks and collaborate effectively. Whether you use Trello for personal projects, work, or education, you may want to export your boards and cards for various reasons. For example, exporting allows you to create backups, analyze data offline, or even transition to another project management tool. In this detailed guide, we will go into detail about the process of exporting Trello boards and cards.

Understanding the need for exports

Before we dive into the technical steps, it's important to understand why exporting might be necessary. Exporting your Trello data offers several benefits:

• Backups and security: Having a backup ensures that you won’t lose important data if anything happens to your Trello account.
• Data analysis: Analyzing data outside of Trello can provide insights and allow for more extensive data manipulation using software like Excel or Google Sheets.
• Migration: You may decide to switch to another platform and need to migrate your data.
• Reporting: Exporting data can make it easier to create reports for stakeholders or team meetings.

Preparing for export

Before exporting, make sure you have the necessary permissions if you're working with a team. Generally, only board members can export boards. Additionally, keep in mind that some export features are only available to Trello Business Class users.

What can you export

Trello primarily allows users to export boards and cards. A board is a collection of lists, and each list contains cards that represent individual tasks or items. When you export, you can include the following:

• Board details like name and description.
• List the headings within the board.
• Card details such as title, description, label and comments.
• Due dates, attachments and checklists on the card.
• Board and card activity log.

Exporting a Trello board to JSON

Step-by-step guide

Trello allows you to export boards in JSON format, which is a lightweight data-interchange format that's easy for machines to parse and generate. Here's how to do it:

1. Log into your Trello account and navigate to the board you want to export.
2. Once you arrive at the board, click the "Show Menu" button in the upper right corner of the board view.
3. In the menu that appears, click "More" to see more options.
4. Then, select "Print and Export."
5. Click "Export as JSON." This will download the JSON file of your board to your computer.

The JSON file contains structured data that includes all board information, including card details, list names, and user actions.

Understanding the JSON structure

An understanding of the JSON format is useful for manipulating or reviewing the exported data. Below is an example of a JSON structure:

{ "name": "Sample Board", "lists": [ { "name": "To Do", "cards": [ { "name": "Write article", "description": "Write an article on exporting Trello boards." } ] } ] }

Each board contains lists, and each list contains cards. The JSON file can also include additional information such as card comments and attachments, depending on what's on your board.

Exporting a Trello board as CSV

Premium facility for business class users

Trello Business Class users have the ability to export boards directly to a CSV file, which can be easily opened in spreadsheet software:

1. Go to the desired board.
2. Click the "Show Menu" icon.
3. Select "More," then "Print and Export."
4. Select "Export as CSV."

This feature provides you with a structured spreadsheet file that organizes board data into rows and columns, making it convenient for data processing and analysis.

Exporting cards manually

Copy and paste method

If you don’t have a Business Class account or you need to export fewer cards, you can export the card details manually:

1. Open the card you want to export.
2. Copy text information manually by selecting it with your cursor and using your system's copy function (Ctrl+C or Cmd+C).
3. Paste the information into a document or spreadsheet (Ctrl+V or Cmd+V).

Although this is not an automatic export method, it does allow you to manage a limited amount of cards directly, without requiring a Business Class membership.

Automating exports with third-party tools

If the manual methods and Trello's native export capabilities don't meet your needs, you can opt to use third-party tools or integrations. Tools like Zapier and Butler allow setting up automation to export data systematically.

Example using Zapier

Zapier is a popular automation tool that can connect Trello to over 2000 other applications. You can set up an export like this:

1. Create a Zap in Zapier.
2. Select Trello as the trigger app and choose an action (for example, “New card”).
3. Set up your trigger with the required board and list details.
4. Choose a destination app, like Google Sheets, to export the data.
5. Map the card fields to the spreadsheet columns and activate your Zap.

This process extends Trello's capabilities using Zapier's logic and connectivity features, creating a seamless and continuous flow of data to other platforms.

Security and privacy considerations

When exporting data, ensure that all exported files are stored securely to maintain the confidentiality of your information. If you are collaborating within a team or organization, ensure that the export complies with relevant data protection policies and that only authorized personnel handle sensitive data.

Conclusion

Exporting Trello boards and cards can be a straightforward process when you know which options are available and how to use them. Whether you use Trello's built-in export functions or take advantage of third-party tools for automation and additional functionality, keeping your data organized and accessible in other formats can be very beneficial. As you continuously manage projects, regularly exporting your data will ensure you're always prepared for any situation, whether for backup purposes or to gain deeper insight into your workflow.

  Share This Article

If you find anything wrong with the article content, you can request an update