Project template
Simple Template: Nothing to Configure
One task list, four statuses, and no methodology to learn. If you are not sure which template to pick, this is the honest answer, and you can change your mind later.
Available in every edition, including the free Community Edition · Unlimited users on every plan
What the Simple template sets up
Choosing Simple sets the project methodology to Simple, which means the project opens on a task list rather than a board or a backlog. Work is organised into task groups, and the four default statuses are New, In Progress, Resolve, and Close. There are no sprints, no story points, no epics, and no burndown chart, because a first project does not need them. The board view is still available if you prefer to work visually, and it groups by status or by task group.
The board
Four statuses, the shared default
The same Default Status Workflow used by the Kanban and Agile templates. It is short enough that nobody has to be taught it.
01
New
Added, not started. The default landing place for everything.
02
In Progress
Somebody is working on it right now.
03
Resolve
Finished and waiting on a check, a review, or a sign off.
04
Close
Done and agreed. Nothing further is expected.
Add your own statuses from the board or from the status workflow page whenever the four stop being enough. Most teams add a fifth after a month.
On day one
What you get on day one
The point of this template is how little it does. Everything you add later is a decision you made rather than a default you inherited.
A task list as the landing page
The project opens on the list rather than a board, which suits work that is a sequence rather than a queue.
Four statuses, ready to use
New, In Progress, Resolve, and Close. Enough to be meaningful, few enough that nobody has to be trained.
Task groups
Organise the list into groups such as phases, workstreams, or weeks. This is the only grouping level, which keeps things clear.
Task types, priorities and estimates
Classify work, set a priority, add estimated hours, start and due dates, and assign an owner. All the ordinary task fields.
The board view when you want it
The list is the default, but the same work can be viewed as a board grouped by status or by task group.
No methodology to learn
No sprints, no story points, no ceremonies. If your team does not run those, this template does not put them in the way.
Who it is for
Who picks this one
Anyone running a first project
You are evaluating the tool, or migrating off a spreadsheet, and you want to see your work in it today.
Learn more →Small teams
Five people who all know what everyone is doing. A board and a backlog would be ceremony without benefit.
Learn more →One off projects with a clear end
An office move, an audit, a conference. A sequence of tasks with owners and dates, not an ongoing flow.
Learn more →Starting task list
A structure that works for most projects
The template arrives empty. If you have no idea where to begin, these task groups suit almost any piece of delivery work.
Set upWeek one
- Agree the outcome and write it in the project description
- List everyone involved and invite them
- Agree the end date and work backwards from it
- Note anything the project depends on that you do not control
The workThe bulk of it
- One task per deliverable, with an owner and a due date
- Estimated hours on anything that will take more than a day
- Subtasks for anything more than one person touches
- Priority set honestly, which means not everything is high
Closing outLast week
- Hand over to whoever owns it next
- Write down what you would do differently
- Close the tasks rather than leaving them resolved
- Archive or close the project so the list stays honest
Once your project looks the way you want, save it as your own template. Your version will carry these tasks, task groups, labels, and task types into every project you create from it.
The problem
What this template fixes
The tool is more work than the work
✓ Four statuses, one list, nothing to set up.
Tasks live in three places
✓ One list with owners and dates, which is the whole point.
Nobody knows what is left
✓ Status on every task, and a list you can sort by it.
How to start
Start a project from this template
Two minutes to create, twenty to load real work into it.
- 1Create a project and choose SimplePick the template at project creation. There is nothing else to decide.
- 2Invite everyone involvedIncluding the people who only need to watch. Every plan includes unlimited users, so there is no reason to leave anybody out.
- 3Create three or four task groupsPhases, workstreams, or weeks. Whatever matches how you talk about the project out loud.
- 4Add the tasks you already know aboutDo not try to plan everything. Get the next three weeks right and add the rest as it becomes clear.
- 5Put an owner and a due date on each oneA task with no owner will not get done, and a task with no date will get done last.
- 6Use it for a fortnight before changing anythingThen add the statuses or the fields you actually missed, rather than the ones you thought you would.
- 7Move up when you outgrow itIf you find yourself wanting a queue, move to Kanban. If you want iterations and velocity, move to Agile.
Pairs with
The features this template leans on
Everything here is in every edition, including the free Community Edition.
Task managementTasks, subtasks, owners, dates, and prioritiesKanban boardThe same work as a board when you want itProject calendarSee the month instead of the listCollaborationComments and files on the task itselfTime trackingLog hours against tasks from day oneClient onboarding use caseA worked example built on this template
Frequently asked questions
Simple template FAQ
What does the Simple template set up?
It sets the project methodology to Simple, which opens the project on a task list, organises work into task groups, and gives you four statuses: New, In Progress, Resolve, and Close. There is nothing to configure before you start adding work.
Which statuses does it create?
New, In Progress, Resolve, and Close. This is the Default Status Workflow, shared with the Kanban and Agile templates.
Does it include sprints or story points?
No. Sprints, story points, epics, burndown and velocity come from the Agile template, which sets the Scrum methodology. Simple deliberately has none of them.
Can I still use a board?
Yes. The task list is the default view, but the same work can be viewed as a board grouped by status or by task group. The Kanban template just makes the board the landing page instead.
Is it available in the free Community Edition?
Yes. Projects, tasks, the four default statuses, and Kanban boards are all in the open source Community Edition.
When should I move to a different template?
Move to Kanban when the work becomes a continuous queue rather than a plan with an end date. Move to Agile when you want to work in fixed iterations and need a velocity number to plan with.
Can I add my own statuses?
Yes, from the board or from the status workflow page, at any point. You can also switch the project onto a completely different workflow.
Does the template create any tasks?
No. The eight built in templates set structure rather than content. If you want a template that brings tasks with it, set a project up the way you want and save that project as your own template.
Start your first project in two minutes
One list, four statuses, unlimited users, and nothing to configure.