Quick answer

Migrating from Trello to Monday.com involves exporting your Trello boards (usually via JSON or CSV) and importing them into Monday.com, followed by rebuilding workflows and automations to fit Monday.com’s flexible system. This process requires data preparation, testing, and team onboarding for a smooth transition.

Migration Steps at a Glance

  1. Audit your Trello boards: Identify important boards, lists, cards, attachments, and any integrations in use.
  2. Export Trello data: Use Trello’s export options (CSV for paid plans, JSON for all plans) to get your project data.
  3. Prepare data for import: Clean up and reformat CSV or JSON files to align with Monday.com’s import requirements.
  4. Import into Monday.com: Use the CSV import or create boards manually in Monday.com to replicate Trello boards.
  5. Rebuild automations and integrations: Set up Monday.com automations and replace Trello Power-Ups with Monday.com equivalents or third-party tools.
  6. Verify and test: Check data accuracy, board views, user permissions, and team collaboration features.
  7. Train your team: Utilize Monday.com onboarding materials and organize hands-on sessions.
  8. Retire Trello boards: Archive or close Trello boards to prevent duplication and confusion.

Decision aid: Migration readiness checklist

  • [ ] Have you identified all key Trello projects and dependencies?
  • [ ] Is your exported data in a compatible format (CSV/JSON) for Monday.com?
  • [ ] Have you reviewed Monday.com features to plan workflow improvements?
  • [ ] Are you prepared to manually rebuild integrations and automations?
  • [ ] Have you scheduled communication and transition periods with your team?

Deep Dive: Migrating from Trello to Monday.com

Why migrate?

Trello is a straightforward Kanban tool ideal for small teams or simple task tracking. Monday.com, however, offers expanded views (Kanban, Gantt, timeline), customizable columns, and advanced automation that suit growing teams needing more visibility and control. Migrating helps tap into these capabilities but requires careful planning.

Exporting your Trello data

  • Trello’s export options vary: CSV exports are limited to paid tiers; JSON exports are available for all users.
  • Exported files typically include cards, lists, due dates, checklists, and basic metadata but may exclude comments and attachments.

Preparing your data

  • Monday.com imports work best when CSV files have columns aligned with its board structure: groups, items, statuses, dates, etc.
  • You may need to clean up data, remove obsolete cards, or transform JSON files into CSV format before import.

Importing and rebuilding workflows

  • Upload CSV files via Monday.com’s import tool or start fresh boards and manually recreate structures.
  • Monday.com does not support automatic transfer of automations or integrations from Trello; these must be rebuilt. This includes replacing Trello’s Butler automations with Monday.com’s automation recipes and integrating apps via Monday.com’s marketplace or Zapier.

Testing and validating

  • Verify that all items, statuses, assignments, and due dates display correctly.
  • Check that team members have appropriate access and permissions.
  • Pilot the setup with a subset of users or projects before full rollout.

Training and go-live

  • Monday.com provides tutorials, webinars, and support articles.
  • Schedule live training sessions to smooth user adoption and address questions.
  • Communicate the transition plan clearly to avoid confusion during dual usage periods.

Decommissioning Trello

  • Once confident, archive or close Trello boards to prevent duplicated effort or version conflicts.
  • Maintain backups of historical Trello data if needed for compliance or records.

Common Migration Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

  • Neglecting data cleanup before export: Exported clutter leads to disorganized Monday.com boards. Clean Trello data for accuracy and relevance.
  • Assuming automations transfer directly: Monday.com automations differ and require manual setup. Map out and rebuild essential rules.
  • Overlooking user permissions and access: Roles and permissions do not directly migrate. Set up user accounts and assign permissions in Monday.com thoughtfully.
  • Skipping initial testing: Import a few important boards first, verify details, and make adjustments to avoid surprises in full migration.

Use Case Scenarios: Team Migration Examples

Scenario 1: Marketing Team

A marketing team exports campaign boards as CSVs and imports into Monday.com, adopting Kanban and Gantt views to manage timelines. They rebuild automations to notify stakeholders of task updates and integrate with Slack for real-time alerts. Upon training, they see clearer visibility and improved collaboration.

Scenario 2: Software Development Team

A dev team exports JSON from Trello, imports core projects into Monday.com, and customizes status columns for sprint phases (backlog, development, review, deployment). They use Monday.com dashboards to track progress and leverage Zapier integrations to connect with GitHub and their chat tools, replacing Trello Power-Ups.

FAQ

Q1: Can I migrate multiple Trello boards at once?
No, Trello does not support batch export of multiple boards. You must export and import each board individually into Monday.com.

Q2: Will attachments and comments transfer automatically?
Attachments usually require manual download and re-upload. Comments generally do not transfer and may need to be archived separately.

Q3: Do Trello Power-Ups migrate to Monday.com?
No, Power-Ups do not migrate. Monday.com has its own app marketplace and integrations that you will need to set up anew.

Q4: Is Monday.com better than Trello for automation?
Monday.com offers more advanced and customizable automation options but requires setup and configuration.

Q5: What if my export data formats don't align with Monday.com?
You will need to clean or transform your Trello CSV/JSON exports to fit Monday.com’s templates to avoid import errors.

Q6: How do I handle user permissions during migration?
Assign appropriate roles and permissions to team members in Monday.com to reflect your organizational needs, as these do not transfer from Trello.

Bottom-Line Recommendation and Next Steps

Migrating from Trello to Monday.com unlocks sophisticated project tracking and automation but demands methodical preparation. Begin by auditing Trello boards and planning your data export. Familiarize yourself with Monday.com’s import process and automation tools before migrating full teams.

Next steps:

  • Export a small test board from Trello and import it into Monday.com to explore features firsthand.
  • Review Monday.com’s templates and automation recipes to optimize your workflows.
  • Schedule team training sessions for gradual adoption.

For teams seeking deeper customization, multiple views, and powerful automations, Monday.com is a compelling upgrade worth the migration effort.

Where to try these tools

  • Monday.com – [Start a free trial]({{ AFFILIATE_LINK_MONDAY }})
  • Trello – [Start a free trial]({{ AFFILIATE_LINK_TRELLO }})

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