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How “Reply By Email To Chat” Works

Managing communication while working on projects can be a challenge. Inbox clutter, endless notifications, and the need to switch platforms just to reply can slow down your workflow. It’s a frustrating and time-consuming process.

The “Reply By Email to Chat” feature makes it possible to respond directly to chat notifications from your email. Just hit “Reply” in your email client, and your message syncs seamlessly with the corresponding chat – effortlessly keeping the conversation flowing and organized.

Here’s how this feature works for both task card chats and board-level chats, and why it can make collaboration smoother and more efficient.

How “Reply By Email to Chat” Works

Inside Task Cards

Screenshot demonstrating Kerika's seamless "Reply By Email to Chat" integration for task-specific conversations. It visually connects a chat within a Kerika task card ('Meeting Notes') to an email notification in Gmail, and then shows how simply replying to that email sends the response directly back into the task's chat feed. This powerful feature boosts collaboration and ease of use by letting users respond instantly from their inbox, keeping the conversation contextualized within the task and saving valuable time.

 Check out this board

When a conversation happens within a task card, email notifications include the chat history and task details. You can hit “Reply” in your email client, and your response will instantly appear in the chat section of the task card.

In the Board Chat

Screenshot illustrating Kerika's convenient "Reply By Email to Chat" feature for board-level communication. It connects a message in the Kerika 'BOARD CHAT' panel to its corresponding email notification and shows how replying via Gmail instantly syncs the response back into the shared Board Chat. This seamless integration enhances team collaboration and ease of use, enabling users to contribute to project-wide discussions directly from their email, keeping everyone informed effortlessly without needing to log in.

Check out this board

Board-level communication is equally seamless. Chat messages from the board chat are delivered to your email, and when you respond, your reply syncs back into the board chat for everyone to see. No logins required!

The Magic Behind “Reply By Email to Chat”

  • Stay in Context: Email notifications include the full conversation thread, linked directly to the relevant task or board. You can hit “Reply” in your email, and your message is automatically synced as a chat update, keeping everything connected and clear.
  • No Clutter, Just Clarity: Unnecessary email signatures, logos, and attachments are automatically removed, ensuring discussions remain clean, focused, and easy to follow.
  • Keep Everyone Aligned: Your email reply isn’t just logged—it’s instantly visible to all teammates with access to the task or board, ensuring that everyone stays updated and on the same page.

How Does it Help You

  • Save Time and Energy: Replying directly from your inbox means you skip the hassle of switching tabs or logging in, letting you focus on your work.
  • Keep Things Professional: Chats are clean and distraction-free, making it easier for your team to follow discussions and make decisions faster.
  • Perfect for Remote and Busy Teams: This feature ensures remote teams stay connected, and no update gets delayed, regardless of time zones.

How It Helps in Real Life

  • Tight Deadlines: Quickly provide updates or answer questions without pausing your workflow.
  • Collaborating Across Time Zones: Ensure remote teammates stay informed without requiring you to log into Kerika.
  • Simplifying Task Reviews: Add notes or feedback directly from your inbox, with everything tied to the correct task.

Why You’ll Love It

The “Reply By Email to Chat” feature keeps communication streamlined, organized, and accessible. It’s not just a time-saver, it simplifies collaboration, ensuring everyone stays connected and aligned without unnecessary effort or steps.

Conclusion

The “Reply By Email to Chat” feature transforms how teams communicate by making collaboration seamless and efficient. With the ability to reply directly from your inbox, every update stays organized, accessible, and tied to the right task or board. This approach not only saves time but also ensures clarity and alignment across your team, even when working remotely or under tight deadlines.

How To Use The Actions Menu to Streamline Your Workflow

Managing complex assignments can often feel like a juggling act. Limited customization, rigid layouts, and repetitive shuffling of tasks can make the process more tedious than it needs to be.

A well-designed Actions Menu can give you the flexibility to tailor your task board to your unique workflow. From rearranging and renaming columns to moving tasks and sorting them by priority, due dates, or assignments, these features can simplify even the most complex projects.

Ready to take full control of your workflow? Let’s explore how the Actions Menu can help you streamline your tasks and boards with ease.

What is the Column Actions Menu?

Screenshot highlighting Kerika's Column Actions menu, easily accessed via the three-dot icon on the 'To Do' column. This menu offers powerful options like adding, renaming, moving, hiding, or even transferring entire columns between boards. It demonstrates Kerika's superior workflow flexibility, allowing teams to effortlessly customize their board structure to precisely match their project process, ensuring the tool adapts to their way of working, not the other way around.

The Column Actions menu is a gateway for organizing and customizing your task boards. Accessible through the three-dot menu at the top of each column, it provides a range of options to modify and manage your board layout.

Key Features:

  • Add Columns: Insert new columns to refine your workflow.
  • Move Columns: Rearrange columns to match your project’s priorities.
  • Rename or Hide Columns: Keep your board visually tidy by renaming or temporarily hiding sections.
  • Transfer Columns Across Boards: Seamlessly migrate an entire column to a new board without losing any tasks.

The Task Actions Menu: Sorting Made Simple

Screenshot illustrating Kerika's Task Actions menu, accessed from the column header, focusing on the 'Sort all tasks' feature. The expanded menu clearly shows options to effortlessly sort tasks within the column by Due Date, Status, Priority, Assigned Person, or Title. This simple yet powerful tool provides enhanced clarity and organization within any workflow stage, allowing teams to quickly prioritize work and understand responsibilities at a glance. The 'Select all tasks' option for efficient bulk changes is also shown.

Alongside the Column Actions menu, the Task Actions menu helps you manage tasks efficiently within a column.

Sorting Tasks:

The Sort All Tasks option allows you to organize tasks effortlessly based on the following:

  • Sort by Due Date: Prioritize tasks with approaching deadlines.
  • Sort by Status: Group tasks by progress stages (e.g., In Progress, Completed).
  • Sort by Priority: Highlight high-priority tasks so nothing critical gets missed.
  • Sort by Assigned Person: Organize tasks by assignees for better clarity on responsibilities.
  • Sort by Title: Alphabetically sort tasks for quick referencing.

Select All Tasks:

Need to take action on multiple tasks at once? Use the Select All Tasks feature to apply bulk changes efficiently.

Why You’ll Love These Features

  • Improved Organization: Customize your task board to fit your exact project requirements, whether you’re managing a marketing campaign or a software development sprint.
  • Enhanced Flexibility: As projects evolve, so can your board. Adjust columns and tasks dynamically without disrupting your workflow.
  • Streamlined Task Management: Combine column actions with task sorting and bulk selection for a perfectly organized board.
  • Sort Within Columns: Use Task Actions to align tasks by priority or deadlines for better clarity.
  • Experiment with Layouts: Don’t let your board stagnate – keep updating column arrangements as your team’s needs change.

Wrap-Up

The Column Actions and Task Actions features give you the tools to adapt and optimize your workflow effortlessly. Whether you’re adding a column, sorting tasks, or moving a column to another board, these options let you tailor your board to suit your needs.

Effortlessly Switch Between Projects

Switching between projects in some tools can feel like a chore. Clicking through endless menus, searching for the right board, and trying to track what’s due can quickly become overwhelming. It’s a process that wastes time and drains your focus.

A better approach simplifies everything. Imagine seamlessly moving between projects, checking what’s due, catching up on updates, or focusing on your assigned tasks – all with just a click. No distractions, no hassle, just a smoother way to stay organized.

Want to see how this can transform your workflow? Let’s break it down step by step.

Seamless Project Switching:

Screenshot showcasing Kerika's seamless project switching capability, designed for effortless navigation. An arrow highlights the 'OPEN BOARDS' button in the top navigation bar, which opens an intuitive dropdown menu. This menu provides instant one-click access to crucial views like 'What's Assigned to Me' and 'What's Due', alongside a clear list of all accessible project boards neatly organized by account. This feature dramatically enhances ease of use, allowing users to instantly jump between different projects, focus areas, or shared team workspaces, streamlining workflow and boosting productivity without getting lost in menus.

Quick Steps to Get Started

  1. Click the Open Boards button in the top menu.
  2. Browse through your boards, neatly grouped by account or sorted into special views.
  3. Pick the board you need, and you’re there – no extra steps, no confusion.

How The Options Work:

  • What’s Assigned to Me: Perfect for zeroing in on your to-dos.
  • What’s Due: Keep track of deadlines and tackle high-priority tasks first.
  • What’s New & Updated: Catch up on recent updates without digging through every board.
  • See Shared Boards at a Glance: Shared boards are grouped by accounts, making it easy to navigate projects shared with you by teammates, clients, or collaborators. 

Why You’ll Love It

  • It Saves You Time: No more hunting around to find the right board. Jump straight into what matters.
  • It Keeps You Focused: With shortcuts like What’s Due, you can prioritize your day without feeling scattered.
  • It Simplifies Your Workflow: Switching between projects is so smooth, it feels effortless and natural.

How It Helps in Real-Life Scenarios

  • Juggling Multiple Teams: If you’re managing different teams, you can easily check their progress by hopping between their boards.
  • Starting Your Day Right: Use What’s Assigned to Me to kick off your day with a clear game plan.
  • Keeping Up with Changes: Need to catch up? Check What’s New & Updated and see all the latest changes at a glance.
  • Effortless Collaboration: Quickly access shared boards for seamless updates and collaboration with clients or other teams.

Wrap-Up

Seamless navigation tools make managing multiple projects and shared boards simple and efficient. Whether you’re tracking deadlines, catching up on updates, or diving into a shared workspace, everything you need stays organized and easily accessible.

Das Wechseln zwischen Projekten kann sich in manchen Tools wie eine lästige Pflicht anfühlen. Das Klicken durch endlose Menüs, die Suche nach dem richtigen Board und der Versuch, den Überblick über die Fälligkeit zu behalten, kann schnell überwältigend werden. Es ist ein Prozess, der Zeit verschwendet und Ihre Konzentration raubt.

Ein besserer Ansatz vereinfacht alles. Stellen Sie sich vor, Sie wechseln nahtlos zwischen Projekten, prüfen Fälligkeiten, informieren sich über Updates oder konzentrieren sich auf Ihre zugewiesenen Aufgaben – alles mit nur einem Klick. Keine Ablenkungen, kein Stress, einfach eine reibungslosere Art, organisiert zu bleiben.

Möchten Sie sehen, wie sich Ihr Workflow dadurch verändern kann? Wir erklären es Ihnen Schritt für Schritt.

Nahtloser Projektwechsel:

Screenshot, der Kerikas nahtlose Projektwechselfunktion für mühelose Navigation zeigt. Ein Pfeil hebt die Schaltfläche „BOARDS ÖFFNEN“ in der oberen Navigationsleiste hervor, die ein intuitives Dropdown-Menü öffnet. Dieses Menü bietet sofortigen Zugriff mit nur einem Klick auf wichtige Ansichten wie „Was ist mir zugewiesen?“ und „Was ist fällig?“ sowie eine übersichtliche Liste aller zugänglichen Projektboards, übersichtlich nach Konto sortiert. Diese Funktion erhöht den Bedienkomfort erheblich und ermöglicht es Nutzern, sofort zwischen verschiedenen Projekten, Schwerpunktbereichen oder gemeinsamen Teamarbeitsbereichen zu wechseln. Das optimiert den Workflow und steigert die Produktivität, ohne sich in Menüs zu verlieren.

Schnelle Schritte zum Einstieg

  1. Klicken Sie auf dasOffene BoardsSchaltfläche im oberen Menü.
  2. Durchsuchen Sie Ihre Boards, übersichtlich nach Konto gruppiert oder in spezielle Ansichten sortiert.
  3. Wählen Sie das Board aus, das Sie benötigen, und schon sind Sie da – keine zusätzlichen Schritte, keine Verwirrung.

So funktionieren die Optionen:

  • Was mir zugewiesen ist: Perfekt, um sich auf Ihre Aufgaben zu konzentrieren.
  • Was ist fällig: Behalten Sie Fristen im Auge und erledigen Sie Aufgaben mit hoher Priorität zuerst.
  • Was ist neu und aktualisiert: Bleiben Sie über die neuesten Updates auf dem Laufenden, ohne jedes Board durchsuchen zu müssen.
  • Gemeinsam genutzte Boards auf einen Blick:Freigegebene Boards sind nach Konten gruppiert, sodass Sie ganz einfach durch Projekte navigieren können, die von Teamkollegen, Kunden oder Mitarbeitern für Sie freigegeben wurden.

Warum Sie es lieben werden

  • Es spart Ihnen Zeit:Keine lange Suche mehr nach dem richtigen Board. Springen Sie direkt zu dem, was wichtig ist.
  • Es hält Sie konzentriert:Mit Verknüpfungen wieWas ist fällig, können Sie Ihren Tag priorisieren, ohne sich zerstreut zu fühlen.
  • Es vereinfacht Ihren Arbeitsablauf:Das Wechseln zwischen Projekten verläuft so reibungslos, dass es sich mühelos und natürlich anfühlt.

Wie es in realen Szenarien hilft

  • Jonglieren mit mehreren Teams:Wenn Sie verschiedene Teams verwalten, können Sie deren Fortschritt einfach überprüfen, indem Sie zwischen ihren Boards wechseln.
  • Beginnen Sie Ihren Tag richtig:Verwenden Was mir zugewiesen istum Ihren Tag mit einem klaren Spielplan zu beginnen.
  • Mit den Änderungen Schritt halten:Müssen Sie aufholen? PrüfenWas ist neu und aktualisiertund sehen Sie alle aktuellen Änderungen auf einen Blick.
  • Mühelose Zusammenarbeit:Greifen Sie schnell auf freigegebene Boards zu, um nahtlose Aktualisierungen und die Zusammenarbeit mit Kunden oder anderen Teams zu ermöglichen.

Zusammenfassung

Nahtlose Navigationstools machen die Verwaltung mehrerer Projekte und freigegebener Boards einfach und effizient. Egal, ob Sie Termine verfolgen, Updates abrufen oder in einen freigegebenen Arbeitsbereich eintauchen – alles, was Sie benötigen, bleibt organisiert und leicht zugänglich.

Only Board Admins Can Permanently Delete Tasks

Only Board Admins Can Permanently Delete Tasks

Mistakes happen – tasks can sometimes be deleted by accident. That’s why having a safeguard in place is essential to ensure nothing important is lost forever.

When tasks are deleted, they don’t disappear permanently; instead, they’re moved to a Deleted Column of your board. This provides a safety net, allowing tasks to be reviewed or restored if needed. However, the ability to permanently delete tasks is restricted to Board Admins.

This setup ensures accountability while maintaining flexibility. Team members can delete tasks knowing they can be recovered if needed, but permanent removal requires an Admin’s oversight, keeping task management secure and deliberate.

Let’s unpack how it all works:

How It Works

Screenshot illustrating Kerika's secure task deletion process. It shows a project board with a distinct 'Deleted' column containing tasks like 'Draft project proposal'. Individual deleted tasks feature an easy-to-use 'Restore' button, allowing any team member to quickly recover items. Crucially, the image highlights that only Board Admins, identified in the team list, can access the 'Delete tasks permanently' option from the column's action menu. This demonstrates Kerika's thoughtful design, providing a safety net against accidental deletions while ensuring controlled, accountable permanent removal, boosting team confidence and workflow security.

Click here to check out how this project management board works

1. Trashed Cards Stay in the Deleted Column

When a task is deleted, it’s not gone forever. Instead, it’s moved to the Deleted Column, where it stays until further action is taken.

  • Recover Tasks Anytime: Anyone on the board can restore deleted tasks from this column if they realize a mistake has been made.
  • No Pressure: You don’t need to worry about accidental clicks or hasty decisions – everything remains recoverable.

2. Only Board Admins Can Permanently Delete

When it’s time to clean up the Deleted Column for good, only the Board Admins can step in to permanently remove tasks.

  • Added Protection: By restricting this authority to admins, you can make sure  that no task is permanently deleted without careful consideration.
  • Clear Accountability: This feature adds a layer of control, ensuring that critical tasks are not lost due to unintentional actions.

Why This Matters

  1. Avoid Losing Important Work

    The Deleted Column acts as a safety net, allowing team members to delete tasks without the fear of losing them permanently. Tasks remain recoverable until a Board Admin decides otherwise, offering both flexibility and security.
  2. Maintain Control

    Board Admins have the authority to oversee permanent deletions, ensuring that only unnecessary or duplicate tasks are removed. This structure helps maintain clarity and keeps projects well-organized.
  3. Promote Accountability

    Restricting permanent deletion rights encourages teams to manage tasks carefully, reducing errors and promoting a reliable, transparent system. This approach fosters trust and responsibility across the board.

Conclusion

Deleted tasks are recoverable until a Board Admin takes action, ensuring safety, accountability, and control. This approach prevents accidental losses and keeps your workflow secure and organized.

Personalize Your Experience: Customizing Preferences

Your workspace should work for you, not the other way around. Customization options allow you to tailor everything from background colors to notifications and whiteboard tools, helping you stay organized and productive.

To start personalizing your workspace, you’ll need to access the Preference Settings in your account. Here’s how:

  1. Click on your Profile Icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
  2. Select My Preferences from the dropdown menu.
Screenshot showing how easily users can access their personal settings in Kerika. An arrow points from the user's profile icon in the top-right corner to the dropdown menu, highlighting the 'My Preferences' option. This intuitive navigation makes it simple for users to begin customizing their workspace for a more productive and personalized experience.


These settings let you create an experience that fits your unique work style. Now that you know how to access the settings, let us guide you step by step how you can use each customization option.

How It Works: Adjusting Preferences

Preferences are typically grouped into three main categories: General, Notifications, and Whiteboard. Each section provides straightforward options designed to enhance your workflow and optimize your experience.

Here’s a closer look at how these settings work:

General Settings: Make Your Workspace Yours

Screenshot of Kerika's 'General' preferences tab, demonstrating how users can tailor their visual workspace. Options shown include selecting a custom 'Background Color' from a palette and toggling 'Use Tags for Task Boards'. These settings allow users to create a visually comfortable environment and streamline task organization by enabling tags by default, showcasing Kerika's flexibility in adapting to individual work styles.
  1. Background Color:

    Choose a background color that’s easy on your eyes and suits your style

    ● Pick from a variety of options to make your workspace visually appealing.
  2. Use Tags for Task Boards

    ● Enable this feature to automatically include tags on new task boards and templates you create.

    ● Helps you stay organized and categorize tasks effortlessly.

The Benefits:

Customizing the visual aspects of your workspace makes it feel more intuitive and less cluttered, helping you stay focused.

Notifications: Stay in the Loop Without Overloading

Screenshot displaying Kerika's granular 'Notifications' preferences. Users can easily toggle email notifications for chat, board admin activities (like task additions or completions), and opt-in for a daily task reminder summary. This level of control empowers users to stay informed about crucial collaboration updates without suffering notification overload, ensuring they receive only the information relevant to their workflow.
  1. Chat Notifications

    ● Get emails when there’s board-level chat or when someone chats on a task you’re involved in.
  2. Activity Updates for Admins

    ● Receive notifications when new tasks are added, completed, or reassigned on boards you administer.
  3. Daily Task Reminders

    ● Opt for a daily email summary sent at 6 AM, showing overdue tasks and those due this week or next.

    ● Group tasks by date or board for easy tracking.

The Benefits:

With flexible notifications, you can stay informed about what matters most without getting bombarded by unnecessary updates.

Whiteboard Settings: Streamline Your Creative Process

Screenshot of Kerika's 'Whiteboard' preferences, enabling users to streamline their creative process. Options allow setting defaults for 'Lines and Shapes' (style, thickness, color), 'Text on Canvases' (font, size, color), and enabling 'Grid on Canvas' with custom sizing. This customizability ensures consistency and professionalism in visual collaboration, allowing teams to set up their whiteboards to perfectly match their planning or brainstorming workflows.
  1. Lines and Shapes

    ● Set default line styles, thickness, and colors to create clean, consistent visuals.
  2. Text on Canvases

    ● Choose your preferred font style, size, and color for a polished look.
  3. Grid Options

    ● Enable snapping to grid and set the grid size to keep your designs aligned and professional.

The Benefits:

These settings make whiteboards perfect for brainstorming, planning, or designing, ensuring your work looks great and stays organized.

Wrap Up

Whether it’s adjusting visual elements, tailoring notifications, or streamlining creative tools, these options are designed to enhance your productivity and keep your work environment organized. Taking a few moments to personalize your settings can lead to a more efficient and enjoyable experience every day.

Highlighting Tasks: Stay Focused on What Matters

A busy board can sometimes feel like a maze, especially when you’re juggling tasks with varying priorities. The Highlight Feature makes it easy to cut through the noise, letting you filter and visually emphasize tasks that meet specific criteria.

Here’s how to use this feature to stay on top of your projects:

How to Use the Highlight Feature

Screenshot showcasing Kerika's powerful Highlight feature, accessed via the Highlight icon on the board menu. The image displays the 'HIGHLIGHT TASKS ON THIS BOARD' panel, revealing both predefined filters ('What's assigned to me', 'What needs attention', 'What's overdue', etc.) and extensive 'Custom highlight' options (by assignee, status, due date, priority, tags). This allows users to instantly cut through the clutter on busy project boards and focus precisely on the tasks that matter most to them, enhancing personal productivity and workflow flexibility. The high degree of customizability ensures users can tailor their view to perfectly match their specific needs and work style.

1. Access the Highlight Option

Click the Highlight Icon on your board.

2. Choose What to Highlight

Select from predefined options or create custom filters:

  • What’s assigned to me: Instantly see all the tasks assigned to you, so you can stay on top of your responsibilities.
  • What needs attention: Highlights tasks that may require follow-up or have upcoming deadlines, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
  • What’s marked as High Priority or Critical: Focus on tasks that are essential to the project’s success.
  • What’s overdue: Clearly identifies tasks that are past their due dates, helping you address delays quickly.
  • Custom Highlight: Create tailored filters by combining parameters like assignees, task status, due dates, priorities, and tags. You can use one or multiple filters at a time to find out what matters to you most on the board.

Why It Works

  • Focus on Your Tasks with “What’s Assigned to Me”Filter tasks assigned to you to concentrate on your responsibilities without getting sidetracked by other items on the board. It’s an efficient way to stay on top of your personal workload.
  • Identify Urgent Work with “What Needs Attention”Highlight tasks that require immediate focus, whether due to an upcoming deadline or stalled progress. This filter helps you spot bottlenecks and maintain project momentum.
  • Stay on Top of Critical Work with “What’s Marked as High Priority or Critical”High-priority tasks demand attention. This option ensures that crucial work gets the focus it deserves, helping you drive the project toward success.
  • Address Overdue Items with “What’s Overdue”Quickly identify overdue tasks and take action by reallocating resources or following up with team members to bring them back on track.
  • Customize Your Workflow with Custom HighlightsThe Custom Highlight feature allows you to set multiple conditions, such as showing tasks assigned to a specific person, marked as “Needs Review,” and due within a week. Tailor these settings to create a personalized focus view that suits your specific workflow.

Conclusion

With the Highlight Feature, you can cut through distractions and focus on what matters, ensuring a clear and efficient workflow. Whether managing your workload or overseeing the entire team, highlights help you stay productive and focused.

Archived vs Active Boards: Simplify Your Workspace

Managing multiple projects can quickly lead to a cluttered workspace, making it challenging to stay focused on what matters most. Archiving boards offers an easy way to move completed or inactive projects out of sight while keeping them accessible for future reference.

Here’s a closer look at how archiving boards can help you stay organized:

How to Archive Boards

1. Move a Board to Archive

Screenshot demonstrating the simple process to archive a board in Kerika, helping users declutter their workspace. The image displays the main boards view, highlighting the 'Test Board' card. An arrow points from its three-dot menu to the 'BOARD ACTIONS' dropdown, specifically selecting 'Move to Archive'. This intuitive feature allows teams to easily hide completed or inactive projects, streamlining their view to focus on current priorities without losing access to past work.
  • Click the three dots on the board you want to archive.
  • Select Move to Archive from the dropdown menu.

2. Access Archived Boards

Screenshot illustrating how easily users can access archived boards in Kerika. The image shows the main dashboard view with an arrow pointing from the 'Include from Archive' checkbox in the left sidebar. This action reveals the previously hidden 'Test Board', now marked as archived, demonstrating that archived projects remain readily available for reference or reactivation. This feature ensures valuable project history is never lost, supporting long-term knowledge management alongside a clean, focused workspace.
  • Use the Include from Archive checkbox in your Home view to display archived boards.
  • Retrieve archived boards anytime for reference or reuse.

When to Archive Boards

  • Project Completion: Once a project is finished and doesn’t require active management, archive its board to clear your workspace.
  • Inactive Projects: Temporarily archive boards for projects that are on hold or waiting for approval.
  • Focus on Active Tasks: Archiving keeps your Home view streamlined, ensuring only current and relevant tasks are visible.

Why It Works

  • Declutter Your Workspace: Focus only on active boards and tasks.
  • Quick Access to Past Projects: Safely store completed or paused boards for future reference.
  • Streamlined Workflow: Keep your Home view neat and organized for better productivity.

Conclusion

Archiving boards is a simple yet effective way to declutter your workspace, allowing you to focus on what matters most while keeping past projects accessible. Whether it’s completed tasks or paused initiatives, archiving ensures your workflow remains streamlined and organized without losing valuable information.

How to Build a Winning Business Model: A Step-by-Step Guide

A solid business model is the cornerstone of any thriving business: it outlines how your company creates, delivers, and sustains value for customers and stakeholders alike.

However, crafting a robust business model is a complex process. It requires understanding your customers, defining your core value proposition, exploring revenue streams, and coordinating with teams and stakeholders.

We understand these hurdles because we’ve faced them too, and based upon our experiences over the years we have created a simple, workable model that you can benefit from as well.

In this article, we’ll guide you through practical steps to build a business model that works

See how Kerika helps teams visually map and manage every step of their business model, from identifying customer segments to establishing key partnerships. This intuitive Kanban board provides real-time collaboration, customizable workflows, and clear task assignments, ensuring everyone stays aligned and projects stay on track. Try Kerika today and transform your business planning process!

Click on this image to see an example of how a team is building their business model.

Essential steps to build a solid business model:

1. Identify Customer Segments

Start by understanding your audience. Breaking down your potential customers into specific segments based on demographics, behaviors, and preferences can help you to design offerings that truly resonate with different communities of people who could use your product.

Research is key here; survey potential customers or analyze existing data to pinpoint who you’re serving and what they need most. You can use the available data on Statista to better understand who you’re going cater to.

Analysing Google Trends and using Google Analytics makes your segmentation more reliable and accurate.

2. Draft Value Propositions

Once you know who your customers are, it’s time to figure out what makes your product or service stand out. Your value proposition should clearly address the problems your audience faces and how you solve them better than anyone else. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect the first time;this step benefits from iteration and customer feedback.

Here’s a template we created to give you a good headstart in drafting a solid value proposition. Feel free to download, modify, and create your own version of it: Value Proposition Template

3. Explore Channel Options

Deciding how to reach your audience is just as important as defining what you offer. Explore a mix of online and offline channels to see which works best for connecting with your customers. Think about social media, email campaigns, partnerships, or even in-person events, depending on your audience’s preferences.

Semrush has a great article that can help you choose the best channel for your business: https://www.semrush.com/blog/digital-marketing-channels/

4. Research Customer Relationship Types

Customer relationships are more than just transactions; they’re about engagement and loyalty. Consider how you’ll interact with your audience. Will it be personal and hands-on, automated and scalable, or community-driven? The right approach depends on your product and customer expectations.

If you’re unsure where to begin, a structured approach can make this process easier. To help you get started, we’ve created a detailed guide that walks you through researching customer relationship types effectively.

Download the Guide: How to Research Customer Relationship Types

This guide covers everything from identifying customer personas to leveraging analytics and mapping customer journeys. Use it to refine your strategies and build meaningful connections that foster long-term loyalty.

5. Explore Revenue Generation Methods

Revenue streams are the foundation of any sustainable business model. Whether it’s through subscriptions, one-time purchases, or advertising, explore various options to see what aligns with your offering and audience. Don’t be afraid to test different methods before finalizing the best approach.

To help you dive deeper into this process, we’ve created a comprehensive guide that outlines actionable steps to explore, validate, and optimize your revenue generation methods.

Download the Guide: How to Explore Revenue Generation Methods

This guide will walk you through everything from understanding your value exchange to leveraging analytics and diversifying revenue streams. Use it as a roadmap to create sustainable and scalable revenue strategies for your business.

6. Plan Key Activities

Think about the core activities your business needs to perform to deliver value. This could include production, marketing, customer support, or innovation. Breaking these activities down into smaller, actionable steps will help you stay organized and focused on what truly matters.

7. Identify Key Resources

Every business requires resources, whether physical, intellectual, or human. Identify the ones essential to delivering your value proposition effectively. This might include tools, technology, or skilled team members. Knowing your resource needs early can save time and money later.

8. Explore Potential Partnerships

Collaborations can amplify your capabilities. Look for partnerships that complement your strengths or fill in gaps. These could be with suppliers, distributors, or even other businesses that share a similar audience. Partnerships often lead to creative solutions and expanded opportunities.

9. Refine Value Propositions

Your value proposition isn’t set in stone;it should evolve as you learn more about your customers and market trends. Regularly revisit this step, incorporating feedback and insights to keep your offering relevant and competitive.

10. Choose Channel Strategies

Once you’ve tested different channels, focus on the ones that work best. Optimize these channels for consistent communication and delivery of value. This might mean doubling down on a social media platform or refining your email outreach strategy.

11. Define Customer Relationship Strategy

Customer relationships thrive when they’re built on intentionality. Whether you’re engaging through personalized emails, loyalty programs, or community forums, ensure your approach reflects your brand values and keeps customers coming back.

12. Finalize Revenue Streams

After testing and refining your revenue strategies, settle on the ones that align with your business goals. A solid revenue model ensures financial sustainability while supporting future growth.

13. Establish Key Partnerships

Formalizing partnerships can add significant value to your business. Look for opportunities that align with your goals, whether it’s resource sharing, co-marketing, or distribution agreements. Strong partnerships often open doors to new markets or capabilities.

14. Finalize Customer Segments

This is the culmination of your research. Synthesize data from market analysis, demographic studies, and customer feedback to clearly define your target groups. By understanding the unique needs and preferences of these segments, you can tailor your products or services to deliver maximum value. Finalizing this step ensures precision in your offerings and marketing strategies.

Avoid These Pitfalls When Building Your Business Model

Even when following the essential steps to build a business model is crucial, the process often brings hidden challenges. Addressing the following pitfalls can set the stage for smoother execution and pave the way to simplify and enhance the process.

1. Struggling with Incomplete Customer Insights

Understanding your audience is foundational, but fragmented data often leads to unreliable segmentation. Without a centralized way to consolidate customer insights, businesses risk creating value propositions that miss the mark. Without a proper tool to organize and analyze data can stall progress and leave teams guessing instead of making informed decisions.

2. Drafting Value Propositions Without Collaboration

Value propositions thrive on iteration and feedback, yet miscommunication or disconnected teams often lead to underwhelming results. Without a platform for seamless collaboration, valuable ideas get lost, and refining your proposition becomes a lengthy, frustrating process.

3. Choosing Channels Without Real-Time Visibility

When exploring ways to reach your audience, businesses often struggle to track the effectiveness of various channels. Teams working in silos may choose conflicting approaches, creating inefficiencies and missed opportunities. A clear, visual way to experiment with and evaluate channel options is key.

4. Misaligned Customer Relationship Strategies

Customer engagement requires intentionality, but disconnected workflows can lead to misaligned or poorly implemented strategies. Without a structured system to map customer journeys and relationship types, businesses risk alienating their audience instead of building loyalty.

5. Overlooking Revenue Stream Validation

Testing revenue streams is essential, but it can quickly become a fragmented process without a centralized approach. Relying only on spreadsheets often results in missed opportunities to identify the most profitable and scalable options.

6. Losing Track of Key Activities and Resources

Defining core activities and essential resources is critical for success, yet many teams find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks. Without a tool to break these down into manageable steps, it’s easy to lose focus on what truly matters.

7. Coordination Issues with Partnerships

Exploring and managing partnerships requires clarity and accountability, but poor communication and misaligned expectations often lead to friction. A system to track partnership opportunities and formalize collaborations can make the difference between success and stagnation.

Using The Right Tools

Struggling to build a business model? This Kerika board shows how to overcome common challenges like incomplete customer insights and misaligned strategies. With real-time visibility, collaborative workflows, and easy task management, Kerika empowers your team to build a winning business model. Explore Kerika's features and see how it simplifies complex processes.

Check how this company overcomes Business Modeling challenges

Check out how this virtual workspace is designed for the each step of the business modelling process. From identifying customer segments to finalizing revenue streams, this ensures that every detail is accounted for while making it simple to see the progress at a glance.

This workspace is entirely created in Kerika. Tools like Kerika provide an intuitive framework that makes it simple to plan, execute, and refine your strategy.

Ready to dive deeper into how this workspace works for business modelling? Let’s get started!

Take a Closer Look at This Company’s Business Model Board

Customize your business model workflow with Kerika. This image showcases Kerika's adaptable Kanban board with features like customizable columns, easy task creation, and team collaboration tools. Tailor the board to fit your unique processes and empower your team to build a successful business model. Get started with Kerika and experience the power of flexible workflow management.

1. Add Tasks for Each Business Model Step

Drill down into the details of each business model step with Kerika's task cards. This image shows how to add objectives, key components, and collaboration points to each task, ensuring clarity and alignment across your team. Features like checklists, attachments, and chat keep everything organized and accessible. Supercharge your business model planning with Kerika's comprehensive task management.

At the core of this process are the tasks that make up your workflow. This is where new tasks like “Identify Customer Segments” or “Draft Value Propositions.” created to break down each step into actionable tasks ensures that no part of your business model is overlooked.

2. Customize Columns to Match Your Workflow

Adapt Kerika to your team's workflow with customizable columns. This image demonstrates how you can easily rename, add, move, or hide columns to perfectly match your business model process. Create a visual workspace that reflects the way your team works best and drives efficiency. See the power of a truly customizable Kanban board with Kerika.

Each column represents a stage of the business modeling process. You can rename, add new, or rearrange them to suit your workflow. This customization allows your board to adapt to the unique requirements of your business model.

3. Manage Board Access

Maintain control and security with Kerika's board access management. This image shows how to easily assign roles (Admin, Member, Visitor) to team members, ensuring the right people have the right permissions. Streamline your team's workflow and protect sensitive information with Kerika's robust access control features. Experience secure and efficient collaboration with Kerika.

This allows you to manage who’s incharge of the board, who can make changes, and who can only view the board. This avoids the overlapping of responsibilities and ensures that every stakeholder knows their role in the process.

4. Communicate With Everyone

Keep your team connected with Kerika's built-in board chat. This image highlights the real-time communication features within Kerika, eliminating the need for scattered emails and ensuring everyone stays informed. Foster seamless collaboration, make quick decisions, and keep your business model planning on track. See how Kerika simplifies team communication

Use the Board Chat to address your team and help them focus on the goals. This ensures everyone stays informed and aligned, eliminating the confusion caused by fragmented communication channels.

5. Collective File-Sharing

Streamline your workflow with Kerika's collective file sharing. This image showcases Kerika's seamless integration with Google Workspace, allowing you to easily upload, create, and link documents directly within your business model board. Keep all your essential files organized and accessible, boosting team productivity. Experience the power of integrated file management with Kerika

This is where you can share files with everyone on your team without needing additional permissions. This keeps resources organized and eliminates the hassle of manual sharing, streamlining collaboration.

6. Make Sure Nothing Gets Overlooked

Never miss a deadline with Kerika's powerful task highlighting. This image illustrates how to customize highlights based on assignee, status, due date, priority, and tags, ensuring critical tasks get the attention they deserve. Stay organized, prioritize effectively, and keep your business model on track. See how Kerika's smart highlighting keeps you focused on what matters most

This is where you filter out tasks that matter to you the most. Find out what’s assigned to you, what needs attention, or what’s overdue to prioritize your workflow effectively. This helps you ensure that critical tasks don’t get overlooked and helps your team stay focused on high-priority objectives.

7. Adjust the Board to Fit Your Needs

The settings menu in the top right corner of your board is packed with options to fine-tune your workspace. Here’s a closer look at its seven key features and how they can help your team.

  • Overview
Get a complete overview of your business model progress with Kerika. This image showcases Kerika's dashboard with key metrics like completed tasks, overdue tasks, and board description. Easily manage board settings, export data to Excel, and archive old boards. Experience the power of data-driven decision-making with Kerika's comprehensive overview

The Overview tab provides a quick summary of your board’s status, including completed, ongoing, and overdue tasks. You can name your board, write a description for added context, and even manage translations to accommodate team members working in different languages. Archiving old boards or exporting tasks into Excel is just a click away, making it easy to keep your workflow organized and accessible.

  • Settings
Control your workflow with Kerika's customizable settings. This image displays Kerika's settings panel where you can manage board privacy, set Work-in-Progress (WIP) limits, enable auto-numbering of tasks, and manage tags. Tailor Kerika to your specific needs and optimize your business model planning process. Experience the power of flexible settings with Kerika

The Settings tab offers control over privacy and functionality. You can decide who can view the board, restrict it to team members, open it to anyone with the link, or keep it private. Features like Work-in-Progress (WIP) limits help maintain focus by capping the number of tasks in each column, while options like auto-numbering tasks or enabling tags allow you to further refine your workflow.

  • Columns
Structure your workflow with Kerika's customizable columns. This image showcases Kerika's Columns settings where you can add, rename, and rearrange columns to perfectly match your business model process. Create a visual workspace that reflects the way your team works best and drives efficiency. See the power of a truly customizable Kanban board with Kerika.

In the Columns tab, you can customize your board’s structure by adding new columns for workflow stages like “Backlog” or “On Hold.” You can also rename existing columns or rearrange them to better reflect your team’s process. Deleting unnecessary columns keeps the board clean and focused, ensuring only relevant stages are visible.

  • Tags
Organize your tasks with Kerika's customizable tags. This image showcases Kerika's Tags settings where you can create and manage tags to categorize and prioritize your business model tasks. Filter and highlight tasks based on tags to stay focused and efficient. See how Kerika's smart tagging helps you manage complex workflows

The Tags tab helps categorize tasks for better organization. You can create new tags like “Critical,” “Feedback,” or “Milestone” to sort tasks efficiently. Managing tags is just as simple, edit existing ones or delete those that are no longer relevant to keep the workspace tidy and easy to navigate.

Break Down Tasks Into Manageable Steps (illustration of task card)

Break down complex tasks with Kerika's detailed task cards. This image showcases Kerika's features for adding objectives, checklists, attachments, chat, and history to each task. Manage priorities, assign team members, set due dates, and track progress, all in one place. Experience the power of comprehensive task management with Kerika

Task cards are where your team can organize all the details needed to complete specific steps of your business model. Here’s how you can use them effectively:

  • Add key details like the objective, questions to address, and methods for completing the task. For example, outline research methods or demographic analysis for defining customer segments.
  • Update the task’s progress by marking it as ongoing, needing review, or completed to keep everyone informed about its current state.
  • Assign deadlines to ensure tasks stay on track. For example, set a due date for completing customer segmentation research.
  • Break tasks into smaller, actionable steps. Add subtasks like conducting surveys, analyzing trends, or reviewing data to ensure nothing is overlooked.
  • Categorize tasks using labels to prioritize or group them by themes like collaboration, documentation, or high importance.
  • Share important files directly within tasks so your team can access resources like reports or presentations without searching elsewhere.
  • Keep discussions focused by adding comments or updates specific to the task, ensuring communication is clear and organized.
  • Assign teammates to tasks so everyone knows who’s responsible, promoting accountability and efficiency.

With all these features designed to simplify the business modeling process, streamlined collaboration, centralized information, and actionable task management, Kerika provides everything you need to plan and execute your strategy effectively.

Ready to get started? Let’s walk you through setting up your Kerika account and creating your first board!


Set Up Your Kerika Account

Setting up your Kerika account and creating your first board is a straightforward process that lets you dive right into planning your business model. Here’s how to get started:

  1. Signing up is free and easy at kerika.com:
  1. If you already use Google Apps, click on the SIGN UP WITH GOOGLE button.
  2. If you are already using Office 365, click on the MICROSOFT button.

No additional setup is required, simply follow the prompts, and you’re in!

Kerika comes in 38 languages so you and everyone else can work in the most comfortable setup that you prefer!

Create Your First Board

  1. Once logged in, click on the Create a New Board button.
  2. Select the board type that best fits your needs (e.g., Task Board) and name your board.




You now have a visual workspace ready to help you organize tasks, track progress, and collaborate with your team, the next step is to customize the columns, add tasks, and start building your own business model.

Wrapping Up: Your Roadmap to Business Success

Building a business model can be a complex journey, but with a well-structured workflow and the right tools, you can simplify the process and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. This demo board illustrates how you can break down every critical aspect of your business into manageable tasks. From identifying customer segments to defining key activities and partnerships, every card offers a stepping stone toward creating a robust and actionable business strategy.

By following this approach, you can foster better collaboration, enhance organization, and maintain a clear focus on your goals. Whether you’re refining existing plans or starting from scratch, these cards and their methodologies provide a framework to tailor your own business model. Ready to take the next step? Start turning these insights into action and watch your business vision come to life!

Keep File Versions Organized Without the Hassle

Managing multiple file versions can quickly become overwhelming. You’ve probably found yourself staring at files labeled “final,” “final-2,” or “final-really-this-time,” wondering which one is the latest. It’s a common frustration when juggling project updates.

A more efficient system eliminates this guesswork entirely. By automatically tracking and replacing old file versions, you can ensure your team is always working with the most current file, without the clutter or confusion.

Here’s a guide to organizing and updating files efficiently in both task-specific and board-level contexts:

  1. Task Card Attachments
Screenshot showcasing Kerika's intuitive task card interface for easy file management. The image highlights the 'Attachments' tab on a specific task ('Design User Interface'), with an arrow pointing to the 'Upload a new version' icon. This demonstrates how effortlessly team members can replace outdated files directly within a task, ensuring everyone collaborates using the most current version and eliminating confusing duplicates like 'final-v2.docx'. This seamless process supports focused collaboration and streamlines project workflows.

Click here to preview this task card

Task Cards are where all the magic happens when it comes to organizing files related to specific tasks. Here’s how you update a file:

  • Locate Your File: Open the Task Card where the file is attached.
  • Upload a New Version: Click the Upload New Version icon next to the existing file. This automatically replaces the old version with the new one while keeping the history intact. No need to delete the old version or rename the file.
  • Benefits: The updated file is instantly tied to the task, so your team can continue collaborating without skipping a beat.

Task Cards ensure your file updates stay relevant to the task at hand, keeping everyone on the same page.

  1. Board Attachments
Screenshot illustrating how Kerika simplifies managing project-wide documents via Board Attachments. The image shows the main Kerika board view with an arrow highlighting the 'Attach files to this board' icon. A 'Board Attachments' pop-up displays project-level files, and another arrow points to the 'Upload a new version' icon, showing the simple update process. This feature provides a central, easily accessible location for key resources like charters or templates, ensuring the entire team stays aligned with the latest information, boosting collaboration for distributed or hybrid teams.

Click here to preview this board attachment

Board Attachments are ideal for files that impact the entire project such as project charters or shared templates. Updating files here is just as straightforward:

  • Navigate to Board Attachments: Click the Attachments icon on the board menu.
  • Update the File: Select the file you want to replace and click the Upload New Version button. The older version is replaced seamlessly, so there’s no confusion about which version is current.
  • Benefits: Your entire team gets instant access to the latest version, no matter where they’re working from.

Board Attachments ensure project-wide files stay organized and up-to-date without creating duplicates.

Conclusion

Efficient file management simplifies project workflows and enhances collaboration. By eliminating the confusion of multiple file versions, you can keep your team organized and focused on what truly matters.