Stages, Columns, and Board Workflow

Overview

Stages (the columns on a board) are how StretchProjects models the flow of work. Each column represents a phase, and moving a card from one column to the next is the primary way you signal progress. This guide explains the standard stages, how a card's status tracks its column, and the difference between workspace and roadmap boards.

The workspace project board stages

A new workspace project board is provisioned with five stages, left to right:

1. Backlog — captured but not yet planned.
2. Planned — scheduled for delivery.
3. In Progress — actively being worked.
4. Review — awaiting review or sign-off.
5. Released — shipped and done.

This five-stage flow is deliberately simple so client-facing boards stay easy to read.

The master roadmap stages

The internal master Roadmap board uses an extended eight-stage flow for finer-grained planning:

1. Backlog → 2. Planned → 3. Ready → 4. In Progress → 5. Review → 6. Blocked → 7. Released → 8. Deferred

The extra stages give planners more nuance: Ready separates groomed work from raw backlog, Blocked isolates stuck items, and Deferred parks work that was intentionally postponed without deleting it.

Stage and status stay in sync

Each column has a key (like in-progress) and a display title (like In Progress). When you move a card into a column, StretchProjects sets the card's status to match that stage automatically — for example, moving a card to In Progress sets its status to in_progress.

This matters because:

• The status field is what dashboard counts and reports read, so keeping it in sync with the column keeps your metrics honest.
• You rarely need to set status by hand — moving the card does it for you.
• If you do want a status that differs from the column name, you can set it explicitly when you move or edit the card.

Each column header

Every column header shows:

• The stage name.
• A count of cards currently in that stage.
• A + button to add a new item directly into that stage.

How to move work through stages

1. Open the board from the left rail.
2. Drag a card onto the target column, or open the card and use the Move to stage dropdown.
3. The board updates immediately and the card's status changes to match.
4. A moved event is logged recording the from and to columns.

Example

A content team grooms a raw idea. On the master roadmap it starts in Backlog, moves to Planned once scheduled, then to Ready after grooming. A writer pulls it into In Progress, then Review for editing. A dependency on legal sign-off stalls it, so it moves to Blocked. Once cleared, it goes to Review again and finally Released. On a simpler client board, the same work would flow Backlog → Planned → In Progress → Review → Released without the intermediate stages.

Tips

• Treat Backlog as your intake lane — everything new can land there before it's scheduled.
• Use Blocked (on the roadmap) rather than leaving stuck work in In Progress; it keeps your active lane honest and makes blockers visible on the dashboard.
• Move Deferred instead of deleting when you're postponing, not cancelling — you keep the history and can revive it later.
• Let moves drive status. Only set status manually when you need it to differ from the stage name.

FAQ

Can I add or rename columns on a board?
Boards are provisioned with their standard stage sets automatically. The workspace project boards use the five-stage flow and the master roadmap uses the eight-stage flow; plan your work around these standard lanes.

Why did my card's status change when I moved it?
That's by design — a card's status is kept in sync with its column so dashboard counts stay accurate. Moving to Review sets the status to review.

Where does a new card land if I don't pick a stage?
New items default to the Planned stage unless you choose another column (for example, by using the + on a specific column header).