Kanban Card Template

A kanban card is part of the kanban system. The kanban card represents the individual work item, activity or task, which includes a description of that work, priority, who on the team is assigned to execute it and more. The kanban card is placed on the kanban board and moves across the columns of the board, which represents the stages of production.

Why Use a Kanban Card Template for Excel?

Using a kanban card template is set up to give users everything needed to manage their tasks. From describing the tasks to the scheduled delivery date, the kanban card directs team members and gives managers a window into their work. It visualizes work, limits work in progress (WIP) and increases efficiency or flow.

A kanban card template is a tool that helps project managers and their teams visualize the workflow of a production cycle. The kanban methodology is commonly used in manufacturing, but also across many other industries to manage work and provide transparency in the process for managers. Use this free kanban card template to get started.

Kanban card template for Excel ProjectManager

The kanban card template is already made and ready to be used. There’s no setup required. It’s also something that can be used repeatedly. There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. The kanban card is consistent and only needs the pertinent information for that particular task to be added, which saves time and lets team members get right to work.

There are other benefits to using the kanban card template. It increases accountability, transparency and collaboration across teams. This leads to less waste and a more predictable delivery. The kanban card template is ideal for manufacturing as it helps with order fulfillment and inventory management.

Another reason to use the kanban card template is that it’s flexible. Teams can customize the kanban card to meet their process and even evolve with the team. The template helps ensure everyone on the team stays focused on completing the existing work before moving on to new tasks. Because the kanban card is a shared visual space, it helps unite distributed teams in one virtual place where they can all work together.

Better still, open the kanban card template in ProjectManager and take advantage of a range of project management software features. This gives users a kanban card that tracks actual progress against planned progress, tracks costs, schedules resources and even automates workflows. Plus, the kanban view seamlessly integrates with other project views and features, such as Gantt charts, dashboards and more for a holistic approach to project management. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Kanban board ProjectManager — ProjectManager’s kanban cards work with many other robust project management features. Learn more

Who Should Use This Kanban Card Template?

As noted, kanban cards are often used in manufacturing as an inventory management tool. While this template is outlined for that industry, it’s customizable and can apply to many workflows that use a two-bin inventory system. This system determines when items or materials used in production should be replenished.

For example, a large retail store, hospital or other businesses can find efficiencies using the free kanban card template for Excel to manage their stock, whether it’s retail items or hospital supplies. Companies as varied as Nike, Jaguar and Pixar all use kanban software to facilitate their workflow.

What Is Included in This Kanban Card Template?

Once the kanban card template is downloaded, it can be customized to fit the needed workflow. However, this kanban card template is already formatted to work in a lean manufacturing and inventory setting and the following items are included.

Item Description: Details the work that’s to be done to complete the task
Item Number: Serves as a reference to distinguish this item from others in the production line or inventory
Order Quantity: The amount of items that need to be made
Order Cost: Procurement cost or setup cost that the company incurs when ordering inventory or raw materials from suppliers
Order Date: When the order has been placed
Lead Time: The amount of time that passes from the start of a process until its conclusion
Scheduled Delivery Date: When a product for the customer is expected to arrive
Supplier: Who is supplying the raw materials, components or finished goods
Location (Rack, Shelf, Bin): Where in the warehouse the item is being stored
Minimum Inventory: The lowest amount of a product that is in stock and can still meet customer demand
Reorder Point: When stock reaches this specific level, it’s time to reorder to avoid not having enough on hand to meet customer demand
Item Image: A photograph of the item to help make retrieving it easier

How to Use This Kanban Card Template

Use the free kanban card template for Excel to manage inventory and avoid running out of stock. As noted, all the information for the product, including a picture, will be on the kanban card template. To use this kanban card in inventory management, follow these four steps.

1. Set Up a Two-Bin Kanban Inventory System

A two-bin kanban inventory system works by having two storage bins that contain inventory that workers pull from to fill orders or provide supplies for various departments. The first bin is placed on top or in front of the second bin. A reorder card is placed at the bottom of both bins to replenish stock to avoid not having enough stock on hand to meet demand.

2. Fill Out the Kanban Card to Order Inventory Items

The next step is to fill out the kanban card template. All of the information detailed above is critical for inventory management and control. The more information on the kanban board, the easier it is to manage inventory, get it to the customer on time and ensure that the stock is never so low that it’s unable to meet demand.

3. Place the Kanban Card in a Kanban Inventory Management Board

Once the kanban card has been filled out, it’s time to add it to a kanban board. Remember, a kanban board is a series of columns that match the stages of whatever workflow is being done. In this case, that would be picking, sorting, packing, etc.

4. Track the Order and Restock the Bin

Tracking the order is done by following the kanban card as it moves through the stages of the kanban board. This helps with more accurate order fulfillment, which provides dividends in customer satisfaction and loyalty. Tracking also allows managers to see when stock is getting low. When it reaches a certain level, it should be reordered to ensure there’s always enough to meet customer demand.

More Related Templates for Excel

The kanban card template for Excel is only one of over 100 free project management templates for Excel and Word that can be downloaded right now. Those templates cover all aspects of managing a project and touch on many industries. Below are the ones that help with inventory management.

Inventory Template

This free inventory template for Excel helps to record the level of stock and track its turnover. Use it to list the inventory number, name and description of the item. Price, quantity in stock and a reorder column ensure that stock is always sufficient.

Kanban Board Template

The free kanban board template for Excel is fully customizable. Set up the columns to match the stages of whatever workflow and the cards can be moved from one column to another as they complete that stage.

Gantt Chart Template

Kanban boards aren’t as useful for capital improvement projects, such as building a new warehouse. For that, use the free Gantt chart template, which lists tasks and their start and end dates. That information is then automatically populated into a visual timeline that shows the entire project in one place.

Disadvantages of a Kanban Card Template for Excel

Templates are fine for some work, but they fall short in terms of the manual labor involved in updating them, which often leads to human error, and templates are not collaborative. But there are other disadvantages to using a kanban card template.

Those templates have some flexibility, but they’re not as diverse as using project management software. For example, the kanban card template can’t seamlessly work with other project management software features, such as Gantt charts, dashboards and workload charts.

Kanban card templates can’t do things like track costs, compare planned progress against actual progress or schedule resources. Templates are designed for one purpose and can’t often fit the specific needs of what a user wants.

How to Make Kanban Cards Online With ProjectManager

Better than an Excel template is ProjectManager, an award-winning project and portfolio management software that has a robust kanban system and multiple project views. To make a kanban card with ProjectManager, open the template in the software after taking a free 30-day trial. Try the software out and see how much more useful the kanban system is in software than an Excel spreadsheet. Here are some things that can be done with kanban software that are beyond the scope of a template.

Automate Workflows and Create Recurring Tasks

Kanban card templates can’t streamline manual and repetitive work, but software can. Workflow automation sets any number of triggers that will automatically create an action, such as if the status of a task changes, the person assigned changes.

For example, when stock is picked it can automatically be assigned to the packer. Task authorization can make sure that any errors are caught and don’t move forward in the workflow. Additionally, recurring tasks can be set up to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Track Costs, Progress and Performance

Another thing that templates are unable to do is provide managers with data to help their teams work better. Software can do this across many features. Kanban cards can track costs and progress, but for a high-level overview, there are real-time project and portfolio dashboards that automatically collect data and display it on easy-to-read graphs and charts that show time, cost, workload and more. To keep stakeholders informed, use customizable status, portfolio and other reports. All can be filtered and easily shared.