A kanban card is a visual card that represents a single task or work item on a kanban board. As the work moves from “To do” to “In progress” to “Done”, the card moves with it, so the whole team can see what is happening and where work is stuck. Software teams, factories, marketing departments and people organizing their own workload all use kanban cards.
The page offers 20+ kanban card templates: 13 in Word, 10 in Excel and 2 in PowerPoint. Options range from a basic or simple card to a detailed card with fields for owner, dates and blockers, plus colored designs for sorting work by type. Each printable kanban card fits a physical board, and the kanban card template Excel files are handy for tracking cards digitally.
Keep each card to one task that one person can finish in a few days. If a card stays in the same column for weeks, split it into smaller cards.
Kanban boards work well with other planning tools. You may also find our task list templates, work plan templates and work breakdown structure templates useful for breaking a project into cards.
Kanban Cards Templates:
Detailed Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 5.08 MB
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Simple Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 548 KB
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Kanban Card Format Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 3.12 MB
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Formal Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Excel
File Size: 3.9 MB
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Stylish Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: Power Point
File Size: 148 KB
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Basic Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 118 KB
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Informative Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Excel
File Size: 65.7 KB
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Colored Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Excel
File Size: 19.5 KB
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Attractive Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 0.99 MB
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Typical Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 2.10 MB
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Sample Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 1.99 MB
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Example Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 5.44 MB
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Basic Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 64.7 KB
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Information to be included in a Kanban Card:
A kanban card can hold any information your process needs. What you include depends on your business and the systems you already use, but a stock-replenishment card may need the following details; a task card should use fields relevant to its own workflow:
- Part/Item number.
- Part/Item description.
- A bar code.
- Number of items or parts required.
- Specify whether the process is upstream or downstream.
- Name of supplier.
- Lead Time.
- Person who is responsible.
- Date of order.
- Any other relevant information.
Kanban Card Examples:
Stockroom Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 115 KB
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Decent Style Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: Power Point
File Size: 142 KB
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Horizontal and Vertical Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 65.4 KB
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Simple Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 4.66 MB
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Cool Looking Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Word
File Size: 14 KB
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Production Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Excel
File Size: 109 KB
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Product’s Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Excel
File Size: 352 KB
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Proper Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Excel
File Size: 109 KB
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Date Wise Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Excel
File Size: 20.5 KB
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Withdrawal Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Excel
File Size: 54.8 KB
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Informative Kanban Card Template:
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File Format: MS Excel
File Size: 61.5 KB
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Blank Kanban Card Example:
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File Format: MS Excel
File Size: 11.7 KB
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Effectiveness of Kanban Cards:
Taiichi Ohno, a Japanese industrial engineer at Toyota, is credited with introducing the kanban system. The word “kanban” combines “kan” (visual) and “ban” (card or board). The cards form a simple visual system that helps teams communicate, and they make each team’s jobs and responsibilities clear. Kanban works well because of the following principles:
1. Accept the Existing Information and Processes:
Kanban does not throw away the information and processes already in place. Instead, it is used to assess whether existing processes are working well.
2. Support Gradual Change:
Kanban does not support sudden or drastic changes, which can disrupt a business. It encourages small, gradual improvements so that production runs more effectively and efficiently.
3. Respect and support the current system:
Kanban respects existing job titles, roles and responsibilities and recognizes that current systems still have value. It simply introduces small, gradual changes to them. Sometimes a minor change to one part of a system makes a big difference to the whole business.
4. Support leaderships at all levels:
Kanban is built on the idea that everyone in the organization matters. Any team member can be a leader or an innovator, not just management, as long as the shared goal is the progress of the business.
We hope that you find information on this page useful for you.
How to Choose and Fill In a Kanban Card
Choose a task card for knowledge work and a replenishment card for stock control. A software task needs an owner, acceptance criteria and blockers; a stock card needs a part number, storage location and replenishment quantity. Do not force both uses into one form. Word suits individual printed cards, Excel suits a sortable register, and PowerPoint is useful when arranging larger cards for a workshop. To prepare the work items before moving them onto a kanban board, WordNExcelTemplates’ task list templates provide a separate planning worksheet.
- Name one deliverable, such as “Publish the revised checkout help page,” rather than a broad project such as “Improve the website.”
- Give the card a unique ID and one accountable owner. Record the request date and due date separately.
- Write the condition that will count as done, then add dependencies or blockers. Use the board column for current status.
- Move the card when work actually changes state. Review blocked cards and work-in-progress limits with the team.
Worked Example
Example: KB-014, “Update checkout help,” belongs to Sana and is due Friday. Its acceptance criteria are an approved screenshot, checked instructions and a working published link. The card remains in “Blocked” while approval is missing; it does not move to “Done” simply because the draft is written. For a stockroom card, the corresponding trigger might instead be “Reorder 20 packs when the bin reaches five packs.” These are different workflows and should use different fields.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid treating every suggested field as mandatory. A barcode is useful for stock handling but usually adds little to a writing task. Do not use colour as the only way to identify urgent work; add a visible priority label. Split cards that cannot move independently or that represent several weeks of unrelated work.
Related Templates
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tasks should one kanban card contain?
Usually one work item with a clear completion condition. Small subtasks can appear as a checklist, but independently owned deliverables work better as separate cards.
Should a blocked task stay in the In Progress column?
Use the rule agreed by your team: either mark it visibly as blocked in its existing column or move it to a dedicated blocked column. Keep the owner and reason visible so the task is reviewed.
Can I use a printed card with a digital board?
Yes, but decide which record is authoritative. Include the same card ID on both versions and assign responsibility for updates so the two boards do not show conflicting statuses.
