Free Kanban Templates: Printable, Slides and Spreadsheet
Download a free printable Kanban board, use a Kanban slide for presentations or build a Kanban sheet in Google Sheets or Excel. Here is how each template works – and when a live board is the better choice.
Quick answer: A Kanban template is a ready-made board layout. A printable Kanban board (PDF) works with sticky notes; Kanban PPT slides explain a workflow in a presentation; a Kanban sheet in Google Sheets or Excel lists cards as rows with a status column. For daily work, a Kanban app adds drag and drop, sharing and real-time sync.
1. Key Takeaways
- Printable Kanban board: print A4, add sticky notes.
- Kanban PPT / slides: explain a Kanban system in a meeting.
- Kanban sheets: rows = cards, a Status column = the board.
- Rename the columns and add WIP limits before you start.
- Move to a Kanban app when you need sharing, images and sync.
2. Kanban Template Formats Compared
Choose a printable template for paper, slides for presenting, a spreadsheet for data – or an app for daily work.
3. Free Printable Kanban Board
A printable Kanban board is an A4 sheet with To Do, Doing and Done columns that you fill with sticky notes.
Print it, stick it on a desk, fridge or whiteboard and write one task per sticky note. Write a WIP limit in the Doing header. The download for this page includes a printable A4 Kanban board in PDF.
4. Kanban PPT and Slides Templates
A Kanban PPT or slides template shows a Kanban system on a slide – for training, kick-offs or process reviews.
- Slide 1 – what Kanban is: visualise, limit WIP, manage flow.
- Slide 2 – the board: columns with WIP limits.
- Slide 3 – card anatomy: title, owner, due date, labels.
- Slide 4 – policies: definition of done for each column.
- Slide 5 – metrics: cycle time, throughput, cumulative flow.
Tip: use a screenshot of your real board instead of drawn boxes – it is more convincing.
5. How to Build a Kanban Sheet
A Kanban sheet in Google Sheets or Excel lists each card as a row with a Status column, and counts cards per status to check WIP.
The download includes kanban-template.csv with these columns – import it into Google Sheets or Excel.
Download the Kanban sheet template (CSV)
Turn your Kanban sheet into a live board
Colour-coded lists, cards with images, checklists and due dates – on Android, iPhone, tablet and desktop.
Free to use
6. Kanban Template vs Kanban App
Templates are great for printing and presenting; a Kanban app is better for daily work because cards move, sync and can be shared.
7. Kanban Templates in PlanBoards
Here are three ready-to-copy Kanban templates built in PlanBoards.
Kanban template – team
Backlog, To Do, Doing (WIP 3), Review and Done – the standard team template.
Printable Kanban – weekly
To Do, Doing (WIP 3), Waiting and Done – the same layout as the printable board.
Kanban template library
Personal, Work, Home and Operations – one card per template you can start from.
8. How to Use a Free Kanban Template
Choose the format, rename the columns, set WIP limits, add cards and review weekly.
- Choose the format. Printable for paper, slides for a meeting, a spreadsheet for the data, or an app for daily work.
- Rename the columns. Match them to the real steps before you add cards.
- Set WIP limits. Write the Doing limit on the board before you start.
- Add your cards. One task per sticky note, or one row per card in a sheet.
- Review weekly. Clear Done and pull the next cards.
9. FAQ
These are the questions people ask about free Kanban templates.
Is there a free printable Kanban board?
Yes – this page includes a free A4 printable Kanban board in PDF.
How do I make a Kanban board in Google Sheets?
List each card as a row, add a Status column with a drop-down (To Do, Doing, Done) and count cards per status with COUNTIF.
Is there a Kanban template for PowerPoint?
You can build one with a slide per topic – board, card anatomy, policies and metrics – or use a screenshot of your real board.
What columns should a Kanban template have?
To Do, Doing and Done at minimum; teams often add Backlog and Review.
Can Excel be used as a Kanban board?
Yes, as a list with a status column, but moving cards and sharing updates is much easier in a Kanban app.
What is a Kanban system PPT?
A presentation explaining a Kanban system: the board, WIP limits, policies and metrics – usually for training or a kick-off.
Does PlanBoards have Kanban templates?
Yes – copy any board on this page, or start from your own columns, free to use.
10. Sources and Further Reading
These are the sources behind this guide.
- Wikipedia: Kanban board
- Google. Create an in-cell dropdown list.
- Microsoft. COUNTIF function.
Related pages: Features · SME & Projects · Sharing Cards
From template to live board.
Android, iPhone, tablet and desktop.
Free to use