Project Manager’s Hard Days
For those using Redmine, here is an introduction to RedSync, a Power-Up (Trello plugin) that integrates Redmine with Trello.
Progress management is the cornerstone of project management for project managers, and progress reports from project members are the lifeline. Deploying an easily accessible web-based tool like Redmine was expected to help significantly in this regard. However, aren’t you finding that it’s not as well received by the team as you hoped?
- The interface is outdated and no fun to use
- It’s bothersome to use a new tool just for progress reporting
- Using it doesn’t actually make our work easier
These complaints are not uncommon. Progress reporting tends to be put on the back burner when things get busy. If the benefits of Redmine are not felt, it won’t be used. As a result, the project manager often ends up going around asking for progress updates, reverting to the old-fashioned way.
Integrate Redmine with Trello
Trello is a task management tool that allows you to manage tasks visually in a card-based format. You can intuitively operate it by dragging and dropping, like sticking post-it notes on a whiteboard.
Based on my experience using both Trello and Redmine, project members overwhelmingly prefer Trello. This is because it offers useful features for actual work progress, such as organizing tasks, recording results, attaching reference materials and deliverables, and assigning multiple people to tasks.
However, as a project manager, I find Trello lacking in some areas: it cannot define a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), provide an overview with a Gantt chart, define task dependencies, or adjust the overall schedule. These are features that Redmine excels at.
So why not integrate Redmine and Trello? That’s why we developed RedSync.
RedSync combines Redmine’s excellent project management features with Trello’s user-friendly task management capabilities. This integration enables close communication between project managers and project members and allows for better understanding and control of the project’s status.
- Project members can check the schedule from Redmine and report progress to Redmine through Trello cards. They can also use Trello’s excellent task management features to improve their daily work efficiency.
- Project managers can update and monitor progress on Redmine through Trello cards, allowing for better project control. Additionally, RedSync provides features not available in standard Redmine, such as editing Gantt charts via GUI and collaborating with external users who do not have Redmine accounts.
Redmine is often referred to as a project management tool, while Trello is commonly called a task management tool. Although project management and task management are sometimes used interchangeably, it’s easier to understand their differences if you think of task management as managing individual tasks within a project and project management as overseeing the entire project. Both Redmine and Trello have features for both project and task management; the distinction lies more in which aspect each tool excels at.
Details:
How does integration work?
RedSync creates Trello cards from Redmine tickets. It also synchronizes data such as schedules and progress between the tickets and the cards.
The following diagram shows an example of a Trello card linked with Redmine. Project members can refer to and update the card information in their daily work, while also checking the schedule requested by the project manager and reporting progress.
As another collaborative feature, a project manager can display and edit Gantt charts directly on Trello. The editing process, especially with the ability to use drag-and-drop, enhances efficiency for project managers. This feature allows them to increase their work efficiency.
For team members, viewing the Gantt chart enables them to understand the progress of preceding tasks, helping them plan their work schedules or make necessary adjustments with owners of subsequent tasks.
Major Features
Create Trello Cards from Redmine Issues
Associate a Trello Board to a Redmine Project. Then, you can sync the project to the board to create Trello cards from Redmine issues. Whenever you change the issues schedule, you can sync them again to update the card schedule.
Report Status and Progress from Trello Card to Redmine Issue
You can report the status and progress from a Trello card to a Redmine issue. In addition, you can update Tracker, Priority and Category, etc.
Review Schedule and Progress on Gantt Chart on Trello
You can review the schedule and progress on the Gantt chart on Trello.
🎞️Demo
Create and update Schedule on Gantt Chart on Trello
You can create new tasks or update the start/due dates of the existing tasks on the Gantt chart on Trello.
Collaborate with External Users
A shared API key is a Redmine API key assigned to a dummy user and used to access Redmine from Trello. Using the shared API key, you can collaborate with external users who do not have Redmine accounts. The external user does not have a user ID or password on Redmine, so the user does not access Redmine directly.
Other Features
Report Work Time on Card
You can report work time to a Redmine issue from a Trello card. You can view, edit and delete work time as well.
Input Data to Redmine Custom Fields on Card
You can map Trello’s custom fields and Redmine’s custom fields. With this mapping, you can input data to the Redmine custom fields from a card or review the value of Redmine custom fields on a card.
Sort Trello List with Issue’s Priority
You can sort the Trello cards on a List with the Redmine issues’ priority.
Filter Cards by Issue’s Content
Trigger a Workflow by Issue’s Change
You can filter Trello cards by a Redmine issue field (i.e., Track, Status, Progress, Category, Assignee) or a Redmine custom field mapped to a Trello custom field. Using the mapped custom field, you can also trigger a Redmine workflow (Butler).
Try RedSync
RedSync is a Trello Power-Up so that it can be easily installed on Trello just like any other Power-Up.
HTTPS Required
Your Redmine server must support HTTPS. Most servers likely already support it, but please check your environment.
For other necessary Redmine configuration requirements, please refer to Administrator’s Guide.
You can install RedSync on Trello using the link below if you’re already set up.
Resources on HTTPS and CORS
Information about installing Redmine and supporting HTTPS and CORS is provided in the article below.
If you need to consult with your system administrator, sharing this information with them should make evaluating easier.
You can also use RedSync Proxy to connect with Redmine servers that do not support CORS. (See here for details.)
https://pvision.jp/apps/2022/07/02/step-by-step-install-redmine-4-2-5-0-with-ruby-2-7-on-ubuntu/
https://pvision.jp/apps/2022/07/02/step-by-step-install-redmine-5-0-with-ruby-3-1-on-ubuntu/
https://pvision.jp/apps/2022/03/22/cors-support-for-redsync/
Change History
| Date | Description |
| 2024/05/24 | Revised |
| 2023/04/24 | Revised |
| 2022/09/17 | Add description for RedSync |
| 2022/08/28 | Add demos |
| 2022/08/09 | Initial release |