Running Agile Sprints in Notion: Boards, Backlogs, and Burndowns

• Agile teams often rely on tools like Jira or Trello for sprints and backlogs, but you can absolutely run Scrum or Kanban processes in Notion.
• Notion’s database boards, filters, and views make it adaptable for iterative sprints.
• In this article, we’ll show how to manage agile projects in Notion using boards and backlogs – even keeping an eye on progress with simple burndown-style tracking.

Agile teams often rely on tools like Jira or Trello for sprints and backlogs, but you can absolutely run Scrum or Kanban processes in Notion. Notion’s database boards, filters, and views make it adaptable for iterative sprints. In this article, we’ll show how to manage agile projects in Notion using boards and backlogs – even keeping an eye on progress with simple burndown-style tracking.

1. Create a Task or Sprint Board. Start with a database (Board view). Call it “Sprint Tasks” or “Sprint

Backlog.” Each card is a task or user story. Give it properties such as: - Title (task name) - Status (To Do, In Progress, In Review, Done – use a Select or the board columns) - Priority (High, Medium, Low) - Assignee (person) - Sprint (relation or select: e.g. Sprint 1, Sprint 2) - Story Points or Effort (number) - Issue Type (feature, bug, chore) - Points Done (formula or number , for tracking remaining work) Set the database to Board by default, grouped by Status . You’ll see columns like To Do, In Progress, etc.

1. Maintain a Backlog. You can either use the same database for both backlog and current sprint (just

leave most tasks in a “Backlog” status column), or create a separate “Product Backlog” table. In the backlog, list all pending tasks, features, or ideas, prioritized (maybe add a Rank number). Include fields like Priority and Epic or Tag to categorize. When planning a new sprint, simply drag tasks from Backlog into “Sprint 1” or set their Sprint property to the upcoming sprint.

1. Plan Sprints. At sprint planning time, select tasks from the backlog to include. You could add a view

filtered on Sprint = Sprint 1 or create a dedicated view called “Sprint 1 Backlog.” Estimate story points (or whatever metric) for each. Make sure total points fit your team’s velocity. You can also use a Timeline view : set up a timeline calendar keyed to tasks’ target completion dates. This gives a visual Gantt-ish overview.

1. Daily Workflow. During the sprint, team members update the Status of tasks (move a card across the

board). Use checkboxes or sub-tasks in each card to break down work. Team stand-ups can be as simple as pointing at the Notion board and noting who’s working on what. Everyone can leave comments or mentions on tasks for asynchronous updates.16

1. Tracking Progress (Simple Burndown). Notion doesn’t have built-in charts, but you can emulate a

burndown by using rollup and formula fields. For example, add a rollup called Sprint Remaining that sums the Story Points of tasks in “To Do” and “In Progress” for the current sprint. Then a number field Goal with the total points at sprint start. A formula could calculate (Goal - Remaining) or percent complete. Alternatively, export that data to a Google Sheet for an actual chart. Even without a visual chart, using these fields helps the team see whether work is getting done. You could also create a filtered view of tasks that automatically shows how many points are done vs. total.

1. Post-Sprint Review. When the sprint ends, mark all Status: Done . You might add a tag or move completed

tasks to an “Archive” or separate “Done” database to keep things clean. Review unfinished tasks – move incomplete ones back to the product backlog. In Notion, you could use a Board view “Done” to celebrate or a Timeline view to scroll through what was completed.

1. Automate Routine Tasks. You can use Notion’s link to apps for automation: for example, a Zapier

integration can automatically create a Notion task when an issue is filed in GitHub, or convert a project in Basecamp into Notion cards. This can save admin time. (More on Notion and Zapier in our automations article.)

1. Templates to Speed Up. If setting this up from scratch seems daunting, look for a Sprint or Kanban

template. Notion’s template gallery (or the template store) has Agile boards. One popular approach is to have an “Agile Board” page with your sprint table embedded and a calendar showing deadlines. By organizing tasks in Notion, your team has one source of truth. Notion’s openness means you can tailor your workflow exactly to your Agile methodology – whether Scrum or Kanban. Need to track user stories and epic links? Use database relations. Want daily stand-up notes right on the board? Add a comments section.

The key is consistency: use the same columns and update statuses every day. Remember to keep it visual and flexible . Use tags, colors, and icons for clarity. Keep sprint tasks in the current board view and backlog tasks off to the side. And use Notion’s reminders (@date) for critical deadlines or review meetings. Running Agile sprints in Notion may not be as automatic as a dedicated dev tool, but it works beautifully if your team values customization and collaboration.

With the right setup, Notion becomes your sprint hub – from backlog grooming to sprint planning, to the final retrospective.

Next step

If you want to turn this into a reusable workspace, save your best blocks as a page template, name your properties consistently, and test your setup on mobile. Small tweaks like clearer statuses, fewer views, and better naming make a template feel instantly premium.

Try the free tools to estimate time saved and plan your next build, or head back to the Articles page to keep learning.