You have a Trello board with cards, lists, and labels that you want to move into Notion. Notion provides a built-in import tool that converts Trello boards into databases, preserving most of your data including card names, descriptions, due dates, and comments. This article explains how to use the Trello-to-Notion import feature, what data transfers correctly, and what to do if some elements do not appear after the import.
Key Takeaways: Importing a Trello Board into Notion
- Settings & Members > Import > Trello: Initiates the import process and connects your Trello account to Notion.
- Trello JSON export file: Alternative method when the direct Trello integration is unavailable or fails.
- Notion database properties: Trello card fields like labels, due dates, and members become database properties after import.
How the Trello-to-Notion Import Works
Notion imports a Trello board by converting each Trello list into a Notion database view. Each Trello card becomes a page inside that database. The import tool maps Trello fields to Notion properties. Card titles become page titles. Descriptions become page body text. Labels become Select properties. Due dates become Date properties. Members become Person properties. Comments are added as page comments. Attachments are linked as file URLs. The import does not transfer Trello Power-Ups, custom fields from third-party apps, or board-level settings like background color or permissions. You must have a Notion account with workspace edit permissions to run the import.
Steps to Import a Trello Board Into Notion
Follow these steps to import a Trello board directly from your Trello account. You need a Trello account with access to the board you want to import. The board must not be archived.
- Open the Import Menu
In Notion, go to the left sidebar and click Settings & Members. Then click Import under the Workspace section. A list of available import sources appears. - Select Trello as the Source
Click the Trello option. Notion opens a new browser tab asking you to authorize the connection to Trello. If you are not already logged into Trello, you are prompted to log in. - Authorize Notion to Access Trello
Click Allow on the Trello authorization screen. This grants Notion read-only access to your Trello boards. Notion cannot modify or delete any Trello data. - Choose the Board to Import
After authorization, the Notion import window shows a dropdown list of all boards in your Trello account. Select the board you want to import. You can import only one board at a time. - Configure Import Options
Notion shows a preview of the import. You can choose whether to include closed cards. Closed cards are Trello cards that have been archived. By default, closed cards are excluded. Leave the checkbox empty unless you need archived cards. You can also rename the page that will contain the imported database. - Start the Import
Click Import. Notion processes the board. The time depends on the number of cards, comments, and attachments. A progress bar shows the status. Do not close the browser tab during import. - Open the Imported Database
When the import finishes, Notion adds a new page to your workspace sidebar with the board name. Click the page to see the database. Each Trello list appears as a view option at the top of the database. Click a view to see the cards from that list.
Alternative Method: Import a Trello Board Using a JSON Export File
If the direct Trello integration does not work because of account restrictions or browser issues, you can export the board from Trello as JSON and import that file into Notion.
- Export the Trello Board as JSON
In Trello, open the board you want to export. Click the Show Menu button in the top-right corner. Click More, then Print and Export, then Export as JSON. Trello downloads a .json file to your computer. - Open the Notion Import Page
In Notion, go to Settings & Members > Import. This time, click Trello again. On the import screen, look for the option to upload a file. It appears as a link labeled Import from file below the board dropdown. - Upload the JSON File
Click Import from file and select the JSON file you downloaded from Trello. Notion parses the file and creates the database. The import settings are the same as the direct method. Click Import to finish.
Common Issues After Importing a Trello Board
Missing Card Attachments or File Links
Trello attachments that are uploaded directly to a card (not linked from cloud storage) do not transfer as embedded files. Notion converts them into external links that point to the original Trello attachment URL. To access these files, you must have permission to view the original Trello board. If the board is private and you lose access, the links break. To avoid this, download attachments from Trello before importing and reattach them in Notion manually.
Labels Display as Select Properties Instead of Multi-Select
Trello labels are imported as a single Select property, not a Multi-Select property. If a card has multiple labels, Notion combines them into one Select value separated by commas. This makes filtering by individual labels difficult. After import, you can convert the Select property to a Multi-Select property. Click the property name in the database header, choose Edit property, and change the type to Multi-Select. Then manually reassign the labels to each card.
Card Order Differs From Trello
Trello cards within a list have a specific order based on their position. Notion imports cards but does not always preserve the original order. The cards appear in the order they were processed, which may not match Trello. To restore the order, add a Number property to the database and manually enter the position numbers from Trello. Then sort the database by that number property.
Comments Appear in the Wrong Context
Trello comments are imported as page comments in Notion. However, if a Trello card had a long discussion thread, Notion may truncate the comment list. Only the most recent 50 comments are imported per card. Older comments are lost. To preserve all comments, export the Trello board as JSON and check the JSON file for the full comment history before importing. If you need all comments, consider copying them manually.
Notion Import Options for Trello vs CSV vs Asana
| Item | Trello Import | CSV Import | Asana Import |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data structure | Lists become database views | Rows become pages | Projects become databases |
| Labels | Select property | Text property | Multi-Select property |
| Due dates | Date property | Date property if formatted correctly | Date property |
| Comments | Page comments (last 50) | Not supported | Page comments |
| Attachments | External links | Not supported | File property |
| Board members | Person property | Not supported | Person property |
After the import, you can customize the database by adding new properties, changing views, or linking to other databases. Use the Notion database filters and sorts to organize the imported cards. If you imported a board with many cards, consider grouping them by a property like Status or Priority to create a Kanban view similar to Trello. The import tool is a one-time operation. Any changes made in Trello after the import do not sync to Notion. You must re-import the board to get updated data.