Using Trello for request managment
Asked by Rolondo Talbott:

We are thinking of using Trello to handle request management, which also includes notifications and workflow. Based on the following basic requirements, is this something that can be created in Trello?

As an IT member, I want to submit a request for assistance in a communication matter so that my request is addressed in the quickest possible manner.

As a Communication manager, I want a form by which an IT member can submit a request for a communication need, answer a series of clarifying questions, indicate a level of priority and attach supporting documentation so that the request can be comprehensively evaluated.

As a Communication manager, I want requests to be approved by leadership so that I know that the request is valid and vetted.

As a Communication Manager, I want the progress and status of my work to be visible to all users and for requestors to be notified when their work traverses statuses so that, there is transparency in my work.


Answers:
author: Chris Marts
body: It seems you could certainly model many elements of what you want in Trello.

1st list is "Requests."

Depending on how sophisticated the IT users are, they can simply follow instructions/convention when adding cards, including copying a "TEMPLATE / COPY ME" card which contains the template for the clarifying questions in the description (even better, use a Butler rule to populate description when card is created in the "Requests" list).

**Severity** can be a custom field (Custom Fields Power-Up). Same with **Priority**, or try the new "Card Priority" Power-Up.

Other labels could be used to flag common scenarios or other parameters of the request (Rush, Approval Not Required, etc...).

Or go a more sophisticated intake route and use a separate form processing system (e.g. Cognito Forms, Wufoo, TypeForm, JotForm, etc...) and connect the API directly when possible, or through Zapier, when not.

Butler automation rules could handle the rest, e.g. assigning leadership accounts to new requests, managing the card when leadership applies a green "Approved by Leadership" label: move the card to the next list, remove leadership members, could assign the next user, etc...

The remaining lists track the necessary steps to complete the work and it's all done in the open. Add comments to document status changes, notes, links to work output, etc... Users who want to know what's going on can assign themselves to the card or "Watch" the card.

It's still Trello, though - so there are certainly elements/controls/etc... you'd get from the systems suggested by the other folks responding. For example, you can't really "enforce" the approval, you can't "require" fields (more so if using a form intake and API integration), etc...

But that's the idea if you are trying to use Trello: keep it simple, work conventionally, trust each other, and rely on the audit log to keep people from trying to skip steps.


author: Deepanshu Natani
body: Such use case can not be fulfilled by Trello.

You will have to use Jira Service Desk OR Jira to achieve this.


author: Davin Studer
body: I'm not so sure Trello is the best product for this. Really this is what Jira is for. You might be able to have a wonky workflow in Trello for this, but really Trello is meant to be pretty free form with very little validation. I think Jira is a better tool for what you want.