---
title: "Set up board columns"
description: "Add, rename, recolor, reorder, collapse, merge and delete the columns of a project's board, and choose the column for finished work."
url: "https://okido.io/en/docs/projects/set-up-board-columns"
chapter: "Projects"
chapterUrl: "https://okido.io/en/docs/projects.md"
plans: ["Starter", "Pro", "Business"]
roles: "Owner, Admin"
language: "en"
edition: "2026-10-23"
---

# Set up board columns

> Add, rename, recolor, reorder, collapse, merge and delete the columns of a project's board, and choose the column for finished work.

Each column on a project's board is a stage the work goes through. Shape the columns to match how your team works, for example with a column for client review before work is done.

Organization owners and admins can add, rename, recolor, move and delete columns and choose the done column. Anyone in the project can collapse and merge columns, and that changes the board for everyone.

## Add a column

1. Open the project's **Board** and choose **Add Stage** to the right of the last column.
2. Enter a name and pick a **Color**.
3. Choose **Create Stage**.
   ![Creating a Client Review column in yellow](https://okido.io/docs/screenshots/en/stage-form.webp)

The new column appears at the right end of the board.

## Move a column

Drag the column by the grip (the dotted icon) to the left of its name to the new place. The board saves the new order right away.

## Rename or recolor a column

1. Choose the menu button at the top right of the column, then **Edit Stage**.
   ![The column menu of the Client Review column](https://okido.io/docs/screenshots/en/board-column-menu.webp)
2. Change the name or the color.
3. Choose **Update Stage**.

The same dialog also holds the column's rules, see [Add rules to a column](https://okido.io/en/docs/projects/add-column-rules.md).

## Choose the done column

1. Choose the column's menu button, then **Set as Done Stage**.

The column gets a **Done** badge. When someone marks a task as done, it moves into the first done column to its right on its own. A new project's last column is a done column from the start. Choose **Remove Done Stage** to turn it off.

## Collapse or merge columns

- To collapse a column, choose **Collapse** in its menu. It becomes a narrow strip with its name and number of tasks. Click the strip to open it again.
- To merge a column with the one to its right, choose **Merge Right** in its menu. Both stay separate stages, stacked in one column. Choose **Unmerge** in the menu of the top stage to split them again.

![The In Progress and Client Review columns merged into one](https://okido.io/docs/screenshots/en/board-merged-columns.webp)

## Delete a column

1. Move the column's tasks to another column first: a column with tasks cannot be deleted.
2. Choose the column's menu button, then **Delete Stage**.

The column is deleted at once, without a question.