What is a read-only board?
A read-only board can be read, searched and exported, but not changed. A team with more than 5 people needs Team Access to make changes. A Client role can also see a team board without changing its tasks, while still able to comment.
Last checked
A read-only kanban board is one that can be looked at but not changed. In fenbs that happens in two different ways, for two different reasons, and it is worth knowing them apart.
When a team plan ends
A team with up to 5 people returns to the free plan when its paid plan runs out, just like a personal board: up to 50 open tasks. If it already has more tasks, you can still edit, move and complete them, but can only add new ones below that limit. A team with more than 5 people goes read-only without Team Access: people and AI assistants alike cannot change it. Every change is refused with a sentence that says why and what fixes it. Nothing is deleted, search still works, and everything can still be taken out. Team Access makes it writable again.
When someone is given a read-only role
To show a team board to a client or a stakeholder without letting them change it, add them under People with the Client role. They sign in with the email you added and see the board live, and can read and write comments, but every change to a task is refused with a sentence naming the role. The people on the board carry on working it as before. Their role is a window, not a door.
Why the refusal is a sentence
A read-only refusal explains why the team needs Team Access: it has more than the free plan's 5 people. The sentence is written for a person to read and an assistant to relay, with the plan link. A button that silently does nothing would leave an assistant guessing, and guessing is how it loses your trust.