Creating Teams

Teams are a fundamental organizational unit in Squared, allowing you to group related work and team members. This guide will walk you through the process of creating and setting up teams in your workspace.

What is a Team in Squared?

Before diving into creation, it's helpful to understand what teams represent in Squared:

  • A team is a group of people working together on related tasks or projects
  • Each team has a unique identifier that prefixes all task IDs (e.g., ENG-123)
  • Teams have their own settings, workflows, and sprints
  • Teams are part of a workspace and team members must be workspace members

Examples of teams might include Engineering, Marketing, Design, Customer Support, or specific project teams like "Website Redesign" or "Product Launch."

Step-by-Step: Creating a New Team

Prerequisites

Before creating a team, ensure:

  • You have administrator or team creation permissions in your workspace
  • You have planned which members will join the team
  • You have considered the team's purpose and workflow requirements

Creating the Team

  1. Access Team Creation
  2. Navigate to Settings → Teams → New Team Alternatively, click the "+" icon next to Teams in the sidebar
  3. Enter Basic Team Information
  4. Team Name: Enter a descriptive name (e.g., "Engineering" or "Marketing") Team Identifier: Create a short, unique prefix for task IDs (2-5 characters) Example: "ENG" for Engineering, "MKT" for Marketing
  5. Configure Team Settings
  6. Effort Scale: Choose how task effort will be measured (Linear, Fibonacci, Exponential) Default View: Select the default task view for team members Default Status Workflow: Choose a workflow template or customize later
  7. Add Team Members
  8. Search and select members from your workspace Assign appropriate roles (Team Lead, Member) Set initial notification preferences
  9. Finalize Creation
  10. Review all settings Click "Create Team" You'll be redirected to the new team's dashboard

Advanced Team Configuration

After creating your team, you may want to customize additional settings:

Setting Up Team Sprints

If your team uses sprints for work planning:

  1. Navigate to Team Settings → Sprints
  2. Enable sprints for your team
  3. Configure sprint duration (typically 1-4 weeks)
  4. Set sprint start day and other preferences
  5. Create your first sprint

Customizing Task Workflows

Tailor the task workflow to your team's processes:

  1. Go to Team Settings → Workflow
  2. Customize status options (add, remove, or rename statuses)
  3. Define status transitions (which statuses can follow others)
  4. Set up automation rules for status changes
  5. Configure status colors and icons for visual clarity

Creating Team Templates

Establish templates for common task types:

  1. Navigate to Team Settings → Templates
  2. Click "Create Template"
  3. Set up default fields, descriptions, and checklists
  4. Save and share with the team
  5. Templates will appear when creating new tasks

Team Roles and Permissions

When creating a team, understand the different roles available:

  • Team Lead: Can manage team settings, create sprints, and administer team members
  • Team Member: Can create, edit, and manage tasks within the team
  • Observer: Can view team activity but cannot create or edit tasks

To assign roles during team creation:

  1. Select a team member in the "Add Members" section
  2. Click the role dropdown next to their name
  3. Select the appropriate role
  4. Repeat for each member

Importing Existing Work

If you're moving from another system or reorganizing work:

  1. After creating your team, go to the team dashboard
  2. Click "Import" in the top right corner
  3. Select your import source (CSV, JSON, or integration)
  4. Map fields from your source to Squared fields
  5. Preview and confirm the import
  6. Review imported tasks and make any necessary adjustments

Best Practices for Team Creation

Naming Conventions

  • Use clear, consistent naming for teams
  • Choose intuitive but unique team identifiers
  • Document naming conventions for organizational clarity

Team Structure

  • Create teams based on logical work divisions
  • Avoid too many small teams or overly large teams
  • Consider communication patterns when structuring teams

Member Onboarding

  • Prepare documentation for new team members
  • Create initial tasks for new members to get familiar with the workflow
  • Schedule an orientation session for the new team

Workflow Design

  • Start with a simple workflow and refine as needed
  • Involve team members in workflow decisions
  • Document the workflow meaning and expectations

Tips for Successful Teams

  • Start Small: Begin with core members and essential settings
  • Evolve Gradually: Refine processes as the team gains experience
  • Regular Review: Schedule periodic team retrospectives to improve processes
  • Clear Guidelines: Document team conventions and expectations
  • Training: Ensure all members understand how to use Squared effectively

Common Questions