Plane

Plane is an open-source project management system designed to bring clarity to delivery work: tasks, statuses, prioritization, backlog management, and team workflows. It’s especially useful for software teams, but also fits any business where work is organized as projects: client delivery, internal initiatives, milestones, and ongoing coordination.

We use Plane internally and implement it for customers via: /en/services/erpnext-plane-implementation/. For the broader delivery approach, see: /en/how-we-are/.

What Plane gives you vs “running projects in chat”

1) Visibility

Instead of project status living in someone’s head, the team can see what’s in progress, what’s blocked, and what’s next.

2) Prioritization

A structured backlog makes it possible to decide what matters now and what can wait.

3) Standard workflow language

When teams share statuses (To Do / In Progress / Review / Done), you get consistent communication and measurable progress.

4) Measurement

You can understand load, throughput, bottlenecks, and where the workflow needs improvement.

Key concepts worth knowing

• Backlog: prioritized future work.
• Issue/Task: a unit of work.
• Epic/Feature: a collection of tasks under a goal.
• Sprint/Iteration (optional): time-boxed execution windows.

The goal isn’t to “be Agile.” The goal is to build a workflow that fits your team.

Small improvements that create real impact

• instead of asking “what’s the status?” you see it on the board
• instead of remembering tasks weeks later, you manage a prioritized backlog
• instead of inconsistent customer updates, you have documented decisions and tasks

These basics directly affect delivery speed and quality.

Adoption: what makes the system work

Plane succeeds when it’s paired with habits:

• a short routine to update statuses
• minimum required fields for tasks
• clear ownership per task
• a review/approval step when needed

Without these, any tool becomes “another tab.”

Tips for fast adoption

• start with simple statuses (avoid over-modeling)
• define 1–2 required fields per task
• set a routine for updates (daily/weekly)
• decide where the “source of conversation” lives to avoid drifting back to chat

Integrations and automation

Plane can be part of a larger system:

• connect to /en/glossary/n8n/ to create tasks automatically (new lead, missing document, incidents)
• connect to CRM/ERP when you need a full business picture (see /en/glossary/crm/ and /en/glossary/erp/)

FAQ

Is Plane useful for non-technical businesses?

Yes if work is project/task driven. Many operational teams benefit from basic structure.

What’s the difference between Plane and ERPNext?

Plane is project management. ERPNext (/en/glossary/erpnext/) is broader and includes multi-department business workflows.

How do we start?

Begin by defining a workflow (often via /en/services/work-program/) and then implement.

Can Plane replace Trello/Jira?

Often yes—especially if you want an open-source option and control. The right choice depends on team needs and workflow complexity.

Plane is a great tool when the goal is clarity and delivery discipline.