Trello is your kanban board. PDFs attached to cards give context — briefs, deliverables, contracts. The temptation is to treat Trello as the file store. Resist.
Clean pairing: cards for workflow context, file system for canonical PDFs, Flint for processing.
Attach to cards for context
When a card needs a PDF for context — a brief, a reference document — attach it. The attachment makes the card self-contained for the people working on it.
But the canonical version lives in your file system or cloud storage. Trello's attachment is a copy for convenience; the real file is elsewhere.
Process via Flint when work is needed
Download the attachment from Trello to your local. Open in Flint. Process: edit, sign, compress. Save back to canonical storage. Update the Trello card to reference the processed version.
For finished deliverables, attach the flattened, processed version to the card so it travels with the workflow.
Use card descriptions to link canonicals
Each card with a PDF deliverable should have a line in the description: `Canonical: /Archive/Projects/<project>/<filename>.pdf`. Future readers find the file in two clicks rather than 20 minutes.
This discipline pays back during retros, audits, and 'where did we file that' moments.
Archive boards, but file PDFs separately
When Trello boards close, the cards become reference. The PDFs in your canonical archive are the surviving record. Treat Trello's card archive as workflow history, not document storage.
For long-term retention, your file system or document management system is the source of truth.
FAQ
Can I link Drive or Dropbox files to Trello cards?
Yes — Power-Ups for Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive let you attach links rather than copies. Keeps the canonical in cloud storage and the card pointing to it.
Should I attach signed contracts to Trello cards?
Attach the flattened final for context; canonical lives in your contracts archive. Two copies serve different purposes.
What about Trello's free tier file size limits?
10 MB per attachment on free tier. Compress before attaching or use cloud links instead.
How long does Trello keep attachments?
Indefinitely while the card exists. But cards get archived, boards get deleted — don't rely on Trello as long-term file storage.
Trello is workflow; PDFs are artefacts. Process Trello PDFs in Flint and keep canonicals where they belong.