Modules - Plane

Overview

Modules help you break down complex projects into smaller, manageable components or features. Unlike cycles which are time-based, modules are feature-based groupings that can span multiple sprints and provide a long-term organizational structure.

Think of modules as feature epics or product areas that help organize work by functionality rather than timeline.

Creating a Module

Set up a new module for your project:

Navigate to Modules

Go to your project and click “Modules” in the sidebar.

Create New Module

Click “New Module” to open the module creation form.

Configure Module Details

Fill in the module name, description, dates, lead, and members.

Module Properties

Name & Description

Define the module purpose with a clear name and detailed description

Status

Track module state: Backlog, Planned, In Progress, Paused, Completed, or Cancelled

Date Range

Set target start and end dates for module completion (optional)

Module Lead

Assign a lead responsible for coordinating the module

Members

Add team members who will work on issues in this module

Links

Attach external resources like design docs, specs, or repositories

Module Status

Modules can be in various states:

const moduleStatuses = {
  backlog: "Not yet started, in the backlog",
  planned: "Scheduled and ready to begin",
  "in-progress": "Active development underway",
  paused: "Temporarily on hold",
  completed: "All work finished",
  cancelled: "Module discontinued"
};

Unlike cycles, multiple modules can be in progress simultaneously, allowing teams to work on different features in parallel.

Managing Module Issues

Adding Issues to Modules

Associate work items with modules:

// Three ways to add issues to modules:
Issue modal: Select module(s) from the module dropdown
Bulk assignment: Select multiple issues and assign to module
Quick actions: Use issue quick action menu to add to module

Issues can belong to multiple modules, allowing for cross-functional work tracking.

Viewing Module Issues

Access all issues within a module:

Module Detail View
Filtered Project View

Click on a module to see all associated issues in your preferred layout (list, board, spreadsheet, etc.)

Track module progress and health:

Progress Statistics

Completion Status

Visual indicator showing completed vs. remaining work in the module

Issue Distribution

Breakdown by assignees, labels, and state groups

Timeline Progress

Track progress against start and target dates

Team Workload

See work distribution across module members

Distribution Views

By State Group
By Assignee
By Label

View issues grouped by:
- Backlog
- Unstarted
- Started
- Completed
- Cancelled

Click any group to filter module issues

See work distribution:
- Issues per team member
- Completion rate by assignee
- Workload balance

Click assignee to filter their issues

Track categorization:
- Issues by label
- Label distribution
- Progress by category

Click label to filter issues

Module Links

Attach external resources to modules:

Open Module Sidebar

Click on a module to open the detail view and sidebar.

Add Link

In the Links section, click “Add Link” to create a new link.

Enter Details

Provide the link title and URL (e.g., design files, documentation, repositories).

Use links to keep all module-related resources in one place: Figma designs, PRD documents, GitHub repositories, etc.

Module Views

View and organize modules in different layouts:

List View

Traditional list showing all modules with key metadata and progress indicators

Board View

Kanban board grouped by module status for easy status management

Gantt Chart

Timeline view showing module duration, dependencies, and overlaps

Filter modules to find what you need:

Status: Filter by module status (Backlog, Planned, In Progress, etc.)
Lead: Show modules by specific leads
Members: Filter modules by team member participation
Date Range: Filter by start date or target date

Archived Modules

Completed or cancelled modules can be archived:

Archived modules remain accessible for reference but are hidden from active module lists.

// Access archived modules
Project → Archives → Modules

// Archived modules retain:
- Module metadata and settings
- Full issue history
- Links and attachments
- Analytics and progress data

Module vs. Cycle

Understanding when to use modules vs. cycles:

Aspect	Modules	Cycles
Purpose	Feature/component organization	Time-boxed iterations
Duration	Flexible, can span multiple sprints	Fixed duration (1-4 weeks)
Concurrency	Multiple active modules	Typically one active cycle
Issue Assignment	Issues can be in multiple modules	Issues typically in one cycle
Use Case	”User Authentication Module"	"Sprint 24”

Use modules and cycles together: Assign issues to a module (feature area) AND a cycle (sprint) for comprehensive organization.

Best Practices

Define Clear Scope

Create modules around well-defined features or product areas. Keep scope focused and cohesive.

Assign Ownership

Always assign a module lead who takes responsibility for coordination and completion.

Maintain Links

Keep module links updated with latest designs, specs, and documentation for easy team reference.

Regular Status Updates

Update module status as work progresses to maintain visibility across the team.

Review Completion

When a module is completed, review all issues are closed and archive the module for clean project organization.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Shortcut (Mac)	Shortcut (Windows/Linux)
Create module	`M`	`M`

Code Example

Creating a module programmatically:

const moduleData = {
  name: "User Authentication",
  description: "Complete user authentication system with OAuth, 2FA, and session management",
  status: "in-progress",
  start_date: "2024-01-01",
  target_date: "2024-03-31",
  lead_id: "user-uuid",
  member_ids: ["user-uuid-1", "user-uuid-2", "user-uuid-3"],
  links: [
    {
      title: "Design Specs",
      url: "https://figma.com/..."
    },
    {
      title: "Technical RFC",
      url: "https://docs.company.com/..."
    }
  ]
};

Issues - Work items organized within modules
Cycles - Time-based sprint planning
Views - Create custom filtered views of module issues
Analytics - Track module progress and metrics

​Overview

​Creating a Module

​Module Properties

Name & Description

Status

Date Range

Module Lead

Members

Links

​Module Status

​Managing Module Issues

​Adding Issues to Modules

​Viewing Module Issues

​Module Analytics Sidebar

​Progress Statistics

Completion Status

Issue Distribution

Timeline Progress

Team Workload

​Distribution Views

​Module Links

​Module Views

List View

Board View

Gantt Chart

​Module Filters

​Archived Modules

​Module vs. Cycle

​Best Practices

Define Clear Scope

Assign Ownership

Maintain Links

Regular Status Updates

Review Completion

​Keyboard Shortcuts

​Code Example

​Related Features

Overview

Creating a Module

Module Properties

Module Status

Managing Module Issues

Adding Issues to Modules

Viewing Module Issues

Module Analytics Sidebar

Progress Statistics

Distribution Views

Module Links

Module Views

Module Filters

Archived Modules

Module vs. Cycle

Best Practices

Keyboard Shortcuts

Code Example

Related Features