Your board used to show a Review column. Now it is missing, although Review still exists as a status option.
Check the view before editing tasks. A hidden group, an empty-group setting or a filter can explain the display without requiring any record changes.
What you will check
Keep a Table view of the same task source available. The table helps distinguish missing records from a board that is not displaying a group.
For initial board setup, use the Notion Kanban guide.
1. Confirm which property creates the columns
Open the board’s view settings and inspect Group. Confirm that it groups by the property you intend, such as Status.
A board grouped by Owner will create owner groups. Changing a task’s Status will not create a Review column in that layout.
Notion boards support grouping by different properties; see the official board documentation.
2. Check whether the group is hidden
In the grouping settings, find the group you expected. If it is hidden, show it again. Depending on your layout, hidden groups may also be collected in a separate area of the board.
Showing a group changes its display. It does not require moving its tasks into another status.
3. Inspect the empty-group setting
If Hide empty groups is enabled, a group without visible matching records can disappear. Temporarily turn it off and check whether the column returns.
The practical question is whether the group is empty in this view. Records may exist in the source while filters exclude them from this board.
4. Check filters before changing statuses
Read every active condition. A project, owner or date filter may exclude all tasks in Review.
| Task | Status | Project | Oak-only board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Review homepage | Review | Cedar website | Excluded |
| Draft homepage | In progress | Oak website | Included |
| Check approved copy | Done | Oak website | Depends on completion filter |
In this example, Review may have no visible cards on the Oak board even though the source has a Review task. Do not reassign the Cedar task just to fill the column.
Use the AND and OR filter guide when combined conditions are unclear.
5. Run a small reversible check
- Create a fictional task in the same source.
- Give it values that deliberately meet this board’s filters.
- Set its grouping property to the expected group, such as Review.
- Confirm it appears in the intended column.
- Remove the fictional test record when finished, or retain it clearly marked as a test.
If the column returns, compare the test’s values with the original task before altering real work. If it remains missing, recheck the selected source, grouping and hidden-group controls.
6. Choose a display policy that helps the reader
For a compact daily board, hiding empty groups may reduce scrolling. For a workflow explanation, showing empty stages can help people understand where work moves next.
Keep only useful properties on cards: for example, task title, due date and owner. Review the actual layout on your screen rather than assuming every extra field improves clarity.
A missing card is a related but different problem. Use the task visibility guide when a record disappears after an edit.
Common mistakes
- Creating another Status property before inspecting the board’s grouping.
- Moving real tasks simply to force a column to appear.
- Assuming all source tasks meet this board’s filters.
- Deleting a status option to hide a visual stage.
Frequently asked questions
Does a missing column mean its tasks were deleted?
No. Check the same source in a Table view before concluding that records are missing.
Why is Review absent when Review tasks exist?
The group may be hidden, or those tasks may be excluded by this board’s filters. Check grouping and empty-group settings too.
Should I recreate the status option?
Inspect the existing property and board settings first. A display problem does not establish that the status option is missing.
Can empty columns stay visible?
Use the grouping controls to show the intended groups and disable Hide empty groups when you want empty stages displayed.
Will showing a hidden group change task statuses?
Showing the group changes the display. Editing or dragging a task is a separate action.
Explore the wider workflow
You can make these changes in your existing workspace. For a broader client and project workflow, explore Freelancer CRM and compare its structure with your needs.