How to Set Up Workflows in Linear (Step-by-Step)
Linear workflows define the states issues move through from creation to completion. Unlike Jira which uses complex status transition schemes, Linear keeps workflows simple while allowing team-level customization. Each team in Linear can have its own workflow with custom states, while the default states provide a sensible starting point.
This guide covers setting up Linear workflows that match your team's actual process, including triage states, custom in-progress states, and completion criteria.
Step-by-step guide
Access workflow settings
Go to Settings (bottom-left gear icon) > Teams > select your team > Workflow. You will see the default states: Backlog, Todo, In Progress, Done, Cancelled. Each state belongs to a category: Backlog, Unstarted, Started, Completed, or Cancelled. The category controls how issues are counted in cycle and project metrics.
Add a Triage state
For teams that receive bug reports or feature requests from external channels, add a "Triage" state in the Backlog category. Create it under Workflow > Add State > name it "Triage" > assign to Backlog category. Issues in Triage are visible to the team but not yet committed to a cycle. The Triage inbox in Linear automatically routes new issues here.
Customize In Progress states
If your team has distinct phases like "In Development," "In Review," and "In QA," add separate states for each in the Started category. Go to Workflow > Add State > name it (e.g., "In Review") > set category to "Started." Linear's cycle velocity only counts issues that move from a Started state to a Completed state, so keep the Started category focused.
Configure the Done state criteria
Linear has one Done state by default. If your team needs to distinguish between "Deployed to Staging" and "Deployed to Production," add both as Completed-category states. Metrics will count both as complete, but the distinction helps QA and release management. Alternatively, use a "Completed" state and a "Released" state.
Set up automatic issue assignment
In Workflow settings, configure the "When an issue moves to In Progress, assign to current user" option. This prevents unassigned in-progress issues and ensures accountability. Enable "When cycle starts, move unstarted issues to Todo" to automatically promote issues when a new cycle begins.
Enable triage for incoming issues
In Team Settings > Triage, enable the Triage inbox. Set the "Default state for new issues" to Triage. This means all issues created by non-team-members (via integrations, email, or the request form) land in Triage for review before entering the backlog.
Create workflow templates
For repeatable work types (bug reports, feature requests, tech debt), use Linear's Issue Templates to pre-populate state, labels, and description structure. Go to Team Settings > Templates > New Template. Templates appear in the "Create Issue" dropdown, standardizing how new work enters the workflow.
Common mistakes
Too many workflow states
More than 6 states creates decision fatigue. Engineers spend time choosing the right state instead of doing work. Start with 5 states and add more only when there is a genuine need, not to match a process document.
Using Cancelled for everything that does not ship
Cancelled means intentionally stopped. Do not cancel issues that were deprioritized or deferred — move them back to Backlog instead. Cancelled issues affect team metrics and should represent genuine scope decisions.
Not configuring triage for external inputs
Teams that receive issues from Slack bots, customer support, or GitHub integrations need triage. Without it, issues land directly in Backlog and get lost in the noise. Triage ensures every incoming issue gets human review before entering the workflow.
Tips
Keep workflow states to 5-6 maximum — complexity kills adoption
Use Linear's color coding on states to make the board visually scannable
Set up SLA-style cycle time tracking using Linear's built-in cycle time reports
Review workflow effectiveness in sprint retrospectives — update states when the team consistently skips one
How Vantage helps
Vantage generates tickets with wave-based dependencies that map cleanly to Linear workflow states. Tickets in Wave 1 are foundation work; Wave 2 depends on Wave 1 completing. This structure aligns with Linear's state progression and prevents teams from starting dependent work prematurely.