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monday.com guide

Stop adding mirror columns. There’s a better way.

Mirror columns display selected fields from connected items. When each team needs regular columns, updates and subitems on its own board, Mirror Item keeps those working rows in sync.

Install Mirror Item freeSee how it works
One item, every board

The short version: native connected items work well for visibility and opening related work. Mirror Item synchronizes regular columns, updates and subitems across working rows on each board.

What is a mirror column in monday.com?

A mirror column shows a value from an item on a different board. To set one up, you add a Connect Boards column, link each item to its match on the other board, and then add a separate mirror column for every field you want to see: one for status, one for the due date, one for the owner, and so on.

Mirrored columns are useful for seeing related work, and supported fields can be edited with the required permissions. Items can be linked manually or with supported automations. Mirror data cannot be used in monday workflow triggers or conditions, although it can be used in actions. For the full detail on what you can and can’t edit, see are monday.com mirror columns read-only? Source: monday.com’s Mirror column support article, checked 13 October 2026.

If what you really want is the same item on several boards, Mirror Item Multiple Boards skips the mirror columns entirely. See how to add the same item to multiple boards for the step-by-step.

The comparison

Mirror Columns setup vs Mirror Item setup

The Mirror Columns way

Native setup checklist

Add a Connect Boards column to link the two boards
Link items manually or with a supported automation
Add a Mirror Column for Status
Add a Mirror Column for Date
Add a Mirror Column for Assignee
Add a Mirror Column for Priority
...repeat for every field you need
Discover none of them trigger automations
Check whether your mirrored column type works in a formula
Board is now cluttered with extra mirror columns

The Mirror Item way

2 steps

Set up a Mirror Item automation: "When item created → add to Target Board"
That's it. Both boards have a linked, editable item, kept in sync.
✓ Real columns. Real automations. Zero clutter.

How Mirror Item works instead

Real items. No workarounds.

Real columns

Every board gets a real item, not a reflection

Mirror columns are reflections of data that lives somewhere else — workflow triggers and conditions cannot use mirror data, and formulas support only certain mirrored types. They carry the fields you select. Mirror Item puts a linked, editable item on each board, so every field is a real column your team can work in directly.

  • Real columns, not reflections
  • Automations & formulas work
  • No column-per-field setup
Roadmap

Automations

Automations and formulas just work

Because each field is a real column and not a mirror, your monday.com recipes, triggers and formula columns all run normally on every board the item lives on.

  • Triggers fire as expected
  • Works in formula columns
  • Use as automation conditions
Automation
When an item is created→add it to Target board
Recipe active

Sync

Two-way sync, comments and subitems included

Change a status on one board and it updates everywhere. Updates, comments and subitems stay aligned across every board, with one or two-way sync you control.

  • Linked items stay in sync
  • Comments and updates sync
  • Subitems follow the parent
Marketing
Engineering

Cleaner boards, real sync, happy teams

0

extra mirror columns added to your boards

2-way

real-time sync from any board you choose

5.0★

rating on the monday.com marketplace

Feature comparison

What you get with each approach

A direct breakdown of what Mirror Columns can and can’t do, versus what you get when you just add the item directly.

Mirror Columns workaroundMirror Item Multiple Boards
Setup complexity
—Connect boards + link items + add column per field
One automation recipe, done
Columns on your board
—Dozens of extra Mirror Columns
Zero extra columns, real columns only
The real item on every board
Field reflections only
Yes — fully editable
Trigger automations
Not possible
Works normally
Use in formula columns
Supported types, such as mirrored Numbers
Works normally
Sync comments and updates
Not possible
Included
Sync subitems
Not possible
Included
Works across unlimited boards
—Gets unwieldy fast
No limit
★★★★★
"No copy-paste. One source of truth. Very reliable."

JD, verified review on the monday.com marketplace

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is a mirror column in monday.com?
A mirror column shows a value from an item on another board. You first add a Connect Boards column to link the two items, then add one mirror column for each field you want to see, such as status, date or owner. The mirrored value comes from the source item, so it stays up to date, but automations cannot trigger off a mirror column.
What is wrong with using Mirror Columns in monday.com?
Mirror Columns require a multi-step setup: connect boards, link items manually or with supported automations, and select the fields to mirror. Mirror columns are useful for visibility; for regular columns with synchronized updates and subitems on each board, consider Mirror Item Multiple Boards.
What is a better alternative to Mirror Columns in monday.com?
Mirror Item Multiple Boards. Instead of connecting boards and adding individual Mirror Columns for each field, you simply add the same item to multiple boards. Each board gets a linked item with real columns, no field-by-field reflections, no complex column setup, and automations work normally.
Do Mirror Columns work with monday.com automations?
Mirror column data cannot be used in monday workflow triggers or conditions, but it can be used in actions such as notifications. Mirror Item synchronizes regular columns on linked items; check your chosen recipe and test it on both boards.
How do I avoid adding Mirror Columns in monday.com?
Use Mirror Item Multiple Boards. Instead of linking boards and adding Mirror Columns, you add the same item directly to multiple boards. No Connect Boards column needed, no individual Mirror Columns per field, and automations and formulas work normally.
Can I sync the same item across boards without Mirror Columns?
Yes, that is exactly what Mirror Item Multiple Boards does. Each board you choose gets a linked, editable item with real columns. Changes sync automatically in one or two directions. No Mirror Columns required.

Ready to ditch mirror columns?

Put the real item on every board, with real columns and working automations. Free to start on the monday.com marketplace.

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