Fortimus

monday.com guide

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

Mirror columns make you connect boards, manually link every item, then add a separate column for each field. They can’t trigger automations or work in formulas, and they clutter your board. Mirror Item fixes all of it.

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

The short version: mirror columns reflect data but can’t act on it. Mirror Item puts the real item on every board, so columns are editable and automations run normally, with zero extra columns to maintain.

The comparison

Mirror Columns setup vs Mirror Item setup

The Mirror Columns way

10 painful steps

Add a Connect Boards column to link the two boards
Manually link each item to its counterpart on the other board
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
Discover none of them work in formulas
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. The item lives on both boards natively.
✓ Real columns. Real automations. Zero clutter.

How Mirror Item works instead

Real items. No workarounds.

Real columns

Every board gets the real item, not a reflection

Mirror columns are reflections of data that lives somewhere else — they cannot trigger automations or be used in formulas, and they only carry the fields you mirror. Mirror Item puts the actual 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.

  • One source of truth
  • 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
Not possible
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 wrong with using Mirror Columns in monday.com?
Mirror Columns require a multi-step setup: connect boards, manually link each item, then add a separate Mirror Column for every field you want to reflect. This clutters your board with extra columns that cannot trigger automations or be used in formulas. Mirror Item Multiple Boards eliminates this entirely by adding the actual item to multiple boards directly.
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 the real 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?
No. Mirror Columns are computed reflections and cannot trigger automations. If you want automation triggers based on cross-board data, you need Mirror Item Multiple Boards, which places a real item on each board so all automations work normally.
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. The item lives natively on every board you add it to. Columns are real and editable. 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.

Install free now