Copy Mirror Column Value to Editable Column: Unlock Your Connected Data

Mirror columns in monday.com are a brilliant concept: pull data from a connected board and display it on your current board. You can see the other board's values without switching context.

But there's a fundamental limitation: mirror columns are read-only.

You can't use a mirror column value in a formula. You can't filter by it reliably. You can't trigger automations from it. You can't export it cleanly. The data is right there on your board, visible to everyone — but locked behind glass.

The Problem

Here's what teams run into:

• Formulas can't reference mirror columns — you can see a number from another board, but you can't use it in a calculation on your current board
• Filters are limited — mirror column filtering behaves differently from regular columns, often missing items or not matching correctly
• Automations can't trigger — there's no "when mirror column changes" trigger
• Exports are unreliable — mirror column data may not export the way you expect

This means that any workflow requiring you to use connected data (not just display it) hits a wall. Teams resort to manually copying values from mirror columns into regular columns — a tedious, error-prone process that defeats the purpose of having connected boards.

The Solution: Copy Mirror Column Value to Editable Column

The recipe sentence:

"Read a mirror column and write its value to a real column"

This action reads the display value from a mirror column and writes it into a regular, editable column. The data is no longer trapped — it's available for formulas, filters, automations, exports, and everything else.

Supported Column Types

The action handles the most common column types:

• Text — names, descriptions, any text data
• Numbers — quantities, amounts, scores
• Dates — deadlines, start dates, milestones
• Status — status labels from connected boards
• Checkbox — boolean values
• Email — email addresses
• Phone — phone numbers
• Link — URLs

How to Use It

1. Install Community Cookbook from the monday.com marketplace
2. Create a new automation on your board
3. Choose a trigger (e.g., "When a column changes" on the Connect Boards column, or a recurring schedule)
4. Add the Copy Mirror Column Value action
5. Select the mirror column as the source
6. Select the editable column as the target
7. The value is copied automatically whenever the trigger fires

Real-World Use Cases

Formula Calculations with Connected Data

Mirror a customer's total spend from the CRM board. Copy it to a Numbers column. Now you can use it in formulas to calculate commission rates, discount eligibility, or account tier.

Reliable Filtering

Mirror a project status from the master board. Copy it to a local Status column. Now you can filter and group your board reliably by the connected project's status.

Automation Triggers on Connected Data

Mirror a deadline from a connected planning board. Copy it to a Date column. Now you can trigger reminders and escalations based on the connected board's timeline.

Clean Exports and Reports

Mirror key data from connected boards. Copy to editable columns. Exports now contain the actual values instead of mirror column references.

Downstream Formulas

Mirror a calculated value from Board A. Copy to a Numbers column on Board B. Board B's formulas can now use that value in their own calculations — something impossible with a mirror column directly.

Keeping It in Sync

The copy happens when the automation trigger fires. For data that changes frequently, pair this action with a trigger that fires on relevant changes:

• "When an item is created" — copy mirror data for new items
• "When a column changes" (on the Connect Boards column) — re-copy when the connection changes
• Recurring schedule — re-copy periodically to catch changes from the connected board

For the most responsive sync, combine with a trigger that watches the mirror column's source data on the connected board.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a one-time copy or does it stay in sync?+

What happens if the mirror column shows data from multiple connected items?+

Will the editable column update if the source data on the connected board changes?+

Can I copy from multiple mirror columns in one automation?+