Getting ONLY VALUE from a connected board column via formula

Platform discussions
1

Hello guys,
Is there any way to get ONLY THE VALUE from a connected board column via formula (or any other method)?
The idea is to transfer the original column value only, not letting them related after creating.

Thanks in advance!

2

hi @ebruschi

Welcome to the community. Connected boards in combination with mirrors always keep the items related (and editable from both sides). This is the concept of the mirror column and that is great. However there are time you want to copy data (without keeping the relationship). Depending on the exact use case this calls for a MATCH-INDEX (Excel) type of thing, where you have to have a “key” (MATCH) to define which item to copy data (INDEX) from. There is an app called Match Index Column available in the marketplace.

3

Thanks a lot for your prompt response, @basdebruin!
We definitely gonna test the suggested app/solution and get back to you here to share our thoughts.

Best regards!

4

Hi @ebruschi :wave:

Welcome to the Community!

So glad @basdebruin was able to suggest a possible solution for you here!
Let us know how you get on with this app, and if you require any further assistance.

If this resolves your question, please be sure to mark @basdebruin’s post as the solution. This allows other users who might be searching for the same information to easily find this!

If you have any further questions, or if there’s anything else we can do for you, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

Best,

Dani

5

Hello @Dani and @basdebruin
Actually, the suggested solution has some limitation working with different types of columns (works pretty well with “text” columns though) and this is an issue for our board column composition.

But I really appreciate the responses. It worked a lot for me to be aware of Monday’s third party apps - which offer a very broad range of customized solutions to the platform :wink:

Thanks again!
Eduardo

6

Hello @ebruschi

Match-Index Column supports these column types for matching: “name”, “text”, “numeric”

For the Index column (the value to copy from source to target board) it supports: “name”, “text”, “numeric”, “date”, “timerange”, “color”, “dropdown”, “email”

Are there specific column types you are missing?

7

We need to set as index a connected board column (type dropdown).
I think that there’s a limitation regarding connected columns, right?

8

That is indeed not supported. So, just to check what you want to achieve here:

Do you want a connected boards column to copy from one board (source) to another (target) based on a matching (match column)? If that is the case: do you want to copy over just the value that is shown in the connect boards column or the actual connection? I think the latter (the actual connection) will create some issue as you can’t link just any other itemId without setting up the connect_boards column.

Does that make sense?

9

Hello @basdebruin

Do you want a connected boards column to copy from one board (source) to another (target) based on a matching (match column)?
[Eduardo] exactly

If that is the case: do you want to copy over just the value that is shown in the connect boards column or the actual connection?
[Eduardo] Kind of… We need to use a connected board dropdown column (name) as index and then fill another column on destination board with the current value of a different source board column (number).

I think the latter (the actual connection) will create some issue as you can’t link just any other itemId without setting up the connect_boards column.

Screenshot
Screenshot1271Ă—214 36.2 KB

10

ahhh ok, that should be doable, just need to figure out in which app I want to build this. Few questions though :):

  • is the connect boards column always pointing to just one item? Or, if multiple items are selected is it ok to return the value of the first item selected?
    image

  • what needs to happen if the source value of the item linked to is changed?

  • what needs to happen if another item is selected (when there was already a value shown from the previous selected item)?

  • what should happen if the source item is deleted?

Sorry for all the details, but that is where the devil lives :slight_smile:

11

  • is the connect boards column always pointing to just one item? Or, if multiple items are selected is it ok to return the value of the first item selected?
    [Eduardo] That’s a good question indeed. I think it’s ok to return the first item/occurence selected.

  • what needs to happen if the source value of the item linked to is changed?
    [Eduardo] We must guarantee that the copied valeu won’t change. That’s the tricky

  • what needs to happen if another item is selected (when there was already a value shown from the previous selected item)?
    [Eduardo] Ideally, selecting another item, the value should be changed/copying the current value of source board.

  • what should happen if the source item is deleted?
    [Eduardo] Good question again :slight_smile: Having an item deleted, we probably gonna select another one, and ideally, as I mentioned previously, the value of number column should be updated

Anyway, we found another option to solve this issue, using another connected board. But this rich discussion probably gonna be very useful in a short term if we face similar situations.

Appreciate your attention!
Best rgds,

12

Hi @ebruschi ,

If I understand correctly your problem, then you can set up an automation to do it.
For example, when this status changes to “Done”, create an item in another board (but not linking them), you can chose upon clicking on item to fill the different columns on the “new board” with data coming from the “old board”, so it can get the same name, or “copy” a number data in another number column…

Let me know if I was clear :slight_smile:

Regards,

13

Hello @QDagault
The point is that the creation of the new item on another board doesn’t depend on the status changing or any other action from source board. We need to be free to create and just reffer an item from source board to create the relation and get ONLY THE VALUE of another column related to the selected item, got it?

Let me know if I made myself clear :wink:
Best,

14

Then if there is absolutely no trigger, I think duplicating an item and moving the duplicated item to the other board is the solution.
You are asked to map columns as you wish when moving an item to another board.

15

That would be an option as well, thanks.
As I mentioned previously, we’re found another way (using a different board structure) to resolve this issue.

Appreciate your help anyways, @QDagault!
Best regards

16

Hi @ebruschi :wave:

So glad to hear that you were able to find a work around for this!
I wonder if you would be able to share the board structure you ended up using?
This could be really useful for other members of the Community who might be looking to also achieve this!

Best,

Dani

17

Hello @Dani
We’ve decided to kept it simple :slight_smile:
Instead of copying just the value from source board, we are going to create multiple items to store cost variations (that was our main concern: to keep cost history) and then reffer the correct item on each new line on destination board - keeping both connected.

Using this approach we’ll be able to start new projects reffering the updated cost, keeping all the legacy data (and financial status) of previous projects, with their original values.

Thanks you all.
Best Regards.

1 Like
18

Hi @ebruschi :wave:

This sounds like a great solution! We’re glad you were bale to find a workflow that best fit your needs here :slight_smile:

I’ve gone ahead and marked your most recent answer as the solution to help other community members find it easily.

If you’ve got any other questions about the platform, feel free to contact support@monday.com or open up a new thread on the community and we would be happy to answer it for you!

As for anyone else curious about the marketplace and the Match Index Column app, I do want to mention certain apps, like the Match Index Column app, are not developed by the monday.com team. As such, we don’t have any control over its functionality – and do not provide support for setting it up. Our team has reviewed it against our security and privacy guidelines, but we cannot fully certify it.

If you do want to try it out, I’d recommend checking out the app details in the marketplace here: The monday apps marketplace. You can review the app’s documentation (and applicable privacy policies) and install it if you choose.

To learn more about security in the monday apps marketplace, check out this article: Understanding apps marketplace security

I hope this helps!

Cheers,
Jenna

1 Like
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