Is This Multi-Fee Payment Automation Possible in Monday + Zapier?

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Hi everyone,

I’m trying to confirm if this setup is doable or if I should consider another approach.

Each client/item has 6 fee types, and each fee can be paid gradually through subitems.
Parent item columns include:

  • TypeFee (price)

  • Total Paid (mirrored from subitems)

  • Balance (TypeFee – Total Paid)

  • Status → Completed / In Progress / Not Started

I use Zapier to mark a “Final Calc” column as Paid in Full when all fee types show “Completed.”

But I’ve hit some limits:

  • Formula & mirror columns can’t trigger automations or be updated

  • Subitems can’t trigger Zaps

  • “Get Item by ID” not available

  • Data from “Get Items by Column Value” isn’t dynamic

Has anyone managed something similar or found a workaround for this?
Would appreciate any confirmation or advice — just want to know if it’s possible before spending more time testing.

Thanks in advance!

2

That’s a common challenge when integrating complex data structures with external tools like Zapier, especially when relying on formula or mirror columns.

The setup you describe is doable, but you’ll likely need to shift your logic to standard columns or parent-item automations to reliably trigger external actions.

Here’s a breakdown of the core issues and the recommended workaround:

The Limitation: Formula & Mirror Columns

You’ve correctly identified the main problem: formula and mirror columns are calculated client-side and cannot natively trigger automations or Zaps in most platforms. Your Total Paid (mirror), Balance (formula), and Status (likely a formula or based on mirrored data) won’t reliably signal Zapier aessuccess

Recommended Workaround: Trigger from Standard/Update Columns

The most robust approach is to force the parent item’s standard columns to update whenever a relevant change happens in the subitems. This allows you to use the reliable trigger “When a column changes, notify / trigger Zap.”

1. Centralize Subitem Calculations (Platform Automations)

  • Goal: Convert the mirrored data (Total Paid per fee) into a standard column on the parent item.

  • Action: Use the platform’s native automations (not Zapier) to update the parent item.

    • Automation: “When a subitem is created or any column changes, update the parent item’s X column.”

    • Logic:

      • Create 6 Standard Numeric Columns on the Parent Item: Fee 1 Total Paid, Fee 2 Total Paid, etc. (one for each of your 6 fee types).

      • Write an automation that sums the subitem payments for Fee Type 1 and pushes that total into the parent’s Fee 1 Total Paid column. Repeat for all 6 fees.

      • This Parent Item Column is now a Standard Numeric Column and can be used as a trigger.

2. Calculate Status Using Standard Columns (Platform Automations)

  • Goal: Calculate the “Completed” status using the new standard numeric columns.

  • Action:

    • Create 6 Standard Status Columns on the Parent Item: Fee 1 Status, Fee 2 Status, etc.

    • Automation: “When Parent’s Fee 1 Total Paid changes,” check if its value is $\ge$ the TypeFee (Price) for that fee. If it is, set Parent’s Fee 1 Status to “Completed.”

3. The Final Trigger (Zapier/External Action)

  • Goal: Mark the Final Calc column as “Paid in Full.”

  • Action:

    • Create a Final Status Column (Standard Status column) on the Parent Item.

    • Automation: "When all of these statuses change to ‘Completed’ (Fee 1 Status, Fee 2 Status, etc.), set Final Status to ‘Paid in Full’."

  • Zapier Trigger:

    • Set your Zap to trigger on: “When a column changes” on the Parent Item.

    • Condition: Final Status changes to “Paid in Full.”