Board Setup Best Practices

Board Setup for Outlook Calendar Sync — Best Practices

Before setting up your Outlook Calendar sync (whether using [2-Way Sync] or [automation recipes]), make sure your  monday.com  board has the right columns.


Recommended Board Structure

Here's the ideal setup for a meeting/calendar sync board:
Column
Type
Purpose
Maps To
Meeting Name
Item Name
The title of your meeting
Event Title
Date
Date
When the meeting occurs
Event Date
Time
Hour
Start time of the meeting
Event Start Time
End Time
Hour
End time (optional for recipes)
Event End Time
Duration
Timeline
Alternative: use for start + end
Event Duration
Location
Text or Location
Where the meeting takes place
Event Location
Description
Long Text
Meeting details/agenda
Event Body
Attendees
People
Who should attend
Event Attendees*
Status
Status
Track meeting status / trigger automations
—
Meeting Link
Link
Video call URL
Event Body (appended)
Attendees mapping available with  Teams Calendar app 


Minimum Required Columns


Column
Why It's Required
Item Name
Becomes the event title
Date or Timeline
Determines when the event occurs
Time (Hour column)
Event start time
Duration or End Time
Event duration/end time



Column Setup Tips

For Event Timing

Option 1 [RECOMMANDED]: Date + Time columns
  • Use a Date column for the date
  • Use an Hour column for the start time
  • Use duration for the event duration or use another hour column for the end time
Option 2: Timeline column
  • Use a Timeline column that includes both start and end dates/times
  • Best for multi-day events or when you want duration in one place

For Event Details

Location: Use a Text column or the native Location column type
Description: Use a Long Text column for meeting agenda and notes

For Automations & Triggers

Create a Status column with labels like:
  • Scheduled
  • Confirmed
  • Completed
  • Cancelled
Light Bulb Use status changes to trigger automations (e.g., "When status changes to Confirmed → create event")


Tips for Best Results

Check Mark Button Keep column names clear — "Date" is better than "When is it happening"
Check Mark Button Use consistent formats — If using Timeline for some items, use it for all
Check Mark Button Don't change column types — Changing from Date to Timeline mid-sync can cause issues
Check Mark Button Fill in required fields — Items without dates won't create proper events


Next Steps

  • Using 2-Way Sync? → Continue to the  2-Way Sync Setup Guide 
  • Using Automation Recipes? →  See Automation Basics