TL;DR: Only subitems with a specific name inherit a parent value when they're created. Different task types can pull different parent fields. SLA-style per-name inheritance — a more targeted version of the standard parent → subitem on-creation sync.
What this does
Recipe:"When subitem is created and if the name is this name, set the value of its column to match the value of column in its parent item."
When a new subitem is created, the recipe checks the subitem's name. If it matches the name you configured, the subitem's chosen column gets populated from the parent's matching column. Subitems with a different name are ignored — only the named ones inherit.
Example: name = "Design Review", source = parent's Owner column, destination = subitem's Reviewer column. New subitem named "Design Review" → its Reviewer auto-fills from the parent's Owner. Other subitems (e.g. "QA", "Build") get nothing.
When to use it
Different task types need different parent fields (Reviewer for review tasks, Owner for build tasks, etc.)
Per-name SLAs where only certain subitems should inherit something specific
Standardised checklists where each named task has its own inheritance rule
Avoiding the blanket "all subitems inherit" pattern when only some should
Set up one automation per task name. For 3 task types ("Design", "QA", "Launch") with different inheritance rules, you'd create 3 automations using this recipe. If every subitem should inherit the same value, use the simpler Sync parent values to subitems on creation recipe instead.
Before you start
The same column type on parent and subitem (Status → Status, People → People, etc.)
The exact subitem name to filter by — case-sensitive
Read-only columns (Mirror, Formula, Last updated) can't be the destination
Set it up — first task type
Open Automate → Create on your board.
Copy the recipe text above and find it in your board's automation center, then click Use Template.
Configure:
This name — the exact subitem name to filter by (e.g. "Design Review")
Subitem column — the destination on the new subitem
Parent column — the source on the parent item
Click Create automation.
Repeat for each task type
Add one automation per name × column pair. Example for a content workflow:
Subitem name
Source (parent)
Destination (subitem)
Design Review
Designer
Reviewer
Build
Developer
Owner
QA
QA Lead
Owner
Test that it works
Make sure the parent's source column is filled in.
Create a new subitem with the exact name you configured.
Open the subitem — confirm the destination column auto-populates from the parent.
Create a subitem with a different name. Confirm its destination column stays empty (the recipe ignored it).
Common gotchas
Names are case-sensitive and exact. "Design Review" ≠ "design review" ≠ "Design Review " (trailing space).
One automation per name. If you add a new task name later, you need to set up a new automation for it.
Fires only on creation. Renaming an existing subitem to the matching name later won't trigger — the recipe checks the name at the moment of creation.
Subitems with non-matching names get nothing. If you want a fallback ("everyone else inherits Owner"), pair this with the blanket Sync parent values to subitems on creation recipe.