When an item is created, connect to a match
TL;DR: When a new item is created on this board, this recipe finds matching items on another board (using equals / contains / starts-with logic) and connects them through a connect column. Connection only — no ongoing column sync. Rank 2 most-used Connected Boards Automations recipe — used by 109 monday.com teams in the last 90 days.
Recipe: "When an item is created, connect with connect column all/first items on another board where this column matches another column using this logic and this logic."
When a new item is created on this board, this automation searches another board for items where a column value matches one of yours — using the comparison logic you pick — and writes the link to your connect column. You also choose whether to link all matching items or just the first.
Works for any column type that can be compared (Text, Numbers, Status, Date, Email, etc.). Connection only — no ongoing column sync.
When to use it
- Auto-link new orders to customer records where Email matches
- Auto-link new bug reports to feature rows where Feature ID contains a substring
- Auto-link incoming leads to existing accounts where Domain matches
This recipe only writes the connection — column values don't sync afterwards. For ongoing two-way sync use When an item is created, connect + sync . For stricter matching on two columns, see Match by 2 columns · When an item is created, connect . For all connect-on-creation variants, see Connect items across boards .
Before you start
- A Connect Boards column on this board, configured to point at the target board (see Setting up Connect Boards columns )
- A "matching key" column on each board (e.g. Email, SKU, Client ID) with values that overlap
- Decide whether you want to link all matches or just the first, and which comparison logic fits (equals, contains, starts with, ends with)
Set it up (3 minutes)
1. Open the Automations Center
From your board, click Integrate.
2. Search Connected Boards Automations
Search Connected Boards and pick Connected Boards Automations.
3. Find the recipe
Find the recipe "When an item is created , connect with connect column all/first items on another board where this column matches another column using this logic and this logic." and click Use template.
4. Pick the connect column and matching keys
Fill the underlined fields on the setup card:
- Connect column — the connect column on this board where the link will be written
- all/first — link every match, or stop at the first
- Another board — the board to search
- This column — your matching key on this board
- Another column — the matching key on the connected board
5. Choose how to handle multiple connections (this logic)
Pick Override existing connections to replace any current connections with the new ones, or Add to existing connections to keep current ones and add new.
6. Choose how to handle empty values (this logic)
Pick Match empty values to allow empty fields to trigger a connection, or Don't match empty values to prevent empty fields from creating connections (usually what you want).
7. Click Create automation
Reverse variant
Recipe: "When an item is created, connect using the connect column on another board all/first items, where this column matches another column using this logic and this logic. (Reverse)"
Same behavior as the standard recipe — match items by column value and connect — but the direction is flipped. The connect column lives on the other board, not on this one. The recipe writes the link from the connected board back to this board.
Use it when the master record's board owns the connect column and you don't want to add one to this board. All other fields and pickers work the same as the standard variant.
Test that it works
Create a new item on this board with a value in the matching key column that you know exists on the other board.
Open the connect column on this board and confirm the link appeared.
If all was selected, verify multiple connections are written when multiple matches exist.
Common gotchas
- Logic mismatch is the most common setup error. If you pick "equals" but values differ by whitespace, capitalisation, or format ("ACME" vs "Acme Inc."), no match will be found. Use "contains" for fuzzy joins.
- Only applies to items created after setup. Existing items aren't retroactively connected.
- The connect column must already exist on this board. The recipe won't create one for you. (For the reverse variant, the connect column must exist on the other board.)
- No ongoing sync. Column values on either board are not synced afterwards. Pair with a sync recipe if you need both.
"All" can create many connections per item. If your match logic is loose (e.g. "contains" on a generic word), each new item could link to dozens of rows. Test on one item first.
Next up
https://slite.com/api/public/notes/sEwkG8dcqNGD7e/redirect
Match by 2 columns · When an item is created, connect
Related
- Connect items across boards (parent landing — all connect recipes)
- When an item is created, connect + sync — same trigger but adds ongoing column sync
- Match by 2 columns · When an item is created, connect — uses 2 column pairs for stricter matching
- Match or create · When an item is created, connect — creates a new item on the other board if no match is found
- Setting up Connect Boards columns — prerequisite setup
Still stuck?