Match or create · When an item is created, connect
TL;DR: When a new item is created on this board, this recipe searches another board for a match. If found, it connects them. If no match is found, it creates a new item on the other board and connects that. The auto-create-and-link fallback in one recipe.
What this does
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. If there's no match create a new item and connect."
Two-stage behavior in one recipe:
If a match exists on the other board → connect to it (standard connect pattern)
If no match exists → create a new item on the other board with the matching value, then connect to it
This eliminates the "missing record" gap. You never end up with an unconnected item just because the target record didn't exist yet.
When to use it
- Lead capture: new leads always need to land in the CRM — create the client record if it doesn't exist yet
- Order processing: incoming orders should always link to a customer — create the customer on the fly if first-time
- Event logging: new events should always be tied to a Resource — create the Resource record if it's the first event for that resource
For the standard "match-only" version (won't create new items if no match found), use When an item is created, connect to a match . To merely prevent duplicates on this board (instead of creating records on another), see How to automatically prevent duplicate items in your board . 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
- The target board should be safe for the recipe to create new items on (the recipe will write to it whenever no match is found)
Set it up (3 minutes)
How to Automate Connecting Boards in monday.com
Learn how to configure a monday.com automation that automatically connects items between different boards based on matching conditions.
June 19, 2026 By Kevin - Customer Experience Manager
Configure the Automation Rule
1. Click the Automate button in the top right corner of your main dashboard.
2. Search for and click on Connected Boards in the marketplace search results.
3. Search for the words "If there's no match create a new item and connect" or simply look for the Connected Boards Automations app.
4. Click the connect column placeholder in the automation sentence.Select the correct Connect Boards column from the dropdown menu.
5. Click the all/first placeholder, and select All from the dropdown options.
6. Click another board to select the target board for the automation.
7. Click the first this logic element.Override existing connections — only allows the item to be connected to one other item.Add to existing connections — allows the item to be connected to multiple other items.
8. Click the second this logic element.Select don't match empty values to prevent the automation from linking blank fields.
9. Click Create automation to save your new rule.
Test the Automation
10. Navigate to your first board, click + Add Item in Group 1, and type "Project 1" to create a test item.
11. Go to your target board in the left sidebar to verify the item linked successfully. If the connection fails because the item does not yet exist in the target board, our app will create a new item with that exact same name and connect the two items.
Common gotchas
- The recipe will create new items on the other board. If that board has sensitive automations (notifications, billing, status flows) that fire on new items, you may trigger them inadvertently. Test on a sandbox before turning this on for production.
- New items only get the matching-key value. Other columns on the newly-created item are blank — you'd need additional sync recipes to populate them.
- Matching is case-sensitive. "ACME" creates a separate item from "Acme" if your logic is "equals". Use "contains" or normalise values for fuzzy matching.
- Only applies to items created after setup. Existing items aren't retroactively matched or created.
Combine with a sync recipe. After this recipe writes a new item + connects, use When an item is created, connect + sync on the other board so columns also stay in sync going forward.
Next up
https://slite.com/api/public/notes/UNDPlR1t22f9WK/redirect
How to automatically prevent duplicate items in your board
Related
- Connect items across boards (parent landing — all 12 connect recipes)
- When an item is created, connect to a match — match-only (no auto-create fallback)
- How to automatically prevent duplicate items in your board — opposite pattern: delete the duplicate instead of creating new
- Setting up Connect Boards columns — prerequisite
Still stuck?