Match by 2 columns · When an item is created, connect
TL;DR: Stricter version of the basic "connect on creation" recipe — requires two column pairs to match instead of one. Use when a single column isn't unique enough to avoid false connections (e.g. multiple clients share a name, but Company + Region is unique).
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 and this column matches another column using this logic and this logic."
Watches for new items on this board. When one appears, it scans the other board for items where two pairs of column values both match — using the comparison logic you pick. Connection only — no ongoing column sync.
The added strictness is the whole point: when one column on its own isn't a reliable unique identifier, requiring a second column reduces false positives.
When to use it
- Multi-tenant CRMs: match on Email AND Account ID to avoid linking the same email across different accounts
- Regional records: match on Company name AND Region/Country when the same company exists in multiple regions
- Product catalogs: match on SKU AND Variant when the same SKU is used across different variants
For the single-column-match version, use When an item is created, connect to a match . 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 )
- Two matching key columns on each board that together uniquely identify a record
- Decide all/first behavior and the comparison logic for each column pair
Set it up (4 minutes)
Find the automation template
1. Click Automate and click on the Create tab at the top, right next to Manage.
2. Search for and click Connected Boards Automations in the search results.
3. In the Connected Boards Automations app, find the "When an item is created ,connect with connect column all/first items on another board where this column matches another column and this column matches another column using this logic and this logic" and select the automation template.
4. Click connect column and select the correct Connect Boards column that links your source board and target board.
5. Click all/first and select All.
6. Click another board and select the target board. (You are currently in the source board)
7. Click the first this column selector and choose Name.
Info: If you don't want to use the Item Name as the matching condition, you can also use another column to match the items such as a Project ID number, or Task number, or SKU, or any unique identifier.
8. Click another column. Select Name or any column that matches the one you selected in the previous this column selector.
9. Click the second this column selector and choose a column that you want to use as the second matching criteria.
10. Click the second another column selector and chose the column that matches.
11. Click the first this logic selector and choose either:Override existing connections — only connects the item to one other item; orAdd to existing connections — connects the item to multiple other items if the conditions are met.
12. Click Create automation to complete the template.
Test the automation
13. Create an item in the target board, and add a Project ID number.Go to your source board (where the automation was created) and create an item with the same name, with the same Project ID number as well.Enable "Use card for item creation" in the settings so you can enter the Project ID before creating the item.If the two conditions are met, your item in the source board will connect to the
Reverse variant
Recipe: "When an item is created, connect using the connect column all/first items, where this column matches another column and this column matches another column using this logic and this logic. (Reverse)"
Same behavior as the standard recipe — match items by two column pairs 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.
Common gotchas
- Both pairs must match — it's an AND, not an OR. If you want "match on either Email OR Phone", this recipe won't do it. Use the single-column variant twice instead.
- Logic applies per pair. You can use different comparison logic for each pair (e.g. "equals" on Email, "contains" on Account ID). Pick deliberately.
- 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, on the other board.)
Use this to dedupe. If your single-column match was creating noisy false connections, switching to a 2-column match usually cleans them up.
Next up
https://slite.com/api/public/notes/rfwtdunVBHQ0cP/redirect
Match or create · When an item is created, connect
Related
- Connect items across boards (parent landing)
- When an item is created, connect to a match — single-column-match version
- Match by 2 columns · When a column changes, connect — same matching, triggered on column change
- Match or create · When an item is created, connect — creates a new item if no match found
- Setting up Connect Boards columns — prerequisite
Still stuck?