When viewing a board that has a Connect Boards and Mirror Column on it, the data in those columns will only be visible to you if you have access to the board(s) connected through that given Connect Boards Column, as well as the relevant Column Permissions allowing you to view the data within them.

This applies whether the visibility issue affects you directly or a teammate — a contributor, guest, or board member — who sees the column empty while others do not. In this article, you will learn why this restriction is in place and how to resolve it.

Why can't the column be viewed?

There are two main scenarios in which the data in a Connect Boards or Mirror Column may be hidden, whether for you or for a specific teammate, contributor, or board member who sees the column empty while others do not. These settings are in place to prevent others from viewing private data to which they do not have access.

• The affected person does not have access to at least one of the connected boards

If one or more boards in the Connect Boards Column are Private or Shareable and the viewer is not subscribed to them, the content in the Connect Boards Column will not be visible to them — even if they have access to other connected boards within it. This is the most common reason a teammate or contributor says they can see the board, but the column appears empty.

If a person lacks access to a connected board, information will not appear in Connect Boards or linked Mirror Columns. Clicking the Boards icon in the top right of the column explains the lack of access.

• There are Column Permissions enabled on the connected column

The second scenario is when any of the connected columns have Column Viewing Permissions enabled. If a person cannot view the data in the columns connected here, they will not be able to view any data within the Connect Boards or Mirror Columns.

If either of these scenarios applies, a lock icon will appear under the board's information tab. Clicking the dropdown arrow next to the board's name and selecting Limited displays a notice indicating that there is data from one or more connected boards that the person does not have permission to view.

If a teammate or contributor tells you they can see the board but the column is empty or shows no data, the most likely cause is that they do not have access to the source board connected through the Connect Boards Column, or that Column Viewing Permissions are restricting their view. Both causes are addressed using the same access request steps below.

Request access to view the columns' data

Requesting access to view data from Connect Boards and Mirror Columns can be done with a single click. To do this, click the dropdown arrow next to the board name, select Limited from the options next to the lock icon, then select Request access.

By doing this, the board owner(s) of the boards to which the person does not have proper access will receive a notification and can grant access if they choose.

Alternatively, you can click the information icon in the top-right of the Connect Boards Column and use the Request access link to request permission.

Chained mirrors and multi-board connections

In some workflows, mirrors are stacked across multiple boards — for example, Board A mirrors from Board B, which mirrors from Board C. In these cases, a visibility gap at any single hop prevents data from reaching the end of the chain.

If data is not propagating through a multi-hop connection, check each board in the chain in order:

• Confirm that the person has access to every board in the chain, not just the one they are viewing directly.
• Check that Column Viewing Permissions are not restricting the mirrored column at any intermediary board.
• Verify that each Connect Boards Column is connected to the correct source board at every level.

If all access and permissions appear correct and data is still not propagating, contact monday.com support for assistance.

FAQs

A teammate can see the board but the Connect Boards or Mirror Column is empty for them. Why?

The two most common causes are: the teammate does not have access to the source board connected through the Connect Boards Column, or Column Viewing Permissions are restricting that column for their role. Ask them to click Limited next to the lock icon and select Request access so the board owner can grant the correct permissions.

One person sees options in a connected CRM or catalog board column and another person does not. What should I check?

This is the same two-cause pattern: the person who cannot see the data likely does not have access to the source board (for example, the Deals, Products, or catalog board connected through the Connect Boards Column), or item permissions on that board are restricting their view. Check their access to the source board directly and verify item permission settings there.

A column is missing from my view but it is not a Connect Boards or Mirror Column. What should I do?

If the column in question is not a Connect Boards or Mirror Column, this article may not apply. Check whether the column has been hidden using Column Permissions, or whether it has been hidden from the board view. Hiding a column from certain members is a separate setting from Connect Boards and Mirror Column access.

Data is not showing across multiple connected boards in a chain. How do I fix this?

Check access and Column Viewing Permissions at every board in the chain, not only the one the person is viewing directly. A single missing permission at any hop will prevent data from appearing at the end of the connection. If all permissions are correct and data is still not showing, contact support.

Can I set up Connect Boards Column permissions so that only certain members can view it?

Yes. Column Viewing Permissions allow you to restrict who can see data within a column, including Connect Boards and Mirror Columns. See the Column Permissions article for full setup instructions.