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 is my Connect Boards Column or Mirror Column empty?

There are two main reasons data in a Connect Boards Column or Mirror Column may be hidden for you or for a teammate (for example, a contributor, guest, or board member). These settings help prevent people from viewing private data they don’t have access to.

• 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.

The Private boards article explains how private board access works and who can be added as a subscriber.

The Shareable boards article explains how shareable board access works, including how guests can be invited and what they can see.

If you don’t have access to a connected board, information won’t appear in the Connect Boards Column or in linked Mirror Columns. Click the Boards icon in the top-right of the column to see which connected board you don’t have access to.

• 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.

The Column Viewing Permissions section in the Column Permissions article explains how to restrict who can view a column’s data.

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.

How do I request access to view Connect Boards and Mirror Column data?

You can request access from the board’s board owner(s). The board owner article explains who counts as a board owner and what permissions board owners have.

Steps: Request access from the board header

1. Click the dropdown arrow next to the board name.
2. Select Limited (next to the lock icon).
3. Select Request access.

After you request access, the board owner(s) of the board(s) you don’t have access to will receive a notification and can grant access.

Steps: Request access from the Connect Boards Column

1. Click the information icon in the top-right of the Connect Boards Column.
2. Click Request access.

How do I troubleshoot chained Mirror Columns and multi-board connections?

In some workflows, Mirror Columns are stacked across multiple boards (for example, Board A mirrors from Board B, which mirrors from Board C). If there is a visibility gap at any hop, data won’t reach the end of the chain.

Steps: Troubleshoot a multi-board Mirror Column chain

1. Confirm that the person has access to every board in the chain.
2. Check Column Viewing Permissions for the mirrored column on each intermediary board.
3. Verify that each Connect Boards Column is connected to the correct source board at every level.

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?

The two most common causes are: the person does not have access to the source board (for example, the Deals, Products, or catalog board connected through the Connect Boards Column), or Column Viewing Permissions are restricting the connected column. Check their access to the source board and review Column Viewing Permissions for the connected column.

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.

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.