Columns and items are two core elements of any board in monday.com. A board is formatted as a table, where there are columns and rows.

In monday.com, each column has a specific functionality (for example, a numbers column will store numerical values, a text column will store text values, and a time tracking column will store only time-based data, based on log events).

Columns queries

Required scope: boards:read

Columns are available for querying through parent items. They must be nested within another query, like a board. You cannot use them at the root of your query.

Querying columns will return either one or a collection of columns.

query {
    boards (ids: 1234567) {
        owners {
            id
        }
        columns {
            title
            type
        }       
    }
}

let query = "query {boards (ids: 1234567) {owner{ id }  columns {   title   type }}}";

fetch ("https://api.monday.com/v2", {
  method: 'post',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Authorization' : 'YourSuperSecretApiKey'
   },
   body: JSON.stringify({
     'query': query
   })
  })
   .then(res => res.json())
   .then(res => console.log(JSON.stringify(res, null, 2)));

You can find the Postman request to get column IDs from a board here.

Fields

Columns contain the following fields that will determine the data returned.

Field	Field Description
archived `Boolean!`	Whether the column is archived or not.
ids `[Int]`	The column's identifier, unique only to its board.
pos `String` (DEPRECATED)	The column's position on the board. This field has been deprecated and will always return `null`.
settings_str `String!`	The column's settings in a string form.
title `String!`	The column's title.
description `String!`	The column's description.
type `String!`	The column's type.
width `Int`	The column's width.

Columns mutations

Required scope: boards:write

Create a column

This mutation will create a column on a board within the account. After the mutation runs you can query back all the column data as shown in the querying columns section above.

mutation{
  create_column(board_id: 12345678, title:"Work Status", description: "This is my work status column", column_type:status) {
    id
    title
    description
  }
}

const fetch = require('node-fetch')

let query = "create_column(board_id: 12345678, title:\"Work Status\", description: \"This is my work status column\", column_type:status){id}}"

fetch ("https://api.monday.com/v2", {
  method: 'post',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Authorization' : 'YourSuperSecretAPIkey'
   },
   body: JSON.stringify({
     'query' : query
   })
  })
   .then(res => res.json())
   .then(res => console.log(JSON.stringify(res, null, 2)));

You can find the Postman request to create a column here.

Arguments for create a column

The following arguments define the new column's characteristics.

Argument	Description
board_id `Int!`	The board's unique identifier.
title `String!`	The new column's title.
column_type `ColumnType`	The type of column to create. Check out our list of available column types.
defaults `JSON`	The new column's defaults.
description `String`	The column's description.

Change a simple column value

The change_simple_column_value() mutation allows you to change the value of a column in a specific item (row) with a string value.

Each column has a certain type, and different column types expect a different set of parameters in order to update their values.

After the mutation runs you can query back all the column data as shown in the querying columns section above.

📘
Tip:
You can use simple (string) values, regular (JSON) values, as well as a combination of both in your create_item(), create_subitem() and change_multiple_column_values() mutations. Using both value types can be useful when you want to update columns that do not support simple column values.

mutation {
    change_simple_column_value (board_id: 12345678, item_id: 987654321, column_id: "status", value: "Working on it") {
        id
    }
}

const fetch = require('node-fetch');

var query = "mutation {change_simple_column_value (board_id: 12345678, item_id: 987654321, column_id: \"status\", value: \"Working on it\") {id}}";

fetch ("https://api.monday.com/v2", {
  method: 'post',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Authorization' : 'yourSuperSecretAPIKey'
   },
   body: JSON.stringify({
     'query': "mutation {change_simple_column_value (board_id: 12345678, item_id: 987654321, column_id: \"status\", value: \"Working on it\") {id}}"
   })
  })
   .then(res => res.json())
   .then(res => console.log(JSON.stringify(res, null, 2)));

You can find the Postman request to change a simple column value here.

Arguments for change a simple column value

The following arguments define which column's value is being changed and what simple value to change to.

Argument	Description
item_id `Int`	The item's identifier.
column_id `String!`	The column identifier on your board.
board_id `Int!`	The board identifier.
value `String!`	The new simple value of the column. You can find more about simple column values in Column Types Reference
create_labels_if_missing `Boolean`	Creates status/dropdown labels if they are missing. This requires permission to change the board structure.

Change a column value

The change_column_value() mutation allows you to change the value of a column in a specific item (row) with a JSON value. If you’re using JavaScript, you can use JSON.stringify() to convert a JSON object into a string.

After the mutation runs you can query back all the column data as shown in the querying columns section above.

mutation {
    change_column_value (board_id: 12345678, item_id: 987654321, column_id: "status", value: "{\"index\": 1}") {
        id
    }
}

const fetch = require('node-fetch');

var query = "mutation { change_column_value (board_id: 12345678, item_id: 987654321, column_id: \"status\", value: \"{\\\"label\\\":\\\"Stuck\\\"}\") {id}}";

fetch ("https://api.monday.com/v2", {
  method: 'post',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Authorization' : 'YourSuperSecretAPIKey'
   },
   body: JSON.stringify({
     'query': query
   })
  })
   .then(res => res.json())
   .then(res => console.log(JSON.stringify(res, null, 2)));

You can find the Postman request to change a column value here.

Arguments for change a column value

The following arguments define which column's value is being changed and what JSON value to change to.

Argument	Description
item_id `Int`	The item's identifier.
column_id `String!`	The column identifier on your board.
board_id `Int!`	The board identifier.
value `JSON!`	The new value of the column, formatted as JSON. You can find specific examples of JSON values in the Column Types Reference.
create_labels_if_missing `Boolean`	Creates status/dropdown labels if they are missing. This requires permission to change the board structure.

Change multiple column values

This mutation allows you to update multiple column values of a specific Item (row).

Each column has a certain type, and different column types expect a different set of parameters to update their values. When sending data in the column_values argument, use a string.

The column_values argument is built in the following form (example with a Text and a Status column):
{\"text\": \"New text\", \"status\": {\"label\": \"Done\"}}

📘
NOTE
You can also use simple (String) values in this mutation along with regular (JSON) values, or just simple values.

Here's an example of setting a Status with a simple value:
{\"text\": \"New text\", \"status\": \"Done\"}

After the mutation runs you can query back all the column data as shown in the querying columns section above.

mutation {
  change_multiple_column_values (item_id: 1234567, board_id: 987654321, column_values: "{\"status\": {\"index\": 1},\"date4\": {\"date\":\"2021-01-01\"}, \"person\" : {\"personsAndTeams\":[{\"id\":9603417,\"kind\":\"person\"}]}}") {
    id
  }
}

const fetch = require('node-fetch');

var query = "mutation {change_multiple_column_values (item_id: 1234567, board_id: 987654321, column_values: \"{\\\"status\\\": {\\\"index\\\": 1},\\\"date4\\\": {\\\"date\\\":\\\"2021-01-01\\\"}, \\\"person\\\" : {\\\"personsAndTeams\\\":[{\\\"id\\\":9603417,\\\"kind\\\":\\\"person\\\"}]}}\") {id}}";

fetch ("https://api.monday.com/v2", {
  method: 'post',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Authorization' : 'YourSuperSecretApiKey'
   },
   body: JSON.stringify({
     'query': query
   })
  })
   .then(res => res.json())
   .then(res => console.log(JSON.stringify(res, null, 2)));

Arguments for change multiple columns values

The following arguments define the columns' values being changed and what values to change to.

Argument	Definition
item_id `Int`	The item's identifier.
board_id `Int!`	The board's identifier.
column_values `JSON!`	The column values updates.
create_labels_if_missing `Boolean`	Creates status/dropdown labels if they are missing. This requires permission to change the board structure.

Change a column title

This mutation allows you to update the title of an existing column.

After the mutation runs you can query back all the column data as shown in the querying columns section above.

mutation {
    change_column_title (board_id: 1234567, column_id: "status", title: "new_status") {
        id
    }
}

const fetch = require('node-fetch');

var query = "mutation { change_column_title (board_id: 1234567, column_id: \"status\", title: \"New_Status\") {id}}";

fetch ("https://api.monday.com/v2", {
  method: 'post',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Authorization' : 'YourSuperSecretApiKey'
   },
   body: JSON.stringify({
     'query': query
   })
  })
   .then(res => res.json())
   .then(res => console.log(JSON.stringify(res, null, 2)));

Arguments for change a column title

The following arguments define which column's title will be changed.

Argument	Definition
column_id `String!`	The column's identifier.
board_id `Int!`	The board's identifier.
title `String!`	The new title of the column

Change column metadata

This mutation allows you to update the metadata of an existing column. Currently, we support updating both the title and description.

After the mutation runs you can query back all the column data as shown in the querying columns section above.

mutation {
  change_column_metadata(board_id: 123456789, column_id: "date4", column_property: description, value: "This is my awesome date column"){
    id
    title
    description
  }
}

const fetch = require('node-fetch');

var query = "mutation{change_column_metadata(board_id: 123456789, column_id: \"date4\", column_property: description, value: \"This is my awesome date column\"){id title description}}";

fetch ("https://api.monday.com/v2", {
  method: 'post',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Authorization' : 'YourSuperSecretApiKey'
   },
   body: JSON.stringify({
     'query': query
   })
  })
   .then(res => res.json())
   .then(res => console.log(JSON.stringify(res, null, 2)));

Arguments for change column metadata

The following arguments define the property being updated and the new value.

Argument	Definition
column_id `String!`	The column's identifier.
board_id `Int!`	The board's identifier.
column_property `ColumnProperty`	The property you want to change: title or description.
value `String`	The value you want to assign to that property, as a String.

Delete a column

The delete_column mutation allows you to delete a single column from a board.

mutation {
  delete_column (board_id: 123456789, column_id: "status") {
    id
  }
}

Arguments for delete a column

The following arguments determine which column will be deleted.

Argument	Description
column_id `String!`	The column's unique identifier.
board_id `Int!`	The board's unique identifier.

📘
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Columns

Columns queries

Fields

Columns mutations

Create a column

Arguments for create a column

Change a simple column value

📘
Tip:

Arguments for change a simple column value

Change a column value

Arguments for change a column value

Change multiple column values

📘
NOTE

Arguments for change multiple columns values

Change a column title

Arguments for change a column title

Change column metadata

Arguments for change column metadata

Delete a column

Arguments for delete a column

📘
Have questions?

Columns queries

Fields

Columns mutations

Create a column

Arguments for create a column

Change a simple column value

📘Tip:

Arguments for change a simple column value

Change a column value

Arguments for change a column value

Change multiple column values

📘NOTE

Arguments for change multiple columns values

Change a column title

Arguments for change a column title

Change column metadata

Arguments for change column metadata

Delete a column

Arguments for delete a column

📘Have questions?

📘
Tip:

📘
NOTE

📘
Have questions?