The dropdown column lets users select one or more options from a predefined list. It's commonly used for categorization, tagging, and multi-select workflows.

Via the API, the dropdown column supports read, filter, create, update, and clear operations.

Column Type	Implementation Type	Supported Operations
`dropdown`	`DropdownValue`	Read: Yes Filter: Yes Create: Yes Update: Yes Clear: Yes

Queries

Dropdown columns can be queried through the column_values field on items using an inline fragment on DropdownValue.

query {
  items(ids: [1234567890, 9876543210]) {
    name
    column_values {
      ... on DropdownValue {
        id
        text
        value
        values {
          id
          label
        }
        column {
          id
          title
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

const query = `
  query ($itemIds: [ID!], $columnType: [ColumnType!]) {
    items(ids: $itemIds) {
      name
      column_values(types: $columnType) {
        ... on DropdownValue {
          id
          text
          value
          values {
            id
            label
          }
          column {
            id
            title
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
`;

const variables = {
  itemIds: [1234567890, 9876543210],
  columnType: "dropdown",
};

const response = await mondayApiClient.request(query, variables);

Fields

You can use the following fields to specify what information your DropdownValue implementation will return.

Field	Description
column `Column!`	The column the value belongs to.
id `ID!`	The dropdown column's unique identifier.
text `String`	The column's value as text (comma-separated labels). Returns `null` if the column has an empty value.
type `ColumnType!`	The column's type (`dropdown`).
value `JSON`	The column's raw value as a JSON string. Returns `{"ids": [1, 3]}` where the array contains selected label IDs.
values `[DropdownValueOption!]!`	The selected dropdown options for this item. Each option has `id` and `label` fields.

`DropdownValueOption`

Each selected option in the values array contains:

Field	Description
id `ID!`	The dropdown option's unique identifier.
label `String!`	The dropdown option's display text.

Example response

{
  "data": {
    "items": [
      {
        "name": "Project Alpha",
        "column_values": [
          {
            "id": "dropdown",
            "text": "Marketing, Design",
            "value": "{\"ids\":[1,3]}",
            "values": [
              { "id": "1", "label": "Marketing" },
              { "id": "3", "label": "Design" }
            ],
            "column": {
              "id": "dropdown",
              "title": "Category"
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Filter

You can filter items by dropdown values using the items_page object. The dropdown column supports the following operators:

Operator	Compare Value	Description
`any_of`	An array of dropdown label IDs (e.g., `[1, 2]`)	Returns items with any of the specified dropdown labels selected. Use label IDs from the column's settings.
`not_any_of`	An array of dropdown label IDs (e.g., `[1, 2]`)	Excludes items with any of the specified dropdown labels selected.
`contains_text`	Partial or full label text as a string (e.g., `"Marketing"`)	Returns items whose dropdown labels contain the specified text.
`not_contains_text`	Partial or full label text as a string (e.g., `"Sales"`)	Excludes items whose dropdown labels contain the specified text.
`is_empty`	`[]`	Returns items with no dropdown labels selected.
`is_not_empty`	`[]`	Returns items with at least one dropdown label selected.

Examples

Filter by label ID

This example returns all items with dropdown label ID 1 selected.

query {
  boards(ids: 1234567890) {
    items_page(
      query_params: {
        rules: [
          {
            column_id: "dropdown"
            compare_value: [1]
            operator: any_of
          }
        ]
      }
    ) {
      items {
        id
        name
        column_values {
          ... on DropdownValue {
            values {
              id
              label
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Filter by label text

This example returns all items whose dropdown labels contain the text "Marketing".

query {
  boards(ids: 1234567890) {
    items_page(
      query_params: {
        rules: [
          {
            column_id: "dropdown"
            compare_value: ["Marketing"]
            operator: contains_text
          }
        ]
      }
    ) {
      items {
        id
        name
      }
    }
  }
}

const query = `
  query ($boardId: [ID!], $columnId: ID!, $operator: ItemsQueryRuleOperator!, $compareValue: CompareValue!) {
    boards(ids: $boardId) {
      items_page(
        query_params: {
          rules: [
            { column_id: $columnId, compare_value: $compareValue, operator: $operator }
          ]
        }
      ) {
        items { id name }
      }
    }
  }
`;

const variables = {
  boardId: 1234567890,
  columnId: "dropdown",
  compareValue: ["Marketing"],
  operator: "contains_text",
};

const response = await mondayApiClient.request(query, variables);

Filter by empty dropdown

This example returns all items with no dropdown labels selected.

query {
  boards(ids: 1234567890) {
    items_page(
      query_params: {
        rules: [
          {
            column_id: "dropdown"
            compare_value: []
            operator: is_empty
          }
        ]
      }
    ) {
      items {
        id
        name
      }
    }
  }
}

Mutations

Create

Required scope: boards:write

The create_dropdown_column mutation creates a new dropdown column with strongly typed settings. You can specify which fields to return in the mutation response.

mutation {
  create_dropdown_column(
    board_id: 1234567890
    id: "project_category"
    title: "Project Category"
    defaults: {
      labels: [
        { label: "Marketing" }
        { label: "Engineering" }
        { label: "Design" }
        { label: "Sales" }
        { label: "HR" }
      ]
      limit_select: true
      label_limit_count: 2
    }
    description: "The project's category."
  ) {
    id
    title
    description
    settings
  }
}

Arguments

Argument	Type	Description
board_id	`ID!`	The board's unique identifier.
id	`String`	A custom column ID. If not provided, one is auto-generated.
title	`String!`	The column's title.
description	`String`	The column's description.
after_column_id	`ID`	The ID of the column to insert the new column after.
defaults `CreateDropdownColumnSettingsInput`	`Object`	The column's label and selection configuration. See fields below.

Settings input fields (`CreateDropdownColumnSettingsInput`)

Field	Type	Required	Description
labels	`[CreateDropdownLabelInput!]!`	Yes	Array of label objects. Each must have a `label` (string) field.
limit_select	`Boolean`	No	Whether to limit selection to a fixed number of labels.
label_limit_count	`Int`	No	Maximum number of labels that can be selected when `limit_select` is enabled.

Update column settings

Required scope: boards:write

The update_dropdown_column mutation updates an existing dropdown column's settings, including its title, description, label configuration, and selection limits.

🚧
The revision argument is required. You can obtain the current revision from the column's revision field or by querying the column. This prevents concurrent edits from overwriting each other.

mutation {
  update_dropdown_column(
    board_id: 1234567890
    id: "dropdown"
    revision: "replace_with_current_revision"
    title: "Project Category"
    settings: {
      labels: [
        { id: 1, label: "Marketing" }
        { id: 2, label: "Engineering" }
        { id: 3, label: "Design" }
        { id: 4, label: "Sales" }
        { id: 5, label: "HR" }
        { id: 6, label: "Old Label", is_deactivated: true }
      ]
      limit_select: true
      label_limit_count: 3
    }
  ) {
    id
    title
    settings
  }
}

Arguments

Argument	Type	Required	Description
board_id	`ID!`	Yes	The board's unique identifier.
id	`String!`	Yes	The column's unique identifier.
revision	`String!`	Yes	The column's current revision for conflict detection.
title	`String`	No	The column's new title.
description	`String`	No	The column's new description.
width	`Int`	No	The column's display width in pixels.
settings `UpdateDropdownColumnSettingsInput`	`Object`	No	The column's updated label and selection configuration.

Update label input fields (`UpdateDropdownLabelInput`)

Field	Type	Required	Description
label	`String!`	Yes	The label's display text.
id	`Int`	No	The label's unique identifier. Required when updating an existing label.
is_deactivated	`Boolean`	No	Whether the label is deactivated (hidden from the UI). Defaults to `false`.

Update value

You can update a dropdown column value using change_simple_column_value or change_multiple_column_values. You can send values as simple strings or JSON objects, depending on the mutation you choose.

🚧
You can't mix dropdown label text and label IDs in the same string value when using change_simple_column_value.

`change_simple_column_value`

Send label IDs or label text as a comma-separated string in value.

If the label doesn't exist, the API returns an error that includes the existing labels. To automatically create missing labels, use create_labels_if_missing: true.

Update by IDs

mutation {
  change_simple_column_value(
    item_id: 9876543210
    board_id: 1234567890
    column_id: "dropdown"
    value: "1,2"
  ) {
    id
  }
}

Update by labels

mutation {
  change_simple_column_value(
    item_id: 9876543210
    board_id: 1234567890
    column_id: "dropdown"
    value: "Marketing, Engineering"
  ) {
    id
  }
}

`change_multiple_column_values`

Send the dropdown IDs or label text as a JSON object in column_values.

JSON with IDs

mutation {
  change_multiple_column_values(
    item_id: 9876543210
    board_id: 1234567890
    column_values: "{\"dropdown\": {\"ids\": [1, 2]}}"
  ) {
    id
  }
}

JSON with labels

mutation {
  change_multiple_column_values(
    item_id: 9876543210
    board_id: 1234567890
    column_values: "{\"dropdown\": {\"labels\": [\"Marketing\", \"Engineering\"]}}"
  ) {
    id
  }
}

Add a new dropdown label

You can create a new dropdown label and assign it to an item by using create_labels_if_missing: true. This works with both change_simple_column_value and change_multiple_column_values.

mutation {
  change_simple_column_value(
    item_id: 9876543210
    board_id: 1234567890
    column_id: "dropdown"
    value: "New Category"
    create_labels_if_missing: true
  ) {
    id
  }
}

📘
Using create_labels_if_missing: true requires permission to change the board structure. Without this flag, referencing a non-existent label returns an error.

Set dropdown on item creation

You can set dropdown values when creating an item by passing the dropdown column value in the column_values argument.

Create with label IDs

mutation {
  create_item(
    board_id: 1234567890
    item_name: "New task"
    column_values: "{\"dropdown\": {\"ids\": [1, 3]}}"
  ) {
    id
    name
  }
}

Create with label text

mutation {
  create_item(
    board_id: 1234567890
    item_name: "New task"
    column_values: "{\"dropdown\": {\"labels\": [\"Marketing\", \"Design\"]}}"
  ) {
    id
    name
  }
}

Clear

You can clear a dropdown column using change_simple_column_value or change_multiple_column_values.

`change_simple_column_value`

Pass an empty string in value.

mutation {
  change_simple_column_value(
    item_id: 9876543210
    board_id: 1234567890
    column_id: "dropdown"
    value: ""
  ) {
    id
  }
}

`change_multiple_column_values`

Pass null or an empty labels array in column_values.

mutation {
  change_multiple_column_values(
    item_id: 9876543210
    board_id: 1234567890
    column_values: "{\"dropdown\": null}"
  ) {
    id
  }
}

mutation {
  change_multiple_column_values(
    item_id: 9876543210
    board_id: 1234567890
    column_values: "{\"dropdown\": {\"labels\": []}}"
  ) {
    id
  }
}

Reading column configuration

To understand a dropdown column's available labels and selection settings, query its settings through the column's settings field.

🚧
The settings_str field is deprecated as of API version 2025-10. Use the typed settings object instead, which returns structured JSON rather than a JSON-encoded string.

query {
  boards(ids: 1234567890) {
    columns(ids: ["dropdown"]) {
      id
      title
      settings
    }
  }
}

`settings` response structure

Field	Type	Description
`labels`	`DropdownLabel[]`	Array of label objects representing the available dropdown options.

`DropdownLabel`

Field	Type	Required	Description
`id`	`number`	Yes	Unique numeric identifier for the label.
`label`	`string`	Yes	Display text of the dropdown option.
`is_deactivated`	`boolean`	No	Whether the label is deactivated (hidden from the UI). Defaults to `false`.

Example response

{
  "settings": {
    "labels": [
      { "id": 1, "label": "Marketing", "is_deactivated": false },
      { "id": 2, "label": "Engineering", "is_deactivated": false },
      { "id": 3, "label": "Design", "is_deactivated": false },
      { "id": 4, "label": "Sales", "is_deactivated": false },
      { "id": 5, "label": "HR", "is_deactivated": false }
    ]
  }
}

📘
The id field in each label object is the stable identifier used for filtering (any_of, not_any_of) and updating (change_simple_column_value with IDs, or change_multiple_column_values with ids array). Labels are assigned incrementing IDs starting from 1.

Get column type schema

You can retrieve the JSON schema for the dropdown column's settings programmatically using the get_column_type_schema query. This returns the structure, validation rules, and available properties for the column's configuration.

query {
  get_column_type_schema(
    type: dropdown
  )
}

{
  "data": {
    "get_column_type_schema": {
      "schema": {
        "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "settings": {
            "type": "object",
            "description": "Column specific settings",
            "properties": {
              "type": {
                "type": "string",
                "description": "The type of column (dropdown)"
              },
              "labels": {
                "type": "array",
                "description": "Array of dropdown labels",
                "items": {
                  "type": "object",
                  "properties": {
                    "id": {
                      "type": "integer",
                      "description": "The unique identifier for the label"
                    },
                    "label": {
                      "type": "string",
                      "description": "The display text for the label"
                    },
                    "is_deactivated": {
                      "type": "boolean",
                      "description": "Whether the label is deactivated"
                    }
                  },
                  "required": [
                    "label"
                  ],
                  "additionalProperties": false
                }
              },
              "limit_select": {
                "type": "boolean",
                "description": "Whether to limit selection to a single value"
              },
              "label_limit_count": {
                "type": "integer",
                "description": "Maximum number of labels that can be selected"
              }
            },
            "additionalProperties": false,
            "required": [
              "labels"
            ]
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

The response includes property names, types, constraints (such as max lengths and allowed values), and descriptions for each setting. You can use this to validate column settings, dynamically generate UIs, or give context to AI agents. Learn more about the schema response format.