Syncing Managed Columns (Column Permissions) Between Boards

Does your column have column permissions (also known as managed columns) turned on? Great news — Same Item Multiple Boards fully supports managed columns. But there is an important detail that can cause syncing issues if overlooked.

This article explains what managed columns are, how they work with SIMB, and how to make sure your data syncs correctly.

What Are Managed Columns?

Managed columns are columns where a board admin has restricted who can edit them and which values are allowed. For example, a board admin might lock a Status column so that only specific labels (like "Done" and "Stuck") can be used.

You can tell a column is managed if you see a lock icon or permission settings on the column header.

How Managed Columns Work With SIMB

SIMB syncs column values between boards when the columns have the same name and same type. This works the same way for managed columns — but with one extra requirement:

The value being synced must be allowed on both boards.

If the value is permitted on the source board but not on the destination board, the sync will silently fail for that column.

Example: Why a Sync Might Fail

Here is a common scenario:

1. Board A has a managed Status column that only allows two labels: "Done" and "Stuck"
2. Board B has a Status column with the same name that allows more labels, including "Working on it"
3. Someone changes the status on Board B to "Working on it"
4. SIMB tries to sync this value to Board A — but it fails, because "Working on it" is not an allowed value in Board A's managed column

Even though the columns match by name and type, the sync cannot push a value that is not permitted by the managed column's restrictions.

How to Fix It

Follow these steps to ensure managed columns sync properly:

1. Open both boards side by side
2. Find the managed column on each board
3. Compare the allowed values — make sure every value that could be synced exists on both boards
4. Add any missing values to the managed column on the destination board
5. If the column uses labels (like Status), make sure the label names match exactly — including spelling and capitalization
6. Test the sync by making a small change and checking if it appears on the other board

Quick Checklist

• Both columns have the same name and same type
• The column values are allowed on both boards
• Label names are spelled exactly the same
• If using Status columns, the same labels exist on both boards

Still Need Help?

If your managed columns still are not syncing after checking the steps above, reach out to our support team — we are happy to take a look at your setup and help you get things working!

Updated on: 15/02/2026