Update Column Values

Set and update column values for items on your boards.

Finding Column IDs

Column IDs are Board-Specific

Before updating column values, you must find your board's actual column IDs. See the Items Create guide for how to query column IDs.

Update Simple Column Value

For simple column types (text, numbers), use change_simple_value:

ruby

require "monday_ruby"

Monday.configure do |config|
  config.token = ENV["MONDAY_TOKEN"]
end

client = Monday::Client.new

# ⚠️ Replace with your actual column ID
response = client.column.change_simple_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "text",  # Your text column ID
    value: "Updated text content"
  }
)

if response.success?
  item = response.body.dig("data", "change_simple_column_value")
  puts "✓ Updated: #{item['name']}"
else
  puts "✗ Failed to update column"
end

Output:

✓ Updated: Marketing Campaign

Update Complex Column Value

For complex types (status, people, date), use change_value with JSON:

ruby

require "json"

# ⚠️ Replace with your actual column ID
response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "status",  # Your status column ID
    value: JSON.generate({ label: "Done" })
  }
)

if response.success?
  item = response.body.dig("data", "change_column_value")
  puts "✓ Status updated for: #{item['name']}"
end

Update Different Column Types

Text Column

ruby

response = client.column.change_simple_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "text",  # ⚠️ Your text column ID
    value: "Project description here"
  }
)

Numbers Column

ruby

response = client.column.change_simple_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "numbers",  # ⚠️ Your numbers column ID
    value: "12500"  # Pass as string
  }
)

Status Column

ruby

value = JSON.generate({ label: "Working on it" })

response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "status",  # ⚠️ Your status column ID
    value: value
  }
)

Date Column

ruby

# Date only
value = JSON.generate({ date: "2024-12-31" })

response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "date4",  # ⚠️ Your date column ID
    value: value
  }
)

# Date with time
value = JSON.generate({
  date: "2024-12-31",
  time: "14:30:00"
})

response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "date4",
    value: value
  }
)

People Column

ruby

# Single person
value = JSON.generate({
  personsAndTeams: [
    { id: 12345678, kind: "person" }  # Replace with actual user ID
  ]
})

response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "people",  # ⚠️ Your people column ID
    value: value
  }
)

# Multiple people
value = JSON.generate({
  personsAndTeams: [
    { id: 12345678, kind: "person" },
    { id: 87654321, kind: "person" }
  ]
})

Timeline Column

ruby

value = JSON.generate({
  from: "2024-01-01",
  to: "2024-03-31"
})

response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "timeline",  # ⚠️ Your timeline column ID
    value: value
  }
)

ruby

value = JSON.generate({ labels: [123] })  # Label ID from column settings

response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "dropdown",  # ⚠️ Your dropdown column ID
    value: value
  }
)

Link Column

ruby

value = JSON.generate({
  url: "https://example.com",
  text: "Example Website"
})

response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "link",  # ⚠️ Your link column ID
    value: value
  }
)

Email Column

ruby

value = JSON.generate({
  email: "user@example.com",
  text: "Contact Email"
})

response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "email",  # ⚠️ Your email column ID
    value: value
  }
)

Phone Column

ruby

value = JSON.generate({
  phone: "+1-555-123-4567",
  countryShortName: "US"
})

response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "phone",  # ⚠️ Your phone column ID
    value: value
  }
)

Checkbox Column

ruby

value = JSON.generate({ checked: "true" })

response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "checkbox",  # ⚠️ Your checkbox column ID
    value: value
  }
)

Clear Column Value

Remove a column's value:

ruby

response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "status",  # ⚠️ Your column ID
    value: JSON.generate({})
  }
)

if response.success?
  puts "✓ Column value cleared"
end

Bulk Update Same Column

Update the same column for multiple items:

ruby

def bulk_update_status(client, board_id, item_ids, status_label, column_id)
  updated_count = 0

  item_ids.each do |item_id|
    response = client.column.change_value(
      args: {
        board_id: board_id,
        item_id: item_id,
        column_id: column_id,
        value: JSON.generate({ label: status_label })
      }
    )

    if response.success?
      updated_count += 1
      puts "✓ Updated item #{item_id}"
    else
      puts "✗ Failed to update item #{item_id}"
    end

    sleep(0.3)  # Rate limiting
  end

  updated_count
end

# Usage
item_ids = [987654321, 987654322, 987654323]
count = bulk_update_status(
  client,
  1234567890,
  item_ids,
  "Done",
  "status"  # ⚠️ Replace with your status column ID
)

puts "\n✓ Updated #{count} items"

Get Updated Item Details

Retrieve updated item information:

ruby

response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: 1234567890,
    item_id: 987654321,
    column_id: "status",  # ⚠️ Your column ID
    value: JSON.generate({ label: "Done" })
  },
  select: [
    "id",
    "name",
    "state",
    {
      column_values: ["id", "text", "type"]
    }
  ]
)

if response.success?
  item = response.body.dig("data", "change_column_value")

  puts "Updated: #{item['name']}"
  puts "Column Values:"

  item["column_values"].each do |col_val|
    next if col_val["text"].nil? || col_val["text"].empty?
    puts "  • #{col_val['id']}: #{col_val['text']}"
  end
end

Error Handling

Handle common update errors:

ruby

def update_column_safe(client, board_id, item_id, column_id, value)
  response = client.column.change_value(
    args: {
      board_id: board_id,
      item_id: item_id,
      column_id: column_id,
      value: value
    }
  )

  if response.success?
    item = response.body.dig("data", "change_column_value")
    puts "✓ Updated: #{item['name']}"
    true
  else
    puts "✗ Failed to update column"
    puts "  Status: #{response.status}"

    if response.body["errors"]
      response.body["errors"].each do |error|
        puts "  Error: #{error['message']}"
      end
    end

    false
  end
rescue Monday::AuthorizationError
  puts "✗ Invalid API token"
  false
rescue Monday::InvalidRequestError => e
  puts "✗ Invalid request: #{e.message}"
  false
rescue Monday::Error => e
  puts "✗ API error: #{e.message}"
  false
end

# Usage
value = JSON.generate({ label: "Done" })
success = update_column_safe(
  client,
  1234567890,
  987654321,
  "status",  # ⚠️ Your column ID
  value
)

Complete Example

Update various column types for an item:

ruby

require "monday_ruby"
require "dotenv/load"
require "json"

Monday.configure do |config|
  config.token = ENV["MONDAY_TOKEN"]
end

client = Monday::Client.new

board_id = 1234567890
item_id = 987654321

# IMPORTANT: Replace all column IDs with your board's actual column IDs

puts "\n📝 Updating Item Columns\n#{'=' * 50}\n"

# Update status
puts "Updating status..."
response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: board_id,
    item_id: item_id,
    column_id: "status",  # ⚠️ Your status column ID
    value: JSON.generate({ label: "Working on it" })
  }
)
puts response.success? ? "✓ Status updated" : "✗ Failed"

# Update due date
puts "Updating due date..."
response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: board_id,
    item_id: item_id,
    column_id: "date4",  # ⚠️ Your date column ID
    value: JSON.generate({ date: "2024-12-31", time: "17:00:00" })
  }
)
puts response.success? ? "✓ Due date updated" : "✗ Failed"

# Update owner
puts "Updating owner..."
response = client.column.change_value(
  args: {
    board_id: board_id,
    item_id: item_id,
    column_id: "people",  # ⚠️ Your people column ID
    value: JSON.generate({
      personsAndTeams: [
        { id: 12345678, kind: "person" }  # ⚠️ Replace with actual user ID
      ]
    })
  }
)
puts response.success? ? "✓ Owner updated" : "✗ Failed"

# Update text note
puts "Updating notes..."
response = client.column.change_simple_value(
  args: {
    board_id: board_id,
    item_id: item_id,
    column_id: "text",  # ⚠️ Your text column ID
    value: "High priority task - needs review"
  }
)
puts response.success? ? "✓ Notes updated" : "✗ Failed"

puts "\n#{'=' * 50}"
puts "✓ Column updates complete"
puts "#{'=' * 50}"

Update Column Values ​

Finding Column IDs ​

Update Simple Column Value ​

Update Complex Column Value ​

Update Different Column Types ​

Text Column ​

Numbers Column ​

Status Column ​

Date Column ​

People Column ​

Timeline Column ​

Dropdown Column ​

Link Column ​

Email Column ​

Phone Column ​

Checkbox Column ​

Clear Column Value ​

Bulk Update Same Column ​

Get Updated Item Details ​

Error Handling ​

Complete Example ​

Next Steps ​

Update Column Values

Finding Column IDs

Update Simple Column Value

Update Complex Column Value

Update Different Column Types

Text Column

Numbers Column

Status Column

Date Column

People Column

Timeline Column

Dropdown Column

Link Column

Email Column

Phone Column

Checkbox Column

Clear Column Value

Bulk Update Same Column

Get Updated Item Details

Error Handling

Complete Example

Next Steps