> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.sameitem.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Can You Mirror Subitems in monday.com? How to Sync Subitems Across Boards

> You can't mirror subitems in monday.com natively — mirror columns don't carry subitems and duplicating them creates copies that drift. Here is what actually works, step by step.

## The short answer

**No — monday.com cannot natively mirror subitems.** Mirror columns reference a *value* from another board's item; they do not carry an item's subitems at all. And duplicating an item "with subitems" makes an independent copy whose subitems immediately [drift out of sync](/guides/duplicate-items-drift). If you searched for how to mirror subitems, what you actually want is for the **same item and its subitems to exist on more than one board, always in sync** — which is what [Same Item Multiple Boards](https://monday.com/marketplace/10000363) does.

## Why mirroring subitems doesn't work natively

| What you try                                 | What happens                                                                                                                                                                              |
| -------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Add a **Mirror column** for subitems         | Mirror columns mirror a *column value*, not a subitem structure. There is no "mirror subitems" option — subitems live on their own hidden subitems board and can't be mirrored across.    |
| **Connect Boards** + mirror                  | Same limit: you can reference the parent's columns, but the subitems don't come along, and mirrored values are [read-only anyway](/guides/mirror-column-limitations).                     |
| **Duplicate item with subitems**             | Creates a separate item on the other board. Its subitems are copies — update one side and the two sets diverge. See [copy vs duplicate subitems](/guides/copy-subitems-to-another-board). |
| **Automation: create item in another board** | Copies the parent; subitems are usually dropped or copied unlinked.                                                                                                                       |

The root cause is the same one behind every cross-board limitation: in monday.com an item (and its subitems) belongs to exactly one board.

## What actually works: the same subitems on every board

With [Same Item Multiple Boards](https://monday.com/marketplace/10000363), when a parent item lives on several boards its **subitems follow automatically** — same subitems, same columns, same statuses, [same updates thread](/features/updates-sync), on every board the parent lives on ([subitems feature](/features/subitems)). Add a subitem on any board and it appears everywhere the parent does. Nothing is mirrored and nothing is copied — it is one set of subitems.

### Set it up

1. Install [Same Item Multiple Boards](https://monday.com/marketplace/10000363) ([install guide](/installation)).
2. Share the parent item to the other board — [manually](/features/manual-sharing) or with an [automation recipe](/features/automations). The subitems come with it.
3. Make sure both boards have a subitems structure and that **subitem column names and types match** (including case) — this is the #1 reason subitem values don't sync ([troubleshooting](/guides/board-sync-troubleshooting)).
4. For many existing items, share in bulk with [batch actions](/features/batch-actions).

## Related: turn a subitem into a main item on another board

Sometimes you don't want to mirror a subitem — you want a subitem from one board to appear as a **regular item** on another team's board (a delivery sub-task that's a first-class item for ops). That's supported too, and stays in sync. See [subitems across boards](/guides/sync-subitems-across-boards).

## FAQ

### Can I mirror just the subitem status to the parent board?

You can mirror a subitem rollup *within* the same board natively. What you can't do natively is carry subitems to a *different* board — that needs synced items.

### Do the synced subitems count toward my plan?

Shared subitems ride with their parent item; see [usage limits](/billing/usage-limits).

### My subitems aren't syncing — where do I start?

Almost always a subitem **column name mismatch** (case-sensitive) or a missing subitems structure on the destination board. Check the [Discrepancy Report](/features/discrepancy-report), then the [sync troubleshooting guide](/guides/board-sync-troubleshooting).

### Is this different from putting the same item on multiple boards?

It's the same mechanism — subitems are simply included. Start with [how to make an item live on multiple boards](/guides/item-on-multiple-boards) for the full picture.