Monday API v2 - Update column values of a specific item with empty string

[Nicolas_YVON]

What is your goal?

Hello,
I am trying to empty a text field using Monday API v2 with the “Update Column Values of a Specific Item” module. I use the emptystring keyword to force updating with null value.

What is the problem & what have you tried?

In the new version of the API, updating with the emptystring keyword does nothing. The field has not been emptied.
I tried to update with text or space and it works but emptystring is ignored.

Error messages or input/output bundles

[
    {
        "itemId": 8668128219,
        "boardId": "1989804755",
        "columnValuesToChange": [
            {
                "columnId": "text_mkzae6ag",
                "columnValue": ""
            }
        ],
        "create_labels_if_missing": false
    }
]

Screenshots (scenario flow, module settings, errors)

[Desi_Zeitprozesse]

Hi @Nicolas_YVON,

I checked and I have the same issue with API V2.

As a Workaround you can use the monday.com “Execute a GraphQL Query” module
with the following settings:

Method: POST

Query:
mutation {
change_simple_column_value(item_id: 8668128219, board_id: 1989804755, column_id: “text_mkzae6ag”, value: “”) {
id
}
}

Does that help?

Have a lovely day
Desi

[Ibrm]

This looks like one of those quirks with Monday.com API v2 emptystring doesn’t always behave like an actual null update anymore.
From what you shared, your request is technically valid, but the API tends to ignore empty values for certain column types instead of clearing them.
Usually the issue isn’t in the Make module itself, but in how the API expects the value to be formatted when you want to truly empty a field.
Is that column a simple text column or a different type?

[Nicolas_YVON]

Thank you for the GraphQL query. I was going to revert to the v1 api but the GraphQL is a more stable solution.

I hope it will be fixed because we use a lot of emptystring and modifying each module to a graphql module can be time consuming.

[Nicolas_YVON]

It is a simple text column.

[Desi_Zeitprozesse]

I understand @Nicolas_YVON . It’s time comsuming/inconvenient for sure.

For a long-term solution, you could open a technical support ticket with Make so the development team can take a closer look and see if it can be resolved. (They helped me a lot in a similar case when some modules didn’t work the same way anymore after switching from the Pipedrive API V1 to V2).

https://www.make.com/en/ticket

If this answer helped you, feel free to mark it as solved

[samliew]

Welcome to the Make community!

Just a quick thought— have you tried the other special variables {{ null }} and {{ erase }} yet?

— @samliew

[Nicolas_YVON]

I contacted support yesterday and they also suggested to use the null keyword and for obvious reasons it works as expected. Thank you!