# Best Practices

## Recommended setup

<table data-card-size="large" data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Always start with a full column export</strong></td><td>Leave the Columns field empty on your first run to see every field Trello returns — including custom fields. Once you know the exact column names, add them to the Columns filter for cleaner, focused exports.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Use the Board URL from your browser</strong></td><td>Copy the board URL directly from the address bar while viewing the board in Trello. Don't use a shared or shortened link — the full URL is what Coupler.io needs to identify the board correctly.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Combine entities with Join for richer reports</strong></td><td>Board cards alone don't show checklist progress. Add Checklist items as a second source in the same data flow and use the Join transformation on card ID to see cards alongside their subtask completion status.</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Data refresh and scheduling

<table data-card-size="large" data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Use Start date to keep incremental exports lean</strong></td><td>For Cards updates on active boards, set a Start date to avoid re-pulling the entire activity history on every refresh. This is especially useful for boards with months of card history.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Append for historical tracking</strong></td><td>If you need a running log of card changes over time, use Append mode with the Cards updates entity. Each scheduled run will add new activity rows without overwriting previous data.</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Performance optimization

<table data-card-size="large" data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Split multi-board reporting into one flow with Append</strong></td><td>Trello's API is board-scoped. To report across multiple boards, add each board as a separate source in the same data flow and use the Append transformation to combine them into one output table.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Filter archived cards in your destination</strong></td><td>Coupler.io exports both active and archived cards. If your dashboard or report should only show active work, add a filter on the `closed` column in your destination rather than relying on the Trello board view.</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Common pitfalls

{% hint style="danger" %}
Don't rely on column names from memory or documentation — Trello's API field names are case-sensitive and may differ from what you see in the Trello UI. Always verify column names from an actual export before using the Columns filter.
{% endhint %}

{% columns %}
{% column %}
**Do**

* Copy the board URL directly from the browser address bar
* Run a full export first to discover all available column names
* Use the Checklist items entity separately when you need subtask data
* Filter `closed = true` rows in your destination to exclude archived cards
  {% endcolumn %}

{% column %}
**Don't**

* Assume custom field names match what you see in the Trello card UI
* Use the same data flow for both Board cards and Cards updates — keep entities in separate sources for clarity
* Expect Power-Up data from third-party integrations to appear in exports
* Enter column names manually without verifying them from a real export first
  {% endcolumn %}
  {% endcolumns %}