How to Use Notion Sync With Trello Board Two-Way Integration

You want to keep a Notion database and a Trello board in sync so changes in one tool appear in the other automatically. Notion offers built-in integrations with third-party tools like Trello, but the native sync is one-way: it brings Trello cards into Notion without sending updates back. This article explains how to set up a true two-way integration between Notion and Trello using a third-party automation platform, Zapier.

By the end of this guide, you will have a working sync that pushes new and updated cards between both tools. You will also learn how to avoid common pitfalls like duplicate entries and broken field mappings.

How Notion and Trello Native Sync Works

Notion can connect to Trello through its built-in integration at Settings & Members > Connections > Trello. This connection allows you to embed a Trello board as a linked view inside a Notion page. However, this embed is read-only for Trello data: you can view and click on cards, but edits made in Notion do not go back to Trello. The same limitation applies to the Trello Power-Up inside Notion databases — it imports cards but does not sync changes.

For a true two-way sync where adding a card in Trello creates a row in Notion and editing a Notion property updates the Trello card, you need an automation platform. Zapier is the most common choice because it supports both Notion and Trello with trigger and action steps. You will need a Zapier account on a paid plan (Starter or higher) because creating two-way syncs requires multi-step Zaps and premium app connections.

Prerequisites Before You Start

Before creating the Zaps, confirm you have the following:

• A Zapier account with a paid plan (Starter, Professional, or Team)
• Admin access to the Notion workspace that contains the target database
• Admin access to the Trello board you want to sync
• The Notion database must have at least these properties: Name (title), Description (text), Status (select), and a unique ID (text or number) to prevent duplicate entries

Steps to Set Up Two-Way Sync Between Notion and Trello

This method uses two Zaps. The first Zap sends new and updated Trello cards to Notion. The second Zap sends new and updated Notion database items back to Trello. Follow the steps below for each Zap.

Zap 1: Trello to Notion — New or Updated Cards

1. Create a new Zap in Zapier
   Log in to your Zapier account. Click Create Zap. Name the Zap something like “Trello to Notion Sync”.
2. Set the trigger app to Trello
   In the Trigger step, search for and select Trello. Choose the trigger event New Card. Click Continue.
3. Connect your Trello account
   If you have not connected Trello to Zapier before, click Sign in to Trello and authorize the connection. Select the board and list you want to monitor. Click Test trigger to pull a sample card.
4. Add the action app: Notion
   Click the + icon to add an Action step. Search for and select Notion. Choose the action event Create Database Item.
5. Connect your Notion account
   Click Sign in to Notion and authorize the connection. Select the workspace and the specific database where you want Trello cards to appear.
6. Map Trello fields to Notion properties
   In the Action configuration, you will see a list of Notion properties. Map each one:
   – Name: Map to Trello’s Card Name
   – Description: Map to Trello’s Card Description
   – Status: Map to Trello’s List Name (this is a select property in Notion)
   – Unique ID: Map to Trello’s Card ID (a text property you add to Notion). This prevents duplicate rows when the Zap runs again.
7. Test the Zap
   Click Test & Continue. Zapier will create a sample item in your Notion database. Verify the data appears correctly. If it does, turn on the Zap.
8. Add an update trigger (optional but recommended)
   To also sync updates to existing Trello cards, add a second Zap with the trigger Card Updated and the same action. Or use a single Zap with a Filter step that runs only on updates. For simplicity, create two separate Zaps: one for new cards and one for updates.

Zap 2: Notion to Trello — New or Updated Database Items

1. Create a second Zap
   Click Create Zap. Name it “Notion to Trello Sync”.
2. Set the trigger app to Notion
   Select Notion as the trigger app. Choose the trigger event New Database Item. Click Continue.
3. Connect your Notion account and select the database
   Select the same Notion account and database you used in Zap 1. Test the trigger to pull a sample item.
4. Add the action app: Trello
   Click the + icon. Search for and select Trello. Choose the action event Create Card.
5. Connect your Trello account
   Select the same Trello account and board you used in Zap 1. Choose the list where new cards should appear.
6. Map Notion properties to Trello fields
   In the Action configuration:
   – Card Name: Map to Notion’s Name property
   – Card Description: Map to Notion’s Description property
   – List: Map to Notion’s Status property (select the list name that matches each status value)
   – Custom Fields: If you have other properties like Due Date or Assignee, map them to Trello custom fields. You must create those custom fields in Trello first.
7. Add a unique ID check
   To avoid creating duplicate Trello cards when an existing Notion item is updated, add a Find Card action before the Create Card action. Use the Notion Unique ID property to search for an existing Trello card. If found, update it; if not, create a new one. This requires a Zapier account with multi-step Zaps.
8. Test and turn on the Zap
   Click Test & Continue. Verify a new card appears in Trello. If the test passes, turn on the Zap.

Common Two-Way Sync Issues and How to Fix Them

Duplicate Cards Appear in Trello or Notion

This happens when the Zap runs but does not check for existing items. To fix this, add a Find Card (Trello) or Find Database Item (Notion) action before the create action. Use a unique identifier like the Trello Card ID or a custom ID property in Notion to match records. If duplicates already exist, delete them manually and re-sync.

Field Mappings Break After a Notion Property Rename

If you rename a property in your Notion database, the Zap will fail because it still expects the old property name. Open the Zap in Zapier, go to the Action step, and re-map the renamed property. Test the Zap again before turning it on.

Sync Delays or Missed Updates

Zapier polls for changes every 2 to 15 minutes depending on your plan. Free plans poll every 15 minutes; paid plans poll every 2 minutes. If you need near-instant sync, upgrade to a plan with faster polling or use a webhook-based solution like Make (formerly Integromat).

Trello List Changes Do Not Update Notion Status

The standard Trello trigger “Card Updated” does not capture list changes as a separate event. To sync list moves, create a Zap with the trigger Card Moved to List (available in some Trello integrations) or use a Trello webhook with Zapier’s Webhooks app. Alternatively, use a third-party tool like Unito that natively supports list-change triggers.

Comparison of Two-Way Sync Methods: Zapier vs Unito vs Manual

Item	Zapier	Unito
Setup complexity	Moderate — requires two Zaps and field mapping	Low — guided wizard with pre-built templates
Cost	Starts at $19.99/month for 750 tasks	Starts at $10/month for 1,000 synced items
Update sync	Requires separate Zap or Find step	Built-in bidirectional update sync
List move detection	Requires webhook workaround	Native list change detection
Custom field support	Manual mapping for each field	Auto-maps common fields

Now you have a working two-way sync between Notion and Trello using Zapier. Start by testing the sync with a single card to confirm the mappings are correct. After verifying, turn on both Zaps and monitor the first few syncs for duplicates. For a more advanced setup, explore the Find Card action in Zapier to update existing cards instead of creating duplicates.