How to Use Variance Tracker

Variance Tracker helps you understand exactly why your board's numbers changed — and what's coming due — automatically. Here's how to get started.

1. Install the app

Install Variance Tracker from the monday.com Marketplace onto your account. You'll be asked to approve a few read-only permissions (we never write to, edit, or delete anything on your boards).

2. Add it to a board

Open any board you want to track. Click the "+" next to your existing views (Main Table, Kanban, etc.), find Variance Tracker under Apps, and add it. This creates a new tab on that board.

3. Connect your account (first time only)

If this is the first board you're tracking, you'll see a "Connect your monday.com account" prompt. Click it — this opens a new tab where you'll approve the connection. Once done, you can close that tab and return to your board.

4. Set up the board (takes under a minute)

You'll be asked to choose:

Which column tracks the value you want to measure (required) — e.g., Deal Value, Revenue, Budget
Which column tracks status (optional) — used for reason tagging and scope filtering
Which column tracks the due/expected date (optional) — powers the Timeline view

You can optionally restrict tracking to specific statuses or groups under "Advanced settings" — or just leave it tracking everything.

Click Save & Continue. We'll automatically build your initial history using monday.com's Activity Log (as far back as your plan allows), so you'll see real data immediately — not a blank slate.

5. Explore Variance

The Variance tab shows you exactly what changed between any two points in time: new items, changed items, and removed items — sorted by impact, with a reconciliation check so you can trust the numbers. Use the Compare from / Compare to dropdowns to pick any two dates, including dates before you started using the app (using "Go further back," powered by your monday.com Activity Log).

Look for the ✨ AI summary card near the top of the Variance tab — a short, plain-language explanation of what changed and why, generated from the same reconciled numbers shown below it. This is a narrative aid to help you get the gist quickly; the detailed breakdown and reconciliation check remain the source of truth.

Click "Refresh now" anytime to capture the current state immediately, rather than waiting for the next automatic daily snapshot.

6. Explore Timeline

The Timeline tab groups your tracked items by when they're due — Overdue, This Week, Next Week, and beyond — so you always know what needs attention. Where available, it also shows you if a due date has been pushed back, and who last touched an item.

7. Adjust settings anytime

Click Settings (top right) to change which columns you're tracking, adjust scope filters, or delete your data entirely — no need to reinstall or start over.