How sync works

Once you’ve connected a site, tasks flow between Coalface and WordPress automatically. This page explains what syncs and how to control it.

What syncs

Tasks and their core details sync both ways: create or update a task in Coalface and it appears on your WordPress site, and vice versa. A connected site gets its own board group in Coalface, which holds the boards for that site.

Which way it flows

Each connection has a sync mode, set from Coalface:

• Two-way — changes on either side flow to the other.
• Read-only — WordPress feeds Coalface, but Coalface doesn’t write back. Useful when WordPress should stay the source of truth.

You can change the mode per site at any time.

It’s secure

Every message between WordPress and Coalface is signed, and each side checks the signature before accepting anything. Neither end trusts an unsigned or tampered request. The connection is always started from Coalface, so there are no credentials to copy around by hand.

Sealed groups

Because a connected site’s group is tied to that site’s sync, Coalface seals it — you can’t drag boards out of it or move unrelated boards in. This keeps sync predictable and stops a board accidentally losing its link.

Disconnecting and reconnecting

When you disconnect a site, Coalface asks whether to keep the synced tasks or remove them. Reconnecting later lets you choose how to pick things back up. See connecting a site for the setup flow.

Good to know

Some features are hub-only and don’t cross to WordPress by design — time tracking, data tables and subtasks stay in Coalface, keeping the WordPress side simple.

The short version: connected sites sync tasks both ways (or read-only, your choice), over a signed connection, inside a sealed group. Disconnecting lets you keep or remove the synced tasks.