Skip to main content

Create Contact to Contact Relationships

Quick Start

👥 Need to connect family members? Create relationships between contacts to track connections and family structures.

  1. Open contact record → 2. Go to Relationships tab → 3. Click "New" → 4. Define relationship → 5. Save

What you'll accomplish: Establish a relationship between two contacts to track family connections, professional relationships, or other personal connections with automatic reciprocal relationship creation in about 3 minutes.

🚀 Quickstart​

  1. Navigate to the primary contact record
  2. Click the Relationships tab
  3. Select "New" on the Relationships related list
  4. Fill in relationship details and select related contact
  5. Save to create both directions of the relationship

⚠️ Before You Start​

📋 Prerequisites Checklist
  • You have appropriate permissions to edit contacts and relationships
  • Both contacts exist in the system
  • You know the type of relationship to create
  • Relationships tab is visible on contact page layout
  • You understand the difference between contact relationships and account affiliations

💡 Understanding Contact Relationships​

Contact Relationships vs Account Affiliations:

  • Contact Relationships - Personal connections between individuals (spouse, parent, sibling)
  • Account Affiliations - Professional or organizational connections (employee, member, volunteer)

Relationship Types:

  • Family - Spouse, Parent, Child, Sibling, Extended Family
  • Professional - Colleague, Supervisor, Employee, Business Partner
  • Personal - Friend, Neighbor, Emergency Contact
  • Organization - Board Member, Volunteer, Staff, Alumni

Automatic Reciprocal Relationships: When you create a relationship from Contact A to Contact B, the system automatically creates the reverse relationship from Contact B to Contact A with the appropriate reciprocal relationship type.

📘 Detailed Instructions​

Step 1: Navigate to Primary Contact​

  1. Use the Global Search bar to find the contact
  2. Type the contact's name
  3. Click on the contact to open their record
  4. Verify you have the correct person

Step 2: Access Relationships Tab​

  1. Click the Relationships tab on the contact record
  2. Locate the Relationships related list
  3. Review any existing relationships
Relationship vs Account Affiliations

Make sure you're in the "Relationships" section for contact-to-contact relationships, not "Account Affiliations" which connect contacts to organizations.

Step 3: Create New Relationship​

  1. Click "New" on the Relationships related list
  2. Complete the relationship form:
👥 Relationship Fields Reference
FieldRequiredDescriptionExample
Related Contact✅The other person in the relationship"Jane Smith"
Type✅Nature of the relationship"Spouse", "Parent", "Sibling"
Status❌Current status of relationship"Current", "Former"
Description❌Additional relationship details"Married since 2015"
Start Date❌When relationship began"2015-06-15"
End Date❌When relationship ended (if applicable)Leave blank for current

Common Relationship Types:

  • Family: Spouse, Parent, Child, Sibling, Grandparent, Grandchild
  • Professional: Colleague, Supervisor, Employee, Business Partner
  • Personal: Friend, Neighbor, Emergency Contact, Caregiver
  • Extended: Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, In-Law, Step-family
  1. Select the related contact using the lookup field
  2. Choose the appropriate relationship type
  3. Add optional details like start date or description

Step 4: Save and Verify​

  1. Click "Save" to create the relationship
  2. Verify the relationship appears in the related list
  3. Navigate to the related contact to confirm reciprocal relationship was created

Reciprocal Relationship Example:

  • If you create: John Smith → Jane Smith (Spouse)
  • System creates: Jane Smith → John Smith (Spouse)

✅ How to Know It Worked​

Success Indicators:

  • ✅ New relationship appears in primary contact's relationship list
  • ✅ Reciprocal relationship automatically created on related contact
  • ✅ Relationship type shows correctly in both directions
  • ✅ Both contacts now show connection in their records

Verification Steps:

  • Check primary contact for new relationship record
  • Navigate to related contact and verify reciprocal relationship
  • Review relationship details for accuracy
  • Test relationship visibility in reports or views

🆘 Troubleshooting​

❌ Relationships Tab Missing

Problem: Cannot find Relationships tab on contact record

Solutions:

  • ✅ Check page layout - ensure Relationships tab is added
  • ✅ Verify permissions - confirm you can view relationship features
  • ✅ Check record type - different contact types may have different layouts
  • ✅ Contact administrator - tab may need to be configured
❌ Cannot Find Related Contact

Problem: Related contact doesn't appear in lookup

Solutions:

  • ✅ Verify contact exists - search for contact in global search
  • ✅ Check spelling - ensure correct name spelling
  • ✅ Review contact status - inactive contacts may not appear
  • ✅ Check permissions - ensure you can view the related contact
❌ Reciprocal Relationship Not Created

Problem: Reverse relationship doesn't automatically appear

Solutions:

  • ✅ Check automation settings - reciprocal creation may be disabled
  • ✅ Verify relationship types - some types may not have reciprocals configured
  • ✅ Review permissions - system may lack permission to create reciprocal
  • ✅ Contact administrator - automation may need configuration
❌ Wrong Relationship Type Options

Problem: Desired relationship type not available in dropdown

Solutions:

  • ✅ Check picklist values - relationship types may need to be added
  • ✅ Review record types - different contact types may have different options
  • ✅ Use closest match - select most appropriate available option
  • ✅ Request new type - ask administrator to add needed relationship types

💡 Best Practices​

Contact Relationship Best Practices
  • 🏷️ Consistent Types - Use standardized relationship type naming
  • 📅 Track Dates - Include start dates for significant relationships
  • 📝 Add Details - Use description field for important context
  • 🔍 Regular Reviews - Periodically update relationship statuses
  • 👥 Family Mapping - Create comprehensive family relationship networks
  • 📊 Data Quality - Ensure reciprocal relationships remain synchronized

Relationship Management Tips:

  • Start with immediate family - Spouse and children first
  • Expand systematically - Add extended family and other connections
  • Use consistent naming - Standardize how you enter relationship types
  • Document special circumstances - Note guardianships, adoptions, etc.

Common Use Cases:

  • Family Structures - Map entire household and extended family
  • Emergency Contacts - Track who to contact in emergencies
  • Professional Networks - Connect colleagues and business partners
  • Community Connections - Link volunteers, board members, and staff

Data Quality Maintenance:

  • Regular audits - Review relationships for accuracy
  • Update status changes - Mark relationships as former when appropriate
  • Remove duplicates - Avoid creating duplicate relationship records
  • Maintain reciprocals - Ensure both directions remain accurate

🔗 Related Actions​