Bi-directional account relationships

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated June 30, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Bi-directional account relationships

    Bi-directional account relationships enable you to establish and manage defined connections between two accounts in ServiceNow, such as between customer accounts or between partner and customer accounts. These relationships are based on predefined relationship types and are visible on the Account form for both accounts involved. This feature allows partners and their administrators to create and manage cases for their associated customer accounts.

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    Key Features

    • Account Relationship Types: Administrators define relationship types specifying the source account (account or partner), the target account, and the nature of the relationship including its reverse. Two main types are supported: Account to Account and Partner to Account.
    • Account Relationship Records: Users with the Customer Service Manager role create relationship records between specific accounts using the defined types. Each record specifies the source account, target account, and the relationship type.
    • Visibility and Management: Relationship records are accessible via the Account Relationships related list on both accounts involved, showing the relationship and its reverse. Selecting a record opens the detailed Account Relationship form. Additionally, relationships using a particular type can be viewed on the Account Relationship Type form.

    Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers

    This capability allows you to accurately model and maintain complex business relationships between accounts, improving account management and support workflows. For example, partners can directly assist their customer accounts by managing cases, enhancing collaboration and service efficiency. The two-step process of defining relationship types and creating records ensures flexibility and control over account interconnections.

    A bi-directional account relationship is a relationship that exists between two accounts. You can create account relationships between two customer accounts or between a partner account and a customer account.

    A bi-directional account relationship is based on a defined account relationship type. Creating a bi-directional account relationship is a two-step process that involves:
    • Defining the types of relationships that exist between your partners and customers.
    • Using these relationship types to create relationship records between selected accounts.

    You can view relationship records on the Account form for either account in the relationship. These records are stored in the Account Relationships related list.

    For relationships between a partner account and a customer account, contacts with the Partner or Partner administrator role can create and manage cases for their customer accounts.

    Account relationship types

    An account relationship type defines a relationship that can exist between accounts. Users with the administrator role can define the following account relationship types:
    • Account to account
    • Partner to account
    When creating an account relationship type, you define the following information on the Account Relationship Type form:
    • The type of source account (account or partner).
    • The type of target account (account or partner).
    • The relationship between the source account and the target account.
    • The reverse relationship between the source account and the target account.
    Note:
    One default account relationship type is provided for partner accounts.

    Account relationship records

    Once an account relationship type is defined, users with the Customer Service Manager role can use it to create relationships between specific accounts or partners. An account relationship record includes the following information:
    • A source account, selected in the Account From field.
    • A target account, selected in the Account To field.
    • The account relationship type that this relationship record is based on.
    • The relationship and the reverse relationship of the selected accounts.
    View a relationship record from either account:
    • The relationship (Account From > Account To) appears in the Account Relationships related list on the source account record.
    • The reverse relationship (Account To > Account From) appears in the Account Relationships related list on the target account record.
    Select the account relationship record from either account to see the Account Relationship form.

    You can also view account relationship records that use a specific account relationship type. This information appears as a related list on the Account Relationship Type form. This list shows the source account (Account From field) and the target account (Account To field) for each account relationship record.