--- sourceDocument: Brazil ServiceNow AI Platform Capabilities sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/servicenow-platform Release : - brazil ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Brazil ServiceNow AI Platform Capabilities ft:clusterId : - platcap bundleId : - platcap workflow : - Platform --- # CI relationship editor # CI relationship editor {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Brazil Updated September 10, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of CI relationship editor The CI relationship editor enables ServiceNow customers to view, create, modify, and delete configuration item (CI) relationships within their CMDB. It is accessible from the CI Relations formatter and allows management of relationships by designating one CI as the base and selecting a second CI for the relationship. Show full answer Show less Starting with the Brazil release, the CI relationship editor is being prepared for deprecation---it will be hidden and no longer activated on new instances but remains supported. Customers are encouraged to use the Unified Map in the CMDB Workspace store app for the latest and enhanced experience in editing CI relationships. ## Key Features * **Relationship creation modes:** * **Suggested Relationships:** When enabled, the editor shows all available CI, user, and group relationship types for the base CI, highlighted in blue with a "" prefix. Selecting a type defines the base CI as parent or child accordingly. * **Non-suggested Relationships:** When disabled, users first select a second CI, then choose a relationship type (parent or child) to establish the connection. * **Relationship views:** * **Downstream Relationships:** Displays relationships where the base CI is the parent. * **Upstream Relationships:** Displays relationships where the base CI is the child. * **Restrictions:** Certain relationship types related to Service Mapping endpoints (e.g., Implement End Point To/From, Use End Point To/From, Applicative Flow To/From) cannot be used between two CIs. * **Legacy CI Relationship Builder:** A more advanced manual relationship definition tool accessible from the legacy CI relations formatter. * **Delete relationships:** The editor lets customers remove outdated or irrelevant CI relationships to maintain CMDB data integrity. ## Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers * Use the relationship editor to efficiently manage CI relationships directly from the CI Relations formatter. * Opt for suggested relationships to simplify relationship creation based on predefined types relevant to the base CI. * For more advanced or manual relationship definitions, use the legacy CI relationship builder. * Plan migration to Unified Map for relationship editing to leverage future-ready functionality and improved user experience, as the CI relationship editor will eventually be deprecated. * Maintain CMDB accuracy by regularly reviewing and deleting obsolete CI relationships. Use the relationship editor to view, create, modify, or delete CI relationships. Open the relationship editor from the CI Relations formatter. As an alternative to the CI relationship editor, [Unified Map](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/FnwUemzGm30iuYx05w6NiA "The Unified Map feature displays a graphical hierarchical map of the CMDB — CIs and the connections between them. Unified Map combines some of the capabilities of Dependency Views and of Service Mapping into a single map experience.") in the [CMDB Workspace store app](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/4UDeOF7HaPGbX5PDY1l~Rg "The CMDB Workspace is an efficient, central, and modernized way for you to work. Use CMDB Workspace to search and explore the CMDB, examine health and recent activities, and access CMDB dashboards and tools to support tasks in your organization.") or in provides the latest functionality for editing CI relationships. For more information, see [Edit relationships in Unified Map](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/hdgnlO8ZWJi0mCymlioSaQ "Use the map editor to add a relationship between two CIs or to modify an existing relationship."). Note: Starting with the Brazil release, the CI relationship editor is being prepared for future deprecation. It will be hidden and no longer activated on new instances but will continue to be supported. [Unified Map](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/awaAetxkth8~IHFh0UErow "The Unified Map feature displays a graphical hierarchical map of the CMDB — CIs and the connections between them. Unified Map combines some of the capabilities of Dependency Views and of Service Mapping into a single map experience.") provides the latest experience for this functionality. For more information, refer to the [Application/Plugin Deprecation Process \[KB05484748\]](https://support.servicenow.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0867184) article in the Now Support Knowledge Base. When you use the relationship editor, the CI from which the editor was launched is designated as the base CI. You can then select one or more CIs as a second CI for the relationship. Depending on the selected relationship type, the base CI can become the parent CI or the child CI in the new relationship. The relationship editor operates differently, depending on whether you select the Use suggested relationship check box. * With suggested relationships, the relationship editor lists all available relationship types for the base CI. To define a new relationship, select a relationship type, and then select a second CI for the relationship. Suggested relationships are highlighted for you. These relationships are displayed in blue with a prefix of \[Suggested\]. * Without suggested relationships, you define a new relationship by first selecting a second CI for the relationship and then selecting a parent or a child relationship type. {#c_RelationshipEditor__ul_czv_tnt_zr} Note: The following relationship types are used only for Service Mapping endpoints, and you cannot use them as a relationship type between two CIs: * Implement End Point To:Implement End Point From * Use End Point To: Use End Point From * Applicative Flow To:Applicative Flow From {#c_RelationshipEditor__ul_fn4_vxw_qcb} ## Suggested relationships If you select the Use suggested relationship check box in the editor, the Suggested relationship list appears. It displays all available CI, user and group relationship types for the base CI. Relationship types have a suffix of (Parent) or (Child) to note the relationship descriptor, and suggested relationship types are displayed in blue and have a "\*" prefix. When you select a relationship, you are also designating the base CI as being the parent or the child CI in the new relationship. For example, if you select the 'Feeds' relationship type, the base CI becomes the designated parent CI, and the second CI that you select becomes the child CI in this relationship. ## Downstream relationships If you do not select the Use suggested relationship check box in the editor, the Downstream relationships list appears. It displays all relationships in which the base CI is the parent CI. The child CI of the relationship is displayed in the Child column. ## Upstream relationships If you do not select the Use suggested relationship check box in the editor, the Upstream relationships list appears. It displays all relationships in which the base CI is the child CI. The parent CI in each relationship is displayed in the Parent column. * **[Create or edit a CI relationship](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ibGxUqPavfd9~Fe6f5GW8g)** Use the relationship editor to view, create, or modify CI relationships. You can open the relationship editor from the CI Relations formatter. * **[Delete a CI relationship](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/PH7btjE_qDswcwGpw1MPhg)** Maintain the integrity of the CMDB by deleting any CI relationships that are no longer relevant or needed for a CI. Use the relationship editor to delete CI relationships. * **[Legacy CI relationship builder](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/gR3~224qcv8go~shB~EToA)** Used to define CI relationships manually, this page is a sophisticated version of the standard list collector. In the legacy CI relations formatter, click the CI relationship builder icon (![CI relationship builder icon]()) to display the legacy Define Relationships page. **Related concepts** * [Relationship governance rules](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/YtGYnpSWspmbdDsgHzbPFw "Relationship governance rules is a set of relationship rules used to ensure consistency and validity in modeling relationships between configuration items (CIs) in the CMDB. Use relationship governance rules to prevent the selection of relationship types or directions that are not allowed between specific CI types.") * [CI relations formatter](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/iIy49rEL7NQ1HNqjeqH1Ug "The default CI form includes a CI relations formatter from which you can examine a CI and its relationships in various views. From the CI relations formatter, you can also launch the CI relationship editor for the CI.") * [Relation qualifier](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/M5Ia9OW6dNRA1chML64Dow "A relation qualifier, which is a CI of the Qualifier [cmdb_ci_qualifier] type, stores important information about the CI relationships.") * [CI relationship security](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/hmQ3rCA0kmxVf5y5U1wtUw "When applying security to CI relationships, it is important to apply the access controls both to the CI Relationship (cmdb_rel_ci) table and to create an operation editCIRelations to the * table as well.") * [Legacy CI relationship builder](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/gR3~224qcv8go~shB~EToA "Used to define CI relationships manually, this page is a sophisticated version of the standard list collector. In the legacy CI relations formatter, click the CI relationship builder icon ( CI relationship builder icon ) to display the legacy Define Relationships page.") **Related tasks** * [Add a suggested relationship](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/P87DhV8BrtYMl5fhgQ30Iw "Add a suggested relationship for a class. The list of suggested relationships for a class is available when you create a new relationship for a CI of that class.") * [Create a CI relation rollup](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/0qvUUwtLYSMfroHS4VtcWA "A CI relation rollup allows you to sum, count, max, min, or mean a relationship type. You can create CI relation rollups.") * [Add a suggested relationship](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/P87DhV8BrtYMl5fhgQ30Iw "Add a suggested relationship for a class. The list of suggested relationships for a class is available when you create a new relationship for a CI of that class.") * [Create or edit a CI relationship](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ibGxUqPavfd9~Fe6f5GW8g "Use the relationship editor to view, create, or modify CI relationships. You can open the relationship editor from the CI Relations formatter.") **Related reference** * [Suggested class relationships](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/huHsyjPvmoiXReSCADlfNQ "The system keeps a table (Suggested Relationship [cmdb_rel_type_suggest]) of relationship types that are appropriate for a CI type, based on its class. You can manage suggested relationships by navigating to Configuration > Suggested Relationships , or in the CI Class Manager.")