CI relationship editor

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of CI relationship editor

    The CI relationship editor enables ServiceNow customers to view, create, modify, and delete configuration item (CI) relationships within the CMDB. It is accessible from the CI Relations formatter and designates the CI from which it is launched as the base CI. Customers can select additional CIs to define relationships with the base CI, which can act as either parent or child depending on the relationship type.

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    For enhanced functionality, the Unified Map in the CMDB Workspace store app offers the latest capabilities for editing CI relationships as an alternative.

    Key Features

    • Suggested Relationships: When the "Use suggested relationship" option is selected, the editor displays all applicable CI, user, and group relationship types for the base CI. Suggested types appear highlighted in blue with a "" prefix. Selecting one assigns the base CI as parent or child accordingly.
    • Manual Relationship Definition: Without selecting suggested relationships, users first choose a second CI, then assign a parent or child relationship type. The editor also distinguishes between downstream (base CI as parent) and upstream (base CI as child) relationships for clarity.
    • Delete Relationships: The editor facilitates removing obsolete or irrelevant CI relationships to maintain CMDB integrity.
    • Legacy CI Relationship Builder: A more advanced manual tool is available via the legacy CI relations formatter for defining relationships beyond the standard editor capabilities.

    Note that certain Service Mapping endpoint relationship types (Implement End Point To/From, Use End Point To/From, Applicative Flow To/From) cannot be used between two CIs within the editor.

    Practical Application

    ServiceNow customers can use the CI relationship editor to efficiently manage CI interdependencies, ensuring accurate CMDB data for operational and business processes. Leveraging suggested relationships simplifies relationship creation by highlighting relevant types. The ability to delete outdated links helps prevent data clutter and maintain CMDB accuracy. For advanced needs, the legacy builder offers deeper customization.

    Overall, this tool supports maintaining a reliable and comprehensive CMDB, which is critical for service impact analysis, change management, and configuration governance.

    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 in the CMDB Workspace store app provides the latest functionality for editing CI relationships. For more information, see Edit relationships in Unified Map.

    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.
    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

    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.