Specify a Default for a Relationship

You can default a containment or reference relationship to known with zero instances in the relationship editor. (Note that this option is not available for inferred relationships.) If selected, then the relationship will default to known with zero instances when the entity instance is first created or the user resets the relationship's value back to unknown. A relationship that defaults to zero instances is considered user set.

To default a relationship to known with zero instances:

  1. On the Data tab, select the entity that the relationship comes from.
  2. In the relationship list, double-click the relationship that you want to edit the relationship for. The Edit Relationship dialog opens.

  3. In the Value area, select the Default to zero instances option.

    The Edit Relationship dialog in Policy Modeling showing a relationship that defaults to zero instances

  4. Click OK.

When specifying a relationship to default to zero instances be sure to take into consideration the following:

  • Collected relationships in an interview - The interview will default collected relationships to known with zero instances.

  • Mapped in B2C Service relationships - The B2C Service connector will default mapped in relationships to known with zero instances.

  • User set relationships - User set reference relationships can be user set back to unknown, however, containment relationships cannot. This means that once a user overrides a default value for a containment relationship there is no way to default it back to known with zero instances unless the explicitly sets that value.

  • Decision services - If relationships are missing or are supplied as unknown when calling a decision service, the default value for that relationship will take affect.

  • Precedence - The order of priority over which values are applied for a relationship is:

    1. If the user sets a known value, then the user set value

    2. If the relationship is defaulted to zero instances, then known with zero instances

    3. Otherwise unknown

  • Relevance - Relationships that have been defaulted to zero instances are considered relevant according to the standard definition of relevance.