One Parent Record Type to One Child Record Type

In a one record type to another record type parent-child association, you have one field on a child record with Record is Parent checked. When the Record is Parent box is checked on the child record, a child record sublist is automatically added to the parent record. Therefore, the parent record has one sublist to which it can associate with one or more child record instances. These record instances all are of the same record type. The records can be custom or standard.

Example of One Parent Record Type to One Child Record Type

An example of a one-to-one record type relationship is a customer parent record type with an address child record type. Typically, in a one record type to another record type scenario, the child record has multiple instances, but the parent record has only one instance. The following example shows a customer record instance with three unique addresses. The three addresses are the child record instances.

One-to-One Parent-Child Relationship Between Instances of Different Record Types

A parent-child relationship where one parent instance can associate with only one child instance is currently possible only by creating a custom script or workflow. By default, users can associate one or more instances.

One Child Instance Associated with Many Parent Instances

The one child instance associated with many parent instances scenario has the same relationship as the one parent instance associated with many child instances scenario. There is one parent record type and one child record type. It is, however, special in terms of its relationship between instances. Usually, one parent instance associates with one or more child instances. The parent record has a sublist where each row in the list shows a specific associated child record instance.

On the child record instance, there is a link to the parent record instance. An example, illustrated by the Equipment field with Record is Parent box checked, is shown in the Parent-Child Record Relationships topic diagram.

In the less common one-to-many scenario, you associate the same child record instance with multiple parent record instances of the same record type. In other words, many parent record instances associate with the same child record instance. The individual parent record instances have sublists showing the associated child record instance. On the child record instance there is a multi-select field in which many parent records are listed.

You create this type of relationship by checking Record is Parent on the custom field and selecting a field type of Multiple Select instead of List/Record.

Example of Many Parent Instances to One Child Instance

The following example shows a relationship of one child record type to one parent record type. In this case, there are multiple parent record instances for one child record instance. The specific hotel room, the parent record, has multiple booking reservations, the child records, for that room.

In this example, Child record 3 (Reservation#3) associates with two parent records.

Hotel Rooms 15 and 20 are both instances of the Hotel Room custom record type.

Child record instances are of the custom record type Booking Reservation, where:

• The first Booking Reservation instance is booked for date 1 and is a child record of Hotel Room 15. On the parent record instance for Hotel Room 15, the booking reservation instance is shown as the first row in a Booking Reservation sublist. For example, Booking Reservation- name of child record type.

  Note:

  The child record sublist on the parent record, in this case, Booking Reservation, has the same name as the child record type.

• The second Booking Reservation for Hotel Room 15 is similar but reserved for date 2. On the parent record instance for Hotel Room 15, the booking reservation instance is shown as the second row in the Booking Reservation sublist.

• The third Booking Reservation for date 3 has two parent record instances. On the parent record instance for Hotel Room 15, the booking reservation instance is shown as the third row in the Booking Reservation sublist. On the parent record instance for Hotel Room 20, the booking reservation instance is shown as the first row in the Booking Reservation sublist.

Related Topics

Types of Parent-Child Relationships

Types of Relationships Between Parent-Child Record Instances

Custom Record Type Fields that Affect Parent-Child Relationship on Custom Record

Many Parent Record Types to Many Child Record Types

Hierarchy of Parent-Child Instances of Same Record Type

Parent-Child Relationship Limitations

General Notices