---
title: "Importing Relationships"
slug: "importing-and-exporting-data-relationships"
updated: 2026-03-27T18:46:58Z
published: 2026-03-27T18:46:58Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.technolutions.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Importing Relationships

When importing relationships, there are two common approaches depending on your goal:

1. Linking records during import
2. Creating relationship records without linking to specific records

## Linking records during import

This approach is used when both records already exist in Slate. Because relationships are simply connections between records, any record types that support relationships can be linked during import.

Field Mapping destinations:

| Field Value | Mapping Destination | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reference ID | Record → Slate ID Matching Only | To match to an existing record on import |
| Inverse Relationship Type | Relationship → Relationship: Linked Record Inverse Type | The relationship value that describes the main record |
| Linked Record GUID | Relationship → Relationship: Linked Record GUID | GUID of the record being linked to the main record |
| Relationship Type | Relationship → Relationship: Type | The relationship value that describes the linked record |

#### Relationship Type vs. Inverse Relationship Type

These fields can be confusing when mapping imports.

- **Relationship: Linked Record Inverse Type** describes how the relationship appears from the main record (RefID / Slate ID Matching Only)
- **Relationship: Type** describes the linked record (Linked Record GUID)

**For example:** If the Slate ID matching identifies the Parent record, then Relationship: Linked Record Inverse Type = Parent. If you are linking that parent to their child, the Linked Record GUID would be the child record, and Relationship: Type = Child.

## Example linked relationship import

**Import File:**

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/image-IRPYU09A.png)

**Field Mappings:**

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/image-1773432193132.png)

**Result:**

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/image-EL76V0KD.png)

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/image-OWAWENJ1.png)

## Importing relationships without linking

In some cases, you may want to create relationship records without linking them to another record during the import, particularly if the related record does not exist in Slate and doesn’t need to.

In these situations, you can map values to any field in the **Relationship** destination type except the**Relationship: Linked Record**destinations. This allows the relationship record to be created and associated with the main record without requiring a linked record.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/image-SIUB39SQ.png)