Effectively managing relationships between contacts is key to keeping customer data well-organized. The Contact Associations feature in CRM enables you to create structured links between contacts and other entities like business partners, relatives, or team members. This guide offers a detailed walkthrough on how to set up and manage these associations to enhance your CRM’s organization.
What Are Contact Associations?
Contact Associations enable structured relationships between contacts and objects in CRM. Instead of managing disconnected profiles, associations provide clear connections between related entities, such as spouses, managers, employees, or linked objects.
Types of Association Labels
- Single Label: A label that applies to both contacts in the association (e.g., “Colleague”).
- Pair Labels: Distinct labels for each contact in the relationship (e.g., “Manager” and “Employee,” “Buyer” and “Seller”).
Key Benefits of Contact Associations
- Improved Contact Organization: Associations provide a structured way to manage relationships between contacts, making it easier to track connections and access relevant information in one place.
- Streamlined Communication: By linking related contacts, businesses can quickly reference and reach out to connected individuals, ensuring smoother interactions and improved collaboration.
- Enhanced Relationship Management: Whether it’s family connections, business partnerships, or internal hierarchies, associations help businesses understand and manage relationships effectively.
- Efficient CRM Workflow: With clear associations in place, users can reduce duplicate data entry, quickly update linked contacts, and maintain a well-organized CRM system.
Where to View Contact Associations
Contact associations can be accessed in two main areas:
- Contact Profile View: Within a contact’s profile, the right-side panel contains the Associations icon, which displays related objects and linked contacts.
- Objects Management Section: The Settings > Objects > Contacts section provides an overview of all associations, enabling the creation and management of labels and relationships.
How to Create a Contact Associations
Creating associations involves a few steps:
Open the Objects Section
Go to Settings > Objects, then select Contacts.
Click "Create Association"
Select the "+ Create Association" button to define a new relationship.
Choose the Associated Object
Pick an object, such as Contacts, Surfboards, or another available entity.
Select the Label Type
Determine if the relationship requires a Single Label (e.g., "Partner") or Pair Labels (e.g., "Buyer - Seller").
Define the Relationship Type
Select between Many-to-Many or Many-to-One associations.
How to View / Link Contacts Using Associations
Once an association is created, linking contacts follows these steps:
Open a Contact Profile
Navigate to the Contacts section and select a contact’s profile.
Click the Association Icon
Located on the right-side panel, this provides access to association options.
Add the Relationship
Click “Add”, select the relevant contact, and assign an appropriate label.
Confirm the Association
The linked contact appears in the Related Objects section, and the association updates both profiles automatically.
Managing and Editing Associations
Editing an Existing Association
Go to Settings > Objects > Contacts, find the relevant association, and modify it using the three-dot menu (â‹®).
Removing an Association
Within a Contact Profile, navigate to the Related Objects section, locate the associated contact, and remove the link.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the difference between Single and Pair Labels?
Single Label: Both contacts receive the same label (e.g., "Colleague").
Pair Labels: Each contact has a distinct role in the relationship (e.g., "Manager" and "Employee").
Q. Can associations be used in automations or workflows?
At present, associations serve as an organizational tool. Future updates may introduce automation capabilities.
Q. Can contacts be linked to custom objects?
Yes, contacts can be associated with predefined objects such as Surfboards, with additional custom object support expected in future updates.
Q. Can an association label be deleted?
Yes, but deleting a label is permanent and requires removing all linked associations first.
Q. How many associations can a single contact have?
A contact can have up to 10 associations, and one label can link up to 1000 contacts.
This feature allows users to associate multiple contacts with one another using custom labels. This is particularly useful for businesses that need to manage relationships between contacts, such as family members or business associates. If you are looking to streamline communication and data organization for linked contacts, the information below will guide you through the key functionalities, benefits, and how to effectively use this feature.