---
schema_version: "1"
id: 0d9f5c4304645c4ecdd4ac42d85be442bdec0f5afa76a10a834462e3196f77cb
title: Define Configuration Item Dependencies with Relationships
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/it_srvcs_cmdb_define_reltshp.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_cmdb_define_reltshp.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 384c8bced971120e9687612fa734e7921ce2f3b3dd2a8ba717d9f58166ee20ff
description: Configuration Item (CI) relationships connect configuration items to show how they interact or depend on each other. CI relationships help define real-world dependencies between hardware, software, cloud resources, and services.
products:
  - Service Cloud
  - Agentforce IT Service
release: "264"
---
# Define Configuration Item Dependencies with Relationships

Configuration Item (CI) relationships connect configuration items to show how they interact or depend on each other. CI relationships help define real-world dependencies between hardware, software, cloud resources, and services.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, and <strong>Unlimited</strong> Editions with Agentforce IT Service that have CMDB and Service Graph enabled.</td></tr></tbody></table>

CI relationships connect configuration items to show how they interact or depend on each other. For example, a server may run an application, or a virtual machine may connect to a network switch. These relationships help define real-world dependencies between hardware, software, cloud resources, and services.

Admins use predefined relationship types to describe these links. Each relationship type has a direction and a meaning such as runs on, depends on, or connected to. When you define CI relationships, you create a structured view of how assets rely on one another to deliver services.

In Salesforce CMDB and Service Graph, relationships can be added from either direction, as a source or a target. In a source relationship, the current CI points to another CI that it depends on or uses. For example, if a Linux server depends on a storage device, the server is the source and the storage device is the target. A target relationship means another configuration item is pointing to the current CI as a dependency. For example, if a load balancer routes traffic to a web application, the load balancer is the source and the web application is the target. You can create either type of relationship directly from the **Relationships** tab of a CI record, depending on how you want to model the connection.

![Relationships in a configuration item](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-it_service-264-0-0-production-enus/0a574a10-4c7a-4681-aacf-0767f8beaad4/it_service/images/it_srvcs_cmdb_ci_rlshp2.png)

You can choose from predefined relationship types such as runs on, depends on, or connected to. You can view the list of predefined relationship types from **CI Relationship Types** in the CMDB app.

You can also import CI relationships in bulk by using predefined relationship import templates. Relationship imports help you onboard large dependency models more efficiently and maintain consistent relationship structures across services, infrastructure, and applications. For more information, see [Import Configuration Item Relationships](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_cmdb_import_ci_rltshp.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Import configuration item (CI) relationships in bulk by using predefined CSV templates. Use relationship imports to establish dependencies and service mappings between related CIs more efficiently in CMDB.").

- **[Create Relationships Between Configuration Items](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_cmdb_create_cirelshp.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Understand how configuration items (CIs) interact and depend on each other by creating relationships. Use the Relationships tab in a CI record to define source or target relationships. Mapping these connections helps your teams understand system dependencies, assess impact, and troubleshoot issues faster.
- **[Import Configuration Item Relationships](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_cmdb_import_ci_rltshp.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Import configuration item (CI) relationships in bulk by using predefined CSV templates. Use relationship imports to establish dependencies and service mappings between related CIs more efficiently in CMDB.