Below the main record detail, you will find sub-panels that display all other records linked to the record you are currently viewing. Each sub-panel shows the module name and related records in a list format, giving you an at-a-glance summary of all associated data. The sub-panels shown will vary depending on the record type — for example, a Contact record may display sub-panels for Activities, History, Documents, Cases, and Security Groups.
Each sub-panel provides its own set of actions and functionality:
Creating a related record: Within a sub-panel, click Create to create a new record in that module that will be automatically linked to the current record.
Editing a related record: Click the Pencil icon to edit a related record in-line.
Linking an existing record: Click Select to search for and link an existing record from that module to the current record.
Removing a relationship: You can remove the link between the current record and a related record by clicking Remove. Note that this removes the relationship only and does not delete the related record itself.
Relationships in SuiteCRM define how records across different modules are connected to one another. For example, a Contact can be related to an Account, a Note, a Meeting, and a series of historical emails. These relationships allow you to build a complete picture of your interactions and data around a single record.
Relationships can be created in two ways:
Via the sub-panel: Within any sub-panel, use the Create button to create a new related record that will be automatically linked to the current record, or the Select button to search for and link an existing record from that module.
During data entry: When creating or editing a record, relate fields within the form allow you to link records from other modules directly. For example, when creating a Contact you can specify the Account it belongs to, establishing the relationship at the point of data entry.
The sub-panels available on a record and the relationships configured between modules can be managed by a system administrator. If you feel a relationship between two modules is missing, speak to your system administrator.
Relate fields and sub-panels are two sides of the same relationship. When you populate a relate field on a record — for example, linking a Contact to an Account — the relationship is created on save. The Contact will then appear in the Contacts sub-panel on the Account record, and the Account will be shown in the Account Name field on the Contact record.
Relate fields are a special type of field found on many record creation and edit forms throughout SuiteCRM. They allow you to link one record to another record in a different module and are visually distinct from standard text fields — they have a small selector icon (arrow) to the right of the field, which opens a search pop-up allowing you to find and select the record you wish to link.
Using a Relate Field
To populate a relate field:
Click the selector icon to the right of the relate field. A search pop-up will appear.
Use the search fields in the pop-up to find the record you wish to link.
Click on the record name to select it. The pop-up will close and the selected record’s name will be populated in the relate field.
If you wish to clear a relate field that has already been populated, click the X icon to the right to remove the linked record.
Alternatively, if you know the name of the record you wish to link, you can begin typing it directly into the relate field. SuiteCRM will suggest matching records as you type, allowing you to select the correct one without opening the full search pop-up.
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