---
title: "Create Custom Relational Fields"
slug: "create-custom-relational-fields"
tags: ["Create ", "custom", "Custom Relational Fields", "fields", "Relational Field"]
status: "update"
updated: 2026-05-21T09:44:39Z
published: 2026-05-21T09:44:39Z
---

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

# Create Custom Relational Fields

You can use Reveal's relational field option to create custom relationships between documents. Whether you have a custom clustering algorithm or just want to see all documents having the same import folder, relational fields provide the ability to create custom links between documents to tie them together. To create a relational field, follow the instructions below.

1. In **Project Admin**, open **Fields**.
2. Choose ***Add Field*** from the tabs at the left.
3. Create a unique *Field Name* and *Display Name* for the field. These are required.
4. If the relational values will be added interactively, you may want to set *Updatable* to ***Yes***.
5. Set *Is Relational Field* to ***Yes***.
6. Click **Add**.

![150 - 05 - Add Relational Field](https://5796933.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/5796933/hubfs/DOCUMENTATION/ARTICLE%20SCREENSHOTS/150%20-%2005%20-%20Add%20Relational%20Field.png?width=935&quality=high)

## **Add new relational field to Field Profile.**

1. Next, open ***Field Profiles*** from the tab at the left.
2. Select the profile you want to add the relational field to. The **Default** profile is automatically selected.
3. Select **Edit** from the Field Profiles toolbar.
4. Scroll down to **Assign Fields** and select the new relational field.
5. Click the arrow facing to the right to assign the field to your new Profile.
6. Click **Update** to save your changes.

#### ![152 - 01 - Field Profiles](https://5796933.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/5796933/hubfs/DOCUMENTATION/ARTICLE%20SCREENSHOTS/152%20-%2001%20-%20Field%20Profiles.png?width=1233&quality=high) ![152 - 02 - Add Custom Relational field to profile](https://5796933.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/5796933/hubfs/DOCUMENTATION/ARTICLE%20SCREENSHOTS/152%20-%2002%20-%20Add%20Custom%20Relational%20field%20to%20profile.png?width=1297&quality=high)

#### **Specify which users can view the documents associated with the new relational field.**

1. Go to the [***Permissions***](/reveal/docs/permissions-administration) screen under **Project Admin** to enable viewing of related documents. ![01 - 05 - Project Admin - Roles-1](https://5796933.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/5796933/hubfs/DOCUMENTATION/ARTICLE%20SCREENSHOTS/01%20-%2005%20-%20Project%20Admin%20-%20Roles-1.png?width=1448&quality=high)
2. Under Permissions open ***Roles*** from the tab at the left.
3. Select the Role for which you will assign the permission to view related documents.
4. Click **Assign Permissions** at the right end of the Roles toolbar.
5. Enable the View permission *View Related Documents*.
6. Click **Assign**.
7. You will need to log out and back in to see this change. ![150 - 06 - Add View Related Documents permission-1](https://5796933.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/5796933/hubfs/DOCUMENTATION/ARTICLE%20SCREENSHOTS/150%20-%2006%20-%20Add%20View%20Related%20Documents%20permission-1.png?width=451&quality=high)

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> To populate the relational field, you either run a field overlay using Review Manager or populate the field values manually if the field settings allow the field to be updatable.

When viewing related documents in the Document Viewer using specific relational field, any documents that share a value with the current document will be displayed as a related document. In the following example a relational field named **Related_ID** has been created. The document has a related value of “WDC_2001”**in the Related_ID field. In the related documents pane, clicking the arrow will show you the documents related to the primary document under the Related_ID label.

![150 - 07 - Review Related Documents](https://5796933.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/5796933/hubfs/DOCUMENTATION/ARTICLE%20SCREENSHOTS/150%20-%2007%20-%20Review%20Related%20Documents.png?width=349&quality=high)

The original document is displayed in **boldface**, while the other documents will appear in standard text. These panes may be expanded or collapsed as needed. These panes only appear when a document has a relational field link with other documents.

## Related

- [Security Policy for Files Uploaded](/security-policy-for-files-uploaded.md)
- [Manage Fields](/manage-fields.md)
- [Tag Validation Rules - Set, Test, and Use](/tag-validation-rules-set-test-and-use.md)
- [Reveal 2024 Project Admin Sidebar](/reveal-2024-project-admin-sidebar.md)
- [Mapping Import Fields](/mapping-import-fields.md)