Relationships
In YouDesign Models, connections between elements are called Dependencies. Dependencies can represent visual guides, CMDB relationships, reference fields, hierarchies, or related lists — and each one carries real meaning back to the underlying ServiceNow data model.
Watch: Relationships in YouDesign Models
Relationship Types
Visual
n/a
Visual-only guides between shapes. No data or logic; not saved to ServiceNow.
Relationship
⇆
CMDB CI-to-CI relationship (cmdb_rel_ci). Used for Configuration Items.
Reference
⟶
One-to-many link via a Reference or Document ID field.
Hierarchy
↳
Parent/child relationship via a self-referencing field (e.g., parent).
Related List
𝍌
Many-to-many relationship, navigable from both sides.
Creating Dependencies
The Click-and-Drag Method
Select a shape — connectors appear on its edges.
Click and drag a connector outward to a target shape.
Drop on the target using one of two modes below.
Floating connector — drag near the center of the target until a green outline appears around the whole shape. The link will attach to whichever edge is nearest as the shape moves.
Anchored connector — drag onto a specific diamond-shaped anchor on the target's edge. The link stays pinned to that anchor even when the shape moves.
Not every shape accepts relationships. If no connectors appear, the shape type doesn't support outbound links.
Quickdrop
For the fastest creation: drag one Data Hub element directly onto another. A prompt lets you pick which type of relationship to create.
The Relationship Toolbar
Selecting a dependency opens a toolbar dedicated to styling it:
Line Type
The Line Type Selection tool gives you four routing styles:
Straight — direct line between endpoints
Orthogonal — 90° turns following the shortest grid path
Curved — smooth arc
Avoids Nodes — routes around other shapes on the canvas (recomputes when shapes move; can affect performance with many links)
Plus three stroke patterns (selectable alongside line type):
Normal (solid)
Dashed
Dotted
Thickness
A slider labeled Thickness (range 1–10, step 1) sets the line weight.
Corner Radius
For Orthogonal and Avoids Nodes routes only, a Corner Radius slider (0–100, step 10) rounds the corners where the line changes direction.
Color
Color — extended color picker with palette + custom values (HEX, RGB, HSL)
Opacity — slider from 0 to 1 (step 0.1) for transparency
Arrow Endpoints
Two separate controls set the arrow/shape at each end of the line:
Line Start — the arrow on the "from" end
Line End — the arrow on the "to" end
Over 90 arrow variants are available, including: Block, Circle, Diamond, Feather, Fork, Triangle (open / filled / outlined), Line, Boomerang, X, Slash, Kite, and many compound shapes (e.g., CircleFork, CircleLineFork, LineFork). None / blank is also supported for either end.
Flip Direction
The Flip Direction tool swaps the two endpoints in a single click:
Swaps
from↔tonodesSwaps the Line Start arrow with the Line End arrow (with auto-reversal mapping)
Reverses any custom routing points
Use this when you realize a dependency is pointing the wrong way.
Text on Relationships
Add a text label with the Text tool. Formatting options mirror shape text:
Font — font family dropdown
Font Size — preset sizes, custom value, or up/down arrows
Font Style — Bold / Italic / Underline / Strikethrough
Text Color — extended color picker
Text Background & Opacity — highlight color behind the text, with opacity slider
Text Position
The Text Position tool controls where on the line the label sits and how it's oriented:
Horizontal
Left (placed at ~20% along the line)
Center (50%)
Right (80%)
Vertical
Top (above the line, −15 px)
Middle (on the line)
Bottom (below the line, +15 px)
Orientation
On The Line — text stays horizontal regardless of the line angle
Follow The Line — text rotates to match the line's angle or curve
Lock & More Options
Lock — prevents accidental edits to the relationship
More Options — copy link URL, bring to front / send to back, delete
Current State vs. Future State
Current State
Dependencies that already exist in ServiceNow.
Future State
Proposed dependencies in YouDesign Models. They must be committed (or approved) before becoming live.
Future-state relationships can be committed via the Commit workflow.
Related
Shapes — the endpoints of every relationship
Text Formatting — the parallel text-styling options for shape text
Load Dependencies — bulk-load relationships around a shape
Commit — committing future-state relationships to ServiceNow
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