# Client relationships

Relationships record how your clients are connected to each other: who the
directors and shareholders of a company are, who the trustees and beneficiaries
of a trust are, which partners own a partnership, and family links such as
spouses, parents and children.

Why it helps

 * See who is behind a client before you quote, onboard or run ID checks.

 * Record a relationship once and it shows on both clients.

 * Turn your relationships into a structure diagram
   [https://onboardme.help.center/article/1188] you can download as a PDF.

 * Keep relationships in step with XPM
   [https://onboardme.help.center/article/1190], or bring them in from FYI
   Elite.


HOW RELATIONSHIPS WORK

Each relationship links two clients, and you see it from both sides. The type is
worded from the side of the client you're looking at:

 * On Smith Holdings Pty Ltd, the relationship shows as Director, with Sarah
   Smith as the client.

 * On Sarah Smith, the same relationship shows as Director Of, with Smith
   Holdings Pty Ltd as the client.

Add, edit or remove it on either client and the other client changes too.

The related client must already be a client in OnboardMe. If they aren't, add
them first, then come back and link them.


VIEW A CLIENT'S RELATIONSHIPS

 1. Go to Clients and open the client.

 2. Click the Relationships tab.



The list shows:

Column

What it shows

Relationship

The type, worded from this client's side, for example Director or Shareholder
Of.

Client

The other client in the relationship.

Holding

The number of shares for shareholders and owners, or the percentage for
partners.

Period

The start and end dates. Relationships with no end date show present.

Use List and Structure at the top of the tab to switch between this list and the
structure diagram [https://onboardme.help.center/article/1188].


ADD A RELATIONSHIP

 1. On the Relationships tab, click Add Relationship.

 2. Choose the Relationship Type. Only the types that suit this client's entity
    type are offered.

 3. In Related Client, type 3 or more letters of the other client's name and
    pick them from the list.

 4. Add a Start Date if you know it.

 5. For a shareholder or owner, enter the Number of Shares. For a partner, enter
    the Percentage. These are required for those types.

 6. Click Save relationship.



The relationship is added to both clients straight away.


RELATIONSHIP TYPES

The types match Xero Practice Manager, so they sync cleanly. Each type has a
matching type on the other client.

On one client

On the other client

Director

Director Of

Secretary

Secretary Of

Public Officer

Public Officer Of

Shareholder

Shareholder Of

Owner

Owner Of

Partner

Partner Of

Member

Member Of

Trustee

Trustee Of

Beneficiary

Beneficiary Of

Appointor

Appointor Of

Settlor

Settlor Of

Auditor

Auditor Of

Spouse

Spouse

Husband

Wife

Parent Of

Child Of

Associate

Associate


END A RELATIONSHIP

When a director resigns or a shareholder sells their shares, end the
relationship instead of removing it. This keeps the history.

 1. On the Relationships tab, click the edit icon on the relationship.

 2. Set the End Date.

 3. Click Save relationship.



Ended relationships stay in the list with their dates. The structure diagram
hides them unless you turn on Show ended.


CHANGE OR REMOVE A RELATIONSHIP

 * To change the type, client, dates, shares or percentage, click the edit icon,
   make your changes and click Save relationship.

 * To remove a relationship entered by mistake, click the bin icon and then
   Remove. It's removed from both clients.



> Note: If you're connected to XPM, removing a relationship also removes it from
> XPM. See Relationships with XPM and FYI
> [https://onboardme.help.center/article/1190].


COLLECT RELATIONSHIPS DURING ONBOARDING

Clients can tell you about their directors, shareholders, trustees and other
connections as part of their onboarding. See Relationships in client onboarding
[https://onboardme.help.center/article/1189].