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Managing relationships between contacts is an important aspect of organizing customer data efficiently. GHL Customer Care CRM’s Contact Associations feature allows structured connections between contacts and other objects, such as business partners, family members, and employees. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of setting up and managing these associations to improve CRM organization.
Contact Associations enable structured relationships between contacts and objects in GHL Customer Care CRM. Instead of managing disconnected profiles, associations provide clear connections between related entities, such as spouses, managers, employees, or linked objects.
Types of Association Labels
Single Label: A label that applies to both contacts in the association (e.g., “Colleague”).
Pair Labels: Distinct labels for each contact in the relationship (e.g., “Manager” and “Employee,” “Buyer” and “Seller”).
Key Benefits of Contact Associations
Improved Contact Organization: Associations provide a structured way to manage relationships between contacts, making it easier to track connections and access relevant information in one place.
Streamlined Communication: By linking related contacts, businesses can quickly reference and reach out to connected individuals, ensuring smoother interactions and improved collaboration.
Enhanced Relationship Management: Whether it’s family connections, business partnerships, or internal hierarchies, associations help businesses understand and manage relationships effectively.
Efficient CRM Workflow: With clear associations in place, users can reduce duplicate data entry, quickly update linked contacts, and maintain a well-organized CRM system.
Where to View Contact Associations
Contact associations can be accessed in two main areas:
Contact Profile View: Within a contact’s profile, the right-side panel contains the Associations icon, which displays related objects and linked contacts.
Objects Management Section: The Settings > Objects > Contacts section provides an overview of all associations, enabling the creation and management of labels and relationships.
How to Create a Contact Associations
Creating associations involves a few steps:
Open the Objects Section
Go to Settings > Objects, then select Contacts.
Open the Objects Section (image 1 of 10)What this shows Go to Settings > Objects, then select Contacts.What this showsIllustrates the "Open the Objects Section" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels".This screenshot appears in the "Open the Objects Section" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels". The text alongside this image reads: Go to Settings > Objects, then select Contacts. The navigation path used here is Settings > Objects. Immediately after, the guide continues: Select the "+ Create Association" button to define a new relationship.Path: Settings > ObjectsImage 1 of 10Where to goGo to Settings > Objects, then select Contacts.Next stepSelect the "+ Create Association" button to define a new relationship.
Click "Create Association"
Select the "+ Create Association" button to define a new relationship.
Click "Create Association" (image 2 of 10)What this shows Select the "+ Create Association" button to define a new relationship.What this showsIllustrates the "Click "Create Association"" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels".This screenshot appears in the "Click "Create Association"" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels". The text alongside this image reads: Select the "+ Create Association" button to define a new relationship. Immediately after, the guide continues: Pick an object, such as Contacts, Surfboards, or another available entity.Image 2 of 10What to chooseSelect the "+ Create Association" button to define a new relationship.Next stepPick an object, such as Contacts, Surfboards, or another available entity.
Choose the Associated Object
Pick an object, such as Contacts, Surfboards, or another available entity.
Choose the Associated Object (image 3 of 10)What this shows Pick an object, such as Contacts, Surfboards, or another available entity.What this showsIllustrates the "Choose the Associated Object" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels".This screenshot appears in the "Choose the Associated Object" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels". The text alongside this image reads: Pick an object, such as Contacts, Surfboards, or another available entity. Immediately after, the guide continues: Determine if the relationship requires a Single Label (e.g., "Partner") or Pair Labels (e.g., "Buyer - Seller").Image 3 of 10What to choosePick an object, such as Contacts, Surfboards, or another available entity.Next stepDetermine if the relationship requires a Single Label (e.g., "Partner") or Pair Labels (e.g., "Buyer - Seller").
Select the Label Type
Determine if the relationship requires a Single Label (e.g., "Partner") or Pair Labels (e.g., "Buyer - Seller").
Select the Label Type (image 4 of 10)What this shows Determine if the relationship requires a Single Label (e.g., "Partner") or Pair Labels (e.g., "Buyer - Seller").What this showsIllustrates the "Select the Label Type" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels".This screenshot appears in the "Select the Label Type" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels". The text alongside this image reads: Determine if the relationship requires a Single Label (e.g., "Partner") or Pair Labels (e.g., "Buyer - Seller"). Immediately after, the guide continues: Select between Many-to-Many or Many-to-One associations.Image 4 of 10What this coversDetermine if the relationship requires a Single Label (e.g., "Partner") or Pair Labels (e.g., "Buyer - Seller").Next stepSelect between Many-to-Many or Many-to-One associations.
Define the Relationship Type
Select between Many-to-Many or Many-to-One associations.
Define the Relationship Type (image 5 of 10)What this shows Select between Many-to-Many or Many-to-One associations.What this showsIllustrates the "Define the Relationship Type" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels".This screenshot appears in the "Define the Relationship Type" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels". The text alongside this image reads: Select between Many-to-Many or Many-to-One associations. Immediately after, the guide continues: Once an association is created, linking contacts follows these steps.Image 5 of 10What to chooseSelect between Many-to-Many or Many-to-One associations.Next stepOnce an association is created, linking contacts follows these steps:
How to View / Link Contacts Using Associations
Once an association is created, linking contacts follows these steps:
Open a Contact Profile
Navigate to the Contacts section and select a contact’s profile.
Open a Contact Profile (image 6 of 10)What this shows Navigate to the Contacts section and select a contact’s profile.What this showsIllustrates the "Open a Contact Profile" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels".This screenshot appears in the "Open a Contact Profile" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels". The text alongside this image reads: Navigate to the Contacts section and select a contact’s profile. Immediately after, the guide continues: Located on the right-side panel, this provides access to association options.Image 6 of 10Where to goNavigate to the Contacts section and select a contact’s profile.Next stepLocated on the right-side panel, this provides access to association options.
Click the Association Icon
Located on the right-side panel, this provides access to association options.
Click the Association Icon (image 7 of 10)What this shows Located on the right-side panel, this provides access to association options.What this showsIllustrates the "Click the Association Icon" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels".This screenshot appears in the "Click the Association Icon" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels". The text alongside this image reads: Located on the right-side panel, this provides access to association options. Immediately after, the guide continues: Click “Add”, select the relevant contact, and assign an appropriate label.Image 7 of 10What this coversLocated on the right-side panel, this provides access to association options.Next stepClick “Add”, select the relevant contact, and assign an appropriate label.
Add the Relationship
Click “Add”, select the relevant contact, and assign an appropriate label.
Add the Relationship (image 8 of 10)What this shows Click “Add”, select the relevant contact, and assign an appropriate label.What this showsIllustrates the "Add the Relationship" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels".This animation appears in the "Add the Relationship" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels". The text alongside this image reads: Click “Add”, select the relevant contact, and assign an appropriate label. Immediately after, the guide continues: The linked contact appears in the Related Objects section, and the association updates both profiles automatically.Image 8 of 10What to chooseClick “Add”, select the relevant contact, and assign an appropriate label.Next stepThe linked contact appears in the Related Objects section, and the association updates both profiles automatically.
Confirm the Association
The linked contact appears in the Related Objects section, and the association updates both profiles automatically.
Managing and Editing Associations
Editing an Existing Association
Go to Settings > Objects > Contacts, find the relevant association, and modify it using the three-dot menu (⋮).
Editing an Existing Association (image 9 of 10)What this shows Go to Settings > Objects > Contacts, find the relevant association, and modify it using the three-dot menu (⋮).What this showsIllustrates the "Editing an Existing Association" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels".This screenshot appears in the "Editing an Existing Association" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels". The text alongside this image reads: Go to Settings > Objects > Contacts, find the relevant association, and modify it using the three-dot menu (⋮). The navigation path used here is Settings > Objects > Contacts. Immediately after, the guide continues: Within a Contact Profile, navigate to the Related Objects section, locate the associated contact, and remove the link.Path: Settings > Objects > ContactsImage 9 of 10Where to goGo to Settings > Objects > Contacts, find the relevant association, and modify it using the three-dot menu (⋮).Next stepWithin a Contact Profile, navigate to the Related Objects section, locate the associated contact, and remove the link.
Removing an Association
Within a Contact Profile, navigate to the Related Objects section, locate the associated contact, and remove the link.
Removing an Association (image 10 of 10)What this shows Within a Contact Profile, navigate to the Related Objects section, locate the associated contact, and remove the link.What this showsIllustrates the "Removing an Association" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels".This animation appears in the "Removing an Association" section of "Associating Contacts using Custom Labels". The text alongside this image reads: Within a Contact Profile, navigate to the Related Objects section, locate the associated contact, and remove the link. Immediately after, the guide continues: Q. What is the difference between Single and Pair Labels?Image 10 of 10What this coversWithin a Contact Profile, navigate to the Related Objects section, locate the associated contact, and remove the link.Next stepQ. What is the difference between Single and Pair Labels?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the difference between Single and Pair Labels?
Single Label: Both contacts receive the same label (e.g., "Colleague").
Pair Labels: Each contact has a distinct role in the relationship (e.g., "Manager" and "Employee").
Q. Can associations be used in automations or workflows?
At present, associations serve as an organizational tool. Future updates may introduce automation capabilities.
Q. Can contacts be linked to custom objects?
Yes, contacts can be associated with predefined objects such as Surfboards, with additional custom object support expected in future updates.
Q. Can an association label be deleted?
Yes, but deleting a label is permanent and requires removing all linked associations first.
Q. How many associations can a single contact have?
A contact can have up to 10 associations, and one label can link up to 1000 contacts.
This feature allows users to associate multiple contacts with one another using custom labels. This is particularly useful for businesses that need to manage relationships between contacts, such as family members or business associates. If you are looking to streamline communication and data organization for linked contacts, the information below will guide you through the key functionalities, benefits, and how to effectively use this feature.
