---
title: How to create a Relationship Table
description: The Table - Relationship field lets one Document Template show a live table of entries from another Document Template. The two are connected by a shared Date field and, optionally, one or more shared Catalog fields. You can view, comment on, and update the workflow of those related entries without leaving the entry you're working in.
---

[Skip to content](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/how-to-create-a-relationship-table#main-content)

[Need Help?](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en)

![logo\_2x.png\]](https://support.facsware.com/hs-fs/hubfs/FACS_January_2020/Images/logo_2x.png?height=40&name=logo_2x.png)

Open main navigation

Close main navigation

- [Need Help?](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/kb-tickets/new)

 Hello. How can we help?

- There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

1. [Knowledge Base](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge?hsLang=en)
2. [Document Library](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/document-library?hsLang=en)

# How to create a Relationship Table

## The Relationship Table field lets one Document Template show a live table of entries from another Document Template. The two are connected by a shared Date field and, optionally, one or more shared Catalog fields. You can view, comment on, and update the workflow of those related entries without leaving the entry you're working in.

 The most common use is the **Daily Summary**. A Project Engineer can see every **Daily Report** submitted by Inspectors for the same day directly inside the Daily Summary, then review, comment on, and approve them from one place. 

 

### **Why This Matters**

Before this feature, completing a Daily Summary meant leaving it to find that day's Daily Reports. The Project Engineer had to open the Daily Report Log Page, filter by date, and open and read each entry one at a time, then return to the Daily Summary. On large projects with ten or more Inspectors, that adds up quickly.

The Table - Relationship field brings that work into one place:

- **One central review location.** Every Daily Report for the day appears inside the Daily Summary automatically. You don't need to search, filter, or switch pages.
- **Faster approvals.** Select multiple Daily Reports and move them all to the same workflow status in a single action. You can also step through them one by one in the viewer.
- **Nothing gets missed.** The table pulls every matching entry regardless of its workflow status, so drafts, submitted, and approved reports are all visible. Reports added later appear the next time the Daily Summary is opened.
- **Feedback in context.** Read and add comments on an Inspector's report while viewing it, so questions and corrections stay attached to the right entry.
- **Area-specific review on large projects.** Connect on Date *and* a Catalog field, such as Discipline, Area, or Phase. Each Engineer then sees only the reports they're responsible for.
- **A complete record.** When the Daily Summary is exported to PDF, the table of related entries is included, documenting what was submitted that day.

 

### **Added to the FACS Standard Daily Summary**

A Table - Relationship field has been automatically added to the **Related Entries** section of the FACS standard **Daily Summary** Document Template. No setup is needed.

It pulls in entries from your account's **Item Source Template** that share the same **Date** as the Daily Summary entry. For accounts using the FACS standard templates, that is the **Daily Report**. If your account has a different template set as its Item Source Template, entries from that template appear instead.

![](https://support.facsware.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Oct-06-2026-05-49-52-7728-PM.png?width=670&height=284&name=image-png-Oct-06-2026-05-49-52-7728-PM.png)

**NOTE:** If your account uses its own Daily Summary template instead of the FACS standard version, you can add this field to it. See [**Adding a Table - Relationship Field to a Document Template**](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/how-to-create-a-relationship-table#adding-a-relationship-table-field) below.

 

### **How Related Entries Are Matched**

An entry from the source (child) template appears in the table when all of the following are true:

- It belongs to the **same Project** as the parent entry.
- Its **Date** value matches the parent entry's Date value (same calendar day).
- Its **Catalog** value(s) match the parent entry's, if Catalog fields are part of the connection.
- It has **not been deleted**. Archived entries still appear.
- The viewing user has **permission** to see it (see **Permissions** below).

Entries appear **regardless of workflow status.** 

 

### **Using the Relationship Table in an Entry**

The table appears when you add, view, or edit the parent entry, in the location set on the Document Template.

**Table Columns**

- **Status**: the related entry's current workflow status. "N/A" appears if the source template has no workflow.
- **The first five Log Page columns** of the source Document Template, in Log Page order.

The table supports sorting, filtering, and pagination like other tables in the Platform. If no entries match, the table shows **"No related entries found for \[date\]."**

**Viewing Entries**

1. Select the checkbox next to one or more rows. Use the header checkbox to select all.
2. Click **View**.

The **Relationship Table Viewer** opens:

- **Left** : the PDF version of the selected entry.
- **Right** : the entry's **Comments**, where you can read existing comments and add new ones.
- **Header**: 
    - **Open entry** opens the full entry in a new browser tab.
    - **Workflow** shows the available workflow transitions for the entry.
    - **X** closes the viewer.
- **Footer**: **Previous** and **Next** move between the selected entries in the table's current sort order.

 

![](https://support.facsware.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Oct-06-2026-05-55-07-8171-PM.png?width=670&height=465&name=image-png-Oct-06-2026-05-55-07-8171-PM.png)

 

**NOTE:** The PDF in the viewer is a point-in-time view. Adding a comment or changing the workflow status does not reload the PDF. Close and reopen the entry in the viewer to see its latest version.

**CAUTION:** Some browsers are set to download PDF files automatically instead of opening them. If clicking **View** downloads a file rather than opening the viewer, or displays an error message, turn that browser setting off. In Google Chrome, go to **Settings \> Privacy and security \> Site settings \> Additional content settings \> PDF documents** and select **Open PDFs in Chrome**.

**Updating Workflow Status**

**For one entry:** In the Relationship Table Viewer, click **Workflow** and choose the new status. The same validation, permissions, and History logging apply as when you change the workflow from within the entry itself.

The Workflow button only appears when all of the following are true:

- The entry's template has a workflow.
- You have permission to move the entry out of its current status.
- At least one transition is available from that status.

**For multiple entries at once:**

1. Select the entries in the table.
2. Click **Bulk Edit**.
3. In the flyout, choose the target status and click **Save**.

**Bulk Edit** only appears when every selected entry can move to a common status, which is the same behavior as on Log Pages. Entries you don't have permission to update are excluded.

 

**Adding Comments**

While viewing an entry, use the Comments panel to add a comment or reply. All standard comment options and visibility rules apply. Users with the **Read Only** Project Role do not see the Comments panel.

 

**When the Table Updates**

The table is not live while the entry is open. It re-checks for matching entries when:

- The parent entry is opened in **Add**, **View**, or **Edit**.
- The connecting Date or Catalog values on the parent entry are changed.
- The parent entry is **Published**.
- The page is reloaded.

If an Inspector publishes a new Daily Report while you have the Daily Summary open, it appears the next time you open, edit, or publish the Daily Summary. Deleted entries, and entries whose Date or Catalog values no longer match, drop off at the next refresh.

 

**Exporting to PDF**

When a parent entry is exported to PDF, the Table - Relationship field is included as a table, labeled with the field label. It shows the same columns as the on-screen table and reflects the related entries at the time of export.

- **All** matching rows are included. **Maximum height** only limits the on-screen table.
- The related entries' own PDFs, comments, and workflow history are **not** included or attached.
- If no entries match and **Hide on export if empty** is turned on, the field is left off the PDF. Otherwise, the empty-state message is shown.

### **Permissions**

The table respects each user's existing access:

- If a user doesn't have at least **Read** access to the source template, the table is empty for them.
- If a user has access to the template but is restricted from a specific entry (for example, through Contributors), that entry does not appear.
- Workflow changes and comments follow the same permission rules as within the entry itself.

See our support site page **[How do Permissions work?](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/what-are-permissions?hsLang=en)** for more on roles.

 

### **Adding a Table - Relationship Field to a Document Template**

Account Administrators can add this field to any Document Template, not just the Daily Summary. The field is added to the **parent** template, which is the one that will display the table.

1\. Open the parent Document Template in the **Document Template Builder**.

2\. Add a new **Table** field and choose **Table - Relationship** as the **Field type**.

3\. Enter a **Label**.

4\. In **Table Field Properties**, complete the following:

| Setting | Description |
| --- | --- |
| **Source template** (required) | The template whose entries will appear in the table. The Change Order, Payment, Material Acceptance, and Material Stockpile templates are not available. |
| **Source date** (required) | The Date (Single Date) field used to match entries. The **same** field from the Field Library must exist on both the parent and source templates. Two different Date fields with matching labels will not work. |
| **Source catalog** (optional) | One or more Catalog fields to further narrow matches. These must also exist on both templates. |
| **Maximum height** | Number of rows shown before scrolling. Default is 5. |
| **Display field in entry** | Shows the table on the entry. On by default. |
| **Hide on export if empty** | Leaves the table off the PDF when there are no matches. Off by default. |

5\. Click **Save**, then publish the template.

 

![](https://support.facsware.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Oct-06-2026-05-59-24-7900-PM.png?width=581&height=613&name=image-png-Oct-06-2026-05-59-24-7900-PM.png)

**NOTE:** After the field is saved, **Source template**, **Source date**, and **Source catalog** can't be changed. To connect differently, remove the field and add a new one. **Maximum height** and **Hide on export if empty** can still be edited.

**Connector Field Rules**

- If the selected Date or Catalog fields aren't on the parent template, a warning appears in the flyout. You won't be able to publish until those fields are added.
- A Date or Catalog field used as a connector can't be removed from either the parent or the source template while the connection exists. You'll see: *"This field is used to connect two document templates, remove the connection first to delete this field."*

 

 *If you have any questions, or need additional assistance, please reach out to our support team at [support@facsware.com](mailto:support@facsware.com) and we will be happy to assist you.* 

- [Getting Started](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [User Preferences](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/getting-started?hsLang=en#user-preferences)
- [Account Settings](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/account-settings?hsLang=en)
- [Project Settings](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/project-settings?hsLang=en)
- [Standard Documents](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/standard-documents?hsLang=en)
- [List Library](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/list-library?hsLang=en)
- [Document Library](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/document-library?hsLang=en)
- [Reports](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/reports?hsLang=en)
- [Billing](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/billing?hsLang=en)
- [Release Notes](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/release-notes?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [2026](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/release-notes?hsLang=en#2026)
    - [2025](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/release-notes?hsLang=en#2025)
- [FAQs](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/faqs?hsLang=en)
- [Mobile iOS](https://support.facsware.com/knowledge/mobile-ios?hsLang=en)

[![FACS](https://support.facsware.com/hs-fs/hubfs/FACS%20Logo%20FINAL.jpg?width=200&height=100&name=FACS%20Logo%20FINAL.jpg "FACS")](http://www.facsware.com)

Copyright © 2026, FACS