You can manage entity families in bulk via metadata import or API. Parent and child entities represent a type of entity relationship where the entities are directly connected and should be evaluated as a group. Child entities are typically considered sub-entities of the parent. From an entity, you can select a related subsidiary (child) and see all of its associated workflows and records.
You can manage entity families in bulk by:
Use Case
The team is working with a counterparty, Classics Inc., who is a global retailer with multiple subsidiaries, including Classics Europe Ltd. and Classics Apparel LLC. Historically, the legal team had to search for each entity’s contracts separately, making it difficult to see the company’s overall contracting history. By configuring entity families through the API or entity import, Classics Inc. can now link all parent and subsidiary entities together in bulk.
This gives the team a complete view of every contract across the Classics Inc. family. With this insight, they can quickly spot overlapping terms, identify opportunities to negotiate better bulk discounts with vendors, and approach every new deal with a clear understanding of existing obligations to the company as a whole.
Permissions
| Features | Entities |
| Permissions | To manage entity families in bulk via metadata import, users must be admins. To manage entity families in bulk via the API, users must have access to the Ironclad API. |
Manage Entity Families In Bulk Using Metadata Import
Only administrators can import entities, and other users cannot be granted import permissions. You can manage entity families in bulk using entity import. This process involves exporting entities, adding a Parent ID column, and reimporting the data.
- Export the entities that you want to connect into entity families.
- Add a Parent ID column to the spreadsheet, using the Parent ID to connect an entity to its parent:
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To find a Parent ID, export your entities and locate the Parent ID in the spreadsheet.
- For easier mapping, add an Entity Name <> Parent ID reference column in your record data spreadsheet and use it as a reference when assigning entity families.
- Create a Parent ID column.
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In the Parent ID column, add the corresponding Parent ID you want to be associated with each record. This must be in the UUID/Record ID format, as shown in the screenshot below.
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- Reimport the updated spreadsheet using records metadata import from the entities dashboard.
- Map the Parent ID column to the Parent ID property.
Manage Entity Families In Bulk Through API
You can manage entity families through the API by using the parent ID. The API validates that the provided ID matches a real entity and returns an error if it does not. This validation applies to all write APIs, including create and update. Each entity can have only one parent, and an entity cannot be its own parent.
For step-by-step instructions on managing entity families through API, refer to the Developer Hub.
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