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How to Create Custom Links

This article walks you through creating, styling, editing, and removing a Custom Link — a labelled, styled connector for connections the built-in relationship types don't cover.

New to custom links? Read Custom Links first for what they are, when to use one, and what they don't do.

Before You Start

  • Make sure both entities exist. Custom links connect existing entities — see How to Create Entities.
  • Confirm a built-in type doesn't fit better. If "Shareholder Of" or "Trustee Of" or "Loan" describes the connection accurately, use that — see Relationship Types Reference.
  • Custom links can only connect individuals, companies, trusts, partnerships, and SMSFs — not assets, liabilities, or joint holdings.

Method 1: Draw on a Diagram

This is the quickest way and is how you'll usually create custom links.

  1. Open the diagram that has both entities on it. See How to Create Diagrams if you need to make one.
  2. Hover over the source entity until the link handle appears, then drag a line to the target entity.
  3. In the Relationship Type dropdown, choose Custom at the bottom of the list (under the divider).
  4. The inspector switches to the Custom Link group. Fill in:
    • Label (optional) — what the link is, e.g. "Shareholders' Agreement".
    • Line type — Solid, Dashed, or Dotted.
    • Arrows — None, At source, At target, or Both ends.
    • Colour — pick a swatch or a hex value.
    • Effective from / Effective to (optional) — see Dates and snapshots.
  5. Watch the Preview at the bottom of the inspector — it shows the link exactly as it will render on the canvas.
  6. Click Create.

The link appears on the diagram with your chosen style. It's saved immediately — there's no separate "save the diagram" step.

If Custom doesn't appear in the dropdown, one of the endpoints is an asset, liability, or joint holding. Custom links can't connect those — see Eligibility.

Method 2: From the Entity's Page

If the entities aren't on a diagram together (or you just prefer working from the entity page):

  1. Open the source entity. Scroll to the Relationships card.
  2. Click Add Relationship.
  3. In the Type dropdown, pick Custom (bottom of the list).
  4. In Target Entity, choose the entity to connect to.
  5. Fill in Label, Line type, Arrows, Colour, and optional Effective from / Effective to — same fields as above.
  6. Click Save.

The new link appears in the entity's Custom section of the Relationships card and on any diagram that includes both entities.

Editing a Custom Link

You can change everything — label, line style, colour, arrows, dates — at any time.

From the diagram

  1. Click the custom link on the canvas.
  2. The inspector opens on the right with the current settings.
  3. Change whatever you want; the Preview updates as you go.
  4. Click Save Changes.

From the relationship list

  1. On the entity's detail page or the All Relationships page, find the custom link.
  2. Click the pencil icon in the Actions column. The Edit Relationship dialog opens.
  3. Edit the Label, Line type, Colour, Arrows, and Effective from / Effective to as needed.
  4. Click Save Changes.

The label change updates everywhere — the diagram, the entity's relationship list, and the All Relationships page.

Clearing or Changing Dates

To clear a date, click the small × in the date input or empty the field, then Save Changes. The link becomes always-visible (no temporal filter).

To change a date, edit the value in the same field and Save Changes.

Clearing both Effective from and Effective to is fine — it just means "this link applies for as long as the entities exist."

Removing a Custom Link

You have two options:

  • From the diagram: click the link, then press Delete on the keyboard (or use the trash icon in the inspector).
  • From the relationship list: click the trash icon next to the row. Confirm the deletion.

This permanently removes the link record. To temporarily hide it from the diagram instead, see How to Manually Edit a Diagram for entity-filter and visibility controls.

Deleting only removes the custom link record. The two entities themselves aren't affected.

Multiple Custom Links Between the Same Pair

Two entities can have as many custom links as you like between them. Each is independent and renders as its own line.

This is useful when one pair has more than one document/arrangement between them. For example:

  • A Shareholders' Agreement (dashed blue, both arrows) and
  • A Side Letter (dotted grey, no arrows)

…between the same two shareholders.

Draw them the same way you'd draw one — repeat Method 1 or Method 2. They won't be aggregated into a single line.

Custom Links in Scenarios

You can model "what if?" agreements inside a scenario:

  • Add a custom link inside a scenario to model a future agreement.
  • Delete a custom link inside a scenario to model terminating one.
  • Edit the label or style inside a scenario without touching the base.

The base structure is unchanged outside the scenario; the scenario's own diagram and snapshot views reflect your changes.

Troubleshooting

"Custom" doesn't appear in the relationship type dropdown. One or both endpoints are an asset, liability, or joint holding. Custom links can only connect individuals, companies, trusts, partnerships, and SMSFs.

My new custom link doesn't show on a diagram.

  • The diagram's entity filter may not include both endpoints — see How to Manually Edit a Diagram.
  • The diagram is pinned to a snapshot before your Effective from or after your Effective to — change the snapshot or clear the dates.
  • A display mode for Custom is set to Hidden in Diagram Settings — see Understanding Diagram Settings.

My custom link is just a black arrow with no colour or label. Refresh the diagram (full page reload). If it persists, open the link's inspector and confirm a valid Colour (a # hex) and a Line type are set.

The label changes I made aren't appearing in the relationship list. The list reads directly from the saved relationship; refresh the page if you have it open in another tab.

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