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Inter-system relations

Cross-system identity guide

Relate records across connected systems so NIM filters can match people, accounts, groups, and other identity data with confidence.

An inter-system relation connects tables from two different NIM systems. For example, it can connect an HR employee record to a directory account using a shared employee ID. Once configured, filters can use data from both systems in the same workflow.

Case-insensitive matching

Inter-system relations match values case-insensitively. For example, Employee123 and employee123 are treated as the same matching value.

When to use an inter-system relationDirect link to When to use an inter-system relation

Use an inter-system relation when…Use an intra-system relation when…
A workflow needs to connect records from two separate NIM systems.The related tables belong to the same NIM system.
You need a filter to identify people who have—or do not have—an account in another system.You need to connect records such as employees and departments inside one system.
Both systems have collected data with a stable value that represents the same business identity.The relationship is based on a key and foreign key within a single data model.

See Intra-system relations for relationships inside one system.

Match durable identity valuesChoose values that represent the same identity in both systems, such as an immutable employee ID. Avoid matching on display names or email addresses unless your organization guarantees they are unique, stable, and consistently formatted.

Create and manage an inter-system relationDirect link to Create and manage an inter-system relation

Prepare the dataDirect link to Prepare the data

  1. Collect both systems so they appear in the Relations workspace.
  2. Confirm that each system has the table and column needed to identify the same person, account, or record.
  3. Check sample values for blanks, duplicates, formatting differences, and values that should not match.
  4. Correct tables, columns, keys, or data-model issues before creating the relation.

Outcome: you have two current collections and a verified matching value for each system.

Step 1 of 3

Prefer relations over ad-hoc Vault queriesDirect link to Prefer relations over ad-hoc Vault queries

Vault queries can inspect data across systems from a custom JavaScript column, but they are a last resort for a repeatable relationship. An inter-system relation is clearer, reusable in filters, and easier to maintain. Use a Vault query only when a relation is impractical or impossible.

Next stepsDirect link to Next steps

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