In this article:
1. How to Link Cards in Businessmap?
Option 1: Connect cards that live on the same board
Option 2: Connect cards that live on different boards across the account
Option 3: Use the Links tab in Card Details
Option 4: From the open card view
Option 5: Link cards through the Related Boards feature
Option 6: Use Business rules to link cards
2. How to Copy Card Properties When Linking Cards
1. How to Link Cards in Businessmap?
Businessmap supports several types of connections you can use to create relationships between different cards. The system allows you to link cards between different boards and build powerful dependencies and connections.
This article aims to show you how to:
- Link a card to existing cards in the system to create a relation between the items.
- Break down a card into smaller work items. That way you can instantly create new cards from the existing card (source card).
There are many ways to create links between cards:
Option 1: Connect cards that live on the same board
Link existing cards on the same board using the drag & drop functionality.
Press the CTRL key and Drag & Drop the selected card to the card you want to link it to. A new box will open for you to select the type of link between the cards: parent/child/relative/predecessor/successor. The two cards will be automatically linked to each other. This option lets you link the card to any Initiative on the Cards, Initiatives, or Timeline Workflows.
When you link cards, each of them gets updated with a link property for a cross-reference.
On hover, the link property displays summarized information for the related cards in a tooltip. If you click on the link property, the related card will turn yellow and start shaking to stand out.
You will see a card's links properties only if you have configured your view settings accordingly.
Option 2: Connect cards that live on different boards across the account
With the Card Context Menu, you can:
1. Use the Source card to create a new linked card
Open the Context menu from the upper right corner of your card and select the "New linked card" button to open the dedicated panel with all types of links. Choose the type of relationship you want to establish between the source card and the card you will create. The system will then open the Board Minimap for you to select the location of the new card — the board and the card's position on it. You can select the same board or any other board you have access to in your account.
Once you select the location, you have to enter the new card details (for example: Title, Owner, deadline) and click on the Add button to trigger the card creation. The new card will be automatically linked to the source card from which you initiated the linking process. If the newly linked card is located on a different board, you can locate the card and open it in a new browser tab by clicking the "link property" and holding CTRL.
Note: The system allows you to sync the two cards. You can learn more about copying properties between linked cards here.
2. Link existing cards in the account
Use the Context menu to link the Source card to an existing card in your account. Open the Context menu and select the “Link to existing” button. Enter a Card ID or a Title to refer to a particular card and link the working items.
Note: Use the Context menu to link cards in bulk. To do so, select multiple cards, open the Context menu, and use the "Link to existing card" option. Select the link type, find the card/initiative to link to by entering a card ID or title, and press the "Create Link" button.
Moreover, you can use the same approach to create a new card/initiative that will be instantly linked to the cards in your selection. Please, check the short video below:
Option 3: Use the Links tab in Card Details
Double-click to open a card and select the Links tab. From this panel, you can not only link cards but also get a convenient overview of the source card's existing relationships.
Users will be able to see all cards that are linked to the source card in the following perspectives:
- Table view (1)
- Bar Chart View (2)
- Pie Chart View (3)
- Board View (4)
By default, the Links tab opens the Table view perspective, where all linked cards are displayed in a table format. You can use the "Configure results" button to display/hide any card-related information.
For example, you can easily display more card properties, such as description, attachments, priority, etc. Just select the properties from the configuration panel and apply your changes. If you don't need the information, deselect the respective properties.
Note: The "Board view" perspective shows the source card and all linked cards in a Kanban board view. It visualizes the source card in yellow. Right-click on any of the cards in the Kanban Board preview to open the dedicated "Links panel" that supports all linking capabilities. From there you can create new links.
To create links from the Links tab of the source card, you have to open the "Create new link" menu.
You can create a new linked card from the source card, or you can link the source card to an existing working item in the system. You can sync the items just by clicking on the respective icon.
Option 4: From the open card view
Open the card and go to the Links Overview menu (the bottom right side of the card), where all existing relations are displayed. You can see the position of the currently opened card in the hierarchy even if it spans multiple levels in the organization. This allows team members to see how their tasks contribute to the bigger picture, while managers can easily get an overview of entire projects. Click on any of the links to instantly open the respective linked card.
You can create new linked cards from the plus icon in the "Links Overview" panel. It supports all linking capabilities including the card syncing option. You can either create a new card and link it to the source one or you can link two existing cards.
Option 5: Link cards through the Related Boards feature
With the Related Boards feature, users can connect cards' workflows across the account for easier management and visualization. Go to the sidebar located to the right of each board interface and open the Related boards panel. Connect the boards that you want to be related and then drag and drop the card onto the related board, where the linked card is to be created. After you drop the card, the link menu will appear.
Option 6: Use Business rules to link cards
With the Business rules in Businessmap, you can link cards automatically upon certain events. When you apply it to your setup, you can automate the card linking process between the original card and those cards/initiatives you have defined in the setup. In the "Link the card" panel, you can specify the type of connection: Child, Parent, Relative, Predecessor, Successor.
For example, when a card is created in “Board ABC,” automatically link it as a child card to “Card ID,” “Card Custom ID,” etc.
You can use this action with any of the following rules:
- Card is Created
- Card is Updated
- Card Updated by e-mail
- Card is Moved
- WIP Limit is reached
- WIP Limit is exceeded
- Card Count
2. How to Copy Card Properties When Linking Cards
The Copy linked details capability allows you to copy the card properties of two (or more) cards in the system. The Copy icon is available in every link menu, and you have to select it in the link establishment process. Please check the dedicated article to learn more about Copying Linked Card Properties.