# Create collection relationships to all other collections **URL:** \ **Category:** Get Help\ **Created:** [February 2, 2026, 4:51pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/create-collection-relationships-to-all-other-collections/3331 "2026-02-02T16:51:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 8
**Author:** ![Grant](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/speciforum.org/grant/32/4255_2.png) [@Grant](https://speciforum.org/u/Grant)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2026, 3:13pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/create-collection-relationships-to-all-other-collections/3331/8 "2026-02-05T15:13:33Z")
Hi @Marion, Thanks for your patience while we work through this! > When I open the “Right Side Rels” form, in the “Destination Object” field, it defaults to the Archive’s catalogue number (or in the XML, it is the right side). And I have no way of searching for a catalogue number associated with the Paleo collection from the form (I also tried it in the ‘Destination Object’ field, and there too I only have access to the catalogue numbers of the Archives). > […] > I don’t understand how to enter data into the custom form; it’s not working. > […] > Finally, how do you fill out the “rightsiderels” form? It’s supposed to be automatic, but nothing happens in the “Historical context” collection. The formular stay blank. _You cannot enter data into the custom form_ as it is meant to provide you a read-only view of the relationships. It is only the best place to _see_ all incoming links, but not to create or edit. Query combo boxes (like ‘Left Side Object’ and ‘Right Side Object’ can only see records in the _current_ collection, so it is necessary to use the one-to-many plugin since it allows you to search and select a record from a _different_ collection (the Right Side). All object relationships need to be established through the [CollectionRelOneToManyPlugin](https://speciforum.org/t/create-a-collection-relationship-in-specify-7/1837#p-3522-collectionrelonetomanypluginhttpsdiscoursespecifysoftwareorgtediting-forms-in-specify-71557collectionrelonetomanyplugin-41-3), as they cannot be established any other way (outside of the [WorkBench](https://speciforum.org/t/create-collection-relationships-via-the-workbench/2326)). > In addition, I would like to be able to enter this data in both directions. Data cannot be entered from both directions, as the relationships need to be made from the **source** side collection. You can have multiple ‘source’ collection links to the destination, and in the custom `rightsiderels` subview you should see (as read-only) all links (including the name of the collection). I have added a feature request for this capability! * * * > I created the links in the Paleo collection, but they don’t appear when I open the Historical Event collection. You currently have 9 object relationships configured: ![ObjectRelationships Query](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/f/fd918066896694247f78d69ef792bf2f45c021ff.png) ![ObjectRelationships](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/a/a36be8ec4731405af20dd382bfcbfc6f9c15a109.png) - For 8 of these: - **Source:** Historical Context - **Destination:** Paleo Collection - For one of these: - **Source:** DNA & Tissue - **Destination:** Paleo Collection If you add `rightsiderels` to the Collection Object form, it will show all cases where _that record_ is the ‘right side’ (destination) of a relationship. That means if you put the subview on the form for the ‘Paleo Collection’, the Collection Object `MB.R.2713` would show a single relationship from the **source** collection: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/specifysoftware/original/2X/c/ca1fb3a00ca9a4d3252b6335cb9e4f66d50faec9.png) > For DNA & Tissue, this is a one-to-many relationship (one Specimen for several Tissues, for example) so your exemple is valide. But for Historical Context, it is a many-to-many relationship (one Specimen can be linked to several Archives, and one Archive can point to several Specimens). How can I do that? The counterpart relationship, `leftsiderels`, shows all relationships where **that record** is the ‘left side’ (source) of a relationship in a single view. This duplicates the view that the `CollectionRelOneToManyPlugin` already has, except it shows all of these rels in a single list rather than across several plugins. > They only appear if I click on the eye icon. The subview is defined to show a read-only preview of the record if you click the eye icon. You can configure it to show the entire record Collection Object as a subview if desired, though if you go that direction, I recommend defining a miniaturized form so it doesn’t take up too much space. If you want to go that direction, let me know! --- _[View the full topic](https://speciforum.org/t/create-collection-relationships-to-all-other-collections/3331)._