How to connect elements with relationships

Draw a relationship

1. In the Palette, find the relationship type you want (e.g., Flow, Association, Composition)
2. Click it once to select it as the active tool
3. On the Canvas, click on the source element and drag to the target element
4. Release — the relationship edge appears connecting the two elements
5. Press Escape to deselect the relationship tool and return to the pointer

Name a relationship

After drawing a relationship, you can label it:

1. Click on the edge to select it
2. The label field becomes editable — type a name and press Enter

Alternatively, select the edge and edit the name in the Properties panel.

Constraint violations

If the metamodel defines pair-wise constraints on a relationship type, you can only draw that relationship between valid source and target types. For example, an ArchiMate Serving relationship is only valid between certain element types.

If you try to draw a constrained relationship between incompatible element types, the connection won’t be allowed. Check the metamodel’s relationship constraints to see which combinations are valid.

Relationship direction

Relationships have a source and a target. The source is where you start drawing; the target is where you release. Some relationship types display arrow markers to indicate direction.

To change the direction of an existing relationship, see How to retarget an edge.

Relationships in the Explorer

Every relationship you draw on the Canvas also appears in the Explorer as an element. Relationships are first-class model elements — they have names, properties, and can appear on multiple diagrams.