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# How to Set Up a Many-to-Many Relationship
- URL: https://blog.jestor.com/many-to-many-relationships/
- Published: 2026-09-17T22:29:56.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-17T22:29:56.000Z
- Author: Bruno Bannach

A **many-to-many relationship** allows a record to connect to several others and vice versa. One payment can belong to marketing and finance at once, and each department can have many payments.

## Where one-to-many is not enough

Plenty of real relationships are not hierarchical, and forcing them into one breaks the data.

- An expense shared between two departments
- A project involving several teams
- A product belonging to multiple categories
- A candidate suitable for more than one vacancy

## One-to-many versus many-to-many

| Type             | Meaning                                   | Example                                     |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| **One-to-many**  | Each child has exactly one parent         | Each payment has one supplier               |
| **Many-to-many** | Records connect freely in both directions | A payment split across several cost centres |

## How to configure it in Jestor

1. Open the table in **Jestor** and add a column, searching for connected.
2. Choose connected tables rather than connected records — this is the many-to-many option.
3. Name the field after the related entity, such as cost centre.
4. Select the related table.
5. Check the label: if it shows IDs, set the name field as the label on the related table instead.

## Why choose Jestor for flexible data models?

**Jestor** distinguishes connected records from connected tables, which is what makes the difference between one-to-many and many-to-many an explicit choice rather than an accident.

Label selection matters here more than anywhere: a many-to-many field showing sequential IDs is unusable, and switching the label to the name field fixes it in one click on the related table.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Which option gives many-to-many?

Connected tables, rather than connected records. See [jestor.com](https://jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com).

### Why does my field show numbers?

The label is set to an ID field — change it to the name on the related table.

### Can one expense span two departments?

Yes, that is exactly what this relationship allows.

## Video Tutorial: Step by Step

Check out other practical tutorials on the Jestor YouTube channel.

## Get to know Jestor

With **Jestor**, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way — all without code and powered by **AI**. Discover Jestor at [jestor.com](https://jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com) and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.