Overview
The timeline shows notes, activities, emails, and other items linked to a CRM record. With Manual Association, you decide exactly which records a timeline item is linked to. Links can be set when the item is created and remain fixed — even if the connections between records change later.
How to use manual association
You can create a manual association when creating a timeline item or when editing an existing one.
When creating a timeline item:
- Open the composer (Note, Activity, Custom Activity, or Email)
- Before saving, review the list of records the item will be linked to
- Deselect any record you do not want this item linked to
- Click Save changes
For an existing timeline item:
- Open the timeline item
- Click Manage Associations
- View, add, or remove links
- Then Save changes
How linking works
When an item is manually associated with other CRM records, the item is also saved to every record it is "linked to". A record can be linked when one of these is true:
- It shares an email or phone number that appears on the timeline item
- It is directly connected through a Connect Boards column
- It is connected through a Mirror column that reflects a Connect Boards column
- It is connected via a Mirror that reflects another Mirror, which in turn reflects a Connect Boards column (up to two levels deep)
After creation, links do not move. If you later change connections between records, existing timeline items stay where they were originally saved.
Rules to keep in mind
As you're using this feature, keep in mind the following:
- Removing every link (association) from a timeline item is the same as deleting it
- Removing the link to the record you are currently viewing only hides the item from that record's timeline. The timeline item itself is not deleted.
- In the composer, you cannot remove the link to the record you are currently viewing. Use Manage Associations in the record's menu for that.
Email replies
Replies behave differently from new emails:
- A new email is saved across all records it is linked to at the time it's sent
- A reply is saved only to the records where the parent email is currently linked
- A reply inherits the same possible links as the parent email, but the actual save follows where the parent lives at the moment of reply
- Changing links on an email in a thread does not update other emails in the thread. Parent and earlier replies are not changed retroactively
- Only future replies in the thread will pick up the parent's links at send time
What's supported
| Action | Supported item types |
| Create with Manual Association | Notes, Activities, Custom Activities, Emails |
| Manage Associations on existing items | Notes, Activities, Custom Activities, Emails |
FAQs
If I add a new connection between two records, will old timeline items appear on the newly connected record?
No. Timeline items are saved at creation time. Changing connections later does not move existing items. To link an existing item to another record, open it and use Manage Associations in the item's menu.
If I remove a connection between two records, will the timeline items disappear?
No. Items stay on the records they were saved to. Use Manage Associations to remove a specific link.
What happens if I remove all associations from a timeline item?
It is deleted.
Why can't I uncheck the current record in the composer?
This is to prevent accidentally creating a timeline item that is not visible from the record you are working on. Use Manage Associations after saving if you need to remove that link.
Will my reply go to every record the original email could reach?
No. A reply is saved only to the record where the parent email is currently linked.
Known limitations
- Notetaker items do not support Manual Association yet
- Calendar Meetings do not support Manual Association or the new reply behavior yet. Both are planned for a future release.
- Manage Associations for item types beyond Notes, Activities, Custom Activities, and Emails is planned for a future release
If you have any questions, please reach out to our team right here. We’re available 24/7 and happy to help.