Batch Create Relationships in Jama Connect®

Published Date: August 28, 2026
Validated: Yes
Audience: Everyone
Products and Versions Covered:

Jama Connect® version(s)
- Cloud/CVC
- Self-hosted

Summary

Jama Connect® supports multiple methods for establishing relationships, including the Relationship Import Plugin and the REST API.

The Relationship Import Plugin uses a CSV file to batch create relationships between existing items. Alternatively, a custom script can use the Jama Connect REST API to create relationships programmatically. The script can read relationship data from a CSV file or another data source and submit REST API requests to create those relationships in Jama Connect.

The REST API is not limited to retrieving relationships. It can also be used to create relationships programmatically, including when a script creates many relationships in bulk.

Jama Software Professional Services also provides a CSV Relationship Importer Script on Jama Software's GitHub repository. This script will read data from a CSV file and create relationships in Jama Connect using the REST API.

Resolution

Choose the method that best fits your use case.

Use the Relationship Import Plugin

Use the Relationship Import Plugin when you have relationship data in a CSV file and want to batch create relationships between existing items without developing a custom script or leveraging the CSV Relationship Importer Script on Jama Software's Github Repository.

The process consists of:

Important considerations:

An organization administrator must configure and enable the Relationship Import Plugin.
The Relationship Type used during the import is determined by the administrator's default type.
A separate plugin entry is required for each pairing of upstream and downstream item types. For example, importing Market Requirement to System Requirements relationships and System Requirements to Verifications requires two plugin entries.
The items must exist in Jama Connect before the relationships are created.
To import requirements before creating relationships, see Importing content into Jama Connect.

Use the REST API with a custom script

Use the REST API when you need to create relationships programmatically, automate relationship creation, or integrate relationship creation into another workflow.

A custom script can:

Read upstream-downstream relationship data from a CSV file or another data source.
Identify the existing Jama Connect items that should be related.
Send REST API requests to create the relationships.
Repeat the operation for each relationship that needs to be created.

Using a script to repeat REST API requests can programmatically create many relationships.

Use the Jama Software CSV Relationship Importer

Jama Software Professional Services provides a CSV Relationship Importer that provides a REST API-based approach to importing relationship data from a CSV file into Jama Connect.

Review the CSV Relationship Importer Script on Jama Software's GitHub repository for requirements and dependencies.

Important terminology

Customers may use import, batch import, bulk create, or batch create to describe the process of creating many relationships.

These terms should not be interpreted to mean that the REST API is limited to retrieving relationships.

Can I batch create parent-child relationships? Yes.
Can I use the Relationship Import Plugin to batch create relationships? Yes. The plugin uses a CSV file and requires administrator configuration.
Can I create relationships through the REST API? Yes.
Can I use a script to create many relationships through the REST API? Yes.
Can I use a CSV file with a script and the REST API to create relationships? Yes.
Is the Relationship Import Plugin the only way to batch create relationships? No.
Is the REST API limited to retrieving relationships? No. The REST API can also create relationships.

IMPORTANT: Access to the REST API and the Jama Connect Cloud MCP Server is restricted to users with a Named Creator Jama Connect license, which includes access to v1, Labs, and SCIM endpoints. Users without a Named Creator license—including those with a Creator Float license—do not have access.

Additional Resources

Related to