---
title: Validate relationships between objects
description: Optionally, you can specify that a relationship between two objects must be validated when the relationship is created. For example, you can indicate that a user cannot reference a role, if that role does not exist.
component: pingidm
version: 8.1
page_id: pingidm:objects-guide:relationships-validation
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingidm/8.1/objects-guide/relationships-validation.html
keywords: ["Data Object Model", "Relationships"]
---

# Validate relationships between objects

Optionally, you can specify that a relationship between two objects must be validated when the relationship is created. For example, you can indicate that a user cannot reference a role, if that role does not exist.

When you create a new relationship type, validation is disabled by default, because it involves an expensive query to the relationship that is not always required.

To configure validation of a referenced relationship, set `"validate": true` in the managed object configuration *(tooltip: You can edit the managed object configuration over REST at the config/managed endpoint, or directly in the conf/managed.json file.)*. The default schema enables validation for the following relationships:

* For user objects—roles, managers, and reports

* For role objects—members and assignments

* For assignment objects—roles

The following configuration of the `manager` relationship enables validation, and prevents a user from referencing a manager that has not already been created:

```json
"manager" : {
   "type" : "relationship",
   ...
   "validate" : true,
```