Cartesian joins and cross-product relationships
ExpertUse the × (Cartesian) join operator to relate every record in one table to every record in another, enabling matrix lookups and global popups.
What you'll learn
- When a Cartesian join is the right tool
- How to define a Cartesian join in the Relationships Graph
- The performance implications of large Cartesian joins
A Cartesian join (using the × operator in the Relationships Graph) creates a relationship where every record on the left is related to every record on the right, regardless of field values. This is useful for value list dropdowns, global search fields on a layout, or building matrix-style UIs where all combinations are needed.
When to use a Cartesian join
A Cartesian join is appropriate when: you need every record from a lookup table to appear in a dropdown on every record; you are building a global search that must scan all records; or you need a portal that always shows all records in a table regardless of the anchor.
// Use case: a "global search" field that searches all contacts // Globals::gSearchTerm is a global field // TO: Contacts_All uses × (Cartesian) join with Globals // The portal always shows all contacts; portal filter narrows by gSearchTerm
Sign in to track your progress and pick up where you left off.
Sign in to FM Dojo