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Parent Field – how to build relation Make > Model e.g. BMW > M4

Linking two taxonomy fields as parent and child means picking a make leaves only that make's models in the next dropdown — both on the submit listing form and on your search forms. This guide builds that relation step by step.

1 minute read

This option is available only for the “Taxonomy” type of field. We will show how to do it for Make and Model (e.g. BMW > M4).

  1. 1 Open Custom Fields

    In WordPress, go to Listivo Panel -> Custom Fields.

    The Custom Fields screen of the Listivo panel with the Add New Field button highlighted and an arrow pointing at Custom Fields in the sidebar; the list below shows Category, Video and Virtual Tour.
  2. 2 Add the fields as Taxonomy

    Name the field, pick Taxonomy in the Type list and click Add Field. Do this for both the parent field and the child field.

    The Add New Field form with the Type dropdown open on Taxonomy, listing Text, Rich Text, Number, Price, Location, Embed, Gallery, Attachments, Salary and Link, and the Add Field button highlighted.
  3. 3 Edit the child field

    Please edit the field that will be the child — in this example Model (taxonomy) — and point its Parent taxonomies setting at the parent field.

    The Edit Field form for the Model field with the Parent taxonomies box, reading Make, highlighted below Required, Multilevel, Search Logic (OR), Allow Multiple Values and Field dependency.
  4. 4 Assign models to makes

    Now you can assign Models to Makes while adding a new term.

    The WordPress term screen for the Model taxonomy, with arrows pointing at Model in the sidebar and at the Parent Make box, which reads 'Not set', above the Add New Model button.
  5. 5 Or set the parent later

    You can also do it when you edit an existing option.

    The Edit Model screen for the term 8-series, with an arrow pointing at the Parent Make box, which reads BMW.

How the relation works on the front end

This way you connect Makes and Models, and it works like this on your front-end panel Submit Listing page.

The submit listing form with Make set to BMW and the Model dropdown open next to it, offering only 8-series.

And on the search forms:

A horizontal search form with Vehicles, Cars and BMW selected and the Model dropdown open below, listing 8-series with a result count of 1.
Hide the child until the parent is chosen
On all search forms you can disable the child field until the parent field is selected.
Elementor settings for search item #3: Field set to Model, Control Select, Searchable off, Term Count on, When term has no results set to Hide, and 'Disable until parent field is selected' switched to YES.

Keep reading

Bulk add terms (Makes, Models, Cities etc) The field dependency on the custom field

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