---
title: "Set sql:inverse attribute on sql:relationship (SQLXML)"
description: "Learn how to use the sql:inverse attribute on the sql:relationship element to specify relationships between database columns in an updategram operation."
author: MikeRayMSFT
ms.author: mikeray
ms.date: "03/17/2017"
ms.service: sql
ms.subservice: xml
ms.topic: "reference"
ms.custom: seo-lt-2019
monikerRange: "=azuresqldb-current||>=sql-server-2016||>=sql-server-linux-2017||=azuresqldb-mi-current"
---
# Specifying the sql:inverse Attribute on sql:relationship (SQLXML 4.0)
[!INCLUDE [SQL Server Azure SQL Database](../../includes/applies-to-version/sql-asdb.md)]
  The **sql:inverse** attribute is useful only when the XSD schema is used for either bulk load or by an updategram. The **sql:inverse** attribute can be specified on the **\<sql:relationship>** element. In updategrams, the updategram logic interprets the schema in determining the tables and columns that are updated by the updategram operation. The parent-child relationships that are specified in the schema determine the order in which the records are modified (inserted or deleted).  
  
 If you have an XSD schema in which the parent-child relationship is specified in the inverse order of the primary-key/foreign-key relationship between the corresponding database columns, the insert or delete updategram operation will fail because of the primary-key/foreign-key violation. In such cases, the **sql:inverse** attribute is specified (**sql:inverse="true"**) in the **\<sql:relationship>** element, and the updategram logic inverses its interpretation of the parent-child relationship specified in the schema.  
  
 The **sql:inverse** attribute takes a Boolean value (0=false, 1=true). The acceptable values are 0, 1, true, and false.  
  
 For a working sample using the **sql:inverse** annotation, see [Specifying an Annotated Mapping Schema in an Updategram](../../relational-databases/sqlxml-annotated-xsd-schemas-xpath-queries/updategrams/specifying-an-annotated-mapping-schema-in-an-updategram-sqlxml-4-0.md).  
  
## See Also  
 [Specifying Relationships Using sql:relationship &#40;SQLXML 4.0&#41;](../../relational-databases/sqlxml-annotated-xsd-schemas-using/specifying-relationships-using-sql-relationship-sqlxml-4-0.md)