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Available exclusively for the Dedicated edition. For mid-to-large customers, YiDA integrates deeply with the DingTalk organization connectivity framework and delivers a cross-organization solution for business digitalization. Key highlights include support for DingTalk affiliated organizations (now renamed parent-child organizations) and DingTalk upstream-downstream organizations. The parent-child model fits top-down functional structures such as education and county-level entities, while the upstream-downstream model is better suited for cross-organization connectivity scenarios between enterprises.

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What Is a DingTalk Upstream-Downstream Organization

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Use Cases

Solution: upstream-downstream organizations. Primary scenario: efficient collaboration for business exchanges with partners.
  • Target audience: organizations with stable business relationships, especially in enterprise-centric upstream-downstream supply chain scenarios that need an authentic, trustworthy platform for communication and collaboration.
  • Solution: the enterprise creates an upstream-downstream organization and invites partners to join, enabling authentic and trusted communication and collaboration inside it.
High-frequency inter-organization business collaboration
  • Typical use cases: upstream-downstream partnerships such as suppliers, distributors, service providers, and external ecosystem employees.
  • A communication and collaboration framework of “enterprise — upstream-downstream supply chain partners” built on the primary organization.
  • Ensures long-term cooperation and business continuity.

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Core Capabilities

● Upstream-downstream Contacts ● Upstream-downstream workbench

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Upstream-Downstream Scenario Support

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Core Benefits

  • Verified identity — prevents dealings with external contacts who have already left their company.
  • Uninterrupted collaboration — you are notified immediately when a contact departs, and handover happens right away.
  • Isolated permissions — suppliers see supplier-related systems, and distributors see distributor-related systems.

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Access the App (Available Only for Verified Organizations)

Admins can go to DingTalk mobile app → Contacts → find the target organization → tap Manage → Connectivity Platform → Upstream-downstream organizations, or open the upstream-downstream organization app directly from the workbench. (How to grant Admin permissions) Users already added to an upstream-downstream organization can access it via DingTalk mobile app → Contacts → Upstream-downstream organizations, or open the upstream-downstream organization app directly from the workbench.

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Cross-Organization Connectivity Powered by YiDA Upstream-Downstream

Publish YiDA apps to DingTalk upstream-downstream organizations.

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1. Publish Apps to the Downstream Workbench with One Click

Apps built by the upstream organization can be published to the downstream workbench with a single click.

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2. Centralized Upstream Management for Reliable and Secure Operations

Business permissions, approval rules, and authorization lists are managed centrally by the upstream organization, resolving management difficulties and information leakage risks for the primary enterprise.

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1. Centralized License Management

Licenses are purchased and allocated centrally by the primary organization. Data changes are reflected in real time on the primary organization’s reports and dashboards.

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3. Timely Notifications for Key Events

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3. Downstream Users Use the App to Submit Data and Participate in Approvals

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FAQs

A: See the example below. The image shows the license usage of the primary organization: 2,000+200=2,200 seats are consumed, with 800 seats remaining. If the downstream organization purchases YiDA independently, it is used as a Standard organization.
Downstream users can currently submit forms, participate in workflow approvals (as single regular submissions, not batch submissions), view reports, and trigger integration & automation and Cool App message cards after submission. Other features are not yet individually adapted. For the latest updates, follow the product release notes.
Downstream organizations can see apps published by the upstream organization and initiate workflows. However, during workflow instance transitions (such as transfers and sign requests), only users within the initiator’s own organization can be selected.For example: upstream organization A and downstream organization B, with upstream App X published to the downstream organization.
  • Scenario 1: User a belongs to downstream organization B. They can only initiate workflows within organization B, and during workflow routing, only users in organization B’s Contacts can be selected.
  • Scenario 2: User b belongs to both the upstream and downstream organizations.
An upstream-downstream organization is an [external communication and collaboration platform] that connects enterprises with their partners. It enables cross-organization user discovery, automatic exit upon offboarding, information sharing, and app connectivity, delivering efficient and secure collaboration within the upstream-downstream organization.
They fit upstream-downstream partnerships such as suppliers, distributors, franchisees, HR outsourcing management, and external ecosystem employees.
Different organizations can configure shared Contacts and use shared apps within the upstream-downstream organization.
Verification is not required, but the number of organizations that can be created and the user capacity differ for unverified organizations compared to verified ones.
A verified organization can create up to 10 free upstream-downstream organizations by default, with a maximum of 3,000 users per Space. To expand capacity, contact our support team.
Up to 5.
Up to 800.
The Super Admin of a verified organization, or a Sub Admin with the upstream-downstream organization permission scope, can create one in the DingTalk app under Organization Management - Connectivity Platform - Upstream-downstream organizations. For detailed steps, see the screenshots in the user guide.
Upstream-downstream organizationApply / Create / Initiate / ManageAction path
1. Any Super Admin
2. Sub Admins with the upstream-downstream organization permission scope		Path for organizations initiating an upstream-downstream organization: DingTalk app - Contacts - Upstream-downstream organizations - specific upstream-downstream organization - Settings in the upper-right corner
Path for member organizations: DingTalk app - Contacts - Organization Management - Upstream-downstream organizations - specific upstream-downstream organization - Settings in the upper-right corner
Configuring user sync for an upstream-downstream organization requires access to the entire organization’s Contacts. For this reason, neither regular users nor Sub Admins can create or manage upstream-downstream organizations. In addition, upstream-downstream organizations serve as an organization’s official external connectivity channel, so approval from the organization’s Admin is required to avoid security risks.
After creating an upstream-downstream organization, the Admin can send the Space’s QR Code or invitation link to the organizations that need to join. The Super Admin of these organizations can scan the QR Code or open the link to apply. Once the upstream-downstream organization’s Admin reviews and approves the application, they can join. When applying, you can specify which users or departments in your organization should join, or choose the entire Organization Structure.
Whether you are the organization that created the Space or an organization applying to join, both can specify which users or departments should join. When these users or departments experience onboarding, transfer, or offboarding, the related changes are automatically synced to the upstream-downstream organization.
In real time.
Users of the primary organization that initiated the upstream-downstream organization can, by default, see all member organizations that have joined.Member organizations that join can, by default, only see their own organization. The upstream-downstream organization Admin can go to Associated Organizations and configure visibility for each joined organization.
Yes. For large customers, a bulk invitation API is available. Contact your business or operations representative for details.
Yes. Sign in to the developer backend as the upstream-downstream organization and create internal apps for it. (As of November 2021: we plan to support data interoperability between custom apps of the primary organization and the upstream-downstream organization.)
Go to the DingTalk Developer Backend, scan the QR Code to sign in as the upstream-downstream organization, and follow the process to create an internal app. Once published, the app appears on the upstream-downstream organization’s Home, and all users who have joined the organization can use it.
If your organization has joined an upstream-downstream organization and you are a member, find it under the Contacts tab - Upstream-downstream organizations. If your organization has not yet joined, go to Organization Management - Connectivity Platform - Upstream-downstream organizations.
No. The upstream-downstream organization Admin can only edit the departments or table of contents within the upstream-downstream organization, placing member organizations under different departments or directories.
There are two ways to leave: 1. The Admin who created the upstream-downstream organization can cancel the association with a member organization, removing the entire member organization; 2. The Super Admin of a member organization can manage the users linked to the upstream-downstream organization, removing specific users or departments.
From the upstream-downstream organization Home, select Initiate Collaboration Chat.
In the Group Chat, each user’s real identity from their original organization is displayed. If a user leaves their original organization, they are automatically removed from the upstream-downstream organization and the Collaboration Chat.
Not currently supported.

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Learn More About DingTalk Upstream-Downstream:

Supply chain upstream-downstream — from DingTalk User Guide https://alidocs.dingtalk.com/i/p/Y7kmbokZp3pgGLq2/docs/NkPaj7GAXdpWOLRdPq9aVqwgylnomz9B?utm_medium=dingdoc_doc_plugin_url&utm_source=dingdoc_doc