> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.bird.com/api/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.bird.com/api/contacts-api/api-reference/manage-workspace-contacts/create-or-update-a-contact-by-identifier.md).

# Create or update a contact by identifier

{% openapi src="<https://global--openapi-specs--151603429280--use1.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/joined-specs/openapi.yml>" path="/workspaces/{workspaceId}/contacts/identifiers/{identifierKey}/{identifierValue}" method="patch" %}
<https://global--openapi-specs--151603429280--use1.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/joined-specs/openapi.yml>
{% endopenapi %}

## Examples

Let's establish some of our data that will be used in the following examples:

* **Workspace ID**: a1405560-c8d3-4b1a-877d-3f449ad95352
* **AccessKey:** abcd
* **Contact ID**: 12bd0e40-9361-4e32-8b26-99b4ab7eae09

### Update contact's identifiers

In this example, we're updating a contact providing identifiers. To know more about identifiers, please refer to [this documentation](/api/contacts-api/api-reference/manage-contact-identifiers.md).

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Request" %}

```bash
curl -X PATCH "https://api.bird.com/workspaces/a1405560-c8d3-4b1a-877d-3f449ad95352/contacts/identifiers/emailaddress/contacts@example.com" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: AccessKey abcd" \
-d '{
  "addIdentifiers": [
    {
      "key": "phonenumber",
      "value": "+31412345678"
    }
  ]
}'
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Response (200 OK)" %}

```json
{
  "id": "12bd0e40-9361-4e32-8b26-99b4ab7eae09",
  "computedDisplayName": "John",
  "featuredIdentifiers": [
    {
      "key": "emailaddress",
      "value": "contacts@example.com"
    },
    {
      "key": "phonenumber",
      "value": "+31412345678"
    }
  ],
  "identifierCount": 1,
  "attributes": {
    "firstName": "John",
    "initialReference": "32d6f4f9-7e9c-4271-bd83-9d6976808f2f",
    "lastName": "Doe",
    "timezone": "America/Sao_Paulo"
  },
  "createdAt": "2024-11-26T15:00:00.000Z",
  "updatedAt": "2024-11-26T15:00:00.000Z"
}
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

### Update contact's attributes

In this example, we're updating a contact providing attributes. To know more about attributes, please refer to [this documentation](/api/contacts-api/api-reference/manage-contact-attribute-definition.md).

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Request" %}

```bash
curl -X PATCH "https://api.bird.com/workspaces/a1405560-c8d3-4b1a-877d-3f449ad95352/contacts/identifiers/emailaddress/contacts@example.com" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: AccessKey abcd" \
-d '{
  "attributes": {
    "countryCode": "US"
  }
}'
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Response (200 OK)" %}

```json
{
  "id": "12bd0e40-9361-4e32-8b26-99b4ab7eae09",
  "computedDisplayName": "John",
  "featuredIdentifiers": [
    {
      "key": "emailaddress",
      "value": "contacts@example.com"
    }
  ],
  "identifierCount": 1,
  "attributes": {
    "firstName": "John",
    "initialReference": "32d6f4f9-7e9c-4271-bd83-9d6976808f2f",
    "lastName": "Doe",
    "timezone": "America/Sao_Paulo",
    "countryCode": "US"
  },
  "createdAt": "2024-11-26T15:00:00.000Z",
  "updatedAt": "2024-11-26T15:00:00.000Z"
}
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

### Create a new contact

In this example, we're creating a new contact because the provided identifier is not being used by any existing contacts.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Request" %}

```bash
curl -X PATCH "https://api.bird.com/workspaces/a1405560-c8d3-4b1a-877d-3f449ad95352/contacts/identifiers/emailaddress/contacts@example.com" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: AccessKey abcd" \
-d '{
  "attributes": {
    "firstName": "John",
    "lastName": "Doe",
    "countryCode": "US"
  },
  "addIdentifiers": [
    {
      "key": "phonenumber",
      "value": "+31412345678"
    }
  ]
}'
```

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Response (201 Created)" %}

```json
{
  "id": "12bd0e40-9361-4e32-8b26-99b4ab7eae09",
  "computedDisplayName": "John",
  "featuredIdentifiers": [
    {
      "key": "emailaddress",
      "value": "contacts@example.com"
    },
    {
      "key": "phonenumber",
      "value": "+31412345678"
    }
  ],
  "identifierCount": 1,
  "attributes": {
    "firstName": "John",
    "initialReference": "32d6f4f9-7e9c-4271-bd83-9d6976808f2f",
    "lastName": "Doe",
    "timezone": "America/Sao_Paulo",
    "countryCode": "US"
  },
  "createdAt": "2024-11-26T15:00:00.000Z",
  "updatedAt": "2024-11-26T15:00:00.000Z"
}
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}


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