Update Contact

Objective: To modify specific fields of an existing contact record without creating a duplicate. This is used when a lead updates their information or when a workflow requires a status change (e.g., adding a tag).

1. Endpoint Configuration

HTTP Method: PATCH
Base URL: https://api.assistable.ai/v2/contacts/
Path Parameter: :id (This corresponds to the specific contact_id generated upon creation)

Full Request URL:

https://api.assistable.ai/v2/contacts/{contact_id}

Crucial Difference: Unlike the Create Contact endpoint which uses the location_id in the URL, this endpoint requires the specific contact_id.

2. Payload Preparation (Request Body)

The request body uses JSON. Since this is a PATCH request, you typically only need to include the fields you wish to update. However, the full schema is available if a complete overwrite is necessary.

Field	Type	Description
`first_name`	String	Updates the first name.
`last_name`	String	Updates the last name.
`phone_number`	String	Updates the phone number. Must follow E.164 format.
`email`	String	Updates the email address.
`tags`	Array	Overwrites the current tag list. Ensure you include existing tags if you want to keep them.
`custom_fields`	Object	Updates specific custom data points.

Example JSON Payload

Scenario: Fixing a typo in the name and adding a new tag.

JSON

{
  "first_name": "Jorden",
  "last_name": "Williams",
  "tags": [
    "lead-form-submitted",
    "contacted-via-phone"
  ]
}

3. Execution Steps

Retrieve Contact ID: Ensure you have the UUID (id) of the contact you wish to update. This is usually stored from the initial Create Contact response or retrieved via a Get Contact query.
Construct Payload: Create a JSON object containing only the fields that need changing (unless a full replace is intended).
Send Request: Execute the PATCH request to the specific contact URL.
Validate Response: Confirm the response returns the updated contact object with the updated_at timestamp refreshed.

4. Response Verification

A successful request returns the fully updated contact object. Verify that the fields you intended to change are reflected in the response.

Success Response Example:

JSON

{
    "id": "3a0b342a-46eb-430a-8ea3-dba2a4d450f7",
    "workspace_id": "test-workspace",
    "location_id": "test-location",
    "first_name": "Jorden",
    "last_name": "Williams",
    "phone_number": "+17702967271",
    "email": "jorden@assistable.ai",
    "tags": [],
    "meta": {},
    "custom_fields": {},
    "attribution": {},
    "integration": {},
    "dnd": {},
    "created_at": "2025-12-03T18:50:51.906176+00:00",
    "updated_at": "2025-12-03T19:07:55.343337+00:00"
}

5. Troubleshooting

404 Not Found: The contact_id in the URL does not exist. Double-check that you are using the Contact ID and not the Location ID.
Tags Disappeared: If you send a tags array, it often replaces the existing array rather than appending. Ensure you fetch existing tags and merge them with new ones before sending the request if your goal is to append.