# Identify API not Updating Other Fields

**URL:** <https://community.hubspot.com/t/identify-api-not-updating-other-fields/111008>\
**Category:** APIs & Integrations\
**Tags:** contacts\
**Created:** [July 10, 2024, 12:02am UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/identify-api-not-updating-other-fields/111008 "2024-07-10T00:02:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jbgrunewald](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/82dd89/32.png) [@jbgrunewald](https://community.hubspot.com/u/jbgrunewald)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 12:02am UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/identify-api-not-updating-other-fields/111008/1 "2024-07-10T00:02:23Z")

</div>

Greetings,

I’m able to use the identify function to create a new contact, but I’m unable to create a contact with the other properties. I’ve tried using simple built in properties like firstname and lastname, as well as custom properties.  
Here’s an example:

```lia-code-sample
_hsq.push(["identify",{
 email: 'james_test@fake.com',
 firstname: 'Identify Test Email 1',
 lastname: 'From Page 2'
}]);
_hsq.push(['trackPageView']);

```

The contact is created, but the first and last name are not added.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HMir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dec6dc/32.png) [@HMir](https://community.hubspot.com/u/HMir)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2024, 3:03pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/identify-api-not-updating-other-fields/111008/2 "2024-12-02T15:03:14Z")

</div>

> * * *
> 
> @jbgrunewald wrote:
> 
> Greetings,
> 
> I’m able to use the identify function to create a new contact, but I’m unable to create a contact with the other properties. I’ve tried using simple built in properties like firstname and lastname, as well as custom properties.  
> Here’s an example:

```lia-code-sample
_hsq.push(["identify",{
 email: 'james_test@fake.com',
 firstname: 'Identify Test Email 1',
 lastname: 'From Page 2'
}]);
_hsq.push(['trackPageView']);

```

The contact is created, but the first and last name are not added.

* * *

It’s best to use the HubSpot Contacts API instead. The Identify function is designed primarily for associating a visitor’s session with an email address, which limits its ability to update additional contact properties. By using the Contacts API, you can send an authenticated request to create or update a contact and include all the necessary properties, such as firstname and lastname.