How to differentiate between contacts created via UI import and API import

[Anya23]

Does anyone know how one can differentiate between contacts created via the import UI and those created via the import API endpoint?  Their record source is "Import" for both.

[Gaurav_Aggarwal · Accepted solution]

Hey @Anya23 

You can view Record Source properties, which provide information about how records were created and how they interact with your business.

The Record Source property tells you how records were originally created in your CRM kindly follow this article here

[Anya23]

The record source detail 1 is moderately helpful, though it's just a string so makes groups somewhat difficult to search for.  I.e. yes, it's different for imports from the UI and API, but it's also different within those groups.

[ScottPennwood · Accepted solution]

Fantastic - depending on where you're looking to differentiate you can use the filter "Does not include any of" and then add .xlsx, .xls, .csv etc to exclude the Import UI ones.

Edit - And actually to follow up on this thought, you could easily create a custom property called "CUSTOM CREATED BY" and do the following with it:

- Set API function to update this property to "API" whenever contact is created - could help going forward if you're able to do this

- Use workflow to update this property to "UI" whenever ".csv" or ".xlsx" appears in the Record Source Detail column - and can help sort backwards too

[Anya23]

They do not always contain one of those suffixes.  We have such a property, unfortunately it was misused and was set to API for both, that's why I'm trying to find another way to differentiate

[ScottPennwood]

Hi @Anya23,

Have you checked "Record Source Detail 1"?

Import UI always lists the name of the file that was uploaded, perhaps the API handles this differently? 

[Gaurav_Aggarwal]

@Anya23 

For now I can only see this list of sources for the possible Record Source values. 

[Gaurav_Aggarwal · Accepted solution]

Hey @Anya23 

You can view Record Source properties, which provide information about how records were created and how they interact with your business.

The Record Source property tells you how records were originally created in your CRM kindly follow this article here