How to Send Messages to an API Channel | LiveDesk Channels API

Because the API Channel does not support implicit contact creation, sending messages through the LiveDesk API Channel involves the following three steps:

Create a contact
Create a conversation based on the contact information
Send a message

Create a Contact

Request URL

https://livedesk-api.engagelab.com/api/v2/accounts/contacts

Request Example

curl -X POST https://livedesk-api.engagelab.com/api/v2/accounts/contacts \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -H 'Authorization: Basic base64(api_key:api_secret)' \ { "inbox_id": 407, "name": "Test", // Optional "email": "alice@acme.inc", "phone_number": "+123456789", "avatar_url": "https://example.com/avatar.png", "identifier": "1234567890" }

              
              curl -X POST https://livedesk-api.engagelab.com/api/v2/accounts/contacts \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-H 'Authorization: Basic base64(api_key:api_secret)' \
{
    "inbox_id": 407,
    "name": "Test",                   // Optional
    "email": "alice@acme.inc",
    "phone_number": "+123456789",
    "avatar_url": "https://example.com/avatar.png",
    "identifier": "1234567890"
}

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Request Headers

Field	Type	Description
Authorization	string	Authenticate using `Authorization: Basic base64(API Key:API Secret)`. Go to the API Keys page to obtain the API Key and API Secret, join them with a colon, and encode them using Base64.
Content-Type	application/json	Data type. Use `application/json` for regular text messages.

Request Body Parameters

Field	Type	Required	Description
inbox_id	String	Yes	Channel ID. This corresponds to the Channel ID under Project Settings > Channels > Specific Channel > Settings.
name	String	No	Contact name.
email	String	No	Email address.
phone_number	String	No	Contact phone number.
avatar_url	String	No	Avatar URL.
identifier	String	No	User identifier.

Response Example

{ "payload": { "contact": { "additional_attributes": {}, "availability_status": "offline", "email": null, "id": 2219259, "name": "Test", "phone_number": null, "blocked": false, "identifier": null, "thumbnail": "", "custom_attributes": {}, "created_at": 1766571703, "contact_inboxes": [] }, "contact_inbox": { "inbox": null, "source_id": null } } }

              
              {
    "payload": {
        "contact": {
            "additional_attributes": {},
            "availability_status": "offline",
            "email": null,
            "id": 2219259,
            "name": "Test",
            "phone_number": null,
            "blocked": false,
            "identifier": null,
            "thumbnail": "",
            "custom_attributes": {},
            "created_at": 1766571703,
            "contact_inboxes": []
        },
        "contact_inbox": {
            "inbox": null,
            "source_id": null
        }
    }
}

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Response Parameters

Field	Type	Required	Description
additional_attributes	Object	No	Additional attributes.
availability_status	String	No	Online status. The default is `offline`.
email	String	No	Email address.
id	String	No	Contact ID.
name	String	No	Name.
phone_number	String	No	Phone number.
blocked	String	No	Whether the contact is blocked. The default is `false`.
identifier	String	No	User identifier.
thumbnail	String	No	Thumbnail URL.
custom_attributes	String	No	Custom attributes.
created_at	String	No	Creation timestamp.
contact_inboxes	Array	No	Contact inboxes.
inbox	String	No	Channel inbox.
source_id	String	No	Source ID.

Create a Conversation

Request URL

https://livedesk-api.engagelab.com/api/v2/accounts/conversations

Request Example

curl -X POST https://livedesk-api.engagelab.com/api/v2/accounts/conversations \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -H 'Authorization: Basic base64(api_key:api_secret)' \ { "inbox_id": 407, // Required "contact_id": 2219256, // Either contact_id or source_id can be passed, but one must be provided to correctly identify the sender "source_id": "123456789" }

              
              curl -X POST https://livedesk-api.engagelab.com/api/v2/accounts/conversations \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-H 'Authorization: Basic base64(api_key:api_secret)' \
{
  "inbox_id": 407,              // Required
  "contact_id": 2219256,        // Either contact_id or source_id can be passed, but one must be provided to correctly identify the sender
  "source_id": "123456789"
}

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Request Header Parameters

Field	Type	Description
Authorization	string	Authenticate using `Authorization: Basic base64(API Key:API Secret)`. Go to the API Keys page to obtain the API Key and API Secret, join them with a colon, and encode them using Base64.
Content-Type	application/json	Data type. Use `application/json` for regular text messages.

Request Body Parameters

Field	Type	Required	Description
inbox_id	String	Yes	Channel ID. This is the same ID used in the Create Contact API.
contact_id	String	No	Contact ID. This is the `id` returned in the response from the Create Contact API.
source_id	String	No	Source ID.

Response Example

{ "meta": { "sender": { "additional_attributes": {}, "availability_status": "offline", "email": null, "id": 2219256, "name": "wjTest", "phone_number": null, "blocked": false, "identifier": null, "thumbnail": "", "custom_attributes": {}, "created_at": 1766571624 }, "channel": "Channel::Api", "hmac_verified": false }, "id": 40, "messages": [], "account_id": 17623000010928, "uuid": "660ce36f-46bb-4153-948c-8a26e6dab634", "inbox_id": 407, "additional_attributes": {}, "agent_last_seen_at": 0, "assignee_last_seen_at": 0, "can_reply": true, "contact_last_seen_at": 0, "custom_attributes": {}, "labels": [], "muted": false, "snoozed_until": null, "status": "open", "priority": null, "conversation_category": "chat", "chat_mode": "private_chat", "is_forum": false, "created_at": 1766572062, "updated_at": 1766572062.5803902, "timestamp": 1766572062, "first_reply_created_at": 0, "unread_count": 0, "last_non_activity_message": null, "last_activity_at": 1766572062, "waiting_since": 1766572062, "sla_policy_id": null, "ticket_id": null, "over_limit": false, "content_preview": { "content": null, "message_type": null, "created_at": null }, "platform": { "channel_type": "Channel::Api", "inbox_name": "JennyApi", "inbox_id": 407 }, "account_info": { "contact_name": "wjTest", "contact_email": null, "contact_phone": null, "contact_id": 2219256, "contact_avatar": "" }, "assignment": { "assignee_id": null, "assignee_name": null, "assignee_email": null, "team_id": null, "team_name": null } }

              
              {
    "meta": {
        "sender": {
            "additional_attributes": {},
            "availability_status": "offline",
            "email": null,
            "id": 2219256,
            "name": "wjTest",
            "phone_number": null,
            "blocked": false,
            "identifier": null,
            "thumbnail": "",
            "custom_attributes": {},
            "created_at": 1766571624
        },
        "channel": "Channel::Api",
        "hmac_verified": false
    },
    "id": 40,
    "messages": [],
    "account_id": 17623000010928,
    "uuid": "660ce36f-46bb-4153-948c-8a26e6dab634",
    "inbox_id": 407,
    "additional_attributes": {},
    "agent_last_seen_at": 0,
    "assignee_last_seen_at": 0,
    "can_reply": true,
    "contact_last_seen_at": 0,
    "custom_attributes": {},
    "labels": [],
    "muted": false,
    "snoozed_until": null,
    "status": "open",
    "priority": null,
    "conversation_category": "chat",
    "chat_mode": "private_chat",
    "is_forum": false,
    "created_at": 1766572062,
    "updated_at": 1766572062.5803902,
    "timestamp": 1766572062,
    "first_reply_created_at": 0,
    "unread_count": 0,
    "last_non_activity_message": null,
    "last_activity_at": 1766572062,
    "waiting_since": 1766572062,
    "sla_policy_id": null,
    "ticket_id": null,
    "over_limit": false,
    "content_preview": {
        "content": null,
        "message_type": null,
        "created_at": null
    },
    "platform": {
        "channel_type": "Channel::Api",
        "inbox_name": "JennyApi",
        "inbox_id": 407
    },
    "account_info": {
        "contact_name": "wjTest",
        "contact_email": null,
        "contact_phone": null,
        "contact_id": 2219256,
        "contact_avatar": ""
    },
    "assignment": {
        "assignee_id": null,
        "assignee_name": null,
        "assignee_email": null,
        "team_id": null,
        "team_name": null
    }
}

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Response Parameters

Field	Type	Required	Description
meta	Object	No	Metadata object.
sender	Object	No	Sender information.
additional_attributes	Object	No	Additional attributes.
availability_status	String	No	Availability status.
email	Null	No	Email address.
id	Number	No	Contact ID.
name	String	No	Sender name.
phone_number	Null	No	Phone number.
blocked	Boolean	No	Whether the contact is blocked.
identifier	Null	No	User identifier.
thumbnail	String	No	Thumbnail.
custom_attributes	Object	No	Custom attributes.
created_at	Number	No	Conversation creation timestamp.
channel	String	No	Channel type.
hmac_verified	Boolean	No	HMAC verification status.
id	Number	No	Conversation ID.
messages	Array	No	Message array.
account_id	Number	No	Project ID.
uuid	String	No	Unique identifier.
inbox_id	Number	No	Channel ID.
additional_attributes	Object	No	Additional attributes.
agent_last_seen_at	Number	No	Time when the agent last viewed or handled the conversation.
assignee_last_seen_at	Number	No	Time when the assignee last viewed or handled the conversation.
can_reply	Boolean	No	Whether a reply can be sent.
contact_last_seen_at	Number	No	Time when the contact was last seen.
custom_attributes	Object	No	Custom attributes.
labels	Array	No	Label array.
muted	Boolean	No	Whether the conversation is muted.
snoozed_until	Null	No	Time until which the conversation is snoozed.
status	String	No	Status.
priority	Null	No	Priority.
conversation_category	String	No	Conversation category.
chat_mode	String	No	Chat mode.
is_forum	Boolean	No	Whether it is a forum.
created_at	Number	No	Creation timestamp.
updated_at	Number	No	Update timestamp.
timestamp	Number	No	Timestamp.
first_reply_created_at	Number	No	Time when the first reply was created.
unread_count	Number	No	Unread count.
last_non_activity_message	Null	No	Last non-activity message.
last_activity_at	Number	No	Last activity time.
waiting_since	Number	No	Time when waiting began.
sla_policy_id	Null	No	SLA policy ID.
ticket_id	Null	No	Ticket ID.
over_limit	Boolean	No	Whether the limit has been exceeded.
content_preview	Object	No	Content preview.
content_preview.content	Null	No	Preview content.
content_preview.message_type	Null	No	Message type.
content_preview.created_at	Null	No	Creation time.
platform	Object	No	Platform information.
channel_type	String	No	Channel type.
inbox_name	String	No	Inbox name.
inbox_id	Number	No	Inbox ID.
account_info	Object	No	Account information.
contact_name	String	No	Contact name.
contact_email	Null	No	Contact email.
contact_phone	Null	No	Contact phone number.
contact_id	Number	No	Contact ID.
contact_avatar	String	No	Contact avatar.
assignment	Object	No	Assignment information.
assignee_id	Null	No	Assignee ID.
assignee_name	Null	No	Assignee name.
assignee_email	Null	No	Assignee email.
team_id	Null	No	Team ID.
team_name	Null	No	Team name.

Send a Message

Request URL

https://livedesk-api.engagelab.com/api/v2/accounts/conversations/:conversation_id/messages

Request Example

curl -X POST 'https://livedesk-api.engagelab.com/api/v2/accounts/conversations/:conversation_id/messages' \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ -H 'Authorization: Basic base64(api_key:api_secret)' \ -d '{ "content": "The customer service representative sent a message. Is this normal?", "private": false, "message_type": "incoming", "content_attributes": { "in_reply_to": 29 } }'

              
              curl -X POST 'https://livedesk-api.engagelab.com/api/v2/accounts/conversations/:conversation_id/messages' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-H 'Authorization: Basic base64(api_key:api_secret)' \
-d '{
    "content": "The customer service representative sent a message. Is this normal?",
    "private": false,
    "message_type": "incoming",
    "content_attributes": {
        "in_reply_to": 29
    }
}'

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Request Headers

Field	Type	Description
Authorization	string	Authenticate using `Authorization: Basic base64(API Key:API Secret)`. Go to the API Keys page to obtain the API Key and API Secret, join them with a colon, and encode them using Base64.
Content-Type	application/json	Data type. Use `application/json` for regular text messages.

Request Body Parameters

Field	Type	Required	Description
content	String	Yes	Message content.
private	Boolean	No	Whether this is a private message. The default is `false`.
message_type	String	No	Message type: `outgoing` or `incoming`. These indicate messages sent by the customer service representative and the user, respectively. If not specified, the default is `outgoing`.
content_attributes	String	No	Content attributes.
in_reply_to	String	No	Reply target content.