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API: Create an Object

The API: Create an Object action creates any type of entity in Autotask. This is a low-level API action that makes a single API call, giving you direct control over entity creation.

Single API Call Action

This is a single API call action. You must supply all required parameters (such as Account ID and Contact ID) directly. If you need the system to look up accounts and contacts automatically from an email, use a workflow action instead. Learn more about the difference between workflow actions and single API call actions.

When to Use This Action​

Use this action when:

  • You need to create any Autotask entity type (Ticket, Contact, Account, TicketNote, etc.)
  • You want direct control over exactly which fields are set
  • You're building a custom workflow that requires specific entity creation logic

Consider using workflow actions instead for common scenarios:

Configuration​

Connection​

FieldDescription
Autotask ConnectionSelect the Autotask connection to use. If you have multiple connections, you can override the default.

Entity​

FieldDescription
Autotask Entity Type to CreateThe type of entity to create (e.g., Ticket, Contact, Account, TicketNote).
Entity FieldsConfigure the fields for the new entity. Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*). Click Additional Fields to add more fields including User-Defined Fields.

Advanced​

FieldDescription
Suppress Autotask API exceptionsIf enabled, the workflow continues even if the Autotask API returns an error. Use sparingly.

How to Create an Entity​

  1. Select Autotask Direct API: API: Create an object from the action dropdown
  2. Choose the Autotask Entity Type to Create (e.g., Ticket, Contact, Account)
  3. Configure the required fields (marked with *)
  4. Add any optional fields you want to populate
  5. Optionally store the result in a variable for use in later actions

Required Fields​

Each entity type has different required fields. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) in the field selector are mandatory. Common requirements:

EntityRequired Fields
TicketAccountID, Status, Priority, Title
ContactAccountID, FirstName, LastName
TicketNoteTicketID, Title, Description
AccountAccountName, AccountType

Check the field selector for the specific requirements of your chosen entity type.

Returned Variables​

When you configure Store the results in Variable, the created entity becomes available:

VariableTypeDescription
(root)objectThe created entity with all fields, including the new id

Example usage:

  • {{custom.newTicket.id}}: The ID of the created entity
  • {{custom.newTicket.TicketNumber}}: The ticket number (for Ticket entities)

Example Use Cases​

Create a Ticket Note​

Add a note to an existing ticket:

SettingValue
Entity TypeTicketNote
TicketID{{custom.ticket.id}}
Title{{email.subject}}
Description{{email.body}}
PublishAll Autotask Users

Create a Contact​

Create a new contact from email information:

SettingValue
Entity TypeContact
AccountID{{custom.account.id}}
FirstName{{custom.parsedFirstName}}
LastName{{custom.parsedLastName}}
EMailAddress{{email.from.address}}

Create a Time Entry​

Log time against a ticket:

SettingValue
Entity TypeTimeEntry
TicketID{{custom.ticket.id}}
ResourceID{{custom.resource.id}}
DateWorked{{date}}
HoursWorked0.25

FAQs​

What happens if a required field is missing?​

Autotask returns an error and the entity is not created. Enable "Suppress Autotask API exceptions" to continue the workflow despite errors, or ensure all required fields are populated.

Can I create entities with User-Defined Fields?​

Yes. Click Additional Fields in the entity editor to see available UDFs for the selected entity type.

How do I reference the created entity in later actions?​

Store the result in a variable (e.g., custom.newTicket), then reference it as {{custom.newTicket.id}} or {{custom.newTicket.FieldName}} in subsequent actions.