How do I add an item using the ORCID API?

Items (works, employment, funding, peer review etc) can be added to an ORCID record using the ORCID member API. To do this, you must first obtain permission from the researcher using OAuth and format the item metadata using the ORCID message schema.

Once you’ve formatted the data and collected the ORCID iD and access token, you make an API request using HTTP POST, specifying the relevant endpoint.

Method: POST
Content-type: application/vnd.orcid+xml or application/vnd.orcid+json
Authorization type and Access token: Bearer [stored access token]
Data: link to file or text of single employment item to add
URL: https://api.sandbox.orcid.org/v3.0/[ORCID iD]/employment

The call below adds a new employment affiliation to a record on the sandbox testing server:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>      
<employment:employment [...]>     
[...]            
</employment:employment>

Example call: Github

The API will return a 201 message to indicate that the item posted correctly, along with the item’s put code. Your client will be listed as the source of the item.

Check our troubleshooting page if a different message is returned. You will need to save the  store the put code and access token to make any updates or remove the item.