> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.teamcaredental.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Set third-party identifier > Resolves the location from the `X-Vendor-Request-Key` header (slot); no `location_id` in the path. This endpoint creates a third-party identifier for a specific location and individual. It is used to associate an external identifier with an individual in the system. #### Parameters - **location_id** (required): The ID of the location where the third-party identifier is to be created. - **individual_id & individual_type** are not required for setting the practice's third party identifier known as external id. - **individual_id & individual_type** are required for setting the employee's third party identifier known as external id. - **individual_id** (optional): The ID of the individual for whom the third-party identifier is being created. - **individual_type** (optional): The type of individual (e.g., Employee). #### Request Body The request body must be in JSON format and should include the following: - **third_party_identifier** (object): Contains the external identifier. - **external_id** (string): The external ID to be associated with the individual. The response will contain a JSON object confirming the creation of the third-party identifier, including any relevant details. ## OpenAPI ````yaml https://app.teamcaredental.com/openapi-vendors-v2.json post /third_party_identifiers openapi: 3.1.0 info: title: TeamCare Vendor API (v2) version: 2.0.0 description: >- Version 2 of the TeamCare Vendor API. HIPAA-compliant and opt-in. ## What changed from v1 The data endpoints and response shapes are identical to v1 — **only how you address a location changes.** In v1 the location lived in every URL (`/locations/{location_id}/patients`). In v2 you request a **slot** for a location once, then send the returned `request_key` in the `X-Vendor-Request-Key` header; `location_id` is gone from the data routes. ## Request cycle 1. `POST /auth/token` → JWT (unchanged from v1). 2. `GET /organizations`, `GET /locations` → pick a `location_id`. 3. `POST /locations/{location_id}/slots` → `{ request_key, expires_at }`. 4. Call any data endpoint with header `X-Vendor-Request-Key: ` (no `location_id` in the path). ## Minimal changes to migrate - Point your base URL at `https://api.teamcaredental.com/api/v2/vendors` (v2 is served from `api.teamcaredental.com`, not `app.teamcaredental.com`). - Call the slot endpoint **once per location**. - Drop `/locations/{location_id}` from your data paths and add the `X-Vendor-Request-Key` header. - Everything else — authentication, Ransack `q` filters, pagination, response shapes — is unchanged. ## Slot validity, cooldown & quota - **Validity:** a `request_key` is valid for **6 hours** — the same lifetime as the access token. After that it stops authorizing and you must request a new slot. - **Cooldown:** you can only re-request the **same** location's slot once every **2 minutes**. Within the cooldown the slot endpoint returns `429` with a `retry_after` (seconds). - **Quota:** each firm may hold up to its `concurrent_slots` quota (default **10**) active request keys at once, so data for at most 10 locations can be pulled concurrently. Requesting an 11th slot trims the oldest key, so its `request_key` stops authorizing immediately and any in-flight requests using it fail with `401`. To raise the quota above 10, contact TeamCare support. - **Rate limit:** the slot endpoint accepts at most 10 requests per 10 seconds per token. ## Recommended usage Request a slot for a location and pull **all** of that location's data in one pass before moving on — don't re-request slots per call or churn between locations. If you fan out across locations in parallel, keep the fan-out at or below your quota: once an 11th slot is requested, the oldest `request_key` is invalidated even if a sync is still running on it. See the [changelog](https://docs.teamcaredental.com/changelog) for the full list of changes from v1. servers: - url: https://api.teamcaredental.com/api/v2/vendors security: - bearerAuth: [] paths: /third_party_identifiers: post: tags: - Externals summary: Set third-party identifier description: >- Resolves the location from the `X-Vendor-Request-Key` header (slot); no `location_id` in the path. This endpoint creates a third-party identifier for a specific location and individual. It is used to associate an external identifier with an individual in the system. #### Parameters - **location_id** (required): The ID of the location where the third-party identifier is to be created. - **individual_id & individual_type** are not required for setting the practice's third party identifier known as external id. - **individual_id & individual_type** are required for setting the employee's third party identifier known as external id. - **individual_id** (optional): The ID of the individual for whom the third-party identifier is being created. - **individual_type** (optional): The type of individual (e.g., Employee). #### Request Body The request body must be in JSON format and should include the following: - **third_party_identifier** (object): Contains the external identifier. - **external_id** (string): The external ID to be associated with the individual. The response will contain a JSON object confirming the creation of the third-party identifier, including any relevant details. operationId: locations_resources_externals_set parameters: - name: individual_id in: query required: false schema: type: integer example: 158821 description: >- The ID of the individual for whom the third-party identifier is being created. - name: individual_type in: query required: false schema: type: string example: Employee description: The type of individual (e.g., Employee). requestBody: required: true content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: third_party_identifier: type: object properties: external_id: type: string example: '' description: The external ID to be associated with the individual. description: Contains the external identifier. example: third_party_identifier: external_id: '' responses: '200': description: Successful response content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: data: type: object properties: id: type: string type: type: string attributes: type: object properties: external_id: type: string example: data: id: string type: string attributes: external_id: string '401': description: >- Missing/invalid/expired JWT, or missing/invalid/expired X-Vendor-Request-Key. content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: errors: type: string example: errors: not authorized '403': description: The credential may not access this resource. content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: errors: type: string example: errors: access Denied '404': description: Resource not found. content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: errors: type: string example: errors: resource not found '422': description: The request could not be processed. content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: errors: type: string example: errors: ... security: - bearerAuth: [] vendorRequestKey: [] components: securitySchemes: bearerAuth: type: http scheme: bearer bearerFormat: JWT description: JWT returned by POST /auth/token. Valid for six hours. vendorRequestKey: type: apiKey in: header name: X-Vendor-Request-Key description: >- Request key returned by POST /locations/{location_id}/slots. Identifies the practice for a data request; valid for 6 hours (the access token's lifetime) and subject to the firm's concurrent-slot quota. ```` This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.