# Update worker

Update worker is a command in the HeadHoncho API. Change a technician or subcontractor: name, contact, pay, cut, job types, or take them off the roster. Only the fields you send change.

Page: https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/update_worker | Part of the HeadHoncho API docs: https://headhoncho.app/docs/api | Machine-readable: https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/openapi.json | Everything in one file: https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/llms-full.txt

## The request

Reference for **Update worker**, HeadHoncho API v1. It is a command, sent to the base address `https://api.headhoncho.app`.

`POST /api/v1/commands/update-worker`

The key needs the **Team** area at **do**. An answered call costs 1 credit; a refusal costs nothing. See [credits](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#credits).

It runs the app's own command `update-worker`. Send an `Idempotency-Key` header with every call: the same key with the same body returns the first answer and runs nothing twice. See [the model](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/model#idempotency).

## Parameters

| Name | Kind | Required | Description | Example |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `worker_id` | id, in the JSON body | Yes | The technician or subcontractor, from List technicians. | `wrk_3b90` |
| `first_name` | text, in the JSON body | No | The first name. | `Samuel` |
| `last_name` | text, in the JSON body | No | The last name. | None |
| `phone` | text, in the JSON body | No | Any format; stored as E.164. Empty clears it. | None |
| `email` | text, in the JSON body | No | The email. Empty clears it. | None |
| `active` | boolean, in the JSON body | No | false takes them off the roster. true puts them back. | `false` |
| `is_team_lead` | boolean, in the JSON body | No | Technicians only. | None |
| `monthly_pay` | money, in the JSON body | No | A standing monthly rate. Null clears it. Technicians only. | `3400` |
| `hired_on` | date, in the JSON body | No | Technicians only. Null clears it. | None |
| `ended_on` | date, in the JSON body | No | Technicians only. Null clears it. | None |
| `business_name` | text, in the JSON body | No | The subcontractor's business. Subcontractors only. | None |
| `default_cut_basis` | text, in the JSON body | No | job_total, job_profit or fixed_amount. Send with default_cut_value. One of `job_total`, `job_profit`, `fixed_amount`. | None |
| `default_cut_value` | money, in the JSON body | No | The percent, 0 to 100, or the dollars. | None |
| `job_type_ids` | text, in the JSON body | No | Replaces the job types they take, ids comma separated. Empty: all of them. | None |

## Try it with your key

Paste your key and change the values. The box builds the call as a cURL line and a fetch line, ready to copy. It never sends anything itself.

Paste your key on the web page and it fills a cURL line and a fetch line with your key and the example values. The page never sends the key anywhere. The same lines with a placeholder key are under Examples below.

## What comes back

accepted, worker_id, name, changed (the fields you sent) and position. A field that does not fit the person's role, such as monthly_pay on a subcontractor, is refused by name. The role itself cannot change.

It never deletes anything. It changes only what the command names, and it writes the change to the job's history with who asked for it.

## Every field in the answer

Types are read from the example answer. Money is a plain number in the company's currency. A time carries its offset from UTC (`Z` is UTC). Ids are opaque text. A field with no line of its own here has its name spelled out; the common fields mean the same on every page.

| Field | Type | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `accepted` | true or false | True when the command ran. A command that cannot run is an error instead. |
| `worker_id` | id (text) | The id of the worker. |
| `position` | whole number | Where the change landed in the event log. Pass it as `after` on a read to see your own write. |
| `name` | text | The name, as the app shows it. |
| `changed` | list of text | The changed. |

## Taking someone off the roster

Setting active to false stops tickets going to a subcontractor's group, as it does in the app. Their past jobs and balance stay.

## Errors that apply

| Code | Status | What it means |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [`missing_key`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#missing_key) | 401 | Send your key as Authorization: Bearer hh_live_... |
| [`unknown_key`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#unknown_key) | 401 | That key is not one we issued, or it was revoked. |
| [`no_access`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#no_access) | 403 | This credential does not reach that. Ask the person who made it for access. |
| [`read_only`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#read_only) | 403 | This credential may read this area but not change it. |
| [`not_found`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#not_found) | 404 | No such record in the companies this credential reaches. |
| [`invalid`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#invalid) | 422 | Some fields were refused. See fields. |
| [`missing_idempotency_key`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#missing_idempotency_key) | 400 | Send an Idempotency-Key header on every command. |
| [`idempotency_mismatch`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#idempotency_mismatch) | 409 | This Idempotency-Key was used with a different body. |
| [`idempotency_in_progress`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#idempotency_in_progress) | 409 | A command with this Idempotency-Key is still running. Wait a moment and send it again. |
| [`no_credits`](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors#no_credits) | 402 | Out of credits. Top up on Settings › Credits, or turn on auto top-up. |

## Related

- [Create worker](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/create_worker): Add a technician or a subcontractor to the roster. Jobs can go to them at once; they can claim the card later.
- The same records in the app: [the Team panel](https://headhoncho.app/docs/team).
- How the API fits together: [the model](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/model), [API keys](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/keys), [errors](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/errors) and [the MCP server](https://headhoncho.app/docs/api/mcp).

## Examples

### Answer

```json
{
  "accepted": true,
  "worker_id": "wrk_3b90",
  "position": 88601,
  "name": "Dana Reyes",
  "changed": [
    "monthly_pay",
    "active"
  ]
}
```

### cURL

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.headhoncho.app/api/v1/commands/update-worker" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer hh_live_..." \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: 6f1d2c9e-1b7a-4c1e-9a52-0d3f8e4b7a10" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
  "worker_id": "wrk_3b90",
  "first_name": "Samuel",
  "active": false,
  "monthly_pay": 3400
}'
```

### Python

```python
import requests
import uuid

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.headhoncho.app/api/v1/commands/update-worker",
    headers={
        "Authorization": "Bearer hh_live_...",
        "Idempotency-Key": str(uuid.uuid4()),
    },
    json={
        "worker_id": "wrk_3b90",
        "first_name": "Samuel",
        "active": False,
        "monthly_pay": 3400,
    },
)
response.raise_for_status()
print(response.json())
```

### JavaScript

```javascript
const response = await fetch("https://api.headhoncho.app/api/v1/commands/update-worker", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    Authorization: "Bearer hh_live_...",
    "Idempotency-Key": crypto.randomUUID(),
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "worker_id": "wrk_3b90",
    "first_name": "Samuel",
    "active": false,
    "monthly_pay": 3400
  }),
});
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);
```

### Your AI

```text
Tool: update_worker
Arguments: worker_id (id, required), first_name (text, optional), last_name (text, optional), phone (text, optional), email (text, optional), active (boolean, optional), is_team_lead (boolean, optional), monthly_pay (money, optional), hired_on (date, optional), ended_on (date, optional), business_name (text, optional), default_cut_basis (text, optional), default_cut_value (money, optional), job_type_ids (text, optional)
Access: do on Team
Hints: readOnly=false, destructive=false, idempotent=true, openWorld=false
Try asking: "Using HeadHoncho, update worker with worker_id wrk_3b90 and first_name Samuel."
```