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Overview

To add metadata to an entity (such as a ledger, balance, transaction, identity, or balance monitor), include the meta_data object in the JSON payload when creating or updating the item.

The meta_data object is a flexible key-value store that allows you to attach custom data to an entity.

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Basic example

Below is a simple example of how to include metadata when creating an entity:

{
  ...
  "meta_data": {
    "key": "value"
  }
}
  • Key: A unique identifier for the metadata attribute (e.g., “purpose”, “external_id”).
  • Value: The corresponding value for that key (e.g., “payment”, “INV-12345”).

This basic structure can be expanded to include multiple key-value pairs, depending on the complexity of the information you need to store.

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Expanded example with more fields

For a transaction, you might want to include several pieces of metadata, such as the transaction purpose, the associated invoice, and the account information of the sender:

{
  "amount": 1029.12,
  "precision": 100,
  "currency": "USD",
  "reference": "ref_00a8f264-6367-4617-abc8-e661431d3b7b",
  "source": "@Deposit_USD",
  "destination": "bal_d0cb79eb-cdc4-4a0d-af00-f5aaf15721ae",
  "allow_overdraft": true,
  "description": "Payment for services",
  "meta_data": {
    "invoice_id": "INV-12345",
    "initiated_by": "Jason Burke",
    "timestamp": "2023-10-01T12:00:00Z",
    "sender_name": "Oakley Stationeries",
    "sender_bank": "12345678901234",
    "routing_number": "123456789",
    "source_country": "United States"
  }
}

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Retrieving metadata

Once metadata is attached to an entity, it can be retrieved by using the Search API or GET endpoint for the respective entity.

For example, when fetching a transaction, the response will include the meta_data object along with the core transaction details.

Response
{
    "id": "txn_6164573b-6cc8-45a4-ad2e-7b4ba6a60f7d",
    "source": "@FundingPool",
    "destination": "bln_ebcd230f-6265-4d4a-a4ca-45974c47f746",
    "reference": "ref_001adcfgf",
    "amount": 750,
    "precision": 100,
    "precise_amount": 75000,
    "currency": "USD",
    "description": "Fund with starting balance amount",
    "allow_overdraft": true,
    "status": "QUEUED",
    "created_at": "2024-12-21T01:36:46.997063436Z",
    "meta_data": {
      "sender_name": "John Doe",
      "sender_account": "00000000000"
    }
}

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Need help?

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