How do I use Email API to create and update contacts?

The Email API allows you to create and update contacts by including specially formatted code in the body of email received in Annelite:


### BEGIN CREATE CONTACT ###
API_KEY:
EMAIL:
FULL_NAME:
FIRST_NAME:
LAST_NAME:
JOB_TITLE:
COMPANY:
CONTACT_COMMENTS:
PHONE(LABEL):
WEBSITE(LABEL):
MESSENGER(LABEL):
FAX(LABEL):
CUSTOM_FIELD(FIELD_NAME):
ADDRESS(LABEL):#START#

#END#
TEXT(LABEL):#START#

#END#
BLOCK NAME|PHONE(LABEL):
GROUPS: {comma-delimited list of group IDs}
OPTIONS: {overwrite/update/cancel}
MATCH_BY: {comma-delimited list of contact fields}
REMOVE_THIS_BLOCK: {yes/not}
### END CREATE CONTACT ###


The API_KEY, Group ID and Custom Field strings can be found under the Account Dashboard > API tab.

API_KEY is optional unless OPTIONS is set to “overwrite” or “update.”

Either FULL_NAME or FIRST_NAME and LAST_NAME should be used, but not both. The FULL_NAME string will be split into first and last names.

(LABEL) value is optional

#START# and #END# markers are required only for multi-line values (such as address or text field)

If REMOVE_THIS_BLOCK is set to Yes, all text between and including ### BEGIN CREATE CONTACT ### and ### END CREATE CONTACT ### will be removed from email body.

The option to {Overwrite/Update/Cancel} refers to the situations when a contact with given email already exists in the department database.

Overwrite: all contact info is completely replaced

Update: Fields with singular possible values (such as first and last name, email, comments, company, job title) are replaced; fields with multiple possible values are appended to the existing ones

Cancel: no changes made

The following fields can be used in MATCH_BY: contact_id, email, first_name, last_name, job_title, company. If the fields listed in MATCH_BY match an existing contact, it will be updated. Otherwise, a new contact will be created. If MATCH_BY fields aren’t defined, the default match-by-email-only will be used.

Example

### BEGIN CREATE CONTACT ###
API_KEY: c394dr5723te9f874qbb923dl8345
EMAIL: james.bond@mi6.gov.uk
FULL_NAME: James Bond
JOB_TITLE: Agent
COMPANY: Secret Intelligence Service
CONTACT_COMMENTS: Licensed to kill
PHONE(work): +44 347928374289
WEBSITE(work): www.mi6.gov.uk
MESSENGER(Skype): jamesbond
FAX: +44 384573957345
CUSTOM_FIELD(FAVORITE_COCKTAIL):Vodka Martini
ADDRESS:#START#
PO Box 1300
London SE1 1BD
United Kingdom
#END#
TEXT(customer comments):#START#
That's pretty potent. Not the cork. Your after-shave.
Strong enough to bury anything. But the wine is quite
excellent. Although for such a grand meal, I would have
expected a claret.
#END#
Billing info|PHONE(billing): +44 90281465543
GROUPS: 12538044
OPTIONS: update
MATCH_BY: email, first_name, last_name
REMOVE_THIS_BLOCK: No
### END CREATE CONTACT ###