# Dataset and Entities creation via API

**URL:** <https://forum.getodk.org/t/dataset-and-entities-creation-via-api/42762>\
**Category:** Support\
**Tags:** entities, odk-central\
**Created:** [August 22, 2023, 2:34pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/dataset-and-entities-creation-via-api/42762 "2023-08-22T14:34:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![ktuite](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/ktuite/32/14766_2.png) [@ktuite](https://forum.getodk.org/u/ktuite)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2023, 10:45pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/dataset-and-entities-creation-via-api/42762/2 "2023-08-22T22:45:14Z")

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Hi @TomJ,

Welcome! When you have a moment, please [introduce yourself](https://forum.getodk.org/t/introduce-yourself-here/6671)!

To answer your first two questions, you're correct that there is currently no way to create a dataset or add properties via the API, it must be done through building, and updating and publishing forms. I agree that this is not ideal and it is not the first time it has come up. I will think about how easy it will be for us to add this missing functionality to the API.

To answer your third question, yes, you do need to programmatically generate the UUID yourself when creating entities via the API. Central is expecting a v4 UUID with no "uuid" prefix. In Python, I've used the `uuid` library and `uuid.uuid4()`.

Here's an example payload I've used to create an entity:

```auto
{
  "uuid":"3efd0449-3dd0-449f-9897-dd445a0befd5",
  "label":"My Entity",
  "data":{
    "some_property":"foo"
  }
}

```

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