> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://cobalt-55-abhishek.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create Dataref

> Create a new dataref for a linked account.

Create a new, empty dataref (named reference-data store) for a linked account. Records are added later by workflows; the dataref starts with an empty `data` map.

## Authentication

<ParamField header="x-api-key" type="string" required>Your Refold API key.</ParamField>
<ParamField header="linked_account_id" type="string" required>The linked account to create the dataref for.</ParamField>

## Body Parameters

<ParamField body="refName" type="string" required>
  The dataref name. Used to reference it in workflows and other endpoints.

  **Example:** `contacts`
</ParamField>

## Response

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="200 OK">
    Returns the created dataref.
    <ResponseField name="_id" type="string">Record ID.</ResponseField>
    <ResponseField name="name" type="string">Dataref name.</ResponseField>
    <ResponseField name="linked_account_id" type="string">Owning linked account.</ResponseField>
    <ResponseField name="environment" type="string">`test` or `live`.</ResponseField>
    <ResponseField name="data" type="object">Record map — empty on creation.</ResponseField>
    <ResponseField name="createdAt" type="string">ISO 8601 timestamp.</ResponseField>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="400 Bad Request">
    <ResponseField name="status_code" type="integer">HTTP status code.</ResponseField>
    <ResponseField name="http_error_type" type="string">Error category.</ResponseField>
    <ResponseField name="error" type="string">Internal error code.</ResponseField>
    <ResponseField name="message" type="string">Human-readable error description.</ResponseField>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<ResponseExample>
  ```json 200 theme={null}
  {
    "linked_account_id": "user_12345",
    "org_id": "6500a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0",
    "environment": "test",
    "name": "contacts",
    "data": {},
    "_id": "6a3149efd396207fd24f7aad",
    "createdAt": "2026-06-16T13:04:47.926Z",
    "updatedAt": "2026-06-16T13:04:47.926Z",
    "__v": 0
  }
  ```

  ```json 400 theme={null}
  {
    "status_code": 400,
    "http_error_type": "BAD_REQUEST",
    "error": "SERVER_ERROR",
    "message": "refName is required"
  }
  ```
</ResponseExample>

<RequestExample>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X POST "https://app.refold.ai/api/v2/public/dataref" \
    -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
    -H "linked_account_id: YOUR_LINKED_ACCOUNT_ID" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{ "refName": "contacts" }'
  ```
</RequestExample>