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Get subscriber id by API

  • July 19, 2024
  • 16 comments
  • 843 views
Jef

I’m doing an connection between my Landing Page and Manychat to create the contacts and starts a flow with it.

 

The problem is: I can create the user with the endpoint: /fb/subscriber/createSubscriber, but if the contact is already in my manychat contacts base i can’t get a response from manychat that gives the subscriber id.

Doing a get request by number like this: https://api.manychat.com/fb/subscriber/findBySystemField?phone={{phone_number}} it does’nt return any data about the user, even in the test on: https://api.manychat.com/swagger#/

Best answer by Gustavo Boregio

I use this for several clients, and it works!

The 'secret' is to have all data correctly, have all phone numbers properly formatted, and using the same data all the time.

For example, I always make sure to have the phone number with the + in the number, for consistency.

And if I'm using Whatsapp, I always sync the Phone system field with the Whatsapp ID so I can use the findBySystemField endpoint and search by phone.

This endpoint works, it's a matter of being tidy and consistent with the data to make sure it works in your specific scenario.

    16 replies

    emunoz
    • emunoz
    • Up-and-Comer
    • October 8, 2024

    I have the same problem. any solution?

    Gustavo Boregio
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    • Gustavo Boregio
    • Community Moderator & Expert
    • Answer
    • October 8, 2024

    I use this for several clients, and it works!

    The 'secret' is to have all data correctly, have all phone numbers properly formatted, and using the same data all the time.

    For example, I always make sure to have the phone number with the + in the number, for consistency.

    And if I'm using Whatsapp, I always sync the Phone system field with the Whatsapp ID so I can use the findBySystemField endpoint and search by phone.

    This endpoint works, it's a matter of being tidy and consistent with the data to make sure it works in your specific scenario.

    🧑‍💻 https://engimarketers.com | 📲 https://superarmeonline.com
    Amir Call Or
    • Amir Call Or
    • Up-and-Comer
    • December 5, 2024

    Doesn't work for me, on a test user that I subscribed through API so I know the right structure.
    Very frustrating.

     


    I would suggest, as a part of the 400 error of  endpoint createSubscriber
     

     

      Gustavo Boregio
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      • Gustavo Boregio
      • Community Moderator & Expert
      • December 5, 2024

      ​@Amir Call Or can you send a screenshot of your user in Manychat? The one with that number you’re testing with.

      Be aware that the ‘phone’ field is not the same as ‘whatsapp_phone’, so when you search by System Field ‘phone’ you need to have that field set. If it’s not set, it’s not going to work.

      🧑‍💻 https://engimarketers.com | 📲 https://superarmeonline.com
      Abraham Zu
      • Abraham Zu
      • Up-and-Comer
      • March 1, 2025

      I use this for several clients, and it works!

      The 'secret' is to have all data correctly, have all phone numbers properly formatted, and using the same data all the time.

      For example, I always make sure to have the phone number with the + in the number, for consistency.

      And if I'm using Whatsapp, I always sync the Phone system field with the Whatsapp ID so I can use the findBySystemField endpoint and search by phone.

      This endpoint works, it's a matter of being tidy and consistent with the data to make sure it works in your specific scenario.

      I have the same issue and i think this is the answer i’m lookin for, but can you be more specific, please 😥

       

      If I am using the ManyChat API to subscribe the Facebook leads I get from a lead campaign to get the WhatsApp number and send a WhatsApp flow automation, what do you suggest? Should I put the same WhatsApp number in the phone number?

       
      Gustavo Boregio
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      • Gustavo Boregio
      • Community Moderator & Expert
      • March 3, 2025

      ​@Abraham Zu that should work!

      What issue are you having?

      🧑‍💻 https://engimarketers.com | 📲 https://superarmeonline.com
      Abraham Zu
      • Abraham Zu
      • Up-and-Comer
      • March 15, 2025

      I'm currently trying to create an automation in Make where, every time a potential client fills out a lead form in a Facebook ad, the Manychat API in Make creates a new subscriber/contact and subsequently sends them a WhatsApp automation.

      So far, I've managed to get the "Create Subscriber" module working, and every time a potential client fills out my ad form, they're registered as a contact in Manychat. However, the WhatsApp automation isn't being sent to them. When I enter the contact's chat to send it manually, clicking "Start Chat," I get the message "Smart pause started in automation," and it only allows me to send message templates.

      I'd like to know what I'm doing wrong or why the automation isn't being sent directly so the client can follow the flow, which would be very helpful.

      I hope you can help me.

       

      Gustavo Boregio
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      • Gustavo Boregio
      • Community Moderator & Expert
      • March 17, 2025

      ​@Abraham Zu the first business-initiated message always has to be a Message Template.

      Is the message you’re trying to send a Template? How are you triggering to send the message?

       

      🧑‍💻 https://engimarketers.com | 📲 https://superarmeonline.com
      AgenciaNL
      • AgenciaNL
      • Chat Surfer
      • April 15, 2025

      I use this for several clients, and it works!

      The 'secret' is to have all data correctly, have all phone numbers properly formatted, and using the same data all the time.

      For example, I always make sure to have the phone number with the + in the number, for consistency.

      And if I'm using Whatsapp, I always sync the Phone system field with the Whatsapp ID so I can use the findBySystemField endpoint and search by phone.

      This endpoint works, it's a matter of being tidy and consistent with the data to make sure it works in your specific scenario.

      Gustavo. No te cansas de dar respuestas q no ayudan?

       

      Gustavo Boregio
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      • Gustavo Boregio
      • Community Moderator & Expert
      • April 17, 2025

      ​@AgenciaNL estimado, es un foro abierto, dale masa con todo tu conocimiento y aporta todo lo que quieras!

      Si no te gusta mi respuesta, quedo a la espera de tu versión mejorada así sigo aprendiendo.

      Un abrazo grande!

      🧑‍💻 https://engimarketers.com | 📲 https://superarmeonline.com
      Giacomo
      • Giacomo
      • Up-and-Comer
      • June 25, 2025


      Hey Manychat team,

      This API is not working. It always return success, with no data, also using non existing emails and phone numbers. When using as parameter an existing phone number of a subscriber, it always return the same response: success, with no data.

      We are not able to  retrieve the subscriber ID of a contact by phone/email.

      Please look into this issue, thanks.

      Gustavo Boregio
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      • Gustavo Boregio
      • Community Moderator & Expert
      • June 25, 2025

      Hey ​@Giacomo the search was successful. However, nothing was found.

      What I do is map the User ID, and then check if the user ID exists or has a value in the next step of my automation, and this works like a charm!

      Hope this helps!

      🧑‍💻 https://engimarketers.com | 📲 https://superarmeonline.com
      wallprinters
      • wallprinters
      • Up-and-Comer
      • February 25, 2026

      The API is not designed correctly; there is no way to find an existing subscriber by WhatsApp phone if the subscriber does not have the phone field populated. You should add whatsapp_phone option to query /fb/subscriber/findBySystemField by whatsapp_phone or fix it so that searching by phone check both fields (phone and whatsapp_phone). 
      Other solution could be to add endpoint createOrUpdateSubscriber, that will allow updating when number already exists.

      Gustavo Boregio
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      • Gustavo Boregio
      • Community Moderator & Expert
      • February 25, 2026

      ​@wallprinters you can create a user field, clone the WhatsApp ID there, and and then use the findByUserField endpoint….

      Problem solved ;)

      🧑‍💻 https://engimarketers.com | 📲 https://superarmeonline.com
      wallprinters
      • wallprinters
      • Up-and-Comer
      • February 25, 2026

      ​@Gustavo Boregio can you just forward this bug to developers to fix it? It is obvious bug, why you insist on creating redundant fields and automation instead just fixing one condition in your api?

      Gustavo Boregio
      Forum|alt.badge.img+7
      • Gustavo Boregio
      • Community Moderator & Expert
      • February 25, 2026

      ​@wallprinters I’m just a power user, not an actual Manychat employee…

      And while I do have a bunch of contacts in Manychat, I’d rather they occupy their time with bigger, more needed features (in my mind at least).

      This here I see as a small annoyance with an easy workaround. So to be honest, I don’t even bother in bugging them about it…

      Feel free to create the idea here: https://community.manychat.com/ideas?sort=votes.desc&filters%5BproductArea%5D%5B0%5D=5

       

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