# Elastic Bulk API - ID substitution

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elastic-bulk-api-id-substitution/61714>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [September 28, 2016, 2:52pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elastic-bulk-api-id-substitution/61714 "2016-09-28T14:52:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![stevenmwall](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/stevenmwall/32/12199_2.png) [@stevenmwall](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/stevenmwall)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 2:52pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elastic-bulk-api-id-substitution/61714/1 "2016-09-28T14:52:09Z")

</div>

I am trying to use the Bulk API with two types: Teams and Players. So here is my sample bulk request:

```
POST demo/_bulk
{"index": {"_type": "teams"}
{"team": "Cleveland Cavaliers", "sport": "Basketball"}
{"index": {"_type": "players"}
{"name": "LeBron James", "team_id": "<THE ID FROM THE PREVIOUS INSERT>"}

```

I want Elastic to assign IDs. I also want to associate LeBron James with the generated \_id from the Cleveland Cavaliers insert. Also, you can assume I may have many different teams created/updated and players created/updated in the bulk request.

Is this even possible? If so, how?

Thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dadoonet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/dadoonet/32/137187_2.png) [@dadoonet](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/dadoonet)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 3:15pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elastic-bulk-api-id-substitution/61714/2 "2016-09-28T15:15:02Z")

</div>

You can't do that AFAIK.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elastic-bulk-api-id-substitution/61714/3 "2017-07-05T22:16:35Z")

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Closed on July 5, 2017, 10:16pm UTC