# Partial update in Index bulk

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/partial-update-in-index-bulk/212965>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [December 24, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/partial-update-in-index-bulk/212965 "2019-12-24T14:47:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![anas-hossam](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/anas-hossam/32/82862_2.png) [@anas-hossam](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/anas-hossam)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/partial-update-in-index-bulk/212965/1 "2019-12-24T14:47:55Z")

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when using index in bulk API, Is there away for partial update in case of document already exists ?

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**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:** [December 24, 2019, 3:00pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/partial-update-in-index-bulk/212965/2 "2019-12-24T15:00:54Z")

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Welcome.

The bulk API supports using update requests. See the very first example in the documentation: [https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/docs-bulk.html](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/docs-bulk.html)

But you have to know that an Update request is exactly like an index request behind the scene. I'd just send the full document instead of trying updates unless you **really** have a use case for this.

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**Author:** ![anas-hossam](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/anas-hossam/32/82862_2.png) [@anas-hossam](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/anas-hossam)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 4:08pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/partial-update-in-index-bulk/212965/3 "2019-12-24T16:08:32Z")

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i want to use

POST \_bulk  
{ "index" : { "\_index" : "test", "\_id" : "1" } },  
{ "field1" : "value1", "field2" : "value2" }

but in case of this document already exist i want to update filed1 only  
Is there a way to do that using index to limit some fields for applying update in case of document exist ?  
@dadoonet

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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:** [December 24, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/partial-update-in-index-bulk/212965/4 "2019-12-24T21:20:21Z")

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Why do you want to do that?

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2020, 9:20pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/partial-update-in-index-bulk/212965/5 "2020-01-21T21:20:24Z")

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