---
title: "Create an instance"
method: POST
path: "/instances"
tags: ["Private"]
---

# Create an instance

`POST /instances`

Create an instance which will be imported. To create an instance an import job id and href is required. This is to allow a link back to the import job

## Request body

- NewInstance — A model for the request and response body for creating a new instance
  - `dimensions` Codelist[] — A list of codelists for each dimension of this instance
    - `href` string — A link to the codelist corresponding to this dimension
    - `id` string — The codelist id corresponding to this dimension
    - `name` string — The dimension name
    - `description` string — The dimension description
    - `label` string — A human readable label for dimension
  - `id` string — A unique id for an instance
  - `import_tasks` ImportTasks
    - `build_hierarchies` object[]
      - `code_list_id` string — The ID of the codelist that this hierarchy represents
      - `dimension_name` string — The name of the dimension the hierarchy represents
      - `state` string — The state of the import observations task
    - `build_search_indexes` object[]
      - `dimension_name` string — The name of the dimension the search index represents
      - `state` string — The state of the import observations task
    - `import_observations` object
      - `state` string — The state of the import observations task
      - `total_inserted_observations` integer — The number of inserted observations in this instance
  - `links` object
    - `dataset` object — An object describing the ID and URL for a dataset which is associated with this instance
      - `href` string — The URL for the dataset associated with this instance
      - `id` string — The unique identifier for a dataset. The dataset ID cannot be changed once the series is first published.
    - `job` object — An object describing the ID and URL of the job containing this instance
      - `href` string, required — The URL for the job containing this instance
      - `id` string, required — The ID of the job containing this instance
    - `self` object — An object describing the ID and URL for a dataset which is associated with this instance
      - `href` string — The URL for this resource
  - `state` 'created' | 'completed' | 'failed' | 'edition-confirmed' | 'associated' | 'published' — The state of the resource, can only be one of the following: * created * completed (instances only) * failed (instances only) * edition-confirmed (instances and versions only) * associated (not editions) * published

## Response `201`

Successfully created instance

- NewInstance — A model for the request and response body for creating a new instance
  - `dimensions` Codelist[] — A list of codelists for each dimension of this instance
    - `href` string — A link to the codelist corresponding to this dimension
    - `id` string — The codelist id corresponding to this dimension
    - `name` string — The dimension name
    - `description` string — The dimension description
    - `label` string — A human readable label for dimension
  - `id` string — A unique id for an instance
  - `import_tasks` ImportTasks
    - `build_hierarchies` object[]
      - `code_list_id` string — The ID of the codelist that this hierarchy represents
      - `dimension_name` string — The name of the dimension the hierarchy represents
      - `state` string — The state of the import observations task
    - `build_search_indexes` object[]
      - `dimension_name` string — The name of the dimension the search index represents
      - `state` string — The state of the import observations task
    - `import_observations` object
      - `state` string — The state of the import observations task
      - `total_inserted_observations` integer — The number of inserted observations in this instance
  - `links` object
    - `dataset` object — An object describing the ID and URL for a dataset which is associated with this instance
      - `href` string — The URL for the dataset associated with this instance
      - `id` string — The unique identifier for a dataset. The dataset ID cannot be changed once the series is first published.
    - `job` object — An object describing the ID and URL of the job containing this instance
      - `href` string, required — The URL for the job containing this instance
      - `id` string, required — The ID of the job containing this instance
    - `self` object — An object describing the ID and URL for a dataset which is associated with this instance
      - `href` string — The URL for this resource
  - `state` 'created' | 'completed' | 'failed' | 'edition-confirmed' | 'associated' | 'published' — The state of the resource, can only be one of the following: * created * completed (instances only) * failed (instances only) * edition-confirmed (instances and versions only) * associated (not editions) * published

## Other responses

- `400` — Failed to process the request due to invalid request
- `401` — The token provided is unauthorised to carry out this operation
- `403` — The request is forbidden
- `500` — Failed to process the request due to an internal error

---

[API](https://skmtc.net/office-of-national-statistics/apis/dataset-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.net/office-of-national-statistics/apis/dataset-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-staging.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/office-of-national-statistics/dataset-api/versions/a2947a13d675/schema)