Bluecore Transactional API (legacy)

# generated: '2026-08-13'
# method: searched
# source: https://github.com/TriggerMail/bluecore-openapi-docs/blob/master/apis/transactional-api/transactional_api.yaml
# ownership: TriggerMail is Bluecore's own GitHub org (org name "Bluecore", blog https://www.bluecore.com/);
#   info.title "Bluecore Transactional API"; servers https://api.bluecore.com/email/; rendered by Bluecore at
#   https://www.bluecore.com/transactional-api-docs/ (HTTP 200 2026-08-13).
# note: LEGACY surface. Bluecore's own repo README states "we're going to be migrating away from this API (Q1 2025)".
#   Superseded by the developers.bluecore.com OAuth surface on https://a.bluecore.com/api. Saved verbatim; no operationIds
#   are declared in the published document and none were invented.
openapi: 3.0.0
info:
  title: Bluecore Transactional API
servers:
  - url: https://api.bluecore.com/email/
components:
  schemas:
    ConversationResponse:
      type: "object"
      properties:
        status:
          type: "string"
          description: "This is the status of the email message. Possible values: Being Processed, Sent for Delivery, Delivered, or Failed."
          enum:
          - "Being Processed"
          - "Sent for Delivery"
          - "Delivered, Failed"
          example: "Being Processed"
        message:
          type: "string"
          description: "The details of the failure. Possible values: Bounce, Block, Previously Bounced/Blocked, Email Content Conversation Failed."
          enum:
          - "Bounce"
          - "Block"
          - "Previously Bounced/Blocked"
          - "Email Content Generation Failed"
          example: "string"
    body:
      type: "object"
      properties:
        campaign_id:
          type: "string"
          description: "The Bluecore campaign identifier. This identifier can be obtained from the Bluecore UI campaigns page."
          example: "34545238545"
        email:
          type: "string"
          description: "The recipient's email address."
          example: "test@bluecore.com"
        template_attributes:
          type: "object"
          description: "A JSON formatted object containing data to be used in the Email template. "
          properties:
            template_variable_1:
              type: "string"
              description: "Example string value"
              example: "Some text here"
            template_variable_2:
              type: number
              description: "Example number value"
              example: 1234
            html_variable:
              type: string
              description: "Example HTML content"
              example: "<p>html here</p>"
        customer_attributes:
          type: "object"
          description: "A JSON formatted object containing data to add to or update for the customer record."
          properties:
            customer_attribute_1:
              type: "string"
              description: "Example string value"
              example: "Some text here"
            customer_attribute_2:
              type: number
              description: "Example number value"
              example: 1234
        use_draft:
          type: boolean
          description: "A flag indicating if the draft version of a campaign should be used.\nDefault: False."
          example: false
        product_ids:
          type: array
          items:
            type: "string"
            example: "3bs7705f6n3d2"
          description: |
            This parameter is currently in development and is not available for general use at this time. This will be available in a future release.
            
            List of product ids to be used as input products only if the campaign uses the co-recommendations product block.

      required:
      - campaign_id
      - email
      - template_attributes
paths:
  /send/v1/{namespace}:
    post:
      summary: Send a Transactional or Real-Time Welcome Email
      description: "
        This section details how to send a transactional or real-time welcome email through Bluecore.
        \n\n**Returns**: Object containing the conversation ID used to track the message. (See <span id='response-code-text'>**Responses > 202**</span> below).
      "
      parameters:
      - in: path
        name: namespace
        description: The partner namespace in Bluecore.
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
      - in: header
        name: Authorization Bearer
        description: The authorization token in the header.
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              $ref: "#/components/schemas/body"
      responses:
        '200':
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                properties:
                  conversation_id:
                    type: string
                    example: "3123245238545"
                    description: "The Bluecore assigned conversation ID. This value can be used to track the status of the email message."
          description: Successful receipt of the request.
      tags:
      - SEND EMAIL
  /status/v1/{namespace}/{conversation_id}:
    get:
      summary: Get the Status of an Email Delivery Attempt
      description: "
        This section details how to get the status of an email delivery attempt.
        \n\n**Returns**: Object containing the status and details of the message. (See <span id='response-code-text'>**Responses > 202**</span> below).
      "
      parameters:
      - in: path
        name: namespace
        description: The partner namespace in Bluecore.
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
      - in: path
        name: conversation_id
        description: The conversation ID.
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
      - in: header
        name: Authorization Bearer
        description: The authorization token in the header.
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
      responses:
        '202':
          description: Successful receipt of the request.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: "#/components/schemas/ConversationResponse"
      tags:
      - GET STATUS
tags:
- description: "### Welcome to the Bluecore Transactional API
  \nUse this resource to integrate with Bluecore’s Transactional API to begin sending transactional and real-time welcome emails with Bluecore.
  \n\nBluecore recommends that a member of your IT team complete this setup, as it requires a highly technical skillset.
  This document covers the following areas:

  - **Authorization**: This section describes how to authenticate with the Transactional API.

  - **Send Email**: This section describes how to trigger transactional or real-time welcome emails for both tests and live sends.

  - **Get Status**: This section describes how to view the status of a previously-triggered transactional or real-time welcome email campaign. If a transactional or real-time welcome email is not received when testing, this API call can be used to troubleshoot.

  \n\n**NOTE**: You will need the previously provided API key to complete this setup. If you do not have an API key, please reach out to our Product Support team at <support@bluecore.com>.

  \n**NOTE**: The transactional API is intended for server-to-server communication only. Calling the transactional API from a browser can expose your API token publicly. If you've attempted this already, you should immediately reach out to Bluecore support to cycle your API token.
  "
  name: INTRODUCTION
  x-traitTag: true
- description: "
  The transactional API is protected by a customer-specific API key, which is provided by Bluecore.
  Please provide this API key with each request
  in the HTTP Authorization header, type _Bearer_.

  \n\nExample request header:\n\n\n    Authorization: Bearer {Bluecore API Key}\n\n\n
  "
  name: AUTHORIZATION
  x-traitTag: true
- description: "
    Every request made requires a request body formatted in JSON containing your email's contents and metadata.

    \n\n\t{
      \n\t\t\"campaign_id\": string,
      \n\t\t\"email\": string,
      \n\t\t\"template_attributes\": {
      \n\t\t\t(key: value)+
      \n\t\t},
      \n\t\t\"customer_attributes\": {
      \n\t\t\t(key: value)+
      \n\t\t},
    \n\t}

    "
  name: REQUEST BODY
  x-traitTag: true
- description: "
    Template attributes are used to include data in the API payloads to display in the email template.
    \n\n\n The values in `template_attributes` can be referenced in the email template by the corresponding key name.
    \n\n\nUsing the example payload below, the Product 1 `item_desc` would be displayed with the email template code `{{ordered_products.0.item_desc}}`.

    \n\n\t{
      \n\t\t\"campaign_id\": \"34545238545\",
      \n\t\t\"email\": \"test@bluecore.com\"
      \n\t\t\"template_attributes\": {
        \n\t\t\t\"ordered_products\": [
          \n\t\t\t\t{
          \n\t\t\t\t\t“item”: ”Product 1”,
          \n\t\t\t\t\t“item_desc”: ”Description”
          \n\t\t\t\t},
          \n\t\t\t\t{
          \n\t\t\t\t\t“item”: ”Product 2”,
          \n\t\t\t\t\t“item_desc”: null
          \n\t\t\t\t}
        \n\t\t\t]
      \n\t\t}
    \n\t}

    \n\n\n**NOTE**: The request body must include `template_attributes` as an empty object even if there are no variables in the email template.  \
    Any references to key names in the email template must be included in the API payload `template_attributes` object.  \
    If a variable in the email template is meant to be populated in some cases but not others, the variable name for that property must still be present in the `template_attributes`. The value can be set to `null`.

    <br></br>

    \n\n\nTemplate attributes can also include full HTML content to render in emails.
    \n\n\t{
      \n\t\t\"campaign_id\": \"34545238545\",
      \n\t\t\"email\": \"test@bluecore.com\"
      \n\t\t\"template_attributes\": {
        \n\t\t\t\"html_content\": \"<h2>hello test!</h2>\"
      \n\t\t}
    \n\t}

    \n\n\n**NOTE**: When passing full HTML content in the JSON for the template attributes,
    Bluecore recommends the following:

    - JSON must be one line.

    - Strings must be delimited with `\"`. Never with `'`.

    - `'` must never be escaped.

    - Quotations (`\"`), newlines, tabs must be escaped with only one backslash.
  "
  name: TEMPLATE ATTRIBUTES
  x-traitTag: true
- description: "
    The `customer_attributes` object is used for the purpose of updating customer information in Bluecore.
    Only real-time welcome campaigns will result in updates to customer attributes.

    <table>
      \n<thead>
        \n<tr>
          \n<th> Email Type </th>
          <th> Customer </th>
          <th> Notes </th>
        </tr>
      \n</thead>
      \n<tbody>
        \n<tr>
          <td>Welcome</td>
          <td>New</td>
          <td>Customer attributes are acceptable in the payload and can be updated. Additionally, the new customer will end up in the customer entity in Bluecore.</td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>Welcome</td>
          <td>Existing</td>
          <td>If <code>Should Suppress Duplicate Welcome Emails</code> (Bluecore Adaptor Integration Settings) is enabled, additional customer_attributes updates will be rejected by the API. If <code>Should Suppress Duplicate Welcome Emails</code> is disabled, customer attributes are acceptable in the payload and will be updated. </td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>Transactional</td>
          <td>New</td>
          <td>Customer attributes will be rejected by the API.</td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>Transactional</td>
          <td>Existing</td>
          <td>Customer attributes will be rejected by the API.</td>
        </tr>
      \n</tbody>
    \n</table>

    \n\n\n**NOTE**: Some attributes are protected and cannot be passed as customer attributes:

    - email

    - created

    - merged

    - orphaned

    - aliases
  "
  name: CUSTOMER ATTRIBUTES
  x-traitTag: true
- description: "
    <table>
      \n<thead>
        \n<tr>
          \n<th> Code </th>
          <th> Message </th>
          <th> Description </th>
        </tr>
      \n</thead>
      \n<tbody>
        \n<tr>
          <td>401</td>
          <td>Not authenticated or authorized.</td>
          <td>API token is invalid.</td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>404</td>
          <td>Could not find campaign with id: provided-campaign-id for provided-namespace.</td>
          <td>Returned if <code>campaign_id</code> is not an existing campaign.</td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>406</td>
          <td>Requested media type is not supported.</td>
          <td>Only <code>application/json</code> requests are supported.</td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>422</td>
          <td>The request is missing the attribute <code>email</code> in the body.</td>
          <td>If any required field is missing in the request. Required fields are: <code>campaign_id</code>, <code>email</code>, and <code>template_attributes</code>.</td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>422</td>
          <td>The request is missing the attribute '____' in the body.</td>
          <td>If  <code>template_attributes</code> does not contain a key name that matches a variable that is expected in the email template.</td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>422</td>
          <td>Template attribute size exceeds the maximum allowed (819,200 bytes).</td>
          <td>Payload was too large.</td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>500</td>
          <td>Unhandled exception.</td>
          <td>Generic <code>something went wrong</code> error.</td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>500</td>
          <td>Function execution timed out.</td>
          <td rowspan=4>Bluecore recommends retrying the request. See retry logic recommendations in API Limits.<br>If the error persists, send a message to support@bluecore.com to create a support ticket and include the <code>request_id</code> located in the error response.</td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>502</td>
          <td>Internal error.</td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>503</td>
          <td>Service unavailable.</td>
        </tr>
        \n<tr>
          <td>504</td>
          <td>Gateway timeout.</td>
        </tr>
      \n</tbody>
    \n</table>
  "
  name: API RESPONSE CODES
  x-traitTag: true
- description: "
  Whenever you make a request to the send endpoint, your JSON payload is validated before your email is sent.
  \nIf there are any errors, Bluecore will attempt to identify and return as many issues as possible for each request.
  \nThe validation additionally checks that the API payload does include all the attributes called out in the template.
  "
  name: VALIDATION
  x-traitTag: true
- description: "
  <ul>
    <li>Bluecore recommends retrying API calls with an exponential backoff, starting with the minimum backoff of 30 seconds and maximum backoff of at least five minutes, for a maximum of five retries.</li>
    <li>To promote fair access and optimal performance, Bluecore enforces rate limiting. Bluecore recommends a maximum of 200 calls/second.</li>
    <li>The total size of your payload must be less than 900 KB.</li>
    <li>Transactional or real-time welcome sends will only be sent via Bluecore. Other ESP adapters will not be supported.</li>
    <li>We do not currently support the following when sending transactional or real-time welcome emails:</li>
    <ul>
      <li>Bluecore powered product recommendation blocks. Use dynamic content by providing it directly into the API payload.</li>
      <li>Bluecore powered coupon blocks. Use dynamic content by providing it directly into the API payload.</li>
    </ul>
    <li>Only ASCII character email addresses are supported.</li>
  </ul>
  "
  name: API LIMITS
  x-traitTag: true
x-tagGroups:
- name: GETTING STARTED
  tags:
  - INTRODUCTION
- name: API ACCESS
  tags:
  - AUTHORIZATION
- name: ENDPOINTS
  tags:
  - SEND EMAIL
  - GET STATUS
- name: API REFERENCE
  tags:
  - REQUEST BODY
  - TEMPLATE ATTRIBUTES
  - CUSTOMER ATTRIBUTES
  - VALIDATION
  - API RESPONSE CODES
  - API LIMITS