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Admin Authentication Required for User Export API

Written by Eric Range

Update First Published Sept 7, 2026
Fix Deployed on October 8, 2026

Overview Header

As part of our ongoing commitment to protecting the data our institutions entrust to us, we're moving forward with the API authentication changes we previously announced. We are extending these changes to additional endpoints that access or modify user data, including those used by integrations and automation tools such as Zapier.
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What's Chaged
We've deployed the updated authentication required first communicated on Sept 7th on these endpoints so they require an authenticated admin credential on every request. Requests that rely only on a client feature token with no authenticated admin user behind them will receivie a 401 Unauthorized.
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What is Impacted
Any script, custom integration, or automation that calls the user export endpoint without an authenticated admin API key.
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​What is Not Impacted

  • Element451 Managed Integrations

  • Import + Export Jobs managed through the Element451 UI

  • Element451 Integrations leveraging Zapier.com or Make.com​

What to do if your custom Integration or API calls have failed:

  1. Check your integration. If the code or script that calls any Element API enpoint and sends only a client/site token and no Authorization header tied to a logged-in admin it is affected and will need to be updated.

  2. Enable API Key authentication (if not already on). Go to Settings > Manage Users > Security. Under Internal Authentication Settings, confirm API Key is enabled as an authentication method. If it's off, the Security tab shows a warning telling you so.

  3. Generate an admin API key. On that same Security tab, find the Your API Keys card and click New API Key. Copy the generated key immediately as it's shown only once.

  4. Confirm that admin account has export permissions. Go to Settings > Manage Users > Permission Groups and make sure the admin's Permission Group includes a Role granting Import/Export access (look for Access Import/Export or Administer Import/Export under the Data section).

  5. Update your integration to send Authorization: Bearer <your API key> on export requests.

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