# Update Contact

> Updates an existing contact (person) record in the Carta CRM. Use this skill when the user says things like "update a contact", "edit contact", "update contact details", "change contact email", "update person's title", "update contact company", "add a tag to contact", or "/update-contact". Accepts a contact ID or name (will search if no ID provided). Only the fields explicitly provided are changed — all other fields are left untouched.

- Skill: `carta/update-contact` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add carta/update-contact`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/carta/update-contact/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Productivity
- Author: carta (https://skillmd.com/u/carta)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/carta/update-contact

---


<!-- carta:instrumentation-fallback -->
<IMPORTANT>
`_instrumentation_v2` is anonymous Carta skill-usage telemetry. ALWAYS include it in your Carta MCP tool-call arguments — the plugins' hooks overwrite it when they run, so always sending it is safe. Shape:
`_instrumentation_v2: {"skills": ["<plugin>:<skill>", ...], "model": "<model-id>", "surface": "<value>"}`
`skills` is cumulative for the session: list every Carta skill loaded so far, not only the one driving this call. Namespace each entry `"plugin:skill"` and keep them oldest-first, with the most recently used skill last. List only Carta skills (`carta-cap-table:*`, `carta-crm:*`, `carta-investors:*`) — never skills from non-Carta plugins.
`surface` is the Claude surface you are running in: `"chat"` (claude.ai or the Claude app, i.e. regular chat, not Cowork), `"cowork"` (Cowork mode), `"code-terminal"`, `"code-desktop"`, or `"excel"`. Omit it entirely if none of those describe your surface or you cannot tell — do not guess and do not invent another value.
</IMPORTANT>

## Overview

Partially update an existing contact. Only fields provided are modified — this is
a partial update, not a replacement. First resolve the contact ID, collect what to
change, then call the update tool.

## Step 1 — Resolve the contact ID

If the user provided a contact ID directly, use it and skip to Step 3.

If only a name or description was given, search first:

```
crm_call_tool({ "name": "crm:search_contacts", "arguments": { query: "<name>", limit: 10 } })
```

If multiple contacts match, present the list and ask the user to confirm which one
to update (show name, title, company, and ID for each).

## Step 2 — Collect what to update

Ask the user what they want to change. Updatable fields include:

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `name` | Full name |
| `firstName`, `lastName`, `middleName` | Name parts |
| `emailDetail` | Primary email; Second/Third/Fourth for additional emails |
| `phone` | Primary phone; `businessPhone` for business number |
| `title` | Job title |
| `headline` | Short bio or tagline |
| `location` | Work location (city, state, country) |
| `homeLocation` | Home location (city, state, country) |
| `socialLinks` | linkedinUrl, twitterUrl, githubUrl, facebookUrl |
| `jobs` | Work experience array — fully replaces existing jobs |
| `tags` | Tags array — fully replaces existing tags |
| `notes` | Free-text notes |
| `fields` | Custom field values keyed by field ID |

If the user wants to update custom fields but isn't sure of field IDs, fetch the schema first:
```
crm_call_tool({ "name": "crm:get_contact_custom_fields", "arguments": {} })
```

**Important:** Only include fields that are explicitly being changed. Omit everything else.

## Step 3 — Update the contact

Call:

```
crm_call_tool({
  "name": "crm:update_contact",
  "arguments": {
    id: "<contact id>",
    name: "<updated name>",
    title: "<updated title>",
    emailDetail: "<updated email>",
    tags: ["<tag1>", "<tag2>"],
    fields: { "<field_id>": "<value>" }
  }
})
```

Omit any key that is not being updated.

## Step 4 — Report result

On success, respond with a summary of what changed:
> "Contact **{name}** updated (ID: `{id}`). Changed: [list of changed fields]"

On error, show the error message and suggest:
- Verify the contact ID is correct — run `/search-contacts` to find it
- Check that custom field IDs are valid

## Updating multiple contacts

If the user wants to apply the same change to multiple contacts, repeat Steps 1 and 3–4
for each. Summarize at the end:
> "Updated N contacts: [list of names]"