---
title: "Start one live Hive automation for one person, in their latest conversation on their account. Hive refuses in plain words, and sends nothing, when the reply window has closed, the person has not opted in, the account needs reconnecting, or automations are paused for this person or their conversation. This sends real messages, so your AI asks before it runs; with Hive approvals on, Hive asks again inside Hive."
method: POST
path: "/api/v1/tools/start_flow_for_contact"
---

# Start one live Hive automation for one person, in their latest conversation on their account. Hive refuses in plain words, and sends nothing, when the reply window has closed, the person has not opted in, the account needs reconnecting, or automations are paused for this person or their conversation. This sends real messages, so your AI asks before it runs; with Hive approvals on, Hive asks again inside Hive.

`POST /api/v1/tools/start_flow_for_contact`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://hivepublish.com`
- URL: `https://hivepublish.com/api/v1/tools/start_flow_for_contact`
- Auth: HTTP bearer

This reaches real people, so the person is asked before it runs. Their own AI client asks them. When the connection was made with Hive approvals switched on, the first call returns a single-use Hive approval link instead of acting, and the exact request is repeated with approvalToken and an Idempotency-Key once they approve it inside Hive.

## Headers

- `Idempotency-Key` string

## Request body

- object
  - `contactId` string, required: The Hive contact identity.
  - `flowId` string, required: The live automation to start. Automation ids come from read_automations.
  - `approvalToken` string: Single-use token returned by Hive after the owner approves this exact action.

## Response `200`

Tool result or approval challenge

- union
  - ToolResult
    - `data` unknown, required
    - `meta` object, required
      - `tool` string
      - `workspaceId` string, uuid
  - ApprovalChallengeResponse
    - `data` ApprovalChallenge, required
      - `confirmationRequired` unknown, required
      - `challengeId` string, uuid, required
      - `approvalToken` string, required: Secret, single-use token. Retry only after the human approves approvalUrl.
      - `approvalUrl` string, uri, required
      - `expiresAt` string, date-time, required
      - `warning` string
    - `meta` object, required

## Other responses

- `400`: Invalid input
- `401`: Missing or invalid credential
- `403`: Missing workspace scope, role permission, or plan entitlement
- `409`: Idempotency conflict, replay, or request still in progress
- `429`: Rate limit exceeded

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/hivepublish/apis/hive-developer-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/hivepublish/apis/hive-developer-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/hivepublish/apis/hive-developer-api/revisions/b440c763583e?raw)