> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://developers.socialboards.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://developers.socialboards.com/docs/apis/external-chat-api/reference/objects/user-value.md).

# User Value

**Example**

```json
{
    "email": "john@dow.com",
    "id": "ca4be988-cc85-4c35-94a4-8558e30c1dd3",
    "image": null,
    "isBot": false,
    "name": "John"
}
```

Identify a user using `email`, user `id`, or `customIdentifier`. At least one of `id`, `email`, or `customIdentifier` must be provided for non-bot authors.

`customIdentifier` - the value is normalized (trimmed and stored in lowercase), so responses may return it in a different case than provided in the request.

If the author is a bot, set the `isBot` property to `true`.

**Identifier precedence:** when multiple identifiers are provided, the system resolves the user in the following order: `id` > `email` > `customIdentifier`. If a user is found by a higher-priority identifier, the remaining ones are ignored for lookup purposes. If both `email` and `customIdentifier` are provided and the user is found by email, the `customIdentifier` will be attached to that user if not already set.

**Fields**

| Field            | Type    | Comments                                                                                                                                                                           |
| ---------------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| customIdentifier | string  | Alternative user identifier (e.g., social security number, account number). Can be used instead of `email` or `id`. The value is tnormalized                                       |
| email            | string  | User email address                                                                                                                                                                 |
| id               | Guid    | User id                                                                                                                                                                            |
| image            | string  | User avatar url. Only a properly formed URL will be accepted, otherwise an error will be returned                                                                                  |
| isBot            | boolean | Indicate user type. If `true`, all identifying properties (`id`, `email`, `customIdentifier`) will be ignored, and the Socialboards system bot will be used. By default is `false` |
| name             | string  | User name                                                                                                                                                                          |