# Create an announcement

> The platform.announcements.create operation: POST /api/v1/platform/announcements in the REST API and the platform_announcements_create tool in the MCP server.

Creates a banner shown at the top of the console of every organization in its audience (spec §39.1): `all`, or
the organizations on some plans (`plans`: keys from data/platform/plans.yaml, e.g. `growth`). It shows from
`startsAt` (default now) until `endsAt`, or until a staff member ends it (`platform.announcements.end`).

`id` is a slug you choose (3–40 lowercase letters, digits and hyphens), e.g. `maintenance-2026-11-08`. The
message is plain text up to 280 characters, in the content style guide's voice: what happens, when, and what the
reader needs to do, if anything. `link` (an https URL or a path such as `/docs/…`) adds "Learn more". `critical`
is for incidents only. Platform admins only.

## At a glance

- **REST:** `POST /api/v1/platform/announcements`
- **MCP tool:** `platform_announcements_create`
- **Operation ID:** `platform.announcements.create`
- **Scope:** Platform
- **Permission:** `platform:write`
- **Risk tier:** `write`
- **Dry run:** Supported (send `Ownrecord-Dry-Run: true`)
- **Idempotency:** `Idempotency-Key` required
- **Modes:** Test and live
- **Authentication:** API key with the `platform:write` scope
- **Since:** M12

## Request

### Body

A JSON object (`Content-Type: application/json`):

| Field      | Type                                 | Required | Description                                               |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------ | -------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| `id`       | string                               | Yes      | A slug you choose, e.g. `maintenance-2026-11-08`.         |
| `message`  | string                               | Yes      | Plain text, up to 280 characters.                         |
| `severity` | one of `info`, `warning`, `critical` | Yes      | `info`, `warning` or `critical` (incidents).              |
| `link`     | string                               | No       | https URL or `/path`.                                     |
| `audience` | object                               | Yes      | `{ kind: all }` or `{ kind: plans, plans: [plan keys] }`. |
| `startsAt` | date-time                            | No       | When it starts showing (default: now).                    |
| `endsAt`   | date-time                            | No       | When it stops showing (default: until ended).             |

## Response

`201 Created` with a JSON object:

| Field       | Type                                               | Description                                                                              |
| ----------- | -------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `object`    | `"platform_announcement"`                          |                                                                                          |
| `id`        | string                                             | The announcement's slug.                                                                 |
| `message`   | string                                             |                                                                                          |
| `severity`  | one of `info`, `warning`, `critical`               |                                                                                          |
| `link`      | string or null                                     |                                                                                          |
| `audience`  | object                                             |                                                                                          |
| `startsAt`  | date-time                                          |                                                                                          |
| `endsAt`    | date-time or null                                  |                                                                                          |
| `endedAt`   | date-time or null                                  |                                                                                          |
| `endedBy`   | `usr_…` ID or null                                 |                                                                                          |
| `current`   | boolean                                            | Whether it shows now.                                                                    |
| `state`     | one of `scheduled`, `showing`, `finished`, `ended` | `scheduled` (starts later), `showing`, `finished` (past `endsAt`) or `ended` (by staff). |
| `createdBy` | `usr_…` ID                                         |                                                                                          |
| `createdAt` | date-time                                          |                                                                                          |
| `version`   | integer                                            |                                                                                          |

## Examples

### Planned maintenance for everyone

```http
POST /api/v1/platform/announcements
Authorization: Bearer or_test_…
Idempotency-Key: 3f1c9a52-7d0e-4b8f-9a61-0c2d5e8b7f14
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "id": "maintenance-2026-11-08",
  "message": "Planned maintenance on Sunday, November 8, 02:00–02:30 UTC. Checkout and the API stay up.",
  "severity": "info",
  "link": "/docs",
  "audience": {
    "kind": "all"
  },
  "startsAt": "2026-11-05T00:00:00.000Z",
  "endsAt": "2026-11-08T03:00:00.000Z"
}
```

Response (`201`):

```json
{
  "object": "platform_announcement",
  "id": "maintenance-2026-11-08",
  "message": "Planned maintenance on Sunday, November 8, 02:00–02:30 UTC. Checkout and the API stay up.",
  "severity": "info",
  "link": "/docs",
  "audience": {
    "kind": "all"
  },
  "startsAt": "2026-11-05T00:00:00.000Z",
  "endsAt": "2026-11-08T03:00:00.000Z",
  "endedAt": null,
  "endedBy": null,
  "current": false,
  "state": "scheduled",
  "createdBy": "usr_01m5wvkry1e6w94sjxgme33fsa",
  "createdAt": "2026-11-03T09:00:00.000Z",
  "version": 1
}
```

## Errors

| Code                                                                                   | HTTP status | When                                                                                                          | What to do                                                                      |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [`already_exists`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#already_exists)       | 409         | An announcement already has this `id`.                                                                        | Use a different value, or fetch the existing object and update it.              |
| [`validation_failed`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#validation_failed) | 400         | A field is invalid: an unknown plan key, a link that isn't https or a path, or `endsAt` not after `startsAt`. | Fix the fields listed in `details.issues` and send the request again.           |
| [`permission_denied`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#permission_denied) | 403         | You aren't a platform admin.                                                                                  | Ask an organization owner or admin for a role or scope that allows this action. |

It can also return these [common errors](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference.md#common-errors): [`api_version_unsupported`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#api_version_unsupported), [`invalid_json`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#invalid_json), [`unsupported_media_type`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#unsupported_media_type), [`authentication_required`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#authentication_required), [`api_key_invalid`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#api_key_invalid), [`resource_not_found`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#resource_not_found), [`idempotency_key_required`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#idempotency_key_required), [`idempotency_key_reused`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#idempotency_key_reused), [`idempotency_in_progress`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#idempotency_in_progress), [`rate_limited`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#rate_limited), [`internal_error`](https://ownrecord.io/docs/reference/errors.md#internal_error).