Variable Quick Reference Guide
A complete reference for variables returned by LinkedIn for Workflows API actions. Use this guide to plan custom fields and understand the inputs each action requires and what information can be returned.
How to use this guide
- Required Input Fields shows what you must supply to run the action.
- Returned Variables lists what the action gives back. Items are comma separated.
- Bold items are key identifiers you will typically store for lookups and follow-on actions.
Variable Reference
| Action & Required Input | Returned Variables | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Search User Requires a First and Last Name |
Provider ID, Public ID, Full Name, Profile URL, Profile Picture URL, Location, Headline, Network Distance | Search for a single LinkedIn user by first and last name. Returns profile basics and identifiers. |
|
Search People Requires a First and Last Name |
People | Run an advanced people search that returns a collection of matching users. |
|
Search Company Requires a Name |
Provider ID, Company Name, Profile URL, Summary, Industry, Location, Logo, Followers Count | Search for a single company by name. Returns core company profile fields. |
|
Search Companies Requires a Name |
Companies | Run an advanced company search that returns a collection of matching companies. |
|
Retrieve User Profile Requires a Public ID or Provider ID |
Provider ID, Public ID, First Name, Last Name, Headline, Summary, Location, Profile Picture, Email, Phone, Address, Socials, Birthdate, Follower Count, Connections Count, Shared Connections Count, Network Distance, Is Open Profile, Is Premium, Is Influencer, Is Creator, Is Hiring, Is Relationship, Is Open To Work, Invitation Status, Websites, Hashtags, Work Experience, Education, Certifications, Skills, Volunteering Experience, Public Profile URL | Retrieve a full user profile for enrichment and custom field mapping. |
|
Retrieve Company Profile Requires a Provider ID |
Provider ID, Public ID, Company Name, Profile URL, Website, Logo, Industry, Foundation Date, Description, Organization Type, Locations, Activities, Tagline, Employee Count, Followers Count, Is Following | Retrieve a full company profile for enrichment and custom field mapping. |
|
List All Posts Requires a Public ID or Provider ID |
Posts | List all posts for a user or company. |
|
Send Invitation Requires a Provider ID |
Invitation ID | Send a connection request. Returns the identifier of the new invitation. |
|
Cancel Invitation Requires an Invitation ID |
Invitation Status | Cancel a pending connection request and return its updated status. |
|
List Pending Sent Invitations No Requirements |
Invitations | List all outstanding invitations you have sent that are still pending. |
|
Retrieve Inmail Credit Balance No Requirements |
Premium Credits, Recruiter Credits, Sales Navigator Credits | Retrieve current credit balances for your account plan. |
|
Retrieve Last Post Requires Provider ID |
Post ID, Share URL, Date, Hours Since, Comment Count, Post Impressions, Post Reactions, Post Count, Post Text, Is Repost, Can Comment, Can React, Can Share, Author | Retrieve the most recent post for a user or company with engagement details. |
|
Comment On A Post Requires Post ID |
Response | Add a comment to a post and return the operation response. |
|
React To A Post Requires Post ID |
Response | Add a reaction to a post and return the operation response. |
|
Start A Chat Requires Provider ID |
Chat ID, Message ID | Start a conversation with a connection. Returns the chat identifier and message id when applicable. |
|
Retrieve A Chat ID Requires Provider ID |
Chat ID | Retrieve the conversation identifier for messaging actions. |
|
Send A Message To A Chat Requires Chat ID |
Message ID | Send a message to an existing chat thread and return the new message id. |
Best practices
- Always store Provider ID as the canonical lookup key for users and companies.
- Use Public ID for human readable links and profile URLs.
- For messaging workflows, capture and reuse Chat ID so replies thread correctly.
- For invitations, store Invitation ID to manage cancel operations and status checks.
- For post engagement, store Post ID to comment, react, or fetch details reliably.
- Map only the variables you need. Keep identifiers and high value profile fields to minimize clutter.