# retireIdentifier

mutation · in the family [Catalog editing](/reference/catalog-editing/)

## What it does

Retire an identifier from a variant — it stops resolving.

RETIRE the variant's CURRENT identifier of a kind. No current entry → NOT_FOUND/IDENTIFIER. Requires the unrestricted capability.

## Careful

Tills and scanners stop recognizing it immediately.

## Who may call it

Capability area: **Catalog editing** — Changing what you sell — the details of styles, products, variants and their identifiers.

- Owner
- Manager
- Associate Manager
- An API key whose scope allows `api:retireIdentifier`

## Arguments

| Name | Type | Required | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `input` | [RetireIdentifierInput](/types/RetireIdentifierInput/) `RetireIdentifierInput!` | yes | No further notes. |

## Returns

[IdentifierEntry](/types/IdentifierEntry/) `IdentifierEntry!` — ONE ledgered identifier assignment: a kind + value borne by a Variant over an assignment window. sysId-LESS; IMMUTABLE (no edit op exists; supersededAt is the ONE set-once SYSTEM stamp; doomed = VOIDED, a correction).

## Example request

```graphql
mutation ExampleRetireIdentifier($input: RetireIdentifierInput!) {
  retireIdentifier(input: $input) {
    id
    type
    caption
    status
    parentId
    rootId
    kind
    value
    organizationId
    assignedAt
    supersededAt
    createdAt
    updatedAt
    revision
    revisionNum
  }
}
```

Variables:

```json
{
  "input": {
    "variantId": "01900000-0000-7000-8000-8415e73b0000",
    "kind": "<kind>",
    "organizationId": "01900000-0000-7000-8000-44b781470000"
  }
}
```

Send it with the envelope naming the version: `"extensions": {"at": {"version": {"name":"genesis","number":0}}}`.

## Example response

```json
{
  "data": {
    "retireIdentifier": {
      "id": "01900000-0000-7000-8000-37386ae00000",
      "type": "<type>",
      "caption": "Blue jeans",
      "status": "<status>",
      "parentId": "01900000-0000-7000-8000-065235280000",
      "rootId": "01900000-0000-7000-8000-a093dd800000",
      "kind": "<kind>",
      "value": "<value>",
      "organizationId": "01900000-0000-7000-8000-44b781470000",
      "assignedAt": "2027-01-31T00:00:00.000Z",
      "supersededAt": "2027-01-31T00:00:00.000Z",
      "createdAt": "2027-01-31T00:00:00.000Z",
      "updatedAt": "2027-01-31T00:00:00.000Z",
      "revision": "01900000-0000-7000-8000-b7960e180000",
      "revisionNum": 1
    }
  },
  "extensions": {
    "at": {
      "callId": "01EXAMPLE-CALL-ID",
      "version": {
        "requested": {
          "name": "genesis",
          "number": 0
        },
        "serviced": {
          "name": "genesis",
          "number": 0
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Errors this call can answer

- `VALIDATION/INVALID` — Something in the request is not valid. ([VALIDATION](/errors/VALIDATION/))
- `AUTHN/REQUIRED` — Sign in to do this. ([AUTHN](/errors/AUTHN/))
- `AUTHZ/FORBIDDEN` — Your role does not allow this action. ([AUTHZ](/errors/AUTHZ/))
- `RATE_LIMIT/THROTTLED` — Too many requests in a short time. ([RATE_LIMIT](/errors/RATE_LIMIT/))
- `NOT_FOUND/*` — That record could not be found. ([NOT_FOUND](/errors/NOT_FOUND/))
- `CONFLICT/*` — The record’s state, or a change made in the meantime, does not allow this; the codes are on the CONFLICT page. ([CONFLICT](/errors/CONFLICT/))
- `VALIDATION/VERSION_REQUIRED` — The request did not say which app version it came from. ([VALIDATION](/errors/VALIDATION/))

## Used in

- [Give items their barcodes and identifiers](/use-cases/give-items-their-barcodes/)