This document introduces ORCID, an open identifier system for researchers. It describes how to get started with an ORCID iD, the components of an ORCID record including biographical data, works, funding, and more. It also outlines the ORCID API and common workflows like authenticating a user, reading and updating their record, and creating ORCID iDs. Resources for technical and non-technical integration are provided.

1. ORCID: Technical Introduction
Liz Krznarich, ORCID Support
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6622-4910
support@orcid.org
Contact Info: p. +1-301-922-9062 a. 10411 Motor City Drive, Suite 750, Bethesda, MD 20817o UrScAid.org

2. Getting Started
First Name
Last Name
Email
Password
Privacy &
Communications
Preferences
Register
Via the ORCID Website
https://orcid.org/register
Or as part of an integration
from another site
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3. Getting Started
Welcome to the
ORCID Registry!
Image credit: RaHuL Rodriguez, ccBY-SA 2.0, Oct 5, 2012
http://www.flickr.com/photos/92963434@N03/9162677329
• Verify your email address
• Here’s your ORCID iD:
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4. The ORCID Record
Contains:
 Biographical Data
 Education Data
 Employment Data
 Works Data
 Funding Data
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5. The ORCID Record
Biographical
Data
Include
Multiple 
Add a Names
Description 
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6. The ORCID Record
Education Data
Employment Data
Organization
list from 
Ringgold
(an ISNI Registrar)
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7. The ORCID Record
Funding Data
Funding agency
 list consistent
with FundRef
Search & link
Wizards 
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8. The ORCID Record
Works Data
Search & Link Wizards:
• ANDS Registry
• CrossRef Metadata Search
• DataCite Metadata Store
• Europe PubMed Central
• ResearcherID
• Scopus
• ISNI number & ISBNs
Classifications & metadata
fields consistent w/CASRAI
Translated titles &
language support
Structured citations
in BibTeX
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9. User privacy
● Information in an ORCID Record has a privacy
setting, which can be set by the account owner.
Accessible by :
Anyone Account Owner, Trusted Account Owner
Organization(s)
● Account information (settings, permissions) is
accessible by the account owner
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10. The ORCID API
• Authenticate- Get a user’s
authenticated ORCID iD
• Read- Read public and read-limited
items
• Add- Post new items to the record
• Update- Update or delete items you
previously added
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11. The ORCID API
User: Follow a link to connect your system to
their ORCID record (on the ORCID site, your website, or
in an email message)
System: Send the use to the authorize URL
https://orcid.org/oauth/authorize?
client_id=0000-0003-2996-8827&
response_type=code&
scope=/orcid-profile/read-limited&
redirect_uri=https://yoursite.org
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12. The ORCID API
User: authorize the connection
System: Receive an authorization code & the
user’s ORCID iD
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13. The ORCID API
User: no action
System: Exchange the authorization code for
an access token
curl -i -L -H 'Accept: application/json' --data
'client_id=0000-0002-9189-9909&client_secret=719b5c31-5681-
4dce-a317-
ff1bc1e94277&grant_type=authorization_code&code=GU0yrC&redirect
_uri=https://developers.google.com/oauthplayground'
'https://api.qa.orcid.org/oauth/token' -k
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
{"access_token":"0a3ac65f-f8a7-4257-b605-aff0ab37d464",
"token_type":"bearer",
"refresh_token":"16d75d2d-bb75-4087-8a01-685e5f03faf8",
"expires_in":631138518,
"scope":"/orcid-profile/read-limited",
"orcid":"0000-0003-4153-0078”}
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14. The ORCID API
User: no action
System: Use the access token to read the
user’s record
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<orcid-message xmlns="http://www.orcid.org/ns/orcid">
<message-version>1.2_rc3</message-version>
<orcid-profile type="user">
<orcid-identifier>
<uri>http://qa.orcid.org/0000-0003-4153-0078</uri>
<path>0000-0003-4153-0078</path>
<host>qa.orcid.org</host>
</orcid-identifier>
…
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15. The ORCID API
User: Select items to add to their ORCID
record
System: Use the access token to post
information
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16. The ORCID API
The ORCID record is updated
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17. Most common workflows
Get the researcher’s ORCID iD
Read data from a user’s ORCID Record
Add works, funding, affiliations, or
biographical information to an ORCID
Record
Enable user to display your system’s
identifier & link on their ORCID Record
Create an ORCID iD for your employees
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18. The ORCID API
Creating ORCID Records
Batch Create
• You create a record for the
researchers via the API
• User is sent an email asking
them to claim the record and
take control of it
• Must have researchers’ consent
Create on Demand
• Webpage/email with link for
researchers to sign up/sign in
• Researchers grant you access
to add information to their
record when they register
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19. The ORCID API
ORCID Messages XML has 4 parts:
• <orcid-identifier> & <orcid-history> system
generated info about the record
• <orcid-bio> personal information about the
researcher
• <orcid-activities> information about the
researcher’s activities including works, funding,
employment and education
Currently on version 1.1, but release
candidate 1.2_rc4 is available
https://github.com/ORCID/ORCID-Source/blob/master/orcid-model/
src/main/resources/README.md
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20. Resources
Technical steps to build an integration
• Get credentials for the ORCID Sandbox
sandbox.orcid.org
• Setup an integration on the sandbox
• Work with ORCID staff to test your sandbox
integration
• Launch your integration on the ORCID Registry
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21. Non technical steps
Resources
• Educate your researchers about ORCID
• Publish internal articles about ORCID
• Use the ORCID logo on your site
• Share Promotional materials
• Host workshops
• Education your administration about ORCID
• Create help documentation for your integration
• Publicize your completed integration
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22. • Start with the API Guide
(http://support.orcid.org/knowledgebase/articles/180285)
• ORCID Knowledge Base
Resources
• High level guides (http://support.orcid.org/knowledgebase/topics/32828)
• Detailed tutorials (http://support.orcid.org/knowledgebase/topics/32831)
• ORCID API Users Group
(https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/orcid-api-users)
• Check out other integrations
(https://orcid.org/organizations/integrators/current)
• ORCID Support (http://support.orcid.org or support@orcid.org)
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