---
ref: tool:klaviyo/create-event
name: Create an event
company: company:klaviyo
workflows: []
access: [cli, api]
tags: [capability:track-product-usage, category:email, has:api, has:cli]
docs: https://developers.klaviyo.com/en/reference/create_event
updated: 2026-09-27
---

# Create an event

Records one event, such as a purchase, against a profile and creates or updates that profile.

Give the profile at least one identifier (`id`, `email` or `phone_number`)
and the metric a `name`. Events can trigger flows; set `backfill` to `true`
for historical events that shouldn't. The remote MCP server doesn't offer
single events, but `bulk_create_events` (`POST /api/event-bulk-create-jobs`)
records up to 1,000 events per request.

## Set up

Use the first option your agent supports.

### CLI (official)

Install the command, then confirm it runs.

```sh
go install github.com/klaviyo/klaviyo-cli/cmd/klaviyo@latest
klaviyo --version
```

Run `klaviyo events create`.

Set `$KLAVIYO_API_KEY` in your environment first (get a key: https://www.klaviyo.com/create-private-api-key).

### API (official)

- Base URL: https://a.klaviyo.com
- Endpoint: `POST /api/events`
- Auth: send the header `Authorization: Klaviyo-API-Key $KLAVIYO_API_KEY`
- Get a key: https://www.klaviyo.com/create-private-api-key
- Docs: https://developers.klaviyo.com/en/reference/api_overview

Before doing anything else, make one read-only call to confirm access.

## Rules

- Ask the user before anything that sends messages, costs money, or changes data.
- Never print API keys.