> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://new.cove.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick Start

> Go from zero to a reported payment in 4 steps

## Step 1: Set your API key

All requests require the `x-api-key` header. Use `sk_test_*` keys during development.

```
x-api-key: sk_test_your_api_key_here
```

<Info>Sandbox keys (`sk_test_*`) create real data but Metro 2 files never reach bureaus. Use them freely during development.</Info>

## Step 2: Create a consumer

Register the individual whose payments you'll report.

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X POST https://vvdufluovypptsnkihyv.supabase.co/functions/v1/consumers \
    -H "x-api-key: sk_test_your_api_key_here" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{
      "first_name": "Jane",
      "last_name": "Doe",
      "date_of_birth": "1990-05-15",
      "ssn": "123-45-6789",
      "phone": "+15551234567",
      "email": "jane.doe@example.com",
      "address": {
        "street": "123 Main St",
        "city": "Austin",
        "state": "TX",
        "postal_code": "73301",
        "country": "US"
      },
      "external_id": "sp-user-001"
    }'
  ```

  ```javascript Node.js theme={null}
  const response = await fetch(
    'https://vvdufluovypptsnkihyv.supabase.co/functions/v1/consumers',
    {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: {
        'x-api-key': 'sk_test_your_api_key_here',
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      },
      body: JSON.stringify({
        first_name: 'Jane',
        last_name: 'Doe',
        date_of_birth: '1990-05-15',
        ssn: '123-45-6789',
        phone: '+15551234567',
        email: 'jane.doe@example.com',
        address: {
          street: '123 Main St',
          city: 'Austin',
          state: 'TX',
          postal_code: '73301',
          country: 'US',
        },
        external_id: 'sp-user-001',
      }),
    }
  );
  const consumer = await response.json();
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  import requests

  response = requests.post(
      "https://vvdufluovypptsnkihyv.supabase.co/functions/v1/consumers",
      headers={
          "x-api-key": "sk_test_your_api_key_here",
          "Content-Type": "application/json",
      },
      json={
          "first_name": "Jane",
          "last_name": "Doe",
          "date_of_birth": "1990-05-15",
          "ssn": "123-45-6789",
          "phone": "+15551234567",
          "email": "jane.doe@example.com",
          "address": {
              "street": "123 Main St",
              "city": "Austin",
              "state": "TX",
              "postal_code": "73301",
              "country": "US",
          },
          "external_id": "sp-user-001",
      },
  )
  consumer = response.json()
  ```
</CodeGroup>

```json Response (201) theme={null}
{
  "id": "d1ba6184-b708-4e76-91fc-85dd6443c890",
  "first_name": "Jane",
  "last_name": "Doe",
  "middle_name": null,
  "date_of_birth": "1990-05-15",
  "phone": "+15551234567",
  "email": "jane.doe@example.com",
  "address": {
    "street": "123 Main St",
    "city": "Austin",
    "state": "TX",
    "postal_code": "73301",
    "country": "US"
  },
  "external_id": "sp-user-001",
  "created_at": "2026-02-16T06:16:47.385307+00:00",
  "updated_at": "2026-02-16T06:16:47.385307+00:00"
}
```

<Note>The SSN is encrypted at rest and **never returned** in any API response. Save the `id` for creating tradelines.</Note>

## Step 3: Create a tradeline

A tradeline represents an ongoing payment obligation being reported to credit bureaus.

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://vvdufluovypptsnkihyv.supabase.co/functions/v1/tradelines \
  -H "x-api-key: sk_test_your_api_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "consumer_id": "d1ba6184-b708-4e76-91fc-85dd6443c890",
    "payment_type": "child_support",
    "payment_type_label": "Monthly Child Support",
    "account_opened_date": "2025-01-01",
    "payment_amount": 150000,
    "payment_frequency": "monthly",
    "ecoa_code": "individual",
    "metro2_account_type": "installment",
    "report_to_bureaus": ["equifax", "transunion", "experian"]
  }'
```

```json Response (201) theme={null}
{
  "id": "9c843590-8552-4490-a50c-f0cc413d8b69",
  "consumer_id": "d1ba6184-b708-4e76-91fc-85dd6443c890",
  "partner_id": "b3937f42-ca94-469d-a318-75fd149b3dfe",
  "payment_type": "child_support",
  "payment_type_label": "Monthly Child Support",
  "account_status": "current",
  "current_balance": 0,
  "amount_past_due": 0,
  "payment_history": "",
  "is_active": true,
  "created_at": "2026-02-16T06:16:56.200531+00:00",
  "updated_at": "2026-02-16T06:16:56.200531+00:00"
}
```

<Tip>`payment_amount` is in **cents**. \$1,500.00 = `150000`. Save the tradeline `id` for payment reporting.</Tip>

## Step 4: Report a payment

Each month, report payments against the tradeline. The API automatically updates the tradeline's status, balance, and payment history.

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://vvdufluovypptsnkihyv.supabase.co/functions/v1/payments \
  -H "x-api-key: sk_test_your_api_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "tradeline_id": "9c843590-8552-4490-a50c-f0cc413d8b69",
    "payment_date": "2026-02-01",
    "period_start": "2026-02-01",
    "period_end": "2026-02-28",
    "amount_due": 150000,
    "amount_paid": 150000,
    "payment_status": "on_time"
  }'
```

```json Response (201) theme={null}
{
  "id": "1bedd1b0-aadd-4d0e-8d23-68b2f9d30efb",
  "tradeline_id": "9c843590-8552-4490-a50c-f0cc413d8b69",
  "payment_date": "2026-02-01",
  "period_start": "2026-02-01",
  "period_end": "2026-02-28",
  "amount_due": 150000,
  "amount_paid": 150000,
  "payment_status": "on_time",
  "reported": false,
  "reported_at": null,
  "external_payment_id": null,
  "created_at": "2026-02-16T06:17:02.898846+00:00",
  "tradeline_status": {
    "account_status": "current",
    "current_balance": 0,
    "amount_past_due": 0,
    "payment_history": "0"
  }
}
```

The `tradeline_status` shows the auto-updated fields. The `payment_history` value `"0"` means "current" for this month.

## What's next?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Check submissions" icon="paper-plane" href="/guides/submissions">
    Track when your data reaches the bureaus.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Set up webhooks" icon="bell" href="/guides/webhooks">
    Get notified when bureau submissions are processed.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Enum reference" icon="list" href="/guides/enums">
    All payment types, status codes, and Metro 2 mappings.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Error handling" icon="triangle-exclamation" href="/guides/errors">
    Understand error codes and handle failures gracefully.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>