Create and update designation hierarchies with the v2 API

The API exposes GET/POST/PUT /api/v2/designations and GET/POST/PUT/DELETE /api/v2/designation_groups. Use the intended version and its request contract; the older unversioned group endpoint is a different implementation. These operations use the platform's API-request processing flow, so inspect the completed result and item errors rather than treating accepted submission as success.

Create or update school designations separately from the hierarchy nodes that reference them. A designation POST creates a new designation; PUT finds the existing designation by its GiveCampus id. A matching unique_identifier alone is not automatic upsert. Group leaves reference an active existing designation using designation_id; the group endpoint is not a substitute for updating the designation's own name/backend fields.

For v2 groups, POST creates a tree and rejects node IDs in a create request. PUT locates the existing root/subtree by id, updates submitted existing node IDs and creates submitted nodes without IDs. Existing IDs must belong to that subtree and cannot be repeated. Groups need names; leaves need active designation IDs; nodes with children must be groups.

A group PUT reconciles the supplied tree: omitted existing node IDs are candidates for removal. Submit the complete intended subtree, not just the changed leaf. In-use nodes cannot be removed, and their editable attributes are restricted to priority, visibility and position. Successful changes queue regeneration of synchronized project trees. Review the current tree and all returned item errors before treating the structure as updated. Confirm API availability for your account and test a representative request before a production update.