> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.unifystays.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # IDs and Tokens Cheat Sheet > Which identifiers and tokens to store, where each one comes from, how long it lasts, and which call needs it next. A booking flow passes a handful of identifiers from one call to the next. Mixing them up is the most common integration mistake. This page lists every one: where it comes from, how long it is good for, and where it goes. Two rules apply to all of them: * **Copy, never build.** Tokens and allocation IDs are opaque. Do not parse, decode, edit, concatenate or derive one from another. * **Stay in one environment.** An ID from Sandbox does not exist in Production, and the other way round. ## Search and room selection | Value | Comes from | Lifetime | Send it to | Store it? | | - | - | - | - | - | | `place_id` (number) | [Destination Autocomplete](/api-reference/destination-autocomplete) result with `type = place` | Catalogue ID, long-lived | `destination.id` in [Search Hotels](/api-reference/search-hotels); `place_id` in [Hotel Filters](/api-reference/hotel-filters) | Yes, with the guest's selection until they submit the search | | `hotel_id` (string) | Autocomplete (`type = hotel`) or `data.hotels[].hotel_id` in search | Catalogue ID, long-lived | `destination.id` as a **number** for a single-hotel search; the path of [Hotel Content](/api-reference/hotel-content) and [Hotel Rooms](/api-reference/hotel-rooms); `hotel_id` in [Prebook](/api-reference/prebook) | Yes. It is also the key for merging price updates and your content cache | | autocomplete `id` (`place-…`, `hotel-…`) | Autocomplete | n/a | Nothing | No. It is a UI list key only | | `nationality` (`iso_code`) | [Nationalities](/api-reference/nationalities) | Cache 30 days | `nationality` in search, rooms | Yes. Send the same value in search and rooms | | `search_id` (`srch_…`) | `data.search_id` of Search Hotels | About 5 minutes. Polling with `refresh_ids` extends it by 5 minutes | [Search Price Updates](/api-reference/search-price-updates) path | Only for the life of the result page. After a `404`, search again | | `next_cursor` | `data.next_cursor` of Search Hotels | Valid while you page with the same inputs | `cursor` of the next search request | Only while paging. Start again without a cursor if you change a filter or sort | | `stream_id` and `sse_stream_url` | [Get Hotel Rooms](/api-reference/hotel-rooms) response | The search runs at most 45 seconds. A finished stream stays readable about 2 minutes | Open `sse_stream_url` with your API key ([Stream Room Updates](/api-reference/hotel-room-stream)) | No. Open it immediately | | Last SSE event `id` | `id:` line of each event | During the stream | `Last-Event-ID` header when you reconnect | Only in memory, while reading | | `offer_id` (`off_…`) | Each entry of `options[]` | Until `lifecycle.expires_at` | Nothing at the room stage. Use it as a list key | No. Prebook issues a new `offer_id` | | `offer_family_id`, `unifystays_room_id`, `unifystays_family_id` | Offers and room objects in the stream | For this search; built room IDs can be retired later | Nothing. Display and grouping only | No. Never use them as booking keys. A `tmp_` ID is valid for this search only | | `booking_token` | `options[].booking_token` in the stream | At most 15 minutes (`lifecycle.expires_at`, from `quoted_at`) | `booking_token` in Prebook, together with the same `hotel_id` | Only until prebook. Never cache it | ## Checkout and booking | Value | Comes from | Lifetime | Send it to | Store it? | | - | - | - | - | - | | `prebooking_id` (`pbq7…`) | `data.prebooking_id` of Prebook | Until `data.offer.lifecycle.expires_at` (the supplier's deadline, otherwise 15 minutes after the prebook call). Single use | `prebooking_id` in [Create Booking](/api-reference/create-booking) | Keep with the checkout session until the booking is created | | `data.offer.offer_id` | Prebook response (a new ID, `revision` goes up) | Same as the prebooking | `accepted_offer_id` in Create Booking and [Confirm Hold](/api-reference/confirm-hold) | Yes, with the booking. It names the offer that was bought | | `room_allocation_id` (`ra_…`) | `data.offer.rooms[]` of Prebook (the authoritative copy) | Same as the prebooking | `rooms[].room_allocation_id` in Create Booking, once per room | Yes, with the booking. It joins guests to rooms in booking details | | `requirement_id` (`br_…`) | `data.offer.booking_requirements[]` of Prebook | Bound to that offer | `answers[].requirement_id` in Create Booking | No. Read it again from each prebook | | `Idempotency-Key` | **You** generate it | Yours to keep. Up to 128 characters, private to your organization | Header of Create Booking and of Cancel Booking; header of [Find Booking by Idempotency-Key](/api-reference/get-booking-by-idempotency-key) | **Yes, before the first request**, next to your own order number | | `X-Unifystays-End-User-IP` | Your guest's public IP | Per request | Header of Create Booking | No | | `guest_id` | You generate it | One request | `guests[].guest_id` in Create Booking | Optional. It only labels guests in error messages | ## After booking | Value | Comes from | Lifetime | Send it to | Store it? | | - | - | - | - | - | | `booking_id` (`ubk_…`) | `data.booking_id` of Create Booking | Permanent | Path of [Get Booking Status](/api-reference/get-booking-status), [Get Booking Details](/api-reference/get-booking-details), [Cancellation Quote](/api-reference/cancellation-quote), [Cancel Booking](/api-reference/cancel-booking), Confirm Hold | **Yes, immediately.** It is the key for everything after booking | | `provider.booking_id`, `provider.booking_code` | Booking status and details | Permanent | Support requests | Yes. These are supplier references, not guest-facing numbers | | `provider.hotel_confirmation_number` | Booking status and details; can arrive after `CONFIRMED` | Permanent | Show it to the guest and print it on the voucher | Yes, once present. Watch for the `booking.updated` webhook | | `quote_id` (`cq_…`) | `data.quote_id` of Cancellation Quote | 5 minutes, or sooner if the penalty is about to change. Single use | `cancellation_quote_id` in Cancel Booking | No. Request a new quote if it expires | | `hold_deadline_at` | Booking status on an `ON_HOLD` booking | A fixed time | Confirm before it | Yes, to show a countdown | ## Webhooks and support | Value | Comes from | Lifetime | Use | Store it? | | - | - | - | - | - | | Webhook event `id` (`evt_…`) | Body of each delivery and the `X-UnifyStay-Webhook-Id` header | Same on every retry and replay | Your deduplication key | Yes | | `data.object.version` | Body of each booking event | Rises by one with every event of a booking | Apply an event only if it is higher than the version you hold | Yes, per booking | | Endpoint `id` (UUID) | [Create Webhook Endpoint](/api-reference/webhooks/create-endpoint) | Until you delete the endpoint | Update, rotate, test and delete calls | Yes | | `signing_secret` (`whsec_…`) | Create Webhook Endpoint, shown **once** | Until rotated | [Verify the signature](/guides/verify-webhook-signatures) of every delivery | Yes, in a secret manager only | | `X-Request-Id` | Response header on every response (also `request_id` in error bodies). You may send your own | One request | Quote it to support | Log it for every failed call | ## Where each value goes next ```text theme={null} place_id / hotel_id ─► search ─► search_id ─► price polling │ hotel_id ─► rooms ─► sse_stream_url ─► booking_token │ hotel_id + booking_token ─► prebook ─► prebooking_id offer_id room_allocation_id[] booking_requirements[] │ Idempotency-Key + prebooking_id + accepted_offer_id + rooms[] ─► book ─► booking_id │ booking_id ─► status / details / cancellation quote ─► quote_id ─► cancel ``` The three most common mistakes: booking with a room or family ID instead of `booking_token` and `room_allocation_id`; creating a new `Idempotency-Key` for an uncertain retry; and sending the autocomplete `id` instead of `place_id` or `hotel_id`. Next: see the [Hotel Booking Flow](/guides/hotel-booking-flow) for the order of calls, or [Errors & Retries](/errors) when a call fails. 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