# Update department

Update the name or description of an existing department.

Partially updates a department. Only the fields provided in the request body are modified. To move a department to a different parent, use the [Reparent Department](/docs/api-reference/departments/reparent) endpoint instead.

#### Path Parameters

**`organization_id`** string required

The unique identifier of the organization (format: `org_*`).

**`department_id`** string required

The unique identifier of the department (format: `dept_*`).

#### Request Body

**`name`** string optional

The new name for the department. Must be between 1 and 255 characters.

**`description`** string | null optional

The new description for the department.

## Returns

The updated department object.

Request

```bash cURL
curl -X PATCH https://api.aitronos.com/v1/organizations/org_xyz789/departments/dept_abc123 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Platform Engineering",
    "description": "Platform and infrastructure team"
  }'
```


```python Python SDK
from aitronos import Aitronos

client = Aitronos(api_key="your-api-key")

# Department endpoints coming to SDK soon
# result = client.departments.update(
#     organization_id="org_xyz789",
#     department_id="dept_abc123",
#     name="Platform Engineering",
#     description="Platform and infrastructure team",
# )
```


```python Python
import requests

org_id = "org_xyz789"
dept_id = "dept_abc123"
url = f"https://api.aitronos.com/v1/organizations/{org_id}/departments/{dept_id}"
headers = {
    "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
}
data = {
    "name": "Platform Engineering",
    "description": "Platform and infrastructure team",
}

response = requests.patch(url, headers=headers, json=data)
department = response.json()
print(department)
```


```javascript JavaScript
const orgId = "org_xyz789";
const deptId = "dept_abc123";

const response = await fetch(
  `https://api.aitronos.com/v1/organizations/${orgId}/departments/${deptId}`,
  {
    method: "PATCH",
    headers: {
      "Authorization": `Bearer ${accessToken}`,
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      name: "Platform Engineering",
      description: "Platform and infrastructure team",
    }),
  }
);

const department = await response.json();
console.log(department);
```

Response

```json 200 OK
{
  "id": "dept_abc123",
  "name": "Platform Engineering",
  "description": "Platform and infrastructure team",
  "parent_id": null,
  "path": "/dept_abc123",
  "depth": 0,
  "organization_id": "org_xyz789",
  "member_count": 5,
  "is_active": true,
  "is_default": false,
  "color": null,
  "created_by": "usr_owner1",
  "created_at": "2025-01-15T10:00:00Z"
}
```


```json 404 Error
{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "DEPARTMENT_NOT_FOUND",
    "message": "The requested department could not be found.",
    "system_message": "Department not found",
    "type": "client_error",
    "status": 404,
    "details": { "department_id": "dept_xyz" },
    "trace_id": "abc-123-def",
    "timestamp": "2025-11-02T08:21:45Z"
  }
}
```

## Related Resources

- [Get Department Tree](/docs/api-reference/departments/tree)
- [List Departments](/docs/api-reference/departments/list)
- [Retrieve Department](/docs/api-reference/departments/retrieve)
- [Create Department](/docs/api-reference/departments/create)
- [Reparent Department](/docs/api-reference/departments/reparent)
- [Delete Department](/docs/api-reference/departments/delete)
- [List Department Members](/docs/api-reference/departments/list-members)
- [Add Department Member](/docs/api-reference/departments/add-member)
- [Remove Department Member](/docs/api-reference/departments/remove-member)
- [Department Object](/docs/api-reference/objects/department-object)