How can I pass user email and ID to the assistant for background processing?

Below is some clarification and suggestions based on the OpenAI API documentation:

Understanding the Metadata Field

• Purpose: The metadata field is designed to attach additional tagging or categorization information for completions, which you can later filter or search on in the dashboard.
• Usage: It serves as background context for you as a developer but is not automatically used by the assistant during conversation or function calling.

How to Pass User Information for Background Processing

Since the assistant doesn't process the metadata as part of the conversation context, consider the following alternatives:

1. Embed Data in the Conversation:
   If the assistant needs to act on user information (e.g., for function calling or supporting responses), include the data directly in a hidden system message. For example:

   PYTHONCopied
   system_message = (
       "User context: email=user@example.com, user_id=12345. "
       "Use this extra data only for backend processing and support."
   )
   assistant.send_message(message=system_message, role="system")

2. Use the user Parameter:
   Some endpoints support a user parameter, which is a unique identifier for the end-user. While it doesn't provide structured fields like email, it helps with analytics and abuse monitoring:

   PYTHONCopied
   assistant.send_message(
       message="Hello, how can I help you?",
       user="12345"  # Unique end-user ID
   )

3. Custom Handling on Your Side:
   If there is extra user data needed for support or function calls, consider sending that information in parallel to your conversation calls. That way, your backend holds all necessary context while keeping the assistant's conversation stream clean.

Summary

• Metadata is for tagging and dashboard filtering and is not processed in conversation context.
• For background user data (like email and user ID), either include it as part of the conversation (e.g., in a system message) or use the user parameter where available.
• Ensure that sensitive user data is handled securely and in compliance with applicable data protection policies.

This approach should allow you to leverage additional user information in the background while keeping your API calls aligned with the documentation's intended usage.