# How to edit an existing UDT easily

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-edit-an-existing-udt-easily/105967>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Tags:** ignition81\
**Created:** [May 7, 2025, 10:59am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-edit-an-existing-udt-easily/105967 "2025-05-07T10:59:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![danielps1818](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@danielps1818](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/danielps1818)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 10:59am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-edit-an-existing-udt-easily/105967/1 "2025-05-07T10:59:14Z")

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Hi! Hoping you are having a nice week.

A few years ago we finished a project and we are currently working in an expansion.  
We have an existing UDT that we wanna add more tags to it.

I have been experimenting a bit, and I noticed that I could simply edit it (the udt) and add the new tags.  
However, i would really like to be able to import the UDT via JSON.

Do I have to replace (override) the current UDT when I import it? Could I do a merge like when you import tags?

In this case there are a few tags (like 10), but what If I wanna add like a lot more. Should I do it via script?

Any tip/idea are welcome.

Thanks in advance!

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**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 11:02am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-edit-an-existing-udt-easily/105967/2 "2025-05-07T11:02:45Z")

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Export the current UDT's json. Edit the json to add all the new stuff. Import it back, using overwrite mode. All of the instances will Just Work™ as long as you haven't changed parameter names.

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**Author:** ![David\_Stone](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/david_stone/32/79749_2.png) [@David\_Stone](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/David_Stone)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 11:03am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-edit-an-existing-udt-easily/105967/3 "2025-05-07T11:03:33Z")

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> [@pturmel](#):
>
> Just Work™

Have you got a SKU for any of this in your web store yet?

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**Author:** ![danielps1818](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@danielps1818](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/danielps1818)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 11:05am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-edit-an-existing-udt-easily/105967/4 "2025-05-07T11:05:50Z")

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Overwritting an UDT would reset the already created tags to it's default value (the udt one)?

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**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 11:26am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-edit-an-existing-udt-easily/105967/5 "2025-05-07T11:26:50Z")

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No, editing a UDT definition leaves instance overrides/parameter values in place.

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**Author:** ![danielps1818](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@danielps1818](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/danielps1818)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 8:11am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/how-to-edit-an-existing-udt-easily/105967/6 "2025-05-08T08:11:04Z")

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Thanks pturmel