"last_name" : "Roe" } { "_index": "megacorp", "_type": "employee", "_id": "3", "_version": 2, "_shards": { "total": 2, "successful": 1, "failed": 0 }, "created": false } GET /megacorp/employee/3 { "_index": "megacorp", "_type": "employee", "_id": "3", "_version": 2, "found": true, "_source": { "first_name": "Richard", "last_name": "Roe" } } Entire document is updated Use _update API for partial update