Kaizen #122 - Data Synchronization using Bulk Read and Notification APIs

Kaizen #122 - Data Synchronization using Bulk Read and Notification APIs

Hello everyone!
Welcome back to yet another insightful post in our Kaizen series.

Consider that your organization is involved in selling laptops. Your sales team uses Zoho CRM for their daily activities, managing Leads, Deals, and inventory modules, whereas your Accounts team relies on a legacy application. It is important to maintain data synchronization from Zoho CRM to the legacy system to ensure that the Accounts team always works with the latest information.
To ensure that this synchronization happens in near real-time, the legacy application uses Zoho CRM's Bulk Read API and Notification API.

In this article, we'll discuss how one-way data sync will be achieved for the "Leads" module.

Bulk Read API 

This asynchronous API facilitates the export of up to 200,000 records from a module in a single job. If there are more than 200,000 records, additional API calls are required to fetch all the records.

Notification API

This API allows you to subscribe to events such as creating, updating, and deleting a record in a module through a webhook URL. Each of these actions triggers a corresponding HTTP request to your webhook.

Flow Diagram

The above diagram represents the initial sync on how the legacy application syncs data from Zoho CRM.

Step 1: Sync Start

This is the starting point of the code for the data sync from Zoho CRM to the legacy application and keeping the data updated in near real-time.

Step 2: Subscribe to the channel via Notification API

First, subscribe to events (create, update, and delete) occurring in the Leads module through a channel created via the Notification API, and then trigger the Bulk Read API (Step 3) to synchronize the entire data in Zoho CRM.

Reason:

During the asynchronous execution of the Bulk Read API job, all records from the specific module are saved to a CSV file. Let's consider a scenario where a record that has already undergone processing by the Bulk Read API is updated through the web UI or any other source. This means that the data in the Bulk Read CSV may become outdated by the time the job concludes.

To address this issue, you can leverage the Notification API. You subscribe to a channel, actively monitoring any actions performed on records in that module. When an action occurs, you will receive a notification through the configured URL. Subsequently, upon receiving this notification, you can store the updated data in the legacy database, including the modified time. This ensures that only the most recent data is stored in the database.

Sample Request URL: {{api-domain}}/crm/v6/actions/watch
Request Method: POST

Sample Input
{
    "watch": [
        {
            "channel_id": "10000",
            "events": [
                "Leads.create",
                "Leads.edit",
                "Leads.delete"
            ],
            "channel_expiry": "2024-01-21T00:13:59-08:00",
            "token": "leads.all.notif",
        }
    ]
}

Sample Response
{
    "watch": [
        {
            "code": "SUCCESS",
            "details": {
                "events": [
                    {
                        "channel_expiry": "2024-01-21T00:13:59-08:00",
                        "resource_uri": "https://www.zohoapis.com/crm/v6/Leads",
                        "resource_id": "5725767000000002175",
                        "resource_name": "Leads",
                        "channel_id": "10000"
                    }
                ]
            },
            "message": "Successfully subscribed for actions-watch of the given module",
            "status": "success"
        }
    ]
}

The response confirms a successful subscription for actions-watch on the "Leads" module. For more information about the Notification API, refer to this Kaizen post on the Notification API.

Step 2.1: On each notification, update that record in DB along with the modified time

If a record gets updated or a new record is created, or a record is deleted in the Leads module, you are notified about the change in data via the subscribed notification channel and stored in the legacy database along with the modified time.

Sample JSON Notification Response 

Note: The primary purpose of subscribing to the channel via notification is not to miss any data that has been modified or created during the data backup.

Step 3: Bulk Read Initialize

Initiate the data backup by using the Bulk Read API after subscribing to the channel via Notification API.  As the API is an asynchronous one, a bulk read job is scheduled. After the job is completed on the Zoho CRM end, a notification will be sent via the callback URL. Also, the application can periodically check the job status using the Get the Status of the Bulk Read Job API. 
Note: For the Bulk Read API, the records will be sorted based on the id field in ascending order.

Sample Request for Initial Bulk Read

Request URL:  {{api-domain}}/crm/bulk/v6/read
Request Method:  POST

Sample Input
{
    "callback": {
        "url": "https://www.xyz.com/callback",
        "method": "post"
    },
    "query": {
        "module": {
            "api_name": "Leads",
            "page" : 1
        }
    }
}

Sample Response
{
    "data": [
        {
            "status": "success",
            "code": "ADDED_SUCCESSFULLY",
            "message": "Added successfully",
            "details": {
                "id": "5725767000002002008", //job_id
                "operation": "read",
                "state": "ADDED",
                "created_by": {
                    "id": "5725767000000411001",
                    "name": "Patricia Boyle"
                },
                "created_time": "2024-01-20T04:01:48-08:00"
            }
        }
    ],
    "info": {}
}
For more details and examples, refer to the Create Bulk Read Job API help document. 

Get the Status of Scheduled Bulk Read Job

Check the status of the scheduled bulk read job using the job_id you received.
Request URL: {{api-domain}}/crm/bulk/v6/read/{job_id}
Request Method: GET

Sample Response
{
    "data": [
        {
            "id": "5725767000002025007",
            "operation": "read",
            "state": "COMPLETED",
            "result": {
                "page": 1,
                "per_page": 200000,
                "count": 142,
                "download_url": "/crm/bulk/v6/read/5725767000002025007/result",
                "more_records": false
            },
            "query": {
                "module": {
                    "id": "5725767000000002175",
                    "api_name": "Leads"
                },
                "page": 1
            },
            "created_by": {
                "id": "5725767000000411001",
                "name": "Patricia Boyle"
            },
            "created_time": "2024-01-24T21:35:11-08:00",
            "file_type": "csv"
        }
    ]
}

The above response contains the status of the scheduled job as either ADDED, IN PROGRESS, or COMPLETED.
When the job is complete, the response contains the result JSON object with the keys page, count, more_records, and download_url. The download_url in the callback response from which you can download the zip file containing the CSV file.

Step 4: Sync the Bulk Read data with the legacy DB, if it has a more recent modified time

Once the bulk-read data CSV is available, the data will be updated in the database. If any record's modified time in the CSV file is less than the modified time already present in the database, then it's an outdated record and need not be updated in the legacy's database, as it has already been handled via the Notification API's subscribed channel.

If the CSV contains exactly 200,000 records, there is a possibility of having more records. In the response of the Status of the Bulk Read Job API, if the more_records key is true, it indicates additional records to be exported. To retrieve them, simply update the value of the page key in the POST request and schedule another bulk read job to fetch the next set of records. By default, you can fetch up to 200,000 records in a single API call. Repeat this process until all the records are fetched from the CRM side. For more details on how to download, refer to this Kaizen post about the Bulk Read API.

Channel Resubscription

The channel subscription will remain active for a maximum of one day. After this period, it needs to be re-subscribed using the Enable Notification API to continue receiving notifications for create/update/delete actions in the Leads module. It is recommended to perform the re-subscription every 23 hours and 55 minutes, just short of 24 hours. Note that if the expiry time is not specified during the subscription, it will expire within one hour.

Troubleshooting

There are some scenarios where data synchronization may fail. 
For instance,
1. Unreachable Webhook URL: If the webhook URL is down, Zoho CRM cannot notify data updates through it.
2. Notification Expiry : If the notification expires before resubscribing to the channel, there is a risk of losing newly registered leads in between.
3. The code logic in the Webhook URL may break due to unforeseen reasons.
To handle such scenarios, store the last successful data sync time. Use this stored time as the modified time criteria in the bulk-read API to fetch any missed data and update the database.

We trust that this post meets your needs and is helpful. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section or reach out to us at support@zohocrm.com
Stay tuned for more insights in our upcoming Kaizen posts!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous Kaizen Post : Kaizen #121 - Customize List Views using Client Script
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Related Links





    • Sticky Posts

    • Kaizen #197: Frequently Asked Questions on GraphQL APIs

      🎊 Nearing 200th Kaizen Post – We want to hear from you! Do you have any questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in future posts? Your insights and suggestions help us shape future content and make this series better for everyone.

    • Kaizen #198: Using Client Script for Custom Validation in Blueprint

      Nearing 200th Kaizen Post – 1 More to the Big Two-Oh-Oh! Do you have any questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in future posts? Your insights and suggestions help us shape future content and make this series better for everyone.

    • Celebrating 200 posts of Kaizen! Share your ideas for the milestone post

      Hello Developers, We launched the Kaizen series in 2019 to share helpful content to support your Zoho CRM development journey. Staying true to its spirit—Kaizen Series: Continuous Improvement for Developer Experience—we've shared everything from FAQs

    • Kaizen #193: Creating different fields in Zoho CRM through API

      🎊 Nearing 200th Kaizen Post – We want to hear from you! Do you have any questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in future posts? Your insights and suggestions help us shape future content and make this series better for everyone.

    • Client Script | Update - Introducing Commands in Client Script!

      Have you ever wished you could trigger Client Script from contexts other than just the supported pages and events? Have you ever wanted to leverage the advantage of Client Script at your finger tip? Discover the power of Client Script - Commands! Commands

    • Recent Topics

    • Whatsapp Limitation Questions

      Good day, I would like to find out about the functionality or possibility of all the below points within the Zoho/WhatsApp integration. Will WhatsApp buttons ever be possible in the future? Will WhatsApp Re-directs to different users be possible based

    • Create a draft in reply to an email via Emails API

      Hi, I’d like to use the outgoing webhook to automatically create a draft reply to incoming mail. How can I use the Emails API to create a draft reply that is linked to an existing email thread? I couldn’t find the relevant method in the documentation.

    • India Tech Support

      Is there no phone tech support number for India? And no chat facility either?

    • Billing Management: #1 Billing a Universal Business Routine

      Hello, As the saying goes, "Do the hardest job first." We started with the complex subject of finance and revenue management, which is considered the backbone of any business. Now, let's shift our focus and take a deep dive into this Billing Management,

    • Show/ hide specific field based on user

      Can someone please help me with a client script to achieve the following? I've already tried a couple of different scripts I've found on here (updating to match my details etc...) but none of them seem to work. No errors flagged in the codes, it just

    • What is a a valid JavaScript Domain URI when creating a client-based application using the Zoho API console?

      No idea what this is. Can't see what it is explained anywhere.

    • 5名限定 課題解決型ワークショップイベント Zoho ワークアウト開催のお知らせ (9/25)

      ユーザーの皆さま、こんにちは。Zoho ユーザーコミュニティチームの藤澤です。 9月開催のZoho ワークアウトについてお知らせします。 今回はZoomにて、オンライン開催します。 諸事情につき、今月の開催回は中止となりました。 次回は10/31（金）14時からの開催を予定しています。 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Zoho ワークアウトとは？ Zoho ユーザー同士で交流しながら、サービスに関する疑問や不明点の解消を目的とした「Zoho ワークアウト」を開催します。 Zoho

    • Zoho Calendar not syncing correctly with personal Google Calendar

      Coming to this forum as Zoho Calendar support team is not responding, any more. For the past 8 weeks, I have been having an issue with Zoho Calendar not syncing with my personal Google Calendar correctly. I subscribed to Zoho Calendar iCal in my personal

    • Introducing Assemblies and Kits in Zoho Inventory

      Hello customers, We’re excited to share a major revamp to Zoho Inventory that brings both clarity and flexibility to your inventory management experience! Presenting Assemblies and Kits We’re thrilled to introduce Assemblies and Kits, which replaces the

    • Customer Parent Account or Sub-Customer Account

      Some of clients as they have 50 to 300 branches, they required separate account statement with outlet name and number; which means we have to open new account for each branch individually. However, the main issue is that, when they make a payment, they

    • need a packing list feature

      In our business, goods listed on an invoice are packed in separate boxes and shipped off. for e.g. an invoice may have 10 items. each item could then be packed in different boxes depending on qty of each item. this packing list is as important as the invoice for purposes of shipping documents.  Request you to add this feature asap.

    • Workdrive 5.0 / API Documentation Workflows

      Hi Zoho, When will the API documentation of the workflows be published? We are interested in using it to trigger manual workflows from an external application. Greetings, Justin

    • How to keep track of bags, cans, drums of inventory?

      We buy and sell products that are packaged in bags 🛍️, cans🥫, drums🛢️, etc. with batch numbers. When we get a shipment of one of the products, how do we track we received (say) 10 cans each of 5L of a product and maybe we received 10 cans of another

    • Zoho Error: This Operation has been restricted. Please contact support-as@zohocorp.com for further details

      Hello There, l tried to verify my domain (florindagoreti.com.br) and its shows this error: This Operation has been restricted. Please contact support-as@zohocorp.com for further details. Screenshot Given Below -  please check what went wrong. Thanks

    • How many ZOHO-Sites does the ZOHO-One Suite allow for?

      The free version of ZOHO-Sites allows for two sites, but it seems that the professional version (which is included in the ZOHO-One Suite) only allows for two websites. Is that correct? How many sites can I have within one ZOHO-One account?

    • Webhook from Zobot to Zoho Flow fails

      I'm trying to connect from zobot to zoho flow. When testing in zflow, I am receiving all entered data from the connector correctly. The SalesIQ connector's "outputreaction" is {} (is this normal or is there a problem?). But as soon as I try my chat bot

    • Transition from Sole Proprietorship to GmbH (Limited Liability Company) – Best Approach in Zoho Books / Zoho One

      Hello everyone, I am currently operating under a Zoho One plan with a sole proprietorship in Switzerland. As of January 1st, 2026, I will be incorporating a new legal entity – a GmbH (Swiss equivalent of a Limited Liability Company). While the business

    • Best way to display complex Bookings Consultation Descriptions on Zoho Site?

      I am a new user so apologies if this has been asked before. I couldn't find any answers in the forum. We offer 18 complex Consultations to our subscribers. Our current platform lets me put detail on these Consultations thoroughly (200-300 words) during

    • DKIM cannot be enabled for the domain as no verified default selector present

      Hi Support Team, For Domain DKIM record trying to enable status. but showing error "DKIM cannot be enabled for the domain as no verified default selector present" So, please resolve the issue. Thank you.

    • Issue Connecting My Domain to Zoho Sites Despite Purchasing It from Zoho

      Hello, I am facing an issue connecting my domain to my website on Zoho Sites. Details of the issue: I purchased the domain directly from Zoho. I am already using the same domain successfully with Zoho Mail. However, when I try to assign this domain to

    • Insert auto number from main form into subform rows

      Hello. I'm trying to take from my main form "order number" which i have setup as an auto generated number into every line created in my subform. So when a row is created in my subform i want the "order number " from the main form to be inserted automatically.

    • Dark Mode - Font Colors Don't Work

      When editing a document in Dark Mode and selecting font colors, they don't show up on screen.  Viewing/editing the same document in Light Mode shows them just fine.

    • Integrate Bunq with ZOHO Bookes

      We are new users of ZOHO Books, and our bank (BUNQ, in the Netherlands) isn't listed on the bank integrations. Is there a way to handle this?

    • Access Denied

      I am iOS Developer and updating our clients project and shifted ZohoDeskPortalCore SDKs from cocoapods to SPM and changed few lines of code but now i am get access denied, the help center app is unavailable. please contact administrator.

    • Using Zoho Desk to support ISMS process

      Hi, I am evaluating using Zoho Desk for security incident management. This seems to be aligned with Zoho Desk purpose as its just another type of incident. However in security incident management, ideally I can link incidents (tickets) with a risk from

    • Bin Locations

      Dear all, I am wondering if someone has the ability to develop the bin locations option for zoho inventory (integrated with zoho books) Regards, Ryan

    • TaxJar vs Avalara

      Hi, I'm evaluating adoption of a sales-tax service for US based business. Anyone else have experience with TaxJar and Zoho Books? I am a Zoho One subscriber so anticipate needing to use Flow to make this work. It seems like Avalara are simply too expensive

    • How to check Leads with no Task (open activity)

      Hi everyone, I was wondering if there’s a way to view leads that don’t have any tasks assigned or open activities linked to them.

    • What can we do on our end to improve the Answer bot answers?

      Hi, I'm using the Answer bot card in the Codeless bot builder. I've input several questions and their answers in the FAQ section to feed the Answer bot. The text is all in French, as this is the language our customers communicate in. I've tried testing

    • Taxes for EU B2B Transactions

      Currently, ZC doesn't seem to have a procedure for validating VAT numbers of businesses purchasing in another EU state, and removing local VAT is valid.  This is essential for all inter EU B2B trade.

    • How to upload file to Connect using API?

      Hi there. I looked at the API documentation and nowhere did it mention how to use the API method to upload a file even though it is mentioned that it is possible to be done so. Please help.

    • Items Landed Cost and Profit?

      Hello, we recently went live with Zoho Inventory, and I have a question about the Landed Cost feature. The FAQ reads: "Tracking the landed cost helps determine the overall cost incurred in procuring the product. This, in turn, helps you to decide the

    • Group Tax in Service Line Items

      Hi FSM Team! I noticed that when you update a tax in the service line item the group tax is not showing up as an option. Let me know what can be done thank you!

    • FSM Improvement Idea - Show an Import button when there is no data

      I am setting up FSM for a client and I noticed that there is no option to import data, see screenshot below. Even when you click Create Contact there is only an option to Import from Zoho Invoice. It is only after you add at lease 1 record that the Import

    • Zoho FSM API Delete Record

      Hi FSM Team, It would be great if you could delete a record via API. Thank you,

    • OAUTH_SCOPE_MISMATCH Error for Marketing Automation APIs with CRM Plus Account

      I'm trying to integrate Marketing Automation journey triggering via API but getting OAUTH_SCOPE_MISMATCH errors. I need clarification on API access for CRM Plus users.

    • Access token generate from the refresh token not working for API

      Dear Sir/Madam, When I use my refresh token to obtain new access_token, that token return INVALID_TOKEN when the same API is called. I made sure that my api site is correct and match the auth web site. However the original access_token work fine.

    • Function #4: Schedule Customer Statements

      Regularly sending statements to customers is an imperative part of many business processes as it helps foster strong customer relationships and provides timely guidance on payments. While you can generate the statement of accounts and have it sent over

    • Limiting search or dependencies with an asterisk "*".

      I have a form with several dependency fields with options still developing for each field. Since these options were developing and not yet ready to be a selection in the field, I placed a filter for the dropdown field. In this filter, I selected fields

    • Cross Data Center Support for 1:1 Chats with External Users

      Hello Zoho Cliq Team, We hope you're doing well. We appreciate the recent enhancement that enables cross data center collaboration in external channels, which has already improved communication across distributed teams. However, we’ve noticed that this

    • Next Page