Record Locking Configuration APIs in Zoho CRM

Record Locking Configuration APIs in Zoho CRM

Hello everyone!

Welcome to Kaizen! In this post, we will discuss Record Locking Configuration APIs in Zoho CRM.

What is Record Locking?

Record Locking refers to the restrictions that you can apply to records of a module to prevent further changes to the data. You can either lock records manually or set conditions to lock them automatically.
   You can add record locking configuration to a module through the module builder. Go to Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields > {Module} > Record Locking Configuration. Record Locking is supported for Leads, Accounts, Contacts, Deals, Tasks, Cases, Solutions, Vendors, Price Books, Quotes, Sales Orders, Purchase Orders, Invoices and Custom modules.
Record Locking Configuration in UI
These options are available in record locking configuration:
  • You can lock all profile records or give exception to some profiles.
  • You can lock the activities you choose. The Edit option is limited by default. You can also limit delete action, adding tags, changing owner, sending emails or using custom buttons. 
  • You can have the option of editing certain fields even when the record is locked.

Automatic record locking 

Automatic record locking refers to the locking of records based on certain conditions. For instance, consider that a deal with a seller is in the closed won stage, and you want to prevent further changes to the deal record. You can achieve this using the record locking feature.
You can configure record locking for deals module to automatically lock a record when it reaches the closed won stage. You can specify rules for locking records. There can be up to five rules per module.

Manual Record Locking

Manual record locking is the intentional locking of a record by a user.  To do this, the user's profile should have adequate permission. Profile permissions can be set in Setup > Users and Control > Security Control> Profiles > {Profile Name} > Module Permissions > Tools > Lock.

Record Locking Configuration APIs

Record locking configuration APIs allows you to set up the configuration needed to lock the records in modules manually or automatically via APIs. 
The fields in Record Locking Configuration APIs are:

Name
Date Type
Description
locked_for
String
Represents whether records are locked for all profiles or some profiles. Possible value : all_profiles_except_excluded_profile or all_profiles
lock_excluded_profiles
String
Represents the profiles that are restricted from locking when  locked_for value is all_profiles_except_excluded_profile
excluded_fields
JSON Array
Represents the fields that are excluded from record locking
feature_type
String
Represents feature type, its value is record_locking for this case
locking_rules
JSON Array
Represents the details of rules added to lock the records in the module automatically. This array includes the name, id and criteria of locking rules. The field lock_existing_records indicates whether the existing record must be locked or not.
restricted_actions
JSON Array
Specifies the actions that are restricted for locked records. Possible values: update, delete, tags, change_owner
lock_for_portal_users
Boolean
Indicates whether locked records are restricted for portal users.
restricted_communications
JSON Array
Specifies types of communication that are restricted for locked records. Possible value: send_mail
system_defined
Boolean
Indicates whether the record configurations are system defined.
lock_type
String
Represents the type of the record locking configuration - manual, automatic, both
restricted_custom_buttons
JSON Array
Represents the name and id of custom buttons that are restricted for locked records.

Add Record Locking Configuration API

Using this API, you can configure record locking for the supported modules. 

Request URL:
{api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/record_locking_configurations?module={module_API_name}
HTTP Method: POST
Let us consider the case of locking a deal automatically when it is in the closed won stage. 
Request URL to configure record locking for deals module:
{api-domain}/crm/v5/settings/record_locking_configurations?module=Deals

The below request body locks the records from editing for all profiles when the Deal Stage is Closed Won (lockings_rules).  The key lock_existing_records specify whether the rule should be applied for existing records. The record is locked for all profiles (locked_for) and the only field that is excluded from locking is the description field (excluded_fields). The record will be locked for portal users (lock_for_portal_users). Edit action is restricted for the lock record (restricted_actions). 

Request body:
{
  "record_locking_configurations": [
    {
      "locked_for": "all_profiles",
      "excluded_fields": [
        {
          "api_name": "Description"
        }
      ],
      "feature_type": "record_locking",
      "locking_rules": [
        {
          "name": "Closed Won",
          "lock_existing_records": true,
          "criteria": {
            "comparator": "equal",
            "field": {
              "api_name": "Stage"
            },
            "value": "Closed Won"
          }
        }
      ],
      "restricted_actions": [
        "update"
      ],
      "lock_for_portal_users": true,
      "restricted_communications": null,
      "system_defined": false,
      "lock_type": "automatic",
      "restricted_custom_buttons": null,
      "lock_excluded_profiles": null
    }
  ]
}

From the response of this API you will get the id of the record locking configuration.

The criteria JSON object inside the locking_rules JSON array consists of the comparator, field and value of the fields that form the locking rule of the configuration. If you want to give multiple conditions in one locking rule, you can use group_operator and group keys. The possible values for group_operator are AND, OR. For example, consider that you want to add a locking rule for Closed Lost deals which includes deals with Stage Closed Lost and Closed - Lost to Competition. This can be achieved by giving the locking_rules as shown below:
.
.
"locking_rules": [
                {
                    "name": "Closed Lost",
                    "lock_existing_records": true,
                    "criteria": {
                        "group_operator": "OR",
                        "group": [
                            {
                                "comparator": "equal",
                                "field": {
                                    "api_name": "Stage"
                                },
                                "value": "Closed Lost"
                            },
                            {
                                "comparator": "equal",
                                "field": {
                                    "api_name": "Stage"
                                },
                                "value": "Closed-Lost to Competition"
                            }
                        ]
                    }
                }
]
.
.

Get Record Locking Configuration API

Use this API to retrieve the details of record locking configuration for a particular module.
Request URL:
{api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/record_locking_configurations?module={module_API_name}
HTTP Method: GET
Request URL to  retrieve the record locking configuration for deals module:
{api-domain}/crm/v5/settings/record_locking_configurations?module=Deals
{
    "record_locking_configurations": [
        {
            "created_time": "2023-10-23T03:25:06-04:00",
            "locked_for": "all_profiles",
            "excluded_fields": [
                {
                    "api_name": "Description",
                    "id": "5843104000000002587"
                }
            ],
            "created_by": {
                "name": "Patricia Boyle",
                "id": "5843104000000424672"
            },
            "feature_type": "record_locking",
            "locking_rules": [
                {
                    "name": "Closed Won",
                    "id": "5843104000001068052",//Locking rule ID
                    "lock_existing_records": true,
                    "criteria": {
                        "comparator": "equal",
                        "field": {
                            "api_name": "Stage",
                            "id": "5843104000000002565"// ID of Stage in fields API
                        },
                        "value": "Closed Won"
                    }
                }
            ],
            "restricted_actions": [
                "update"
            ],
            "lock_for_portal_users": true,
            "modified_time": "2023-10-23T03:42:00-04:00",
            "restricted_communications": null,
            "system_defined": false,
            "modified_by": {
                "name": "John Smith",
                "id": "5843104000000424001"
            },
            "id": "5843104000001068044",
            "lock_type": "automatic",
            "restricted_custom_buttons": null,
            "lock_excluded_profiles": null
        }
    ]
}

Update Record Locking Configuration API

Consider that you want to edit the above record locking configuration in deals module. You want to enable manual locking and also add a new rule to lock deals in stage closed lost. This can be done using the Update Record Locking Configuration API. 
Request URL:
{api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/record_locking_configurations?module={module_API_name}
OR 
{api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/record_locking_configurations/{record_locking_config_id}?module={module_API_name}
HTTP Method: PUT
Note that you should mention the ID of the record locking configuration inside the request body if you are using the endpoint that does not have the ID. 
When you specify a valid locking rule ID (obtained from Get Record Locking Configuration API) in the input body, the corresponding locking rule will be updated. When ID is not mentioned it will be considered as a new rule. 
In addition to adding or modifying existing locking rules in a specific record locking configuration, you can also delete locking rules using Update Record Locking API. When "_delete" key with value true is given in the input body, the locking rule will be deleted.

Example for deleting a record locking rule using update record locking configuration API 
Request URL: {api-domain}/crm/v5/settings/record_locking_configurations?module=Deals
HTTP Method: PUT

{
    "record_locking_configurations": [
        {
            "locking_rules": [
                {
                    "id": 5843104000001068052,//ID of record locking rule
                    "_delete": true
                }
            ],
            "id": "5843104000001068044"//ID of the record locking configuration
        }
    ]
}

Delete Record Locking Configuration API

   You can use this API to delete Record Locking Configuration for a module. Please note that deleting the record locking configuration of a module unlocks all the locked records of that module.
Request URL:
{api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/record_locking_configurations/{record_locking_config_id}?module={module_API_name}
HTTP Method:DELETE
Request URL to  delete the record locking configuration for deals module:
​ {api-domain}/crm/v5/settings/record_locking_configurations?module=Deals

We hope you found this post on the Record Locking Configuration APIs useful. In next week's Kaizen we will cover Record Locking APIs  that enable users to access locking details for locked records, to lock/unlock manually, and to edit the locked reason for manually locked records.
If you have any questions, write to us at support@zohocrm.com or let us know in the comment section.
For more such posts that are part of our Kaizen series, please refer to our Kaizen collection here.

Cheers!