Kaizen #117 - Mass Delete Records Across Modules (Part I)
Season's greetings to our coding enthusiasts!
Let us code our way into the festive spirit with another insightful post in our Kaizen series!
In this post, we will explore the process of creating a custom button using functions on the records' detail page. This enables the deletion of all associated child records when the current record is deleted. To fulfill this requirement, we will leverage APIs like COQL API, Records API, and Mass Delete API.
Currently, Zoho CRM provides the delete action exclusively for a specific related list modules when the parent record is deleted. Here are the specifics of ZOHO CRM's default support for deleting related list modules:
Record Module | Related List Module |
Leads | Activities, Visits and Email Drafts |
| Contacts | Activities, Visits, Appointments and Email Drafts |
Accounts | Activities, Contacts, Deals, Quotes, Sales Orders, Invoices, Cases, Appointments and Email Drafts |
Deals | Activities, Cases, Competitors and Email Drafts |
Campaigns | Activities, Email Drafts and Child Campaigns |
Cases | Activities and Email Drafts |
Products | Activities, Solutions, Cases and Email Drafts |
Vendors | Activities and Email Drafts |
Quotes | Activities and Email Drafts |
Sales Orders | Activities and Email Drafts |
Purchase Orders | Activities and Email Drafts |
Invoices | Activities and Email Drafts |
Services | Appointments and Email Drafts |
Custom | Activities and Email Drafts |
Perform Mass Delete Across Modules
Assume that you are the Manager of Zylker, an educational institution utilizing ZOHO CRM for customer relationship management. You have implemented custom modules, namely Training Program and Participants in your organization.
Now, you aim to streamline record management by creating a custom button on the Training Program module's records detail page. On triggering, this button should delete all associated participants of a specific program along with the program itself.
Let us guide you through the step-by-step process of fulfilling this requirement using ZOHO CRM functions.
Prerequisites
Achieving this requirement is versatile, applicable to both records with a single child module as well as records with multiple child modules.
A lookup field serves to establish a connection between two modules, designating the module where the lookup field is employed as the child module. The module that the lookup field points to is referred to as the parent module.
To keep it simple, let us consider Participants as the child module with a lookup relationship to the Training Program parent module.
The knowledge of COQL, Records and Mass Delete Records APIs, Deluge Script and ZOHO CRM Functions ensure effective execution of our outlined process.
Creating a Custom Button
Step 1: Begin by navigating to Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields > Training Program > Links and Buttons > New Button within your ZOHO CRM interface.
Step 2: Provide a name and description for the button. Next, select the Details Page as the designated location for the button from the drop-down menu.
Refer to this document to learn more on creating and using custom buttons.
Step 3: Configure the button's action by selecting Writing Function from the menu.
Step 4: Fill in the basic details for creating a new function.
Step 5: After clicking the create button, you will be directed to an editor interface, as depicted in this image.
You have to code your function logic in this editor and click the Save button on the top right corner.
For the scenario discussed, we have attached the function code in a zip file with this post. Download and explore the code to gain hands-on experience in this use case.
Step 6: Next, you will be redirected to the Links and Buttons page, where you need to configure the visibility of the button based on profiles. Afterward, click on the Save button to confirm your settings.
Flow of the function
The function should initially make a COQL API call to retrieve the participant records that correspond to the record ID of the training program from which the button is triggered. This API can fetch up to 2000 related child records in a single API call.
queryMap = Map(); queryMap.put("select_query","select id from Participants where Training_Program =" + id + "Limit 2000"); response = invokeurl [ type :POST parameters:queryMap.toString() connection:"crm_oauth_connection" ]; |
Here, connections are used to make ZOHO CRM API calls. To get the current record ID, you have to configure it in function arguments.
Click Edit Arguments from the top of the page and associate the Training Program ID as shown in this image.
Before proceeding to the next step, it's crucial to be aware of the following constraints associated with the APIs:
- COQL API: It can retrieve a maximum of 2000 records per API call.
- Delete Records API: It has the capability to delete up to 100 records in a single API call.
- Mass Delete Records API: By utilizing record IDs, it can delete a maximum of 500 records per API call.
Given these constraints, the following logic has been devised to address our specified requirement:
---> If the participant count is 0, the system should proceed to delete the current record exclusively.
---> Incases where the record count is below 100, the Delete Record API must be employed to eliminate records from the Participants module.
---> If the participant count exceeds 100, the Mass Delete Records API should be used for deleting records within the child module. For scenarios where more than 500 records need deletion, it is necessary to execute this in a loop for four iterations with each deleting 500 records.
Let us execute this logic in Deluge script,
if(!isNull(response)) { response = response.toMap(); count = response.getJSON("info").get("count").toNumber(); has_more = response.getJSON("info").get("more_records"); id_list = List(); itr_list = {0,1,2,3}; response = response.getJSON("data"); result = List(); if(count > 0) { for each item in response { id_list.add(item.getJSON("id")); } if(count > 100) { end = 0; start = 0; for each itr in itr_list { if(count / 500 - itr > 0) { idMap = Map(); if(count - end > 500) { end = end + 500; } else { end = count; } idMap.put("ids",id_list.subList(start,end)); response = invokeurl [ type :POST parameters:idMap.toString() connection:"crm_oauth_connection" ]; start = end; } } } else { response = invokeurl [ url :"https://www.zohoapis.com/crm/v6/Participants?ids=" + id_list type :DELETE connection:"crm_oauth_connection" ]; } } } |
Now, let us address the scenario of a training program with over 2000 participants. Following the logic outlined above, our custom button will handle the deletion of only 2000 records.
To manage this, after successfully deleting the initial 2000 records, the record from the Training Program module should not be deleted. Here, we have to configure a pop-up message signaling that additional records require deletion. To proceed, users must click the same button to eliminate the remaining records along with the current one.
After deleting all records from the child modules, the custom button will proceed to remove the current Training Program record, as shown in the following Deluge code.
if(isNull(response) || !has_more) { response = invokeurl [ type :DELETE connection:"crm_oauth_connection" ]; return "Deleted Successfully"; } return "Over 2000 related records were detected. Click 'Cascade Delete' again to delete the remaining and this training program. "; |
Let us now check our custom button from the details page of the Training Programs module.
To prevent additional clicks for deleting the remaining records, we will circle back to you on next Friday with a solution that incorporates the looping mechanism.
We have also brought you a wave of innovation and enhanced features in our V6 APIs. Take a look at them and empower your coding journey with us.
If you have any queries, feel free to drop them in the comments section below or reach out to us directly at support@zohocrm.com. We eagerly await your thoughts and feedback on this!
Cheers to a productive and joyful season!
Additional Reading |
Custom Buttons: Creating and using custom buttons |
ZOHO CRM Functions: An Overview and setting up functions |
Deluge Script: Introduction to Deluge |
Connections: Working with connections |
Kaizen #80: Types of queries and when to use them |
Kaizen #81: Supported field types in COQL with examples |
Records API: Delete Records |
Mass Action: Mass Delete Records API |
Access your files securely from anywhere
New to Zoho Recruit?
Zoho Developer Community
New to Zoho LandingPage?
Zoho LandingPage Resources
New to Zoho Survey?
New to Zoho CRM Plus?
Deliver unforgettable customer experiences
New to Zoho CRM Plus?
Deliver unforgettable customer experiences
New to Zoho Marketing Plus?
Everything you need to run your marketing
New to Zoho Marketing Plus?
Everything you need to run your marketing
New to Bigin?
Topic Participants
Kiruthiga G
Sticky Posts
Kaizen #217 - Actions APIs : Tasks
Welcome to another week of Kaizen! In last week's post we discussed Email Notifications APIs which act as the link between your Workflow automations and you. We have discussed how Zylker Cloud Services uses Email Notifications API in their custom dashboard.Kaizen #216 - Actions APIs : Email Notifications
Welcome to another week of Kaizen! For the last three weeks, we have been discussing Zylker's workflows. We successfully updated a dormant workflow, built a new one from the ground up and more. But our work is not finished—these automated processes areKaizen #152 - Client Script Support for the new Canvas Record Forms
Hello everyone! Have you ever wanted to trigger actions on click of a canvas button, icon, or text mandatory forms in Create/Edit and Clone Pages? Have you ever wanted to control how elements behave on the new Canvas Record Forms? This can be achievedKaizen #142: How to Navigate to Another Page in Zoho CRM using Client Script
Hello everyone! Welcome back to another exciting Kaizen post. In this post, let us see how you can you navigate to different Pages using Client Script. In this Kaizen post, Need to Navigate to different Pages Client Script ZDKs related to navigation A.Kaizen #210 - Answering your Questions | Event Management System using ZDK CLI
Hello Everyone, Welcome back to yet another post in the Kaizen Series! As you already may know, for the Kaizen #200 milestone, we asked for your feedback and many of you suggested topics for us to discuss. We have been writing on these topics over the
New to Zoho TeamInbox?
Zoho TeamInbox Resources
Zoho CRM Plus Resources
Zoho Books Resources
Zoho Subscriptions Resources
Zoho Projects Resources
Zoho Sprints Resources
Qntrl Resources
Zoho Creator Resources
Zoho CRM Resources
Design. Discuss. Deliver.
Zoho Show Resources
Get Started. Write Away!
Writer is a powerful online word processor, designed for collaborative work.
Zoho CRM コンテンツ
-
オンラインヘルプ
-
Webセミナー
-
機能活用動画
-
よくある質問
-
Ebook
-
-
Zoho Campaigns
- Zoho サービスのWebセミナー
その他のサービス コンテンツ
Nederlandse Hulpbronnen
ご検討中の方
Recent Topics
Changing field types
Question im a Zoho CRM user and curious, if I change a flied type from single or multi line text to a URL field type will i lose the data in the field or will it be converted to website link automatically. Thanksauto close automated alert tickets which are similar
Hello ZOHO Community, we are using ZOHO Desk to process automated monitoring alerts. Scenario: Our monitoring system creates a ticket when a threshold is exceeded, e.g. Subject: Computer 1 – CPU usage 100% – Error A few minutes later, once the issue resolvesZoho desk desktop application
does zoho desk has a destop applicaion?Tip #54- Exploring the Files Icon in Zoho Assist- 'Insider Insights'
As we’re already in mid-December, it’s a good time to take a closer look at one of the most useful options in the Zoho Assist remote support dashboard—the Files icon. To get started, log in to Zoho Assist using your credentials. Once you’re in, navigateTip#47: Estimation planner
Sprint planning becomes easier, smoother, more collaborative and more accurate with the Estimation Planner extension. Most work items involve multiple users, and each user's role and effort vary. To provide an unbiased and fair estimation point to thePainfully Slow Zoho mail
Since yesterday Zoho Mail seems to have starting functioning very slowly and having a few bugs. It's slow to open mails, slow to send, slow to change between email accounts. Sometimes clicking on a particular folder (eg Sent folder) stops working andUpcoming update to Google Drive integration in Zoho Creator
Hello everyone, We're writing to inform you about an upcoming update to how Zoho Creator integrates with Google Drive. In Zoho Creator, during actions like importing files to create an app or attaching files to fields, you can choose files directly fromChanging Default PDF Name
Is it possible to change the default name of a PDF? As of right now, all of my quotes are named 'QT_$QuoteNumber' (i,e: 'QT_19803471298374) - would it be possible to change this to: '$CompanyName - $AccountName - $QuoteNumber' for instance?Time Tracking on Iphone doesn't stop
When I start a time tracking session the timer starts as expected. However when I hit stop, the timer remains on that project. The only buttons available are discard and start. Start runs the timer more and discard says it will throw away the data fromZoho Sign - Zoho CRM extension upgrade
Hi everyone, We've updated Zoho Sign extension for Zoho CRM with significant internal changes. Impact on existing Zoho Sign extension users Users using the extension without customization If you are using the integration without implementing Zoho Sign'sZoho Books blocks invoicing without VeriFactu even though it is not mandatory until 2027
I would like to highlight a very serious issue in Zoho Books for Spain. 1. The Spanish government has postponed the mandatory start of VeriFactu to January 1st, 2027. This means that during all of 2026 businesses are NOT required to transmit invoicesGroup by Owner/ Owner Kanban /Group by Custom Field
Hi, We are missing the option of viewing Tasks grouped by their owner, as it is an essential function for us to manage our employees' working tasks. We find it hard to inspect what are the tasks that our employees are working on. We are seeking an optionFlow using way too many tasks
I built a flow that is using way too many tasks for what it is doing. I reached out to support a week ago but never heard back so hoping the community can help. Does a filter count as a task? I am seeing tons of records filtered with < 1 Sec Time TakenRegarding the integration of Apollo.io with Zoho crm.
I have been seeing for the last 3 months that your Apollo.io beta version is available in Zoho Flow, and this application has not gone live yet. We requested this 2 months ago, but you guys said that 'we are working on it,' and when we search on GoogleCRM x WorkDrive: We're rolling out the WorkDrive-powered file storage experience for existing users
Release plan: Gradual rollout to customers without file storage add-ons, in this order: 1. Standalone CRM 2. CRM Plus and Zoho One DCs: All | Editions: All Available now for: - Standalone CRM accounts in Free and Standard editions without file storageStart Workflow from Deluge Script
I have developed a customized process from our CRM that leverages a deluge script to create a statement of work document. Once the document has been created via the merge and store function, I would like the ability to start a workdrive review & approveSaved Sections?
In sites editor, the + button reveals options to add a section, element, etc. It includes Saved Sections, but I can find no way to save a section I've already created. Otherwise, is there a way to copy a section from one page to another?Marketer's Space: Unable to select a sender address? Here's the fix
Hello Marketers, Welcome back to yet another post! So you've added a sender address in Zoho Campaigns and later found that you're not able to select it while creating an email campaign. Has this ever happened to you? If so, don't worry—you're not alone.Loading Project Balances in ZOHO Books for each project
Hello, What is the best method for loading project balances actual and budget into ZOHO books to provide tracking to our project managers. We have projects and federal awards (also treated as projects) which span multiple years. We are converting fromAuto-Invite Users to Portals in Zoho CRM based on Conditions
Hello Everyone, You can now automate portal invitations in Zoho CRM with the new Auto-Invite users feature in Portal management. No more manually enabling portal access one by one. With this enhancement, you can automatically send invites for users toScale up your writing style with content analysis tool in Knowledge Base
Hello everyone, Sometimes writers may have strong knowledge about the subject but may find it challenging to articulate clearly or produce comprehensible, jargon free content. To make the process easier and to ensure consistent, high-quality articles,Zoho Books "Update" Trigger for Zapier?
Hi Zoho Team, I've been in talks with Zapier about using their services to connect my Zoho Books account to various apps, but I require an additional trigger beyond the "New" trigger. I require an "Update" trigger, which will allow me to filter and create Zaps only when certain conditions are fulfilled on the Zoho Books end before I automate a separate app. Specifically this will help me create invoices in QuickBooks Online only when payments are recorded in Zoho Books, rather than when a new invoiceHow to prevent editing of closed tickets in Zoho Desk?
I would like to confirm whether it is possible to completely prevent agents from editing tickets once their status is set to Closed. Is there any configuration, permission, or best practice in Zoho Desk to ensure that closed tickets remain read-only andZoho Desk Limitations
Good day, all, I would like to know whether others share my frustration with some of Zoho's limitations. Don't get me wrong, I like Desk (and I also have a subscription for Analytics), I have been with them for close to 10 years, and unfortunately, ICliq iOS can't see shared screen
Hello, I had this morning a video call with a colleague. She is using Cliq Desktop MacOS and wanted to share her screen with me. I'm on iPad. I noticed, while she shared her screen, I could only see her video, but not the shared screen... Does Cliq iOS is able to display shared screen, or is it somewhere else to be found ? RegardsIs it possible to remove filtering options?
My CRM has a lot of custom fields that should not be used in filters or views. Fields that are automated and exist only to store temporary values that get used in functions. These create a lot of noise in the list of fields to filter. Isn't there anyNew Mandatory One-Click Unsubscribe Link Overshadowing Custom Unsubscribe Link
I was recently informed by Zoho CRM Support that they are now mandated by the large email service providers like Google and Yahoo to provide a one-click unsubscribe option in the header (not the body) of all mass emails. I have a custom unsubscribe linkhow to undoreconciled transaction
how to undo reconciled transactionCan I export all attachments from Zoho CRM?
Can I export all attachments from Zoho CRM?Exciting Updates to the Kiosk Studio Feature in Zoho CRM!
Hello Everyone, We are here again with a series of new enhancements to Kiosk Studio, designed to elevate your experience and bring even greater efficiency to your business processes. These updates build upon our ongoing commitment to making Kiosk a powerfulChange eMail Template for Event-Invitations
Hello ZOHO-CRM Team How I can change the eMail Template for Event-Invitations? I work with the German Version of the Free Version. I know how I can modify eMail alerts or Signature Templates, but where I can other eMails modify you send out? Thank you for your answer. Regards, JuergRight-Click Pipeline to Open in New Tab
Please add the ability to right-click on a pipeline to open it in a new tabService Title in Service Report Template Builder
I am currently working on the Service Report Template Builder in Zoho FSM. I have created three separate service report templates for different workflows: Preventive Maintenance Report Requested Service Report Installation Report My issue is that I cannotZoho Sign for Zoho Projects
Documents authorization and validation with signature is now easier in project management with Zoho Projects' Zoho Sign extension. Sign documents or send them for signatures directly from tasks and issues using Zoho Sign extension in Zoho Projects. ExtensionDeluge Learning Series – Best Practices in Deluge | December 2025
We’re excited to bring you the next session of the Deluge Learning Series, focused entirely on writing cleaner, faster, and more reliable Deluge code. In this edition, we’ll dive deep into the essential best practices every Deluge developer should followAssociate a Contact to a Campaign using deluge?
If I want to add one record to another related list, which zoho function do I use? zoho.updateRelatedRecord is not it I don't think. I simply want to take a "Contact" and associate it to a "Campaign" using deluge. Can anyone help? contactId = 5122008000000796037;Add "Groups" above "Users" in the Zoho Forms Left Menu
Hi, We have Groups but you have to go to a Form and Share or use the Directory App to manage them, please add "Groups" above "Users" in the Zoho Forms Left Menu so you can manage them in 1 place within Zoho Forms too. Thanks DanAdding Taxes to paid consultations in Zoho Bookings
I created a 'paid' consultation under Zoho Booking and integrated it with payment gateways for online/instant payment before a booking is done. How can I add 'taxes' to the price of consultation? I can add taxes to other Zoho apps (liks Books, Checkout,Zoho CRM Reports Module on Mobil App
I have the mobile app and the reports module doesn't appear in the sidebar for some reason. I saw a Youtube video where the user had the Reports module on mobile. Is there a setting to show it on mobile? Thanks.Inquiry on Help Centre Tab Customisation
Hi Zoho team, I’m wondering if it’s possible to further customise the Help Center tabs, specifically the descriptions under Knowledge Base, Community, and Tickets. While the current setup allows customising tab names, being able to tailor the descriptionsNext Page