Kaizen #120 - A Guide to API Calls in Zoho CRM Sandboxes

Kaizen #120 - A Guide to API Calls in Zoho CRM Sandboxes

Hello everyone!

Welcome back to another post in our Kaizen series. This week, we will discuss in detail about the sandbox environment in Zoho CRM, and how to make API calls to the sandbox orgs.

Environments in Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM empowers your business with robust developer tools. But what if you want to experiment without affecting your live data? Or if you want to try out a widget or a workflow before pushing them live to your customers? We have got you covered with our environment options.

Zoho CRM offers three environments:

Production - The production environment is your live CRM account, which you use for business operations. 
Developer - This environment acts as a playground for developers to build and test custom integrations and apps. Changes made here cannot be directly applied to the production account.
Sandbox - This is a secure testing ground where you can experiment without disrupting your live production environment. Tinker with settings, workflows, and features without disrupting your live data. Test, identify issues, and perfect your changes before deploying them to your production environment.

Creating a Sandbox:

CRM admins can create multiple sandboxes in one account for independent testing of different configurations. The number of sandboxes allowed depends on your CRM edition. You can create a sandbox from Setup > Data Administration > Sandbox. For more details on the available configurations and settings, refer here. Note that the sandbox environment is exclusive to the enterprise and above editions.


Once your sandbox accounts are set up, you can view them at CRM Setup > Data Administration > Sandbox.  Access the sandbox organization you want, and you can go about working in the sandbox in the same way you would work in the production setup.  You can make the necessary changes, utilize sandbox data for validation, and, once satisfied, deploy them to the production environment.

Making API calls in the Sandbox environment

  1. Register your application : Before you get started with authorization and make any calls using the Zoho CRM APIs, you need to register your application with Zoho CRM. Follow the steps explained in this document to register your application.
  2. Generate grant token : To use the Zoho CRM APIs, you must authenticate the application to make API calls on their behalf with an access token. The access token, in return, must be obtained from a grant token (authorization code). Choose the desired organization under the sandbox environment from the list displayed when generating the grant token. For more details on how to generate a grant token, please refer to this document.


  3. Generate Access Token and Refresh Token : OAuth2.0 requests are usually authenticated with an access token, which is passed as bearer token. Use your domain-specific Zoho Accounts URL https://accounts.zoho.{domain} to generate the tokens.


  4. Identifying token environment (optional) : With the access token in hand, you might wonder: Which environment does this token belong to? This can be determined using the Organization API using https://www.zohoapis.{domain} regardless of the token's environment. The type key in the API response contains information regarding the environment linked to the access token - production, developer, or sandbox. Please note that this functionality is supported only from Zoho CRM API version 6 onwards.


  5. Making API calls :  Now that you know the token's environment, use the sandbox-specific URL https://sandbox.zohoapis.{domain} for API calls to the sandbox environment. Please note that attempting calls using tokens generated for other environments will result in a DOMAIN_TOKEN_MISMATCH error.

Points to remember :

  • Generate the grant token for the corresponding sandbox organization to avoid the DOMAIN_TOKEN_MISMATCH error.
  • The accounts URL for generating tokens remains the same  for both sandbox and production environments - https://accounts.zoho.{domain} .
  • The Get Organization API response includes a type key, which contains information regarding the environment your access token is authorized for (production, developer, or sandbox).

Multiple Sandbox Accounts and API Calls

Each sandbox environment within your Zoho CRM account acts as a separate organization. To ensure your API calls land precisely where intended, follow these guidelines:
  • Separate Grant Tokens for Each Organization : You should generate separate grant token for each organization, whether within a sandbox environment or the production environment.
  • API Call URL for All Sandboxes: The API call URL remains consistent for all sandboxes: https://sandbox.zohoapis.{domain}. However, to target a specific sandbox organization, you must generate the grant token specifically for that organization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How many sandboxes can I have in my Zoho CRM account?
A. The number of sandboxes you can have depends on your Zoho CRM edition. Please refer to this document to know the specific limits.

Q. Do sandbox API calls affect my production data?
A. No, API calls made from the sandbox environment are isolated from your production data.

Q. Do I need different account URLs for generating tokens in sandbox and production?
A. No. Use the same URL, https://accounts.zoho.{domain}, for both environments.

Q. Can I use the same access token for API calls in both the sandbox and production environments?
A. No, each organization in each environment requires its own access token.

Q. Is there a specific URL for making API calls from the sandbox environment?
A. Yes, use https://sandbox.zohoapis.{domain} for sandbox calls.

Q. How do I find if the token is generated for the sandbox or any other environment?
A. In order to find whether a token is generated for a sandbox or other environment, kindly use the Organization API which will return the type for which the token is generated.  Please note that this support is available from V6 only.

Q. What does the "DOMAIN_TOKEN_MISMATCH" error indicate during API calls in the sandbox environment?
A. This error occurs when using tokens from a different environment or domain in your API calls. For example, you will get this error if you attempt to use an access token generated for the production environment in the sandbox environment

Q. Do I need to register my application differently for the sandbox environment?
A. No, you use the same application registration process for both sandbox and Production environments. However, you need to generate separate grant tokens for each environment.

Q. Do I need to use different client IDs and client secrets for the sandbox environment compared to production?
A. No, you can use the same client ID and client secret for both environments. However, you'll need to generate separate access tokens for each org.

We hope that you found this post useful. 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!

Happy Coding!




    Access your files securely from anywhere








                            Zoho Developer Community




                                                  • Desk Community Learning Series


                                                  • Digest


                                                  • Functions


                                                  • Meetups


                                                  • Kbase


                                                  • Resources


                                                  • Glossary


                                                  • Desk Marketplace


                                                  • MVP Corner


                                                  • Word of the Day


                                                  • Ask the Experts



                                                            • 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 are
                                                            • Kaizen #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 achieved
                                                            • Kaizen #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


                                                            Manage your brands on social media



                                                                  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

                                                                                      • CRM Community Learning Series

                                                                                        CRM Community Learning Series


                                                                                      • Kaizen

                                                                                        Kaizen

                                                                                      • Functions

                                                                                        Functions

                                                                                      • Meetups

                                                                                        Meetups

                                                                                      • Kbase

                                                                                        Kbase

                                                                                      • Resources

                                                                                        Resources

                                                                                      • Digest

                                                                                        Digest

                                                                                      • CRM Marketplace

                                                                                        CRM Marketplace

                                                                                      • MVP Corner

                                                                                        MVP Corner







                                                                                          Design. Discuss. Deliver.

                                                                                          Create visually engaging stories with Zoho Show.

                                                                                          Get Started Now


                                                                                            Zoho Show Resources

                                                                                              Zoho Writer

                                                                                              Get Started. Write Away!

                                                                                              Writer is a powerful online word processor, designed for collaborative work.

                                                                                                Zoho CRM コンテンツ




                                                                                                  Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


                                                                                                      ご検討中の方







                                                                                                              • Recent Topics

                                                                                                              • Translation support expanded for Modules, Subforms and Related Lists

                                                                                                                Hello Everyone!   The translation feature enables organizations to translate certain values in their CRM interface into different languages. Previously, the only values that could be translated were picklist values and field names. However, we have extended
                                                                                                              • Unified task view

                                                                                                                Possible to enable the unified task view in Trident, that is currently available in Mail?
                                                                                                              • Bigin, more powerful than ever on iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and watchOS 26.

                                                                                                                Hot on the heels of Apple’s latest OS updates, we’ve rolled out several enhancements and features designed to help you get the most from your Apple devices. Enjoy a refined user experience with smoother navigation and a more content-focused Liquid Glass
                                                                                                              • Importing data into Assets

                                                                                                                So we have a module in Zoho CRM called customers equipments. It links to customers modules, accounts (if needed) and products. I made a sample export and created extra fields in zoho fsm assets module. The import fails. Could not find a matching parent
                                                                                                              • Allow instruction field in Job Sheets

                                                                                                                Hello, I would like to know if it is possible to have an instruction field (multi line text) in a job sheet or if there is a workaround to be able to do it. Currently we are pretty limited in terms of fields in job sheets which makes it a bit of a struggle
                                                                                                              • Streamlining Work Order Automation with Zoho Projects, Writer & WorkDrive

                                                                                                                Hello Community, Here is the first post in 'Integration & Automation' Series. Use Case :: Create, Merge, Sign & Store Documents in Zoho WorkDrive. Scenario :: You have a standard Work Order template created in Zoho Writer. When a task status is chosen
                                                                                                              • The dimensions of multilingual power

                                                                                                                Hola, saludos de Zoho Desk. Bonjour, salutations de Zoho Desk. Hallo, Grüße von Zoho Desk. Ciao, saluti da Zoho Desk. Olá, saudações da Zoho Desk. வணக்கம், Zoho Desk இலிருந்து வாழ்த்துகள். 你好,来自 Zoho Desk 的问候。 مرحباً، تحيات من Zoho Desk. नमस्ते, Zoho
                                                                                                              • Multi-line address lines

                                                                                                                How can I enter and migrate the following 123 state street Suite 2 Into a contact address. For Salesforce imports, a CR between the information works. The ZOHO migration tool just ignores it. Plus, I can't seem to even enter it on the standard entry screen.
                                                                                                              • Accessing Zoho Forms

                                                                                                                Hi all, We're having trouble giving me access to our company's Zoho Forms account. I can log in to a Forms account that I can see was set up a year ago, but can't see any shared forms. I can log into Zoho CRM and see our company information there without
                                                                                                              • Cost of good field

                                                                                                                Is there a way we can have cost of good sold as a field added to the back end of the invoicing procedure and available in reports?
                                                                                                              • How to add image to items list in Invoice or Estimate?

                                                                                                                Hello! I have just started using Zoho Invoice to create estimates and, possibly to switch from our current CRM/ERP Vendor to Zoho. I have a small company that is installing CCTV systems and Alarm systems. My question is, can I add images of my "items" to item list in Zoho Invoice and Estimates and their description? I would like to show my clients the image of items in our estimates so they can decide if they like these items. And I tell you, often they choose more expensive products just because
                                                                                                              • Issue with the Permission to Zoho Form

                                                                                                                I am getting an error by signing in to zoho form as it is stated that i don't have permission to access this is admin account
                                                                                                              • CRM templates

                                                                                                                Hello everyone, In my company we use Zoho campaigns where we set up all newsletters and we use Zoho CRM for transactional emails. I have created some templates in Zoho campaigns but from my understanding i cannot use those in Zoho CRM, right?
                                                                                                              • Pending Sales Order Reports

                                                                                                                Pending sale order report is available for any single customer, Individual report is available after 3-4 clicks but consolidated list is needed to know the status each item. please help me.
                                                                                                              • Zoho Mail SMTP IP addresses

                                                                                                                We are using Zoho Mail and needs to whitelist IP for some redirections from your service to another e-mails. You can provide IP address list for Zohomail SMTP servers?
                                                                                                              • Trying to Add Tasks to Other Users Is Utterly Baffling

                                                                                                                As the title says, the process of trying to create a task for someone in my team is so unintuitive and illogical that I have given up trying to do it. This is a feature that I pay for but it is so poorly devised and implemented that my team has given
                                                                                                              • Zoho Campaigns - Why do contacts have owners?

                                                                                                                When searching for contacts in Zoho Campaigns I am sometimes caught out when I don't select the filter option "Inactive users". So it appears that I have some contacts missing, until I realise that I need to select that option. Campaigns Support have
                                                                                                              • email forwarding not working

                                                                                                                Your email forwarding service does not work. I received the confirmation email and completed the confirmation, after that nothing and nothing since no matter what I have tried. Shame as everything else was smooth. I spose it's harder to run one of these web based internet mail services than you guys thought!!! can you fix the email forwarding asap PLEASE!
                                                                                                              • Google Ads Conversions Not Being Tracked in Zoho CRM

                                                                                                                We have 3 different conversions created in our Google Ads Account. Only one of the 3 conversion types is tracking in Zoho CRM. Our forms are Elementor Forms that are mapped into Zoho CRM. It apprears to me that all leads are showing up in Zoho CRM, but
                                                                                                              • Enable Locations for Expense

                                                                                                                Hi, please enable Locations (ex Branches) for Zoho Expense so that there is consistency between this app and Zoho Books. Thanks in advance.
                                                                                                              • 无法发送消息;原因:5545.1.8电子邮件传出被阻止。

                                                                                                                求帮助,我的邮箱无法发送邮件,请尽快修复。 我们只是用来做正常的资料寄送,如果贵公司再无理封锁我们的邮箱,我们会改用其他公司的服务。 请尽快解封,ID: 815556404
                                                                                                              • in the Zoho Creator i have File Upload field get the file on submission of the form Get the File and upload to Zoho Books

                                                                                                                in the Zoho Creator i have File Upload field get the file on submission of the form Get the File and upload to Zoho Books . how I get the file From zoho creator and upload to Zoho Books . using Api response = invokeUrl [ url: "https://www.zohoapis.com/creator/v2.1/data/hh/l130/report/All_Customer_Payments/"+input.ID
                                                                                                              • Generate a link for Zoho Sign we can copy and use in a separate email

                                                                                                                Please consider adding functionality that would all a user to copy a reminder link so that we can include it in a personalized email instead of sending a Zoho reminder. Or, allow us to customize the reminder email. Use Case: We have clients we need to
                                                                                                              • Rate Limiting in Zoho Flow (OpenAI API)

                                                                                                                Hi Everyone, We are facing some issues when using Zoho Flow as we have a deluge script running which is making external calls to OpenAI endpoint. Sometimes the response takes more than 30 seconds meaning the script will timeout. We want to implement a
                                                                                                              • Placing a condition before converting the LEAD

                                                                                                                Hi,  I need some assistance with Lead conversion. I need to place certain conditions before allowing the user to convert the lead.  For example: up until the certain status's doesn't equal "green" don't allow to convert lead.  I tried creating this using
                                                                                                              • it is possible to open a widget via deluge script function

                                                                                                                I have one function that is workflow action I call my fucntion I need to call the internal widget it is possible to open or it have to please tell me the solution
                                                                                                              • Creator - Portal Custom Domain

                                                                                                                I will pay $100 in crypto to anyone who can actually get my Creator Custom Domain to function (actually tell me how you got yours to).  Domain verifies, Nothing. I've been fighting it a week, multiple chats to customer service. Clearly I'm doing something wrong.  Some datapoints Domain name itself unimportant, can be a string of numbers.  I need to know what registrars are working for you because GoDaddy does NOT.  Do I need hosting? I've tried both ways and nothing works.  I pushed through Cloudflare
                                                                                                              • steps and options to change Domain DNS/Nameservers settings

                                                                                                                Please share the options or steps to change  Domain DNS/Nameservers settings 
                                                                                                              • Employees in Leave Policy exceptions

                                                                                                                In the Leave Policies we should be able to add specific employees to the exception list So it will be like All Employees except A,B,C in the exception list, currently we can only add departments etc
                                                                                                              • How get stock name from other column ?

                                                                                                                How get stock name from other column ? e.g. =STOCK(C12;"price") where C12 is the code of the stock
                                                                                                              • Adding a developer for editing the client application with a single user license

                                                                                                                Hi, I want to know that I as a developer I developed one application and handed over to the customer who is using the application on a single user license. Now after6 months customer came back to me and needs some changes in the application. Can a customer
                                                                                                              • Download an email template in html code

                                                                                                                Hello everyone, I have created an email template and I want to download it as html. How can i do that? I know you can do it via the campaigns-first create a campaign add the template and download it as html from there. But what if i don't want to create
                                                                                                              • Attachment is not included in e-mails sent through Wordpress

                                                                                                                I have a Wordpress site with Zeptomail Wordpress plugin installed and configured. E-mails are sent ok through Zeptomail but without the included attachment (.pdf file) Zeptomail is used to send tickets to customers through Zeptomail. E-Mails are generated
                                                                                                              • Upcoming Changes to the Timesheet Module

                                                                                                                The Timesheet module will undergo a significant change in the upcoming weeks. To start with, we will be renaming Timesheet module to Time Logs. This update will go live early next week. Significance of this change This change will facilitate our next
                                                                                                              • Best way to schedule bill payments to vendors

                                                                                                                I've integrated Forte so that I can convert POs to bills and make payments to my vendors all through Books. Is there a way to schedule the bill payments as some of my vendors are net 30, net 60 and even net 90 days. If I can't get this to work, I'll have
                                                                                                              • Cant update image field after uploading image to ZFS

                                                                                                                Hello i recently made an application in zoho creator for customer service where customers could upload their complaints every field has been mapped from creator into crm and works fine except for the image upload field i have tried every method to make
                                                                                                              • Billing Management: #4 Negate Risk Free with Advances

                                                                                                                In the last post, we explored how unbilled charges accumulate before being invoiced. But what happens when businesses need money before service begins? Picture this: A construction company takes on a $500,000 commercial building project expected to last
                                                                                                              • Is there an equivalent to the radius search in RECRUIT available in the CRM

                                                                                                                We have a need to find all Leads and/or Contacts within a given radius of a given location (most likely postcode) but also possibly an address. I was wondering whether anyone has found a way to achieve this in the CRM much as the radius search in RECRUIT
                                                                                                              • Zoho CRM Inventory Management

                                                                                                                What’s the difference between Zoho CRM’s inventory management features and Zoho Inventory? When is it better to use each one?
                                                                                                              • Cannot Enable Picklist Field Dependency in Products or Custom Modules – Real Estate Setup

                                                                                                                Hello Zoho Support, I am configuring Zoho CRM for real estate property management and need picklist field dependency: What I’ve tried: I started by customizing the Products module (Setup > Modules & Fields) to create “Property Type” (Housing, Land, Commercial)
                                                                                                              • Next Page