Track and Monitor Activities in Zoho CRM using the Export Audit Log API

Hello all!

Welcome back to another post in our Kaizen series.

This post details how to back up and track history of actions, such as those performed on a module (example: Leads), track actions performed by specific CRM users, and filter entries within a specific time range, using the Export Audit Log API introduced in Version 7.

Use Case

Zylker, a startup IT firm, has hired 10 project trainees for a six-month training program for the role of Technical Support Engineers. The manager at Zylker has added each trainee to the Zoho CRM as a user. These trainees interact with customers by giving product demos, attending meetings and calls, creating tasks, and being responsible for making deals won.

Solution

Zylker uses Zoho CRM's Export Audit Log API to track trainee activities. By exporting audit logs, the manager monitors how many calls, meetings, and tasks each trainee has completed. This helps the manager highlight areas where trainees need improvement and adjust training programs. After six months, the manager reviews the logs to decide which trainees performed well and should be offered permanent positions.

Note:

Users in the Administrator profile or CEO Role can access the audit logs. However, other users can only view their own and their sub-ordinates' audit Logs.

Exporting Audit Log

The Export Audit Log API is an asynchronous API, and an export job will be scheduled to export the audit log details. The exported audit log will be downloaded in either CSV or ZIP format, depending on the number of entries in the result. You can check the job's status using the Get the Status of the Export Audit Log Job API. Once the job is complete, you can download the results using the Download Export Audit Log Result API.

Let us see how Zylker uses the Zoho CRM API to monitor their trainees' performance.

Create Export Audit Log Job:

Sample Request: {api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/audit_log_export

Request Method: POST

Scope: ZohoCRM.settings.audit_logs.CREATE

Notes:

The above sample request exports up to the last three years of audit log data across all modules in your Zoho CRM.
The input request is optional i.e., if you skip the input request, the system will still export all actions in Zoho CRM.
Use filters to export specific audit entries.

The sample input below is used to export an audit log for all 10 trainees in the Calls, Events, and Tasks modules over a six-month time range.

{

"audit_log_export": [

{

"criteria": {

"group_operator": "and",

"group": [

{

"field": {

"api_name": "done_by"

"comparator": "in",

"value": [

{

"name": "Joe",

"id": "5725767000000583089"

{

"name": "Boyle",

"id": "5725767000000583000"

{

"name": "John",

"id": "5725767000000583001"

]

{

"group_operator": "and",

"group": [

{

"group_operator": "and",

"group": [

{

"field": {

"api_name": "audited_time"

"comparator": "between",

"value": [

"2024-01-05T00:00:00+05:30",

"2024-06-04T23:59:59+05:30"

]

{

"field": {

"api_name": "module"

"comparator": "in",

"value": [

{

"api_name": "Calls",

"id": "5725767000000033015"

{

"api_name": "Events",

"id": "5725767000000002195"

{

"api_name": "Tasks",

"id": "5725767000000002193"

}

]

}

]

}

]

}

]

}

]

}

The above input schedules a job to export data that matches the criteria. The response to the above request is given below, and we will discuss how to see the status of the export audit log job and how to download the result in the upcoming sections in this post.

Refer to the Input JSON Keys to Export Audit Log Using Multiple Filters for input keys' explanations.

Note:

With filters (either single or multiple criteria), you can export up to 6 months (180 days) of audit log data. Note that the time range should not exceed 180 days.

Sample Response:

{
"audit_log_export": [
{
"status": "success",
"code": "SCHEDULED",
"message": "ExportAuditlog scheduled successfully.",
"details": {
"id": "5725767000003525045" //unique job ID of the export audit log job.
}
}
]
}

The manager has scheduled an export audit log job to review their trainees' activities within the specified time range (six months).

Get the Status of the Export Audit Log Job

The manager at Zylker retrieves the details of the export audit log jobs that were scheduled previously using the POST Export Audit Log API.

Exporting All Trainees' Activities: By reviewing the complete log, the manager can analyze the overall performance of all trainees.
Filtering Specific trainees' Activities: Once after reviewing the entire log, the manager could filter data of only those trainees with average performance and provide them with the required training to help them improve.

Zylker retrieves the status of all scheduled export audit log jobs using the following URL:

{api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/audit_log_export

By default, it returns all the scheduled export jobs.

For retrieving the status of a specific scheduled export audit log job, Zylker uses the following URL:

{api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/audit_log_export/{export_job_id}

Request Method: GET

Scope: ZohoCRM.settings.audit_logs.READ

Here is the sample response showing the status of the export audit log job for all the trainees:

{

"audit_log_export": [

{

"id": "5725767000003525048",

"status": "finished",

"job_start_time": "2024-08-07T12:12:39-07:00",

"job_end_time": "2024-08-07T12:12:44-07:00",

"expiry_date": "2024-08-14T12:12:39-07:00",

"created_by": {

"name": "Jim", //Zylker's Manager

"id": "5725767000000411001"

"criteria": {

"group_operator": "and",

"group": [

{

"comparator": "between",

"field": {

"api_name": "audited_time"

"value": [

"2024-01-05T00:00:00+05:30",

"2024-06-04T23:59:59+05:30"

]

{

"comparator": "in",

"field": {

"api_name": "module"

"value": [

{

"api_name": "Tasks",

"id": "5725767000000002193"

{

"api_name": "Events",

"id": "5725767000000002195"

{

"api_name": "Calls",

"id": "5725767000000033015"

}

]

}

]

"download_links": [

"https://download-accl.zoho.com/v2/crm/808232144/auditlog/5725767000003525048/AuditLog.csv"

]

}

]

}

Response JSON Keys explanation:

audit_log_export (JSON array) : Contains the details for the audit log export request of the trainees.
id (string) : Represents the unique job ID of the export audit log job.
status (string) : Represents the status of the export audit log job. Possible values: Progress, Scheduled, Finished, and Failed.
job_start_time (string) : Represents the time at which the export job started.
job_end_time (string) : Represents when the export job was completed.
expiry_date (string) : Represents the expiry time of the exported audit log available in the download links.
created_by (JSON object) : Represents the ID and Name of the Zoho CRM user who initiated the export job.
criteria (JSON object) : Represents the conditions specified for a specific export audit log job using the Create Export Audit Log API.
download_links (JSON array) : Represents the unique downloadable link for the exported audit log. You can use this link to download the log data using the GET - Download Export Audit Log Result API.

Download Export Audit Log Result

The manager at Zylker can download the result logs using the the "download_links" JSON array key in the response Get the Status of the Export Audit Log Job API.

An export audit log will be in either CSV or ZIP format, depending on the number of entries in the result. If the audit log contains 100,000 or fewer entries, the system will automatically export the logs in a CSV file. If there are more than 100,000 entries, the logs will be split into multiple CSV files inside a ZIP file, with each CSV file holding up to 100,000 entries. A maximum of 10,00,000 audit entries will be exported in a ZIP file.

Request Method: GET

Scope: ZohoFiles.files.READ

In our case, download the audit log result in the CSV file format.

Based on the downloaded results, the manager will analyze the trainees' performance to make hiring decisions and identify areas where those with average performance may need additional training. This approach helps the manager at Zylker to keep track of all trainees' activities regularly.

We trust that this post meets your needs and is helpful. Let us know your thoughts in the comment or reach out to us at support@zohocrm.com

Stay tuned for more insights in our upcoming Kaizen posts!

Previous Kaizen Post: Kaizen #149 : Using GraphQL APIs to fetch data in a consolidated way

Further Readings:

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