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.
Hi all,
Hello and welcome to another week of Kaizen!
In this post, we will be discussing Frequently Asked Questions on Zoho CRM GraphQL APIs. GraphQL is a query language that provides a more flexible and efficient way to access data and metadata within your Zoho CRM organization.
Why should I try GraphQL APIs?
Using GraphQL with Zoho CRM allows you to fetch exactly the data you need in a single request, reducing over-fetching and under-fetching. It also enables you to combine multiple operations in one request, which can improve performance and reduce network overhead.
How do I authorize GraphQL requests?
Similar to Zoho CRM REST APIs, GraphQL APIs use OAuth 2.0 for authorization.
For self-clients, you can use the self-client option in the API console to get an authorization grant code. This code can be exchanged for an access token and a refresh token. Once you receive the access token, send the token in your HTTP authorization header with the value "Zoho-oauthtoken {access_token}" for each request. Check out our Postman collection for GraphQL APIs for examples.
Are GraphQL APIs available for all Zoho CRM editions?
GraphQL APIs are available in Enterprise, Zoho One Enterprise, CRM Plus and Ultimate edition of Zoho CRM. Note that it is not available in any trial editions.
What is the difference between REST APIs and GraphQL APIs?
REST APIs let clients talk to servers using standard HTTP methods such as GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE. Instead of fetching a fixed dataset like with REST, GraphQL APIs allows you to ask for precisely the data you want. We have covered this topic in detail in our previous Kaizen post that compares REST APIs and GraphQL APIs
Do I need to do any initial setup to start using GraphQL APIs?
To start using GraphQL APIs, you have to enable GraphQL APIs for your Zoho CRM profile through the enable GraphQL API call.
- Request URL : {api-domain}/crm/graphql/actions/enable
- Method : POST
- Scope: ZohoCRM.GraphQL.UPDATE
This API call generates the GraphQL schema. GraphQL schema defines the capabilities of a server, the data it contains and the actions that can be done on it. Note that it is sufficient to invoke this API call once for each profile.
What are the operations supported in Zoho CRM GraphQL APIs?
Currently, Zoho CRM GraphQL APIs support only query operations. Query operation is analogous to the GET method in REST APIs.
How do I configure requests for Zoho CRM’s GraphQL APIs?
- Request URL: {{api-domain}}/crm/graphql
- Method: POST
- Scope: ZohoCRM.graphql.READ and scope of the corresponding resource.
How do I write a basic query in GraphQL?
The below query can be used to fetch Last_Name in Leads module.
Request body
query { Records { Leads {_data {Last_Name {value}}} } } |
Output
{"data":{"Records":{"Leads":{"_data":[ {"Last_Name":{"value":"Kitzman"}}, {"Last_Name":{"value":"Frey"}} // ... ]}}}} |
What are the supported metadata types that can be fetched using GraphQL APIs?
Using GraphQL APIs you can fetch metadata from Modules, Users, KanbanView, UserProperties, ProfilePermissions, Profiles, Roles, and Widgets
Can I fetch metadata and data of a particular module in a single query using GraphQL APIs?
Yes, using GraphQL it is possible to fetch both metadata and data in a single query.
For example, the below query can be used to fetch Last_Name from Leads module and metadata information of the Last_Name field in the Leads module.
Request body
{ Records { Leads { _data { Last_Name { value } } } } Meta { Modules(filter: { api_name: "Leads" }) { _data { fields(filter: { api_names: "Last_Name" }) { _data { id api_name display_label json_type data_type }}}}}} |
Output
{ "data": { "Records": { "Leads": { "_data": [ { "Last_Name": { "value": "Kitzman" } }, { "Last_Name": { "value": "Frey" } } // ... ] } }, "Meta": { "Modules": { "_data": [ { "fields": { "_data": [ { "id": "6660682000000002595", "api_name": "Last_Name", "display_label": "Last Name", "json_type": "string", "data_type": "text" }]}}]}}}} |
We have covered this in detail in this Kaizen post: Using GraphQL APIs to fetch data in a consolidated way.
Are there any limits applicable for a GraphQL API query?
Yes, Zoho CRM imposes certain limits on the GraphQL API to ensure fair usage.
- Credits: A single query can consume up to a maximum of 10 credits
- Complexity: Complexity is a measure of workload a query exerts on the server based on the number of fields and depth of the query. The maximum complexity allowed for a single query is 1000.
- Depth: The nesting level of a queried field is referred to as depth. The limit for metadata is seven, and for data is three.
Refer to the official documentation on GraphQL credits.
Is it possible to retrieve selective data using GraphQL APIs?
Records
You can use the where argument to filter records from each module. Each field can support type specific operators and can be combined with Boolean logic and wildcards.
For example. to fetch Email, Last_Name, ID, Phone and Mobile of contacts where last name starts with "Ni" and mobile contains the digit 5 or phone number equals 555-678-9999
Request body
{ Records { Contacts(where: { and: [ { Last_Name: { like: "Ni%" } }, { or: [ { Phone: { equals: "555-678-9999" } }, { Mobile: { like: "%5%" } } ] } ] }) { _data { Email { value } Last_Name { value } id { value } Phone { value } Mobile { value } }}}} |
Introspecting the GraphQL schema in Postman will reveal the details of fields and supported operators for each module. Check out our previous Kaizen, where we explained this using videos.
Metadata
You can use the filter argument to filter metadata resources.
For example, the query below fetches metadata of Deals module and api_name of its layouts and fields
Request body
query { Meta { Modules(filter: { api_name: "Deals" }) { _data { id singular_label plural_label layouts { _data { id api_name } } fields { _data { api_name }}}}}} |
How do I paginate results in GraphQL?
In GraphQL, we use the offset and limit argument to paginate results.
You can use offset to fetch the next page of results by passing the value from your previous response, starting with null for the initial set. For each page, the number of records has a limit: up to 100 records for root queries or 10 for nested data.
The value to be passed in offset is obtained by querying for previous_offset and next_offset inside _info object.
Is it possible to sort records in GraphQL?
The order_by argument can be used to sort the response set after fetching records to ascending or descending order.
For example, the below query fetches the fields Deal_Name, Expected_Revenue, and Probability from Deals module in descending order of probability.
Request body
query { Records { Deals(order_by: { Probability: { order: DESC } }) { _data { Deal_Name { value } Expected_Revenue { value } Probability { value } }}}} |
When should I choose Zoho CRM GraphQL APIs over Zoho CRM REST APIs, and vice versa?
Use Zoho CRM GraphQL APIs when:
You need to fetch complex, nested data from multiple resources (e.g., accounts with linked contacts and deals) in a single request and avoid under-fetching of required data/metadata.
You need to minimize over-fetching of data/metadata by selecting only specific resources, fields of the resources, and relationships of the resources.
You need to query data and metadata together efficiently.
Use Zoho CRM REST APIs when :
You need to perform simple CRUD operations (e.g., fetch/update a single product).
Your use case involves straightforward endpoints without nested data/metadata.
You need to do add/update/delete operations.
We trust that this post addressed your doubts on GraphQL APIs. If you have any questions please let us know in the comment section or reach out to us at support@zohocrm.com.
Previous Kaizen Post : Kaizen #196 - Zoho CRM Queries - Best Practices|Kaizen Directory
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
Mable Mary M P
Andres
qasim
Malik Faisal Ijaz
Thomas James
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 FAQsKaizen #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
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
Always display images from this sender – Is this feature available?
In Zoho mail, I had my "Load external images" setting set to "Ask me", and that's fine. That's the setting I prefer. What's not fine though is I always need to tick "Display now" for each email I get, regardless if I've done that multiple times from severalFunction #9: Copy attachments of Sales Order to Purchase Order on conversion
This week, we have written a custom function that automatically copies the attachments uploaded for a sales order to the corresponding purchase order after you convert it. Here's how to configure it in your Zoho Books organization. Custom Function: HitFree webinar: Security that works: Building resilience for the AI-powered workforce
Hello there, Did you know that more than 51% of organizations worldwide have experienced one or more security breaches, each costing over $1 million in losses or incident response? In today’s threat landscape, simply playing defense is no longer enough."Subject" or "Narration"in Customer Statement
Dear Sir, While creating invoice, we are giving in "Subject" the purpose of invoice. For Example - "GST for the month of Aug 23", IT return FY 22-23", "Consultancy", Internal Audit for May 23". But this subject is not coming in Customer Statement. OnlyApply Vendor Credit Automatically
Hello!!! Is there a way where in we can apply vendor credits automatically on the FIRST OUTSTANDING BILL of the vendor?? We have lots of VENDOR CREDITS ISSUES mostly!!! Applying it manually is a pain for us. Would be great if we have a way to apply theZoho Notebook Sync problem
I'm facing a problem with syncing of notebook on android app. It's not syncing. Sometimes it syncs after a day or two. I created some notes on web notebook but it's not syncing on mobile app. Please help!!!!Apply Vendor Credits Automatically
We are bulk importing Vendor credits in Zoho Books!!! Is there a way to apply vendor credits automatically to the first UNPAID bill of the Vendor?Cant Save Gauge on Creator Page
How to Save Gauge on Creator Page see movie https://vimeo.com/1116410860?share=copy#t=0Apply Advance option not shown in report
We are facing an issue in Zoho Expenses. While approving an Expense Report, the "Apply Advance" option is not appearing under the three dots (More Options). Details: Module: Expense Reports Issue: "Apply Advance" option not visible Status of Report: AwaitingAuto Capitalize First Letter of Words
Hi I am completely new to ZOHO and am trying to build a database. How can i make it when a address is entered into a form field like this: main st it automatically changes is to show: Main St Thank YouFollow-up emails via Workflow Automation not staying in the same thread
Dear Zoho Support Team, I am currently using Workflow Automation in Zoho Campaigns to send follow-up emails. In my test case, I noticed the following behavior: All emails in the automation have the same subject line. If the follow-up email is sent withinClient Script refuses to set an initial value in Subform field
I tried a very simple, 1 line client script to set a default value in a custom subform field when the "Add Row" button is clicked and the user is entering data. It does not work - can someone tell me why? ZDK documentation suggests this should be doable.Emails Are Not Being Delivered to My Inbox
Hello Zoho Support Team, I am experiencing an issue with my Zoho Mail account. The most important problem is that emails are not being delivered to my inbox. Details: My Zoho Mail address: info@coreforcelife.com What happens: I am not receiving any incomingHelp Center IFrame Issue
I have had a working Help Center on my website using an iframe for a while. But now for some reason the sign in page gets a refused to connect error. Can someone please help. If I go to the url manually it works correcltyStaff rules
Hi! Do you people know what are the default staff rules when a new booking is created? We have two staff members in my team (me as the admin, and my employee). As we share the same services, I'm wondering how Zoho will pick the staff for new apointments.Comment Templates
Is it possible to add a template option for comments? We have some agents in the process who's responses require a pre-formatted layout. It would be incredibly handy to have a template for them where they can insert the template and then add their responses[ZohoDesk] Improve Status View with a new editeble kanban view
A kanban view with more information about the ticket and the contact who created the ticket would be valueble. I would like to edit the fields with the ones i like to see at one glance. Like in CRM where you can edit the canvas view, i would like to editAdding Markdown text using Zoho Desk API into the Knowledge Base
Hi Zoho Community members, We currently maintain the documentation of out company in its website. This documentation is written in markdown text format and we would like to add it in Zoho Knowledge Base. Do you know if there is REST API functionalityAn Exclusive Session for Zoho Desk Users: AI in Zoho Desk
A Zoho Community Learning Initiative Hello everyone! This is an announcement for Zoho Desk users and anyone exploring Zoho Desk. With every nook and corner buzzing, "AI's here, AI's there," it's the right time for us to take a closer look at how the AIShared values: From classroom lessons to teaching moments in customer service
While the world observes Teachers’ Day on October 5, in India, we celebrate a month earlier, on September 5, to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a great teacher, renowned scholar, educationist, and advocate for empowerment.Create a list of customers who participated in specific Zoho Backstage events and send them an email via Zoho CRM
How to create a list of customers who participated in specific Zoho Backstage events and send them an email via Zoho CRM? I was able to do a view in CRM based on customer that registered to an event, but I don't seems to be able to include the filterZoho Desk blank page
1. Click Access zoho desk on https://www.zoho.com/desk/ 2. It redirects to https://desk.zoho.com/agent?action=CreatePortal and the page is blank. Edge browser Version 131.0.2903.112 (Official build) (arm64) on MacOSI hate the new user UI with the bar on the left
How can I reverse this?Question regarding import of previous deals...
Good afternoon, I'm working on importing some older deal records from an external sheet into the CRM; however, when I manually click "Add New Deal" and enter the pertinent information, the deal isn't appearing when I look at the "Deals" bar on the account'sClient Script also planned for Zoho Desk?
Hello there, I modified something in Zoho CRM the other day and was amazed at the possibilities offered by the "Client Script" feature in conjunction with the ZDK. You can lock any fields on the screen, edit them, you can react to various events (fieldOne person/cell phone to manage multiple accounts
Hi. I have a personal Free account to keep my own domain/emails. Now I need to create a Business account to my company's own domain, but I have only one mobile phone number I use to everything. How do I do to manage this? Can I manage a Free domain andTracking KPIs, Goals etc in People
How are Zoho People users tracking employee targets in People? For example, my marketing assistant has a target of "Collect 10 new customer testimonials every month". I want to record attainment for this target on a monthly basis, then add it to theirZoho Desk: Ticket Owner Agents vs Teams
Hi Zoho, We would like to explore the possibility of hiding the ‘Agents’ section within the Ticket Owner dropdown, so that we can fully utilise the ‘Teams’ dropdown when assigning tickets. This request comes from the fact that only certain agents andCan not Use Attachment Button on Android Widget
this always pops up when I touch the attach button on android widget. going to settings, there is no storage permission to be enabled. if I open the app, and access the attach feature there, I can access my storage and upload normally.Announcing new features in Trident for Mac (1.24.0)
Hello everyone! Trident for macOS (v.1.24.0) is here with interesting features and thoughtful enhancements to redefine the way you plan and manage your calendar events. Here's a quick look at what's new. Create calendar events from emails. In additionVendor Master Enhancements for Faster Purchase Entry
I’d like to suggest a few features that will improve accuracy and speed during purchase voucher entry: Automated Item Tax Preference in Vendor Master Add an option to define item tax preference in the vendor master. Once set, this preference should automaticallyMass Mail Statistics - Number of unsent emails
How do I find out which emails were not sent?Est-il possible d'annuler l'envoi d'un mail automatique ?
Bonjour, Lorsque je refuse un candidat, il reçois un mail dans les 24h pour l'informer que sa candidature n'est pas retenue. J'ai rejeté un candidat par erreur. Savez-vous s'il possible d'annuler l'envoi de ce mail ? Merci d'avance pour votre aide.embed a form in an email
Hello, how to embed a form in an email that populates Zoho CRM cases? I would like to send emails to a selected audience offering something. In the same email the recipients - if interested - instead of replying to can fill in a Zoho CRM form that createsZoho Bookings - Reserve with Google
Does Zoho Bookings plan to to integrate with Reserve with Google?How to add Zoho demo site page designs to my Zoho Sites website
Hi, I would like to add the design from the following demo URLs into my current Zoho website. I have already created two new pages on my site, named “Menu2” and “Menu3.” For the “Menu2” page, I want to use the design from this demo: https://naturestjuice-demo.zohosites.com/menuDigest Août - Un résumé de ce qui s'est passé le mois dernier sur Community
Bonjour chère communauté ! Voici le résumé tant attendu de tout ce qui a marqué Zoho le mois dernier : contenus utiles, échanges inspirants et moments forts. 🎉 Découvrez Zoho Backstage 3.0 : une version repensée pour offrir encore plus de flexibilité,Global Sets for Multi-Select pick lists
When is this feature coming to Zoho CRM? It would be very useful now we have got used to having it for the normal pick lists.Text snippet
There is a nice feature in Zoho Desk called Text Snippet. It allows you to insert a bit of text anywhere in a reply that you are typing. That would be nice to have that option in Zoho CRM as well when we compose an email. Moderation Update: We agree thatKaizen #206 - Answering your Questions | Displaying Related Purchase Orders from Zoho Books in CRM Deals using Queries
Hello everyone! We're back with another post in the Kaizen series. We're grateful for the feedback we received from all of you! One of the questions we received was "I would like to see the list of Purchase Orders in Zoho Books for a Deal in CRM." WeNext Page