Kaizen #98 - Query API using v5 PHP SDK

Kaizen #98 - Query API using v5 PHP SDK

Hello and welcome to another week of Kaizen!

In our previous posts, we have already covered in detail about Query API, when to use them and their supported fields and operators with examples. Please refer to COQL API [Part I] and COQL API [Part II] for more details. In this week's post, we will discuss in detail how to use Query API in Zoho CRM PHP SDK. Please note that this article holds true for PHP SDK supporting version 5 of Zoho CRM APIs.

COQL (CRM Object Query Language) is a powerful query language based on SQL syntax that allows users to write their own queries and fetch records using module API names and field API names. Use Query API when you want to query for a module's data and/or it's look up related data using various comparators, or for records that fall into a custom view without actually creating one, or to query for records from cross-modules (linked via lookup field). 

How to construct a simple Query?

  1. Begin with the SELECT clause
  2. Specify the fields you want to fetch.
  3. Use the FROM clause to specify the module you are querying.
  4. Use the WHERE clause to apply conditions and filter the results based on specific criteria.
  5. Specify the conditions.
  6. Utilize additional clauses such as GROUP BY, ORDER BY, LIMIT, and OFFSET to further customize the query results if needed.

For example,
SELECT Last_Name, First_Name, Mobile FROM Leads WHERE (Lead_Status = 'Not Contacted') ORDER BY Last_Name DESC LIMIT 5 OFFSET 10;

COQL API using PHP SDK

To make a query, use the following code snippet in your code.

// Instantiate QueryOperations class
$queryOperations = new QueryOperations();
// Create a new BodyWrapper instance to set the query
$bodyWrapper = new BodyWrapper();
// Define your COQL select query
$selectQuery = "give_your_select_query_here";
// Set the select query in the body wrapper
$bodyWrapper->setSelectQuery($selectQuery);
// Execute the query and get the response
$response = $queryOperations->getRecords($bodyWrapper);


Let us explore in detail with examples how to use COQL for various field types and operators.

I. Text and Picklist Fields

The supported operators for Text and Picklist fields are =, !=, like, not like, in, not in, is null, is not null.

Sample code using =, like, in operators
<?php

use com\zoho\crm\api\query\BodyWrapper;
use com\zoho\crm\api\query\QueryOperations;
require_once "vendor/autoload.php";

class GetRecords
{
    public static function initialize()
    {
        // add initialisation code
        // refer to this post for details and examples 
    }
    public static function getRecords1()
    {
        $queryOperations = new QueryOperations();
        $bodyWrapper = new BodyWrapper();
        $selectQuery =
            "SELECT First_Name, Last_Name FROM Leads WHERE (((Lead_Status = 'Attempted to Contact') and (Company like '%zylker%')) and Lead_Source in ('Employee Referral', 'Advertisement')) LIMIT 5 OFFSET 10";
        $bodyWrapper->setSelectQuery($selectQuery);
        $response = $queryOperations->getRecords($bodyWrapper);
        //Add your code to handle the response received in $response. To know more, refer to this sample code.
    }
}
GetRecords::initialize();
GetRecords::getRecords1();
?>


Please note that the like operator is used for pattern matching, and is used for starts_with, ends_with, and  contains operators. In this example query, LIKE operator with the pattern %zylker% is used to find records where the Company field contains the substring zylker anywhere within its value. The % symbol represents any number of characters (including none) before or after the pattern zylker. % is the only supported wildcard character for Zoho CRM Query APIs. 

II. Lookup Fields

The supported operators for Lookup fields are =, !=, in, not in, is null, is not null.

Sample Query using !=, is not, not in, is not null

<?php
use com\zoho\crm\api\query\BodyWrapper;
use com\zoho\crm\api\query\QueryOperations;
require_once "vendor/autoload.php";

class GetRecords
{
    public static function initialize()
    {
        // add initialisation code
         // refer to this post for details and examples 
    }
    public static function getRecords1()
    {
        $queryOperations = new QueryOperations();
        $bodyWrapper = new BodyWrapper();
       $selectQuery = "SELECT Last_Name, First_Name, Full_Name, Account_Name, Owner from Contacts where (((Account_Name.Account_Name != 'Zylker') and (Reporting_To is not null)) and Vendor_Name.Vendor_Name not in ('Skytech','SR'))";
        $bodyWrapper->setSelectQuery($selectQuery);
        $response = $queryOperations->getRecords($bodyWrapper);
         //Add your code to handle the response received in $response. To know more, refer to this sample code.
    }
}
GetRecords::initialize();
GetRecords::getRecords1();
?>

III. Date, DateTime, Number, Currency Fields

=, !=, >=, >, <=, <, between, not between, in, not in, is null, is not null are the supported operators for these fields.

Sample Query using between, <, >, >=

<?php

use com\zoho\crm\api\query\BodyWrapper;
use com\zoho\crm\api\query\QueryOperations;
require_once "vendor/autoload.php";

class GetRecords
{
    public static function initialize()
    {
        // add initialisation code
         // refer to this post for details and examples 
    }
    public static function getRecords1()
    {
        $queryOperations = new QueryOperations();
        $bodyWrapper = new BodyWrapper();
       $selectQuery = "SELECT Deal_Name, Amount, Stage, Probability FROM Deals WHERE ((Closing_Date between '2023-01-01' and '2023-03-31') and (Probability < 99)) and ((Amount > 10000) OR (Exchange_Rate >= 5))";
        $bodyWrapper->setSelectQuery($selectQuery);
        $response = $queryOperations->getRecords($bodyWrapper);
         //Add your code to handle the response received in $response. To know more, refer to this sample code.
    }
}
GetRecords::initialize();
GetRecords::getRecords1();
?>


Note : 
Use the following formats for Date and DateTime fields.
Date : YYYY-MM-DD (eg: 2023-01-01)
DateTime : YYYY-MMDDTHH:mm:ss+/HH:mm (eg: 2023-05-03T20:39:19+05:30)

IV. Boolean

= is the only supported operator for Boolean Fields. You should provide the value as either true or false.

<?php

use com\zoho\crm\api\query\BodyWrapper;
use com\zoho\crm\api\query\QueryOperations;
require_once "vendor/autoload.php";

class GetRecords
{
    public static function initialize()
    {
        // add initialisation code
         // refer to this post for details and examples 
    }
    public static function getRecords1()
    {
        $queryOperations = new QueryOperations();
        $bodyWrapper = new BodyWrapper();
       $selectQuery = "select Product_Name, Product_Code from Products where Product_Active = 'true'";
        $bodyWrapper->setSelectQuery($selectQuery);
        $response = $queryOperations->getRecords($bodyWrapper);
        //Add your code to handle the response received in $response. To know more, refer to this sample code.
    }
}
GetRecords::initialize();
GetRecords::getRecords1();
?>

Aggregate Function Support 

Aggregate functions in COQL allow you to perform calculations on groups of records in a module. The available aggregate functions are SUM, MIN, MAX, AVG, and COUNT.
  • SUM is used to sum up the values of an aggregate field in a module.
  • MAX is used to find the largest value of a field in a module.
  • MIN is used to find the smallest value of a field in a module.]
  • AVG is used to find the average value of a field in a module.
  • COUNT is used to count the number of records in a module satisfying a certain criteria.
This feature allows users to perform complex queries on their data and get insights that would not be possible with simple SELECT queries. For example, you could use aggregate functions to find the total revenue generated by all leads in a month, or the average age of all customers in a region.

<?php

use com\zoho\crm\api\query\BodyWrapper;
use com\zoho\crm\api\query\QueryOperations;
require_once "vendor/autoload.php";

class GetRecords
{
    public static function initialize()
    {
        // add initialisation code
         // refer to this post for details and examples 
    }
    public static function getRecords1()
    {
        $queryOperations = new QueryOperations();
        $bodyWrapper = new BodyWrapper();
       $selectQuery = "SELECT MIN(Amount), MAX(Amount) FROM Deals WHERE Stage = 'Closed Won'";
        $bodyWrapper->setSelectQuery($selectQuery);
        $response = $queryOperations->getRecords($bodyWrapper);
        //Add your code to handle the response received in $response. To know more, refer to this sample code.
    }
}
GetRecords::initialize();
GetRecords::getRecords1();
?>

This query will return the minimum and maximum deal amounts for all deals that have been closed won.

In this guide, we've explored how to use the Query API within Zoho CRM using PHP SDK effectively. By employing COQL, you can create intricate queries to extract specific data from modules, apply various operators, and even utilize aggregate functions for deeper insights. Whether you're seeking lead details, complex filters, or aggregate calculations, Query API empowers you to interact with your CRM data seamlessly. 

If you have any queries, let us know the comments below, or send an email to support@zohocrm.com. We would love to hear from you. Your commitment to Kaizen drives us forward!!

Stay tuned for more useful posts in the series! 


    Access your files securely from anywhere

          Zoho FSM Video Tutorials


                All-in-one knowledge management and training platform for your employees and customers.






                                      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

                                                                      • Announcing the new SKILL.md for Zoho CRM and the updated OAS repository!

                                                                        We are introducing a new zoho-crm skill to make working with Zoho CRM Developer tools (like APIs, functions, widgets, client scripts, queries etc) easier and faster, with the help of AI in your preferred AI harness like Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VSCode
                                                                      • Kaizen #261 : Using Zoho CRM Skill to generate complex COQL queries

                                                                        Hello everyone, In the previous Kaizen posts, we introduced the zoho-crm SKILL.md and discussed how it can help you when you are working with Zoho CRM APIs and Client Script. In this Kaizen, we will focus on using the Zoho CRM `SKILL.md` with GitHub Copilot
                                                                      • Kaizen #256 - Build an Arrival Readiness Web Tab in Zoho CRM

                                                                        Hi everyone! Welcome back to the Kaizen series! In the post, we discuss a use case in hospitality industry: how an Arrival Readiness web tab widget can be used to let reception staff identify and resolve issues before arrival of guests. Use case In the
                                                                      • 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.
                                                                      • Kaizen #226: Using ZRC in Client Script

                                                                        Hello everyone! Welcome to another week of Kaizen. In today's post, lets see what is ZRC (Zoho Request Client) and how we can use ZRC methods in Client Script to get inputs from a Salesperson and update the Lead status with a single button click. In this


                                                                      Manage your brands on social media



                                                                            Zoho TeamInbox Resources



                                                                                Zoho CRM Plus Resources

                                                                                  Zoho Books Resources


                                                                                    Zoho Billing 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

                                                                                                                          • Months of WooCommerce–Zoho Inventory sync failures and repeated support requests – has anyone experienced this?

                                                                                                                            Months of WooCommerce–Zoho Inventory sync failures and repeated support requests – has anyone experienced this? I run a small retail business using WooCommerce and Zoho One. For months, I have been trying to resolve recurring synchronisation failures
                                                                                                                          • Function #24: Automatically display deal name from Zoho CRM on quotes in Zoho Books

                                                                                                                            Deals allow businesses to organize and visualize their sales pipeline. This provides a clear overview of all potential opportunities and helps in making informed decisions. Zoho CRM empowers you to create deals or potentials for your clients and monitor
                                                                                                                          • Lookups and Custom Modules

                                                                                                                            I created a Custom Module that I'm calling "Item Purchasing Group". This module will store information for groups of Items that must be purchased together (including minimum overall quantities and/or values, etc.). This will have a one-to-many relationship
                                                                                                                          • Changing an existing item to different accounts & inventory-tracked

                                                                                                                            Hi everyone, I have an item in Zoho Books that was originally set up as a non-inventory item. Over time, I associated it with different sales and purchase accounts, and I now have many invoices, bills, and reports that use this item. My business process
                                                                                                                          • Address limits per customer by edition

                                                                                                                            I’m on the Standard edition and have reached a limit of 30 addresses under a single customer. Before I move to an annual Professional subscription, I need to confirm the following: What is the maximum number of addresses allowed under one contact, and
                                                                                                                          • Zoho Books | Product updates | October 2026

                                                                                                                            Hello users, October brings a range of new features and enhancements to Zoho Books, designed to simplify compliance, streamline accounting workflows, and improve inventory management. From the launch of the Nigeria Edition and France’s e-invoicing capabilities
                                                                                                                          • Create custom rollup summary fields in Zoho CRM

                                                                                                                            Hello everyone, In Zoho CRM, rollup summary fields have been essential tools for summarizing data across related records and enabling users to gain quick insights without having to jump across modules. Previously, only predefined summary functions were
                                                                                                                          • Button or Links order

                                                                                                                            Is there a way to re-order the buttons or links that are created? Moderation Update: With our recent enhancement to custom button creation from the layout editor, administrators can now reorder custom buttons directly from the layout editor, and this
                                                                                                                          • Zoho Books | Product updates | August 2026

                                                                                                                            Hello users, July has been an exciting month for Zoho Books! This month, we're excited to introduce HTML PDF Templates, Placeholders as Pills, expanded approval workflows for Sales Returns and Journals, and significant compliance updates across the India,
                                                                                                                          • Bulk updating tags

                                                                                                                            My organisation handles a number of restricted funds. We previously did this by having a chart of accounts where each restricted fund has its own income and expense accounts. However, our accountant changed this, moving all transactions into accounts
                                                                                                                          • How to Convert Emails to PDF Format in Batch

                                                                                                                            It is helpful to convert emails into PDF format when you want to save important messages, when you need to share business correspondence, or when you wish to keep email records for future reference. PDF files can be readily opened, printed, and shared
                                                                                                                          • Download or Backup Bulk Emails from IMAP Server

                                                                                                                            Taking email messages from an IMAP server and saving them is a wise method for ensuring that important emails are kept safe and easy to access. No matter whether you have a business email address or a personal mailbox, keeping a local copy of your emails
                                                                                                                          • Zoho Writer Label Template Merge/Print Via API/Webhook/Flow

                                                                                                                            Short version of goal: To be able to kick off a Zoho Writer Label Template Document via API or Webhook or even using Zoho Flow. As of right now I have been unable to figure out a way to do that. Long version of goal: We would like to press a button (run
                                                                                                                          • Kaizen #263: Using Zoho CRM Skill to Build Widgets

                                                                                                                            Hello everyone! Welcome back to another exciting Kaizen post. In the previous Kaizen posts, we introduced the zoho-crm skill.md and explored how it can help with Zoho CRM APIs, Client Scripts, complex COQL queries, and Skill to build Queries. In this
                                                                                                                          • Zoho notebook No login

                                                                                                                            Hello Team, I recently downloaded and installed the latest version of zoho notebook for windows. But I am not able to login without providing any sso or email address. Did you removed the no login feature for this app? This is just a windows app. can
                                                                                                                          • Search is completely broken for PC

                                                                                                                            I go to note, try to search for "mtga" and it shows 702 results (it's a big note), highlights all letters "m" and I can't find anything. Same for "gathering" - it thinkgs I think only for "g". Looking for "zoho" shows as if I searched only for "z". Using
                                                                                                                          • Losing description after merging tickets

                                                                                                                            Hello, We merge tickets when they are about the same topic from the same client. It happens sometimes. We recently noticed that after the merger only the description from the master ticket is left in a thread. And the slave-ticket description is erased.
                                                                                                                          • Behind a great customer experience is a team

                                                                                                                            Hi everyone, October is here, and the first week marks the Customer service week. Each year, we thank our customer service professionals. Service professionals are all around us, even in our own workplaces: They handle essential administrative work like
                                                                                                                          • What's New - August and September 2026 | Zoho Backstage

                                                                                                                            Hello everyone, August and September bring a fresh wave of intelligence to Zoho Backstage. AI takes the spotlight with tools that help you create content, support attendees, and manage how AI fits into your events. Alongside AI, we’ve refined email communication,
                                                                                                                          • Images Not Displaying Properly in Zoho Desk

                                                                                                                            Hi, We are experiencing an issue with image rendering in Zoho Desk, affecting both incoming and outgoing emails. Images embedded in email conversations are not displaying properly. Instead, we see broken image icons or empty placeholders where the images
                                                                                                                          • Announcing the new SKILL.md for Zoho CRM and the updated OAS repository!

                                                                                                                            We are introducing a new zoho-crm skill to make working with Zoho CRM Developer tools (like APIs, functions, widgets, client scripts, queries etc) easier and faster, with the help of AI in your preferred AI harness like Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VSCode
                                                                                                                          • Widget Height were destroyed

                                                                                                                            All widget heights in the Details Canvas view are broken. Moderation Update: This is a known issue with widget heights in Client Script popups and flyouts. A fix is in progress, and this post will be updated once it's released.
                                                                                                                          • Zoho Projects - Has something changed regarding to linking Projects and Deals via the API?

                                                                                                                            I am trying to link Zoho Projects to Deals in CRM using the API, but each time, the Deal Contact is added as a Client user and receives an email invite asking them to join the organisation. These are internal projects and the customer should not have
                                                                                                                          • How long does it take to review campaigns?

                                                                                                                            Hello Zoho, i scheduled my campaigns yesterday afternoon and it has been under review for over how many hours and those campaigns were supposed to be out yesterday so new ones can go out today. Is there something i'm doing wrong?
                                                                                                                          • Convert MSG to PDF in Bulk with Attachment Free

                                                                                                                            Microsoft Outlook saves each email as an MSG file, keeping with it key information like the sender, the recipient, the subject, the date, the body of the message, and any attachments. It can, however, be quite difficult to access a large number of MSG
                                                                                                                          • Using Mail Merge Template to Print Documents with One Subform Record's Fields per Document

                                                                                                                            Hello, We have a Mail Merge template created in Zoho Writer which is not able to perform the functionality which is currently required to automate the documentation task portion of our process. The CRM module we are primarily using is based on a "Loans"
                                                                                                                          • Convert MBOX to PST File Using Free Methods

                                                                                                                            MBOX is a mailbox format that is used by various email clients and services, such as Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Eudora, and Google Takeout. Yet, in order to be able to open your MBOX emails in Microsoft Outlook, you have to convert them from MBOX to PST
                                                                                                                          • Zoho Community Digest - September 2026 | Part 4

                                                                                                                            Hi everyone, and welcome back! The final week of September brought a revamped Books integration in Zoho CRM and Zoho Key Service for LLM access without API keys, Zoho Creator's audit trail becoming a full enterprise-grade auditing system, and Zoho One
                                                                                                                          • Automate weekly reports from Channels | Zoho Cliq AI use case #01

                                                                                                                            Scrolling endlessly through numerous threads in a Cliq channel and manually counting how many have been closed, how long people took to reply, and who actually participated can be tedious. After 20 minutes, you might have a number that no one can verify.
                                                                                                                          • Apple Mail to Outlook Converter - Export Apple Mac Mail to PST File

                                                                                                                            Apple Mail is a well-known email application among people who use Macs, whereas Microsoft Outlook is widely employed for both personal and business use. Should you decide to move from Apple Mail to Outlook, you'll probably need to transfer your mailbox
                                                                                                                          • Creator -Dynamic addition of Customer Portal User Licenses

                                                                                                                            Hi, We have a Creator App for B2C about to get released. We are experiencing the Portal User license challenge. Unable to predict the number of users who will download and Subscribe. When a User is about Subscribe and the portal licenses does not exists,
                                                                                                                          • Zoho Tables is now part of Zoho One!

                                                                                                                            Hey everyone! We've got some exciting news to share. Zoho Tables is now included in your Zoho One subscription at no extra cost. If you're already on Zoho One, head to your app list, add Zoho Tables, and get started right away. You don't need a separate
                                                                                                                          • How to import PST files in Office 365?

                                                                                                                            You can import PST files into Office 365 using native Outlook applications, the Microsoft Purview network upload method, or specialized third-party migration tools. Choosing the right method depends on whether you are migrating a single mailbox or executing
                                                                                                                          • [Webinar] Zoho CommunitySpaces MCP

                                                                                                                            New to MCP, or just exploring what's possible? Join us for a webinar on Zoho MCP and your community. We'll show you how Zoho CommunitySpaces and Zoho MCP work together, what your AI co-host can do inside your community, and how to get started. Register
                                                                                                                          • Solution to Import OST File into Office 365.

                                                                                                                            In today’s digital workplace, organizations are rapidly moving toward cloud-based email systems for better flexibility, security, and collaboration. Microsoft 365 has become one of the most widely used platforms for business communication. A common requirement
                                                                                                                          • How can I show an uploaded image larger/full size in a Zoho Forms response PDF?

                                                                                                                            Hi,  I noticed that in a response PDF for Forms, the uploaded image is shown in a tiny box as seen in my screenshot. Is there any way I can make that appear larger in the response PDF? thanks.
                                                                                                                          • Live connection to DS files in Zoho Creator / ChatGPT

                                                                                                                            As an idea, we are using ChatGPT to build with Zoho Creator (outside of Zia), which is works brilliantly to assist write deluge, provide test suggesitons etc. Currently we are uploading the DS files which are very point in time, it would be great to have
                                                                                                                          • Meet PageHealth by Zoho PageSense: a free way to find out what's holding your page back

                                                                                                                            We all know the feeling. You've spent days tweaking headlines, moving buttons, and rewriting copy, and you're still not sure why visitors aren't sticking around. Revamping your website is hard, and figuring out what's actually getting in the way is even
                                                                                                                          • Export Exchange Online Archive Mailboxes to PST for Microsft 365 Users

                                                                                                                            With Microsoft 365 it is possible to archive older emails in Exchange Online in order to keep the main mailbox tidy. If however you need to export the archived emails to a PST file for the purposes of backup, migration, compliance or for use offline,
                                                                                                                          • Task Module quick create settings

                                                                                                                            Hello, requesting the Task module receive a quick create customization settings. We have added custom fields and have to select "More fields" at the bottom of the pop-up to access the custom fields.
                                                                                                                          • Next Page