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

        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

                                                              • 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
                                                              • Kaizen #222 - Client Script Support for Notes Related List

                                                                Hello everyone! Welcome to another week of Kaizen. The final Kaizen post of the year 2025 is here! With the new Client Script support for the Notes Related List, you can validate, enrich, and manage notes across modules. In this post, we’ll explore how
                                                              • 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


                                                              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

                                                                                                                • MX shopify problem

                                                                                                                  hello, i added all MX values in my shopify DNS - it shows those values on the shopify panel + your toolkit. I tried to send some email and it works, however on my gmail it says they cant verify this email. When i try to answer into my domain's email -
                                                                                                                • Best Way to Manage Email Notifications While Running a Strategy Website

                                                                                                                  I am currently managing a content-based website, and I use Zoho Mail for handling contact forms, user queries, and collaboration emails. One challenge I am facing is organizing incoming emails efficiently, especially when messages come from different
                                                                                                                • What is the maximum email domains ?

                                                                                                                  I help manage about 20 associations and I'm looking for a way to centralize them in one place. Does Zoho Mail pro or enterprise support 20-30 domains for 3-5 users each?
                                                                                                                • Add to Workdrive filter

                                                                                                                  I'm trying to create a filter that will upload attachments in emails and the e-mail body to a folder in workdrive. I am able to do one or the other (attachment, or e-mail content), but not both. I first tried it using the "Email (EML) + attachment" option.
                                                                                                                • Forgot my admin Panel Id and password

                                                                                                                  Sir, I have an account , where a domain mycityestate.in is added for Zoho email , now it is hard for me to manage email because i have forgotten the Email account and password registered with Admin Panel of Zoho. Just need email name which is registered
                                                                                                                • MCP no longer works with Claude

                                                                                                                  Anyone else notice Zoho MCP no longer works with Claude? I'm unable to turn this on in the claude chat. When I try to toggle it on, it just does nothing at all. I've tried in incognito, new browsers, etc. - nothing seems to work.
                                                                                                                • Knowledgebase SEO

                                                                                                                  We have a custom-domain mapped help center that is not restricted via login. I have some questions: a) will a robots.txt file still allow us to control indexing? b) do we have the ability to edit the sitemap? c) do category URLs get indexed by search
                                                                                                                • Partial payments for retainer invoices

                                                                                                                  When a customer does not pay the entire retainer invoice there is no way to apply a partial payment. PLEASE add this function.
                                                                                                                • Problem with CRM Connection not Refreshing Token

                                                                                                                  I've setup a connection with Zoom in the CRM. I'm using this connection to automate some registrations, so my team doesn't have to manually create them in both the CRM and Zoom. Connection works great in my function until the token expires. It does not refresh and I have to manually revoke the connection and connect it again. I've chatted with Zoho about this and after emailing me that it couldn't be done I asked for specifics on why and they responded. "The connection is CRM is not a feature to
                                                                                                                • New Features: Repeat Last Action, Insert Cut/Copied Rows/Columns and Hyperlink

                                                                                                                  You might have noticed the constant updates to Zoho Sheet of late. Here are 3 more features that have been added to Zoho Sheet recently: F4 - Repeat Last Action Insert Cut/Copied Rows and Columns Insert Hyperlink Here is a screen cast demonstrating each of these features. Read further below to learn more about these new features. F4 - Repeat Last Action: You can now repeat the last action you made on your spreadsheet by using the keyboard shortcut, F4. It is quite handy and helps you get your work
                                                                                                                • Need help getting my mail on iPhone and Tablet

                                                                                                                  I need to access my Zoho mail via the iPhone Mail app. I have entered the login name, password and the incoming and outgoing servers, which my Mail Settings page says are imappro.zoho.com and smtppro.zoho.com. The iPhone keeps saying it cannot authenticate.
                                                                                                                • Add an background image to an email template in CRM

                                                                                                                  Hi all, We wants to put an background image behind all our email templates. Is there a way to import this thru html. If i put the option background image in <body style="background-image:...</body> and i look to the preview it shows our background, but
                                                                                                                • How do I bulk archive my projects in ZOHO projects

                                                                                                                  Hi, I want to archive 50 Projects in one go. Can you please help me out , How can I do this? Thanks kapil
                                                                                                                • Copy contents of File Upload Field into Workdrive

                                                                                                                  Hello, I have set up our CRM so that a Workdrive folder is automatically created for each Deal via workflow, this adds the id of the folder into a dedicated field. We also have a field on each Deal called 'Approved Layout', which is a file upload field.
                                                                                                                • ZeptoMail API

                                                                                                                  Hello Since today, we experience issues with the ZeptoMail API. When trying to send e-mails using: https://api.zeptomail.eu/v1.1/email we receive the error: (503) Site unavailable due to a traffic surge. Please try again shortly. I kindly ask you to identify
                                                                                                                • 553 Relaying disallowed. Invalid Domain - gzkcompany.ro

                                                                                                                  Hi there, Can you please assist me in getting the right domain settings? I just renewed my domain subscription, after expired and i got error: 553 Relaying disallowed. Invalid Domain - gzkcompany.ro Zoho mail can receive emails, but its impossible to
                                                                                                                • Not able to receive emails for a while

                                                                                                                  I am not able to receive emails for a while now.
                                                                                                                • Confirmation requested: eligibility and process to downgrade to Forever Free — tenant bigbanghawking.com

                                                                                                                  Thank you for your reply. I am testing Zoho Mail from Brazil with the tenant bigbanghawking.com (endpoint: mail.zoho.com) and we are currently on the Premium trial that expires 21/01/2026. Before deciding whether to pay or cancel, I need written confirmation
                                                                                                                • Zoho API v2.0 - get ALL users from ALL projects

                                                                                                                  Hello,        I've been trying to work on an automatization project lately and I find it difficult to work with this strict structure. To be more explicit, if i would like to get all users participating in a project i would need to get all projects first.       Same thing with projects. If i want to get all projects, I would need to get all portals first.        The problem with this aproach is that it consumes a lot of time and resources.             I want to ask if there is another way of getting
                                                                                                                • الموقع لا يقوم بالسداد

                                                                                                                  السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته وبعد من أمس وانا احاول السداد للدومين YELLOWLIGHT ولا اتمكن من السداد اقوم بتعبئة جميع البيانات ولكن دون جدوى يطلع لى حدث خطأ ما
                                                                                                                • New in Office Integrator: Enhanced document navigation with captions and cross references

                                                                                                                  Hi users, We're pleased to introduce captions, table of tables and figures, and cross-references in the document editor within Zoho Office Integrator. These features allow you to structure documents efficiently and simplify document navigation for your
                                                                                                                • Where Do I set 24h time format in Cliq?

                                                                                                                  Where Do I set 24h time format? Thanks
                                                                                                                • 🎉 ¡Seguimos trayendo novedades a Español Zoho Community! 🎉 Confirmada la agenda y ubicación para los Workshops Certificados

                                                                                                                  Si todavía no te has hecho con tu entrada para nuestros Workshops Certificados del próximo 26 y 27 de marzo o, por el contrario, estabas esperando que confirmáramos dónde los celebraremos, ¡este post es para ti! 📍¿Dónde nos vemos?📍 Nuestros Workshops
                                                                                                                • User is already present in another account error in assigning users to marketing automation

                                                                                                                  Hello everyone Greeting, I had a problem in assigning user in marketing automation, when I try to add it I see this error: (User is already present in another account error) what should I do?
                                                                                                                • How do I get complete email addresses to show?

                                                                                                                  I opened a free personal Zoho email account and am concerned that when I enter an email address in the "To", "CC", fields, it changes to a simple first name. This might work well for most people however I do need to see the actual email addresses showing
                                                                                                                • What's New in Zoho POS - January 2026

                                                                                                                  Hello everyone, Welcome to Zoho POS’s monthly updates, where we share our latest feature updates, enhancements, events, and more. Let’s take a look at how January went. Sort and resolve conflicts Conflicts are issues that may arise when registers and
                                                                                                                • Outlook is blocking incoming mail

                                                                                                                  Outlook is blocking all emails sent from the Zoho server. ERROR CODE :550 - 5.7.1 Unfortunately, messages from [136.143.169.51] weren't sent. Please contact your Internet service provider since part of their network is on our block list (S3150). It looks
                                                                                                                • Not receiving email from customers and suppliers

                                                                                                                  I am getting error . most of the customers tell me not able to send me email please check i have attached screenshot
                                                                                                                • Create user

                                                                                                                  Hello I want to create user, but i get this error Unusual activity detected from this IP. Please try again after some time.
                                                                                                                • File emails in Shared email folder

                                                                                                                  Hi, I am unable to allow users to collaborate in Shared email folders: User 1 shares a folder let's say "SharedTopic" with full permissions Users 2 and 3 can see this folder but are unable to add emails to this folder or search in this folder. For example,
                                                                                                                • Consolidated report for multi-organisation

                                                                                                                  I'm hoping to see this feature to be available but couldn't locate in anywhere in the trial version. Is this supported? The main aim to go to ERP is to have visibility of the multi-organisation in once place. I'm hopeful for this.
                                                                                                                • How to Switch from Outlook for Mac to Outlook for Windows

                                                                                                                  The most often used file formats for users to manage crucial data are OLM and PST files. PST files keep a copy of data on the configured system from Outlook, while the OLM file contains the Mac Outlook data items, which are only accessible with Outlook
                                                                                                                • Zoho Books Inter-company integration

                                                                                                                  We have an Indian parent entity, and its accounting is managed in Zoho Books. We also have a subsidiary company in Dubai under the same parent entity, for which we have procured a separate Zoho Books license. I want to understand whether Zoho supports
                                                                                                                • Name autocomplete

                                                                                                                  Hi, During searching emails the web tool does not always propose the auto-completion of the saved emails. As a result I either have to go to contacts and look up the exact email, or the exact full name including the middle name and any dots, which is
                                                                                                                • Are custom portals accessible on the Zoho learn smartphone app?

                                                                                                                  In other words, can users external to my organisation, once signed up, use the app in the same way as internal users? Thanks
                                                                                                                • How to increase my Zoho sign limit.

                                                                                                                  I cannot send a document/contract for signature. Zoho sign says I reached my monthly limit. May I know how to fix this please? Thanks! 
                                                                                                                • Can not add m365 outlook account to zohomail.

                                                                                                                  I am attempting to use zoho mail as an imap client to add my outlook.com m365 account. In the m365 exchange admin center i have made sure the imap is enabled. In zoho mail i go to settings, mail accounts, add account, add imap account, i select "outlook",
                                                                                                                • Unable to attach Work Order / Service Appointment PDF to Email Notifications (Zoho FSM)

                                                                                                                  I’m trying to include the Work Order PDF or Service Appointment PDF as an attachment in Email Notifications (automation/notification templates), but I don’t see any option to attach these generated PDFs. Is this currently supported in Zoho FSM? If not,
                                                                                                                • local file csv import problem

                                                                                                                  The issue occurs when I upload a CSV file via Databridge. In the preview, everything looks correct — the values are in the proper columns. However, after clicking Import, the first column becomes empty, and the values from that column appear in a new
                                                                                                                • Función Deshacer y Rehacer

                                                                                                                  Hola. Soy un reciente usuario de Zoho Notebook que he migrado desde Evernote. He encontrado en falta una función que considero muy importante: un botón para "deshacer". Es frustrante cuando se borra un parte del texto o un archivo de una nota, generalmente
                                                                                                                • Next Page