Kaizen 213 - Workflow APIs - Part 1
If you have ever managed complex business processes, you know that Workflows are the quiet backbone of any well-run business process. They keep things moving; assigning owners, sending alerts, keeping deals on track, and much more. But until now, you could not manage them via APIs. That changes with the release of Workflow APIs.
In this series, we will work through a real-world scenario together, showing you how to transition from manually managing workflows to governing them using APIs. We’ll look at Zylker Cloud Services, an IT solutions provider trying to bring order to its growing CRM automations.
The use case: Scaling the sales process at Zylker Cloud Services
Zylker’s sales process touches multiple teams and modules like Leads, Deals, Calls, Appointments, etc. Over time, different team members created their own workflows. The result is familiar to anyone who has scaled fast:
Multiple versions of what should be the same process
Old, unused workflows still running.
Now, Zylker wants to bring structure and visibility to this automation sprawl. Their system administrators are building a custom admin dashboard to monitor and manage CRM workflows, without needing deep CRM expertise.
They want to:
Display a real-time list of all workflows with their status
Gain insights into workflow distribution across modules
Identify inactive or outdated workflows that may need cleanup.
However, the CRM UI only allows viewing one workflow at a time. There is no consolidated view to see all workflows, their triggers, and their status across modules. That makes auditing and governance tedious and error-prone, especially at scale.
This is exactly what the Workflow APIs solve. With this, they can:
Audit all existing workflows.
Review how and when they trigger.
Identify which modules and actions are supported before creating new rules or updating existing ones.
Update existing rules and create new rules.
Delete the rules that are no longer needed.
You can not build a dynamic admin dashboard or an automated audit system for Workflows through just clicks. But you can do this now, with Workflow APIs.
STEP 1: Discover and audit existing workflows
Before changing anything, we need to understand what we are working with. How many workflows do we have? What do they do? How many more can we create?
To get a complete inventory of Workflow rules, we can use the GET Workflow Rules API. This API returns a list of all the Workflow Rules configured for the CRM account.
Sample Request:
GET {api-domain}/crm/v8/settings/automation/workflow_rules
This initial audit acts like a master list, giving us an overall picture. It helps understand the scope of the automation landscape and identify obvious redundancies, like multiple workflows with similar names or purposes.
Sample Response:
{ "workflow_rules": [ { "created_time": "2024-01-15T14:20:30+05:30", "execute_when": { "details": { "trigger_module": { "api_name": "Deals", "id": "4876876000000002181" }, "repeat": false }, "type": "create_or_edit" }, "editable": true, "module": { "api_name": "Deals", "id": "4876876000000002181" }, "deprecated": false, "deletable": true, "description": "Alert VP of Sales for high-value opportunities", "source": "crm", "created_by": { "name": "Matthew Mayers", "id": "4876876000001360001" }, "last_executed_time": null, "modified_time": "2024-01-23T12:23:12+05:30", "name": "VP Alert - High Value Deal", "modified_by": { "name": "Matthew Mayers", "id": "4876876000001360001" }, "lock": { "locked_by": null, "message": null, "status": false }, "id": "4876876000016390024", "category": "default", "conditions": [ { "sequence_number": 1, "instant_actions": { "actions": [ { "related_details": null, "name": "VP notified", "details": { "module": { "api_name": "Deals", "id": "4876876000000002181" } }, "id": "4876876000016390063", "type": "field_updates" }, { "related_details": { "best_time": true }, "name": "High value deal alert", "id": "4876876000016390015", "type": "email_notifications" } ] }, "scheduled_actions": [ { "execute_after": { "period": "business_days", "unit": 1 }, "id": "4876876000016390074", "actions": [ { "related_details": null, "name": "Confirm VP follow-up", "id": "4876876000016390067", "type": "tasks" } ] } ], "criteria_details": { "relational_criteria": { "module_selection": null, "criteria": null, "module": null }, "criteria": { "group_operator": "AND", "group": [ { "comparator": "equal", "field": { "api_name": "Amount", "id": "4876876000000002557" }, "type": "value", "value": "50000" }, { "comparator": "equal", "field": { "api_name": "Stage", "id": "4876876000000002565" }, "type": "value", "value": "Negotiation/Review" } ] } }, "id": "4876876000016390025" } ], "status": { "active": true } }, { "id": "4876876000012015001", "name": "Lead Assignment - North Region", "module": {"api_name": "Leads"}, "status": {"active": true}, "execute_when": {"type": "create"}, "last_executed_time": "2025-10-14T11:56:20+05:30" // ... other keys omitted for brevity }, { "id": "4876876000012020001", "name": "Lead Assignment - South Region", "module": {"api_name": "Leads"}, "status": {"active": true}, "execute_when": {"type": "create"}, "last_executed_time": "2025-10-14T10:30:15+05:30" // ... other keys omitted for brevity } // ... additional workflows ], "info": { "per_page": 200, "count": 71, "page": 1, "more_records": false } } |
The response gives us a comprehensive overview of all configured workflows. For each rule, we get the metadata including its unique ID, name, description, the module it operates on, its activation status, and details about when it triggers. We also get audit information like creation timestamps and which user made changes.
Working with large results
When you have hundreds of workflows, pagination helps. The response includes an info object with pagination details:
count: The number of workflows on the current page
per_page: The maximum number of records per page (default and max is 200)
page: The current page number
more_records: Indicates if there are additional records to fetch.
If the more_records key is true, we can retrieve the next page by using the page parameter in the request.
While getting all workflows gives you the big picture, we may often want to focus on specific areas. This API offers several parameters to narrow down our search:
Parameter type | Description |
module | Filters workflows by the primary module they operate on. |
trigger_module | Filters by related modules that can trigger workflows. Use this when you want workflows that are triggered by changes in related records. |
execute_on | Filters by the specific action that triggers the workflow. |
status_active | Filters by activation status to see only active or inactive workflows. Useful for audits and cleanup operations. |
filter | Searches workflows by name using a JSON filter. |
page | Specifies which page of results to return. Use this for pagination when you have a large number of workflows. |
per_page | Limits the number of workflows returned per page. The default and maximum value is 200. |
sort_by | Sorts the workflows based on a specific field. The only supported value is modified_time. |
sort_order | Sorts the workflows in ascending (asc) or descending (desc) order. |
include_inner_details | Includes the inner details like conditions and actions of the workflows in the response. |
For example, to find all active lead workflows containing "Assignment" in their name, use:
Here is the API-call-ready version of the same, after URL encoding the filter value:
Now, if you inspect the response closely, you can see that we have two similar workflows: "Lead Assignment - North Region" and "Lead Assignment - South Region." And there is also an older workflow named "VP Alert - High Value Deal."
This workflow was created almost a year ago by a former team member, and it has not been modified for a long time. Is it still relevant? What exactly does it do? What criteria define a "high-value deal," and who exactly gets notified?
To answer these questions and understand the workflow's complete logic, we must examine it closely using the Get a Workflow API. This API returns the full configuration including all conditions, criteria thresholds, and specific actions for an individual workflow.
STEP 2: Inspect a single workflow using Get a Workflow API
Sample Request:
GET {api-domain}/crm/v8/settings/automation/workflow_rules/4876876000016390024
Here, 4876876000016390024 is the unique ID of the Workflow rule whose details we want to fetch, obtained from the response of Get all Workflows API.
Sample Response:
{ "workflow_rules": [ { "created_time": "2024-01-15T14:20:30+05:30", "execute_when": { "details": { "trigger_module": { "api_name": "Deals", "id": "4876876000000002181" }, "repeat": false }, "type": "create_or_edit" }, "editable": true, "module": { "api_name": "Deals", "id": "4876876000000002181" }, "deprecated": false, "deletable": true, "description": "Alert VP of Sales for high-value opportunities", "source": "crm", "created_by": { "name": "Matthew Mayers", "id": "4876876000001360001" }, "last_executed_time": null, "modified_time": "2024-01-23T12:23:12+05:30", "name": "VP Alert - High Value Deal", "modified_by": { "name": "Matthew Mayers", "id": "4876876000001360001" }, "lock": { "locked_by": null, "message": null, "status": false }, "id": "4876876000016390024", "category": "default", "conditions": [ { "sequence_number": 1, "instant_actions": { "actions": [ { "related_details": null, "name": "VP notified", "details": { "module": { "api_name": "Deals", "id": "4876876000000002181" } }, "id": "4876876000016390063", "type": "field_updates" }, { "related_details": { "best_time": true }, "name": "High value deal alert", "id": "4876876000016390015", "type": "email_notifications" } ] }, "scheduled_actions": [ { "execute_after": { "period": "business_days", "unit": 1 }, "id": "4876876000016390074", "actions": [ { "related_details": null, "name": "Confirm VP follow-up", "id": "4876876000016390067", "type": "tasks" } ] } ], "criteria_details": { "relational_criteria": { "module_selection": null, "criteria": null, "module": null }, "criteria": { "group_operator": "AND", "group": [ { "comparator": "equal", "field": { "api_name": "Amount", "id": "4876876000000002557" }, "type": "value", "value": "50000" }, { "comparator": "equal", "field": { "api_name": "Stage", "id": "4876876000000002565" }, "type": "value", "value": "Negotiation/Review" } ] } }, "id": "4876876000016390025" } ], "status": { "active": true } }, { "id": "4876876000012015001", "name": "Lead Assignment - North Region", "module": {"api_name": "Leads"}, "status": {"active": true}, "execute_when": {"type": "create"}, "last_executed_time": "2025-10-14T11:56:20+05:30" // ... other keys omitted for brevity }, { "id": "4876876000012020001", "name": "Lead Assignment - South Region", "module": {"api_name": "Leads"}, "status": {"active": true}, "execute_when": {"type": "create"}, "last_executed_time": "2025-10-14T10:30:15+05:30" // ... other keys omitted for brevity } // ... additional workflows ... ], "info": { "per_page": 200, "count": 71, "page": 1, "more_records": false } } |
The detailed response gives us a complete blueprint of the workflow. We can now see the exact business logic: the workflow triggers when deals are edited and meet two specific conditions; when the amount equals exactly $50,000 AND the stage is Negotiation/Review.
More importantly, we can see all the actions that execute: an immediate field update to mark deals as "VP notified," an email notification sent at the optimal time, and a follow-up task scheduled for one business day later. Here's what is really interesting about this detail; this workflow has never actually executed, despite being active for nearly a year, because the last_executed_time is null in the response.
Now we are left with some important questions. Is that $50,000 threshold too narrow? What if a $49,000 deal is just as important? And is the VP still the right person to alert? Are there additional stakeholders who should be notified beyond just the VP? These are the type of questions you can start answering once you inspect your workflows closely.
STEP 3: Check limits and distribution
Before making any changes, we must understand our automation capacity and how workflows are distributed across the organization. The Workflow APIs provide two key endpoints for this:
1. Get Workflow limits API
This API provides a comprehensive view of your organization's workflow capacity across multiple dimensions.
Sample Request:
GET {api-domain}/crm/v8/settings/automation/workflow_rules/actions/rules_count
Sample Response:
{ "rules_count": { "scheduled_actions_per_rule_limit": 5, "total_rules_limit": 2500, "active_rules_configured": 71, "rules_per_process_limit": 10, "total_actions_per_rule_limit": 50, "total_rules_limit_per_module": 125, "active_rules_limit": 2000, "total_rules_configured": 82, "active_rules_limit_per_module": 75 } } |
This response gives the following information:
Total Capacity: Zylker has a generous limit of 2,500 total workflows, with only 82 currently configured. This means that they are using just 3 percent of their total capacity.
Active Workflows: There are 71 active workflows, well below their 2,000 active workflow limit
Module-level Limits: Each module can support up to 125 total workflows, with 75 of those allowed to be active simultaneously.
Action Limits: Each condition in the Workflow can contain up to 50 total actions, with a maximum of five scheduled actions.
For Zylker, this is excellent news. Only 71 active workflows out of a 2,000 limit. This means we have substantial room for growth and can confidently create new workflows without worrying about capacity constraints.
2. Get module-wise counts API
This API tells you exactly how many workflow rules you have in each module. It shows both the total number of rules and how many are currently active. This helps you see where your automations are concentrated and where you might be missing opportunities.
Sample request:
GET {api-domain}/crm/v8/settings/automation/workflow_rules/actions/module_specific_count
Sample Response:
{ "module_specific_count": [ { "active_rules_configured": 2, "module": { "api_name": "Products", "id": "4876876000000002213" }, "total_rules_configured": 2 }, { "active_rules_configured": 2, "module": { "api_name": "Deals", "id": "4876876000000002181" }, "total_rules_configured": 2 }, { "active_rules_configured": 4, "module": { "api_name": "Contacts", "id": "4876876000000002179" }, "total_rules_configured": 5 }, { "active_rules_configured": 2, "module": { "api_name": "Appointments__s", "id": "4876876000002362026" }, "total_rules_configured": 3 }, { "active_rules_configured": 4, "module": { "api_name": "Calls", "id": "4876876000000033015" }, "total_rules_configured": 5 }, { "active_rules_configured": 43, "module": { "api_name": "Leads", "id": "4876876000000002175" }, "total_rules_configured": 51 }, { "active_rules_configured": 14, "module": { "api_name": "Emails", "id": "4876876000000014163" }, "total_rules_configured": 15 } ] } |
Looking at this response, we can see 43 active workflows in Leads but only two in Deals. This tells us that Zylker is heavily focused on lead management but might be missing opportunities to automate their sales process later in the pipeline.
Together, these two APIs give a complete picture of the automation capacity and distribution.
What's next: From understanding to action
Now that we have our foundation, we are ready to start building and refining.
In the next part of this Kaizen series, we will move from discovery to design. We’ll use the Workflow Configuration, Create, and Update APIs to standardize Zylker’s automation management, create new workflow rules, and update existing ones for consistency and efficiency.
We hope that you find this post on Workflow APIs useful. If you have any feedback, or if there are any pain-points that you would like us to address in our Kaizen series, please let us know in the comments, or reach out to us via support@zohocrm.com. We will be happy to help!
Until we meet again next Friday, Happy coding!
Topic Participants
Anu Abraham
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 thisKaizen #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 howKaizen #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
Recent Topics
Can I write a check in Zoho Books with no associated bill?
This currently does not seem possible, and I have a client that desperately needs this function if I am able to convert them with Quickbooks. Thank you in advance for your reply.[Free Webinar] Intelligent document processing with Zoho RPA
Hello everyone! Greetings from the Zoho RPA team! We're excited to invite you to our upcoming webinar on intelligent document processing with Zoho RPA, where we'll introduce powerful new capabilities designed to make your automation journey smarter, faster,When I schedule calendar appointments in zoho and invite external emails, they do not receive invites
Hello, We have recently transitioned to zoho and are having a problem with the calendar feature. When we schedule new calendar appointments in zoho the invite emails aren't being sent to the external users that we list in participants. However, this worksZoho People > Performance Management > Appraisal cycle
Hello All I am using this 2 users to test out how it work on Performance Management User 1 - Reportee User 2 - Reporting Manager : Li Ting Haley User 1 : Self Appraisal Error How do i fix this error?Send emails directly via Cases module
Greetings all, The ability to send emails from the Cases module, which users have been eagerly anticipating, is now available, just like in the other modules. In Zoho CRM, Cases is a module specifically designed for managing support tickets. If your organizationWebinar Alert: Supercharge landing pages with data insights | Zoho LandingPage
Every visitor to your landing page leaves behind valuable data, but are you leveraging it to improve conversions? Join our expert-led Landing Page Analytics webinar to learn how to track, analyze, and optimize landing page performance with Zoho LandingPage’sBulk Deletion of Zoho Projects Using Node.js and Zoho Projects API
Zoho Projects currently does not provide a built-in option to delete multiple projects in bulk from the UI. When working with testing environments or large numbers of temporary projects, deleting them one by one becomes time-consuming. To address this,Show unsubscribed contacts ?
Hello, I would like to display the unsubscribed contacts. Unfortunately, I do not have this subscription type as described in the documentation (https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/kb/marketing-automation-2-0/user-guide/contacts/contact-management/articles/subscription-type-24-1-2024#Subscription_Type_field.)Track Marketing Automation Campaigns in Zoho CRM
Hello, I've been searching but haven't found the exact answer to this question. I am looking to track Marketing Automation email campaigns and activities inside of Zoho CRM. Use Case: Action: Prospect Submits A Lead Form Outcomes: Prospect created inValidation rule for Date field
The condition settings for a Date field are are absolutlly usless. Conditions can only be set for a specific date, which is logically ineffective in most cases. When setting a condition for a Date field, users usually need to compare the value relativeEasily map shift data fields during user imports
Greetings all, You can now include all your shift-related data for your users without any hassle during user imports. With this enhancement, the Map Import Fields to Zoho CRM option includes all shift-related fields: Current Shift, Next Shift, and ShiftUnable to send
Hello, I am unble to send any single email during the whole time due to the Zoho IP 136.143.188.16 being bloked by SpamCop.net Please help can somebody help me?Adding new data to the sheet with most recent data being added to top row.
I am using a form that I built from within sheets. When the form is submitted, is it possible to have the data entered in (for example) row 2 (since row 1 is the heading) instead of being added into the next available row which should be hundreds ofHow do you arrange order in which the speakers are listed in a session once they have been selected?
Probably another simple thing I've missed but I can't find how to arrange the order in which the speakers are listed in a session once they have been selected. We usually want the speakers listed alphabetically by last name, but sometimes not. Once theProduct Updates in Zoho Workplace applications | February 2026
Hello Workplace Community, Let’s take a look at the new features and enhancements that went live across all Workplace applications for the month of February. Zoho Mail Organize Personal Notes with Collections You can now create collections under My PersonalBank Feed shows redacted description numbers (xxxx)
Hi All, Is there any way to change this behaviour? Either Zoho or Yodlee is redacting important numbers from the transaction description, preventing us from being able to easily recognise and reconcile transactions. For example, a transaction with a descriptionIntroducing note actions and dynamic visibility in Kiosk Studio
Hello all, We are introducing enhancements to Kiosk Studio that will improve the product scope and meet your custom needs more precisely. What's new? Add notes as Actions: You can add notes to CRM records as kiosk Actions, as well as insert merge fieldsRegarding the Recipient Email change
I was not being able to change the Recipient email. Kindly resolve the problemRequest to Customize Module Bar Placement in New Zoho CRM UI
Hello Support and Zoho Community, I've been exploring the new UI of Zoho CRM "For Everyone" and have noticed a potential concern for my users. We are accustomed to having the module names displayed across the top, which made navigation more intuitivekanban view for client portal
Are kanban views an option for client portals? Access to Kanban views in the client portals would solve some mobile-compliant issues I have with the UI. Kanban functions very nicely on mobile and would be a super asset for my clients and vendors as they【Zoho CRM】サンドボックスのアップデート：メール送信トレイ機能の追加
ユーザーの皆さま、こんにちは。コミュニティチームの藤澤です。 CRMのサンドボックス（テスト環境）にメールの送信トレイ機能が追加されました。 本番環境でメール配信の前に、サンドボックスで送信される全てのメールを確認・検証できます。ワークフロー、承認プロセス、一括送信など、あらゆる送信パターンに対応しています。 「メールの送信トレイ」機能を使うと、顧客へ送信する前にメールの内容を事前確認できます。項目の欠落や書式の乱れなど、あらゆる問題をサンドボックス内でチェックできるため、本番環境でのトラブルを未然に防ぐことに役立ちます。Force mandatory entry on one of two fields on Contacts
We are finding our users aren't always entering a phone number or email address of a contact. We would like to make these fields mandatory but realize they won't always have both pieces of information, but should at least have one. Is there a way to makeHow can I prevent having recepients from being added as contacts in Zoho Desk?
How can I prevent having recepients from being automatically added as contacts in Zoho Desk? There's no option to disable this.Agent Concern
would like to ask the difference between an agent and a light agent. can a light agent close a ticket. thank you.Train Zoho Answer Bot Based on Customer
Hi all, Is it currently possible to mark Help Centre articles to a specific customer, and restrict the answer bot to only use relevant information if it is either marked as "General", or tagged for the specific customer in question? We currently haveNon-depreciating fixed asset
Hi! There are non-depreciable fixed assets (e.g. land). It would be very useful to be able to create a new type of fixed asset (within the fixed assets module) with a ‘No depreciation’ depreciation method. There is always the option of recording landErrorcode 554
Hello, I am unble to send any single email during the whole time due to the Zoho IP 136.143.188.16 being blocked by SpamCop. Please can somebody help me?Spamcop
Have been trying to email several of our clients and many of our emails keep getting bounced back with an error that states: ERROR CODE :550 - "JunkMail rejected - sender4-op-o16.zoho.com [136.143.188.16]:17694 is in an RBL: Blocked - see spamcop.net/bl.shtml?136.143.188.16"Will Zoho Search work with Zoho Learn
Currently, Zoho Search only works with Zoho Wiki which will be phased out. Moving forward, will Zoho Search be enabled for Zoho Learn? Thanks.How to use filters on all products page? Or even a category page?
Hello, I am trying to create some filters so users can use filters to find products they are looking for. So what i am trying is to create a filter according to price lets say. So if i define it this way i am expecting to see this filter option on categoryZoho Projects app update: Voice notes for Tasks and Bugs module
Hello everyone! In the latest version(v3.9.37) of the Zoho Projects Android app update, we have introduced voice notes for the Tasks and Bugs module. The voice notes can be added as an attachment or can be transcribed into text. Recording and attachingBoas práticas de desenvolvimento em Deluge
O Deluge (Data Enriched Language for the Universal Grid Environment) é a linguagem de script utilizada em diversas aplicações do ecossistema Zoho, como Zoho Creator, Zoho CRM, Zoho Books e Zoho Flow. Ela foi projetada para permitir automações rápidasHow do I automate my package and shipment process
Hey, I have a very basic problem regarding automating my package and shipment. My business does not require me to have those modules and manage them currently and since I'm new to zoho I want to start with just the basics. I just need to automaticallyHow do I automate my package and shipment process
Hey, I have a very basic problem regarding automating my package and shipment. My business does not require me to have those modules and manage them currently and since I'm new to zoho I want to start with just the basics. I just need to automaticallySeeking a WhatsApp Business App (not API) Zoho CRM integration
We have a business need to integrated WhatsApp Business App (not API) into Zoho CRM to centrally manage communications between our Sales team and Leads & Contact. Is there a reputable integration available for this scenario of ours? Core features we wouldZoho Sign 2025–2026: What's new and what's next
Hello! Every year at Zoho Sign, we work hard to make document signing and agreement execution easy for all users. This year we sat down with our head of product, Mr. Subramanian Thayumanasamy, to discuss what we delivered in 2025 and our goals for 2026.Intergrating multi location Square account with Zoho Books
Hi, I have one Square account but has multiple locations. I would like to integrate that account and show aggregated sales in zoho books. How can I do that? thanks.Emails being blocked / spamcop
Hello, I am unablr to send any single email during the whole time due to the Zoho IP 136.143.188.16 being blocked by SpamCop.net Please help on this.Zoho IP blocked by SpamCop 136.143.188.16
Hello, I am unble to send any single email during the whole time due to the Zoho IP 136.143.188.16 being blocjed by SpamCop.net Please help on this.Is there a way to configure dark mode for Campaigns emails that go out to customers?
I've found a lot of information on how to configure dark mode for my (The user) personal Zoho workspace and email, but is there any way to edit dark mode settings on emails that we send out to customers via campaigns? We sent out a test email the otherNext Page