Kaizen #13 - Bulk Write API

Kaizen #13 - Bulk Write API

Hello everyone!

Welcome to yet another post in the Kaizen series.
This week, we are going to discuss the Bulk Write API.

What is the Bulk Write API?

The bulk write API allows you to insert, update, and upsert records in a module in Zoho CRM in bulk. The primary difference between the bulk write API, and the Insert, Update, Upsert records API, is the number of records that you can handle. 

While you can insert, update, and upsert, only 100 records via the Insert, Update, and Upsert Records API per call, you can handle 25000 records via a Bulk Write API call.

When you should use the Bulk Write API?
  1. When you want to insert, update, or upsert more than 100 records per API call. 
  2. When you want to perform background processes like migration and initial data sync between Zoho CRM and external services.
Below are the differences between Insert, Update, Upsert Records API and the Bulk Write API.

Insert, Update, Upsert Records
Bulk Write API
You can insert, update, or upsert only 100 records per API call.
You can insert, update, or upsert 25000 records per API call.
The response is available instantly.
The response is not available instantly; the bulk write job is scheduled, and the status is available after job completion in the callback URL.
You will receive a success response. 
A downloadable ZIP file containing a CSV file, is available with ID, status, and errors if any.

How does the Bulk Write API work?

To insert, update, or upsert records in bulk, follow the below steps:

  1. Prepare your CSV file
  2. Upload your file
  3. Create a bulk write job
  4. Check the job status
  5. Download the result
Now, let us see each step in detail.

1. Prepare your CSV file

The Bulk Write API only accepts a CSV file compressed into a ZIP file as input. The first row should contain the field API names. Refer to the field metadata API, to get the field API names. Each subsequent row contains the data to be written in Zoho CRM. You can insert, update, or upsert records only in a single module through one bulk write API call. Refer to attachments to get a sample ZIP file to bulk-insert contacts. 

Input format for each data type

Datatype
Description
Single Line
Accepts up to 255 characters.
Accepts alphanumeric and special characters.
Ex: Mike O'Leary
Multi-Line
Small - accepts up to 2000 characters.
Large - accepts up to 32000 characters.
Ex: This is a sample description.
Email
Accepts valid email IDs.
Phone
Accepts up to 30 characters. This limit may vary based on the value configured in 'Number of characters allowed' in the properties pop-up of the field, in UI.
Accepts only numeric characters and '+' (to add extensions). 
Ex: 9800000099
Picklist
You can pass an existing pick list value. If you give a new one, it is automatically added to the pick list set.
The pick list value accepts all alphanumeric and special characters.
Ex: auto mobile
Multiselect Picklist
You can either pass the existing pick list values or add a new one. The values are separated by semicolon(;).
The pick list value accepts all alphanumeric and special characters.
Ex: Analytics;Bigdata
Date
Accepts date in yyyy-MM-dd format.
Ex: 2019-08-28
Date/Time
Accepts date and time in yyyy-MM-ddTHH:mm:ss±HH:mm
ISO 8601 format.
Number
Accepts numbers up to 9 digits. This limit may vary based on the value configured in 'Maximum digits allowed' in the properties pop-up of the field, in UI.
Accepts only numeric values.
Ex: 350
Currency
Before the decimal point - accepts numbers up to 16 digits.  This limit may vary based on the value configured in 'Maximum digits allowed' in the properties pop-up of the field, in UI.
After the decimal point - accepts precision up to 9 digits. This limit may vary based on the value configured in 'Number of decimal paces' in the properties pop-up of the field, in UI.
Decimal
Before the decimal point - accepts numbers up to 16 digits. This limit may vary based on the value configured in 'Maximum digits allowed' in the properties pop-up of the field, in UI.
After the decimal point - accepts precision up to 9 digits. This limit may vary based on the value configured in 'Number of decimal places' in the properties pop-up of the field, in UI.
Accepts only numeric values.
Ex: 250000.50
Percent
Accepts numbers up to 5 digits.
Accepts only numeric values.
Ex: 25
Long Integer
Accepts numbers up to 18 digits. This limit may vary based on the value configured in 'Maximum digits allowed' in the properties pop-up of the field, in UI.
Accepts only numeric values.
Ex: 0012345600012
Checkbox
Accepts Boolean values (true,false).
Ex: true
URL
Accepts valid URLs.
Lookup
Accepts the unique ID of the record, which you can get through the get records API.
Use the dot(.) operator to link the record. For instance, if there is an account lookup in the Contacts module, you can give the column name as Account.id
Ex: Account.id : 4150868000001136302

Note:
Multiselect and User datatype fields are not supported in Bulk Write.

Here is a sample content for a CSV file with different field types.



Note:
  1. To give multiple values for a multi-select pick list field, enclose them in double quotes("") and separate each value with the semicolon(;).
  2. If your multi-line field has more than one line, input them directly by enclosing them in double quotes("").
2. Upload your CSV file

This involves making a POST API call, with the ZIP file containing the required data. The file is passed as form-data input, with key as file. When the call is successful, you will receive a file_id which you can further use to create a bulk write job.

Headers

Header Name
Description
feature
bulk-write
X-CRM-ORG
Your zgid which you get from the organization API.




3. Create a bulk write job

In this step, make a POST API call with the file_id obtained from the previous step, the callback URL, operation type (insert, update, upsert), module, and field API names. When the call is successful, you will receive a job ID in the response. You can use this ID in another request to poll for the status of the job.

Request URL

{{api-domain}}/crm/bulk/v2/write

Sample Input for bulk insert

{
    "operation": "insert",
    "callback": {
        "method": "post"
    },
    "resource": [
        {
            "type": "data",
            "module": "Contacts",
            "file_id": "4150868000001038001",
            "field_mappings": [
                {
                    "api_name": "Last_Name",
                    "index": 0,
                    "default_value": {
                        "value": "DefaultValue"
                    }
                },
                {
                    "api_name": "Email",
                    "index": 1
                },
                {
                    "api_name": "Phone",
                    "index": 2
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Sample Input for Bulk Update

{
  "operation": "update",
  "callBack": {
    "method": "post"
  },
  "resource": [
    {
      "type": "data",
      "module": "Contacts",
      "file_id": "4150868000001123001",
      "field_mappings": [
        {
          "api_name": "Last_Name",
          "index": 0
        },
        {
          "api_name": "Email",
          "index": 1
        },
        {
          "api_name": "Phone",
          "index": 2,
          "ignore_empty": true
        }
      ],
      "find_by": "Email"
    }
  ]
}

Input Keys

Key
Description
operation
string, mandatory
The operation to be done. The possible values are—insert, update, upsert.
insert - To insert records in bulk.
update - To update existing records in bulk.
upsert - To update if the record exists or insert the record.
callback
JSON object, mandatory
The callback details. Contains callback URL in the "callback" key and the "method" as post. 
resource
JSON array, mandatory
The details of the data in the ZIP file that is uploaded. 
  • "type" with value "data "
  • "module"- It is the module (API name) you want to write the data in, from the uploaded CSV file.  Refer to the module metadata for more details.
  • "file_id" - It is the file ID obtained in the previous step.
field_mappings
JSON array, mandatory
The details about the fields given in the CSV file. Each object corresponds to each field in the CSV file. Mention the position of the fields in the CSV file in the "index" key, that must start from 0. 
"default_value" key can be used when a few fields are left blank, and you want the system to fill the default details.
ignore_empty
boolean, optional
If you have a few empty fields while updating the record and you want the system to ignore it, input the value as true.
find_by
string, mandatory (for Update and Upsert)
The system finds the record to be updated by the "find_by" field. It must be a unique field configured in Zoho CRM. 

To check the same, go to Setup > Modules and Fields > Choose Module > Choose Layout > Choose the field > Click on more options > Check if Do not allow duplicate values is enabled. 
Using field metadata API, you can get which fields can be set as unique fields in the CRM.



4. Check job status

The Bulk Write API supports polling and callback. 

Polling
You can poll to check the status of the scheduled bulk write job with the job ID you received in the previous step.

Request URL: {{api-domain}}/crm/bulk/v2/write/{job_id}
Request Method: GET



Sample Response

  1. The status can be either ADDED, INPROGRESS, or COMPLETED. Only the COMPLETED jobs will have the "download-URL" key in the response. 
  2. The "file" JSON object in the response represents the total count of records (added, skipped, updated). If the status is mentioned as "skipped" for any record, the reason will be displayed under the ERRORS column, in the downloaded ZIP file. 
{
  "status": "COMPLETED",
  "character_encoding": "UTF-8",
  "resource": [
    {
      "status": "COMPLETED",
      "type": "data",
      "module": "Contacts",
      "field_mappings": [
        {
          "api_name": "Email",
          "index": 1,
          "format": null,
          "find_by": null,
          "module": null,
          "default_value": null
        },
        {
          "api_name": "Last_Name",
          "index": 0,
          "format": null,
          "find_by": null,
          "module": null,
          "default_value": {
            "name": null,
            "module": null,
            "value": "DefaultValue"
          }
        },
        {
          "api_name": "Phone",
          "index": 2,
          "format": null,
          "find_by": null,
          "module": null,
          "default_value": null
        }
      ],
      "file": {
        "status": "COMPLETED",
        "name": "Contacts.csv",
        "added_count": 7,
        "skipped_count": 0,
        "updated_count": 0,
        "total_count": 7
      }
    }
  ],
  "id": "4150868000001060014",
  "callback": {
    "method": "post"
  },
  "result": {
  },
  "created_by": {
    "id": "4150868000000225013",
    "name": "Patricia Boyle"
  },
  "operation": "insert",
  "created_time": "2020-01-03T15:19:52+05:30"
}

Callback
If you do not want to poll for the status of the job, you can wait for the system to notify you of job completion on the callback URL provided in the POST request.

  • The state indicates the successful completion ("state":"COMPLETED") or failure ("state":"FAILED") of the job.
  • The callback response will also contain the download URL if the job was completed successfully.

5. Download the result

In this step you can get the result of the bulk write job in a ZIP containing the CSV file. Call the 'download_url' to download the result. The CSV file will contain the first three mapped columns from the uploaded file, and three more columns—STATUS, RECORD_ID, and ERRORS.

Request URL: {{api-domain}}/crm/bulk/v2/write/{job_id}/result

Sample Response



You can see that out of four records, one was skipped because the unique field had a duplicate value.

Limitations
  • You can upload only one ZIP file per bulk write API call.
  • You can bulk write to only one module per API call.
  • The size of the ZIP file being uploaded must not exceed 25 MB. If the file size exceeds the size limit, you must split the file and schedule it as multiple bulk write jobs. Also, you can bulk write only up to 25000 records with 200 column headers per bulk write API call.
  • Every successfully scheduled bulk write job reduces 500 credits from your daily credit limit. 
  • All the mandatory fields must be given in the CSV file if you are trying to insert records. Similarly, ID is mandatory when you are trying to update records.
  • Subforms are not supported in Bulk Write.
  • Consider that you have a lookup field in the Leads module, that looks up to other leads. You cannot have the value of this field as another Lead that is being written in this bulk write job. In other words, you can only lookup to an existing lead.
    For limitations, refer to limitations in our API guide.
    We hope you found this post useful. If you have any further queries, reach out to us at support@zohocrm.com or let us know in the comments section.

    Cheers!
        Previous 'Kaizen' - Bulk Read API
        Next 'Kaizen' - Notification API




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