Actions APIs - Field Updates

Actions APIs - Field Updates




Hello all!!
Welcome back to a fresh Kaizen week.
In the previous weeks, we covered Workflow Rules APIs, Actions APIs - Email Notification APIs, and Tasks Update APIs.
This week, we will continue with another Actions API - the Field Update API in Zoho CRM.

Field Updates in Zoho CRM

The Field Update option helps you automatically update specific field values in records when the associated workflow rule is triggered.

Note: Field Updates can also be used in Blueprint and Approval Processes, but in this post, we will focus only on Field Updates used with Workflow Rules in Zoho CRM.
When multiple leads enter Zoho CRM each day, from small to large industries, the Sales team manages all these entries inside a module. Every single lead is important for a company, whether it comes from a small or large industry. High-profit leads should not be missed and must be treated with high priority, frequent follow-ups, and faster actions to convert them into won deals.

High-profit deals without Field Update

There are chances of missing or failing to prioritize high-profit deals when all entries are cluttered inside the same module. This leads to manual mistakes and confusion for the Sales team. It becomes manual work, which increases the possibility of missing high-profit Leads.

High-profit deals with Field Update

A Field Update + Workflow Rule can solve these issues by creating an automated process. This avoids manual intervention and reduces errors.

Use case
Zylker, an IT solutions provider, wants to give high-priority attention to leads coming from large industries or leads that have a high lead score, especially when the Lead Status is Not Contacted.
Whenever a lead has a Lead Score ≥ 80 and is Not Contacted, the system should automatically update a field called Profit Category and set it to High Profit.

Why Lead Score for our use case?
Lead Score shows how active and interested a lead is. A score of 80 or above means the lead is highly engaged and more likely to convert. This makes it a dependable way to identify important leads that need quick attention.

Scenario
Whenever a lead meets the following conditions:
  1. Lead Score ≥ 80
  2. Lead Status = Not Contacted
The system should automatically update the Profit Category field to High Profit, and add a Contact Immediately tag. This helps the Sales team quickly identify high-profit records even when many records are cluttered in the module.

This can be achieved using a Field Update combined with a Workflow Rule.

Why not just use a Custom View?

A custom view can filter and display leads that meet these conditions, but it still depends on the Sales team to open the view and take action. In a busy Leads module, important leads can be missed or delayed. Also, if you want to perform dependent actions, you will need to create and schedule a custom function manually.
With a Workflow and Field Update, the system emails and also trigger many other actions like Field Update, Webhooks, and so on to your executives about these leads automatically. In our case, the Profit Category and tag are updated the moment the lead meets the condition, making high-profit leads stand out everywhere in CRM - without relying on manual checks or someone remembering to look at a view.

Profit Category mapping based on Lead Score

Profit Category is a custom picklist field in the Leads module.

The following table shows how Zylker classifies profit categories based on Lead Score:

Lead Score

Profit Category

20-40

Minimal Profit

40-60

Average Profit

60-80

Good Profit

80+

    High Profit


In this use case, we focus only on the High Profit category.
Let us now see how to enable a Field Update in Zoho CRM through the UI.

Creating a Field Update via UI

To create a Field Update in Zoho CRM, follow the steps below:
  1. Go to Setup > Automation > Actions > Field Updates.
  2. Click Create Field Update.
  3. Enter the Name of the field update.
  4. Select the Module.
  5. Choose the Field that should be updated.
  6. Provide the value to be updated that must be applied.
  7. Save the Field Update.
Field Update Configuration
In this use case, a Field Update is created to modify the Profit Category field when the workflow rule is triggered.

Field Update Details:
  1. Name: Profit Category
  2. Module: Leads
  3. Field to Update: Profit Category
  4. New Value: High Profit
This Field Update will be used as an action inside the workflow rule.
How to create the workflow for this use case and associate this Field Update with the workflow has been covered in the following section of this post.

UI - Field Update Creation View

Creating a Field Update via API

You can create a Field Update using the Create Field Update API available from Zoho CRM API version 8.
Request URL:  {{api-domain}}/crm/v8/settings/automation/field_updates
Request Method: POST
Input JSON


{
    "field_updates": [
        {
            "name": "Profit Category ",
            "module": {
                "api_name": "Leads",
                "id": "5725767000000002175"
            },
            "type": "static",
            "feature_type": "workflow",
            "field": {
                "api_name": "Profit_Category",
                "id": "5725767000008570298"
            },
            "value": "High Profit"
        }
    ]
}


Keys explanation

                         Key

                        Explanation

field_updates

 

Holds all details to create a field update.

name

Field Update name

module

Specify the module details

module.api_name

Represents the module API name. In our case, it is "Leads" module.

module.id

Represents the System ID for the module

type

Represents the Update type. Usually “static” for fixed-value updates.

feature_type

Represents that this Field Update is for workflow Rules.

field

Represents which field should be updated.

field.api_name

Represents the field API name.

field.id

Represents the unique ID of the field.

value

The value to be updated


Sample Response

{
    "field_updates": [
        {
            "code": "SUCCESS",
            "details": {
                "id": "5725767000008604002"
            },
            "message": "field update deleted successfully",
            "status": "success"
        }
    ]
}



A note on the unique ID

You can add:
  1. You need this ID to retrieve, update, and delete the Field Update later.

Retrieve your Field Update

You can retrieve a Field Update by using the Get Field Update API. It lists all available Field Update actions available in your org.

Request URL:  {{api-domain}}/crm/v8/settings/automation/field_updates/5725767000008604002
Request Method: GET

Sample Response:
Below is the sample response returned by Zoho CRM.

{
    "field_updates": [
        {
            "created_time": "2025-11-15T07:57:39-08:00",
            "update_type": null,
            "lock_status": {
                "locked": false
            },
            "apply_assignment_threshold": false,
            "editable": true,
            "module": {
                "api_name": "Leads",
                "id": "5725767000000002175"
            },
            "related_module": null,
            "deletable": true,
            "source": "crm",
            "type": "static",
            "created_by": {
                "name": "Patricia Boyle",
                "id": "5725767000000411001"
            },
            "notify": false,
            "feature_type": "workflow",
            "modified_time": "2025-11-15T07:57:39-08:00",
            "field": {
                "api_name": "Profit_Category",
                "id": "5725767000008570298"
            },
            "dependent_fields": null,
            "associated": false,
            "related_records": null,
            "name": "Profit Category Leads",
            "modified_by": {
                "name": "Patricia Boyle",
                "id": "5725767000000411001"
            },
            "id": "5725767000008604002",
            "value": "High Profit"
        }
    ]
}


Note: This API helps you fetch all the details of a specific Field Update using its unique ID. Also, you can create a workflow and associate the created Field Update action using its unique ID.

Workflow Rule Configuration 

Trigger:
  1. When a Lead is created or edited.
Condition:
  1. Lead Score is greater than or equal to 80.
  2. Lead Status is currently Not Contacted.
Actions:
  1. Associate the created Field Update action: High Profit
  2. Add a Contact Immediately tag to the record.

Workflow Rule and Field Update action via UI

Configuring Workflow and associating the Field Update action

Workflow Rule and Field Update action via API
Create a Workflow:
You can use the Configure Workflow Rule API to create a workflow.

Associate the Field Update:

You can associate the Field Update action with the workflow by using the unique ID of the Field Update.
Retrieve the Field Update ID using the Get Field Updates API.

Request URL:  {{api-domain}}/crm/v8/settings/automation/workflow_rules
Request Method: POST

Sample Input:

{
    "workflow_rules": [
        {
          .
          .
          .

            "execute_when": {
                "details": {
                    "trigger_module": {
                        "api_name": "Leads",
                        "id": "5725767000000002175"
                    },
                },
                "type": "create_or_edit"
            },
            "module": {
                "api_name": "Leads",
                "id": "5725767000000002175"
            },
            "conditions": [
                {
                    "instant_actions": {
                        "actions": [
                            {
                               
                                "name": "Profit Category",
                                "details": {
                                    "module": {
                                        "api_name": "Leads",
                                        "id": "5725767000000002175"
                                    }
                                },
                                "id": "5725767000008604002",   //associating the created Field Update with the Workflow.
                                "type": "field_updates"
                            },
                            {
                                "name": "High Priority Deal",
                                "details": {
                                    "module": {
                                        "api_name": "Leads",
                                        "id": "5725767000000002175"
                                    },
                                    "over_write": false,
                                    "tags": [
                                        {
                                            "name": "High Priority Deal",
                                            "id": "5725767000008570458",
                                            "color_code": "#63C57E"
                                        }
                                    ]
                                },
                                "id": "5725767000008570470",
                                "type": "add_tags"
                            }
                        ]
                    },
                    "criteria": {
                        "group_operator": "AND",
                        "group": [
                            {
                                "comparator": "greater_equal",
                                "field": {
                                    "api_name": "Entity_Scores__s.Score", //Lead Score's API name
                                    "id": "5725767000002324045" 
                                },
                                "type": "value",
                                "value": "80"
                            },
                            {
                                "comparator": "contains",
                                "field": {
                                    "api_name": "Lead_Status",
                                    "id": "5725767000000002611"
                                },
                                "type": "value",
                                "value": "Not Contacted"
                            }
                        ]
                    }
                }
            ]
            .
            .
            .
        }
    ]
}


For more details on Workflow Rules using APIs, refer to Kaizen #213 - Workflow APIs - Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.


Edit your existing Field Update

You can update an existing Field Update using the Update Field Update API. To update it, use the unique ID of the Field Update in the request URL. Use Get Field Update API to get the required Field Update ID.

Request URL:  {{api-domain}}/crm/v8/settings/automation/field_updates/5725767000008599001
Request Method: PUT

Input JSON

{
    "field_updates": [
        {
            "name": "Profit Category - Updated", //updated the response
            "field": {
                "api_name": "Profit_Category",
                "id": "5725767000008570298"
            },
            "value": "Good Profit" //updated value
        }
    ]
}


Note:
  1. Only the configured modules cannot be updated using the PUT - Field Update API call. The rest of the fields can be updated.
  2. The updated value must be valid for the field type. For example, picklist fields accept only existing picklist options. 
  3. After updating a Field Update, any workflow linked to it will automatically start using the updated configuration.

Delete Your Existing Field Update

You can delete an existing Field Update using the Delete Field Update API. To delete it, you must use the unique ID of the Field Update in the request URL.
 If you do not know the ID, use the Get Field Update API to retrieve it.

Request URL:  {{api-domain}}/crm/v8/settings/automation/field_updates/5725767000008599001
Request Method: DELETE

Sample Response:

{
    "field_updates": [
        {
            "code": "SUCCESS",
            "details": {
                "id": "5725767000008604002"
            },
            "message": "Field update deleted successfully",
            "status": "success"
        }
    ]
}




Note
  1. You cannot delete a Field Update if it is currently associated with any Workflow, Blueprint, or Approval Process. Remove the Field Update from the workflow first, and then try deleting it.

We hope this post helps you understand how to use Field Updates through the Zoho CRM Actions API - Field Update API.


Try it out, and let us know your experience in the comments section or reach out to us at support@zohocrm.com.
Stay tuned for more insights in our upcoming Kaizen posts!

Cheers!





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                                  • Unable to charge GST on shipping/packing & Forwarding charges in INDIA

                                    Currently, tax rates only apply to items. It does not apply tax to any shipping or packing & forwarding charges that may be on the order as well. However, these charges are taxable under GST in India. Please add the ability to apply tax to these charges.

                                  • How to add packing & forwarding charge in purchase order & quotation???

                                    Hello Zoho Team I have just started using Zoho for my company and I wanted to make purchase order. My supplier charges fix 2% as packing & forwarding on Total amount of material and then they charge me tax. For example, Material 1 = 100 Rs Material 2

                                  • How to create a boxplot chart in Zoho Analytics?

                                    Hi, I'm looking forward to making a boxplot in Zoho Analytics, either with all my data or with a time segmentation. No documentation or YouTube video explaining that was found. I guess this is a feature gap. How feasible would it be to add this to Analytics?

                                  • What are the create bill API line item requiered fields

                                    While the following documentation says that the line items array is requiered it doesn't say what if any files are requiered in the array. Does anyone know? API documentation: https://www.zoho.com/inventory/api/v1/bills/#create-a-bill I'm trying to add

                                  • WorkDrive issues with Windows Explorer Not Responding

                                    We are using WorkDrive to collaborate on editing video content. We have a lot of files and quite a few are a few gigs. Recently anytime I try and work with the files Explorer freezes for a couple minutes whether it's dragging the files into Premiere or

                                  • Connecting Zoho Inventory to ShipStation

                                    we are looking for someone to help connect via API shipStation with Zoho inventory. Any ideas? Thanks. Uri

                                  • Where is the settings option in zoho writer?

                                    hi, my zoho writer on windows has menu fonts too large. where do i find the settings to change this option? my screen resolution is correct and other apps/softwares in windows have no issues. regards

                                  • Using IMAP configuration for shared email inboxes

                                    Our customer service team utilizes shared email boxes to allow multiple people to view and handle incoming customer requests. For example, the customer sends an email to info@xxxx.com and multiple people can view it and handle the request. How can I configure

                                  • When Does WorkDrive integrate with Books?

                                    When Does WorkDrive integrate with Books?

                                  • POP mailbox limits

                                    If I am accessing a remote POP mail server using Zoho Mail is there a mailbox quota for the account or is it all related to my mail account storage limits?

                                  • Warranty Service and Repair in Zoho FSM

                                    Hi There, We are a retail store that sells products and also performs installations and repairs. Our field technicians handle this work. Some repairs are covered by manufacturers, who reimburse us for both parts and labour. In these cases, we perform

                                  • Zoho Sheet for Desktop

                                    Does Zoho plans to develop a Desktop version of Sheet that installs on the computer like was done with Writer?

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