Rich Text Fields using Zoho CRM APIs

Hello everyone!

Last week, we discussed Deciding on the type of applications: Self-client or Server-based? This week, we will discuss the Rich Text Field (RTF) and how we can manipulate RTF using Zoho CRM APIs.

In this post,

What is a Rich Text Field (RTF)?
Use case
Rich Text Field creation in a module using the Create Custom Field API
Adding values to the RTF using the Insert Records API
Fetch complete data of RTF using the GET - Rich Text Field API
Updating Rich Text Field using the Update Records API
Deleting RTF using the Delete Custom Field API
RTF using the COQL API
RTF using Bulk APIs

1. What is a Rich Text Field?

The Rich Text field is the preferred choice when there is a need for formatted text and a larger character limit. It can accommodate up to 50,000 characters, including HTML elements that are generated when the text is formatted, making it ideal for entries that require styling and organization, such as product descriptions or detailed client communications. Although tooltips can be added to improve user interaction, the rich text field does not support encryption or mandatory input settings.

Using rich text can improve the visual appeal of your information by providing different font styles, colors, and highlights. This allows for effective communication of important details. Bullet points and numbered lists can enhance readability, while bold, italics, or underlined texts can emphasize crucial information. Increased and decreased indents can help organize data, and the strikethrough feature can easily indicate changes or updates.

2. Use case

Consider Zylker, an org that uses Zoho CRM as their sales management system to store reports or feedback on its employees' sales performance report, total revenue, sales breakdown by product, key achievement, challenges faced, action plan, and to-do lists. These are stored in the multi-line field's rich text format type for better visuals and to identify the important information easily.

Let us see how to create RTFs using APIs, and how to access or update RTF using different available APIs. Note that the Rich Text type of multi-line field is supported from version 6.

3. Rich Text Field creation in a module using the Create Custom Field API

To create a rich text field in a module, first know the module's API name using the GET - Modules Metadata API, then create a custom RTF field in that module.

Request URL to create Rich Text Field :

{api-domain}/crm/v6/settings/fields?module=Employees

Request Method : POST

Sample Input :

{
"fields": [
{
"field_label": "Feedback",
"data_type": "textarea",
"length": 50000,
"textarea": {
"type": "rich_text"
},
"tooltip": {
"name": "static_text",
"value": "employee's feedback"
}
}
]
}

4. Adding values to the RTF using the Insert Records API

To add values to the created rich text field, you should know its API name.

Using the api_name of the Employees module, make a GET - Fields metadata API call to get the list of fields (along with their api_name) in the Employees module. Search for the field in which you need to add values to the Rich Text Field. In our case, it is Feedback.

Request URL : {api-domain}/crm/v6/Employees

Request Method : POST

Sample Input :

{
"data": [
{
"Company": "Zylker",
"Name" : "Patricia Boyle",
"Email": "patricia@zylker.com",
"State": "Texas",
"Feedback": "Sales Performance Report Salesperson Name: Patricia Reporting Period: Q1 2024 Total Sales Revenue Generated: $250,000 Sales Breakdown: <ul style=\"list-style-type:disc;list-style-position:inside;padding-inline-start:20px;\"><li style=\"color:rgb(51, 51, 51);\">Product A: $100,000</li><li style=\"color:rgb(51, 51, 51);\">Product B: $80,000</li><li style=\"color:rgb(51, 51, 51);\">Product C: $70,000</li></ul> Key Achievements: <ul style=\"list-style-type:disc;list-style-position:inside;padding-inline-start:20px;\"><li>Exceeded sales targets for Product A by 20%.</li><li style=\"color:rgb(51, 51, 51);\">Secured 5 new clients for Product B, contributing to a 25% increase in sales.</li><li style=\"color:rgb(51, 51, 51);\">Closed a high-value deal for Product C with a revenue of $50,000.</li></ul> Challenges Faced: <ul style=\"list-style-type:disc;list-style-position:inside;padding-inline-start:20px;\"><li style=\"color:rgb(51, 51, 51);\">Market competition intensified, resulting in longer sales cycles.</li><li style=\"color:rgb(51, 51, 51);\">Difficulty in accessing decision-makers for key accounts, leading to delays in closing deals.</li><li style=\"color:rgb(51, 51, 51);\">Some clients expressed concerns about pricing, requiring additional negotiation efforts.</li></ul> Action Plan: <ol style=\"list-style-type:decimal;list-style-position:inside;padding-inline-start:20px;\"><li style=\"color:rgb(51, 51, 51);\">Targeted Marketing Campaigns: Launch targeted marketing campaigns to increase brand visibility and attract potential clients.</li><li style=\"color:rgb(51, 51, 51);\">Enhanced Networking: Strengthen networking efforts to establish connections with decision-makers and key stakeholders.</li><li style=\"color:rgb(51, 51, 51);\">Client Retention Strategy: Implement a client retention strategy to address pricing concerns and ensure customer satisfaction.</li></ol> To-Do Lists : Continued focus on building strong client relationships, identifying new opportunities, and leveraging resources effectively to drive further sales growth in the upcoming quarters."
}
]
}

Notes:

If you enter incorrect API names for fields, the system will skip them and the record will be created successfully, but the values won't be added. This rule applies to RTF too.
When using the Insert Records API for bulk records creation and the Update Records API for bulk records update, you can add up to 50,000 characters to RTFs in each record.
For details on supported HTML tags and their attributes, refer to the help document.

The below GIF shows the result of the above input in the UI.

When you add values using HTML tags to the RTF via API, the input will be transformed into formatted data.

5. Fetch complete data of RTF using the Rich Text Field API

The Rich Text Field supports up to 50000 characters. Using the GET - Records API, you can fetch only the first 500 characters of the rich text field ('Feedback' in our case) in the response. If the @has_more property in the GET- Records response is true for the Rich Text Field (RTF) value, it indicates that the RTF contains more than 500 characters.

To fetch the entire data, we have introduced the GET - Rich Text Field API in V6, enabling the retrieval of complete data from rich text fields.

Below Sample shows how to fetch full data :

Request URL : {api-domain}/crm/v6/Employees/5725767000002594018/actions/fetch_full_data

Request Method : GET

Response :

6. Updating Rich Text Field using the Update Records API

Updating a rich text field doesn't require any special steps. It is similar to the process how we update other fields in a record, using the Update Records API.

7. Deleting RTF using the Delete Custom Field API

General notes :

Rich text fields are not supported in subforms, List View, Kanban View, Canvas View, Sheet View, Related Lists, Lookup popup, global search, filters and criteria, formula fields, report export, and integrations.
Rich text fields are not supported in the Search API.
Rich text fields are supported for importing and exporting records, using the Bulk APIs. The data will be exported as HTML content. For example, Patricia will be exported as Patricia.

8. Rich Text Field using the COQL API

Retrieve the Rich Text Fields from a module through a COQL query. Note that RTFs cannot be used in the criteria. Similar to the GET - Records API, the COQL API response fetches up to 500 characters of the RTFs. To fetch its complete data, use the GET - Rich Text Field API.

Request URL : https://www.zohoapis.com/crm/v6/coql

Request Method : POST

Sample Input :

{
"select_query":"select 'Feedback' from Employees where Company is not null"
}

Response :

9. Rich Text Field using Bulk APIs

Bulk Read API :

Bulk Read API allows you to fetch a large set of data i.e., you can fetch a maximum of 200,000 records in a single API call. You can export complete data of rich text fields in a module. Note that RTFs cannot be specified in the criteria.

Request URL: https://www.zohoapis.com/crm/bulk/v6/read

Request Method: POST

Sample input :

{

"callback": {

"url": "https://www.example.com/callback",

"method": "post"

"query": {

"module": {

"api_name": "Employees"

"file_type": "ics"

}

The Bulk Read API is an asynchronous API, the response will not be available instantly; the bulk read job is scheduled. Once the job is completed, it'll be notified in the callback URL. The records are available in a downloadable CSV file or ICS file (for events).

Below is a sample downloaded CSV file:

Unlike the GET - Records API, the Bulk Read API fetched the RTF's complete data.

See our Bulk Read API documentation to know how to view the status of the scheduled job and download the file in detail, along with more sample requests and responses.

Bulk Write API:

Bulk Write API allows you to insert, update, or upsert a large set of data. In the CSV file module, using the Bulk Write API, you can add up to 50000 characters to the RTFs for each record in a row.

Prepare your CSV file

The Bulk Write API only accepts a CSV file compressed into a ZIP file as input.

Below picture represents values added to the rich text field:

Please ZIP the CSV file once you add values to the Rich Text Field.

Upload your CSV file :

This involves making a POST API call, with the ZIP file containing the required data.

Headers

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

Request URL: https://content.zohoapis.com/crm/v6/upload

Request Method: POST

Create a bulk write job :

Request URL : {{api-domain}}/crm/bulk/v6/write

Request Method : POST

Sample Input for bulk insert :

{
"operation": "insert",
"ignore_empty": true,
"callback": {
"url": "https://example.zoho.com/test",
"method": "post"
},
"resource": [
{
"type": "data",
"module": {
"api_name": "Employees"
},
"file_id": "5725767000002613001",
"file_names": [
"Rich.csv"
],
"field_mappings": [
{
"api_name": "Name",
"index": 0
},
{
"api_name": "Feedback",
"index": 1
},
{
"api_name": "Company",
"index": 2
}
]
}
]
}

Refer to our Bulk Write API help document and get more information on how the Bulk Write API works, how to prepare your CSV file, and how to upload your CSV file, and how to check the job status.

We trust that this post meets your needs and is helpful. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section or reach out to us at support@zohocrm.com

Stay tuned for more insights in our upcoming Kaizen posts!

Cheers!

Previous Kaizen Post :

Kaizen #133 - Deciding on the type of applications: Self-client or Server-based?

Additional Reading :

API Help Documentation : Rich Text Field API
Kaizen Series
Knowledge Base Documentation

Join us for our upcoming Zoho CRM Developer Series: Zoho CRM APIs, where you can explore more about Zoho CRM APIs. Register Now!

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