Proposal: Actionable API Error Messages to Reduce Support Ticket Volume

Proposal: Actionable API Error Messages to Reduce Support Ticket Volume

I've encountered a long-standing frustration with how Zoho Creator's API communicates errors to developers, and I'm hoping the Zoho team can address this in a future update. This issue has persisted for over 9 years based on community discussions, and despite multiple forum posts, developers are still left guessing what went wrong.

The Issue
When API calls fail, Zoho Creator returns error responses that are often cryptic and lack actionable context. Consider this actual error response: 
{
    "code": 2945,
    "description": "LESS_THAN_MIN_OCCURANCE"
}
This tells the developer almost nothing:
  • Which parameter is missing or invalid?
  • What is the "minimum occurrence" that wasn't met?
  • What value was expected vs. what was received?
  • Is this an authentication issue, a payload issue, or something else entirely?
The Problem: Error Code 2945 Means Everything (and Nothing)
A review of the official Status Codes documentation reveals that error code 2945 is a catch-all that can mean completely different things:
HTTP Status Code Description Actual Meaning
404 NOT FOUND 2945 ERROR Invalid OAuth scope
403 FORBIDDEN 2945 <method> is not valid Wrong HTTP method for endpoint
401 AUTH ERROR 2945 Invalid input for '%s' key Parameter value not allowed
400 BAD REQUEST 2945 LESS_THAN_MIN_OCCURANCE Required parameter missing?
400 BAD REQUEST 2945 EXTRA_KEY_FOUND_IN_JSON Unexpected key in payload
400 BAD REQUEST 2945 INVALID_TICKET Authentication token issue
400 BAD REQUEST 2945 PATTERN_NOT_MATCHED Value format validation failed
The same error code (2945) can indicate: authentication failures, missing parameters, extra parameters, wrong HTTP methods, invalid OAuth scopes, or format validation errors. This makes debugging incredibly difficult.
Cross-Product Asymmetry: Zoho Analytics Does This Better
Here's where it gets frustrating: Zoho Analytics already provides better error context for the exact same error type. Compare the responses:
Zoho Creator Response Zoho Analytics Response 
{
  "code": 2945,
  "description": "LESS_THAN_MIN_OCCURANCE"
}
❌ Missing:
  • Which parameter?
  • What was expected?
  • How to fix it?
 
{
  "status": "failure",
  "summary": "LESS_THAN_MIN_OCCURANCE",
  "data": {
    "errorCode": 8504,
    "errorMessage": "The parameter CONFIG 
    is not proper (Has not been sent or 
    is less than required count)"
  }
}
✓ Includes:
  • Parameter name (CONFIG)
  • Specific error code (8504)
  • Actionable message
This isn't a feature request—it's a request for product parity. The infrastructure to provide meaningful error context clearly exists within Zoho's ecosystem. Zoho Creator should match what Zoho Analytics already delivers.
The "Email Support" Pattern Defeats Forum Purpose
Adding to this frustration is the recurring pattern in community forums where the standard response to API errors is "Please email support@zohocreator.com with your request details."
As another community member aptly noted:
"Why have community forums if people are directed to email support? The purpose of a public forum is to resolve the issue once, then share for all future people who encounter that issue."
While I appreciate the recent response acknowledging that "sharing API request details publicly carries security risks"—this is valid for account-specific debugging—the underlying problem is that error messages are cryptic in the first place.
If the API returned actionable error messages, developers wouldn't need to contact support for basic troubleshooting. The forum would then serve its true purpose: documenting solutions for common issues.
What Developers Need
Every API error response should answer three questions:
# Question Current Response What's Needed
1 What went wrong? LESS_THAN_MIN_OCCURANCE "Required parameter missing"
2 Where is the problem? (not provided) "Parameter: CONFIG"
3 How do I fix it? (not provided) "Include CONFIG in request body"
What Should Happen Instead
Proposed Solution 1: Enhanced Error Response Structure
Adopt the richer error format already used by Zoho Analytics:
{
    "status": "failure",
    "summary": "LESS_THAN_MIN_OCCURANCE",
    "data": {
        "errorCode": 2945,
        "errorMessage": "The parameter 'fieldName' is required but was not provided",
        "field": "fieldName",
        "expectedType": "string",
        "documentation": "https://www.zoho.com/creator/help/api/v2.1/add-records.html"
    }
}
Proposed Solution 2: Unique Error Codes
Stop reusing error code 2945 for unrelated issues. Each distinct error condition should have its own code:
2945 → Invalid OAuth scope
2946 → Required parameter missing
2947 → Unexpected key in JSON payload
2948 → Invalid HTTP method
2949 → Pattern validation failed
Proposed Solution 3: Fix the Typo
While we're at it: LESS_THAN_MIN_OCCURANCE should be LESS_THAN_MIN_OCCURRENCE. This typo has persisted for nearly a decade and appears across multiple Zoho products. Small details matter in professional APIs.
Real-World Impact
This limitation affects any developer:
  • Building integrations — Debugging API failures becomes a guessing game
  • Using Deluge's invokeUrl — External API calls return cryptic errors to handle
  • Working with webhooks — Silent failures are impossible to diagnose
  • Training new team members — Onboarding takes longer when errors don't explain themselves
  • Supporting production systems — Incident response is delayed while developers hunt for root causes

Developer Impact: What should be 5 minutes of debugging (read error, fix parameter) becomes hours of trial-and-error or waiting for support responses. This directly impacts delivery timelines and client satisfaction.

Request to Zoho Team

Can this be addressed in a future update?

The current implementation forces developers to choose between:

1. Trial and Error
Guess what the cryptic error means and iterate until something works 		2. Contact Support
Wait for email responses for issues that actionable error messages would resolve instantly

We shouldn't have to make this choice—especially when Zoho Analytics already demonstrates the solution.

Community Input Requested: Has anyone else struggled with debugging these cryptic error codes? What workarounds have you developed? I'd be interested to hear if others have found ways to get more meaningful error context.


    Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


      • Recent Topics

      • Custom order for Current Stage (Blueprint field)

        Hi! I suggest adding the option to set a custom order in reports for the Blueprint field ‘Current Stage’. Currently, these fields can only be sorted in ascending or descending order. Thanks!

      • CRM E-mail Sync from Outlook

        We are exploring Zoho as a possible new solution for our company. We are trying to understand further on how e-mail sync works. We use outlook. Our current CRM logs anytime we e-mail a customer so we can see in the CRM the message sent to the customer.

      • Run your help desk on your schedule

        In business, time is of the essence. This is especially true in a function like customer service, where KPIs such as response time and agent availability are the measures of success. Perhaps the most crucial consideration one needs to make about time is your hours of operation. These set expectations for your customer and for employees. To make communicating this information easier, we've revamped the way business hours and holiday lists work in Zoho Desk.   In order to accommodate teams that work

      • The Customer Happiness REST API is broken

        1. We are unable to extract the customerHappiness ( https://desk.zoho.com/DeskAPIDocument#CustomerHappiness#CustomerHappiness_ListallcustomerHappiness) object using the ticketNumber criteria. We keep getting HTTP 429 even when we limit to 60 calls per

      • Zoho Expense and Chase Bank Visa credit cards - Direct Feed?

        Our company uses JP Morgan Chase Visa credit cards. We can't be the first to try and use a combination of Zoho Expense + Chase Bank + Visa Credit Cards --- anyone successful with this combination? 1. The direct feed automation isn't working. When I go

      • Impossibile inviare il messaggio;Motivo:554 5.1.8 Indirizzo del mittente bloccato

        " Impossibile inviare il messaggio;Motivo:554 5.1.8 Indirizzo del mittente bloccato" Hi need to send email, how can fix this? Thanks, Alice

      • Image inputed in Zoho Form were displayed to small in exported version

        Good evening, my name is athallah, i am a trainee in government office Right now, i use Zoho form to digitalize an airfield monitoring form. my problem is, the image were to small to displayed in exported version. it really bad for formal presentation

      • API. How do I get responses submitted to the form?

        Hi, I'm trying to retrieve a list of form responses via the API. I've created a Self Client application in API Console. What scoup should I enter? What are the endpoints? Is there documentation on this anywhere? I've wasted a lot of time searching. GPT

      • Question about Zoho CRM Professional plan users

        Hello! I have a question about the Zoho CRM Professional plan. Is the pricing charged per user or per organization? Are there any free users included in this plan, or do I need to pay for each additional user separately? Thank you!

      • Communicating with emojis

        On July 17, we celebrate World Emoji Day! We're a bit late 😐 sharing insights about this day. But we just couldn't let it pass without a mention 😊 because emojis have a meaningful connection with customer service 💬 🤝. We do not want to miss out on

      • Help integrating Aircall into Zoho CRM

        Hi all, We are need to get better AirCall integration into Zoho. We have configured in the Aircall dashboard but we have not done the Zoho side. We cannot see Zoho CRM information on incoming calls. And we calls and text's are not being logged. Specifically

      • Shopify Extension no longer working in CRM

        Zoho CRM and Extension are no longer working properly. We have used Shopify Basic for years. All of the sudden it stopped working, then started working again, and now no longer working again. There are several ways for Personal Information to sync from

      • How to keep track of bags, cans, drums of inventory?

        We buy and sell products that are packaged in bags 🛍️, cans🥫, drums🛢️, etc. with batch numbers. When we get a shipment of one of the products, how do we track we received (say) 10 cans each of 5L of a product and maybe we received 10 cans of another

      • Easy third party collaboration: Zoho Flow Integration

        Third-party integrations extend your project functionality with improved workflow, and data processing. With Zoho Flow integration you can include multiple third party actions into your project or task automation. Add Zoho Flow action in Workflow rules

      • Introducing Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) in Zoho CRM | Public early access 2023

        Greetings Customers! We're excited to announce that the CPQ feature will soon be available in Zoho CRM and accessible to all accounts using the Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions. We've opened this feature to select customers, and it'll be

      • how to edit the converted lead records?

        so I can fetch the converted leads records using API (COQL), using this endpoint https://www.zohoapis.com/crm/v5/coql and using COQL filter Converted__s=true for some reasons I need to change the value from a field in a converted lead record. When I try

      • Share Video Response Card ion Zobot

        I am using the zobot codeless bot builder in SalesIQ. I want to share a video but delay the next response card until after the video has finished playing or has been stopped. Is this possible?

      • Zoho Bookings <> CRM integration

        Hello Zoho community! We are enabling our Zoho Bookings <> CRM integration. What is the workflow if the integration detects that the contact already exists in the CRM? Does it create a duplicate record? Overwrite the record? Merge the record? (in this

      • Cannot reject empty expense report

        Hello, We are currently having issues with two empty expense reports where if we try to reject them, either manually or through the REST API, we get error 114016, which says some of the expenses have already been billed and must be removed. I'd appreciate

      • Use of Zia within Forms

        I have noticed that recently you have added Zia to help create forms from scratch. Would it be possible to add Zia functionality to free text fields for form submissions or if this is already on the roadmap an ETA for this please? We have a lot of field

      • Default in fields on Form B based on the user selection in Form A

        Hi Everyone, I have added an action button to a form report to bring up a new form based on user selection, see it indicated in red below: Then when the ne form loads, I want to default in some of the fields based on the record the user was selected on.

      • Last activity time is acting like last modified time

        When i edit the description or any field in the potential, account, contact and lead, the Last Activity Time is being updated like the Modified Time. This is messing all workflows and reports and we are unable to track real last time of activities like

      • Enhancements to the formula field in Zoho CRM: Auto-refresh formulas with the "Now" function, stop formula executions based on criteria, and include formulas within formulas

        Dear Customers, We hope you're well! By their nature, modern businesses rely every day on computations, whether it's to calculate the price of a product, assess ROI, evaluate the lifetime value of a customer, or even determine the age of a record. With

      • HEX/RGB Color Input in Visual Editor

        Hello Zoho Pagesense Team, We hope you're doing well. We’d like to submit a feature request to improve the color selection options in the Pagesense popup editor. Current Limitation: Currently, to set text colors, users must move the color slider manually.

      • CRM and Campaigns- tags not integrating?

        Hi! I am setting up an automation in zoho campaigns and it says the crm is integrated...but when I want to use a trigger of a certain tag I created for people in the crm to denote those who purchased, it doesnt have that tag available as an option in

      • Maximum limit of rows exceeded

        I am trying to add a row to a spreadsheets that has fewer than 60 rows. I keep getting an error message that says I have exceeded the maximum limit of 65,536 rows. Any ideas out there?

      • Tip #7: 5 formas de mantener tus listas de correo electrónico

        Tips and Tricks #7, adaptado de Susmit Sen ¡Hola, comunidad! Esta semana volvemos con nuestros Tips and Tricks para Zoho Campaigns. En esta ocasión, voy a darte algunos consejos para mantener limpias tus listas de correo electrónico, y empezar el 2021

      • Mail Merge related Lists

        When I try to merge an associated list the fields do not have a checkbox to choose them as it does in the tutorials. Am I missing something? Any ideas would be appreciated.

      • create-a-purchase-receive API issues

        Hello all, I'm trying to use the create a purchase receive inventory API documented here (https://www.zoho.com/inventory/api/v1/purchasereceives/#create-a-purchase-receive) however when I do am getting the following error {"code":9,"message":"The purchase

      • Zoho Pagesense really this slow??? 5s delay...

        I put the pagesense on my website (hosted by webflow and fast) and it caused a 5s delay to load. do other people face similar delays?

      • Heatmap: Missing Content Elements - Zoho Page Sense

        Hi there, I'm trying out Zoho Page Sense to generate heatmaps for my Wix pages. My problem: Some parts of my Wix pages don't show on my heatmap, the heatmap is just empty there. Maybe Wix default lazy loading setting causes this error? Is there a way

      • Marketing Tip #3: Use social proof to build trust

        People trust people. Showcasing reviews, testimonials, or “bestseller” badges on your product pages can nudge hesitant buyers toward purchase. Try this today: Add one customer testimonial or highlight your top-selling product on your homepage. Or, do

      • Make CAMPAIGNS email look as simple as possible

        Hi there I'm trying to make my Campaigns email look as much like a normal email as possible. I'm a bit stuck with the "justification" of the email email block. Can I LEFT JUSTIFY the "whole email" to make it look "normal"? (Please see screenshot attached)

      • Zoho Sign Reminder email template

        Is there a template we can edit for the reminder emails? I don't see it in Settings / Choose a template

      • Preview an upload PDF or File

        I have a form where the customer has to upload a file (normally PDF - never jpeg)  When in report view I want to be able to preview the uploaded file without having to download it.  If I click on the upload it downloads to my computer, I want to be able

      • How to filter emails by Reply-to field?

        I receive a very particular newsletter from an association A registered on a website W (that is used by many associations), and the emails fields are not great: the From just contains the generic website's W's email, while A is only mentioned in the Reply-to

      • How to invite friends on other social media platforms to one of my group chats in arattai?

        Hello, I have formed chat groups in arattai. I want to invite my friends on other social media platforms like WhatsApp/ FB to one of my groups. Different friends would be invited to different groups. How to share an invite link of one of my groups to

      • Line spacing

        I coudn't decrease the line spacing to space smaller then a single line. There is too much space between the lines that make the document look ugly. Please fix that. Liran. fonar

      • Control Position of “X” (Close) Button in Popup Editor

        Hello Zoho PageSense Team, We hope you're doing well. We would like to request a customization improvement in the PageSense popup editor. Current Limitation: Currently, the position of the “X” (close) button is fixed and cannot be customized in the popup

      • Add Standalone “Save” Button in Pagesense Popup Editor

        Hello Zoho Pagesense Team, We hope you're doing well. We would like to request an important usability improvement in the Pagesense popup editor. Current Limitation: There is currently no dedicated Save button while building a popup. The only way to save

      • Next Page