Kaizen 221 - Workflow & Actions Reports APIs
But as their automated ecosystem has grown to nearly 100 workflow rules, a new challenge has emerged for the system administrators: Are these workflows actually doing what they were built to do? Are these automations actually working day-to-day?
A workflow can be perfectly configured yet have no impact if it never runs. A webhook could be sending data to a dead endpoint, or a critical email notification might go silent without anyone noticing.
While the CRM UI allows them to click into any single workflow to see its execution details or check the status of a specific webhook, this data is trapped in dozens of individual screens. To answer strategic questions like "What's the overall health of our automation?" or "Where should we focus our optimization efforts?", they would need to manually open, check, and compile data from over a hundred different places.
This is where the Reporting APIs become indispensable. They allow Zylker to aggregate all this scattered UI data into their central dashboard, which supports proactive governance at scale.
STEP 1: Find workflows with heavy or complex actions
Using Get Actions Count in Workflow Rules
During their initial audit, Zylker noticed something interesting: within the same module, some workflows had just one or two actions, while others had ten or more bundled together. While this inconsistency wasn't necessarily wrong, after years without a cleanup they wanted to review which workflows had become particularly complex and decide whether they needed updating or splitting.
To identify such rules systematically, they call:
GET {api-domain}/crm/v8/settings/automation/workflow_rules/actions/actions_count?ids={id1, id2, id3, ..}
This API returns a detailed count of how many actions each rule contains. Using the response from API, the admins can choose to work on the Workflow Rules by complexity. In the UI, this requires inspecting workflows one by one. But using this API, up to 100 Workflows can be inspected in a single API call. The entire system can be analyzed in a matter of seconds!
Here is what the response looks like:
|
{ "workflow_rules": [ { "id": "4876876000016390024", "conditions": [ { "sequence_number": 1, "instant_actions": { "actions_count": [ { "type": "field_updates", "value": 1 }, { "type": "add_tags", "value": 1 }, { "type": "email_notifications", "value": 1 }, { "type": "webhooks", "value": 1 } ] }, "scheduled_actions": [ { "actions_count": [ { "type": "tasks", "value": 1 } ] } ], "id": "4876876000016390025" } ] }, { "id": "4876876000011208001", "conditions": [ { "sequence_number": 1, "instant_actions": { "actions_count": [ { "type": "assign_owner", "value": 1 } ] }, "scheduled_actions": null, "id": "4876876000011208002" }, { "sequence_number": 2, "instant_actions": { "actions_count": [ { "type": "assign_owner", "value": 1 } ] }, "scheduled_actions": null, "id": "4876876000011208004" }, { "sequence_number": 3, "instant_actions": { "actions_count": [ { "type": "assign_owner", "value": 1 } ] }, "scheduled_actions": null, "id": "4876876000011208006" } ] } // ...other workflow rules omitted for brevity ] } |
The response is a granular breakdown, not just a simple total. For each workflow rule (id), you see every condition (sequence_number). Within each condition, the actions_count array under instant_actions and scheduled_actions lists the type of each action (email_notifications, webhooks, tasks, etc.) and the count (value) of that specific action type in that section.
In simple terms, the API tells us: For every workflow, for every condition, how many actions does it perform, and what kind are they?
STEP 2: Diagnose execution health: Is it working or just configured?
Using get Workflow Rule usage report API
Identifying complex workflows is important, but Zylker’s admins also need to figure out if they are are actually working. This is a crucial part of automation governance.
A workflow might be executing regularly, but an email notification configured inside it may bounce every time. A webhook may silently fail due to a server issue. These operational issues are difficult to detect by simply knowing whether a workflow has executed.
In the CRM UI, admins can click View Usage for a workflow. But this still exposes information one rule at a time and without aggregation across rules. When you operate nearly a hundred workflows, this method does not scale.
To understand action-level outcomes inside a specific workflow, Zylker uses:
GET {api-domain}/crm/v8/settings/automation/workflow_rules/{workflow_rule_ID}/actions/usage?executed_from={from_date}&executed_till={to_date}
This API returns rich statistics, including:
-
how many times the workflow executed
-
how many times each action inside it succeeded or failed
-
delivery metrics for emails (open, sent, delivered, bounced, clicked)
-
scheduled vs. instant action performance
-
which conditions executed successfully
Here is a sample response:
|
{ "workflow_rules": [ { "trigger_count": 3, // Total times this workflow was triggered "name": "High Value Lead Rule", // Workflow name "id": "4876876000013248001", // Workflow ID
"conditions": [ // Usage details grouped per condition { "instant_actions": { "actions": [ //Instant actions execution details { "queue_count": 0, //Asynchronous actions pending for execution in the queue "related_details": { //Email delivery metrics for bulk email_notifications actions "bulk_mail": false, "unopened": 0, "sent_percentage": 100, "opened": 1, "delivered": 1, "unsent": 0, "bounced": 0, "clicked": 0, "sent": 1 }, "name": "High revenue Lead added", //Action name "success_count": 1, // Number of successful executions "failure_count": 0, // No failures for this action "id": "4876876000016390103", // Action ID "type": "email_notifications", // Action type "associated_time": "2025-10-16T16:19:58+05:30" // When this action was added to the workflow }, ...... //omitted for brevity
] },
"scheduled_actions": [ // Scheduled actions usage metrics { "id": "4876876000016390118", // ID of the scheduled action block "actions": [ { "queue_count": 0, //Asynchronous actions pending for execution in the queue "related_details": { //Email delivery metrics for bulk email_notifications actions "bulk_mail": false, "unopened": 0, "sent_percentage": 100, "opened": 1, "delivered": 1, "unsent": 0, "bounced": 0, "clicked": 0, "sent": 1 }, "name": "High revenue Lead added", "success_count": 1, // Number of successful executions "failure_count": 1, // Number of failures "id": "4876876000016390103", "type": "email_notifications", "associated_time": "2025-10-16T16:19:58+05:30" } ] } ],
"usage_count": 2, // The number of times this condition matched "id": "4876876000013248002" // Condition ID },
// more condition blocks omitted for brevity ],
"reset_time": "2025-10-16T16:23:04+05:30" //When usage metrics were last reset } ] }
|
This single API call provides what would take hours of manual UI investigation, i.e., a complete performance audit. By scripting this for their key workflows, Zylker transforms workflow management from a time-consuming manual task to an easy, automated process.
STEP 3: Monitor system-wide integration health
The workflow usage report gave Zylker deep insight into individual workflows. But they still have unanswered questions about their external integrations.
Zylker relies on webhooks to push deal data to their project management tool, sync contacts to their marketing platform, and notify their support system. A single failing webhook can break an entire business process, and these failures often happen silently.
The CRM UI provides detailed views of each webhook's activity. However, identifying patterns across all integrations, like silent failures or volume anomalies, requires manually consolidating data from multiple screens. For teams with many integrations, this consolidation becomes time-consuming to perform regularly.
Zylker solves this by using the Webhooks Actions Usage Report API to get time-series data for all integrations at once, followed by the Get Action Failures API for diagnostics.
3.1 Track volume trends and spot anomalies using Webhooks Actions Usage Report API
They call the usage report API grouped by date and resource to see daily call volumes:
GET {api-domain}/crm/v8/settings/automation/webhooks/actions/usage_reports?group_by=date,resource&type=webhooks&from_date={date}
Sample Response:
|
{ "data_usage": [ { "date": "2025-12-09", "resource": { "name": "Premium Lead Alert", "id": "4876876000016390771" }, "count": 4, "type": "webhooks" }, { "date": "2025-12-09", "resource": { "name": "Deal to Project Sync", "id": "4876876000017550012" }, "count": 4, "type": "webhooks" }, { "date": "2025-12-09", "resource": { "name": "Contact to Marketing Platform", "id": "4876876000017550018" }, "count": 8, "type": "webhooks" }, { "date": "2025-12-08", "resource": { "name": "Deal to Project Sync", "id": "4876876000017550012" }, "count": 8, "type": "webhooks" }, // ...omitted for brevity ... { "date": "2025-12-07", "resource": { "name": "Deal to Project Sync", "id": "4876876000017550012" }, "count": 1, // Anomaly: very low number "type": "webhooks" }, // ... remaining entries omitted for brevity ... ], "info": { "max_limit": 2500, "per_page": 200, "count": 12, "page": 1, "more_records": false } } |
The response provides a daily log of which webhooks fired and how often. The real insight comes from analyzing two key patterns:
-
Missing activities: If a webhook that typically appears daily suddenly has no entries for multiple days, it indicates the upstream workflow has stopped. This is a silent business process failure.
-
Volume Anomalies: If a normally steady webhook shows a 300% spike in daily calls, it could indicate system errors generating duplicate records, or legitimate business surges worth investigating.
From the response data, Zylker can instantly spot that the Deal to Project Sync webhook's execution dropped to just 1 call on a specific day, which is a volume anomaly. Meanwhile, the Premium Lead Alert webhook may be missing entirely from recent dates, which is a missing activity alert.
3.2 Investigate Webhooks failures with Get Action Failures API - Webhooks
Volume anomalies tell Zylker that something is wrong. To understand what went wrong and where, they need detailed failure diagnostics.
For this, they use the Get Action Failures – Webhooks API:
GET {api-domain}/crm/v8/settings/automation/webhook_failures?from=2025-10-15&to=2025-10-22
You can optionally filter by:
-
webhook_id : to focus on a specific webhook
-
module : to see failures only for a specific module
-
from and to : to restrict the date range (max 90 days).
Sample Response:
|
{ "webhook_failures": [ { "webhook": { // The webhook that failed "name": "Premium Lead Alert", "id": "4876876000016390771" }, "entity_details": { // Record that triggered the webhook "module": { "api_name": "Leads", "id": "4876876000000002175" }, "name": "Freelancer.com", "id": "4876876000016474049" }, "failure_time": "2025-10-21T17:08:07+05:30", // When the failure occurred "failure_reason": "page_notfound", // Why it failed (e.g., page_notfound, unauthorized, timeout) "id": "4876876000016474075", // Failure entry ID "workflow_rule": { // Workflow that triggered this webhook "name": "WF-C", "id": "4876876000016390881" } }, //... omitted for brevity ], "info": { "per_page": 200, "count": 17, "page": 1, "more_records": false } } |
With a single request, Zylker now has a clear picture of exactly which workflows are causing failures, which records are impacted, and the precise technical reason for the failure. With this information at hand, they can promptly fix the issues and ensure that critical integrations do not silently break.
STEP 4: Ensure reliable communication through Email Notifications usage reports
Emails sent through workflows drive essential actions at Zylker. Sales managers get notified when high-value leads enter the system, account directors get alerted on lost deals, and service teams receive escalations. If these triggered emails are not sent consistently or begin spiking unexpectedly, decision-makers may be blind to critical updates.
To understand how workflow-triggered emails are being used over time, Zylker uses the Email Notification Actions Usage Report API.
Sample Request:
GET {api-domain}/crm/v8/settings/automation/email_notifications/actions/usage_reports?group_by=date,resource,type&type=email_notifications&from_date=2025-12-01
Sample Response:
|
{ "data_usage": [ { "date": "2025-12-09", // When the email was triggered "resource": { "name": "Lost Deal Alert", // Email notification name "id": "4876876000013500873" }, "count": 5, // Number of times it was sent that day "type": "email_notifications" }, { "date": "2025-12-09", "resource": { "name": "High Value Lead Notification", "id": "4876876000016390889" }, "count": 2, "type": "email_notifications" }, { "date": "2025-12-08", "resource": { "name": "Lost Deal Alert", "id": "4876876000013500873" }, "count": 8, // Higher usage on this day "type": "email_notifications" } // ... additional entries omitted ], "info": { "max_limit": 2500, "per_page": 200, "count": 18, "page": 1, "more_records": false } } |
By reviewing usage trends over time, Zylker can spot early signs of issues at either layer. If an email notification that normally triggers every day suddenly shows zero usage, it could mean the workflow condition has stopped matching, or it might indicate a failure due to factors like bounced addresses, inactive users, or restricted mail settings. Likewise, an unexpected spike in email executions might reveal either a legitimate business surge or a workflow repeatedly triggering because of duplicate records, import errors, or incorrect criteria.
In either case, Zylker is now in a position to take informed decisions.
Conclusion
Zylker began this journey wanting stronger workflow automation. Along the way, they learned how to discover, configure, update, and extend workflow rules and actions using APIs. But as their automation ecosystem grew, a new responsibility emerged regarding governing what they had built.
The Reports APIs complete that responsibility.
-
Action Counts reveal how complex each workflow has become
-
Workflow Usage Reports show whether actions are actually executing, succeeding, or quietly failing.
-
Webhook Usage and Failure Reports give a clear picture on the Webhook execution health.
-
Email Usage Reports highlight patterns in email communication actions.
With this complete toolkit, Zylker no longer just has automations. They understand them, analyze them, and continuously improve them. Their workflows have evolved from fragile scripts to managed business assets with known performance characteristics and early warning systems.
This concludes our Kaizen series on Workflow & Actions APIs. We hope this series has helped you to build, manage, and govern automation systems in your own organization.
If you have any feedback or questions, please let us know in the comments or reach out to us at support@zohocrm.com.
Until next time, Happy coding!
Additional Reading:
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
What if we don't have an ABN?
Australian business. Setting up. We have no ABN. It's not compulsory. Field not allowed to be blank. What to do?Linking Multi-UOM Barcodes to Products in Zoho Books
Greetings, I'm using Zoho Books for retail shop and I'm running into a bit of a challenge with products that have multiple Units of Measurement (UOMs) and corresponding barcodes. For example, I sell cigarettes both as individual packets and in cartonsHow to change "from" email address when invoicing.
HELP! I'm new to Zoho Books and when I first set it up used a different email address than I currently want to use. I've tried to go to settings and change the default email address but when I generate an invoice it still shows the old email address (although I can't find it anywhere else). I really need to get this changed before I can use the program. Any help would be appreciated.Critical Issue: Tickets Opened for Zoho Support via the Zoho Help Portal Were Not Processed
Hi everyone, We want to bring to your attention a serious issue we’ve experienced with the Zoho support Help Portal. For more than a week, tickets submitted directly via the Help Portal were not being handled at all. At the same time no alert was postedHide/Show Subform Fields On User Input
Hello, Are there any future updates in Hide/Show Subform Fields "On User Input"?Cloning Item With Images Or The Option With Images
Hello, when I clone an item, I expect the images to carry over to the cloned item, however this is not the case in Inventory. Please make it possible for the images to get cloned or at least can we get a pop up asking if we want to clone the images asCustom validation in CRM schema
Validation rules in CRM layouts work nicely, good docs by @Kiran Karthik P https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/kb/crm/customize-crm-account/validation-rules/articles/create-validation-rules I'd prefer validating data input 'closer to the schema'Adding Default Module Image into mail merge field
As with most people finding their way to these forums i have a specific requirement that doesn't seem to be supported by Zoho I have created 2 custom modules to suit my purpose 1 is an inventory type module that lists aluminium extrusions, and all relevantIs it possible to roll up all Contact emails to the Account view?
Is there a way to track all emails associated with an Account in one single view? Currently, email history is visible when opening an individual Contact record. However, since multiple Contacts are often associated with a single Account, it would be beneficialManaging credit cards
Hi, I'm hoping someone on this forum can help me out managing credit card accounts. Transaction are entered as expenses using the credit card account and, as expected, the card balance shows as a negative since this is clearly money I owe them. Once I make a payment, of the full amount owed, I woudl expect the balance to become zero. It doesn't, the negative balance just keeps on increasing even though the payment is reflected correctly in my main operating account. No-one at Zoho seems to understandFree Training - Explore What’s New in Zoho One 2025
Greetings! We hope you have all had a chance by now to get hands-on with the new features and updates released as part of ZO25. Yes, we understand that you may have questions and feedback. To ensure you gain a comprehensive understanding of these updates,Quick way to add a field in Chat Window
I want to add Company Field in chat window to lessen the irrelevant users in sending chat and set them in mind that we are dealing with companies. I request that it will be as easy as possible like just ticking it then typing the label then connectingHow to create a two way Sync with CRM Contacts Module?
Newbie creator here (but not to Zoho CRM). I want to create an app that operates on a sub-set of CRM Contacts - only those with a specific tag. I want the app records to mirror the tagged contacts in CRM. I would like it to update when the Creator appHow to import data from PDF into Zoho Sheet
I am looking to import Consolidated Account Statement (https://www.camsonline.com/Investors/Statements/Consolidated-Account-Statement) into zoho sheet. Any help is appreciated. The pdf is received as attachment in the email, this document is passwordTrigger Workflow, Approval Process, Blueprint by Deluge in Zoho CRM
#Tips & Trick If you intend to activate your Workflow, Approval Process, or Blueprint through either the deluge script or Zoho CRM API during the creation, updating, or deletion of a record Try this Script mp = Map(); trigger = List(); // Workflow trigger.add("workflow");Zoho Projects Android app: Integration with Microsoft Intune
Hello everyone! We’re excited to announce that Zoho Projects now integrates with Microsoft Intune, enabling enhanced security and enterprise app management. We have now added support for Microsoft Intune Mobile Application Management (MAM) policies throughCant't update custom field when custom field is external lookup in Zoho Books
Hello I use that : po = zoho.books.updateRecord("purchaseorders",XXXX,purchaseorder_id,updateCustomFieldseMap,"el_books_connection"); c_f_Map2 = Map(); c_f_Map2.put("label","EL ORDER ID"); c_f_Map2.put("value",el_order_id); c_f_List.add(c_f_Map2); updateCustomFieldseMapSet connection link name from variable in invokeurl
Hi, guys. How to set in parameter "connection" a variable, instead of a string. connectionLinkName = manager.get('connectionLinkName').toString(); response = invokeurl [ url :"https://www.googleapis.com/calendar/v3/freeBusy" type :POST parameters:requestParams.toString()Possible to connect Zoho CRM's Sandbox with Zoho Creator's Sandbox?
We are making some big changes on our CRM so we are testing it out in CRM's Sandbox. We also have a Zoho Creator app that we need to test. Is it possible to connect Zoho CRM's Sandbox to Zoho Creator's Sandbox so that I can perform those tests?I Need Help Verifying Ownership of My Zoho Help Desk on Google Search Console
I added my Zoho desk portal to Google Search Console, but since i do not have access to the html code of my theme, i could not verify ownership of my portal on Google search console. I want you to help me place the html code given to me from Google searchTimeline Tracker
Hi Team, I am currently using Zoho Creator – Blueprint Workflows, and I would like to know if there is a way to track a timeline of the approval process within a Blueprint. Specifically, I am looking for details such as: Who submitted the record Who clickedPrimary / Other Billing Contacts
If you add an additional contact to a Zoho Billing Customer record, and then mark this new contact as the primary contact, will both the new primary and old primary still receive notifications? Can you stop notifications from going to the additional contactsIs it possible to enforce a single default task for all users in a Zoho Projects ?
In Zoho Projects, the Tasks module provides multiple views, including List, Gantt, and Kanban. Additionally, users can create and switch to their own custom views. During project review meetings, this flexibility creates confusion because different users[Free Webinar] Zoho Creator webinars - Learning Table and Creator Tech Connect Series in 2026
Hello everyone, Wishing you all a wonderful new year! May 2026 and the years ahead bring more opportunities, growth, and learning your way 🙂 We’re excited to kick off the 2026 edition of the Learning Table Series and Creator Tech Connect Series ! LearningReply and react to comments
Hi everyone! We're excited to bring to you a couple of new features that'll make your sprint process simpler. A cloud application brings with it an array of social media features that can be efficiently used in your organizational setup. As an agile scrumModule Customisation - Lookup function not available
Good evening, Within my business, I can have multiple customers, who have multiple mobile assets. When I set these assets up, I enter information such as vehicle registration, Vehicle identification number (VIN), Unit number, YOM, in addition to others.zoho click, and nord VPN
Unfortunately, we've been having problems with Zoho Click, where essentially the line cuts off after about a minute's worth of conversation every time we are on VPN. Is there a way we can change this within the settings so it does not cut the line offZoho Calender
a) does the clanender in zoho project allow you to see the name of the event in the celnder view, it currently says either "Task (1) or "Milestoen (1)" b) Alternatively does the calender in Zoho project integrate with zoho calender?Matching ZOHO Payments in Banking
Our company has recently integrated ZOHO Payments into our system. This seemed really convenient at first because our customers could pay their account balance by clicking on a link imbedded in the emailed invoice. Unfortunately, we can't figure out howNew Enhancements to Zoho CRM and Zoho Creator Integration
Hello Everyone, We’ve rolled out enhancements to the Zoho Creator and Zoho CRM integration to align with recent updates made to the Zoho Creator platform. With enhancements to both the UI and functionality, This update also tightens access control byWork Type - Limitation
Hello, I'm setting up work types and have noticed, a limitation on the parts area to 10 lines. Can this be increased to 20 or greater? In addition to this, when I attempt to add the work type to a work order, the correct labour hours doesn't flow through.Locked out of MFA due to changing phones
I have been locked out of my Zoho Books account since i changed my mobile phone over. I can get the OTP through the ZOHO Books software but i cant confirm using my phone app as nothing appears to authorise. I need to know how to register/set up my newEmails sent through Bigin are not posting in IMAP Sent folder
I have set up my email to work from within Bigin using IMAP. I am using IMAP so I can sync my email across multiple devices - phone / laptop / desktop / iPad / etc. I want all my emails to populate my email client (outlook & iphone email) whether orTurning the page for Zoho SalesIQ: 2025 to 2026
As we wrap up 2025, we would like to take a moment to reflect on what we set out to achieve this year, what we’ve delivered, and where we’re headed next. What we focused on in 2025 This year was all about strengthening the core of engagement and AI, makingZoho Cliq not working on airplanes
Hi, My team and I have been having this constant issue of cliq not working when connected to an airplane's wifi. Is there a reason for this? We have tried on different Airlines and it doesn't work on any of them. We need assistance here since we are constantlyCustomer Management: #6 Common Mistakes in Customer Handling
Managing customers doesn't usually fall apart overnight. More often, slight gaps in the process slowly become bigger problems. Incidents like missed follow-ups, billing confusion, and unhappy customers will lead to revenue loss. Many businesses don'tZoho Desk iOS app update: UI enhancement of picklist and multi picklist fields
Hello everyone! We have enhanced the UI of the picklist and multiselect picklist fields on the Zoho Desk iOS app to provide a more refined, efficient, and user-friendly experience. We have now supported an option to Search within the picklist and multiselectZoho Desk iOS app update: Revamped scribbles with Apple pencil kit
Hello everyone! We’re excited to introduce a revamped Scribble experience, rebuilt from the ground up using Apple PencilKit for smooth strokes, proper scaling, and seamless image uploads. Please update the app to the latest version directly from the AppZoho Desk Android app update: Norwegian language support
Hello everyone! In the most recent Android version of the Zoho Desk app update, we have brought in support to access the app in Norwegian language. We have introduced the Norwegian language on the IM module of the Zoho Desk app as well. Please updatePayment Vouchers
Is there any Payment Vouchers in Zoho? How can we create payment for non-trade vendors, i.e. professional fees, rent, and payment to commissioner income tax?Next Page