OAuth 2.0 Authentication

Zoho Books uses OAuth 2.0 for secure API access. All API requests must include an access token in the Authorization header.

• Client ID and Client Secret from Zoho Developer Console
• Authorization code flow for user consent
• Refresh tokens for long-lived access
• Tokens valid for 1 hour; refresh tokens for extended periods

headers = {
    "Authorization": "Zoho-oauthtoken YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"
}

Data Center Selection

Zoho Books is hosted on multiple data centers worldwide. Use the correct base URL for your region.

• US: https://www.zohoapis.com/books/v4
• EU: https://www.zohoapis.eu/books/v4
• India: https://www.zohoapis.in/books/v4
• Australia: https://www.zohoapis.com.au/books/v4
• Japan: https://www.zohoapis.jp/books/v4
• Canada: https://www.zohoapis.ca/books/v4

Daily Request Limits

• Free Plan: 1,000 requests/day
• Standard Plan: 2,000 requests/day
• Professional Plan: 5,000 requests/day
• Premium/Elite/Ultimate: 10,000 requests/day

Concurrent Limits

• Free Plan: 5 concurrent calls
• Paid Plans: 10 concurrent calls (soft limit)
• Per-Minute Limit: 100 requests/minute

📧 Create an Invoice

import requests

url = "https://www.zohoapis.com/books/v4/invoices"
headers = {"Authorization": "Zoho-oauthtoken YOUR_TOKEN"}

invoice_data = {
    "customer_id": "123456789",
    "line_items": [{
        "item_id": "item_001",
        "quantity": 2,
        "rate": 150.00,
        "name": "Consulting Services"
    }],
    "due_date": "2025-12-31",
    "organization_id": "your_org_id"
}

response = requests.post(url, json=invoice_data, headers=headers)
print(response.json())

👤 Retrieve Contacts

import requests

url = "https://www.zohoapis.com/books/v4/contacts"
headers = {"Authorization": "Zoho-oauthtoken YOUR_TOKEN"}
params = {"organization_id": "your_org_id"}

response = requests.get(url, headers=headers, params=params)
contacts = response.json().get('contacts', [])
for contact in contacts:
    print(f"{contact['contact_name']} - {contact['email']}")

📅 JavaScript/Node.js Example

const axios = require('axios');

async function getCustomers(accessToken) {
  const response = await axios.get('https://books.zoho.com/api/v3/contacts', {
    headers: { 'Authorization': `Zoho-oauthtoken ${accessToken}` }
  });
  return response.data.contacts;
}

📦 Batch Create Invoices

async function batchCreateInvoices(accessToken, invoices) {
  const response = await axios.post(
    'https://books.zoho.com/api/v3/invoices/bulk',
    { invoices },
    { headers: { 'Authorization': `Zoho-oauthtoken ${accessToken}` } }
  );
  return response.data;
}

Available Events

• Subscription status changes
• Invoice creation and updates
• Payment received (payment_thankyou)
• Subscription created and activated
• Transaction events

Webhook Security

• Configure secret token for signature verification
• Validate incoming webhooks before processing
• Use test tools to verify execution
• View execution logs for debugging

Supported AI Frameworks

• Google ADK: Build Gemini-powered agents with MCP tools
• Claude Code: Natural language accounting from terminal
• Cursor: AI-assisted development with Zoho Books integration

Natural Language Commands

• "List unpaid invoices for this month"
• "Create a new expense entry today"
• "Send payment reminder to a client"
• "Summarize last quarter's profit and loss"

Performance Optimization

• Get a maximum of 200 records per request
• Insert/update/delete a maximum of 100 records per request
• Use batch operations when possible
• Implement caching for frequently accessed data

Error Handling

• Monitor API usage to avoid hitting limits
• Handle rate limit errors (429) with exponential backoff
• Validate webhook signatures using secret tokens
• Log all API interactions for debugging

Common API Issues

• Missing organization_id: Required in every request
• Wrong data center: Use correct domain for your region
• Attachment deletion: Use DELETE /invoices/{id}/documents/{attachment_id}
• Rate limit exceeded: Implement backoff strategy

Resources & Support

• Official documentation: www.zoho.com/books/api/v4/
• Zoho Community: help.zoho.com
• Email support: support@zohobooks.com
• GitHub community projects

What is the latest API version?

Version 4 (v4) is the current API version with the endpoint https://www.zohoapis.com/books/v4/.

How do I get my organization ID?

Use GET /organizations API or find it in Zoho Books admin console under "Manage Organizations".

What authentication does Zoho Books use?

OAuth 2.0 with access tokens (1-hour validity) and refresh tokens for extended access.

Can I use webhooks with Zoho Books?

Yes, webhooks are supported for invoice creation, payment events, and subscription status changes.