Zoho People

Zoho People

Access the Zoho People API with managed OAuth authentication. Manage employees, departments, designations, attendance, leave, and custom HR forms with full CRUD operations.

Quick Start

# List all employees
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/people/api/forms/employee/getRecords?sIndex=1&limit=10')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Base URL

https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/{native-api-path}

Maton proxies requests to people.zoho.com and automatically injects your OAuth token.

Authentication

All requests require the Maton API key in the Authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer $MATON_API_KEY

Environment Variable: Set your API key as MATON_API_KEY:

export MATON_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"

Getting Your API Key

1. Sign in or create an account at maton.ai 2. Go to maton.ai/settings 3. Copy your API key

Connection Management

Manage your Zoho People OAuth connections at https://api.maton.ai.

List Connections

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/connections?app=zoho-people&status=ACTIVE')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Create Connection

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
data = json.dumps({'app': 'zoho-people'}).encode()
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/connections', data=data, method='POST')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
req.add_header('Content-Type', 'application/json')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Get Connection

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/connections/{connection_id}')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Response:

{
  "connection": {
    "connection_id": "{connection_id}",
    "status": "ACTIVE",
    "creation_time": "2026-02-06T07:42:07.681370Z",
    "last_updated_time": "2026-02-06T07:46:12.648445Z",
    "url": "https://connect.maton.ai/?session_token=...",
    "app": "zoho-people",
    "metadata": {}
  }
}

Open the returned url in a browser to complete OAuth authorization.

Delete Connection

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/connections/{connection_id}', method='DELETE')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Specifying Connection

If you have multiple Zoho People connections, specify which one to use with the Maton-Connection header:

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/people/api/forms')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
req.add_header('Maton-Connection', '{connection_id}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

If you have multiple connections, always include this header to ensure requests go to the intended account.

Security & Permissions

API Reference

Forms Operations

#### List All Forms

Get a list of all available forms in your Zoho People account.

GET /zoho-people/people/api/forms

Example:

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/people/api/forms')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Response:

{
  "response": {
    "result": [
      {
        "componentId": 943596000000035679,
        "iscustom": false,
        "displayName": "Employee",
        "formLinkName": "employee",
        "PermissionDetails": {
          "Add": 3,
          "Edit": 3,
          "View": 3
        },
        "isVisible": true,
        "viewDetails": {
          "view_Id": 943596000000035705,
          "view_Name": "P_EmployeeView"
        }
      }
    ],
    "message": "Data fetched successfully",
    "status": 0
  }
}

Employee Operations

#### List Employees (Bulk Records)

GET /zoho-people/people/api/forms/employee/getRecords?sIndex={startIndex}&limit={limit}

Query Parameters:

| Parameter | Type | Default | Description | |-----------|------|---------|-------------| | sIndex | integer | 1 | Starting index (1-based) | | limit | integer | 200 | Number of records (max 200) | | SearchColumn | string | - | EMPLOYEEID or EMPLOYEEMAILALIAS | | SearchValue | string | - | Value to search for | | modifiedtime | long | - | Timestamp in milliseconds for modified records |

Example:

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/people/api/forms/employee/getRecords?sIndex=1&limit=10')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Response:

{
  "response": {
    "result": [
      {
        "943596000000294355": [
          {
            "FirstName": "Christopher",
            "LastName": "Brown",
            "EmailID": "christopherbrown@zylker.com",
            "EmployeeID": "S20",
            "Department": "Management",
            "Designation": "Administration",
            "Employeestatus": "Active",
            "Gender": "Male",
            "Date_of_birth": "02-Feb-1987",
            "Zoho_ID": 943596000000294355
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "message": "Data fetched successfully",
    "status": 0
  }
}

#### List Employees (View-based)

GET /zoho-people/api/forms/{viewName}/records?rec_limit={limit}

Example:

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/api/forms/P_EmployeeView/records?rec_limit=10')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

#### Search Employee by ID

GET /zoho-people/people/api/forms/employee/getRecords?SearchColumn=EMPLOYEEID&SearchValue={employeeId}

Example:

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/people/api/forms/employee/getRecords?SearchColumn=EMPLOYEEID&SearchValue=S20')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

#### Search Employee by Email

GET /zoho-people/people/api/forms/employee/getRecords?SearchColumn=EMPLOYEEMAILALIAS&SearchValue={email}

Department Operations

#### List Departments

GET /zoho-people/people/api/forms/department/getRecords?sIndex={startIndex}&limit={limit}

Example:

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/people/api/forms/department/getRecords?sIndex=1&limit=50')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Response:

{
  "response": {
    "result": [
      {
        "943596000000294315": [
          {
            "Department": "IT",
            "Department_Lead": "",
            "Parent_Department": "",
            "Zoho_ID": 943596000000294315
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "message": "Data fetched successfully",
    "status": 0
  }
}

Designation Operations

#### List Designations

GET /zoho-people/people/api/forms/designation/getRecords?sIndex={startIndex}&limit={limit}

Example:

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/people/api/forms/designation/getRecords?sIndex=1&limit=50')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Response:

{
  "response": {
    "result": [
      {
        "943596000000294399": [
          {
            "Designation": "Team Member",
            "EEO_Category": "Professionals",
            "Zoho_ID": 943596000000294399
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "message": "Data fetched successfully",
    "status": 0
  }
}

Insert Record

Add a new record to any form.

POST /zoho-people/people/api/forms/json/{formLinkName}/insertRecord
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
inputData={field1:'value1',field2:'value2'}

Example - Create Department:

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
from urllib.parse import urlencode
inputData = json.dumps({"Department": "Engineering"})
data = urlencode({"inputData": inputData}).encode()
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/people/api/forms/json/department/insertRecord', data=data, method='POST')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
req.add_header('Content-Type', 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Response:

{
  "response": {
    "result": {
      "pkId": "943596000000300001",
      "message": "Successfully Added"
    },
    "message": "Data added successfully",
    "status": 0
  }
}

Update Record

Modify an existing record.

POST /zoho-people/people/api/forms/json/{formLinkName}/updateRecord
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
inputData={field1:'newValue'}&recordId={recordId}

Example - Update Employee:

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
from urllib.parse import urlencode
inputData = json.dumps({"Department": "Engineering"})
data = urlencode({
    "inputData": inputData,
    "recordId": "943596000000294355"
}).encode()
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/people/api/forms/json/employee/updateRecord', data=data, method='POST')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
req.add_header('Content-Type', 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Leave Operations

#### List Leave Records

GET /zoho-people/people/api/forms/leave/getRecords?sIndex={startIndex}&limit={limit}

#### Add Leave

POST /zoho-people/people/api/forms/json/leave/insertRecord
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
inputData={Employee_ID:'EMP001',Leavetype:'123456',From:'01-Feb-2026',To:'02-Feb-2026'}

Attendance Operations

Note: Attendance endpoints require additional OAuth scopes.

#### Get Attendance Entries

GET /zoho-people/people/api/attendance/getAttendanceEntries?date={date}&dateFormat={format}

Parameters:

| Parameter | Type | Description | |-----------|------|-------------| | date | string | Date in organization format | | dateFormat | string | Date format (e.g., dd-MMM-yyyy) | | empId | string | Employee ID (optional) | | emailId | string | Employee email (optional) |

#### Check-In/Check-Out

POST /zoho-people/people/api/attendance
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
dateFormat=dd/MM/yyyy HH:mm:ss&checkIn={datetime}&checkOut={datetime}&empId={empId}

Common Form Link Names

| Form | formLinkName | Description | |------|--------------|-------------| | Employee | employee | Employee records | | Department | department | Departments | | Designation | designation | Job titles | | Leave | leave | Leave requests | | Clients | P_ClientDetails | Client information |

Pagination

Zoho People uses index-based pagination:

GET /zoho-people/people/api/forms/{formLinkName}/getRecords?sIndex=1&limit=200

For subsequent pages:

Code Examples

JavaScript

const response = await fetch(
  'https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/people/api/forms/employee/getRecords?sIndex=1&limit=10',
  {
    headers: {
      'Authorization': Bearer ${process.env.MATON_API_KEY}
    }
  }
);
const data = await response.json();

Python

import os
import requests
response = requests.get(
    'https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/people/api/forms/employee/getRecords',
    headers={'Authorization': f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}'},
    params={'sIndex': 1, 'limit': 10}
)
data = response.json()

Notes

Error Handling

| Status | Meaning | |--------|---------| | 400 | Missing Zoho People connection or invalid request | | 401 | Invalid or missing Maton API key, or invalid OAuth scope | | 429 | Rate limited | | 4xx/5xx | Passthrough error from Zoho People API |

Common Error Codes

| Code | Description | |------|-------------| | 7011 | Invalid form name | | 7012 | Invalid view name | | 7021 | Maximum record limit exceeded (200) | | 7024 | No records found | | 7042 | Invalid search value | | 7218 | Invalid OAuth scope |

Troubleshooting: API Key Issues

1. Check that the MATON_API_KEY environment variable is set:

echo $MATON_API_KEY

2. Verify the API key is valid by listing connections:

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/connections')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Troubleshooting: Invalid App Name

1. Ensure your URL path starts with zoho-people. For example:

Resources

# List all employees
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/zoho-people/people/api/forms/employee/getRecords?sIndex=1&limit=10')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF