Zendesk CRM is a widely adopted customer relationship management platform built to manage customer interactions across support, sales, and engagement workflows. It centralizes customer data, enables structured communication, and provides operational visibility across the customer lifecycle. For teams handling high volumes of customer interactions, Zendesk CRM serves as the system of record that keeps support agents, sales teams, and managers aligned.
A critical reason Zendesk CRM scales well in complex environments is its API-first architecture. The Zendesk CRM API allows businesses to integrate Zendesk with internal systems, third-party tools, and data platforms. This enables automation, data consistency, and operational control across customer-facing workflows. Instead of relying on manual updates or siloed tools, teams can build connected systems that move data reliably and in real time.
Key Highlights of Zendesk CRM APIs
- Centralized customer data access
Programmatically read and update contacts, leads, deals, and accounts from a single source of truth. - Automation across customer workflows
Trigger actions such as deal creation, task assignment, call logging, and note updates without manual intervention. - Reliable upsert operations
Create or update contacts, leads, and deals using external IDs, reducing duplication across systems. - Real-time synchronization
Keep CRM data aligned with external platforms such as billing systems, marketing tools, or data warehouses. - Structured sales pipeline management
Manage deals, stages, pipelines, and associated contacts directly through APIs. - Operational visibility and reporting readiness
Access calls, visits, tasks, sequences, and outcomes for analytics and performance tracking. - Enterprise-grade security and controls
Token-based authentication, scoped access, rate limiting, and versioning ensure stable and secure integrations.
Zendesk CRM API Endpoints
Contacts
- PUT /v2/contacts/:id – Update an existing contact
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/contacts – Retrieve all contacts
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/contacts/:id – Retrieve a single contact
- POST https://api.getbase.com/v2/contacts/upsert – Create or update a contact
Deals
- PUT /v2/deals/:id – Update a deal
- POST https://api.getbase.com/v2/deals – Create a deal
- POST https://api.getbase.com/v2/deals/:deal_id/associated_contacts – Associate contacts with a deal
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/deals/:id – Retrieve a deal
- POST https://api.getbase.com/v2/deals/upsert – Create or update a deal
Products
- DELETE /v2/products/:id – Delete a product
- POST https://api.getbase.com/v2/products – Create a product
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/products/:id – Retrieve a product
Calls
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/call_outcomes – Retrieve call outcomes
- POST https://api.getbase.com/v2/calls – Create a call
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/calls/:id – Retrieve a call
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/calls/:id/recording.mp3 – Download a call recording
Collaborations
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/collaborations – Retrieve collaborations
- DELETE https://api.getbase.com/v2/collaborations/:id – Delete a collaboration
Custom Fields
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/:resource_type/custom_fields – Retrieve custom fields
Accounts
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/accounts/self – Retrieve account details
Leads
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/leads – Retrieve leads
- DELETE https://api.getbase.com/v2/leads/:id – Delete a lead
- POST https://api.getbase.com/v2/leads/upsert – Create or update a lead
Tasks
- POST https://api.getbase.com/v2/tasks – Create a task
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/tasks/:id – Retrieve a task
Notes
- POST https://api.getbase.com/v2/notes – Create a note
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/notes/:id – Retrieve a note
Orders
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/orders
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/orders/:id
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/orders/:order_id/line_items
- DELETE https://api.getbase.com/v2/orders/:order_id/line_items/:line_item_id
Pipelines
Sequence Enrollments
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/sequence_enrollments
- PUT https://api.getbase.com/v2/sequence_enrollments/:id
- POST https://api.getbase.com/v2/sequence_enrollments/finish_ongoing_for_resource
Sequences
Stages
Tags
Tasks
Text Messages
Users
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/users
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/users/:id
- GET https://api.getbase.com/v2/users/self
Visit Outcomes
Visits
FAQs
1. What is the Zendesk CRM API used for?
It is used to integrate Zendesk CRM with external systems to automate data exchange and operational workflows.
2. Does Zendesk CRM API support real-time updates?
Yes, data can be updated and retrieved in near real time, depending on the integration design.
3. Can I avoid duplicate contacts and deals using the API?
Yes, upsert endpoints allow record creation or updates based on defined filters or external IDs.
4. Is the API suitable for large-scale enterprise use?
Yes, it supports pagination, rate limiting, and secure authentication required for enterprise environments.
5. Can custom fields be managed through the API?
Yes, custom fields for contacts, leads, and deals can be retrieved and populated programmatically.
6. How secure is Zendesk CRM API access?
Access is controlled through bearer tokens, scoped permissions, and enforced rate limits.
7. Do I need to maintain integrations continuously?
Direct integrations require ongoing monitoring for version updates, limits, and error handling unless abstracted by an integration platform.
Get Started with Zendesk CRM API Integration
Integrating directly with the Zendesk CRM API gives teams full control, but it also introduces ongoing maintenance, authentication handling, and version management overhead. Platforms like Knit API simplify this by offering a single integration layer. With one integration, Knit manages authentication, normalization, and long-term maintenance, allowing teams to focus on building customer workflows instead of managing API complexity.
