---
title: "Zoho Books MCP server for AI agents - actionlake"
description: "Give Claude 842 Zoho Books actions through one MCP server: invoices, customerpayments. Your agent never holds the credential. 100,000 calls a month free."
canonical: https://actionlake.com/connectors/zoho-books
updated: 2026-10-11
---

Connectors · Accounting & finance

# Zoho Books MCP server for AI agents.

actionlake is an MCP gateway: one remote MCP server that connects Claude and other MCP clients to Zoho Books and the rest of your systems. It gives your agent 842 Zoho Books actions (245 reads, 447 writes and 150 that wait for a confirmation) and holds the Zoho Books credential itself, so the agent never does. It paces Zoho Books's limits and records every call. Connecting Zoho Books needs your own Zoho Books OAuth app and one admin sign-in.

[Connect Zoho Books free](https://actionlake.com/console?start=sandbox) [See pricing](https://actionlake.com/pricing)

100,000 free calls a month. No card, no email, no password: press Start a free sandbox on the next screen and keep the key it shows you.

`claude mcp add --transport http actionlake https://connect.actionlake.com/mcp`

the first call

```
do {
  action: "zoho_books.get_organization_address",
  intent: "check which Zoho Books account is connected"
}
# Get the organization address · read · 1 upstream call
```

- 842 actions in one signed file
- 245 read look, never change
- 447 write create and update
- 150 wait for a yes destructive, confirmed first

Set up

## Connect Zoho Books in three steps.

1. 01
   ### Add actionlake to Claude.
   Run the command once in Claude Code; its consent page can create a free sandbox: 100,000 calls a month, no card. In the Claude app, add a custom connector with the URL below and paste your key on the consent page. Creating a new sandbox from the Claude app is not yet tested by us.
   `https://connect.actionlake.com/mcp`
2. 02
   ### Connect Zoho Books.
   OAuth 2.0, authorization code with PKCE. You register your own OAuth app with Zoho Books, an admin signs in once, and you paste the app's client id and secret and the tokens from that sign-in; actionlake renews the access token from then on. actionlake stores what you paste write-only, sealed under your tenant's key.
   Before the first sign-in, Zoho Books needs an OAuth app of your own, registered in its developer portal. actionlake has no Zoho Books app to lend you.
   - `access_token` Access token from one sign-in with your own OAuth app
   - `refresh_token` Refresh token from the same sign-in; the access token is renewed from it
   - `client_id` Zoho client id
   - `client_secret` Zoho client secret
   - `api_domain` Where your Zoho Books lives: your api domain
   - `organization_id` Your Zoho Books organization id
   Found for you at connect: api base.
   ```
   account { op: "connections.requirements", service: "zoho_books" }
   # free: exactly what to paste, and what is found for you
   ```
3. 03
   ### Make the first call. Check before a write.
   Ask in plain words; Claude picks the action. Before anything changes, `check` validates the call and prices it, for free.
   ```
   do    { action: "zoho_books.get_organization_address" }
   # get the organization address · read · 1 upstream call
   check { action: "zoho_books.create_invoice", input: { … } }
   # free: inputs, permissions, cost and confirmations, nothing sent
   ```

Zoho Books at a glance

**Sign-in**

OAuth 2.0, authorization code with PKCE. You register your own OAuth app with Zoho Books, an admin signs in once, and you paste the app's client id and secret and the tokens from that sign-in; actionlake renews the access token from then on.

**You provide**

`access_token` `refresh_token` `client_id` `client_secret`

**Setup fields**

`api_domain` `organization_id`

**Found for you**

api base

**Limits we pace to**

100 calls a minute, per connection

**API covered**

Zoho Books API 3, at your Zoho Books instance's API base URL, which you enter when connecting (path /books/v3)

**Built from**

Zoho Books's documentation, read 19 September 2026[zoho.com](https://www.zoho.com/books/api/v3/introduction/)

**Service file**

Version 1.0.0, signed (Ed25519)

**Cached reads**

245 of 245 reads, for up to an hour; a write clears what it affects

**Ready-made plans**

12 in the store

**Shared entities**

16, so ask can line Zoho Books up with your other systems

**Data**

Processed and stored in Sydney, Australia. No US region yet

Capabilities

## What an AI agent can do in Zoho Books.

842 actions in 1 area. Every one carries its effect, so a key can allow the reads and hold the rest.

- **245** read look, never change
- **447** write create and update
- **150** destructive wait for a confirmation

1. ### Accounting
   842
   245 read · 447 write · 150 destructive
   List invoices · List Customer Payments · List estimates · List purchase orders

Top actions

## The Zoho Books API, shaped for agents.

The ids your agent types, what each does, and the one name it shares with other systems. 309 of Zoho Books's 324 action names are shared with at least one other connector, so an agent learns them once.

| Action | What it does | Effect | Same name in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `zoho_books.list_invoices` List invoices | List invoices | read | `finance.invoice.list` 101 connectors |
| `zoho_books.list_customer_payments` List Customer Payments | List Customer Payments | read | `finance.payment.list` 75 connectors |
| `zoho_books.list_estimates` List estimates | List estimates | read | `finance.quote.list` 52 connectors |
| `zoho_books.list_purchase_orders` List purchase orders | List purchase orders | read | `finance.purchase_order.list` 45 connectors |
| `zoho_books.list_expenses` List Expenses | List Expenses | read | `finance.expense.list` 40 connectors |
| `zoho_books.list_chart_of_accounts` List chart of accounts | List chart of accounts | read | `finance.ledger_account.list` 36 connectors |
| `zoho_books.list_credit_notes` List all Credit Notes | List all Credit Notes | read | `finance.credit_note.list` 33 connectors |
| `zoho_books.list_users` List Users | List Users | read | `identity.user.list` 474 connectors |
| `zoho_books.create_invoice` Create an invoice | Create an invoice | write | `finance.invoice.create` 74 connectors |
| `zoho_books.create_retainer_invoice` Create a retainerinvoice | Create a retainerinvoice | write | `finance.invoice.create` 74 connectors |
| `zoho_books.create_customer_debit_note` Create a customer debit note | Create a customer debit note | write | `finance.invoice.create` 74 connectors |
| `zoho_books.force_pay_invoice` Force pay an invoice | Force pay an invoice | destructive | `finance.payment.create` 67 connectors |

Try it

## Prompts to paste into Claude.

Each one names the Zoho Books actions it will call, so you know what it reads and what it changes before you send it.

1. Read read
   Which Zoho Books invoices are more than 30 days overdue? Group them by customer with the total owed.
   calls `zoho_books.list_invoices`
2. Plan read
   Build a statement pack for one customer in Zoho Books.
   calls `zoho_books.list_contacts` `zoho_books.get_contact_statement_mail` `zoho_books.get_contact_unused_credits` `zoho_books.get_contact_income_and_expense` `zoho_books.get_contact_opening_balances` +1 more
3. Plan write
   Collect project time before billing in Zoho Books.
   calls `zoho_books.stop_entry_timer` `zoho_books.list_projects` `zoho_books.list_project_tasks` `zoho_books.list_project_users` `zoho_books.list_project_comments` +1 more
4. Write write
   Create an invoice in Zoho Books. Show me exactly what you will send before you save it.
   calls `zoho_books.create_invoice`
5. Across systems read
   For each customer, how many invoices are in Zoho Books and how many tickets in ConnectWise PSA?
   calls `zoho_books.list_invoices` `connectwise_manage.tickets.list`

Across your systems

## Zoho Books, joined to the rest of your business.

One `ask` fetches from Zoho Books and another system, joins the rows on the same customer on our side, and hands your agent the answer, not every row.

- For each customer, how many invoices are in Zoho Books and how many tickets in ConnectWise PSA?
  `zoho_books.list_invoices` + `connectwise_manage.tickets.list`, on `crm.company` · [ConnectWise PSA](https://actionlake.com/connectors/connectwise-psa)
- For each customer, how many invoices are in Zoho Books and how many tickets in HubSpot CRM?
  `zoho_books.list_invoices` + `hubspot_crm.tickets.list`, on `crm.company` · [HubSpot CRM](https://actionlake.com/connectors/hubspot-crm)

Also mapped by other connectors `identity.user` **517** `crm.company` **227** `work.project` **116** `work.task` **105** `finance.invoice` **91** `commerce.order` **86** `finance.payment` **53** `crm.location` **49**

ask

```
ask {
  intent: "for each customer, how many invoices are in Zoho Books and how many tickets in ConnectWise PSA",
  steps: [
    { action: "zoho_books.list_invoices", as: "inv", input: {}, limit: 100, max_pages: 5 },
    { action: "connectwise_manage.tickets.list", as: "tix", input: {}, limit: 100, max_pages: 5 },
    { join: {
        left: "inv",
        right: "tix",
        on: "crm.company",
        group_by: "inv.company_name",
        select: ["inv.company_name", "count(inv.id) as invoices", "count(tix.id) as tickets"]
    } }
  ]
}
```

Example. Run it through check first: it validates the steps and prices them, and it is free.

The plan store

## Ready-made plans for Zoho Books.

12 plans in the store. Install one and your agent runs it by name; the reply says which connections are still missing. A schedule can run a plan on a timetable. There are no triggers or webhooks, by design.

1. ### Report balances and recent activity per bank account
   Use it when Someone asks for the current cash position across all Zoho Books bank accounts.
   **Effect**
   read
   **Steps**
   3 · loops
   **Needs**
   organization id
   **Install**
   `zoho_books-bank-account-balance-report`
2. ### Check recurring invoices and their child runs
   Use it when Someone wants to know whether recurring billing schedules are still generating invoices as expected.
   **Effect**
   read
   **Steps**
   4 · loops
   **Needs**
   organization id
   **Install**
   `zoho_books-recurring-revenue-health-check`
3. ### Build a statement pack for one customer
   Use it when Someone is about to chase or review a customer and wants their whole account picture in one go.
   **Effect**
   read
   **Steps**
   6
   **Needs**
   organization id and contact id
   **Install**
   `zoho_books-customer-statement-pack`
4. ### Categorize uncategorized bank transactions as vendor payments
   Use it when Bank feed transactions need matching to vendor payments after a human check.
   A person decides Post the listed bank lines as vendor payments in the ledger.
   **Effect**
   write
   **Steps**
   4 · loops
   **Needs**
   account id, organization id, transaction id and payment
   **Install**
   `zoho_books-bank-transaction-categorization`
5. ### Audit the chart of accounts and reactivate accounts
   Use it when The chart of accounts needs reviewing and some accounts should be switched back on.
   A person decides Mark the listed chart of accounts entries active so staff can post to them again.
   **Effect**
   write
   **Steps**
   4 · loops
   **Needs**
   organization id, date start, date end and account ids
   **Install**
   `zoho_books-chart-of-accounts-audit`
6. ### Reverse a journal entry after sign-off
   Use it when A posted journal entry was wrong and needs reversing with an accountant's sign-off.
   A person decides Reverse this journal entry in the general ledger on the given reversal date.
   **Effect**
   write
   **Steps**
   4
   **Needs**
   organization id, journal id, reversal date and is reversal scheduled
   **Install**
   `zoho_books-journal-reversal-with-signoff`
7. ### Review and approve pending invoices in bulk
   Use it when A finance reviewer wants to look over the current invoice batch and approve them all at once.
   A person decides Approve all invoices in the listed batch for sending.
   **Effect**
   write
   **Steps**
   4 · loops
   **Needs**
   organization id
   **Install**
   `zoho_books-overdue-invoice-approval-sweep`
8. ### Collect project time before billing
   Use it when Someone is preparing to bill a customer for project time and needs the underlying entries.
   **Effect**
   write
   **Steps**
   4 · loops
   **Needs**
   organization id, from date and to date
   **Install**
   `zoho_books-project-time-billing-prep`
9. ### Approve vendor credits and note the decision
   Use it when Accounts payable needs to clear a queue of vendor credits after a human check.
   A person decides Approve the listed vendor credits against the supplier accounts.
   **Effect**
   write
   **Steps**
   4 · loops
   **Needs**
   organization id and note
   **Install**
   `zoho_books-vendor-credit-approval-run`
10. ### Open a credit note and apply it to an invoice
    Use it when A credit note has been agreed with a customer and now needs applying against their invoice.
    A person decides Apply this credit note against the customer's invoice, reducing the amount they owe.
    **Effect**
    write
    **Steps**
    5
    **Needs**
    creditnote id, organization id, invoice id and amount applied
    **Install**
    `zoho_books-credit-note-application-run`
11. ### Delete contacts confirmed as duplicates
    Use it when A cleanup of duplicate or dead contact records is needed and someone must sign off first.
    A person decides Permanently delete the listed contact records from Zoho Books.
    **Effect**
    destructive
    **Steps**
    4 · loops
    **Needs**
    organization id and contact ids
    **Install**
    `zoho_books-stale-contact-cleanup`
12. ### Write off an uncollectable invoice
    Use it when A receivable has been judged uncollectable and someone must authorise the write-off.
    A person decides Write this invoice off as bad debt, permanently clearing the receivable.
    **Effect**
    destructive
    **Steps**
    5
    **Needs**
    contact id, organization id and invoice id
    **Install**
    `zoho_books-invoice-write-off-run`

install a plan

```
account { op: "plans.install", slug: "zoho_books-bank-account-balance-report" }
# then ask for it by name; a schedule can run it on a timetable
```

Governance for Zoho Books

## Destructive actions wait for a yes.

150 Zoho Books actions are destructive. The first 10:

- Force pay an invoice `zoho_books.force_pay_invoice`
- Process a synchronous online payment for an invoice `zoho_books.create_invoice_synchronous_online_payment`
- Process an asynchronous online payment for an invoice `zoho_books.create_invoice_asynchronous_online_payment`
- Record an asynchronous online payment for a retainer invoice `zoho_books.create_retainer_invoice_async_online_payment`
- Mark invoices as void `zoho_books.void_invoices`
- Delete an invoice `zoho_books.delete_invoice`
- Delete invoices `zoho_books.delete_invoices`
- Delete a retainer invoice `zoho_books.delete_retainer_invoice`
- Delete a customer debit note `zoho_books.delete_customer_debit_note`
- Delete an invoice e-invoice status `zoho_books.delete_invoice_einvoice_status`

A destructive action runs only with `confirm: true`. Under the `human` policy the agent cannot confirm for itself: the run stops until a named person approves, in the console or from a signed link in an email. The cap on a key is refused before the call is sent, never after.

do zoho_books.void_invoices confirm_policy: **human**

Mark invoices as void?

**intent:** the user asked me to mark invoices as void

run suspended · waiting for a named person · key _zoho-books-agent_ cannot confirm itself

In the console, or from an emailed signed link.

a key for this connector

```
account {
  op: "keys.create", name: "zoho-books-agent",
  allowed_actions: ["zoho_books.*"], cap_calls: 2000,
  confirm_policy: "human_for_writes",
  approval_rules: [
    { match: "zoho_books.force_pay_invoice", approver: "lead@example.com" },
    { match: "zoho_books.create_invoice_synchronous_online_payment", approver: "lead@example.com" },
    { match: "zoho_books.create_invoice_asynchronous_online_payment", approver: "lead@example.com" }
  ]
}
```

Illustrative. Scoped to Zoho Books only, capped at 2,000 upstream calls, every write confirmed, and the destructive ones approved by a named person.

Cost

## What Zoho Books costs on actionlake.

Every Zoho Books action is one upstream call, the only thing actionlake bills. Searching, `check`, `cost`, `account` and any call Zoho Books refused with 401, 403, 429 or a 5xx are free. Paid plans start at US$49 a month for 250,000 calls, with overage from US$0.30 down to US$0.18 per 1,000.

- 1 upstream call per action all 842 Zoho Books actions
- 842 actions page each page of a long list is one call
- 245 reads can be cached a cache hit costs nothing
- 100,000 calls a month, free paid plans from US$49 a month for 250,000

[See pricing](https://actionlake.com/pricing)

Action index

## Every Zoho Books action.

842 actions by area: the id your agent calls, what it does, and its effect.

**Accounting 842**

- `zoho_books.list_customer_payments` List Customer Payments read
- `zoho_books.list_estimates` List estimates read
- `zoho_books.list_invoices` List invoices read
- `zoho_books.list_project_invoices` List invoices read
- `zoho_books.list_purchase_orders` List purchase orders read
- `zoho_books.active_tag` Mark Reporting Tag as active write
- and 836 more in this area

This index shows a sample of each area. All 842 actions, with their inputs and prices, are in the [catalogue](https://actionlake.com/console/catalogue), which a free sandbox key can search.

Questions

## The Zoho Books MCP server, answered.

**Is there a Zoho Books MCP server for Claude?**

Yes. actionlake is an MCP gateway: a remote MCP server that gives Claude, or another MCP client, 842 Zoho Books actions, through the same eight tools it uses for every other connector. actionlake is independent; it is not made or endorsed by Zoho Books.

**What do I need to connect Zoho Books?**

Your own Zoho Books OAuth app, registered with Zoho Books (its client id and client secret), and the access and refresh tokens from one admin sign-in. actionlake has no Zoho Books app of its own, so this is not a one-step consent. actionlake renews the access token as it expires. Plus your api domain and your organization id. actionlake finds api base for you when you connect. The free call account { op: "connections.requirements", service: "zoho_books" } lists exactly what to paste.

**Can an AI agent delete or change things in Zoho Books?**

Only if its key allows it, and only with an explicit confirmation. 150 Zoho Books actions are destructive, including force pay an invoice, process a synchronous online payment for an invoice and process an asynchronous online payment for an invoice. Each runs only with confirm: true. Under the human confirm policy, or an approval rule on the key, the run waits until a named person approves it.

**Will an AI agent use up my Zoho Books API limit?**

actionlake paces every call to the limits in the Zoho Books service file: 100 calls a minute per connection. Repeated reads are answered from cache (245 Zoho Books actions can be), which never reaches Zoho Books.

**What does a Zoho Books action cost?**

One upstream call, the only unit actionlake bills. A list that pages bills one call per page (842 Zoho Books actions page). Cache hits, searches, dry runs and calls Zoho Books refused with 401, 403, 429 or a 5xx are free. The Free plan includes 100,000 calls a month with no card. Paid plans start at US$49 a month for 250,000 calls, with overage from US$0.30 down to US$0.18 per 1,000.

**Which Zoho Books API does it cover?**

The Zoho Books API 3 at your Zoho Books instance's API base URL, which you enter when connecting (path /books/v3). It is built from Zoho Books's documentation as read on 19 September 2026. 842 actions in 1 area, each one in the signed service file (version 1.0.0).

**Can I combine Zoho Books with my other systems?**

Yes. ask joins Zoho Books to ConnectWise PSA or HubSpot CRM on the same customer and returns the answer rather than every row. Zoho Books maps crm.company, which 227 other connectors also map.

**Does actionlake keep my Zoho Books data, and where?**

actionlake processes and stores data in Sydney, Australia; there is no US region yet. Reads may be cached for up to an hour, and a write clears the reads it affects. Each run's request and response is kept, sealed, for your plan's trace window: 1 day on Free, 3 days on Starter, 7 days on Pro, 14 days on Team, 30 days on Business and 30 days on Enterprise. Your Zoho Books credential is sealed under your tenant's key, never logged and never returned. Your traffic is not used to train models.

**Which AI clients can use it?**

Claude Code, tested by us end to end, and the Claude app as a custom connector, tested by us with an existing key. Other MCP clients that support remote servers over Streamable HTTP (MCP revisions 2025-06-18 and 2025-11-25) and OAuth dynamic client registration, or a bearer header, should connect the same way; we have not tested them. Or plain REST, under the same action names.

## More connectors like Zoho Books

Shares the most action names with

- [Zoho Invoice 127](https://actionlake.com/connectors/zoho-invoice)
- [QuickBooks Online 90](https://actionlake.com/connectors/quickbooks-online)
- [Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 87](https://actionlake.com/connectors/microsoft-dynamics-365-business-central)
- [FreshBooks 86](https://actionlake.com/connectors/freshbooks)
- [Xero 81](https://actionlake.com/connectors/xero)
- [FreeAgent 71](https://actionlake.com/connectors/freeagent)

Joins with, on shared entities

- [HaloPSA 10](https://actionlake.com/connectors/halopsa)
- [Teamwork 7](https://actionlake.com/connectors/teamwork)
- [Zoho Inventory 7](https://actionlake.com/connectors/zoho-inventory)
- [Zuper 7](https://actionlake.com/connectors/zuper)
- [Kaseya BMS 7](https://actionlake.com/connectors/kaseya-bms)
- [Rev.io 7](https://actionlake.com/connectors/rev-io)

Browse

- [All Accounting & finance connectors](https://actionlake.com/connectors/category/accounting-and-finance)
- [All connectors](https://actionlake.com/connectors)
- [How actionlake compares](https://actionlake.com/compare)

actionlake is independent. It is not made or endorsed by Zoho Books; the name is the vendor's own. Counts are from the Zoho Books service file, version 1.0.0.

## Give your agent Zoho Books today.

[Connect Zoho Books free](https://actionlake.com/console?start=sandbox) [See pricing](https://actionlake.com/pricing)

Start free - 100,000 calls/month, no card. No signup. Hard caps on every key. Cached answers are free.

---

Source: https://actionlake.com/connectors/zoho-books
More: https://actionlake.com/llms.txt