# Create a new formula column under a specified sub-module

Creates a new formula column under a specified sub-module. A formula column is a computed/derived column that works like a CASE-WHEN expression — it evaluates conditions (criteria) against existing report columns and returns a configured value for each match, with a default fallback value. The response includes the newly created column's ID, resolved data type, groupability, and available aggregation options.

## Endpoint

`POST /dcapi/reports/customReports/formulaColumn`

## Request URL

`https://{serverurl}/dcapi/reports/customReports/formulaColumn`

## Scope

`DesktopCentralCloud.CustomReport.CREATE`

### Header

`Authorization: Zoho-oauthtoken d92d4xxxxxxxxxxxxx15f52`

## Request Parameters

### Request Headers

- **Content-Type** `string` — **Mandatory**
  - `application/formulaColumn.v1+json`
- **Accept** `string` — **Mandatory**
  - `application/columnCreationStatus.v1+json`

### Request Body

`application/json`

- `JSON Object`
  - **subModuleName** `string` — **Mandatory**
    - Sub-module name the formula column belongs to. Must be one of: Computer, Hardware, Software (case-insensitive)
  - **columnName** `string` — **Mandatory**
    - Unique display name for the formula column. Alphanumeric only (A-Z, a-z, 0-9). Max 20 characters
  - **defaultValue** `string` — **Mandatory**
    - Default value returned when no condition matches (the ELSE branch). Alphanumeric only. Max 100 characters
  - **columnDetails** `JSON Array` — **Mandatory**
    - Array of condition objects (1-5). Each defines a CASE-WHEN branch with criteria and result value

## Sample Request

```curl
curl --request POST \
  --url https://appdomains/dcapi/reports/customReports/formulaColumn \
  --header 'Accept: application/columnCreationStatus.v1+json' \
  --header 'Authorization: Zoho-oauthtoken  d92d4xxxxxxxxxxxxx15f52' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/formulaColumn.v1+json' \
  --data '{"defaultValue":"NotEligible","columnDetails":[{"criteria":[{"comparator":"equal","logicalOperator":"AND","columnID":"42","searchValue":["Windows 11"]}],"value":"Eligible","criteriaPattern":"1"}],"subModuleName":"Computer","columnName":"Windows11Eligibility"}'
```

### Sample Request Body

#### Create a CHAR-type formula column with one condition

```json
{
  "defaultValue": "NotEligible",
  "columnDetails": [
    {
      "criteria": [
        {
          "comparator": "equal",
          "logicalOperator": "AND",
          "columnID": "42",
          "searchValue": [
            "Windows 11"
          ]
        }
      ],
      "value": "Eligible",
      "criteriaPattern": "1"
    }
  ],
  "subModuleName": "Computer",
  "columnName": "Windows11Eligibility"
}
```

#### Create a formula column with multiple CASE-WHEN conditions

```json
{
  "defaultValue": "Other",
  "columnDetails": [
    {
      "criteria": [
        {
          "comparator": "contains",
          "logicalOperator": "AND",
          "columnID": "103",
          "searchValue": [
            "Windows"
          ]
        }
      ],
      "value": "Windows",
      "criteriaPattern": "1"
    },
    {
      "criteria": [
        {
          "comparator": "contains",
          "logicalOperator": "AND",
          "columnID": "103",
          "searchValue": [
            "Linux"
          ]
        },
        {
          "comparator": "contains",
          "logicalOperator": "OR",
          "columnID": "103",
          "searchValue": [
            "Ubuntu"
          ]
        }
      ],
      "value": "Linux",
      "criteriaPattern": "1 OR 2"
    }
  ],
  "subModuleName": "Computer",
  "columnName": "OSCategory"
}
```

## Response Parameters

### HTTP Code 200

Response Body — `application/json`

- `JSON Object`
  - **columnID** `long`
    - Unique identifier of the newly created formula column
  - **displayName** `string`
    - Display name of the formula column (echoed from columnName in the request)
  - **dataType** `string`
    - Resolved data type of the column based on all condition values and the default value. Possible values: CHAR, BIGINT, BOOLEAN
  - **groupable** `boolean`
    - Whether the column can be used as a group-by column in custom reports. True for CHAR and BIGINT types, false for BOOLEAN
  - **aggOptions** `JSON Array`
    - List of aggregation functions available for this column. Varies by dataType: CHAR gets ACTUAL_VALUE, COUNT, STRING_AGG; BIGINT gets ACTUAL_VALUE, COUNT, SUM, MIN, MAX, AVG

### HTTP Code 400

Response Body — `application/json`

- `JSON Object`
  - **errorCode** `string`
    - Error code for validation failure: 400 = formula column name already exists, condition limit exceeded (max 5), criteria limit exceeded (max 30), or unknown/inaccessible column ID in criteria
  - **errorMessage** `string`
    - Human-readable message describing the specific validation failure

### HTTP Code 403

Response Body — `application/json`

- `JSON Object`
  - **errorCode** `long`
    - Forbidden error code returned when the authenticated user does not have the required uem-roles (e.g., DataEncryption_Admin or DataEncryptionRecoveryKey_Admin)
  - **errorMsg** `string`
    - Message indicating insufficient privileges to access this resource

### HTTP Code 412

Response Body — `application/json`

- `JSON Object`
  - **errorCode** `string`
    - Precondition failed error code: 412 = maximum formula column limit (100) reached across the organization
  - **errorMessage** `string`
    - Message indicating the formula column creation limit has been reached

### HTTP Code 417

Response Body — `application/json`

- `JSON Object`
  - **errorCode** `string`
    - Expectation failed error code: Custom Report V2 is not enabled
  - **errorMessage** `string`
    - Message indicating Custom Report V2 feature is not active

### HTTP Code 429

Response Body — `application/json`

- `JSON Object`
  - **errorCode** `long`
    - Rate limit error code returned when the API call threshold (configured via threshold/duration in security XML) is exceeded; client is locked out for lock-period minutes
  - **errorMsg** `string`
    - Rate limit exceeded message with retry guidance

### HTTP Code 500

Response Body — `application/json`

- `JSON Object`
  - **errorCode** `string`
    - Internal error code: unexpected failure during formula column creation (e.g., database exception)
  - **errorMessage** `string`
    - Detailed error description for the internal server error during formula column creation

## Possible Response Codes

- `200` HTTP code
- `400` HTTP code
- `403` HTTP code
- `412` HTTP code
- `417` HTTP code
- `429` HTTP code
- `500` HTTP code

## Sample Response: HTTP 200

### Newly created CHAR-type formula column with string aggregation options

```json
{
  "columnID": "1",
  "displayName": "Windows11Eligibility",
  "dataType": "CHAR",
  "groupable": true,
  "aggOptions": [
    {
      "displayValue": "Actual Value",
      "method": "ACTUAL_VALUE"
    },
    {
      "displayValue": "Count",
      "method": "COUNT"
    },
    {
      "displayValue": "String Aggregate",
      "method": "STRING_AGG"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Newly created BIGINT-type formula column with numeric aggregation options

```json
{
  "columnID": "2",
  "displayName": "ScoreCategory",
  "dataType": "BIGINT",
  "groupable": true,
  "aggOptions": [
    {
      "displayValue": "Actual Value",
      "method": "ACTUAL_VALUE"
    },
    {
      "displayValue": "Count",
      "method": "COUNT"
    },
    {
      "displayValue": "Sum",
      "method": "SUM"
    },
    {
      "displayValue": "Minimum",
      "method": "MIN"
    },
    {
      "displayValue": "Maximum",
      "method": "MAX"
    },
    {
      "displayValue": "Average",
      "method": "AVG"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Sample Response: HTTP 400

### Formula column name already exists

```json
{
  "errorMessage": "Formula column name already exists",
  "errorCode": "400"
}
```

### Number of conditions exceeds the maximum limit

```json
{
  "errorMessage": "Number of formula condition limit(5) exceeded",
  "errorCode": "400"
}
```

## Sample Response: HTTP 403

### User does not have the required role

```json
{
  "errorMessage": "User does not have the required role to access this resource",
  "errorCode": "403"
}
```

## Sample Response: HTTP 412

### Maximum formula column limit (100) reached

```json
{
  "errorMessage": "Maximum number of formula column limit(100) reached",
  "errorCode": "412"
}
```

## Sample Response: HTTP 417

### Custom Report V2 is not enabled

```json
{
  "errorMessage": "Custom Report V2 is not enabled",
  "errorCode": "417"
}
```

## Sample Response: HTTP 429

### Rate limit exceeded

```json
{
  "errorMessage": "Rate limit exceeded. Please retry after some time",
  "errorCode": "429"
}
```

## Sample Response: HTTP 500

### Unexpected failure during formula column creation

```json
{
  "errorMessage": "Internal server error while creating formula column",
  "errorCode": "500"
}
```

## Rate Limits

![](https://www.zohowebstatic.com/sites/zweb/images/people/ico-help.png)

**Duration:** 1 minute | **Threshold:** 30 | **Lock period:** 5 minutes

Duration - Time window for the threshold.  
Threshold - Number of API calls allowed within the specified duration.  
Lock Period - Wait time before consecutive API requests.