## Search documents

`POST /v1/documents/search`

Returns documents by a filter passed in the request body. Equivalent to `GET /v1/documents` with filters, but the selection conditions are passed in the request body — which is more convenient for complex selections with a large number of conditions.

## Request fields (body)

| Field | Type | Default | Description |
|------|-----|-----------|---------|
| `filter` | object | — | Selection by document fields.<br>[Filtering syntax](/docs/filtering). Example: `{ "filter": { "templateId": 53 } }` |
| `limit` | number | `50` | Number of documents in the response, up to 5000 |
| `offset` | number | `0` | Skip the specified number of documents. Together with a date-range filter wider than 14 days it is rejected — see `UNSTABLE_OFFSET_PAGINATION` in the "Errors" section |
| `sort` | object | — | Sorting: `{ "id": "desc" }`. The same fields as in `filter` are allowed |
| `select` | string[] | — | Field selection: `["id", "title", "number"]`. The response keeps only the listed fields and `id` |
| `autoWindow` | boolean | `true` | Split the result set into weekly windows when filtering by a date range wider than 14 days. `false` disables splitting |

Field names for `filter`, `sort`, and `select` come from [Document fields](/docs/entities/documents/fields).

## Examples

### curl — personal key

```bash
curl -X POST "https://vibecode.bitrix24.com/v1/documents/search" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "filter": { "templateId": 53 },
    "limit": 10,
    "sort": { "id": "desc" }
  }'
```

### curl — OAuth application

```bash
curl -X POST "https://vibecode.bitrix24.com/v1/documents/search" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_APP_KEY" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer USER_SESSION_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "filter": { "templateId": 53 },
    "limit": 10,
    "sort": { "id": "desc" }
  }'
```

### JavaScript — personal key

```javascript
const res = await fetch('https://vibecode.bitrix24.com/v1/documents/search', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'X-Api-Key': 'YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    filter: { templateId: 53 },
    limit: 10,
    sort: { id: 'desc' },
  }),
})

const { data, meta } = await res.json()
console.log('Found:', meta.total)
```

### JavaScript — OAuth application

```javascript
const res = await fetch('https://vibecode.bitrix24.com/v1/documents/search', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'X-Api-Key': 'YOUR_APP_KEY',
    'Authorization': 'Bearer USER_SESSION_TOKEN',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    filter: { templateId: 53 },
    limit: 10,
    sort: { id: 'desc' },
  }),
})

const { data, meta } = await res.json()
```

## Response fields

| Field | Type | Description |
|------|-----|---------|
| `success` | boolean | Always `true` on success |
| `data` | array | Array of documents (all fields — see [Document fields](/docs/entities/documents/fields)) |
| `meta.total` | number | Number of documents matching the filter |
| `meta.hasMore` | boolean | Whether there are documents beyond `limit` |
| `meta.durationMs` | number | Request processing time in milliseconds |
| `meta.autoWindowed` | boolean | `true` if the result set was split into time windows |
| `meta.windowCount` | number | Number of windows. Present with `autoWindowed: true` |
| `meta.batchWaves` | number | Number of waves of parallel requests. Present with `autoWindowed: true` |

## Response example

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 51,
      "title": "Supply contract 2026-001",
      "number": "2026-001",
      "templateId": 53,
      "provider": "Bitrix\\DocumentGenerator\\DataProvider\\Rest",
      "value": "ORDER-1024",
      "createTime": "2026-03-18T17:27:48+00:00",
      "updateTime": "2026-03-18T17:27:48+00:00",
      "createdBy": 503,
      "updatedBy": null,
      "values": { "DocumentNumber": "2026-001" },
      "stampsEnabled": false,
      "pdfUrl": "https://example.bitrix24.com/bitrix/services/main/ajax.php?action=documentgenerator.api.document.getpdf&id=51"
    }
  ],
  "meta": { "total": 1, "hasMore": false, "durationMs": 42 }
}
```

When no document matches the filter, `data` comes back as an empty array and `meta.total` is `0`:

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "data": [],
  "meta": { "total": 0, "hasMore": false, "durationMs": 644 }
}
```

With a date-range filter wider than 14 days, `meta` additionally returns `autoWindowed`, `windowCount`, and `batchWaves`:

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "data": [],
  "meta": {
    "total": 0,
    "hasMore": false,
    "autoWindowed": true,
    "windowCount": 339,
    "batchWaves": 7,
    "durationMs": 7890
  }
}
```

## Error response example

400 — a field in `filter` is not in the document field list:

```json
{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "UNKNOWN_FILTER_FIELD",
    "message": "Unknown filter field 'notArealField' for entity 'documents'."
  }
}
```

## Known specifics

A field name in `filter` and `sort` is validated against the document field list before the data is accessed. An unknown field in `filter` returns `400 UNKNOWN_FILTER_FIELD`, an unknown field in `sort` returns `400 UNKNOWN_SORT_FIELD`; in both cases the message lists the allowed field names.

**Time-window splitting.** A date-range filter wider than 14 days (the `createTime` or `updateTime` fields) is automatically split into weekly windows executed in parallel waves, so the result set bypasses the ceiling of 5000 documents per call. `meta` then returns `autoWindowed: true`, the number of windows `windowCount`, and the number of waves `batchWaves`. The `autoWindow: false` parameter disables splitting. While splitting is active, an `offset` greater than zero is rejected with `UNSTABLE_OFFSET_PAGINATION`.

## Errors

| HTTP | Code | Description |
|------|-----|---------|
| 400 | `UNKNOWN_FILTER_FIELD` | A field in `filter` is not in the document field list |
| 400 | `UNKNOWN_SORT_FIELD` | A field in `sort` is not in the document field list |
| 400 | `UNSTABLE_OFFSET_PAGINATION` | `offset` greater than zero together with a date-range filter wider than 14 days. Two different retrieval algorithms produce inconsistent results, so the request is rejected. Take everything in a single request with `limit` up to 5000, or pass `autoWindow: false` with sorting by `id`, or split the date range into parts yourself |
| 403 | `SCOPE_DENIED` | The key is missing the `documentgenerator` scope |
| 401 | `MISSING_API_KEY` | The `X-Api-Key` header was not provided |

Full list of common API errors — [Errors](/docs/errors).

## See also

- [List documents](/docs/entities/documents/list)
- [Filtering syntax](/docs/filtering)
- [Entity reference](/docs/entity-api)
- [Batch requests](/docs/batch)