I
n our earlier posts, we covered how to create, test,
and publish an extension f
or Zoho Finance suite applications. Moving forward, we'll look specifically at instances relating to one of the products from the Zoho Finance suite: Zoho Books.In this post, we'll explore the key features listed below that are available in the Zoho Books extension developer portal.
- Automation and customization
- Seamless integration
- Widgets
- Event-based data transfer and notifications
- Extension configuration
Automation and customization
These are defined sets of rules that automatically execute operations and customize standards for tailoring modules and fields.
Achieving it in Zoho Books
The Zoho Books extension developer portal provides a variety of automation features, including workflows (rules, actions, and triggers), custom actions, and schedules. There are also customization features, like creating custom modules and fields, adding buttons, and including related lists for both standard and custom modules.
Example use case
Automate emails to customers in various organizations based on their accounts receivable (A/R), so that different emails are sent indicating different actions that will be taken against them based on the total value of credit payments they owe.
By using an extension, you can easily add a new custom field for accounts receivable and specify workflow rules to send an email based on the value.
Widgets
A widget is a user interface that displays data to the end-user in order to facilitate their understanding or collects input data from them in order to perform additional operations.
Achieving it in Zoho Books
The developer portal's widget feature helps create a user interface or run a client-side script. You can easily design and develop user interfaces with any web development framework; these widgets could gather user input, if required, and, based on those inputs, perform logical operations.
Example use case
Issue a mortgage lien release (certificate of release) to a borrower who has paid off their mortgage completely. This certificate indicates that the lien on the borrower's property has been released and they have regained title ownership. In this situation, a customized widget can be developed to collect personalized inputs, such as the issuing bank's (lender's) information and a customized message to be sent to the borrower, before sending the certificate out.
Seamless integration
A seamless integration or tightly coupled integration to establishes a connection between applications for data transfer and synchronization.
Achieving it in Zoho Books
The Connections feature in the Zoho Books extension developer portal can be used to achieve seamless integrations.
You can establish connections between Zoho Books and other apps by:
➤ Using the default, ready-to-use connections offered in the Zoho Books extension developer portal
➤ Creating customized connections for the applications you want to integrate with Zoho Books
Example use case
You can sync data between Zoho Books and Shopify, running your business more efficiently by completing activities from a single app and reducing manual data entry.
This data sync can be achieved by establishing a connection between these apps using the Connections feature. This enables seamless collaboration between sales and finance operations; sales contacts can be added as Zoho Books customers, and invoices issued in Zoho Books can be instantly logged and synced in Shopify.
Event-based data transfer and notifications
These are real-time notifications or actions that are triggered and executed in response to the occurrence of a real-time event.
Achieving it in Zoho Books
Webhooks and signals on the developer portal facilitate real-time data updates and notifications in Zoho Books.
The webhooks feature enhances the connection between two applications. It allows you to capture the occurrence of an event and collect and post the real-time data as an update to another application.
The Zoho Books extension developer portal provides support for both incoming and outgoing webhooks, allowing real-time data updates to Zoho Books from another application and vice versa.
The signals feature allows you to receive real-time notifications.
Example use case
A finance meeting is planned and organized using an event management app, and future potential clients are gathered from the meeting. If the follow-up is successful and a client would like an event organized, it's scheduled for them.
In this case, webhooks capture the occurrence of the event being created, collect the event-related data, update it in Zoho Books, and generate an invoice for the event. Signals can be used to display real-time notifications when new customers are added to Zoho Books.
Extension configuration
Manage extension configuration by allowing users to provide their preferences or user-specific data and perform actions when extensions are installed or uninstalled.
Achieving it in Zoho Books
Global fields and installation actions help achieve extension setup and execute installation-related scripts.
- You can either create global fields to collect input from users or design widgets (with global fields, if necessary), allowing users to provide inputs and choices to configure and use the extension.
- Perform custom actions during the extension's installation and uninstallation.
Example use case
You can sync and manage Zoho Books projects with Trello, a project management platform, to create customized task views and visually manage tasks.
This is easy to accomplish with global fields and installation actions. Since Trello requires an API key to establish a safe connection with another app, we can add a global field for it in Zoho Books. After installing the extension, users can provide their user-specific API key to establish a secure connection between the apps. Then, an install action script can be created to transfer records.
In this post, we've covered an overview of the features available while developing a Zoho Books extension and how they might be useful. We'll explore each of these features in detail in upcoming posts. We hope you found this information helpful. Keep following us for more posts!
SEE MORE
Recent Topics
Live webinar: Transform data into impactful visuals with Zoho Show
Data is frequently a core part of a presentation, whether it’s a sales pitch, project update, research report, or performance review. But when it’s just numbers on a page, the message you’re trying to convey can get buried. The real magic happens when
Zoho Projects - Q2 Updates | 2025
Hello Users, With this year's second quarter behind us, Zoho Projects is marching towards expanding its usability with a user-centered, more collaborative, customizable, and automated attribute. But before we chart out plans for what’s next, it’s worth
File attachments not working - web version
Since Notebook announced better file attachments, I have experienced file attachments failing. When uploaded from my pc to the web version, notebook just spins. Acting like the attachment is very large. When it's 30k. If I cancel out of this, the notecard
API - Barebones Data for Send Doc For Signiture
I am learning how to use with Zoho Sign API. I am wondering if someone can give me a bare bones JSON data sample for "Send Document For Signature". Below is the blank data that is pre-populated in postman. Seems like there is more here than the bare minimum
Revenue Management: #2 How to compute revenue?
In our previous post, we discussed the revenue recognition standards under IFRS 15 and ASC 606 and the five-step model. Now, let's examine three distinct business scenarios to see how the standards and model work in practice. This will help you understand
External lookup in CRM (as in Books)
Hello Context: We have a CRM module, similar to Deals, but for Purchasing. Once the PO is created, a link to this PO should be updated in that "deal". In Books, you can add a custom 'external' field which can look up into CRM modules. I'm asked to have
"Undo Send" Feature
Would love it if TeamInbox had an "Undo Send" feature, that gives you 10 seconds or so to "undo" the sending of an email. Many other email clients already have this feature, and my clients really miss it, as it has saved them many times in the past when
Better Notes Commenting
Hi, I'd like to suggest better collaboration tools for NOTES. The current notes section for Accounts, Contacts and Deals is not ideally suitable for any degree of communication or collaboration. When responding to a note, there is no ability to leave
Zoho Sites
Does anyone have experience building Zoho sites or know how I can find someone who does?
Zoho Crm Lagging
Hi Zoho Support Team, Starting from today, my Zoho CRM has been extremely slow and laggy when accessing any pages or modules. This is affecting my work and overall productivity. Could you please help to check if there are any ongoing issues or if there’s
Is there a way to reference/attach mails to deals/contacts when the mails haven't come through their contacts normal email and the mail comes through software / app who use their mail system
There are often system mails that come through systems or other software which use their email addresses since they use their own mail servers to mail. This causes an issue as it does not record the mail in the history of the CRM since the email is not
Recommendation
I give up on Zoho. It's never going to be an all in one solution, their own apps don't even connect. Can any one recommend an alternative at least for the crm / people.
CRM - Site/Location
Hi Zoho, One massive oversight of the Zoho CRM is the inability to add multiple sites or locations to one account. Many organisations have several (in some cases, hundreds) of sites across the country or even the globe. The workaround to this, of course,
An unknown error occurred. Please contact support
Whenever I visit this page I see this. I changed browser and still the same. Can someone from Zoho help me please?
How to Streamline Pick & Ship
Is there a way to streamline the built-in pick and ship process? I guess mostly on the ship side. Our current process allows us to choose shipping super fast. It's an EasyPost plugin for WooCommerce. You have to populate the boxes / weights / shipping
How to add, delete or rename the "payment method" drop down?
When we recorded payment in invoice, there's a "payment method" drop down with choices like cash, bank transfer... We want to add and delete or rename some new selection. How to do such adjustment? Please advice.
Smarter data gathering with Query component in Wizards
Dear All, Introducing the Query Component in Wizards for CRM! A smart search field that saves you time and effort, and helps you manage and gather data more efficiently than ever before. Long and complex record entries can be overwhelming and prone to
Introducing teamspaces and team modules in Zoho CRM mobile app
Hello everyone, We have an exciting update to share in the Zoho CRM mobile app. As part of CRM For Everyone—a new set of features that reflect our vision to democratize CRM and make it accessible for all—teamspaces and team modules are now available on
Client Script - change page and/or section background colours
Hello, Would anyone be willing to help me with a bit of Client Scripting code? I have had a go myself but only been able to alter the form field styles, not the overall page/section/heading styles. I want to set a different page background colour for
Client Script | Update - Introducing Subform Events and Actions
Are you making the most of your subforms in Zoho CRM? Do you wish you could automate subform interactions and enhance user experience effortlessly? What if you had Client APIs and events specifically designed for subforms? We are thrilled to introduce
Zoho SalesIQのチャットボット、ブロックのコピー機能
Zoho SalesIQのチャットボットの構築でドラッグアンドドロップで作成を行っているます。 内容は同じブロックのコピーペースト機能がないみたいなのですが、同一のブロック、同一の複数のブロックをいくつも作成する場合は、皆様はどのように行われていますか? 例えば添付の4つのブロックをまとめてコピーして、別のフローの先につなげる場合です。 教えていただけますと幸いです。よろしくお願いいたします。
Questions About Zoho Commerce Member Portal
Hello, A couple questions about the Zoho Commerce Member Portal: 1. Can I add only specific pages be added to the Members Portal, and not the entire website? 2. When a customer signs up on my Zoho Commerce site, is there a setting that gives me a chance
Cancel and refund
Hi, Yesterday I paid for the Zoho email subscription. Within a few minutes, I realized that the subscription counts one email ID as one user. To make another email ID for the same domain name, I'd have to pay for another user. I emailed right away to
Online Payment Fees
We don't take many online credit card payments so the merchant service provider (PayPal) charges us the 2.9% fee for processing the amount. I would like the ability for the fee to be automatically added to the total amount for "ease of payment". We'd
Error occured. please try again!!!
I created a new list. Added two new contact's email addresses. I try to EDIT either one of them to add their first name, last name and phone number. Whatever I try to edit and update, I get the error message Error occured. please try again!!! And it doesn't update any of their info. I tried just editing first and last name. Still get the error. No matter what I try to update, I get the error. I tried creating a new list, and adding just one email address and then edit it and also get the error.
"Send email as" not work
Hi team, I currently use ZOHO MAIL services on the MAKE platform (formerly INTEGROMAT). In MAKE I entered my ZOHO MAIL credentials but the problem is that when the emails are sent from the automation in MAKE, the emails do not come in with the name set
*UPDATE: ISSUE RESOLVED, SEE HOW FOR HELP* Issue imbedding Youtube Videos
**UPDATE: RESOLVED** For anyone that is having a similar issue, try this workaround before attempting to have the Zoho techs fix it. I have been in communication with them for weeks about this and they can't seem to fix the issue. Thinking it may have just been my computer or my browser, I tried two different computers on two different networks, each running different versions of Windows, and tried it on Chrome, Firefox and IE; nothing worked. So, needless to say, it's an issue with Zoho somewhere.
Backorder For Composite Items
Hello If i released SO for composite item and use backorder feature of zoho inventory then it should backorder child item items of composite and not composite item.This is basic of backordering.I conveyed this to zoho call center but no solution yet.
Paid Support
We are in the process of creating tiers for our support offerings. There will be three tiers of support available - 2 paid and 1 free. The paid tiers will be purchased in allotted hours. I need to figure out how to a) work in the out of the box SLA, Contracts
Where is the desktop app for Zoho Projects???
As a project manager, I need a desktop app for the projects I manage. Yes, there's the web app, which is AWESOME for cross browser and platform compatibility... but I need a real desktop app for Projects that allow me to enter offline information where
Automatically CC supervisor
Hello, in our organization agents are replying to tickets and they are required to CC their supervisor on all emails to and from customers. is there a way to have an email address automatically populate in the CC field when reply to a ticket? tha
Zoho One - White Label
Releasing a white-label feature for Zoho One, or any software or service, can offer several advantages and benefits for both the company providing the software (Zoho in this case) and its users. Here are some key reasons for releasing a white-label feature
Are this Features included in the Road Map
1. Sync between description/short description in Zoho Books/Inventory and Zoho Commerce: I am unsure how it works now. I belive the description is not pulled. 2. Pick Up: This feature is great. It is added on Zoho Commerce but not on Books/Inventory which
Reconciliation - Show Transactions After End Date
I did a quick search, and I've only seen this brought up indirectly. In the reconciliation interface, transactions dated up to a week after the end date should be available for being reconciled. The use case is pretty simple... many times, transactions
Auto populate email field in zoho form
Hi, Is there a way the email field in zoho forms can be auto populated based on the name selected from a drop down list?
Option to accept and pay for estimate from Public Estimate link?
Is there any way that our customers can get the Estimate in their email, click on "View Estimate" and from the public link, click Accept and Pay? When they click that, in the background Zoho would create the invoice record in the so that the payment would
Kaizen #125 Manipulating Multi-Select Lookup fields (MxN) using Zoho CRM APIs
Hello everyone! Welcome back to another week of Kaizen. In last week's post in the Kaizen series, we discussed how subforms work in Zoho CRM and how to manipulate subform data using Zoho CRM APIs. In this post, we will discuss how to manipulate a multi-select
Easily track referrals with Zoho Forms
Referral tracking can be a powerful way for businesses to understand where their leads are coming from. With Zoho Forms, tracking the referral sources of your leads is an easy and straightforward process. Here are some tips to help you make the most of
Add an email to an existing ticket is not working
I noticed that in Zoho Desk the funcionality to add an email to an existing ticket is not working using the syntax [##12345##], has the method changed? In red is the syntax we use to add email to an existing ticket As you can see, he did not add the email
New CRM to Campaigns Sync Doesn't Continue Making Updates
Changes made in CRM are not appearing in mapped fields in matching Campaign records after migrating to the new sync process. The only way we've found to get records to update is to call into Support and point out the problem. After convincing Support
Next Page