Custom Function to Format Phone / Mobile numbers in Australian Standard format

Custom Function to Format Phone / Mobile numbers in Australian Standard format

So I got sick of phone numbers being formatted incorrectly and Zoho not doing anything to standardise phone numbers to meet E.164 formats. So I went and coded my own function to fix this.
And figured I'd share with the community

This is specifically for Australian numbers. 

The CF will take all mobile, local landline, 1800 & 1300 numbers and format them into the format we are used to in Australia.
It will also add the country code +61 to the prefix so you can call directly from the CRM.

It works with all 10 digit numbers (0400 000 000 or 03 9000 0000)
And with all 9 digit numbers (400 000 000 or 3 9000 0000)
IE works with both the starting 0 or without the starting 0 (ie 03 9000 1111 or 3 9000 1111)


The numbers will be formatted as below

All mobile numbers    0400111222 --> +61 400 111 222
                                       400111222 --> +61 400 111 222
All local numbers        0390001111 --> +61 3 9000 1111
                                       390001111 --> +61 3 9000 1111
1800 numbers            1800111222 --> +61 1800 111 222
1300 numbers            1300111222 --> +61 1300 111 222

For the local numbers it will work with all states area codes (02, 03, 07, 08)

Anything that isn't the above will be ignored and stay the way it was. IE 131122 will stay like that
As will any numbers that aren't 9 or 10 digits long. (ie +61400111222 wont be formatted with spaces)

**NB I may do a V2 to format numbers that are +61 already but not planning that for a while.

This function is specifically for the Leads module.
It is Phone/Mobile Field agnostic. In that it will take whatever value is in the Phone Field, format it return it to the Phone Field. and what ever is in the Mobile Field, format and return it to Mobile Field.

I did this specifically as we use Phone to be the contacts Primary contact number and Mobile to be their Secondary contact Number.

It should be pretty easy to adapt to Contacts Module or any other module. You only need to change line 1 & 211.


Setting up with Workflow and Triggering the Function:
This applies for CRM
  1. Go to Setup --> Automation --> Workflow Rules --> Create Rule --> Under Module, select Leads --> Give a Rule name and Description (ie Format Phone Numbers Australia) --> Next
  2. When = Select "On a Record action" --> "Create or Edit" --> Next
  3. Condition = In Conditions, choose "All Leads" --> Next.
  4. Instant Actions --> Function --> New Function --> Write your own --> Add a Function name (ie Format_Phone_Numbers_Au), Display Name (ie Format Phone Numbers Australia), Description --> Create
  5. Copy paste the code from below and proceed to save the code.
  6. "Edit the Arguments" --> Key is id, in Param Value type # and choose your fields (ie Leads and Lead Id) the end result should read id = Leads - Lead Id --> Save
  7. Save the Function 
  8. Save the Workflow.


NOTE: there is probably a better more efficient way of achieving this.
So if anyone know a better way to code the above I'd love to hear.

EDIT: I had to upload the code separately due to restrictions in the post lengths.

EDIT 2: now updated to work with brackets (03) 9000 1111 and hyphens 0400-000-000

EDIT 3: updated to work with the country code already added but no + ie 61400111222  


The number formatting will work with the following

All mobile numbers    --> +61 400 111 222
  1. 0400 111 222
  2. 400111222
  3. 0400-111-222
  4. 61400111222
All local numbers  --> +61 3 9000 1111
(works with 02, 03, 07, 08) 
  1. 0390001111                  
  2. 390001111
  3. (03) 9000 1111
  4. (03) 9000-1111
1800 numbers  --> +61 1800 111 222
  1. 1800111222
  2. 1800 111 222
1300 numbers  --> +61 1300 111 222
  1. 1300111222 
  2. 1300 111 222 
​
​
EDIT: May 2025

Theres been some requests about cleaning up existing phone numbers for leads/contacts.

To do this there are a few steps to do.

Step 1 - create a new Custom Function called "Format Phone Numbers Au - mass update"
(or what ever you want to name it)

Use the same code as the single run fuction and add a recurring "loop" section to the start of the code, and a small closing at the end.
The way I have it setup is to use the following opening code before Line 1. 
Line 6 of the below code replaces Line 1 in the full code.

  1. string button.Format_Phone_Numbers_Au_mass_update(String leadIDs)
  2. {
  3. idList = leadIDs.toList("|||");
  4. for each  rec in idList
  5. {
  6. a = zoho.crm.getRecordById("Leads",rec);

Then to close the function replace the final Map (line 208-213) with the following

  1. }
  2. mp = Map();
  3. mp.put("Phone",nph);
  4. mp.put("Mobile",nmob);
  5. update = zoho.crm.updateRecord("Leads",rec,mp);
  6. info mp;
  7. info update;
  8. }
  9. return "Success";
  10. }

This new function will take your selected list of Leads and then "for each Record in the idList will run the function"

Step 2 - Create a Mass Update Button in the List view of the Leads/Contacts Module

Go to Settings > Customizations > Modules and Fields > [Module Tab} > Leads
Then go the the Buttons tab > Create New Botton

Button Name: Phone Numbers Mass Update
Define action: Function
Select Page: In List
Select Position: Mass Action Menu  (preview to see where the botton will be placed)
Configured Function: Select the function you created in the above step

Doing the above will create a new botton in the main list view for the Module. 
To use the button you need to select the entries you want to run the function then click the button.

Step 3 - Create a custom View for your Leads/Contacts so that you have less than 1000 

Zoho CRM Limits mass update functions to run for max of 1000 entries at a time. So if you have 10,000's leads you need to figure out how to narrow your view down to less than 1000 entries.

One way is to create a View with specific criteria like 
Email starts with A - this will show all leads with email address beginning with A
If this is still more than 1000 then figure out how to reduce it further to less than 1000

Step 4 - Select all records
Select the check box of the view at the top of the Column. This will select all records in the current window.
Windows are limted to 100 records, so you need to select all 1000 
You will then see a Blue text option to "Select All records in this view". Click this and all records will be selected.
If you have more than 1000 records in the view you wont be able to do the following step so make sure you've limited the view.

Step 5 - click the Mass Update button

Click the Mass Update Button you created above in Step 2. This will run the fuction for all the entries.
It'll take some time and entries will be added to the execution que. If you are interested you can check the api usage to make sure you keep your usage under the daily limit.

Step 6 - Figure out how to vary your list View for the next batch

Rinse and repeat Step 3-5. 
Figure out how to change the View so you see the next 1000 batch but exclude the ones you have already done.

Step 7 - Finish

Make sure you remove the Button you created in Step 2, otherwise someone will definitily run it in future when you dont want them to.


    • Recent Topics

    • Require ticket resolution

      Hi Zoho team, Is there a way to require resolution even if an agent did not use a blueprint? for example, our blueprint has a "resolve" transition but what if agent revoked blueprint and manually set the status of ticket to closed? Is there a way where

    • Tables from ZohoSheets remove images when updated from source

      I have a few tables from a ZohoSheet in a ZohoWriter document that will remove the images in the cells when I refresh from the source. The source still has the images in the table when I go to refresh. After updating from the source, as you can see the

    • API Pagination Error: 'from' Parameter Limit

      Hello, I am encountering an error while paging through the Zoho Desk API results: Status code: 422 - {"errorCode":"UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY","message":"The value passed for field 'from' exceeds the range of '0-4999'."} Is 5000 the maximum number of records

    • How to go to the next open ticket in the queue when agents closes ticket

      Zoho Desk When agent closes a ticket - eg when they choose 'Send and Close" - where is the setting that automatically redirects them to the next open ticket in the queue?

    • CRM verify details pop-up

      Was there a UI change recently that involves the Verify Details pop-up when changing the Stage of a Deal to certain things? I can't for the life of me find a workflow or function, blueprint, validation rule, layout rule ect that would randomly make it

    • Custom templates for calendar report

      What about being able to design custom templates for the calendar report, as well as for other types of reports? I think more users are waiting for this.

    • Print a price list or price book

      Hi Community. Am I right in concluding that Zoho has no functionality to print a price list from either Zoho CRM, Zoho Inventory or Zoho Books? I won't get stuck on the fact that Zoho doesn't sync price books between Zoho CRM and Books/Inventory (more

    • Disable payment thank-you emails

      Hello, can someone please tell me how to disable sending of the "Payment Thank-You" emails? 

    • Maximum tags possible in Contacts Records

      I read in some documentation that Zoho allows a total of 200 tags across all records. Is this correct? So is it not possible to have one tag per record for 500 records?

    • Any way to "Pay with Check" or "Refund with Check" for Credit Notes?

      When we have a Bill in Zoho Books, we can select the "Pay with Check" option which then allows us to print/cut the check directly out of Zoho Books. When we created a Credit Note and want to refund the customer, is there any way to Refund with Check,

    • CRM Mobile reports

      When our engineers finish a job they like to email the customer a job report. This is best done todate as an email template but we can find no way to include an image field from that module. Is there any other options?

    • When Zoho Tables Beta will be open to EU data center

      Hello all, We in EU are looking at you all using and testing and are getting jealous :) When we will be able to get into the beta also? We don't mind testing and playing with beta software. Thank you!

    • Start Form on a different page (i.e., hide form pages)?

      I have a Zoho form that uses the `Field Alias - Prefill URL` feature. My goal is to have a pre-filled field that directs the user to a specific starting page in the form. For example: The URL will have a field alias that will auto-populate a field with

    • How can we disable "My Requests"?

      We are not using this functionality in our system at all and our users get confused.

    • PayPal payment received recording problem

      Hi, A little while back one of our customers used the PayPal payment option to pay an invoice For some reason though the payment is showing up twice within the Payments section of the invoice! Instead of setting the invoice value to ZERO, it now shows a negative value Anyone else face this problem? I've checked PayPal and there is only 1 payment in reality... A bug? Actonia ps: for anyone from Zoho Customer Service or tech team,  its Invoice 785 in our account

    • string(87) "{"code":"INVALID_TOKEN","details":{},"message":"invalid oauth token","status":"error"} " grtting this error

      Using access token i am trying to add sales orders through api but it is throwing errors like the above i have mentioned. Please help me for that

    • How to mute chat notification sound by default in Zoho SalesIQ?

      We’ve recently embedded the Zoho SalesIQ chatbot on our website, and we’ve noticed that notification sounds sometimes play even when the visitor hasn’t interacted with the chat widget yet. We’re trying to understand two things: Why do these sounds occur

    • Kanban View for Projects.

      At our organization, we describe active projects with various statuses like "In Proofing" or "Printing" or "Mailing". In the Projects view, one can set these project statuses by selecting from the appropriate drop-down. While this works, it's difficult to view and comprehend the progress of all of your projects relative to each other in a table. Creating a Kanban view for projects where I can move them from one status to another allows me to see where each project is in the order of our workflow.

    • How to Hide Article Links in SalesIQ Answer Bot Responses

      I have published an article in SalesIQ, and the Answer Bot is fetching the data and responding correctly. However, it is also displaying the article link, which I don’t want. How can I remove the link so that only the message is shown?

    • Add RECURRING option when adding email to calendar events

      When you add an email to a calendar event, there is no option to make that new calendar event into a recurring event.  It is counterproductive to make an event from your email to then have to go to your calendar, find the event, and make it recurring. 

    • LINE Auto Message Connect to Zoho

      When I integrated LINE into the CRM, I was prompted to disable “Chat,” “Auto Response,” and “Greeting Messages,” and to enable the webhook. However, since I have already set up some auto-reply features in LINE, including Rich Messages and greeting automation,

    • Option to block bookings from specific email address or ip adresss in zoho booking

      Sometime few of our client keep booking irrelevant booking service just to resolve their queries and they keep booking it again and again whenever they have queries. Currently its disturbing our current communication process and hierarchy which we have

    • Threaded conversations for emails sent via automation

      Hi Guys, I hope you are doing well. Don't you guys think we should have an option in a workflow to notify users either as a new email or the previous email thread. For example, if you have one deal in the process and there are 10 different stages during

    • Create folder is fetch fails

      coming from zapier... zapier has a google drive task that searches for a specific folder in google drive, and if it fails to find the folder it will create a folder based on the search criteria, and contine along the singluar path of the flow. Trying

    • Meetups de Usuarios de Zoho - Noviembre 2025

      ¡Hola, Comunidad! Durante el mes de noviembre celebraremos los Meetups de usuarios de Zoho, encuentros presenciales pensados para quienes queráis mejorar vuestras estrategias de lead nurturing y aprender a sacar el máximo partido a herramientas como Zoho

    • Introducing 7 New Connectors in Zoho DataPrep!

      We’ve just made data management even easier - Zoho DataPrep now supports 7 new external connectors to help you build more robust, scalable ETL pipelines. Why it matters: ✅ Broader data access ✅ More automation, less manual work ✅ Smarter pipelines, better

    • Sales Order, Invoice and Payment numbers

      Hi zoho friends, it is me again, the slow learner. I'm wondering if there is a way to have it so the Sales order, invoice and payment numbers are all the same? It would be easier for me if they were the same number so there is not so many reference numbers

    • First day of trying FSM in the field.

      What we found. 1. with out a network connection we were unable to start a service call? 2. if you go to an appointment and then want to add an asset it does not seem possible. 3. disappointed not to be able to actually take a payment from within the app

    • Zoho Desk app update: AI powered features

      Hello everyone! We’ve introduced various AI-powered services on the Zoho Desk app. Let's take a look at what's new. Generate Content: Generate Content uses AI to formulate responses based on the your query and provides a ready-to-use reply which can be

    • How to Automate Email Sequence

      I'm having trouble trying to set up a workflow to automate an email sequence. Once a group of emails in a Task has been tagged by a certain tag, I want an instant email template to be sent. After 7 days with no response, another email template would be

    • Turning off the new UI

      Tried the new 'enhanced' UI and actively dislike it. Anyone know how to revert back?

    • Zoho Sprints Android v2.0.4 app update: Item reminders, archive Epics, Kanban projects, Epic progress

      Hello everyone! In the latest version(v2.0.4) of the Zoho Sprints Android app update, we have introduced various new features. Let's take a look at what's new! Item Reminder Stay organized and never miss an important date with the all-new Item Reminder

    • Credit Management: #3 Setting Credit Limit for Customers

      Think about that one familiar customer of yours who always buys on credit. They usually pay on time, maybe a little late here and there, but not alarming. So, you are fine saying, "Sure, pay later." Then, one day, they place a significantly bigger order

    • Adding Reports to Portals

      Is there a way to add Reports to portals so only the user can see report templates relevant to them?

    • Update on the client portal URL for Guest users

      We’re updating the way Guest users access their Connect network. As part of this change, all client organization portals used by Guest users will now be accessible through a dedicated domain specific to each data center. The access URLs mentioned here

    • Preserve Ticket Issue Mapping When Migrating from Jira to Zoho Projects

      Hello Zoho Projects Team, We hope you are doing well. We are currently exploring a full migration from Jira to Zoho Projects, and we identified a critical limitation during the migration process involving Zoho Desk integration. Current Situation: We use

    • Enhancements to Zoho Map integration tasks

      Hello everyone, We're excited to announce enhancements to the Zoho Map integration tasks in Deluge, which will boost its performance. This post will walk you through the upcoming changes, explain why we're making them, and detail the steps you need to

    • Unable to see Zoho contacts in Zoho app on ios

      Hi Support Team, I am a new user, I have created my account and installed zohomail app on iOS 16 which works. I was also able to import my Gmail contacts into Zoho Contacts, which I can see. The problem is that I can’t see these imported cobalts in Zohomail

    • Task Due Date greater than 10 years.

      We use recurring tasks in Projects where every week, month, year etc Some of our projects are greater than 10 years and we are unable to set a new due date because the difference between start date and due date is greater than 10 years. As an example

    • External User onboarding for zoho connect is not really intuitive.

      So the external user is sent an invite, which has a button that directs them to login to zoho to view the invite, but if they don't have a zoho account, they cannot access that invite, which seems kinda silly, as there is not real way on for them to create

    • Next Page