Enhancements to formula field in Zoho CRM

Enhancements to formula field in Zoho CRM

Dear Customers,

We hope you're well!

By their nature, modern businesses rely every day on computations, whether it's to calculate the price of a product, assess ROI, evaluate the lifetime value of a customer, or even determine the age of a record.
With Zoho CRM, you can include such calculations within records using the formula field. Today, we're introducing some new enhancements that aim to improve the accuracy and usability of formulas in your business processes.


Let's look at them!

Enhancement 1: Auto-refresh time-based formulas to view real-time values.

Businesses rely on time-based computations to conduct various analyses. Some computations measure time like a stopwatch. For example:
  • To ascertain the possibility a customer might churn, you would compute the age of their deals.
  • To validate an applicant's eligibility for an insurance policy, you would calculate the age of the applicant as of the current date.

The above examples are ongoing calculations that show the age of the record or of the customers. For these types of computations, you might expect that the formula is constantly ticking and rendering an accurate time measurement whenever you view the record. However, formula fields in fact compute and render the latest result only when the record is edited manually or updated via automation. By simply viewing a record, an agent may not be seeing accurate results. This enhancement addresses this.
Though formulas that provide the latest values include a "now" function in their syntax, computing all of these formulas continually and concurrently across all records poses a significant technical constraint. To address this constraint, we've introduced a checkbox to the formula field property labeled, Automatically refresh formula fields containing the Now function in real time.

If checked, the auto-refresh checkbox makes the relevant formula run every time the user visits or edits the record. This means users will always see the correct time measurements.

Info
Limitation:
  • You can apply the auto-refresh only for two fields with the Now function per module.
  • Formulas with date/ date time return types cannot be used in workflows that are based on date/time -based triggers.
  • Fields enabled with auto-refresh will have updated values every time you view them. But, this doesn't qualify for record edit. If you have automations based on edit of a record, this record will not be used unless the record is really "edited".
  • Also, creating custom views and filters using these fields cannot be done.

Enhancement 2: Stop formula executions based on criteria

In contrast to the case above—where you'd expect the formula to run constantly—there are scenarios wherein you may want to stop a computation from executing. Let's say a customer has churned, and you want to calculate the time it took them to churn. In that case, you might want the formula to stop computing under certain conditions.

Accordingly, you can use this new function to:
  • Calculate the number of days the deal was under negotiation
  • Calculate the number of days spent in trial before conversion
  • Calculate the number of days taken to ship a product
You may want to stop ongoing computations whenever there are events acting upon a given record. By doing so, you can determine the amount of time the record spent in a particular stage.

Previously, there hasn't been any functionality in Zoho CRM that effectively stops a formula from computing. Even when a cutoff date has passed, formulas continued to compute durations. With this enhancement, you can stop computations or freeze values based on specific criteria.

With these two enhancements, you can choose how you want your time-based formulas to be computed—to keep them running or to stop at a given time.

Info
Limitation:
A formula field that has auto-refresh and stop criteria enabled, then those fields cannot have multiline fields, picklists, and lookup fields as participating fields.

Enhancement 3: Include an existing formula as part of another formula's component

A formula is only as powerful as its components. Zoho CRM enables you to construct various complex formulas, but one missing piece has been the inability to include an existing formula field to construct a new one.

Thus far, you could do this by building a long and linear syntax.

For example, let's say you want to determine the discounted value and overall discount percentage for your finalized quotes. Firstly, to determine the discount value, you'd write a formula.

Next, to find the discount percentage, you'd write another formula that looks something like this:

As you can see, the structure of the formula involves an existing computation. In Zoho CRM, to achieve this, you'd first formulate the discount value, and then—to find the percentage—you have to repeat the discount formula to get the percentage.

For a simple formula like this, the syntax is fairly easy to understand. But imagine calculating commissions, which would involve several smaller formulas—in which case, you have to repeat the entire formula structure even if you already have them computed in your record layout.

This is complex, redundant, and time-consuming—problems that this latest enhancement addresses.

A formula field looks like any other field in Zoho CRM. Thus, in addition to the list of fields available under the fields part of the formula configuration, all the existing formula fields will also be listed. Admins can construct new formulas using the existing formulas without having to repeat syntax.

That's all for the updates. If you have any feedback or questions, please drop them in the comments section. Let's connect!

QuoteRelease plan: These enhancements are lined up for release DC by DC, gradually. We will keep you posted on the comments accordingly.

Thanks and have a good one!
Kind regards,
Saranya Balasubramanian

    • Recent Topics

    • Lead Blueprint transition in custom list view

      Hi, Is It possible to insert the Blueprint transition label in a custom Canvas list view? I am using Lead module. I see the status, but it would be great if our users could execute the Blueprint right from the list view without having to enter the detailed

    • Range names in Zoho Sheet are BROKEN!

      Hi - you've pushed an update that has broken range names. A previously working spreadsheet now returns errors because the range names are not updating the values correctly. I've shared a video with the support desk to illustrate the problem. This spreadsheet

    • Has anyone integrated SMS well for Zoho Desk?

      Our company does property management and needs to be able to handle inbound sms messages which create a ticket for Zoho Desk. We then need to be able to reply back from Zoho desk which sends the user an sms message. This seems like a fairly common thing

    • populate email address and name in zoho desk?

      Is it possible to populate the email address and name in the zoho desk widget? We only use it in the context of an authenticated user, so we already know the user's name and email. Thanks,

    • Are there default/pre-built dashboards in Zoho Desk?

      Hi, I am looking for some pre-built dashboard templates in Zoho Desk, similar to what we can find in CRM/Projects, etc Thank you

    • SAP S/4 HANA to CRM Integration - change the SAP Client ID

      Hi I am trying to push the business partners from SAP S/4 HANA to ZOHO CRM module. The SAP Client ID is 421 in my case....kindly let me know how do I specify the sap client because it's a dropdown with specific values as of now. Thanks Ravi Aswani

    • Enable Locations for Expense

      Hi, please enable Locations (ex Branches) for Zoho Expense so that there is consistency between this app and Zoho Books. Thanks in advance.

    • Adding branded signature to tickets reply

      Hi, i am unable to figure out how to add signatures with logo to tickets reply. please advice .

    • Zoho Marketing Automation 2.0 - Landing Page function not working

      Dear Zoho Team, I am working on implementing Zoho Marketing Automation 2.0, and am now looking into the section "Lead Generation". If I open the "Landing Pages" section, I immediately get an Error code: Error: internal error occurred. Can you help me

    • Zoho Mail Android app update: Manage folders

      Hello everyone! In the latest version(v2.9) of the Zoho Mail Android app update, we have brought in support for an option to manage folders. You can now create, edit, and delete folders from within the mobile app. You can also manage folders for the POP

    • How to share ticket numbers across different ticket types

      I'm running an event and have three different ticket types. Add on Event + Main Event - Early bird Main Event only - Early bird Add on Event only - Early bird And Standard class - shown but not available until early bird finishes Add on Event + Main Event

    • Adding Social Media Buttons to Basic Campaigns

      Hi, I'm quote new to using Zoho Campaigns and I can't work out how to add Social Media Buttons into my basic campaign? In MailChimp there's a button that brings the icons into your campaign for you. I've tried adding the social media icons as 'buttons' in Zoho but it's not looking great. Can anyone help? Thanks!

    • Hide Inactive Social Sign-In Providers from Login Screen

      Hello Zoho Team, We hope you are doing well. Currently, Zoho One allows admins to configure security policies and enable or disable Social Sign-In options for third-party providers such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Yahoo, Twitter, Facebook,

    • [Free Webinar] AI Agents in Zoho Creator - Creator Tech Connect

      Hello Everyone! We welcome you all to the upcoming free webinar on the Creator Tech Connect Series. The Creator Tech Connect series is a free monthly webinar that runs for around 45 minutes. It comprises technical sessions in which we delve deep into

    • Download All Attached Files

      It would be extremely useful to have "download-all" functionality for downloading files attached to a task, subtask, comment, forum post or hosted in the "Documents" section etc. We've instructed our users to zip multiple files prior to uploading, but of course they forget all the time. Having to download lots of files one-at-a-time off a comment or task wastes a lot of time.

    • unable to send message reason 554 5.1.8 Email outgoing blocked

      unable to send message reason 554 5.1.8 Email outgoing blocked

    • Ship via Carrier Not Working Since Commerce Update

      Since the recent update to the Commerce platform, I can no longer use the ship via carrier function. It will take me to the address screen and let me verify them but when I go to save and move tot he next screen it will not do anything. This is happening

    • automations: Can I execute a step on a specific date?

      I have created a form in Zoho forms, and created a contacts list. I have also begun setting up an automation with the intention of sending the form to the contact list on a specific date every month (via email) for the entire year (essentially sending

    • Zoho Expense - The ability to add detail to a Trip during booking

      As an admin, I would like the ability to add more detail to the approved Trips. At present a requestor can add flights, accommodation details and suggest their preferences. It would be great if the exact details of the trip could be added either by the

    • Adding Folders in Android App

      Is it possible to create a new email folder within the Zoho Mail Android app?  Or can this only be done from the desktop version of Zoho Mail? Cheers!

    • Schedule Exports for Regular Project Updates

      Tracking project data often means exporting data at regular intervals. Instead of manually exporting data every time, users can schedule exports for Phases, Tasks, and Tasks in Zoho Projects. These exports can be set to run once, daily, weekly, or monthly

    • Question about custom fields using Pivot Tables.

      I have created a pivot table showing annual revenue of a client and how much payment that client is paying my company. Is there a way using pivot table to add an additional field that subtracts those to fields / shows me a percentage of that difference?

    • Request for Light/Dark Mode

      Would love the ability to switch between Light and Dark mode similar to Zoho CRM. https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/community/topic/introducing-dark-mode-light-mode-a-new-look-for-your-crm

    • Signature field is showing black

      Hello, When customer signed the service form, it is showing as below picture Phone model: iPhone 16 Pro We tried delete and install application, but it not solved. This has on phone of a few person. There is any advice to solve this?

    • Journey Email - Ignored Contacts

      I have a journey setup which simply sends a string of emails over time. For some reason I am getting large amounts of the contacts who enter the first email being ignored and I can't find anywhere in reports or audit logs why these contacts are not

    • Involved account types are not applicable when create journals

      { "journal_date": "2016-01-31", "reference_number": "20160131", "notes": "SimplePay Payroll", "line_items": [{ "account_id": "538624000000035003", "description": "Net Pay", "amount": 26690.09, "debit_or_credit": "credit" }, { "account_id": "538624000000000403", "description": "Gross", "amount": 32000, "debit_or_credit": "debit" }, { "account_id": "538624000000000427", "description": "CPP", "amount": 1295.64, "debit_or_credit": "debit" }, { "account_id": "538624000000000376", "description":

    • Zoho Books - Include Payment Terms as a Custom View filter

      It would be great if you could created a custom view based on Payment Terms. This would be really handy for seeing a list of customers who have credit terms. A workaround is not required. I could do something with a creditor checkbox, but it would be

    • How to update changed purchase account of item in invoice

      I have selected the wrong purchase account for various articles and created invoices. I had to adjust the purchase account in the article afterwards, but the old purchase account is still posted in the transaction-journal of the invoice. To adjust the

    • Help - Zoho CRM notification on mobile (IOS/Android)

      Hello Community! Can I get the IOS/Andoid CRM app to notify me of events, calls, etc. due as I can with MANY other apps?   I am running the free Zoho I would like this to be native to the Zoho CRM app. I do not want to write a sep. mobile app

    • Zoho Books Idea - Include another field in Bank Details for Address

      Hi Books team, Currently use the Description field in the Bank Details to store the bank's address. This works fine but it would be great if you could add another field for Bank Address, so that other notes about the bank account could be stored in the

    • a question about the COQL API v8

      When I specify eight or more values in a WHERE IN clause and execute it, an error occurs. Is there a limit to the number of values that can be specified in a WHERE IN clause? ↓Error select * FROM Vendors WHERE (id in (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)) ↓Success

    • Zoho Books Idea - Bank Details Button on Banking

      Hi Books team, Sometimes I'm asked to share bank details with a customer or a colleague. So I go to the Banking Module, find the correct bank account, click Setting > Edit, then copy and paste the bank details. Wouldn't it be great if there was a button

    • JS SDK 8.0 – TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'getCacheStore') with sample code

      Hello Zoho Support Team, I’m integrating the Zoho CRM JavaScript SDK v8.0 and I’m getting the error below when running your official sample. I tested directly from: https://github.com/zoho/zohocrm-javascript-sdk-8.0/blob/main/samples/create_records_sample/create_records.js

    • Function #55: Convert multiple quotes to single SO using Custom Button

      Hello everyone, and welcome back to our series! In Zoho Books, after a quote is accepted by your customer, it can be converted into a sales order or an invoice. Often, a customer might have multiple quotes, and for easier billing or upon the customer's

    • Zoho One - Syncing Merchants and Vendors Between Zoho Expense and Zoho Books

      Hi, I'm exploring the features of Zoho One under the trial subscription and have encountered an issue with syncing Merchant information between Zoho Expense and Zoho Books. While utilizing Zoho Expense to capture receipts, I noticed that when I submit

    • Time based workflow without edit/action

      Hello I need help solving this problem if possible. We have Deals come into the CRM via Live Transfer which have the field properties: Stage = New Channel = Inbound Some of them don't get answered so we want these to automatically go into our Outbound

    • What's New - August 2025 | Zoho Backstage

      Every month, Zoho Backstage grows with you. These updates aren't just features and fixes, they're about making your workday smoother, your events more impactful, and your attendees happier. We’ve listened, learned, and shaped this release to keep things

    • prevent selling expired items

      Hello. I need to make a constraint on expired batch items not to be sold. Is it possible in Zoho Inventory? if so, then how? Thanks for further help.

    • Product details removed during update from other system

      We maintain our product details in an other system. These details are synchronized with Zoho at the end of each day, through an API. This has worked perfectly sofar. But last Monday, all product codes and some other product data have been wiped during

    • Client Customer

      I purchased a customer user license, but we cannot see the project I added in the customer account. I would like to ask for support on what we should do.

    • Next Page