Zoho CRM Digest - April 2024

Zoho CRM Digest - April 2024



Welcome to April, the season of blooming trees and blossoming flowers! As nature comes alive, so does our community. Dive into this month's digest to explore vibrant discussions and exciting announcements. 

Zoho CRM product updates:

Email-related enhancements in Accounts and Deals modules in CRM:

  • We're excited to unveil a highly anticipated feature in Zoho CRM: the ability to send emails directly from the accounts module. The email composer in Accounts module now offers quick suggestions for related contacts' email addresses, and makes it possible to access attachments and email templates specific to the Accounts module. Additionally, in the Deals module, email addresses of "contact roles" linked to the deal record will now be provided as quick suggestions. Explore the announcement for more details.

Resolve Conflicts during Deployment in Sandbox:

  • This announcement introduces notable upgrades to Zoho CRM's Sandbox, specifically targeting conflict resolution and some UI enhancements. Users can now swiftly access comprehensive conflict details right from the "Check Dependency page" and resolve issues directly from there. These updates aim to streamline the deployment of sandbox changes to production accounts, tackling common pain points such as missing associated items, duplicate name conflicts, and developer-user association conflicts. For more details, refer to the announcement post.

Introducing Zia Notes Summary: 

  • Introducing Zia Notes Summary, a new feature in Zoho CRM that offers users quick summaries of their CRM notes. This feature is particularly beneficial when navigating through numerous notes or requiring a concise overview of details captured in the notes section. This update provides two summaries: "Overall Summary" for a bird's-eye view of all notes on a record, and "Last Note Summary" for the most recent update. For a deeper dive into the new feature, check this announcement.

Multiple Kanban Views per Module: 

  • Previously, users were limited to one Kanban view per module, necessitating edits for different categorisations. Now, with the latest update, multiple Kanban views are supported, enabling effortless switching between views. The ability to expand and collapse stages in the card view enhances its compactness. Deal stages can be updated swiftly via drag-and-drop functionality, and stage-specific records can be created directly from the Kanban view. Moreover, access permissions can be set to control viewing and editing privileges for each Kanban view. Additionally, pipeline selection will be persisted until the user changes it, an option that was requested by many community members previously[Ref]. Check out this announcement for full details.

Add Tasks to Zoho CRM Calendar: 

  • We're excited to announce that the option to add tasks to the CRM calendar, a much-awaited feature requested by the community, has now been implemented. With this, you get daily and weekly views of CRM tasks in the Calendar, allowing you to easily keep track of your tasks right alongside your meetings and calls. Additionally, you can switch between single and multi-user views to manage tasks effectively and, create tasks directly from the calendar. For more details and resources related to this release, check out this Idea post.

Useful Discussions: 

  • @Felipe Salomão de Sousa Vale wanted to auto-format the phone numbers by removing special characters and spaces, including the country code if not present, and prefixing phone numbers with only 11 digits with the  "+" symbol. @Bhoomi Joshi and @Rodger Brehau provided the required suggestions for formatting the phone numbers using Functions. Check the post to learn more. 

Sales duo performance tracking:

  • @Bas van den Berk brought up an interesting sales report requirement. Every prospect is assigned to a pair of consultants. They wanted to add a matrix-like component to their dashboard to track the performance of sales duos based on the number of clients they have successfully closed, and to visualize the data to quickly identify the most successful duos. @Anonymous User suggested using a "Heat map" chart as it makes it easy to identify the top performing sales-duos at a glance. Discover the details in this post.

Multi-product purchase tracking at the Account level: 

  • @Ashley was reviewing an old post on tracking multiple product purchases by the same Account. While a Subform based solution was already suggested, @Max Tyack proposed an alternative approach using a custom module and lookup fields, which Ashley welcomed. Max also confirmed that Ashely's additional requirement for auto-updating prices across records can be achieved with either approaches using Workflows and Functions. Check out @Max Tyack's response in this post for further details.

Functions:

  • @Alejandro wanted to automatically capitalize the first letter of each word in a contact's information for all fields, regardless of how users enter it. @Rodger Brehaut shared the Deluge code to be associated with a workflow, which runs when the record is edited. Check this post for the code.

Execute Function only for select deal stages:

  • @Chris wanted to run a Function based on a deal's stage and needed to know how to best exclude select deals stages. @Hugh Marshall and @Bhoomi Joshi came up with different approaches to solve the same need, each, creating a list of stages to avoid and validating if the active deal is is not on that stage list. Check the code they shared in this post.

Automating Quote Management: 

  • @Coen | Heative mentioned that their sales process involves sending multiple quotes to customers, with only one being accepted. Once a quote is marked as "Won", they would like the other related quotes for the contact record to be automatically updated to "Lost". Check the solution proposed by @Ishwarya in this post, which includes a code snippet to be associated with a workflow to meet this requirement.

UpdateRecord Success: 

  • @David Shaw uses an updateRecord call in a Function, triggered by a clicking a button, and wanted to check whether the response indicates a success or failure. They provided a simple code for this requirement, with @Bhoomi Joshi and @Anonymous User making the necessary tweaks to get it to work. Check this post for the working code.

Auto-updation of deal stage:

  • @Benjamin wanted to update the deal stage to "Scheduled" automatically whenever a new meeting is added to a deal record in Zoho CRM. @Anonymous User shared theFunction code to achieve this. Check this post for the code.

Optimize CRM storage by automatically moving or deleting attachments:

  • @Anthony observed that their users were adding multiple attachments to a custom module, which significantly increased the CRM storage usage. They were looking for a way to automatically delete attachments or move them to Zoho WorkDrive when a field's status is set to certain criteria. Check out the solution posted by @Hugh Marshall, complete with code, in this post to achieve this.

Calling Functions linked to a Workflow: 

  • @David wanted to know if there's an efficient way to call a Function running within a Workflow from another similar Function without exposing the first Function via API. @Nicolas Donoso provided the solution: call the first Function using the automation namespace in the code. Check this post for the solution and sample code.

Dev's Corner:

  • @Felipe wanted to show an alert during the deal creation stage if a specific field is duplicated, without blocking the deal creation process. @Hugh Marshall suggested using Client Script, and @Anonymous User provided a detailed explanation including sample Client Script code, to prompt users about duplicates while allowing them to proceed and save if needed. Check this post for the solution. 

Real-time Dropdown popup for CRM field update during deal Creation: 

  • @Javier Molina wanted to open a popup with a dropdown list for users to select an option and pass it to a CRM field in real-time during deal creation. Check this post for Subash Kumar's Client Script code that fulfils this requirement.

Best practices for handling large record sets:

  • @David sought best practices for handling large record sets, especially when iterating over more than 200 records at once. Multiple community members shared their solutions, with @Kiruthiga recommending the use of the COQL API to determine the total record count. Additionally, she provided helpful tips and sample code for effectively handling large data sets. Jump into the post for detailed answers. 

Filtering recent calls by date and time: 

  • @Paul de Geode encountered difficulties retrieving calls made in the last week, particularly in filtering records by date and time using the V2 API. @Christoph Wenzel and others offered workarounds, recommending either the use of V6 API or COQL to address the issue. For more details, check out this post.

Naming variables in Deluge scripting:

  • Big shout out to @Rodger Brehaut for sharing invaluable insights on naming conventions for variables in Deluge scripting based on their type! Rodger suggests opting for descriptive names over generic ones like "response," making future code easier to understand and work with. Read this post to learn more. 

Kaizen: 

  • This post discusses self-client and server-based clients in Zoho CRM. Check out this post for videos and detailed explanations, along with suggestions for further reading to see how they're applied using Java SDKs.

Kaizen #134 - Manipulating Rich Text Field (RTF) using Zoho CRM APIs: 

  • Want to understand the ins and outs of working with Rich Text Field (RTF) and how to manipulate RTF using Zoho CRM APIs? Look no further than this post.


Thanks for taking the time to read this month's round-up. Keep tabs on the digest every month for the latest ideas and discussions. Stay tuned and engage in the Forums to be included in the upcoming month's digest. Have a wonderful month ahead!


    • Sticky Posts

    • How to reach the official Zoho Support channels and avoid fake ones.

      Dear Customers, Thanks a lot for choosing Zoho! Our applications are built to help achieve your day-to-day business goals. We are committed to engaging with you, to understand and develop solutions that enhance your productivity.  We are happy and ready to help you use our services effectively. Understanding and avoiding fake support Just like using popular bank names and financial applications for phishing purposes, using Zoho and claiming to be providing Zoho Support or services with false numbers

    • Function #35: Close all tasks associated with a lead and create a new task.

      Welcome back everyone! Last week, we learnt how to close all tasks of a deal depending upon the deal stage. This week, let's look at a custom function that lets you close all of the tasks associated with a lead while simultaneously creating a new task, like when you need to halt all progress towards a lead while the lead is not available at the moment but create a reminder task. Business scenario: The success of a company, in one way or another, is determined by the leads it gets. Each lead is just

    • Zoho CRM Webinar - Redesigning Daily User Experiences with Canvas

      <br> Your users across roles use the CRM for day-to-day tasks that are necessary. Whether they perform their tasks on time, the right way, or at all depends on a lot of factors, including User Experience. Many businesses struggle with rigid layouts,

    • Join us at the Canada ZUG Meetup: What’s New in Zoho CRM

      Hello Zoho Community! Start your year with fresh insights into Zoho CRM’s latest updates and tools. Whether you're a CRM beginner or a experienced user, this meetup is crafted to help you optimise your processes and leverage new features. Explore practical

    • CRM Hack #2: Automate sending of birthday greetings to your customers.

        Hello everyone! What sets you apart as a sales person is your ability to add that personal touch to your business relationship with your customers. Sending a gift on a special day, or leaving a note wishing them on their birthdays, are small, yet significant actions that show your customers that you care. And these are actions done without any expectations :) You must be engaging with a lot of customers and it is highly unlikely that they all are your friends on Facebook or some social channel,

    • Recent Topics

    • Nimble enhancements to WhatsApp for Business integration in Zoho CRM: Enjoy context and clarity in business messaging

      Dear Customers, We hope you're well! WhatsApp for business is a renowned business messaging platform that takes your business closer to your customers; it gives your business the power of personalized outreach. Using the WhatsApp for Business integration

    • can't login Kiosk URGENT

      already try, can't login pls help to support. thanks.

    • 【Zoho CRM】CRM for Everyoneに関するアップデート：関連データ機能

      ユーザーの皆さま、こんにちは。コミュニティチームの中野です。 今回は「Zoho CRM アップデート情報」の中から、CRM for Everyoneの新機能「関連データ機能」をご紹介します。 関連データ機能は、あるタブのデータを別のタブに柔軟に関連付け、異なるタブで管理されている情報を1か所にまとめて表示できます。 たとえば、組織タブとチームタブのデータを関連付けることで、必要な情報に効率よくアクセスでき、顧客理解を深めながら他チームとの連携もスムーズに行えます。 目次 1. 関連データの設定方法

    • Zoho Books

      How do I manually insert opening balance?

    • Profit / margins on Sales orders / Invoices / Estimates

      When we select an SKU or item name in any of these documents, much info such as invoice.line_items.rate is pulled from the item & filled into the document being worked on. If we had another lineItem DB field (hidden) auto filled at the same time: invoice.line_items.purchase_rate

    • Inventory to Xero Invocie Sync Issues

      Has anyone had an issue with Invoices not syncing to Xero. It seems to be an issue when there is VAT on a shipping cost, but I cannot be 100% as the error is vague: "Unable to export Invoice 'INV-000053' as the account mapped with some items does not

    • How to activate RFQ? What if a price list has ladder price for items?

      Where can I find the option to activate request for quotation? How does it work? If the item has ladder price, does it gets calculated depending on how many items are in the cart?

    • Mailk got blocked / Inquiry About Email Sending Limits and Upgrade Options

      Dear Zoho Support Team, My name is Kamr Elsayed I created this account to use for applying for vocational training in Germany. As part of this process, I send multiple emails to different companies. However, after sending only 8 emails today, I received

    • Can't join canal Developers Zoho User

      Hello, I received an invitation to join this channel, but I get an error when I try to join it, and I get the same error when I go to the Zoho Cliq interface > Search for a channel. Is this because I don't have a license linked to this email address?

    • Desk Email reply - set default font / use custom font

      Hello, in our e-mails, which we send to our customers, a certain font must be used (Corporate Design): Segoe UI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segoe#Segoe_UI How can this be included? How can this be set as the default font to ensure that this font is

    • PDF Templates - Checkbox Borders

      Is there a way to remove the border of a radio/checkbox on a PDF? I'd like to use the function of checkbox but if there's no easy way to remove the border (the PDF form already has a rectangle so it gets cluttered), then I'm forced to create a single

    • Settings Icon No Longer in ZOHO Desk?

      In ZOHO desk, there has been a gear icon for settings. as of yesterday, it is no longer there. I showed up briefly this morning but is gone again. Anybody else experiecing this?

    • Introducing the all-new email parser!

      Greetings, We are pleased to introduce to you, a brand-new, upgraded version of the Zoho CRM Email Parser, which is packed with fresh features and has been completely redesigned to meet latest customers needs and their business requirements. On that note,

    • Tip #43 - Track, Review, and Analyze Your Assist Sessions with Reports-'Insider Insights'

      Did you know you can generate detailed reports for both remote support sessions and unattended access sessions in Zoho Assist? This makes it easy to monitor technician activity, measure efficiency, and review customer interactions. Let us now take a closer

    • Function #20: Custom calculation in item table of invoices

      When you create an invoice in Zoho Books, the 'Amount' of a line item is typically calculated as the product of the "Quantity" and the "Rate" of the item. For instance, if an item has a sales rate of $50 and a quantity of 5 is sold, then the amount would

    • CBSA - GST CHARGES on imports

      Hi there, We have a questions about landed cost categorization. We received a shipment from overseas. CBSA invoiced us for the GST on the items. Now we entered the CBSA-GST as a separate bill and attached it as landed cost to the main invoice based on

    • Simplified Call Logging

      Our organization would like to start logging calls in our CRM; however, with 13 fields that can't be removed, our team is finding it extremely cumbersome. For our use case, we only need to record that a call happened theirfor would only need the following

    • Sub form doesn't as formula field

      Is it possible to get formula field in sub form in futures?

    • Week date range in pivot table

      Hello, I need to create a report that breakouts the data by week.  I am using the pivot table report, and breaking out the date by week, however the date is displayed as 'Week 1 2014' format.  Is there anyway to get the actual dates in there? ex. 1/6/2014-1/12/2014 Thanks,

    • How do I get Status History data of my Projects?

      I want to build a table in Zoho Analytics that Groups by Date, when Projects entered a certain status. I cannot find Status History or any such useful data available in the Setup of my Data Source sync. Please advise how I can achieve this?

    • Is it possible to hide fields in a Subform?

      Since layout rules cannot be used with Subforms, is there another way, or is it even possible, to hide fields in a subform based on a picklist fields within said subform? For example, if the Service Provided is Internet, then I do not want to see the

    • Weekly Tips :Instantly find what you need with Attachment Viewer

      Your inbox must be packed with project emails, shared notes, and scattered attachments. You are looking for one specific file—a presentation slide or maybe a media clip from a team update—but don’t want to dig through endless email threads or switch between

    • Putting Watermark on Zoho Sheet

      Can this be done?

    • Missing Zoho Desk integration option for form workflows

      According to the help page "Configure Zoho Desk integration in form workflows" we should be able to select Zoho Desk as an integration target but when I open the integrations list then Zoho Desk is not being listed in it. We are on the Premium plan which should already support Zoho Desk integrations.

    • Gantt for 2 or more projects

      Hello, I'm trying the free version of your produtc. It is veryyy good!!!! I don't know if in the Standard plan, I can overview a Gantt Graph for 2 or more Projects Milestone. This would be very helpfull for managing teams and taking decisions about who I will assign a task to. In the paid plan Do I have this possibility? Thank you.

    • Integrating a Zoho Project Gantt Chart into Reports

      Is is possible to integrate a Zoho Project Gantt Chart into a Zoho Report Dashboard. I am in the process of creating Project Status Dashboards for the projects that we track in Zoho Projects and I would like to incorporate the gantt chart within Reports.  Please let me know! Thanks

    • ZOHO BOOKS - EXCESSIVELY SLOW TODAY

      Dear Zoho Books This is not the first time but it seems to be 3 times per week now that the system is extremely slow. I work on Zoho Books 95% of my day so this is very frustrating. Zoho you need to do something about this. I have had my IT guy check

    • Gantt Chart - Zoho Analytics

      Are there any plans to add Gantt Charts capabilities to Zoho Analytics?

    • Displaying related quotes in sales order and back

      Hi, My colleague liked to see to which sales orders, the quote has been converted. Quote shows Invoices, but not SO. Same, they would like to see the quotes in the sales order, as they can see invoices, packages, shipment, How can we achieve this ? Thank

    • Tip of the Week #71–Auto-move incoming messages to the right inboxes with keywords

      We all know that customer-facing teams, especially your sales and support teams, can’t afford to miss even a single customer conversation. But sometimes, sales queries or support requests can easily get lost in a crowded inbox or even end up in the wrong

    • Clearing Fields using MACROS?

      How would I go about clearing a follow-up field date from my deals? Currently I cannot set the new value as an empty box.

    • Migrating a Zoho Forms form into Zoho Creator

      Hi, How can I migrate my Zoho Forms form into Zoho Creator? Thanks. Truly, Emad

    • Is there any way to recall an email sent using Zoho CRM?

      If an email is sent using Zoho Mail, there is a recall option/functionality that is available to the sender. Is there any way to recall an email if it was sent using Zoho CRM? I can't seem to find that option. Any help would be appreciated.

    • Quick Create needs Client Script support

      As per the title. We need client scripts to apply at a Quick Create level. We enforce logic on the form to ensure data quality, automate field values, etc. However, all this is lost when a user attempts a "Quick Create". It is disappointing because, from

    • Problem with reports due to "Connected" items change - Yes this IS a problem

      Now that the change has been made to use "connected" items I can no longer run the reporting I need in CRM. I should be able to start with Deals as the parent, connect down to the Account (Account_Name) on the deal as the child, then to any child items

    • Introducing notifications in the vendor portal

      Imagine this: You're a recruiter working with multiple vendors on a high-volume hiring project. You’ve just updated a job description after a last-minute change from the hiring manager. One of your vendors, however, is still working off the older version

    • CRM limit reached: only 2 subforms can be created

      we recently stumbled upon a limit of 2 subforms per module. while we found a workaround on this occasion, only 2 subforms can be quite limiting in an enterprise setting. @Ishwarya SG I've read about imminent increase of other components (e.

    • LESS_THAN_MIN_OCCURANCE - code 2945

      Hi I'm trying to post a customer record to creator API and getting this error message. So cryptic. Can someone please help? Thanks Varun

    • Analytics for notes created

      Is there a way I can see how many notes were created per day? Via reporting or analytics?

    • No TDS Deduction

      In some of our case, where we are reselling items at the same rate we purchased. In this scenario, Indian IT Law has a provision to request customer not to deduct TDS if the transaction value is same. TDS is paid by us (intermediary reseller) before we

    • Next Page