Zoho Developer Community Monthly Digest - October 2023

Zoho Developer Community Monthly Digest - October 2023



Hello everyone!

Welcome to the spooktacular October edition of the Zoho Developer Community Digest. October is a month when technology and cybersecurity awareness take center stage, as it is globally recognized as Cybersecurity Awareness Month. It's a time when developers don their virtual capes, not only to embrace the eerie vibes of Halloween but also to stand guard against ghoulish hackers. We'll be exploring how to stay safe in the digital realm and unveil some exciting updates in the developer world at Zoho. Let's get down to business!

Techtober Highlights

Cybersecurity Awareness Month

With the emergence of a multitude of cyber threats, it's paramount to reinforce the importance of cyber safety and decipher the malicious threats and vulnerabilities. Zoho's dedication to data security and privacy is widely known. To uphold this commitment, Zoho participated in the Cybersecurity Awareness Month campaign. Read through this blog to understand the history of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Zoho's theme this year, and how to leverage tools and practices to improve online security.

Zoho Developer Hangout - Episode 10

In this episode, our community member @Anonymous User, CRM Engineer at Vaspian, offers insights on developing maintainable applications, and imparts a great deal of  knowledge from his experiences in handling errors in Deluge. He goes on to talk about different scenarios where tools like Zoho Catalyst, GCP, AWS, and other serverless functions come in handy, and their effective utilization for different business use cases. 

Zoho QEngine

We're thrilled to introduce a test automation software to run your entire testing lifecycle. Check out what's in store for developers and quality teams as the beta version of Zoho QEngine is now open to public. 

Catalyst 2.0

The all-new Catalyst brings you a host of services that are designed to fuel your ideas and accelerate your app development. From powerful AI/ML tools, to browser automation, to seamless application hosting, there's a solution for your every need. Read more about it here.

Zoho Cliq 5.0

An enterprise-ready and AI-driven solution designed to make your communication smarter and more efficient. Cliq 5.0 is tailored for enterprises with advanced AI features to make work effortless including additional features for smarter meetings, and a revamped developer platform. Check out what's new here.

Upcoming Events

Here are the exciting events lined up for the community in the coming weeks:
  1. Zoho Cliq for Developers 101: In this season's Developers 101 series, we're focusing on Zoho Cliq developer platform. This is a three-part series, curated to provide a comprehensive understanding of the various Cliq Platform components, such as slash commands, bots, widgets, and more. Beyond that, it elucidates specific business problems these features address. For registration and more detailsclick here.

  2. Zoho Developer Hangout 11: In this episode, Zoho MVP @Bhoomi Joshi and her teammate @Ram Adarasupally, are set to share their take on the significance of custom portals, integration of Zoho applications with third-party web portals, and the technology stack involved in the underlying architecture. They will also review the business process of a custom portal in a demo that focuses on banking integrations and custom API. Register here and know more.

  3. Extensions 101 (continued): The first five sessions of this series provided an overview of several key features within the Sigma platform, such as building extensions, authentication mechanisms, authorization methods, and creating widgets. The next two sessions in this series will focus on an authentication mechanism and its relevant authorization approach for integrating Zoho CRM with other applications. Register here to participate in this exciting series.

  4. Creator Tech Connect Series: Creator's tech connect series would comprise of technical sessions that provide immersive training on the key essentials and technical nuances of building a solution in Zoho Creator. This is a great opportunity for our developer community to stay informed about Creator's new feature releases, product roadmap, best practices to follow while scripting in deluge, new deluge concepts, and cloud functions. Click here for more information. 

    Date: November 16th, 2023

    Topic: Catchup and Release Updates in Zoho Creator

    APAC & ANZ: 11 AM to 12 PM IST - Registration Link

    Americas & EMEA: 9 PM to 10 PM IST - Registration Link


  5. Creator Learning Table Series: This series is designed to provide users with valuable insights and knowledge about Creator's capabilities in various business use cases and applications. This year we've adopted the "12 Months, 12 Industries" concept. Each month, we will focus on a specific industry, illustrating its unique processes with real-time business scenarios and how to make best use of Creator for that industry.

    Date: November 9th, 2023

    Topic: Learning Table Series: Creator For Hospitality

    APAC & ANZ: 11 AM to 12 PM IST - Registration Link

    Americas & EMEA: 9 PM to 10 PM IST - Registration Link

Community Discussions

Zoho Developer Forum

Developers ZUG Cliq Channel

Note: These conversations are confined to the Developers ZUG Cliq channel members. If you're keen on becoming a part of this space, please fill in this onboarding form to receive your invitation to join the channel.
  • Following the Zoho Developer Hangout - Episode 9, @Anonymous User shared an article that explains how to send JSON parameters from Client Script to a Deluge function when using ZDK.Apps.CRM.Functions.execute(). Get access to the well-regarded article here.
  • When @Anonymous User encountered difficulties updating an integration field in Zoho Projects using API (Deluge scripts)Tasha Willows-Staples stepped in and pointed him in the right direction in this conversation.
  • Take a look at the suggestions given by @Anonymous User, @Anonymous User, and @Anonymous User when Anthony wanted to trigger a notification in Zoho CRM when the current owner changes from a specific set of owners.
  • @Anonymous User was experiencing issues with Zoho CRM Client Script's "setValue" function on the Detail Page, and @Anonymous User provided a helpful workaround, which you can find in this conversation
  • Looking for a way to add alerts when users click the cancel or submit buttons in Zoho Creator and understand how to call these buttons in Deluge? Find the solution in this conversation.
  • @Anonymous User thoughtfully curated a repository of support email addresses for various products that would prove beneficial to the community. Click here to access the sheet.
  • Wondering what's the best approach to setup sales territories based on Zip Codes? You're in good company! When Brian reached out for advice, Jessica provided a starting point.
Resource Spotlight

We've consolidated all the resources from the developer community learning series into a centralized hub for your convenient access. Consider bookmarking the Zoho Developer Community website to stay informed about the latest updates in the developer community.
  • Zoho CRM Developer Updates:
    • Record Locking APIs were released in versions 3, 4, and 5, that allow you to lock, unlock records, view and edit locking information of locked records.
    • Upgraded the PHP SDK supporting v5 APIs to version 3.0.0.
    • Upgraded the Java SDK supporting v5 APIs to version 4.0.0.
    • Upgraded the NodeJS SDK supporting v5 APIs to version 3.0.0.
    • Released the Python SDK supporting v5 APIs, with support for new APIs.

Community Spotlight

ZDH Speakers

The contributions of our ZDH presenters have been instrumental in the success of the this segment. We extend our heartfelt appreciation for their efforts.

As a continuation of featuring a ZDH presenter each month, this time, we would like to introduce our third ZDH presenter, Christopher Mowers. Explore this post to discover the knowledge and insights he shared with the community.

Cliq Channel Contributors

The Developers ZUG Cliq channel has consistently served as the primary hub for community members seeking technical assistance and engaging in savvy discussions. Here are our top contributors who have gone the extra mile to support and assist the Zoho Developer Community:



We want to express our sincere appreciation to all our community contributors. Your commitment, expertise, and the time you invest are invaluable to the community. 


For those who are new to the Zoho Developer Community, check out this post to get started. 


We appreciate you dedicating your time to peruse this month's digest. Make sure to follow the digest each month for the most recent insights and conversations. Stay connected and participate in the forums to be featured in the upcoming month's digest. Wishing you a fantastic month ahead!


Happy coding!


SEE ALSO

    • Recent Topics

    • How do you create an event/meeting in a different time zone?

      Does anyone know how do you create an event/meeting in a different time zone? 
    • Extend GitHub Commit Integration to Tasks in Zoho Projects

      Hello Zoho Projects Team, We hope you are doing well. We would like to submit a feature request regarding the current GitHub integration in Zoho Projects, specifically the ability to link commit information. Current Limitation: As of now, Zoho Projects
    • Add Native GitHub Pull Request Creation & Management from Tasks/Bugs

      Hi Zoho Projects Team, I am submitting a feature request to enhance our development lifecycle by enabling native GitHub Pull Request (PR) creation and management directly within Zoho Projects. The Current Limitation: Currently, the GitHub integration
    • Add Actionable “Smart Commits” for GitHub Integration

      Hi Zoho Projects Team, I am submitting a feature request to introduce Smart Commits support for the GitHub integration in Zoho Projects. The Current Limitation: Currently, Zoho Projects offers a "passive" integration. Including a Task ID in a commit message
    • Add Unified Project-Wide Development & Release GitHub Dashboard

      Hi Zoho Projects Team, I am writing to submit a feature request for a Unified Development & Release GitHub Dashboard that provides centralized GitHub visibility at both the Project and Milestone levels. The Vision: We need a single "Command Center" that
    • Add Native “Create GitHub Branch” Action for Tasks and Bugs

      Hi Zoho Projects Team, I would like to submit a feature request to enhance the GitHub integration in Zoho Projects by adding the ability to initiate a GitHub branch directly from a Task or Bug. The Current Limitation: Currently, Zoho Projects lacks a
    • One-click “Open in VS Code” from Zoho Tasks/Bugs with automatic branch checkout

      Hi Zoho Projects Team, I am submitting a feature request to enhance the development workflow within Zoho Projects, specifically the ability to open a Task or Bug directly in VS Code and automatically check out the related branch, similar to capabilities
    • How to reduce inventory valuation when not tracking individual items?

      We purchase clothing items wholesale, embroider them with a company's logo, then resell. The garment style, size, color, etc. changes according to a customer's desire, so we don't track the individual item's purchase within Zoho Inventory unless there's
    • Merge tag didn't work in the campaign sent to test email list

      Hello, I just sent out a campaign to my list of test emails (including my personal one). The merge tag that's supposed to put a first name of the contact $[UD:FIRST_NAME||]$ didn't work. Where the first name of the contact should be displayed there's
    • Add Camera Background Blur During Recording

      Hi Zoho WorkDrive Team, Hope everything is well. We would like to request an enhancement to the video recording feature in Zoho WorkDrive. Currently, the camera preview displayed during a recording does not support background blur. This is an essential
    • Sync Data from MA to CRM

      Currently, it's a one-way sync of data from the CRM to MA. I believe we should have the ability to select fields to sync from MA to the CRM. The lead score is a perfect example of this. In an ideal world we would be able to impact the lead score of a
    • How can I transfer data from Production to Development environment?

      Hi, I am using Creator V6 and would like to bring all the data in production to the Development and Testing environments? Is there an easy way of doing that or I have to export and import each table?
    • filter on sheets mobile (iOS, iPadOS) does not work

      re-posting this as a question because reporting as a problem netted zero responses... I have this issue on every spreadsheet, whether imported or created natively in Zoho Sheets. I can use on desktop without issue: but on iOS the filter dropdowns are
    • How to map fields from Zoho Recruit to Zoho People

      I've got these fields from my Job Offer that I'm trying to map to the Work information fields in Zoho People, but they arent showing up. For example, how do I get the department name field (in the job post) to map to the work information field in Zoho
    • Mass email from Report output

      Hi, I'd like to send a mass email based on a report output. The report is pulling multiple information from linked modules. Each line of the report ends up with a contact name, email and multiple field values pulled from the linked modules (some are custom
    • Introducing SlyteUI : From Idea to a Working Interface in Minutes

      Hello everyone! Are you spending hours building basic UIs? Does even the smallest customization feel like a major task? CRM customization should feel intuitive and straightforward, not time consuming or exhausting. SlyteUI makes this possible by simplifying
    • Add Comprehensive Accessibility Features to Zoho Writer

      Hello Zoho Writer Team, We hope you are doing well. We would like to submit a feature request to enhance Zoho Writer with a full set of accessibility tools, similar to the accessibility options already available in the Zoho Desk agent interface. 🚧 Current
    • How to see Tickets that require a response

      When an agent checks his work he should be able to see a list of tickets that he has to reply to. Currently he can only see if the ticket is closed or open. However the ticket might be open but we are waiting for the customers reply, so there is nothing
    • Zoho Books' 2025 Wrapped

      Before we turn the page to a new year, it’s time to revisit the updates that made financial management simpler and more intuitive. This annual roundup brings together the most impactful features and enhancements we delivered in 2025, offering a clear
    • [Free webinar] Integrations in Zoho Creator - Creator Tech Connect

      Hello everyone, We’re excited to invite you to another edition of the Creator Tech Connect webinar. About Creator Tech Connect The Creator Tech Connect series is a free monthly webinar featuring in-depth technical sessions designed for developers, administrators,
    • Issue with attaching files to a task through the API

      Hello! I've implemented a function that creates a task for every new bill that is created but I haven't been able to attach to the task the files which are attached to the bill. I have encountered multiple errors but the most common one is error 33003:
    • Trigger workflows from SLA escalations in Zoho Desk?

      Hey everyone, I’m currently working with SLA escalation rules in Zoho Desk and ran into a limitation that I’m hoping someone here has solved more elegantly. As far as I can tell, SLA escalations only support fairly limited actions (like changing the ticket
    • Can I hide empty Contact fields from view?

      Some contacts have a lot of empty fields, others are mostly filled. Is there a way I can hide/show empty fields without changing the actual Layout? I would like to de-clutter my view, and also be able to add information later as I am able. I would be
    • Agents permission per department

      Hi Team, can I setup permission for each agent what they can do in each department, for example I want account department agents to only have view access to support department tickets and not allowed to assign or reply to clients. I am sure this would
    • Ask the Experts - Live Q&A webinar

      Hello Community, We’re excited to host our very first Ask the Experts session! Join us on 7 April 2026 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. (IST) for this live webinar Q&A session, where you will have an opportunity to connect directly with our product experts, gain
    • Cliq iOS can't see shared screen

      Hello, I had this morning a video call with a colleague. She is using Cliq Desktop MacOS and wanted to share her screen with me. I'm on iPad. I noticed, while she shared her screen, I could only see her video, but not the shared screen... Does Cliq iOS is able to display shared screen, or is it somewhere else to be found ? Regards
    • Prevent Automatic Milestone Inheritance for Newly Created Task Lists

      Hello Zoho Projects Team, We hope you are doing well. We would like to request an enhancement regarding how new task lists inherit Milestone association in Zoho Projects. Current Behavior: At the moment, when a new task list is created below an existing
    • Hiding / removing Currency field from Layout

      Hello, I'm working on the LEAD standard layout of Zoho CRM. I like to have it as minimal as possible for our team. I could remove most of the field, but Currency is not possible. As lead, I don't quite understansd the necessity to have Currency as mandatory.
    • Updating Sales orders on hold

      Surely updating irrelevant fields such as shipping date should be allowed when sales orders are awaiting back orders? Maybe the PO is going to be late arriving so we have to change the shipment date of the Sales order ! Not even allowed through the api - {"code":36014,"message":"Sales orders that have been shipped or on hold cannot be updated."}
    • Can we have Backorder Management ?

      Can we have Backorder Management ?
    • Accept credit card payment for multiple invoices

      We have a problem with Zoho Books.  While we can charge a customer's credit card for an individual customer invoice, we cannot charge a customer's credit card for more than one invoice. In our business, it is common for a client to phone up and say, "Here
    • Anyone in Australia using Zoho Books AND has their account with NAB?

      Hi I have an account with both NAB and Suncorp. Suncorp transaction come in the next day however NAB transactions take 4-5 business days to appear. eg: A deposit made today in my Suncorp will be imported into Zoho tomorrow. A deposit made today to the NAB account will be imported maybe Saturday (Friday overnight). I have contacted both Zoho and NAB but noone seems to know why. I was just wondering if anyone else in Australia uses NAB and has this issue (or doesn't) maybe we could compare notes and
    • Newby Questions - Vendors, Customers, and Income vs. Other Income Clarifications

      Q1. For Deposits, there does not seem to be an option for "Income". "Other Income" is an option however. What is the process to add the option to assign a deposit to type "Income"? Q2. In many cases Vendors and Customer are the same. Vendors may purchase
    • ISO 3166-2 Compliant Country and Regions

      Zoho should consider implementing ISO 3166-2 standards for countries and regions in address dropdowns. It adds a lot of noise in the data when items added programmatically conform to ISO 3166-2 (e.g., TX for Texas, CA for Canada, etc.), but the few items
    • Tax on Imported goods charged by Shipping Company

      Hi Folks, I imported goods from outside Canada, for better understanding I will give an example data. imported goods value: 2000$ The shipping company sent me an invoice containing the following information: Custom duty on imported goods: 400$ Administration
    • Invoice Import Error: "Either Tax or Tax Exemption Reason is required" - Recurring Across All Attempts

      Issue Description: I'm experiencing a critical issue with invoice imports in Zoho Books. Every import attempt fails with the same error message, regardless of the tax data provided: Either Tax or Tax Exemption Reason is required. This error is blocking
    • Zia Agents in Zoho CRM: a better way to set up digital employees

      Hello everyone, If you've been using Zia Agents in Zoho CRM, so far using Connections was the only deployment method you're familiar with. You create an agent in Zia Agents (define its objective, write instructions, use tools, add knowledge base) and
    • Amazon FBA integration - Handle invoice reconciliation under different GSTINs,

      Dear Zoho Community, Thank you for the clarification regarding the Amazon FBA integration, default warehouse, and GSTIN mapping in Zoho Inventory. I understand that Zoho currently supports only one warehouse for Amazon FBA, and that all FBA orders are
    • Zoho CRM Copilot Connector

      Hello, Are there plans to release a connector for Zoho CRM and Copilot? I'm in the early research stages of potentially switching our CRM solution to Microsoft Dynamics because of its out of the box integration with Copilot. The advantage being that we
    • Zoho Sheet for Desktop

      Does Zoho plans to develop a Desktop version of Sheet that installs on the computer like was done with Writer?
    • Next Page