Feature Request: Ability to set Default Custom Filters and apply them via URL/Deluge

Feature Request: Ability to set Default Custom Filters and apply them via URL/Deluge

I've discovered a significant gap in how Zoho Creator handles Custom Filters for reports, and I'm hoping the Zoho team can address this in a future update. This limitation has been raised before and continues to be requested, but remains unresolved.

The Issue
According to the official documentation, Custom Filters allow developers to create predefined filter combinations that users can select from a dropdown menu. This is a powerful feature for simplifying complex filtering scenarios for end users.
However, there is no way to set a default Custom Filter that automatically applies when a report loads, nor can Custom Filters be applied via URL parameters or Deluge scripts.
Example Use Case
Consider a simple Clients Report with Custom Filters for "Active Clients" and "Inactive Clients".
Desired behavior:
  • Report loads with "Active Clients" filter pre-applied by default
  • Users can remove the filter to see all clients
  • Users can switch to "Inactive Clients" filter when needed
Current reality: The report always loads unfiltered, showing ALL clients. Users must manually select the "Active Clients" filter every single time they access the report—there's no way to set it as the default.
The Problem
Zoho Creator provides excellent support for field-based filtering via functionality-based URLs—including operators like EQUALS, CONTAINS, BETWEEN, date ranges, and more. However, Custom Filters exist in complete isolation from all programmatic control.
Capability Field-Based URL Filtering Custom Filters
User can manually apply ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Apply via URL parameter ✓ Yes
?FieldName=value
✗ No
Use operators (CONTAINS, BETWEEN, etc.) ✓ Yes
&FieldName_op=26
✗ N/A
Set as default on report load ✓ Yes (Report Criteria) ✗ No
Apply via openUrl in Deluge ✓ Yes ✗ No
Pre-select on embedded reports ✓ Yes ✗ No
"Hard" vs. "Soft" Filtering — The UX Problem
This limitation creates a fundamental UX trade-off that developers shouldn't have to make:
Approach Behavior User Experience
Report Criteria
(Hard Filter)
Permanently applied. Cannot be removed or changed by the user. Users are locked in. They cannot explore beyond the predefined criteria.
Custom Filter
(Soft Filter)
User-selectable. Can be applied, changed, or removed at will. Users start with a focused view but can remove it to see the bigger picture.
The problem: We are forced to use "Hard Filters" (Report Criteria) when the use case actually requires "Soft Filters" (a sensible default that users can adjust). This hurts the end-user's ability to explore data.
The "AND Logic Trap" with Pages:
Report Criteria is global—it persists everywhere: direct browser access, mobile app, embedded in Pages, and exports. When embedding a report in a Page, any criteria added via the Page Builder uses AND logic with the existing Report Criteria:
Report Criteria: Status == "Active"
Page Embed Criteria: City == "New York"
Result: Status == "Active" AND City == "New York"
You cannot "subtract" or override Report Criteria. If your "Clients Report" has hard-coded criteria showing only "Active" clients, you cannot embed that same report on an "Archived Clients" page. This forces you to clone the report entirely.
Custom Filters are designed to solve this—allowing a single report to adapt to different contexts. But without the ability to set a default Custom Filter via URL or Page embed, this flexibility is completely inaccessible.
The Current Workarounds (All Suboptimal)
To achieve "default filter" behavior, developers are forced into one of these suboptimal approaches:
Workaround 1: Report Cloning ("Report Bloat")
Many users simply duplicate the "Clients Report," rename it "Active Clients Report," and set hard-coded criteria. This leads to:
  • Application bloat with multiple near-identical reports
  • Violates the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle
  • Maintenance nightmare—changes must be applied to every clone
  • Confusing for users who see multiple similar reports in navigation
Workaround 2: URL Parameter Construction
Abandon Custom Filters entirely and replicate the filter logic using URL parameters:
// Instead of simply setting "Active Clients" as the default Custom Filter,
// developers must construct URL parameters manually:

base_url = "https://creatorapp.zoho.com/myaccount/crm-app/#Report:Clients_Report";

// Replicate the Custom Filter logic with field-based parameters
filter_params = "?Status=Active&Status_op=18"; // 18 = EQUALS operator

openUrl(base_url + filter_params, "same window");
Additional friction: Finding the correct Operator ID (e.g., 18 for EQUALS, 26 for CONTAINS, 58 for BETWEEN) requires digging through documentation. Custom Filters abstract this complexity away—losing them forces developers to deal with these obscure codes.
Problems with both approaches:
  • Complex filter logic must be duplicated—once in the Custom Filter definition (for manual use) and again in Deluge scripts (for automation)
  • No single source of truth for filter criteria
  • Maintenance nightmare when filter logic changes—updates required in multiple places
  • Users see raw URL parameters instead of friendly Custom Filter names
  • Custom Filters with complex multi-field criteria become extremely verbose URL strings
What Should Happen Instead
Proposed Solution 1: Default Custom Filter Setting
Add a simple option in Report Properties to designate one Custom Filter as the default:
Report Properties → Custom Filters → [Filter Name] → ☑ Set as Default
When enabled, this filter would automatically apply when the report loads, while still allowing users to switch to other Custom Filters or clear it entirely.
Proposed Solution 2: URL Parameter Support
Allow Custom Filters to be specified via URL parameter, consistent with existing functionality-based URL patterns:
https://creatorapp.zoho.com/myaccount/crm-app/#Report:Clients_Report?zc_CustomFilter=Active_Clients
This would enable developers to programmatically direct users to reports with the appropriate Custom Filter pre-applied, using a single clean parameter instead of replicating complex field-based criteria.
Proposed Solution 3: Deluge Integration
Support Custom Filter names in openUrl calls:
// Clean, maintainable approach
openUrl("#Report:Clients_Report?zc_CustomFilter=Active_Clients", "same window");

// Instead of duplicating all the filter logic
openUrl("#Report:Clients_Report?Status=Active&Status_op=18", "same window");
Real-World Impact
This limitation affects any workflow requiring:
  • Default filtered views — A Clients report should show "Active Clients" by default, not all clients
  • Dashboard navigation — Clicking a KPI tile should open a report with the relevant Custom Filter applied
  • Email links to filtered reports — "Click here to see overdue invoices" should pre-apply the appropriate filter
  • Embedded reports in Pages — Different page contexts should show different default filter states without cloning reports
  • Mobile experience — On mobile apps, filters are hidden behind menus. Users often miss them entirely. A default Custom Filter ensures users see relevant data immediately without navigating through menus on a small screen
  • User onboarding — New users should see a sensible default view, not unfiltered data overwhelming them

Developer Impact: Custom Filters are excellent for end-user experience but nearly useless for automation and programmatic control. This gap forces developers to maintain duplicate filter logic—once in Custom Filters for manual use, and again as URL parameters for automation.

Request to Zoho Team

Can this be addressed in a future update?

The current implementation forces developers to choose between:

1. User-Friendly Custom Filters
Easy for users to understand and apply manually, but no programmatic control or default state
2. URL Parameter Filtering
Full programmatic control via ?FieldName=value&FieldName_op=constant, but complex to maintain and requires duplicating filter logic

We shouldn't have to choose—Custom Filters should support both user interaction AND programmatic control.

Community Input Requested: Has anyone else encountered this limitation or found a workaround? I'd love to hear how others are handling scenarios where a default Custom Filter is needed.


    • Recent Topics

    • Marketing Tip #18: Make your online store mobile-friendly to improve traffic

      Most online shoppers browse on their phones first. If your store is hard to read, slow to load, or tricky to navigate on mobile, they’ll bounce fast. A mobile-friendly store doesn’t just look nice; it improves engagement, reduces drop-offs, and helps
    • [Need help] Form closed. Please contact your form administrator for further assistance.

      https://forms.zohopublic.com/cceinfoifly1/form/CCE2025CCEFocusGroupRegistrationForm2025Fall/formperma/s_8XcLETTbFxZ_TAS4r_W6W5UBl8o5oxEnIX35IBKg4 I checked we didn't exceed the usage limit and form availability is enabled, Please help us enable this form
    • Zoho People. Updating TabularData

      I am trying to update tabular data in the record. I always have the same response. I have checked many times. Section ID is correct. May be something wrong with request structure itself. Can someone help me. Body content type: form urlencoded query params
    • Automatically CC an address using Zoho CRM Email Templates

      Hi all - have searched but can't see a definitive answer. We have built multiple email templates in CRM. Every time we send this we want it to CC a particular address (the same address for every email sent) so that it populates the reply back into our
    • Unable to Send Different Email Templates for Different Documents in Zoho Sign

      Hello Zoho Community, I am facing a limitation with Zoho Sign regarding email notifications sent to customers when a document is sent for signing. Currently, whenever I send any template/document for signing, the email notification that goes to the customer
    • Reminder needs 0 minute choice

      I most use 0 minute reminders.  Every other calender service has this choice.  If I create an event in my Android calendar with 0 minute reminder it will change to 5 minute.  Please ad 0 as a reminder choice, this should be a 5 minute fix.  Thanks.
    • Customer ticket creation via Microsoft Teams

      Hi all, I'm looking to see if someone could point me in the right direction. I'd love to make it so my customers/ end users can make tickets, see responses and respond within microsoft teams. As Admin and an Agent i've installed the zoho assist app within
    • Is there a way to update all the start and end dates of tasks of a project after a calendar change?

      Hi! Here's my situation. I've built a complete project planning. All its tasks have start dates and due dates. After completing the planning, I've realized that the project calendar was not the right one. So I changed the project calendar. I now have
    • How to update task start date when project start date changes?

      Hi there, When the start date of a project changes, it's important to update the start dates of the tasks associated with that project to reflect the new timeline. Is there a way to shift the start date of all project tasks when the start date of a project
    • Issue with Picklist Dropdown Not Opening on Mobile

      Hello I am experiencing an issue with picklist values on mobile. While the arrow is visible, the dropdown to scroll through the available values often does not open. This issue occurs sporadically, it has worked occasionally, but it is very rare and quite
    • using the client script based on the look up filed i wnat to fetch the record details like service number , service rate

      based on selected service look up field iwant to fetch the service serial number in the serice form how i achive using client script also how i get the current date in the date field in the on load of the form
    • Zoho Books/Square integration, using 2 Square 'locations' with new Books 'locations'?

      Hello! I saw some old threads about this but wasn't sure if there were any updates. Is there a way to integrate the Square locations feature with the Books locations feature? As in, transactions from separate Books locations go to separate Square locations
    • Zoho Commerce - How To Change Blog Published Date and Author

      Hi Commerce Team, I'm discussing a project with a client who wants to move from Woo Commerce / Wordpress to Zoho Commerce. They have around 620 blog posts which will need to be migrated. I am now aware of the blog import feature and I have run some tests.
    • Does zoho inventory need Enterprise or Premium subsrciption to make Widgets.

      We have Zoho One Enterprise and yet we can't create widgets on inventory.
    • ZMA shows as already connected to Zoho CRM, but integration not working

      When I try to connect ZMA with Zoho CRM, it shows as already connected, but the integration doesn’t seem to be working. I’ve attached the screen recording for reference.
    • Automatic Email Alerts for Errors in Zoho Creator Logs

      Hello, We would like to request a feature enhancement in Zoho Creator regarding error notifications. Currently, Zoho Creator allows users to view logs and errors for each application by navigating to Zoho Creator > Operations > Logs. However, there is
    • Workflow Rule - Field Updates: Ability to use Placeholders

      It will be great if you can use placeholder tags to update fields. For example if we want to update a custom field with the client name we can use ${CONTACT.CONTACT_FIRSTNAME}${CONTACT.CONTACT_LASTNAME}, etc
    • Password Assessment Reports for all users

      I'm the super admin and looking at the reporting available for Zoho Vault. I can see that there is a Password Assessment report available showing the passwords/weak and security score by user. However I'm confused at the 'report generated on' value. Monitor
    • Can't change form's original name in URL

      Hi all, I have been duplicating + editing forms for jobs regarding the same department to maintain formatting + styling. The issue I've not run into is because I've duplicated it from an existing form, the URL doesn't seem to want to update with the new
    • Setting certian items to be pickup only

      How do we have some items that are pickup only? I have several items in my item's list that I do not ship. But they need to be on the website to be sold, and picked up in store. Need to be able to do this as one of these products is a major seller for
    • Using gift vouchers

      We would like to be able to offer a limited number of gift vouchers, of varying values, to our customers, and are looking for the best way to do this. We have looked at Coupons and Gift Certificates, but neither seem to fit the bill perfectly. Coupons:
    • Automatically updating field(s) of lookup module

      I have a lookup field, which also pulls through the Status field from the linked record. When the lookup is first done, the Status is pulled through - this works perfectly. If that Status is later updated, the lookup field does not update as well. As
    • Zoho Commerce and Third-party shipping (MachShip) API integration

      We are implementing a third-party shipping (MachShip) API integration for our Zoho Commerce store and have made significant progress. However, we need guidance on a specific technical challenge. Current Challenge: We need to get the customer input to
    • Adding custom "lookup" fields in Zoho Customization

      How can I add a second “lookup” field in Zoho? I’m trying to create another lookup that pulls from my Contacts, but the option doesn’t appear in the module customization sidebar. In many cases, a single work order involves multiple contacts. Ideally,
    • Can you import projects into Zoho Projects yet?

      I see some very old posts asking about importing project records into Zoho Projects. But I can't find anything up to date about the topic. Has this functionality been added? Importing tasks is helpful. But we do have a project where importing projects
    • Zoho Inventory. Preventing Negative Stock in Sales Orders – Best Practices?

      Dear Zoho Inventory Community, We’re a small business using Zoho Inventory with a team of sales managers. Unfortunately, some employees occasionally overlook stock levels during order processing, leading to negative inventory issues. Is there a way to
    • Automation #10 - Auto Assign Ticket based on Keywords

      This is a monthly series designed to help you get the best out of Desk. We take our cue from what's being discussed or asked about the most in our community. Then we find the right use cases that specifically highlight solutions, ideas and tips on optimizing
    • Automate attendance tracking with Zoho Cliq Developer Platform

      I wish remote work were permanently mandated so we could join work calls from a movie theatre or even while skydiving! But wait, it's time to wake up! The alarm has snoozed twice, and your team has already logged on for the day. Keeping tabs on attendance
    • Reusable Custom Functions Across Department Workflows

      Dear Zoho Desk Team, We appreciate the powerful workflow automation capabilities in Zoho Desk, particularly the ability to create and use custom functions within workflows. However, we have encountered a limitation that impacts efficiency and maintainability.
    • Don't Allow Customer to Edit Values After Submitting Ticket

      After a customer submits a ticket through the customer portal, they can go into the ticket and see some of the values from the questions they answered in the sidebar. Currently, a customer can edit these values even after they submitted them. This makes no sense. We ask very specific questions that we don't want customers to later change! Please disable the ability for customers to edit the values to their submission questions in the portal. Screenshot attached.
    • Analytics <-> Invoice Connection DELETED by Zoho

      Hi All, I am reaching out today because of a big issue we have at the moment with Zoho Analytics and Zoho Invoice. Our organization relies on Zoho Analytics for most of our reporting (operationnal teams). A few days ago we observed a sync issue with the
    • text length in list report mobile/tablet

      Is there a way to make the full text of a text field appear in the list report on mobile and tablet? With custom layouts, the text is always truncated after a certain number of characters.
    • Automation #4 - Auto Delete Tickets based on Rules

      This is a monthly series in which we pick some common use cases that have been either discussed or most asked about in our community and explain how they can be achieved using one of the automation capabilities in Zoho Desk. Unwanted tickets spamming
    • Zoho Community Digest — Enero 2026

      ¡Hola, comunidad! 🌟 Aquí os traemos las novedades más interesantes de Zoho durante este mes de enero, incluyendo actualizaciones de productos, integraciones y un recordatorio sobre los workshops certificados que vuelven a España. 🎓 Eventos y Comunidad
    • Automation #3 - Auto-sync email attachments to tickets

      This is a monthly series where we pick some common use cases that have been either discussed or most asked about in our community and explain how they can be achieved using one of the automation capabilities in Zoho Desk. Most of our customers use email
    • Automation #11 - Auto Update Custom Fields with Values from Emails

      This is a monthly series designed to help you get the best out of Desk. We take our cue from what's being discussed or asked about the most in our community. Then we find the right use cases that specifically highlight solutions, ideas and tips to optimize
    • Automation #13 - Auto assign tickets based on agent shift time

      This is a monthly series designed to help you get the best out of Desk. We take our cue from what's being discussed or asked about the most in our community. Then we find the right use cases that specifically highlight solutions, ideas and tips to optimize
    • Automation #14: Capture Jira Issue Key/ID in a Ticket Custom Field

      Hello Everyone! This month's edition brings you a custom function to consolidate your records associated with Jira integration. Jira integration enables support engineers and R&D units to collaborate seamlessly on feature development, product improvement,
    • Automation #16: Automate Ticket Reopening on Scheduled Timestamp

      Hello Everyone! This edition uncovers the option to schedule reopening a ticket automatically. Zylker Finance tracks insurance policyholder activities through Zoho Desk. For policyholders who pay monthly premiums, tickets are closed upon payment completion.
    • Automation#19:Auto-Close Tickets Upon Task Completion

      Hello Everyone! We’re excited to bring you another custom function this week. In this edition, we’ll show you how to automatically close tickets when all associated tasks are marked as completed. Let’s see how ZylkaPure, a leading water filter company,
    • Next Page