Howdy, tech wizards!
This week’s Kaizen explores how Catalyst Solutions in the Zoho CRM Developer Hub help import large volumes of data into Zoho CRM while improving data quality and simplifying the migration process.
Catalyst Solutions provide a library of independent, ready-to-use backend solutions called
CodeLibs. The
CRM Bulk Data Processor CodeLib helps handle complex data operations on large datasets. Following are the key benefits:
- Highly Scalable: Processes large datasets efficiently, supporting up to 200,000 records per API call.
- Automation Made Simple: Automate complex tasks like segmentation, data cleansing and lead scoring with minimal effort.
- Effortless Integration: Comes with pre-configured Catalyst resources such as serverless functions and data stores that integrate directly with Zoho CRM.
Business Scenario
Zylker, a manufacturing company, migrated over 3 lakh Lead records into Zoho CRM from spreadsheets.
Post-migration, the Lead data showed the following inconsistencies and challenges:
- Phone number field did not include country codes, or contained incorrect country codes. This inconsistency made it difficult for sales teams to contact Leads reliably.
- Identifying potential Leads for follow-up required manual effort and marketing team has to run generic campaigns without lead segmentation.
Using workflows before record creation to fix phone numbers for this volume would result in 3 lakh individual workflow executions, which can slow imports and cause partial failures.
Solution Overview
Zylker can use the CRM Bulk Data Processor available in Catalyst Solutions to address these challenges at scale.
The solution works as follows:
- Lead records are fetched in bulk from Zoho CRM using the Bulk Read API.
- The fetched data is temporarily stored to evaluate the priority and quality of each record. Based on this evaluation, the records are also segmented accordingly.
- The Country field value is used to identify and append the correct country code to the phone number.
- The processed records are updated back into Zoho CRM using Bulk Write API.
All operations are executed using pre-configured Catalyst resources provided by the CodeLib. You can explore the
Bulk Data Flow in Catalyst help page to understand how each resource participates in the processing pipeline.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure the following:
1. Log into your Zoho CRM and navigate to Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields > Leads.
Create the following custom Single Line fields to map existing record data in Zoho CRM.
- Last Activity Days
- Web Engagement Score
2. Create the following custom Single Line fields to store the calculated values during bulk processing:
- Lead Score Value
- Lead Segment
- Sales Priority
- Data Quality Status
3. Go to Setup > Developer Hub > Catalyst Solutions > Zoho CRM Bulk Data Processor.
4. Click Go to Catalyst and create a Catalyst account if required.

6. Create a new folder on your local system, which will act as a local project directory. Use the following command:
7. Navigate to the project folder in your terminal and execute the following command:
8. Follow the prompts to select and initialize your desired project from the Catalyst console.
When prompted to choose a feature, press Enter and proceed without choosing any feature.
9. Run the following command to install the CRM Bulk Data Processor CodeLib.
Step 1: Create a Cron Job
1. Open the Catalyst Console and navigate to the same project in which you have installed the CRM Bulk Data Processor CodeLib.
2. Go to Cloud Scale > Triggers > Cron and click Create Cron.
3. Fill in the following details:
- Provide a Name and Description for the cron job.
- Select Function and choose BulkJobScheduler from the dropdown in the Target Function field.
- Enter the following parameters and values:
MODULES -> Leads
FIELDS_TO_BE_PROCESSED -> Last_Name, Company, Mobile, Country, Designation, No_of_Employees, Web_Engagement_Score, Lead_Score_Value, Lead_Segment, Sales_Priority, Data_Quality_Status
Use GET Modules Metadata API and GET Fields Metadata API to get the API names of the required module and fields.
- Choose the Schedule Type as One Time for our use case.
Step 2: Configure Zoho CRM API Credentials
2. Generate a Grant Token with the following scopes:
- ZohoFiles.files.ALL
- ZohoCRM.bulk.ALL
- ZohoCRM.modules.ALL
- ZohoCRM.settings.ALL
- ZohoCRM.org.ALL
3. Follow the
OAuth Help Section for a step-by-step guide to generate Access and Refresh tokens for your Zoho CRM organization.
Store all the API credentials securely for later use.
4. To allow Catalyst to access Zoho CRM data, configure the stored API credentials as environment variables in the catalyst-config.json file within the BulkDataProcessor function.
These environment variables are used by
Catalyst Connectors to create access tokens for establishing secure connection between Zoho CRM and Catalyst.
Step 3: Add Business Logic
1. Go to com.processor.record.ZCRMRecordsProcessorImpl.java file of the BulkDataProcessor in the functions directory.
2. Override the ZCRMRecordsProcessor method with the business logic.
The complete code sample for this use case is available on
GitHub for reference.
Following is the major custom logic used here:
Phone Number Normalization:
This can be implemented in two stages, Country standardization and Phone Number formatting.
For country standardization, CountryStandardizerUtil maps different variations of the Country field in records to a single standardized country identifier. These variations may include,
- Country Names (India, Unites States, United Kingdom)
- Abbreviations (Ind, IN, USA, US, UK)
- Calling Codes (+91, +1, +44)
With this, we can ensure different interpretations of the same country are interpreted consistently during the process.
Once the country is standardized, Phone Numbers are formatted to E.164 format in the PhoneNormalizerUtil.
It removes all non-numeric characters and converts the Phone input to E.164 format with the respective country codes.
public class PhoneNormalizerUtil { private static final Pattern NON_DIGIT = Pattern.compile("[^0-9]"); public static Optional<String> normalizeToE164(String rawPhone, String countryCode) { if (rawPhone == null || rawPhone.trim().isEmpty()) { return Optional.empty(); } String digits = NON_DIGIT.matcher(rawPhone).replaceAll(""); if (rawPhone.startsWith("+") && digits.length() >= 10) { return Optional.of("+" + digits); } switch (countryCode) { case "IN": return normalizeIndia(digits); case "US": return normalizeUS(digits); case "UK": return normalizeUK(digits); default: return Optional.empty(); } } private static Optional<String> normalizeIndia(String digits) { if (digits.length() == 10) { return Optional.of("+91" + digits); } if (digits.startsWith("91") && digits.length() == 12) { return Optional.of("+" + digits); } return Optional.empty(); } private static Optional<String> normalizeUS(String digits) { if (digits.length() == 10) { return Optional.of("+1" + digits); } if (digits.startsWith("1") && digits.length() == 11) { return Optional.of("+" + digits); } return Optional.empty(); } private static Optional<String> normalizeUK(String digits) { if (digits.startsWith("44") && digits.length() == 12) { return Optional.of("+" + digits); } if (digits.length() == 10) { return Optional.of("+44" + digits); } return Optional.empty(); }
} |
Lead Priority and Segmentation
The lead priority is calculated using the Title, No of employees, Last Activity Days and Web Engagement Score fields in the record.
Each field value contributes a predefined number of points:
- If the job title indicates a senior role such as CEO, CTO, Director, or VP, 25 points are added.
- If the company size is 200 employees or more, 20 points are added.
- If the Lead has been active within the last 7 days, 15 points are added.
- If the web engagement score is 70 or higher, 10 points are added.
The sum of all applicable factors is returned as an integer and based on this score the lead's priority and segmentation is assigned as follows:
- High (Hot): score ≥ 70
- Medium (Warm): score ≥ 40
- Low (Cold): score < 40
public static int calculateLeadScore( String jobTitle, Integer companySize, Integer lastActivityDays, Integer webEngagementScore) { int score = 0; // Decision Maker if (jobTitle != null) { String title = jobTitle.toLowerCase(); if (title.contains("ceo") || title.contains("cto") || title.contains("director") || title.contains("vp")) { score += 25; } } // Company Size if (companySize != null && companySize >= 200) { score += 20; } // Recency if (lastActivityDays != null && lastActivityDays <= 7) { score += 15; } // Engagement if (webEngagementScore != null && webEngagementScore >= 70) { score += 10; } return score; } public static String deriveSegment(int score) { if (score >= 70) return "Hot"; if (score >= 40) return "Warm"; return "Cold"; } public static String derivePriority(String segment) { switch (segment) { case "Hot": return "High"; case "Warm": return "Medium"; default: return "Low"; } }
|
Lead Quality:
Lead quality is evaluated based on the validity of the Mobile and Country fields in the records.
- Clean: Both field values are valid.
- Critical: Both field values are invalid.
- Needs Review: Only one of the field values is invalid.

Write Back to Records:
The processed data is written back to Zoho CRM as follows:
- Mobile: Formatted phone numbers.
- Lead Score: Total score calculated from all applicable fields.
- Lead Segment: Segment derived from the lead score.
- Sales Priority: Priority assigned based on the lead segment.
- Data Quality Status: Overall quality of the Lead record.
if (normalizedMobile.isPresent()) { data.put("Mobile", normalizedMobile.get()); } data.put("Lead_Score", leadScore); data.put("Lead_Segment", leadSegment); data.put("Sales_Priority", salesPriority); data.put("Data_Quality_Status", dataQualityStatus); }
|
Step 4: Deploy to Development
You can find the complete code sample on
GitHub for reference.
Try it Out!
With the changes deployed to the Development environment, let us now test the solution.
We hope this Kaizen helps you import large volumes of data into Zoho CRM while improving data quality and lead intelligence using the CRM Bulk Data Processor.
Have questions or suggestions? Drop them in the comments or write to us at
support@zohocrm.com.
We will circle back to you next Friday with another interesting topic.
On to Better Building!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recent Topics
Pass variables to Zoho Desk via URL to create a fast new ticket landing page
We are integrating our phone system into Zoho Desk. Currently when a helpdesk agent answers the phone, a soft client opens a new tab with zoho desk at the new case page. https://desk.zoho.com/support/companyname/ShowHomePage.do#Cases/new We would like
Zoho Books Extension: What Happens If Custom Fields Already Exist?
When developing Zoho Books extensions, what happens if the target Zoho Books organization already has a custom field with the same API name as one defined in the extension? I’m asking because we originally created an on-Books version of this functionality,
Modular Permission Levels
We need more modular Permissions per module in Books we have 2 use cases that are creating problems We need per module export permission we have a use case where users should be able to view the sales orders but not export it, but they can export other
¡Vuelven los Workshops Certificados de Zoho a España!
¡Hola usuarios de Español Zoho Community! Hace ya unos días que hemos dado la bienvenida al 2026, y promete ser un año de lo más emocionante. Y es que nos gustaría haceros nuestro particular regalo de Reyes, aunque lleguemos un poco tarde. 🎁 ¡Nos gustaría
Free Webinar on 21 January: Looking back at Zoho Mail in 2025
Hello Zoho Community! Curious about how Zoho Mail evolved in 2025? Wondering how these updates can make your everyday email work simpler? We’ve got a session you won’t want to miss. In our Zoho Mail 2025 recap webinar, we’ll walk you through the key features
Cliq Networks users can see all other network users contact information
Is there a way to hide user contact information from each user in networks? I would only like the users to see the admin's contact information, not other users. Network users information shared by default
Zoho Sheet - Printing - Page Breaks and Printing Customization
I think the title is descriptive enough in that I cannot find help documentation on a simple task of adding in page brakes for separating pages on print. Thanks
Missing the "Find & Merge Duplicates" choice
Hi, I am missing the "Find & Merge Duplicates" choice. I looked under the "More Actions" menu in Contacts, Accounts, Vendors, and Leads and it is not there. I have full permissions. Please assist me on finding this feature. Thanks!
OAuth integration issues
I'm experiencing persistent OAuth errors when trying to connect Make with Zoho API. I've tried multiple approaches but keep encountering the following issues: First error: 'Invalid Redirect Uri - Redirect URI passed does not match with the one configured'
Marketing Tip #16: Ideal sizes and formats for adding images to your online store
Images can make (or break) your storefront experience. When your banners and product photos follow the right sizes and aspect ratios, your store looks cleaner, loads faster, and feels more trustworthy—especially on mobile. Here are recommended image sizes
Improve WhatsApp Module in Zoho CRM
The current WhatsApp module UI in Zoho CRM feels cluttered and complex, especially when handling high volumes of conversations. It would be great to enhance the WhatsApp module UI/UX by adopting a clean and simplified interface similar to Bigin CRM’s
Blueprint transitions on locked records
We use the ability to automatically lock records (quotes, sales orders, etc.) based on criteria, such as stage. For instance, if a quote has been sent to a client, the quote is then locked for further edits. Our ideal quote stage process is: Draft>Sent>Won.
Enhance productivity with the revamped Zoho Sheet View
Hello folks, For some time now, you've been able to use the Zoho Sheet View to quickly edit multiple records or to insert a batch of new records. Its tabular interface allows users to engage in these tasks productively. Despite this, the existing Sheet
No OR Filter for Views with a Related Modules Criteria
We would like to create a Deal View where the User can see all their deals. For that, we would need an OR to connect the criteria. One of the Fields is a "multiselect User", these (Related Modules Criteria) can only be Filter with an AND. Even between
Good news! Calendar in Zoho CRM gets a face lift
Dear Customers, We are delighted to unveil the revamped calendar UI in Zoho CRM. With a complete visual overhaul aligned with CRM for Everyone, the calendar now offers a more intuitive and flexible scheduling experience. What’s new? Distinguish activities
Chat to Lead
Can I convert a Chat to a Lead?
Limit maximum entries for subform - depending on fields entry
Hi Zoho! I have a form with a subform in it. I'd like to have limitation for the row number depending on an entry in a drop-down field in the main form (If the field in the main form is marked "Answer1" - Limit the entries to 1 row, if the field is "Answer2" to have 2 rows limitation, "Answer3" = no limitation at all) Can this be done? Thanks Ravid
Save HTML Snippet Page as PDF with Dynamic Data in Zoho Creator (Working Solution)
Hi Zoho Creator Community 👋, I faced a common challenge while working with HTML Snippet Pages — I needed to generate a PDF with dynamic data and save it back into the record automatically. Here’s the working solution that might help others. Use Case
Make Camera Overlay & Recording Controls Visible in All Screen-Sharing Options
Hi Zoho WorkDrive Team, Hope you are doing well. We would like to request an improvement to the screen-recording experience in Zoho WorkDrive. Current Limitation: At the moment the recording controls are visible only inside the Zoho WorkDrive tab. When
Write-Off multiple invoices and tax calculation
Good evening, I have many invoices which are long overdue and I do not expect them to be paid. I believe I should write them off. I did some tests and I have some questions: - I cannot find a way to write off several invoices together. How can I do that,
Rebranding Options for Zoho One
We need the addition of rebranding and white-labeling settings directly within the Zoho One Admin Panel. This feature should allow organizations to customize the unified portal with their own logo, brand colors, and custom domain mapping (e.g., portal.company.com).
Tip #57- Accessibility Controls in Zoho Assist: Mobility- 'Insider Insights'
Remote support should be easy to navigate for everyone. For users with mobility-related accessibility needs, long sessions and complex navigation can be challenging. Zoho Assist’s Mobility Accessibility Controls simplify interaction through keyboard-based
Total Cost in reports showing zero
The image below shows my issue. The column Total Cost should show the cost to our company based on hours logged and the employee's rate. For instance, if the person working on Subtask 1 is paid 20/hr, then Total Cost should display $160 ($20x8 logged
To print Multiple delivery notes in batches
In Zoho Books, we can print a Delivery Note from an Invoice using the Print Delivery Note option, but it is non-editable and always prints all line items from the invoice. Our requirement is to deliver invoiced items in batches and print delivery notes
Invoices not arriving and mail server settings
I am having an issue where some clients are not receiving invoices. I have configured Zoho Books to send on my behalf and configured the appropriate SPF, DKIM and DMARC settings on my mail server and tested these as working. I get the CC'd copies so I
UPLOAD A CREATED PDF AUTOMATICALLY
Using the html header pdf+print button, I have managed to find a way to have a user create a pdf using entered form data. Using the schedule button, I can have a "file uploaded" pdf mailed to someone as an attachment. The missing piece is to be able to add the pdf, created in that html page to a file upload field automatically? Right now one has to save it to computer and then upload it in a FILE UPLOAD FIELD. Any help would appreciated !
Consolidated Department-wise Payroll Cost Summary Report
Hello Zoho Payroll Team and Community, I am writing to discuss a reporting requirement regarding department-level expense tracking within Zoho Payroll. As we scale and manage salary distribution for employees across multiple departments, such as Accounts,
How to remove chat icon from knowledge base?
I have set up a knowledge base to hold FAQs and documentation. It is currently standalone, and not integrated into our website. On every page there is a chat button in the bottom left corner that says "We're offline, please leave a message." How can I
Missed chats on WhatsApp closing after one minute
Hi, we have added WhatsApp as a channel. However, if a chat is not picked up within 2mins, the chat is marked as missed and is closed within a minute. Why are they not staying in our "missed" queue for 24 hours as per our WhatsApp preference settings?
[ZohoDesk] Improve Status View with a new editeble kanban view
A kanban view with more information about the ticket and the contact who created the ticket would be valueble. I would like to edit the fields with the ones i like to see at one glance. Like in CRM where you can edit the canvas view, i would like to edit
Automated Dismissal of Specific Notifications and Centralized Control of Toast Notification Settings
Dear Zoho Team, I hope this message finds you well. We would like to request two enhancements related to notification handling within Zoho Desk: Automatic Dismissal of Specific Notifications: Currently, when certain actions are taken in the ticket list
Show field in spreadsheet view depending on other field value
Hello. Not sure if this is possible but let's say i have spreadsheet view in Creator with four different fields Field A, B, C and D Then i have a field named Response which for one record could contain only one of the pre-definde choices below A, B, C
Intergrating multi location Square account with Zoho Books
Hi, I have one Square account but has multiple locations. I would like to integrate that account and show aggregated sales in zoho books. How can I do that? thanks.
Zoho Learn Zapier Integration
Hello all, Is there any plan to integrate Zoho Learn with Zapier? It seems almost all Zoho products are in Zapier, with the exception of Learn and Marketing Automation.
Notice: SalesIQ integration paused on Zoho Sites
I have this notice on my Zoho Sites in the SalesIQ integration setup. Can someone assist? "This integration has been temporarily paused for users. Reconnecting SalesIQ after disconnection will not be possible until we provide further updates." thank
Differences between Zoho Books and Zoho Billing
Without a long drawn out process to compare these. If you were looking at these Books and Billing, what made you opt for one and not the other. Thanks
New Feature : Copying tickets with all the contents such as conversations/history/attachments etc
Sometimes our customers and distributors do create tickets (or send emails) which contain more than one incident in them and then also some of the further conversations which are either created by incorrect new tickets or replies to old tickets are being created as combined tickets. In such cases we require to "COPY" the contents of the tickets into separate tickets and merge them into their corresponding original tickets. The "CLONE" feature doesn't copy the contents (especially the conversations
Como se agregan los empleados
Necesito saber si para agregar empleados los mismos necesitan tener licencias
Deluge Error Code 1002 - "Resource does not exist."
I am using the following script in a Custom Button on a Sales Return. Basically, the function takes the information in the sales return (plus the arguments that are entered by the user when the button is pushed) and creates a return shipping label via
Adding multiple Attendee email addresses when adding a Zoho Calendar event in Zoho Flow
I am trying to integrate Notion and Zoho Calendar via Zoho Flow. However, the Attendee email address supported by Zoho Calendar - Create event only supports one email address, so I am having difficulty implementing automation to automatically register
Next Page