New capabilities for custom buttons: Elevate UX and CX with just a click!

New capabilities for custom buttons: Elevate UX and CX with just a click!

-------------------------------------------------Post moderated on 24th May--------------------------------------------------------------

Dear all, The feature is now available for all users in all DCs. 


Dear Customers,

We hope you're well!

We're happy to announce enhancements we've made to buttons.

Buttons in Zoho CRM are a simple yet versatile customization tool. It offers great usability for CRM users, enabling them execute important actions as required. It was originally designated for use within modules. Realizing its importance in users' productivity, we opened the ability to configure buttons inside records, Wizards, Canvas, and related lists as well. Also, you can bridge your CRM to a third party software.

Now, to provide context and convenience, we are expanding the scope of buttons even more.
  • Layout-specification: We've added the ability to choose layouts while configuring buttons, which helps provide more context to your data organization efforts.
  • Portal accessibility: We enabled buttons for portals to offer exclusivity for customers and also to extend these UX capabilities to CX.
  • Kiosk accessibility: We also have a value-adding use case with regard to Kiosk.

Let's go in detail!

Buttons are now layout-specific

Layouts in Zoho CRM are customizable data templates that help you collect, store, process, interpret, and manage data to manifest your business processes. You can also run automations based on layouts. These layout-specific capabilities help align your CRM to your business processes.
However, until now, any button placed in record detail, create, or clone pages was invariably displayed for all layouts. This generic prevalence of a button irrespective of the layout or the process lacked context.

The screenshots below feature two buttons on the record details page. The button Send to events for leads from trade shows and the other, push to WFS for leads coming in via online store. Both the buttons help push data to different applications.

You can see, how two buttons irrespective of their relevance, are displayed in the record details page invariably.

Now, to provide clearer context and, more importantly, to make buttons more process-specific, we've introduced the ability to select which layout(s) a button should appear in before selecting its position. In fact, you can select one or more layouts, or choose all layouts (but this time it's your choice!).

In the screenshots below, you can see leads with different layouts—each with buttons specific for its layout.


Note: Layout choices will be available only where they're applicable. If you choose to place buttons in the list view (module view), then you won't be able to select the layouts.

UI update: Separate links and buttons tab

In line with this layout selection update, we've also split the former Links and Buttons tab into two distinct tabs: Links and Buttons. With this split, you'll not only have a dedicated list of links and buttons, but also get the benefit of managing each of them individually.


Empower portal users with more accessibility

Portals are a self-service channel Zoho CRM offers. By extending access to certain modules to portal users, you can enable them to create, view, and update records all by themselves. Click here to learn more about portals in Zoho CRM.

Now, to give Portal users, accessibility and a great experience that CRM users have had thus far, we've also developed the ability to create/extend buttons to records shared via portals.

Moving forward, admins create buttons exclusively for portal users or extend existing buttons to them. 

What does this mean for your business?

Building or extending custom buttons in portals opens up a lot of possibilities. In addition to the standard record buttons, by providing access to custom buttons in Portals, your Portal users will be able to do what CRM users can do, such as send SMS notifications, save records as offline files, push information to on-premise tools, and more. The possibilities with custom buttons are endless, and they offer the following benefits: 
  • Curb their dependence on CRM users
  • Add convenience
  • Elevate the user experience
  • Minimize effort required for manual tasks
But wait—this update to custom buttons does lead to another interesting use case. Let's talk about Kiosk Studio!

Kiosk Studio is one of our latest and most anticipated releases. It's a no-code customization tool that CRM users can use to get quick service at the click of a button. You can quickly display a screen, retrieve information from your database, or save information to it. Click here to learn more about Kiosk.

Summoning a Kiosk is one of many custom actions you can configure for custom buttons. If you've already configured Kiosk for your organization, you can associate it with a custom button as an action and initiate designated tasks.

Let's look at an example of how a Portal user can schedule a car service all by themselves:

KM is a premium car care center that deals with its correspondence online. All the customer has to do is to schedule a service on their portal, and they will be contacted. This is a classic example of a Kiosk inside a Portal.

This way, custom buttons can serve a larger purpose for your business. We hope these enhancements provide a lot more flexibility and convenience as you work with Zoho CRM. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to drop a comment.
That's all, folks!

Availability: These updates are available for all users in US DC as of now. It will be opened in the rest of the DCs in a couple of days.

Thanks and have a good one!

Kind regards,
Saranya Balasubramanian
Zoho CRM - Marketing

Rephrase with Ginger (Cmd+⌥+E)

    • Recent Topics

    • Bookmark Loading is Buffering

      Hi, i clicked on the bookmark tab, around yesterday and since then it's been constantly buffering and doesn't allow me to access the mail's i have tried login in and out but of no help also trying to share a screenshot of the issue around 232 kb size,

    • Ask the Experts 25: Experience the full spectrum of Zoho Desk’s autumn and spring releases for 2025

      Hello Everyone, We’re on the 25th episode of our ATE series! It's a true milestone in our live community interactions! It’s been an amazing journey since we started in October 2018. Zoho Desk has come a long way, evolving with the support of a wonderful

    • Zoho Webinar custom registration fields into Zoho CRM

      I am pushing webinar registrations into zoho crm as leads and this is working fine. I have added a few custom fields to my webinar registration and I wish for these fields values to get mapped into the resulting CRM lead record. I am not seeing anywhere

    • How to restrict user/portal user change canvas view

      Hi , I would like to restrict user / portal user change their canvas view because I hide some sensitive field for them. I dont want my user switch the canvas view that do not belong to them But seems Zoho do not provide this setting?

    • GitLab Extension for Zoho Desk: Connecting support and development for faster resolutions

      Hello everyone! We’re excited to introduce the GitLab Extension for Zoho Desk, an integration that bridges the gap between support and development teams. This allows tickets to be converted into actionable GitLab issues for faster resolutions, better

    • Read webpage - MSXML2.ServerXMLHTTP

      I have the following VBA script, put together from various sources (mainly zoho forum/help/support, so it once worked, I guess): private Sub GetListOfSheets() Dim url As String Dim xmlhttp As Object Dim parameters As String Dim html As String range("B1").value

    • Download Google Drive Shared Image/File Using Deluge – Complete Guide

      Download Google Drive Shared Image/File Using Deluge – Complete Guide When working with Google Drive share links inside Deluge, many developers face a common challenge: 👉 How can we download a Google Drive file directly using Deluge? This article explains

    • How to update Acuity appointment fields from Zoho Flow?

      Hi, I need help with Zoho Flow → Acuity Scheduling integration. What I’m doing Appointment created in Acuity Zoho Flow creates a Zoho Calendar event I want to send the Zoho Calendar Event UID back into Acuity (into a custom form field) This is so that

    • When will Zoho Learn be able to support SCORM files on the mobile app?

      When I click the SCORM content, I just get a message saying it's not possible yet. Yet implies that it will be coming soon. All I'm asking for is a realistic timeline so I know whether or not to invest my time in using it. If it will be soon, then I will

    • No horizontal scroll bar in reports

      Hi support team, I created a pivot table report which contains many columns (in my application about 15). The problem is that there is no bottom scroll bar to display colums that does not fit within the browser page. I saw that it was possible to resize colums, but colums sizes are not saved within the session. So could you add scroll bar, and eventually make colums sizes stored in the user session ? Best regards,

    • Zoho Map integration tasks have changed - you need to "Locate all instances of Zoho Map integration tasks in your Deluge scripts by searching for the v1 marker... before 16 January 2026"

      Details of an issue specific to Zoho CRM + Deluge Functions (originally posted in this forum) can be found here: https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/community/topic/zoho-map-integration-tasks-have-changed-you-need-to-locate-all-instances-of-zoho-map-integration-tasks-in-your-deluge-scripts-by-searching-for-the-v1-marker

    • filter broke my data

      I uploaded a file recently from Sheets and it has top 2 rows frozen, with table headers in second row and each one is filterable. somehow my first 2 columns became unfiltered and no matter what I do I cannot reapply the filter?? also didn't realize they

    • Request to remove domain "greentechcoatings.vn" from previous Zoho account

      Hello Zoho Support, I would like to register the domain "greentechcoatings.vn" in my new Zoho Mail account, but I receive the message "This domain is already associated with another account". Please remove the domain from any previous/unknown account

    • Introducing Multi-Asset Support in Work Orders, Estimates, and Service Appointments

      We’re excited to announce a highly requested enhancement in Zoho FSM — you can now associate multiple assets with Work Orders, Estimates, and Service Appointments. This update brings more clarity, flexibility, and control to your field service operations,

    • Trigger actions in third-party apps using Zoho Flow

      Greetings, I hope you're all doing well. We're excited to share an enhancement to Bigin's workflow capabilities. Zoho Flow Actions are now available in Bigin, enabling you to automate tasks across third-party applications directly from your workflow and

    • Enroll, Script, Win: Hackathon 2025!

      Hello CRM Developers! Are you ready to create some magic with Client Script, Widgets and Functions in Zoho CRM? Let’s make Hackathon 2025 an unforgettable adventure! The Zoho Developer Community Hackathon 2025 is here, and it’s your time to shine! REGISTER

    • Reupload and rename from one field to another field (file upload)

      Hi Everyone, Sorry, i have question to use invoke url for rename and reupload attachments file to another field. Tested on development mode. Zoho C6. Refer to https://www.zoho.com/creator/help/api/v2/upload-file.html look my error notification. Does anyone

    • Zoho Help Desk - Not receiving emails

      Hello… I am on your trial version of help desk… and I am having trouble getting emails from Zoho Help Desk to my MS Outlook Exchange Server… So when a customer sends ticket request I am not getting an email with a notification? I have read your articles

    • Export History timeline

      Hi, I have an idea, bout zoho desk history of the ticket it would be great if the agent or admin of the zoho desk can export the timeline of the ticket history for agent report or on other matter.

    • Almost all Flows are being queued

      A few days ago I saw one of my Flows status was Queued. This was the first time this had ever happened. Now, almost every Flow that triggers is Queued for at least a few minutes. If I re-trigger the Flow (which causes separate problems) they sometimes

    • Cancellation of written-off invoice

      Hi, Can I know when we cancel the write off (write back), in which FY, the reversal is recorded. It doesn't ask as to when the write off should be cancelled to reflect!. It shouldn't reflect in the year in which the invoice was written off since the Year

    • How Do I Refund a Customer Directly to Their Credit Card?

      Hi, I use books to auto-charge my customers credit card. But when I create a credit note there doesn't seem to be a way to directly refund the amount back to their credit card. Is the only way to refund a credit note by doing it "offline" - or manually-

    • Employment Contract / HRMS Documents - Zoho People

      How do I create customized HR documents for disbursal from Zoho People ? Example, say offer letters ? appointment letters ? Memos ? We want to be able to preset these in one or ther other form and issue them to employees who are in Zoho People.

    • Custom validation in CRM schema

      Validation rules in CRM layouts work nicely, good docs by @Kiran Karthik P https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/kb/crm/customize-crm-account/validation-rules/articles/create-validation-rules I'd prefer validating data input 'closer to the schema'

    • Send Zoho Forms Link using Zoho CRM Email Templates

      I have set up Zoho Forms and CRM integration to pre-populate data from Zoho CRM to Zoho Forms. The setup is working fine. I have also created an email template in the Zoho CRM deals module to send Zoho forms links. So when I send an email using that template

    • Live webinar: Craft and deliver impactful slides with Show’s desktop apps

      If you love the comfort of working on your desktop and want a setup that keeps you focused and uninterrupted, this session is made for you. We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming live webinar: "Craft and deliver impactful slides with Show's desktop

    • Enhancements to Bigin's forms

      Greetings, I hope all of you are doing well. We're happy to announce a few recent enhancements we've made to Bigin's forms. We'll go over each one in detail. Merge field support in auto-filled forms The auto-fill option in Bigin's forms lets you predefine

    • Table dimensions

      I try changing the dimensions of the table on my computer but it doesn't change. Do I have to be a premium member or does it only work on the app?

    • Direct link to Record Summary

      Hi everyone, In one of my reports, I have built a Record Summary template to display the details of one record. I would like to be able to link directly to this Record Summary once I submit a new record, without having to go to the list of records first and click on View. Is there a possibility to do so ?  Should I use the URL by passing some parameters ? Thank you very much for your help ! Guillaume

    • Amendment effective date

      Hi everyone, I noticed that the amendment effective date mentionned in my amendment is not right. Indeed, when a contract is amended several times, it states the previous amendment and their effective date. However, the effective date stated is always

    • STOCK history in zohosheets

      is it possible to get historical stock value using stock function in zoho sheets? i could not see from and to period in the helper document.

    • Auto sync Photo storage

      Hello I am new to Zoho Workdrive and was wondering if the is a way of automatically syncing photos on my Android phone to my workdrive as want to move away from Google? Thanks

    • Can't add a sender adress from zoho campaigns

      hi, I need to change the sender address for a campaign.  When i try to add it i get a message to say 'duplicated email address found while adding your sender address'.  This is the first campaign i'm sending so I don't understand why this message is displayed? Thanks Jane 

    • Condition based aggregate fields in subforms

      Hello everyone, We're excited to inform you about the latest enhancements made to our aggregate field capabilities in subforms; create aggregate fields based on conditions! An aggregate field is a column on which a mathematical function has been applied.

    • Zoho Desk Training

      Hello, We've had Zoho desk for a while now, but we run into issues occasionally, and I was wondering if there was a customer who currently uses it and really enjoys the functionality, that would be wiling to chat with us?

    • Introducing parent-child ticketing in Zoho Desk [Early access]

      Hello Zoho Desk users! We have introduced the parent-child ticketing system to help customer service teams ensure efficient resolution of issues involving multiple, related tickets. You can now combine repetitive and interconnected tickets into parent-child

    • Text/SMS With Zoho Desk

      Hi Guys- Considering using SMS to get faster responses from customers that we are helping.  Have a bunch of questions; 1) Which provider is better ClickaTell or Screen Magic.  Screen Magic seems easier to setup, but appears to be 2x as expensive for United States.  I cannot find the sender id for Clickatell to even complete the configuration. 2) Can customer's reply to text messages?  If so are responses linked back to the zoho ticket?  If not, how are you handling this, a simple "DO NOT REPLY" as

    • Agent password reset

      Hi Zoho support, I would like to ask if there is a way the admin can reset a password of an agent? Regards

    • Group Calendar as Default for adding new events, etc?

      Hi, I want to make the group calendar (that I created, if that makes a difference) the default for anything new I add to the calendar. How can I do that? thanks.

    • Can receive but not send messages in Zoho Mail

      Hello! I was able to configure my email client successfully in that I can receive messages just fine. However, when I send messages out, they seem to go out fine (I don't receive any errors or anything), but the recipient does NOT receive those messages.

    • Next Page