Eighth Insight - Oversee module relationships with Lookups

Eighth Insight - Oversee module relationships with Lookups

The Wheels of Ticketing - Desk Stories

Oversee module relationships with Lookups


‌Learning about lookups

A lookup field provides a powerful way to display and utilize data from another module directly within a field of your current module. This functionality establishes a seamless connection between different data sources, enabling users to access and work with related information effortlessly. Rather than duplicating data, which leads to inconsistencies and increased data management complexity, a lookup field acts as a bridge that consolidates information.

A lookup field enables users to retrieve and display data from a specific module based on an established relationship between two records. The data from the associated record is displayed within the lookup field, making it easy to view and use related information. Lookup fields are generally editable and show information retrieved from the associated record.
Quote
Lookup fields help display related information, filter data based on related fields, and manage complex relationships between different modules.
IdeaIn a ticketing system, the Contact ID field in the "Tickets" module is a lookup field that retrieves contact information from the "Contacts" module. 

Linking modules

To create connections between two custom modules, it's essential to incorporate lookup fields. These fields are added to module layouts to establish relationships across different modules, whether they are standard-standard, custom-standard, or purely custom. For example, an "Assets" custom module can connect to another custom module or a standard module, such as "Contacts."

This connection allows users to link relevant records (such as contacts) with their respective items (like assets), making it easier to access and view information from either module. Adding a lookup field establishes a direct relationship, which enables users to perform actions such as linking, viewing, unlinking, or generating new tickets without needing to navigate away from the current module.

The importance of linking two modules through a lookup field lies in its ability to enhance information flow and improve data accessibility. By forming distinct relationships between various data points (such as assets and contacts), Zoho Desk facilitates more effective tracking, management, and resolution of customer inquiries and operational tasks. 
Info
Users with the "Manage Layouts and Fields" permission or those in a support administrator role can connect custom or standard modules by adding a lookup field to the module's layout (Standard layout for custom modules) through an easy drag-and-drop interface. 

How it works in practice

There was a small but mighty help desk company called "Fix Tickets." The team at Fix Tickets was dedicated to resolving customer issues promptly and efficiently. One day, they decided to improve their ticketing system with a new feature: lookup fields.


On Monday morning, a customer named Amy reached out with a problem. Her internet was down, and she submitted a ticket through the help desk portal to request assistance. As her ticket entered the system, a lookup field allowed the help desk staff to view relevant information from the Accounts module instantly, the Contracts module, as well as any past tickets. 

Using lookup fields eliminated the need for manual search, and a support agent quickly realized that Amy's account required verification. Meanwhile, Gunther received an email update regarding the status of the customer's ticket. They sent Amy an email update with instructions to verify her account and restore her connection. The entire process was seamless, all thanks to the lookup field functionality, which allowed Fix Tickets to access information quickly and enhance customer satisfaction.


As the week progressed, more tickets came in, and the team continued to rely on the lookup fields. They noticed a significant increase in their efficiency and a decrease in the time spent per ticket. Soon, customer satisfaction scores began to increase as positive reviews poured in from happy customers like Amy.

Uses of Lookup Fields

Data integrity

Lookup fields ensure that data entered into Zoho Desk is valid and consistent. By referencing existing data, such as user accounts or product information, you minimize the chances of errors and maintain the overall integrity of the database.

Consistency across records

Lookup fields ensure that the same values are used consistently across different records. This benefits teams by reducing duplication, enhancing the quality of data available in tickets, and providing team members with more insight into relevant information by linking records across modules.

Improved user experience

By allowing users to select from predefined options, lookup fields make data entry faster and easier. This reduces the time spent typing and searching for information, providing a more efficient ticket submission process.

Improved reporting and analytics

Lookup fields facilitate more accurate and meaningful reporting. By linking tickets to specific accounts, departments, or products, you can generate insights that help improve service delivery and customer satisfaction.

Streamlined workflow automation

Lookup fields can be utilized in workflow rules to automate ticket assignments and efficiently escalate issues. For instance, if a ticket pertains to a specific product, it can automatically be routed to the relevant product team.

Better relationship management

By associating tickets with customers or contacts through lookup fields, support teams can easily view related interactions and history. This context enables agents to provide more personalized and informed responses.

Simplified data management

Lookup fields enable organisations to manage relationships and processes involving various entities, such as users, products, and departments. Changes to the data automatically reflect wherever it’s invoked by a lookup field to ensure that all users are working with the most current and relevant information.

Faster issue resolution

Providing agents with quick access to related data through lookup fields speeds up the resolution process. Whether it’s identifying the correct department to solve a problem or accessing customer history to investigate an account issue, lookup fields enhance data quality, user experience, and operational efficiency.

Takeaway

Lookup fields can help your organization leverage its data to enhance all aspects of customer service, including routing and managing tickets, resolving customer inquiries, and reporting and analysis. This approach equips users with insights into exactly when and where they need them, which empowers them to make well-informed decisions and deliver effective service.

 

Please stay tuned for more Desk Feature stories.

 

Cheers,

 

Kavya Rao

The Zoho Desk Team


    • Recent Topics

    • Reply and react to comments

      Hi everyone! We're excited to bring to you a couple of new features that'll make your sprint process simpler. A cloud application brings with it an array of social media features that can be efficiently used in your organizational setup. As an agile scrum

    • Announcing Early Access to "Zoho CRM for Everyone" — A new and exciting update to Zoho CRM

      Zoho CRM For Everyone is now officially available to all customers, and the Early Access Program has come to a close. We want to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who participated in the program. Your valuable feedback played a key role in shaping

    • Avalara Sales Tax integration - AVATAX

      Just wondering if anyone else is having troubles with this integration?  Seems as though Avalara changed their billing process, unbeknownst to Zoho, and now ALL transactions are counted by Avalara, not just transactions in a taxable jurisdiction.  This caused a huge price adjustment billed to us by Avalara within a month of us signing up.  And Avalara is not cheap to begin with! Avalara has been great in waiving that increase, but there seems to be no fix.  Zoho is aware of the problem, but slow

    • Invalid value passed for description

      Dear Sir, When I am entering the purchase bill , the following message showing "Invalid value passed for description" what should I do ? I am attaching screenshot. With Regards, Harish harish@cracku.in 7978841636

    • Zoho Creator - 2024 Release Projection 1

      Hello everyone! As we enter 2024, we'd like to extend our warmest wishes for success and prosperity. Your fantastic response to our Product Roadmap page last year has been incredibly motivating. Continuing on this path, we're excited to share a glimpse

    • Automation Assistance for Zoho Form Integration and Workflow

      Hi, We are currently using a Zoho Form to send out our Global Credit Application and would like to automate the process further. Specifically, we’d like the ABN number submitted through the form to automatically populate the GST/VAT Number field in Zoho

    • COQL does not return queryable value if the result set is empty

      See linked video for running code illustration of the problem: https://workdrive.zohoexternal.com/external/d49bb40033b43b288d56fdf843095b7c65b28391d3ec5d09c854f416d853003d Moderation update: We are appending the comment that was removed, to add context

    • Zoho CRMでの商談の管理のしかたについて初歩的な質問です。

      先月からZoho CRMを試験的に導入して運用しています。 商談の管理（運用？）の仕方について教えてください。 商談の数が増えてくると、ダッシュボードの「ステージ別進捗状況」にどんどん過去の商談が蓄積されてくると思うのですが、 現在動きのあるものを中心に確認したくなる気がします。 そのあたりについては、どのように運用が一般的なのでしょうか？ アドバイスいただけるととてもありがたいです。 よろしくお願いします。

    • Composite Items & Purchase Orders

      The Composite Item is great way to bundle different products and services into a single line and sell it as a single line item in Estimates, Sales Orders and Invoices. However, on the other side - i,e,. Purchasing - this item creates quite a bit of a

    • using custom function is it possible to update the created by field in Zoho Crm custom module

      using custom function is it possible to update the created by field in Zoho Crm custom module

    • Slow Sloww Slowwww Responses

      Good day, Has anyone been experiencing slow responses from support? Since Thursday I migrated my Whats app to Sales Iq and I had to synch with Social to get the otp they were sending. Apparently What's app can't be automatically added so I reached out

    • You have exceeded the maximum number of attempts for this action. Please retry doing the same in 30 minutes.

      When one of Zoho Books user tries to select a vendor, recording a new bill, these message appears: You have exceeded the maximum number of attempts for this action. Please retry doing the same in 30 minutes. Other user, at the same time, but different

    • Enable Conversation Context Retention for SalesIQ Answer Bots

      Hello Zoho SalesIQ Team, We hope you are doing well. We have noticed that SalesIQ bots currently fail to maintain conversation context in Hebrew. For example, when we follow up on a previous answer or ask for clarification in Hebrew, the bot either provides

    • Automatic Hebrew Small Talk Setup Without Duplicate Term Errors & Manual Configuration

      Dear Zoho SalesIQ Team, Greetings, We would like to request an enhancement to the Small Talk feature in Zoho SalesIQ, specifically for Hebrew language support. Current Challenge: When setting up Small Talk for Hebrew, we encounter multiple issues: Simple

    • Should I Add Leads in Bigin?

      ok, first off I'm new here. I just started using Bigin. I'm debating if it's appropriate to enter leads. by leads I mean a list of contacts that I have not yet reached out to...it's a cold calling list.  if I enter them I can track them (I understand

    • Zoho Books - Perform a validation check before an invoice is marked as sent or sent

      Allow the validation rules to apply to button actions. For example: an invoice could not be sent or marked as sent if it has an empty value in a custom field. (The field could remain blank while it is being worked on.)

    • Flow error "given url is wrong"

      when I setup a flow to update a task status, I get an error when it runs that says "given url is wrong."

    • Upgrade Zoho Desk Agent-Side Answer Bot to GenAI

      Hello Zoho Desk Team, We hope you're doing well. Following the recent announcements and rollout of the GenAI-based Answer Bot in Zoho SalesIQ (Nova '25), we’d like to formally request a similar upgrade for the Answer Bot used by agents inside Zoho Desk.

    • Bigin Android app update: Email filters enhancement, change owner for related records.

      Hello, everyone! In the most recent Bigin Android app update, we have introduced additional email filters and an option to change the owner of related records. Email filters: We have now brought in support for 'All Emails' and 'Added from Widgets' filter

    • How can I get all conversations and comments of a Zoho Desk ticket using ZOHODESK

      Hi everyone, Currently, I am developing a Zoho Desk extension, and I am following the guide available at https://www.zoho.com/desk/extensions/guide/#ticket-object. While working with Zoho Desk, I have noticed that I can only retrieve the general information

    • AI & Zoho Recruit

      Hello, I guess we all are using AI in our personal and professional lives. Now, let's imagine. Recruitment is just a succession of stages and steps. For which step would you like to see AI implemented into Zoho Recruit ? I'll start : - Automatic translation

    • Workdrive and ChatGPT Team Synced Connectors

      Hi, we want to be able to integrate Zoho Workdrive with OpenAI’s ChatGPT Team plan. Google Drive and OneDrive both offer this, zoho please catch up asap. We dont want to have to put our company files in google drive, we want to allow chatgpt Team edition

    • widget url 404'ing

      I'm creating a widget for the first time. When I grab the url from the base url section of the widget builder and append /widget.html it 404's Just wrote a very basic test. I have a folder structure app.zip - widget.html --js/app.js /widget.html <!DOCTYPE

    • Unable to Edit Pick-List Items in Custom Project Field(s)

      I can edit most fields normally, but if I try to edit - in any way - a Pick List field, I just get this error: To be perfectly clear, I'm trying to edit an existing Pick List field (adding or removing items), not adding a new instance. If I rename it,

    • How to display results from zoho.crm.searchRecords in message window

      Hello, I've created a custom function which is linked to a custom button which pulls a date from our contacts module and searches a date field in our quotes module and returns all records matching the date. My issue is, how to I get this to display the

    • Domain Transfer

      Hello there! I wanted to know if I can transfer my domain from Zoho to other hosting providers or use a different hosting provider instead of zoho's services.

    • Select CRM Custom Module in Zoho Creator

      I have a custom module added in Zoho CRM that I would like to link in Zoho creator.  When I add the Zoho CRM field it does not show the new module.  Is this possible?  Do i need to change something in CRM to make it accesible in Creator?

    • New User - Opening Stock Aging Report

      I am setting up new client and am entering Opening Stock - created items and entered quantity/price details. Now the aging report is showing all the opening stock as new. How do I enter the Purchase Dates of these items so that I get accurate Inventory

    • Bulk Receive Multiple Purchase Orders

      Is there a feature or function that will allow you to bulk receive issued purchase orders? I have about 100 that need to be received from 5 years ago.

    • Manual Invoice

      How to create a Manual invoice, I need to enter Amount directly instead of (qty*Rate). our company is a service sector

    • Effective Inbox Organization: Folders vs Tags in Zoho Mail?

      I'm exploring the best ways to organize a busy inbox, especially when managing multiple clients or project using Zoho Mail. I’d love to know what works best for others: 1. Do you prefer **folders** (possibly with sub-folders) for each client or project?

    • Merging contacts and or accounts

      Hello, In a prior CRM we were able to merge contacts and or accounts.  We have turned on the function to stop multiple contacts with the same email, so we can prevent multiple contacts from happening, however, we now have multiple contacts that have the

    • Capture Reason for absence next to Campaign Member Status. Is there a reasonable workaround?

      I've reviewed the topics I could find to do with this but still couldn't find anything that satisfies our requirements: We would like to track a *reason* (picklist or text, doesn't matter which) why a Campaign Member (Lead or Contact associated with a

    • Zoho Learning Management System - Certificate Upload by Employees

      We are planning to enroll employees in courses which are hosted by coursera or similar sites. I want to share the links of those courses and also want employees to upload their completion certificate once they are done. Is this function possible in

    • Add RTL and Hebrew Support for Candidate Portal (and Other Zoho Recruit Portals)

      Dear Zoho Recruit Team, I hope you're doing well. We would like to request the ability to set the Candidate Portal to be Right-to-Left (RTL) and in Hebrew, similar to the existing functionality for the Career Site. Currently, when we set the Career Site

    • Button or Links order

      Is there a way to re-order the buttons or links that are created?

    • 'Pin' notes, so that specific ones are always visible at the top of the 'notes' tab.

      It doesn't appear Bigin has the functionality to 'pin' a note to then have it always show at the top of the notes tab section of a record. Often times we have a large number of records, but key information we may want to have easily visible to all at

    • Request for Subform Support in Zoho CRM Webforms

      Hi Team, I hope you're doing well. I would like to bring to your attention that currently, Zoho CRM Webforms do not support Subforms, which limits our ability to send forms that mirror the actual structure used within Zoho CRM. This feature is extremely

    • Can we generate APK and IOS app?

      Dears, I want to know the availability to develop the app on zoho and after that .. generate the APK or IOS app  and after that I added them to play store or IOS store.. Is it possible to do this .. I want not to use zoho app or let my customers use it. thanks 

    • Formatting Mailing Labels

      I want to use the "Print Mailing Labels" function on the drop down list, but I am not seeing a way to change the formatting on the mailing labels. At the moment, the information that appears on the mailing labels ARE NOT mailing addresses, but random

    • Next Page