Kaizen #206 - Answering your Questions | Displaying Related Purchase Orders from Zoho Books in CRM Deals using Queries

Kaizen #206 - Answering your Questions | Displaying Related Purchase Orders from Zoho Books in CRM Deals using Queries


Hello everyone!
We're back with another post in the Kaizen series.
We're grateful for the feedback we received from all of you!

One of the questions we received was "I would like to see the list of Purchase Orders in Zoho Books for a Deal in CRM."

We will discuss how to achieve this using the Queries feature in Zoho CRM.

Scenario

In many organizations, a single Deal in Zoho CRM may correspond to one or more Purchase Orders(POs) in Zoho Books. To get a real-time view of all POs associated with a Deal in CRM, we can leverage the Queries feature under Setup > Developer Hub > Queries, and custom related lists.

1. CRM and Zoho Books Integration

Zoho CRM and Books integration allows you to
  • View POs, invoices, and payments for deals directly in CRM
  • Synchronize financial data between CRM deals and Books POs
  • Automate the mapping of deals to POs via custom fields
To create this connection,
  1. Go to Setup > Developer Hub > Connections
  2. Create a connection to Books(OAuth) with the scopes ZohoBooks.contacts.All and ZohoBooks.purchaseorders.All.

2. Prerequisites

Before creating the query and automation, you must have the following ready:
  1. Zoho Books organization ID – needed for REST API calls.
  2. Custom field in Books PO module:
    Field Name: CRM Deal ID
    Type: Single-line
    Purpose: Store the CRM deal ID that each PO relates to.
    Why do we need this custom field?
    By default, Books POs are not directly linked to CRM Deals. To bridge this gap, we create a custom single-line field(CRM Deal ID) in Books POs to store the CRM Deal’s record ID. This makes it possible to filter POs in queries(cf_crm_deal_id == {{deal_ID}}) and reliably display only the related POs in CRM.

    You can store the record ID of the deal in CRM in this field either manually or via a custom function. When you use a custom function, use the Update a Purchase Order API to update the CRM Deal ID field in Books with the record ID of the deal in CRM. You can then associate this function to a button or automation to constantly update the PO in Books every time a deal in CRM is created or updated in CRM. You can also use Zoho Flow to achieve this instead of a function.
  3. Trusted domain and source:
    1. Ensure you have added Books API domain to trusted domain for API calls.

    2. Add Zoho Books as the source of the query to get the PO details from Books. You can add the Books' organization ID as a parameter either here or while creating the query.

3. Single Deal, Multiple POs

Scenario

  • A CRM deal requires multiple POs from different vendors.
  • Each PO in Books stores the same Deal ID in the CRM Deal ID field.
  • This allows a related list in CRM to show all POs associated with the deal.

Why a Single-line Field Works?

  • Each PO references one deal.
  • Queries in CRM can filter using cf_crm_deal_id == {{deal_ID}}. cf_crm_deal_id is the API name of the custom field in PO of Books. You can find it under Setup > Purchases > Purchase Orders > {the custom field} > Edit.
  • Works reliably for related list display.

4. Creating a REST API Query in CRM

Since we will use Books API to get the list of POs, we will create a REST API type query.

  1. Go to Setup > Developer Hub > Queries > Create Query.
  2. Enter the details as shown in the following image:

  3. Choose the Books source that you added recently.
  4. Give a name for the query.
  5. The API name will be auto-populated, and the URL will be populated from the source.
  6. Enter the endpoint to access the resource from Books. In our case, purchaseorders.
  7. To filter based on the value in the CRM Deal ID field in Books, enter the parameter as cf_crm_deal_id and its value as a variable. This variable takes the Deal's record ID as the value during run time. This ensures that the query takes the deal residing in the CRM Deal ID(which is also the record ID of the deal in CRM) field in Books and filters only those POs related to this Deal.
  8. If you have not given org_id as a parameter while creating the source, include it here.
  9. Click Next. You will get a pop-up asking for the value to the variable cf_crm_deal_id. Give a value to see the query in action.
  10. The query returns the list of POs from Books that are related to this particular deal in CRM.
  11. Save the query.

5. Serializing(to return a table for the related list)

Serializer allows you to manipulate the response of the query using Javascript.
In our example, the raw response of the query will contain the POs from Books for a deal in CRM as an array with many fields.
For example, the deal with CRM record ID 3652397000017912047 has two POs in Books viz, PO-00001 and PO-00003. The raw response before serialization is as follows.


But, to associate this response with a related list, we don't need all the fields. We can use the serializer to modify this response and use only the required fields.
The following image shows the serialized response.


Click Save and configure the Schema.


Click Save to save the query.

6. Adding the Query to a Related List

Now that we have the query ready, let's associate this with a related list in the Deals module in CRM to contextually view the POs of the Deal in Books.
  1. Navigate to the Deals module in CRM.
  2. Click the three-dot icon on the right corner of the record, and click Add Related List. Alternatively, you can also click the Add Related List option on the left in the Related List pane.

  3. From the pop-up, select Queries.

  4. From the list of available queries, select the Get Purchase Orders query you created and click Associate.

  5. Give a name for the related list.
  6. Under Variable Mapping, type #(to view merge fields) to get the list of modules available. Choose Deals and the Deal Id field. This means that the record ID of the deal will be passed as the value of the cf_crm_deal_id variable at runtime. The query will then fetch the list of POs for this Deal ID from Books, and display it in this related list.

  7. Click Save and you will see the related list under the Related Lists section of the record.

  8. Reload the page to see the query in action.

Automation Options

You can automatically update the CRM Deal ID in Books POs when a deal is created or a PO is raised.

1. Using Function

  • Function triggers on deal creation or a button click in CRM.
  • Fetches the PO in Books and updates the CRM Deal ID field using the Books connection.

2. Using Zoho Flow

  • Event: Deal created or updated in CRM.
  • Action: Update the corresponding PO(s) in Books.
  • Works without writing Deluge code.
Both methods require the Books connection and organization ID.

Summary/Best Practices

  • Single Deal, Multiple POs: Use single-line CRM Deal ID field in Books.
  • Queries and serializer: Filter POs based on cf_crm_deal_id == {{deal_ID}}.
  • Automation: Use functions or Zoho Flow for real-time updates.
  • Multi-Deal, Single PO: Not supported for related lists; use custom reporting instead.

This setup ensures that sales and finance teams can see all POs for a deal directly in CRM without manual reconciliation.


We hope this post answered your question and you found this useful.
Let us know what you think in the comments or write to us at support@zohocrm.com.


Cheers!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------










    • Recent Topics

    • Kaizen #212 - Map Dependency Fields in Zoho CRM using APIs

      Hi Everyone!! Welcome back to another week of Kaizen series! Over the past few weeks, we have been addressing your questions and feedback shared through our Kaizen 200th feedback form. Thank you for your continued engagement and thoughtful queries. We

    • Outdated state in mexico

      Hello Zoho team, the drop down to add the state for customers, when they introduce their state in mexico has a city named “Distrito Federal” that name changed many years ago to “ciudad de mexico”. could you please update this so my clients can find the

    • Is anyone using Zoho Flow with airtable?

      I need to build a flow that collects data from airtable and uses some of that data to create folders and files in google drive. I have fully function version of this in zapier and want to migrate to zoho. I am trying to perform a very basic fetch from

    • SOME FEATURES ARE NOT IN THE ZOHO SHEET IN COMPARISION TO ZOHO SHEET

      TO ZOHO sir/maam with due to respect i want to say that i am using ZOHO tool which is spreadsheet i want to say that some features are not there in zoho sheet as comparison to MS EXCEL like advance filter and other Features which should be there in ZOHO

    • AI in Zoho Workplace: A Sneak Peek into What’s Coming!

      Hello everyone, We’re super excited to share something we’ve been working on and we want you to be part of it! You may have seen our announcement blog post introducing a major evolution in how AI works within Zoho Workplace. Want to be among the first

    • Display Client Name in Zoho Creator Client Portal Dashboard

      Hello Zoho Creator Team, We hope you are doing well. Zoho Creator recently introduced the option to set a client’s display name in the Client Portal settings, which is very helpful for providing a personalized portal experience. However, there is currently

    • Meet Canvas' Grid component: Your easiest way to build responsive record templates

      Visual design can be exciting—until you're knee-deep in the details. Whether it's aligning text boxes to prevent overlaps, fixing negative space, or simply making sure the right data stands out, just ironing out inconsistencies takes a lot of moving parts.

    • Best way to share/download presentation files in Zoho without losing formatting?

      Hello Zoho Community, I often work with PPT/PDF files in Zoho Docs and share them with colleagues. While PDFs usually give a direct download option, I’ve noticed that PPT/PPTX files sometimes only open in the viewer without a clear download link. Is there

    • Workflow Failure - Notifications

      Good afternoon, I have just experienced an error whereby a Workflow failed, for a reason currently unknown. The problem is that one of my users had to flag this manually (thankfully he's very thorough) and this otherwise would have flown under the radar.

    • Introducing Bin Locations In Zoho Inventory

      Hello users, We are excited to let you know that your wait for the Bin Locations feature has now come to an end! Yes, you heard us right! We are here to introduce the much-awaited Bin Locations now in Zoho Inventory. But before we dive into the feature

    • Error "Invalid client task found corresponding properties" only when triggered from workflow ?

      Hi All, I am facing an error message I never encountered previously: Error in executing On Add - On Load script Error in executing thisapp.get_all_projects_api_call function. Line:(2) Error in executing thisapp.getAccessTokenFromRefreshToken function.

    • How to interpret Campaign report statistics - definitions/explanation

      I am trying to make sure I understand the Campaign report correctly Do you have a list of definitions for: Delivered - it has reached the recipient's inbox Campaign reach - is this the number that have opened the campaign email? Unique Opens Clicks/Open

    • Feature request - pin or flag note

      Hi, It would be great if you could either pin or flag one or more notes so that they remain visible when there are a bunch of notes and some get hidden in the list. Sometimes you are looking for a particular name that gets lost in a bunch of less important

    • Schedule a Call by Date and Time when a specific lead status is selected

      Hi Wanting to create a workflow where a call can be scheduled by date & time when a specific lead status is selected. Can only currently set the date by Due Date - Trigger Date - Plus 'x' day(s) Thanks

    • Zoho CRM's Copy Customization functionality now works across DCs, for customized accounts, and more

      Availability This feature is available in Standard, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions. These changes have been rolled out to all users in all DCs. For more information, please refer to these help documents: Overview | Instructions Hello

    • How can I bold text on Zoho Forms submit buttons?

      In the old theme builder, I could bold the text on a form's submit button. With the new theme builder, I can only change the text of the header or fields in the form, and not the button itself.

    • 5名限定 課題解決型ワークショップイベント Zoho ワークアウト開催のお知らせ (10/31)

      ユーザーの皆さま、こんにちは。Zoho ユーザーコミュニティチームの中野です。 10月開催のZoho ワークアウトについてお知らせします。 今回はZoomにて、オンライン開催します。 参加登録はこちら（無料）：https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BGYTysOnSqa9LA9eY2IKww ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Zoho ワークアウトとは？ Zoho ユーザー同士で交流しながら、サービスに関する疑問や不明点の解消を目的とした

    • Hiding Pre-defined Views

      You can enhance Zoho with custom views - but you cannot hide the pre-defined views. Most users focus on 4 or 5 views. Right now for EVERY user EVERY time they want to move to one of their 4 or 5 views - they have to scroll down past a long list of pre-defined views - we don't use ANY of the pre-defined views. Adding the feature to allow a predefined view to be hidden completely or only visible to certain users would be a big improvement in usability for Zoho CRM. This feature is already available

    • Rich-text fields in Zoho CRM

      Hello everyone, We're thrilled to announce an important enhancement that will significantly enhance the readability and formatting capabilities of your information: rich text options for multi-line fields. With this update, you can now enjoy a more versatile

    • [Integration Edition] Deluge Learning Series – Third-Party Integrations with Deluge | October 2025

      We’re excited to continue this three-month edition of the Deluge Learning Series: Session 1 – Integrating Zoho Apps with Deluge Using Built-In Integration Tasks Session 2 – Integrating Zoho Apps with Deluge Using invokeURL and invokeAPI Session 3 – Third-Party

    • Feature Request: Tag, Search, and Report on Individual Private Comments

      Zoho Desk Team, First, I want to say that we are extensive users of Zoho Desk and it is a core part of our support operations. We rely heavily on the private comments feature for internal communication, knowledge sharing, and maintaining a clear history

    • Zoho CRM Community Digest - August 2025 | Part 2

      Hello Everyone! Here's a quick round-up of handy tips, clever workarounds, and product updates from late August. Product Updates: Meeting Enhancements in Zoho CRM! Track whether a meeting is online, in-office, or at the client’s location using the new

    • Assistance Needed: Ticket Status Not Updating and Sorting by Last Customer Reply in Zoho Desk

      Hello, I’m facing two issues in Zoho Desk that I’d like your guidance on: Ticket Status Not Updating: When a customer replies to a ticket, the status does not change to Reopened. Instead, it remains in Waiting on Customer, even after the customer’s response

    • Round robin

      Hi, I'm trying to set up a round robin to automatically distribute tickets between agents in my team but only those tickets that are not otherwise distributed by other workflows or direct assignments. Is that possible and if so which criteria should I

    • Time Entry Notifications

      Hi All - I have support staff who place notes of their work in the time entry section of Zoho Desk. Is there a specific workflow or setting I need to enable to have the ticket holder updated via email when an entry is saved?

    • Change text in help desk

      Hi, Please let me know how can i change the this text, see screenshot.

    • Customer happiness customisation

      Hi, I was wondering if it's possible to somehow customise to whom and when customer happiness request is sent? Can you enable it only for selected tickets for example based on workflow or any other criteria (customer name, tag or anything else)? Also

    • No Zoho Support Response in Months

      I want to say that I love Zoho FSM, Books, and CRM, but the support is scary bad. About 2-3 months ago, I emailed Zoho FSM support with two specific issues I needed help with, and I have still not received one single response. I also submitted a support

    • Has anyone built a custom AI support agent inside Zoho (SalesIQ/Zobot)?

      Hi all, I’ve been experimenting with building my own AI support assistant and wanted to see if anyone here has tackled something similar within Zoho. Right now, I’ve set up a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipeline outside of Zoho using FAISS. It

    • Null

      If a result is null how do I make it so that a custom error pops up instead of the default error? Can someone write an example as if I were using the script builder?

    • Format a "return" message

      Good day, Is there a way to format the message of the "return" function in CRM deluge script?

    • Change Last Name to not required in Leads

      I would like to upload 500 target companies as leads but I don't yet have contact people for them. Can you enable the option for me to turn this requirement off to need a Second Name? Moderation update (10-Jun-23): As we explore potential solutions for

    • Having Trouble Opening The Candidate Portal

      Recently am having trouble opening the Candidate Portal. It keeps loading but cannot display any widgets. Tried Safari, Chrome and Edge. Non of them work. Please solve the problem ASAP.

    • Tip of the Week - Spot Risky Sales with Conditional Formatting

      In Zoho Analytics, small tweaks can lead to big insights. One such feature is Conditional formatting based on other columns, your key to instantly spotting where sales success is overshadowed by product returns. Our tip this week shows you how to apply

    • How do I duplicate / copy a campaign

      I am evaluation Zoho Campaigns and sent an email to one of my personal email accounts from Zoho Campaigns.  It went into my junk file in Hotmail. I want to duplicate that same (1-page) campaign and send it to another of my personal accounts to try to

    • For a Bill, can "Pay via Check" - Can we also "Pay via Check" when documenting refund for payment?

      We really like when we have a Bill in Zoho Books that we can record payment by selecting "Pay via Check" and that will cut the check for us from Zoho Books. However, when we have to write checks as a result of invoice overpayment, we can not select "Pay

    • Creator Change History: Ways to improve

      Hi Everyone, Recently been working in developing this change history(an idea from Zoho Forms) - unlike forms that you can this with a click but using Creator, we can use "old" keyword. The concept I come up with is to put the result in a table however,

    • Suitability of Zoho One (Single User License) for Multi-State GST Compliance & Cost Analysis

      Hello Zoho Team, I am an e-commerce business owner selling on platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho, and I'm currently using their fulfillment warehouses. I have two GSTIN registrations and am planning to register for an additional 2-3 to expand

    • add employees and customiz

      I want a Zoho software to track employees record. I logged in a demo so now I tried adding employee, first thing when I click on add employee it takes me to a page where it says add user maximum 10 users, my first doubt why users I don't want employees

    • Inactive User Auto Response

      We use Zoho One, and we have a couple employees that are no longer with us, but people are still attempting to email them. I'd like an autoresponder to let them no the person is no longer here, and how they can reach us going forward. I saw a similar

    • Next Page