Start smart, end strong.
From knowing who’s coming to celebrating who showed up, July’s updates help you run events that feel organized from the first invite to the final thank you.
Planning an event used to be like writing a choose-your-own-adventure book where half the pages were missing. You'd start with the eternal question mark of RSVPs, stumble through the middle hoping everything holds together, and end wondering if anyone would remember your event existed.
Not anymore. This month, we’re rolling out features that bookend your entire event experience, starting from the very first “maybe” to the final moment of recognition. Because every great event deserves a beginning that makes sense and an ending that lasts.
RSVP for events
No more guessing who’s coming.
Event planning has a dirty little secret that no one talks about. You send out invites, hold your breath, and hope you’re not overcatering for ghosts or scrambling at the last minute because twice as many people arrived. It’s like planning a dinner for 50 and ending up with a buffet for 12, or walking into a packed room with no chairs.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
Welcome to the end of that chaos. With the new RSVP feature in Zoho Backstage, you can stop planning on hunches and start organizing with clarity.
Why RSVP changes everything
Unlike traditional event management where attendance is a coin flip, RSVP gives you crystal-clear visibility into three simple categories, ensuring that preparation and resourcing decisions are based on real data, not guesswork:
- Attending — Your confirmed guests (the heroes of your story)
- Not Attending — Honest folks who save you money
- Maybe — For those who want to say yes, but life’s a little full right now
This means you can finally plan seating, food, swag kits, and logistics based on actual responses instead of relying on educated guesses.
How it works:
- Navigate to Registrations > RSVP. To activate this feature, the organizer must create at least one ticket class—either free or paid.
For paid events, the flow gets even smoother. When guests click Attending, they’re redirected to your event website with all their details pre-filled. There’s no friction or abandoned carts. Just smooth transactions that convert intentions into actual ticket sales. Fewer clicks, fewer drop-offs, more show-ups.
Once RSVP is enabled:
- Invite-only, automatically: Once RSVP is enabled, your event becomes exclusive. Only invited guests can respond, keeping crashers and confusion at bay.
- Plus-one, not plus-chaos: Let guests bring their plus-ones without losing track of headcount. Set limits, track companions, and maintain control over your guest list.
- Response deadlines: Set a cutoff date for responses. Because someone needs to make the final catering call, and it might as well be you.
- Automated everything: From invitation emails to response tracking, the system handles the heavy lifting while you focus on making your event amazing
Response management
The RSVP dashboard organizes your guests by response status so you always know where things stand. From sending reminders to bulk editing responses, everything is built to save you time and sanity.
And when someone finally clicks Attending, they receive a ticket immediately—just like a regular registrant. Companion info is tracked in the Orders tab, so your count stays accurate.
Most importantly, you can plan your space with confidence. Goodbye awkward standing corners. Goodbye over-ordered food. Hello intentional, data-backed design.
RSVP is now live in Zoho Backstage. Because the only surprise at your event should be how perfectly everything runs when you actually know who's coming.
Plan availability: Included in the Free, Essentials, Premium, and Ultimate plans.
The Certificate Builder
Turn recognition into a moment that lasts
As your event wraps up, recognition takes center stage. Whether it’s a workshop, training session, competition, or conference, handing out a certificate transforms an experience into something lasting. It becomes something people are proud to showcase. But designing and managing certificates has always been tedious. Until now.
Say hello to the Certificate Builder, your all-in-one solution to create and deliver beautiful, professional certificates at scale. No design skills, no complicated workflows.
Drag. Drop. Done.
Design certificates that match your event’s identity, whether you prefer a classic look or a bold, modern feel. The drag-and-drop editor lets you add everything from participant names and event details to logos, images, and signature fields.
You can customize fonts, positioning, background styles (solid, gradient, or image-based), and even insert QR codes that link to secure verification URLs. You can choose between A4 and US Letter formats and set the layout to portrait or landscape. Everything you create can be previewed before it’s sent, so you know exactly what your participants will receive.
Dynamic fields and smart placeholders help you generate thousands of certificates in just a few clicks. Whether you’re awarding attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, organizers, or staff, the builder supports role-specific templates for each participant group. For attendees, you can create a common certificate for all or tailor it by ticket class to recognize different levels of participation.
You can clone templates across events and manage all certificates from a centralized panel. Easily create new designs or update existing ones.
Certificates are sent directly from your event workspace, either individually or in bulk. Use the Download Certificate link option within Scheduled Emails to deliver them automatically based on roles or attendance status, such as checked-in or no show.
You can send certificates in bulk or download them if you prefer handing them out in person. No exporting. No extra tools. Just click, send, and move on.
Every certificate can include a QR code that links to a custom URL of your choice. You can use this to direct recipients to a relevant page, such as your website, portfolio, or resource hub. This adds a professional touch and extends the value of each certificate.
More than just a gesture, certificates reinforce your event’s value and brand identity. They increase engagement, strengthen participant loyalty, and leave a lasting impression that lives beyond the event.
Recognition shouldn’t be hard. Now it isn’t.
Try the Certificate Builder today and deliver achievements that people remember.
Plan availability: Included in the Ultimate plans
Canceled requests and action history in registration approvals
See the full picture. No request goes unnoticed.
Ever had an approval request vanish into thin air? We thought disappearing acts should stay in magic shows, not event management. The enhanced Registration Approval workflow in Zoho Backstage gives event organizers better visibility into canceled approval requests, along with a full history of who took action.
Previously, if an order pending approval was canceled, it would disappear from the approval tab. This made it difficult for organizers to track the request or know who canceled it. With this update, all canceled registration approval requests are now retained and shown within the Registration Approval section of your event dashboard.
This change helps maintain a clear audit trail of registration activity. Whether an order was approved, rejected, or canceled, the full record remains accessible, including the user who performed the action.
To view this information:
- Navigate to Registrations > Registration Approval.
- You’ll now see five status types listed: Pending, Approved, Rejected, Canceled, and Completed.
Canceled requests appear alongside the others and can be filtered like any other status. For each request, you’ll also see who approved, rejected, or canceled it, giving you full transparency throughout the registration process.
This update improves accountability and helps organizers understand how many requests were withdrawn or canceled, which is especially helpful when analyzing attendee behavior or refining approval criteria.
Exhibitor enhancements
Booth member listing preferences
Speaking of visibility (because we're on a roll), let's talk about your exhibitors. You can now control who sees exhibitor booth member details on your event website. These profiles, which were previously visible only to logged-in users, can now be made public using a simple toggle. This is ideal for trade shows, public expos, or hybrid events.
To show/hide booth member profiles:
- Navigate to Exhibitors > Exhibitor Settings and enable/disable the Public Visibility of Booth Member Details toggle.
- When enabled, anyone can view booth members without logging in. When disabled (default), visibility remains limited to signed-in users.
This update gives organizers more flexibility over exhibitor visibility, helping tailor the experience for both open and closed event formats.
Plan availability: Included in the Premium and Ultimate plans
Exhibitor tags
Easily group and showcase your exhibitors with the new exhibitor tags in Zoho Backstage’s Exhibitor module. Tags help organizers manage exhibitors more effectively and make it easier for attendees to find relevant companies.
You can now assign multiple tags, such as FinTech, Startup, or Europe, to each exhibitor while creating or editing their profile. These tags appear across key touchpoints, including exhibitor listings and profile pages on both the website and the mobile app.
Attendees can filter exhibitors by tags to discover booths that match their interests. Organizers can use the same filters in the editor for faster management. Only active tags (those assigned to at least one exhibitor) are shown to attendees, ensuring a focused browsing experience.
Organizers also have control over tag visibility. Exhibitors can choose to hide certain tags from public view. These hidden tags remain visible to organizers in the editor but won't appear to attendees.
Manage tags from the Exhibitor tab or directly within an exhibitor’s profile. Tag-based filtering is already available on the web and mobile app.
Plan availability: Included in the Premium and Ultimate plans
TikTok links in exhibitor profiles
Exhibitors can now showcase their brand’s TikTok presence directly on their profile page. This new social link appears alongside existing options like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
Other enhancements
We also have a few more touches to make your backstage run even smoother.
Attachment support for demo emails
You can now attach files to your scheduled test emails, allowing you to preview the full email experience and ensure all documents are ready for your attendees.
Session restarting
We’ve simplified the session engagement flow by removing the Re-Present Session option. Instead, presenters can now Restart sessions, and each restart is tracked separately for engagement metrics like chat, poll responses, and Q&A.
Every great event tells a story
From that first tentative “maybe” response to the final certificate download, your event now has a story that actually makes sense. No more planning in the dark. No more anticlimactic endings. Just clear beginnings, smooth middles, and memorable conclusions.
Because the best events aren’t just well attended. They're well remembered. And now you have the tools to make both happen.
Onward and upward
We’ve been rolling out a steady stream of updates, each one bringing us closer to the platform we’re working hard to build for you. While some features are still evolving, they’re all meaningful steps forward. Each update is designed with care, built to meet real needs, and shaped by your feedback.
Now that we’re in the second half of the year, we’re picking up even more momentum. There’s plenty more on the way, and we can’t wait to show you what’s next.
Thank you for growing with us and being part of the journey. We’re building something great, and we’re glad you’re here for it.
All the features and enhancements mentioned in this article are available across all Zoho Backstage-supported data centers.Recent Topics
Universal search
Hi, it would be useful if the search bar was universal-so if you entered a term, it would bring up results from contacts, candidates, clients etc all at the same time (but broken down under the relevant headings)
Attachment reminder?
My team and I often need to attach files to our messages, e.g. an explanatory screenshot or a shipping label. More often that I want to admit I mention the attachment but forget to actually attach it. Some email clients have a check-for-missing-attachments
ZIA in Zoho Cliq
Is It possible to use the ZIA feature from Zoho Analytics in the Zoho Cliq?
Automating CRM backup storage?
Hi there, We've recently set up automatic backups for our Zoho CRM account. We were hoping that the backup functionality would not require any manual work on our end, but it seems that we are always required to download the backups ourselves, store them,
Multiple upload field CRM
I desperately need the functionality to add more than one upload field to web to contacts form. How can I do this?
Critical Need for Global Search in Zoho FSM
Hello Zoho FSM Team, We are currently in the process of deciding whether to fully transition to Zoho FSM for managing our field service operations. At present, our team actively uses Zoho Desk (with over 50 users) and Service Fusion, which we are considering
Collections Management: # 1 Payment Collection is All About Convenience
"Sir, can you come tomorrow? My manager wasn't available for the cheque sign-off", the customer said, avoiding eye contact. Ravi forced a polite smile, but inside, he felt a sense of defeat. He had already visited the customer's office twice in the last
Can the Product Image on the Quote Template be enlarged
Hello, I am editing the Quote Template and added ${Products.Product Image} to the line item and the image comes up but it is very tiny. Is there anyway that you can resize this to be larger? Any help would be great! Thanks
Audio/video quality issues with Zoho Meeting – Any roadmap for improvement?
Hi Zoho Team, We’ve been using Zoho Meeting for both internal and external meetings, and unfortunately, the experience has been consistently poor. The video and audio quality are so unreliable that it often renders meetings ineffective—especially with
Cash based businesses cannot use the new fixed asset module
Hello all, If your bookkeeping is reporting in cash, you cannot use the new fixed acid module, as it does all the depreciation bookings accrual and not cash. This is definitive and you can't turn them into a cash booking. They will never appear in your
Zoho Learn & Zoho Connect
Hi, Is there a way to sync the knowledge base we have in Zoho Learn with the manuals section is Zoho Connect? Thanks,
Apply Payment Received Amount Zoho Books Invoice
Hello team here is the sample code How can apply the payment received record over a unpaid zoho books invoice. //......................... paymentID = customer_payment.get("payment_id"); organizationID = organization.get("organization_id"); paymentmaplist
Zoho Books Finance Modules Not Accessible in Zoho CRM Mobile App
We have integrated Zoho CRM with Zoho Books using the Zoho Finance Suite integration. In the CRM web version, we can see the Finance modules (Estimates/Quotes, Invoices, Sales Orders, Items, Payments) and are able to create invoices and quotes directly
[Live Webinar] New in Zoho WorkDrive: AI enhancements, Data Loss Prevention, Version Controls, and more
Hello everyone, We're excited to bring you another round of powerful updates in Zoho WorkDrive! Join us on May 15 for an exclusive live webinar where we’ll unveil the latest features designed to enhance your team’s productivity, collaboration, and data
Live webinar: Streamlining legal operations: Leveraging Zoho WorkDrive for law firm success
Hello everyone, Managing legal documents across departments and jurisdictions can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be. Join us on March 6 for an exclusive webinar where we’ll show you how Zoho WorkDrive empowers legal teams to stay compliant, organized,
Live Webinar: Optimizing back-office operations in the manufacturing industry to maximize profitability
Hello everyone, We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming live webinar on February 6! Discover how Zoho WorkDrive can help manufacturing businesses optimize back-office operations, improve efficiency, and boost profitability. Our product experts will
Live webinar: 2024 recap of Zoho WorkDrive
Hello everyone, We’re excited to invite you to our year-end live webinar! This session will take you through the transformative features and updates we’ve introduced in Zoho WorkDrive this year, helping you streamline document management like never before.
Live webinar: Explore WorkDrive's seamless integrations with key Zoho apps
Hello everyone, We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming live webinar, where we'll delve into the seamless integration of WorkDrive with other key Zoho applications! This is a fantastic opportunity to enhance your productivity and streamline your workflows
Live webinar: Getting the most out of WorkDrive in Zoho Workplace
Hello everyone, We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming live webinar, where we’ll explore how to maximize your use of WorkDrive as part of the Zoho Workplace bundle. This is a fantastic opportunity to elevate your productivity and streamline your
Live webinar: Mastering data migration, organization, and team collaboration
Hello everyone, We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming live webinar! Discover how to seamlessly migrate your data, optimize file organization, and boost team collaboration using Zoho WorkDrive’s powerful features. This is a fantastic opportunity
Join our live webinar: Explore the WorkDrive TrueSync application!
Hello everyone, We are thrilled to invite you to a live webinar focused on mastering the WorkDrive TrueSync application. Discover how to seamlessly sync your content between the cloud and your computer, ensuring smooth and efficient file management. Our
Zoho Creator customer portal limitation | Zoho One
I'm asking you all for any feedback as to the logic or reasoning behind drastically limiting portal users when Zoho already meters based on number of records. I'm a single-seat, Zoho One Enterprise license holder. If my portal users are going to add records, wouldn't that increase revenue for Zoho as that is how Creator is monetized? Why limit my customer portal to only THREE external users when more users would equate to more records being entered into the database?!? (See help ticket reply below.)
Script Editor not an option
I am trying to apply a script to a sheet and Script Editor is not an option. I don't want to go outside Sheets to do this (like Creator) if it can be done inside Sheets.
Envio de mails
Hola! No puedo enviar mails pero si recibirlos. No se como solucionarlo! Mi dominio es chidobebes.com.ar
ERROR CODE :554 - Your access to this mail system has been rejected due to poor reputation of a domain used in message transfer
In my email configuration: The domain's MX Records are pointed to Zoho The domain's SPF Records have been pointed out successfully DKIM is enabled. DMARC Record is pointed for the domain. The domain name is digioorja.in. Still facing the issue of Error:
This Operation has been restricted. Please contact support-as@zohocorp.com for further details
l tried to verify my domain (casalimpaeperfumada.com.br) and its shows this error: This Operation has been restricted. Please contact support-as@zohocorp.com for further details.
SLOW EMAILS
Is there an issue with the Zoho server? For two days now I've been having issues with very long buffering. Please advise. Thank you.
POP3 authentication error - SOLVED
Just in case others are as forgetful as me ... As Zoho has changed the POP server for personal and free organisational users, I needed to change the POP server on my email client. This failed persistently but eventually I remembered that I had chosen
Solution to Import PST File into Office 365.
MailsDaddy OST to Office 365 Migration Tool is an outstanding solution to recover OST files and migrate them into Office 365 without any hassle. Using this software users can multiple OST files into Office 365 with complete data security. It offers users
Add Zoho One Groups/Departments to Shared Mailbox Access
Hi, I hope you're doing well. Currently, in Zoho Mail, I can manually add specific users or the entire organization to a shared mailbox. However, there is no option to add Zoho One groups or departments. Feature Request: We would like the ability to assign
Allow Filters with Only Special Characters in Zoho Mail
Hi Zoho Mail Team, I hope you're doing well. We have noticed that currently, Zoho Mail does not allow creating filter criteria using only special characters, such as = or #. However, there are scenarios where such a filter is necessary. For example: Filtering
How to save email as PDF?
I saw 2 previous threads about this. One is from 14 years ago. The other was closed as "answered" a year ago but the feature was never implemented: https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/community/topic/how-to-download-save-emails-as-pdf Is the "save as PDF"
Flexible plans
Hi, I have a Workplace Standard subscription. On Zoho's website, it mentions that with the annual plan it's possible to have multiple plans under the same organization—for example, Workplace Standard and Mail Lite. However, I can’t find a way to do this
Weekly Tips : Teamwork made easy with Multiple Assignees
Let's say you are working on a big project where different parts of a single task need attention from several people at the same time—like reviewing a proposal that requires input from sales, legal, and finance teams. Instead of sending separate reminders
Cannot give public access to Html Snippet in Zoho Creator Page
Hi, I created a form in Zoho Creator and published it. The permalink works but I want to override the css of the form. (style based URL parameters is not good enough) So I created a page and added an Html snippet. I can now override the css, which is
Weekly Tips : Customize your Compose for a smoother workflow
You are someone who sends a lot of emails, but half the sections in the composer just get in your way — like fields you never use or sections that clutter the space. You find yourself always hunting for the same few formatting tools, and the layout just
Accounting on the Go Series-43:Enhancing Your Reporting Efficiency with Dashboard Filter State Retention
Hello everyone! Welcome back to our series on Zoho Books mobile app features. Today, we will talk about a feature that yet again helps you focus on work that really matters-Dashboard Filter State Retention. Imagine you're working on your Zoho Books dashboard,
Zoho books/payroll tax payment
I accidentally made a second payment to my taxes for $300 which is reflected in my bank account and therefore on Zoho books but I can not match it to any transactions because its not reflected in payroll as a tax payment. Is there a way to add an extra
I can't renew the Finance Plus subscription
I tried to renew the Finance Plus subscription but it keeps reloading the same page over and over when ever I click on "Renew Subscription" button
Estimate vs Quote
they are different. Quote is for 1 piece price + other charges. Estimate is for total quantity to be ordered. The gross total amount of the Estimate is the amount payable. Replacing Estimate as Quote is not understandable because they are different. In
Next Page