Automation#32:Auto Add New Portal Users to the Help Center User Groups

Automation#32:Auto Add New Portal Users to the Help Center User Groups

Hello Everyone,
Introducing a custom function that automates the process of adding new portal users to Help Center user groups, making user management effortless!
By default, Zoho Desk allows you to assign new portal users to groups manually. But with this custom function, the process is completely automated, ensuring seamless categorization.


Why User Groups?

Zylker Techfix was dedicated to helping customers through their Help Center. While they actively supported users, there was one challenge: everyone received the announcements, irrespective of their requirements.
Zylker Techfix wanted a smarter way to engage their users by sending targeted announcements based on individual interests, such as gadgets, office equipment, and operations.
To make this happen, they created user groups and assigned new users accordingly. But manually adding users to the right groups was time-consuming.
So, they automated the process! With a custom function, they streamlined operations, ensuring every new portal user was automatically assigned to the right Help Center user group. More relevance, better engagement, zero manual effort.
Let’s walk through the steps to incorporate this custom function into your workflow.

Prerequisites

1. Create a connection
  1.1 Go to Setup(S) and choose Connections under Developer Space.
  1.2 Click Create Connection.
  1.3 Select Zoho OAuth under Default Connection.
  1.4 Set the connection name as zohodesk.
  1.5 Disable the toggle for User Credentials of Login User. 
  1.6 Under Scope, choose the below scope values:
Desk.contacts.READ
Desk.contacts.UPDATE
  1.7 Click Create and Connect.
  1.8 Click Connect and click Accept.
Connection is created successfully.

Create a Workflow Rule

1. Go to Setup, choose Workflows under Automation. 
2. Under Workflows, click Create Rule.

In the Basic Information section,
3. Select Contacts from the drop-down menu under Module.
4. Enter a Rule Name and Description for the rule.
5. If you want to activate the rule right away, select the Active checkbox. Else, create the rule and activate it later.
6. Click Next

In the Execute on section, follow these steps:
7. Select Field Update. Select field isPortalUser. 
8. Click Next.
9. In the Criteria section, add isPortalUser is and select the checkbox. click Next. 
10. In the Actions section, click the + icon and select New next to Custom Functions.
11. Enter a Name and Description for the custom function. Choose Contacts under Module.
12. Under Argument Mapping, give a desired Method Name. Map the arguments as below:
      12.1 In the Argument Name field, type contactId and select Contact ID under the Contacts Section.
13. In the script window, insert the Custom Function given below:
  1. // ---------------User inputs------------------------------------------
  2. deskUrl = "https://desk.zoho.com/api/v1/"; // replace based on user dc
  3. groupId = "<<GROUP ID>>"; // replace the group id in your desk portal
  4. //---------------------------------
  5. logs = Map();
  6. try 
  7. {
  8. getContactStatus = invokeurl
  9. [
  10. url :deskUrl + "contacts/" + contactId + "/helpCenters"
  11. type :GET
  12. connection:"zohodesk"
  13. ];
  14. contactUserId = getContactStatus.get("data").get(0).get("userId");
  15. if(contactUserId != null)
  16. {
  17. addUserToGroup = invokeurl
  18. [
  19. url : deskUrl + "groups/" + groupId + "/users/add"
  20. type :POST
  21. parameters:"" + {"users":{{"id":contactUserId}}}
  22. headers:{"Content-Type":"application/json"}
  23. detailed:true
  24. connection:"zohodesk"
  25. ];
  26. info "addUserToGroup" + addUserToGroup;
  27. }
  28. }
  29. catch (errorInfo)
  30. {
  31. logs.insert("errorInfo":errorInfo);
  32. }
  33. info "logs: \n" + logs;
  34. if(logs.containKey("errorInfo"))
  35. {
  36. throws "Error happen in the CF execution";
  37. }
User Inputs
a. In Line 2, replace .com in the URL based on your DC. 
b. In Line 3, enter the group ID to which you would like to add your new portal users. To access group ID, go to Setup >> Help Center >> Select the Department having your preferred User group >> choose User Groups on the left panel >> Select the user group >> The Id in the address bar is the required Group ID. 
Notes
Note: Configure the Workflow for the contacts module in the respective department where you want to add portal users to be added to the User group. 
14. Click Save to save the custom function.
15. Click Save again to save the workflow.

Share with us how this custom function helps you in your operations! Drop a comment below or reach out to us at support@zohodesk.com, we’re just an email away!

Meet you in the next post!
Regards,
Lydia | Zoho Desk

    Access your files securely from anywhere









                          Zoho Developer Community




                                                • Desk Community Learning Series


                                                • Digest


                                                • Functions


                                                • Meetups


                                                • Kbase


                                                • Resources


                                                • Glossary


                                                • Desk Marketplace


                                                • MVP Corner


                                                • Word of the Day


                                                • Ask the Experts



                                                          • Sticky Posts

                                                          • Register for Zoho Desk Beta Community

                                                            With the start of the year, we have decided to take a small step in making the life of our customers a little easier. We now have easy access to all our upcoming features and a faster way to request for beta access. We open betas for some of our features
                                                          • Share your Zoho Desk story with us!

                                                            Tell us how you use Zoho Desk for your business and inspire others with your story. Be it a simple workflow rule that helps you navigate complex processes or a macro that saves your team a lot of time; share it here and help the community learn and grow with shared knowledge. 
                                                          • Tip #1: Learn to pick the right channels

                                                            Mail, live chat, telephony, social media, web forms—there are so many support channels out there. Trying to pick the right channels to offer your customers can get pretty confusing. Emails are most useful when the customer wants to put things on record. However, escalated or complicated issues should not be resolved over email because it's slow and impersonal.  When you need immediate responses, live chat is more suitable. It's also quick and convenient, so it's the go-to channel for small issues. 
                                                          • Welcome to Zoho Desk Community - Say hello here!

                                                            Hello everyone! Though we have been here for a while, it’s time to formally establish the Zoho Desk Community; we’re really happy to have you all here! This can be the place where you take a moment to introduce yourself to the rest of the community. We’d love to hear all about you, what you do, what company or industry you work for, how you use Zoho Desk and anything else that you will like to share! Here’s a little about me. I am Chinmayee. I have been associated with Zoho since 2014. I joined here
                                                          • Webinar 1: Blueprint for Customer Service

                                                            With the launch of a host of new features in Zoho Desk, we thought it’ll be great to have a few webinars to help our customers make the most of them. We’re starting off with our most talked about feature, Blueprint in Zoho Desk. You can register for the Blueprint webinar here: The webinar will be delivered by our in-house product experts. This is a good opportunity to ask questions to our experts and understand how Blueprint can help you automate your service processes. We look forward to seeing


                                                          Manage your brands on social media



                                                                Zoho TeamInbox Resources



                                                                    Zoho CRM Plus Resources

                                                                      Zoho Books Resources


                                                                        Zoho Subscriptions Resources

                                                                          Zoho Projects Resources


                                                                            Zoho Sprints Resources


                                                                              Qntrl Resources


                                                                                Zoho Creator Resources



                                                                                    Zoho CRM Resources

                                                                                    • CRM Community Learning Series

                                                                                      CRM Community Learning Series


                                                                                    • Kaizen

                                                                                      Kaizen

                                                                                    • Functions

                                                                                      Functions

                                                                                    • Meetups

                                                                                      Meetups

                                                                                    • Kbase

                                                                                      Kbase

                                                                                    • Resources

                                                                                      Resources

                                                                                    • Digest

                                                                                      Digest

                                                                                    • CRM Marketplace

                                                                                      CRM Marketplace

                                                                                    • MVP Corner

                                                                                      MVP Corner







                                                                                        Design. Discuss. Deliver.

                                                                                        Create visually engaging stories with Zoho Show.

                                                                                        Get Started Now


                                                                                          Zoho Show Resources

                                                                                            Zoho Writer

                                                                                            Get Started. Write Away!

                                                                                            Writer is a powerful online word processor, designed for collaborative work.

                                                                                              Zoho CRM コンテンツ






                                                                                                Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


                                                                                                    ご検討中の方







                                                                                                            • Recent Topics

                                                                                                            • Categorise Attachments

                                                                                                              We take ID, proof of address, right to work documentation and more.  I can upload a single file in to field, but we often receive multiple files for each category e.g. someone may send a separate file for the front and back of their national ID card.  My team don't have time to manipulate the files in order to upload them as a single file. The options, as far as I can tell, would be to create additional fields on attachments in order to categorise what the file is, or to be able to upload single
                                                                                                            • Scheduling a meeting for just a 1:1 phone call

                                                                                                              My business is B2C and many of my customer's don't want to engage in an online meeting for what can be handled in a regular phone call. I am trying to create a new meeting invitation, but there is no venue optoin for "phone call". How are other's handling
                                                                                                            • Need more details on API Usage Dashboard

                                                                                                              Hi Team, We have implemented Zoho Expense for a client and has done some integrations with well known third party ERP via api. Recently we have noticed a huge spike in the API consumption. But we couldn't get the root cause for the same. I accept there
                                                                                                            • Power of Automation:: Automating SLA Timelines for First Response & Resolution for Issues module.

                                                                                                              Hello Everyone, Ever wished SLAs could update automatically based on issue severity i.e no manual tracking, no missed timelines? That is exactly what one of our customers, Alex, wanted to achieve in the Issues module. So, we have setup a simple automation
                                                                                                            • Can't login to Zoho mail

                                                                                                              I'm logged into Zoho but when I try to go in zoho mail I get: Invalid request! The input passed is invalid or the URL is invoked without valid parameters. Please check your input and try again. I just set up my mx records and stuff with namecheap a few
                                                                                                            • Power of Automation :: Quick way to associate your Projects with Zoho CRM

                                                                                                              A custom function is a software code that can be used to automate a process and this allows you to automate a notification, call a webhook, or perform logic immediately after a workflow rule is triggered. This feature helps to automate complex tasks and
                                                                                                            • Free webinar! Build smarter apps with Zoho Sign and Zoho Creator

                                                                                                              Hello, Bring the power of digital signatures to the apps you build in Zoho Creator! Connect Zoho Sign as a microservice and enable seamless e-signature workflows in your applications. This integration allows you to automate signing tasks using Deluge.
                                                                                                            • Move orders scan ISBN

                                                                                                              Hi We have ISBN setup to be searched in items zoho but move orders dissent recognize the ISBN is there q missing configuration? regards, JS
                                                                                                            • What's New - October 2025 | Zoho Backstage

                                                                                                              Hey everyone! We’ve been busy rolling out a host of upgrades for Zoho Backstage. While some major features are still going through final rounds of testing to make your event experience smooth as butter, here’s what was new and improved in October 2025.
                                                                                                            • Zoho People Attendance Regularization – Wrong Total Hours Displayed

                                                                                                              While using Zoho People, I observed that the attendance regularization is showing wrong total hours when applied to past dates. For example, if a check-in is added at 10:00 AM and check-out at 6:00 PM for a previous date, the system sometimes calculates
                                                                                                            • Add Flexible Recurrence Options for Meeting Scheduling in Zoho Cliq (e.g., Every 2 Weeks)

                                                                                                              Hello Zoho Cliq Team, We hope you are doing well. Currently, when scheduling a meeting inside Zoho Cliq, the recurrence options are limited to Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly. There is no ability to set a meeting to occur every X weeks — for example,
                                                                                                            • AI generated meeting notes associated to Account or Deal

                                                                                                              As our organization works to improve efficiency we are looking for a solution to leverage AI to generate meeting notes and then add those notes to a CRM record such as an Account or Deal. I see Zoho has a Notebook AI offering that talks about the ability
                                                                                                            • Subform Disabled Fields Should Remain Disabled on Edit/View

                                                                                                              Currently, when we disable a subform field using on user input or on add new row, it works perfectly during the initial data entry. However, when the record is saved and reopened for viewing or editing, these disabled fields become editable again. This
                                                                                                            • How do you print a refund check to customer?

                                                                                                              Maybe this is a dumb question, but how does anyone print a refund check to a customer? We cant find anywhere to either just print a check and pick a customer, or where to do so from a credit note.
                                                                                                            • What is Resolution Time in Business Hours

                                                                                                              HI, What is the formula used to find the total time spent by an agent on a particular ticket? How is Resolution Time in Business Hours calculated in Zohodesk? As we need to find out the time spent on the ticket's solution by an agent we seek your assistance
                                                                                                            • Is it possible to turn off all capabilities for a customer to schedule, reschedule or cancel an appointment?

                                                                                                              Is it possible to turn off all capabilities for a customer to schedule, reschedule or cancel an appointment? I would like to set it up so only staff can schedule appointments. Is this possible?
                                                                                                            • Hide "Section" headers when using a form as a subform in "List view"

                                                                                                              When using a form as a subform and setting the "View Type" to "List View" it is not possible to hide the section headers. This can become an issue if I have a section which is not applicable to this subform and I hide the fields within that section and
                                                                                                            • Add additional field to quick search results

                                                                                                              IN the advanced search, we can add any field to the columns. In the regular search results (before you press enter, there is no option to modify the results. It would be super useful to include a custom field where it currently displays the pipleine
                                                                                                            • Need Help: Updating Related Records via Subform Entries in Zoho Creator

                                                                                                              Hi everyone, I’m trying to set up a workflow in Zoho Creator where each row in a subform updates related records in another form automatically. Here’s the situation: My main form (e.g., “Receipts”) contains a subform where each row selects a related record
                                                                                                            • Disable signing in using email aliases?

                                                                                                              Hi, I currently have user accounts that have multiple aliases, for example: Main: name@domain.com Alias: alias1@domain.com, alias2@domain.com Currently, I am able to use any of those 3 emails in the 'username' box during login, and it will log me into the email. Is there a way to setup so that email aliases cannot be used to sign on? I'd still be able to receive and send emails using those aliases in the main email account like it works now, except only the main email can be used to login. Cheers!
                                                                                                            • Zoho Desk - Community - Customer Portal - Description Field UX Improvement

                                                                                                              Hi Zoho Desk Team, As a prolific user of Zoho Cares Community, I find it very frustrating that I cannot increase the size of the Description box (this one which I am typing this message). Many apps with multi line text fields have a small handle in the
                                                                                                            • Add the same FROM email to multiple department

                                                                                                              Hi, We have several agents who work with multiple departments and we'd like to be able to select their names on the FROM field (sender), but apparently it's not possible to add a FROM address to multiple departments. Is there any way around this? Thanks.
                                                                                                            • Can I change the format of the buttons in the email templates?

                                                                                                              Hi all! We have been working hard trying to brand our email templates, and have some way to go yet. One of the things we can't seem to edit is the green ${Cases.CUSTOMER_PORTAL_BUTTON} button and the font of the View Ticket text. Is there any way of doing
                                                                                                            • Lead to Contact Conversion with multiple email address fields

                                                                                                              We are a B2C business with a strong repeat cycle, and as such it's not uncommon for customers to use multiple email addresses with us. We have both our Contacts & Leads modules set up with 3 email fields. (Primary Email / Secondary Email / Historic Email)
                                                                                                            • Does Thrive work with Zoho Billing (Subscriptions)?

                                                                                                              I would like to use Thrive with Zoho Billing Subscriptions but don't see a way to do so. Can someone point me in the right direction? Thank you
                                                                                                            • Exporting Charts from ZohoCRM

                                                                                                              Hi...I'm relatively new to ZohoCRM, but very happy with it so far. I have all my leads and potentials accurately entered, and like the reports that I can view, with charts at the top of the data. But when I export the data, I'm receiving only the data, whether I export as excel, csv or pdf. How can I export both the chart and the data? In case it makes a difference, I'm using the free version right now. I tried researching the other editions to see if a paid version of the software offered the ability
                                                                                                            • Automatically Update Ticket Status in Zoho Desk Based on Actions in Zoho Projects

                                                                                                              Hi Zoho Desk Team, Hope you’re doing well. We’re using the Zoho Desk–Zoho Projects integration to manage tasks related to customer tickets, and it works well for linking and tracking progress. However, there are a few important automation capabilities
                                                                                                            • sms long credits

                                                                                                              I’m trying to purchase Long Code credits so I can send SMS campaigns to my contacts. However, when I click the “Buy Now” button, the page appears blank and doesn’t load any purchase options. Could you please assist me in purchasing the Long Code credits
                                                                                                            • Tip #48- Power Your AI Workflows with Zoho Assist on Zapier’s MCP- 'Insider Insights'

                                                                                                              We’re thrilled to announce that Zoho Assist is now part of Zapier’s Model Context Protocol (MCP), bringing remote support automation right into your AI ecosystem. What is MCP? The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is Zapier’s new framework designed to connect
                                                                                                            • Insert Cookie Policy in Zoho Sites

                                                                                                              Hello, i need to insert a banner on my site because i'm in Italy so i have to respect EU laws for Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy. I see that i need to insert a code in <head> section of my site to show a banner/popup with cookie info. How i can do this? Thank you Luca
                                                                                                            • Marketing Tip #1: Optimize item titles for SEO

                                                                                                              Your item title is the first thing both Google and shoppers notice. Instead of a generic “Leather Bag,” go for something detailed like “Handcrafted Leather Laptop Bag – Durable & Stylish.” This helps your items rank better in search results and instantly
                                                                                                            • Customer Parent Account or Sub-Customer Account

                                                                                                              Some of clients as they have 50 to 300 branches, they required separate account statement with outlet name and number; which means we have to open new account for each branch individually. However, the main issue is that, when they make a payment, they
                                                                                                            • Forced Logouts - Daily and More Frequent

                                                                                                              In the last month or so, I've been getting "power logged out" of all of my Zoho apps at least daily, sometimes more frequently. This happens in the same browser session on the same computer, and I need to re-login to each app separately after this happens.
                                                                                                            • ENTER key triggering Submit

                                                                                                              Is it possible to stopped the ENTER key from the mandatory triggering of the Submit button on Creator form? I want forms submitted "ONLY" when the Submit button is pressed. 
                                                                                                            • Is it possible to assign Client user to external task ON PROJECTS' TEMPLATES?

                                                                                                              Is it possible to assign Client user to external task ON TEMPLATES PROJECTS?
                                                                                                            • How to download all attachments from inbox, send, other folders in one go

                                                                                                              Hi All, Appreciate if anyone could help me with steps for below requirement. How to download all attachments from inbox, send, other folders in one go. Even mapping to new folder will help me.  Thanks in advance. 
                                                                                                            • Cliq does not sync messages after Sleep on Mac

                                                                                                              I'm using the mac app of Cliq. When I open my mac after it was in sleep mode, Cliq does not sync the messages that I received. I always have to reload using cmd + R, which is not what I want when using a chat application.
                                                                                                            • Link to images

                                                                                                              I have added images in pages. I would like to link those images with linked in URL so that they open in new window. There is an option of image -> link but I am not able to use the same to open URL in new window. Please check the attached image. Can you
                                                                                                            • Canvas View - Print

                                                                                                              What is the best way to accomplish a print to PDF of the canvas view?
                                                                                                            • Respond faster and smarter with Zia in your IM Inbox

                                                                                                              You’re in the middle of a busy chat queue. New messages keep popping up. One customer sounds upset. Another is asking a long list of questions. You need context. You need speed. You need help. That’s exactly when Zia Insghts jumps into action. It shows
                                                                                                            • Next Page