Introducing Serverless Functions!!

Introducing Serverless Functions!!

Serverless architecture, also known as "Function-as-a-service"(Faas), provides a platform for developers to write functions to integrate the CRM and any third-party application. These codes, written in Deluge, can be triggered from any other third party services or it can be triggered directly from any web or mobile app. Most applications require a server that lets them host their applications, parsing, sharing and computing data.

However, having to set up a server just for the sake of providing a simple solution to their customers will not bode well for some. Furthermore, running a server also includes HTTP issues and scalability issues. As such, you can use Zoho CRM's serverless environment to run your application in sync with CRM without the need to put up a server.

If I had to give an example, setting a server is like setting up a restaurant and making people come over. But serverless architecture is like door-step delivery.





Here's how Serverless Architecture work

Let us assume that there is Zylker Inc. which is an online store that sells different products. They, however, are not the manufacturers, hence they need to procure the products from vendors and deliver it to the customers.

Here's how the usual process goes. The customer adds items to the cart, confirms the order, makes the payment and waits for the product to get delivered. Now speaking in the CRM's terminology, when the customer makes the payment, the sales guy gets the payment details and creates a deal record marking the deal stage as won. Then, the process involving Warehouse processing and Delivery gets started.

For the payment details and shipment details, there are different applications that handle the process. You can use the data from those applications and update the CRM through the use of webhooks.

With Middleware softwares:



And now with Serverless Functions:



Getting Started with the process:

1. Writing the Function:

Now that you're sure of what you need to do, you can write your business logic within functions. The code for the above logic would be something like this:



As you can see above, you define what the function needs to do when it is executed. As such, whenever the function is triggered from Zylker's application, the corresponding data in CRM is updated. But even so, there's a tiny problem. We do not know the format of the incoming data to CRM.

The types of input can be:

  • Parameters
  • Stream(Body)
  • File
  • Headers

Functions can parse most of the input types and process the information regardless. However, there needs to be some pre-defined lines of code that are to be given within the functions to facilitate this process. For instance, the function can get the entire Request Object and turn them into readable arguments, which can be used at your disposal. No matter what type the input is, you can use them to insert, update or make any other changes to your CRM as per your requirement. Not only can you get the entire request object, you can also set up what response the function, or in a way, the CRM, has to give out to the end user.

2. Authentication:

You need to properly authenticate your application with Zoho. There are 2 methods to do that.

  • OAuth
  • API Key

OAuth is a bit complex but the most widely used method that most applications adopt, whereas API Key is much more simple, but certain security inadequacies made it such that there are only some applications that use this method. Nevertheless, you can decide by yourself which one fits you best, based on the 3-party application.

3. Registering with Webhook

Now that you've created the function and made the function available as an API call. You need to register, or provide the URL to the other 3rd party application. This step is done so that the 3rd party application can be programmed to send a webhook based on certain conditions.

In this case, a webhook may be triggered when the shipment status is moved from "Packaged" to "Out-for-Delivery". When the webhook is triggered, the URL given within the webhook triggers the function within CRM. And based on the data received from the webhook, the shipment status of the customer within CRM can be changed accordingly.



Is it New to Zoho CRM?

I'm sure most of you are aware of "Functions", the one that lets you add additional functionality to your CRM. Those who are using “Functions” to write their own business logic to connect to third party apps, other Zoho services, web hooks, etc., have been using this serverless computing in a way.

Functions are designed to help people solve the issue of running servers, creating their business logic or integrating custom applications. Hence, it can be set to trigger based on events from within CRM or from external sources, without a server.

Learn more from our resources - Serverless Functions.



    Access your files securely from anywhere

        All-in-one knowledge management and training platform for your employees and customers.






                              Zoho Developer Community



                                  Bootcamp
                                  Community
                                  Pricing
                                  Webinars
                                  What's New
                                  Integrations
                                  Contact Support
                                  Contact Sales
                                    Zoho Survey Resources
                                      Features
                                      Survey Templates
                                      Integrations
                                      Community
                                      iOS Mobile Surveys
                                      Pricing
                                      Android Mobile Surveys
                                      Insurvey Blogs
                                      Insight Blogs
                                      Tips & Tricks





                                                  Latest Feature Updates

                                                    • Desk Community Learning Series


                                                    • Digest


                                                    • Functions


                                                    • Meetups


                                                    • Kbase


                                                    • Resources


                                                    • Glossary


                                                    • Desk Marketplace


                                                    • MVP Corner


                                                    • Word of the Day


                                                    • Ask the Experts




                                                        Zoho SalesIQ Resources

                                                              • Sticky Posts

                                                              • Kaizen #198: Using Client Script for Custom Validation in Blueprint

                                                                Nearing 200th Kaizen Post – 1 More to the Big Two-Oh-Oh! Do you have any questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in future posts? Your insights and suggestions help us shape future content and make this series better for everyone.

                                                              • Kaizen #226: Using ZRC in Client Script

                                                                Hello everyone! Welcome to another week of Kaizen. In today's post, lets see what is ZRC (Zoho Request Client) and how we can use ZRC methods in Client Script to get inputs from a Salesperson and update the Lead status with a single button click. In this

                                                              • Kaizen #222 - Client Script Support for Notes Related List

                                                                Hello everyone! Welcome to another week of Kaizen. The final Kaizen post of the year 2025 is here! With the new Client Script support for the Notes Related List, you can validate, enrich, and manage notes across modules. In this post, we’ll explore how

                                                              • Kaizen #217 - Actions APIs : Tasks

                                                                Welcome to another week of Kaizen! In last week's post we discussed Email Notifications APIs which act as the link between your Workflow automations and you. We have discussed how Zylker Cloud Services uses Email Notifications API in their custom dashboard.

                                                              • Kaizen #216 - Actions APIs : Email Notifications

                                                                Welcome to another week of Kaizen! For the last three weeks, we have been discussing Zylker's workflows. We successfully updated a dormant workflow, built a new one from the ground up and more. But our work is not finished—these automated processes are


                                                              Manage your brands on social media
                                                              Access Zoho Social

                                                                Zoho Pagesense Resources


                                                                    Zoho TeamInbox Resources

                                                                      Zoho DataPrep 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

                                                                                                                • Is it possible to retrieve function (Deluge) code from Zoho CRM externally?

                                                                                                                  Hi Everyone, Is it possible to fetch or retrieve the Deluge function code from Zoho CRM using an external method (API or any other approach)? I would like to know if there is any way to access or extract the function script outside of Zoho CRM, or if

                                                                                                                • Zoho CRM Integration Form + Custom Fields

                                                                                                                  Hi! I've created an Integration Form from Zoho CRM's Vendors Module, but I can choose a few standard fields and no custom fields I've created in Zoho CRM. There is a plan to add this feature soon? Thanks in advance.

                                                                                                                • Como estruturar dados em aplicações Zoho Creator

                                                                                                                  A estrutura de dados é um dos pilares mais críticos no desenvolvimento de aplicações no Zoho Creator. Projetos bem estruturados escalam com facilidade, permitem automações mais robustas e reduzem drasticamente retrabalho. Já aplicações mal modeladas rapidamente

                                                                                                                • Creditos API

                                                                                                                  Queria saber se alguém poderia me ajudar a resolver um problema na compra e utilização de créditos de mensagens API do WhatsApp. ja tentei todos o tutoriais porem não consegui realizar a compre, pois ao clicar no botão de comprar créditos aparece a mensagem

                                                                                                                • Using Zoho Forms vs Zoho Survey

                                                                                                                  Hello - I'm looking for advice on whether to use Zoho Survey or Zoho Forms for our small non-profit. We have a Zoho One subscription, so have access to both. The main use case at the moment is application forms for our professional development programs.

                                                                                                                • Enable integration of CRM CPQ functionality for ZohoOne customers using Zoho Finance application

                                                                                                                  Hi there. I can't believe I'm needing to launch this idea as I would have thought this was a little obvious. Following a number of conversations with the technical team it's become evident that the CPQ functionality within CRM cannot integrate with Zoho

                                                                                                                • Zoho Certified Workshops in Berlin | 20. - 21. April

                                                                                                                  Liebe Mitglieder der deutschen Zoho-Community! Wir freuen uns, Ihnen mitteilen zu können, dass unsere Zoho Certified Workshops am 20. und 21. April nach Deutschland zurückkehren! 📍Wo finden die Workshops statt? Die zertifizierten Workshops finden im

                                                                                                                • Zoho Payroll Expansion Plans

                                                                                                                  Dear Zoho Team, I truly appreciate the continuous innovation and improvements you bring to your suite of products. However, I—and I’m sure many others—would love some clarity on your Zoho Payroll expansion roadmap. Currently, it’s only available in the

                                                                                                                • Usar o Inventory ou módulo customizado no CRM para Gestão de Estoque ?

                                                                                                                  Minha maior dor hoje em usar o zoho é a gestão do meu estoque. Sou uma empresa de varejo e essa gestão é fundamental pra mim. Obviamente preciso que esse estoque seja visível no CRM, Inicialmente fiz através de módulos personalizados no próprio Zoho CRM,

                                                                                                                • How do I setup the performance review module?

                                                                                                                  I am pretty adept when it comes to learning software and I've set up quite a few Zoho Apps over the past 3 years.   But for the life of me, I can not figure out Zoho People performance reviews. I've figured out the "Organization" & LMS Modules, but the

                                                                                                                • Recurring Addons

                                                                                                                  Hi, I know you can set the pricing interval for addons to weekly, monthly and yearly & set it for one off or recurring, which these are fine as a base addon item. It really would be helpful if when creating a subscription when you add on the addon item

                                                                                                                • Cancellation Fees

                                                                                                                  Hi, It really would be good if Billing could take subscription management further with cancellations & being able to apply or set a cancellation fee for a plan that is either fixed or prorated. It is not uncommon in subscriptions for cancellation fees

                                                                                                                • Allow agents to enable or disable feed notifications from certain departments

                                                                                                                  Hello everyone, Agents who are part of multiple departments receive feed notifications frequently from across the departments. They may not be actively involved in performing every action in all departments. For example, an agent could be a part of both

                                                                                                                • WorkDrive API returning empty response even after placing file in Team Folder

                                                                                                                  Hi everyone, I am trying to fetch a file from Zoho WorkDrive using a Deluge standalone function in Zoho People. The API call executes successfully using a configured connection, but the response is coming back empty. I have verified the following: The

                                                                                                                • Address Typeahead Extension for Zoho Books

                                                                                                                  I installed the Address Typeahead extension for zoho books but when I went to configure it, it said that that version was deprecated. Is there a newer version somewhere?

                                                                                                                • Transaction Rules & Customer Payments

                                                                                                                  So I have a situation as follows. We have many clients who are all invoiced on the 1st of each month on a recurring invoice for 1 of 10 plans. This means that almost all payment dates are the same (some people pay late) and that a lot of the amounts are

                                                                                                                • Can I Integrate ADP Payroll with Zoho Books?

                                                                                                                  Hi, I am hoping that I can integrate ADP Payroll with Zoho Books so that I do not need to manually input the payroll journal entries. Is this possible? If so, how do I do that?

                                                                                                                • Zoho Books | Product updates | February 2026

                                                                                                                  Hello users, We’ve rolled out new features and enhancements in Zoho Books. From Advanced Reporting Tags to the ability to mark projects as completed, explore the latest updates designed to improve your bookkeeping experience. Introducing Advanced Reporting

                                                                                                                • Darshan Hiranandani : How many participants can join a Zoho Meeting at once?

                                                                                                                  Hi everyone, I'm Darshan Hiranandani, trying to find out the maximum number of participants that can join a Zoho Meeting at once. Has anyone here used Zoho Meeting for larger groups and can share their experience or knowledge about the participant limit?

                                                                                                                • Ask The Expert: Deep Dive into Zoho CRM, Desk, SalesIQ, and Campaigns!

                                                                                                                  Are you using Zoho to power your sales, support, and marketing, and have questions about configuration, automation, or best practices? We have great news: the “Ask The Expert” session is coming to the Zoho Benelux Community! This session is specifically

                                                                                                                • How to create a new Batch and update Stock via Inventory?

                                                                                                                  Hi everyone, We are building an automation where a user enters batch details (Batch Number, Mfg Date, Expiry, and Quantity) into a Custom Module. I need this to trigger an API call to Zoho Inventory to: Create the new batch for the item. Increase the

                                                                                                                • Zoho books Inventory valuation report VS Stock GL value

                                                                                                                  At one client, we track inventory using composite (bundled) items, and in the system settings we have enabled the option to prevent stock from going below zero. After the year-end physical count and quantity adjustments, we identified a mismatch: Inventory

                                                                                                                • Zoho Zoom extension for CRM

                                                                                                                  When meetings are booked through Zoho using the Zoom extension, the Zoom link in the invite is a host start link that contains an expiring ZAK token. The invite should instead use a standard attendee join link or a non-expiring host link - why is this

                                                                                                                • Stereo audio

                                                                                                                  L.S. Is stereo audio supported in Zoho Meetings? I would like to conduct music lessons with Meetings, but the audio needs to be good (if not great!) and stereo, and not too much compressed and such.

                                                                                                                • Zoho Surveys

                                                                                                                  Dear Zoho Support Team, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inquire about the availability and documentation for the Zoho Survey API. Background: I am currently working on a project that requires programmatic access to survey data and

                                                                                                                • Zoho FSM API Delete Record

                                                                                                                  Hi FSM Team, It would be great if you could delete a record via API. Thank you,

                                                                                                                • Writing SQL Queries - After Comma Auto Suggesting Column

                                                                                                                  When writing SQL Queries, does anyone else get super annoyed that after you type a comma and try to return to a new line it is automatically suggest a new column, so hitting return just inputs this suggested column instead of going to a new line? Anyone

                                                                                                                • New Enhancements to Zoho CRM and Zoho Creator Integration

                                                                                                                  Hello Everyone, We’ve rolled out enhancements to the Zoho Creator and Zoho CRM integration to align with recent updates made to the Zoho Creator platform. With enhancements to both the UI and functionality, This update also tightens access control by

                                                                                                                • Desk API that can search Merged Tickets

                                                                                                                  Is there any method that can still search a ticket that was already merged? zoho.desk.searchRecords - doesn't explicitly mention

                                                                                                                • Issue with "Send Email" from Quotes not loading Email Template data

                                                                                                                  Hi everyone, I'm currently experiencing an issue when using the "Send Email" option from a Quote record in Zoho CRM. What’s happening: When I go to the Quotes module and select a record, then click Send Email, the attached file (Quote) correctly pulls

                                                                                                                • Suggestions for Improved Table Management and Dashboard Filter Controls in Zoho Analytics

                                                                                                                  Dear Zoho Analytics Community, I hope you are doing well. I would like to share a few suggestions based on issues I am currently experiencing while working with visualizations and dashboards. Firstly, when I create a new visualization using the Sales-Order

                                                                                                                • Zoho Projects and CRM Integration in Analytics

                                                                                                                  Hi Team, In Zoho CRM, I’ve integrated CRM with Zoho Projects and associated a project within the CRM. The integration is visible under the Deals module. However, I’m unable to find this data in Zoho Analytics. Does anyone know where this information is

                                                                                                                • Cursor lands on disabled fields when tabbing through forms

                                                                                                                  As of yesterday, form behavior has changed w/ regard to disabled fields. Previously when tabbing through a form the cursor would skip over disable fields (as would typically be desired). But now the cursor is landing on all disabled fields, in all of

                                                                                                                • Permission query

                                                                                                                  we have two permission settings i.e 'user permission ' & 'portal user permission' and both have the same setting that we enable for our users, Now those who have access to user permission can see a button on the pivot table, "regenerate" but those who

                                                                                                                • Zoho Forms sheet prefil

                                                                                                                  I've been using zoho sheet prefill for a week and it was working perfectly, as soon as i deleted the particular sheet and replaced it with another one no matter what I do it cant find the record and i get this message. Could you please assist me to resolve

                                                                                                                • "Create Deal" button should default to the currently selected layout/pipeline

                                                                                                                  When viewing Deals in Kanban or List view with a specific layout and pipeline selected, clicking "Create Deal" should default to that same layout — not the profile's default layout. Currently it always opens the default layout regardless of context, requiring

                                                                                                                • Zoho mail admin panel not opening

                                                                                                                • Canvas: is it possible to have a fixed header?

                                                                                                                  Hello. Does Canvas provide the option to have a fixed header, similar to the standard view? It would also be interesting for other parts of the interface, like the header or sidebar of the tab section. Thanks!

                                                                                                                • Zoho LandingPage pricing update: Essentials plan is now fully free!

                                                                                                                  Hello Everyone, We have updated the Zoho LandingPage pricing structure. The Essentials plan, previously priced at $9 per month for 1,000 visitors, is now fully free, and the visitor limit has been increased to 5,000. With this change, users can start

                                                                                                                • ZOHO.CRM.UI.Record.open not working properly

                                                                                                                  I have a Zoho CRM Widget and in it I have a block where it will open the blocks Meeting like below block.addEventListener("click", () => { ZOHO.CRM.UI.Record.open({ Entity: "Events", RecordID: meeting.id }).catch(err => { console.error("Open record failed:",

                                                                                                                • Next Page