Kaizen #192 - Implementing Custom Token Persistence in Python SDK

Kaizen #192 - Implementing Custom Token Persistence in Python SDK


Welcome back to another week of Kaizen!

Last week, we discussed how to implement Login with Zoho using OAuth 2.0 and saw how to bring it to life in a real-world application with the Zoho CRM Python SDK. We also discussed how Zylker Academy built a custom student portal powered by Zoho authentication.
In our sample project, we used the file-based persistence method, a simple setup where the access and refresh tokens are stored in a local file. While this method is great for getting started, it might not always fit your business requirements.
That is why our SDKs offer multiple ways to persist your tokens. 

This week, we will explore why token persistence matters for your app’s secure operation, and how to implement custom token persistence methods, including a practical example using SQLite.

Why does token persistence matter?

When a user logs in via OAuth, Zoho returns two tokens:
  • An access token (valid for one hour), used to access Zoho CRM data.
  • A refresh token, used to get a new access token when the current one expires.
If your app does not store these tokens properly, your users will be forced to log in again every time they make an API call. Or every time their access token gets expired. That is not inconvenient; it is a poor user experience.
When you use Zoho CRM SDKs, this is all handled for you behind the scenes. When you first authenticate with Zoho, the SDK stores your access and refresh tokens. Later, when a token expires, the SDK automatically uses the refresh token to get a new one. All you have to do is configure and initialize the SDK, and you are ready to start making API calls using the different methods offered by our SDKs! 

From the user’s perspective, it means:
  • They do not have to log in every time.
  • Their sessions are automatically renewed without interruption.
  • Token revocation can be done centrally.
From a developer’s perspective:
  • You can control how and where tokens are stored.
  • You have control to enforce policies like session timeouts or token cleanup.

Supported token persistence options

The Zoho CRM SDKs support three token persistence mechanisms:

File Persistence:

As we have already seen in last week's Kaizen, in this method, the tokens are stored in a local file of your choice. This can be configured while configuring and initializing the SDK. While this is simple and great for internal and local use, it might not always meet the needs of a growing business. For instance, if the file gets deleted or corrupted, you lose the tokens. It also poses a security risk, as storing tokens in files may expose them to unauthorised access if the file is not properly secured.

Database Persistence:

This stores tokens in a MySQL database, making it better suited for production environments. It is more robust and can handle larger-scale user management. 
Using this persistence method, you can only provide the following connection parameters - host, DB name, table name, username, password, and port number. 

Custom Persistence:

But what if neither of these options fits your needs? Maybe you are working in an environment without traditional storage like AWS's Secret Manager, or you prefer any other Database, or running a microservice in a container where local storage is more practical. That is where Custom Token Persistence comes in.

Custom Token Persistence

Custom persistence means you can implement your own logic for storing and retrieving OAuth tokens, instead of relying on the SDK’s default mechanism. To do this, you should create a class that implements the TokenStore interface and override a standard set of methods, each handling a specific part of the token lifecycle.

Here’s what your custom class must implement:
Method
Purpose
Return Type
find_token(self, token)
Given a token, return a full Token (OAuthToken) object from storage. Used before making any CRM API call.
Token(OAuthToken) object
save_token(self, token)
Called right after Zoho returns a new access/refresh token. Your implementation must persist it.
None
delete_token(self, id)
Delete a specific token using its unique ID.
None
get_tokens(self)
Return all stored tokens.
A list of Token(OAuthToken) objects
delete_tokens()
Delete all stored tokens. Useful during cleanup or logout.
None
find_token_by_id(id)
Retrieve a token by its unique identifier.
Token(OAuthToken) object

The token object is an instance of OAuthToken. The SDK will invoke these methods automatically as part of its flow. You just have to focus on where and how to store the tokens. With this, you can persist tokens to any storage as long as your class handles these methods correctly.

Understanding the token object

Before we dive deeper into custom token persistence, let's clarify what this token (OAuthToken) object is and how you should work with it.

The token object is an instance of OAuthToken.  This class bundles all the credentials and details the SDK needs to authenticate your API requests. Here’s what it holds:
  • access_token
  • refresh_token
  • client_id 
  • client_secret
  • redirect_url
  • expires_in
  • user_signature
  • id
  • api_domain

Implementing Custom Token Persistence with SQLite

Now that we've covered the basics of token persistence and how Zoho SDK supports custom stores, let’s dive into a practical, real-world example using SQLite as the backend for storing tokens.
SQLite is a lightweight, file-based database engine. It is perfect when you want a persistent store without the complexity of a full database server.

The CustomStoreSQLite Class

This class implements all six required methods of the TokenStore interface using SQLite as the backend. 

1. Initialization and Table Setup

When you create a CustomStoreSQLite object, it immediately checks if the token table exists in the SQLite database file zohooauth.db. If the DB or the table is missing, its __init__() method creates one with all the necessary columns to store token details like id, user_name, client_id, client_secret, refresh_token, access_token, grant_token, expiry_time, redirect_url and api_domain.


 def __init__(self):
        """
        Initializes the SQLite database and sets up the oauthtoken table if needed.
        """
        self.db_name = 'zohooauth.db'
        if not self.check_table_exists():
            connection = sqlite3.connect(self.db_name)
            cursor = connection.cursor()
            cursor.execute("CREATE TABLE  oauthtoken (id varchar(10) NOT NULL,user_name varchar(255), client_id "
                           "varchar(255), client_secret varchar(255), refresh_token varchar(255), access_token "
                           "varchar(255), grant_token varchar(255), expiry_time varchar(20), redirect_url varchar("
                           "255), api_domain varchar(255), primary key (id))")
 cursor.close()

This means the first time your app runs, it sets up its own database schema automatically.

2. Saving a Token - save_token(self, token)

Purpose:
This method is called every time Zoho returns a new token, whether after a login or a token refresh. Your implementation is responsible for safely persisting this token, typically by upserting (inserting or updating) a row in your database that uniquely identifies the token’s user and client combination.

Expected behaviour: 
The method must store the token in your custom database or storage system.
  • If a matching token already exists (based on user, refresh token, or client credentials), it should be updated.
  • If no match exists, a new entry must be created.
  • Tokens should not be duplicated. Multiple users should be managed separately.
Input Parameters: An instance of Token(OAuthToken) class containing details like access token, refresh token, user signature, client ID/secret, etc.

Return value: None. But must raise exceptions on failure.

Sample Implementation using SQLite:
Here is the logic used in the implementation of save_token() method:
  • If the user name is available, use it to update the token.
  • If no user name but the access token is available in the table, update by the access token.
  • If there is a refresh or grant token with the same client credentials, then update accordingly.
  • If none of these match, insert as a new row.

def save_token(self, token):
        if not isinstance(token, OAuthToken):
            return
        cursor = None
        connection = None
        try:
            connection = sqlite3.connect(self.db_name)
            oauth_token = token
            query = "update oauthtoken set "
            if oauth_token.get_user_signature() is not None:
                name = oauth_token.get_user_signature().get_name()
                if name is not None and len(name) > 0:
                    query = query + self.set_token(oauth_token) + " where user_name='" + name + "'"
            elif oauth_token.get_access_token() is not None and len(oauth_token.get_access_token()) > 0 and \
                    self.are_all_objects_null([oauth_token.get_client_id(), oauth_token.get_client_secret()]):
                query = query + self.set_token(
                    oauth_token) + " where access_token='" + oauth_token.get_access_token() + "'"
            elif ((oauth_token.get_refresh_token() is not None and len(oauth_token.get_refresh_token()) > 0) or
                  (oauth_token.get_grant_token() is not None and len(
                      oauth_token.get_grant_token()) > 0)) and oauth_token.get_client_id() is not None \
                    and oauth_token.get_client_secret() is not None:
                if oauth_token.get_grant_token() is not None and len(oauth_token.get_grant_token()) > 0:
                    query = query + self.set_token(
                        oauth_token) + " where grant_token='" + oauth_token.get_grant_token() + "'"
                elif oauth_token.get_refresh_token() is not None and len(oauth_token.get_refresh_token()) > 0:
                    query = query + self.set_token(
                        oauth_token) + " where refresh_token='" + oauth_token.get_refresh_token() + "'"
            query = query + " limit 1"
            try:
                cursor = connection.cursor()
                cursor.execute(query)
                if cursor.rowcount <= 0:
                    if oauth_token.get_id() is not None or oauth_token.get_user_signature() is not None:
                        if oauth_token.get_refresh_token() is None and oauth_token.get_grant_token() is None \
                                and oauth_token.get_access_token() is None:
                            raise SDKException(Constants.TOKEN_STORE, Constants.GET_TOKEN_DB_ERROR1)
                    if oauth_token.get_id() is None:
                        newId = str(self.generate_id())
                        oauth_token.set_id(newId)
                    query = "insert into oauthtoken (id,user_name,client_id,client_secret,refresh_token,access_token," \
                            "grant_token,expiry_time,redirect_url,api_domain) values (?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?);"
                    val = (token.get_id(),
                           token.get_user_signature().get_name() if token.get_user_signature() is not None else None,
                           token.get_client_id(), token.get_client_secret(), token.get_refresh_token(),
                           token.get_access_token(), token.get_grant_token(), token.get_expires_in(),
                           token.get_redirect_url(), token.get_api_domain())
                    cursor.execute(query, val)
            except Error as e:
                raise e
            finally:
                connection.commit()
                cursor.close() if cursor is not None else None
                connection.close() if connection is not None else None
        except Exception as ex:
 raise SDKException(Constants.TOKEN_STORE, Constants.SAVE_TOKEN_DB_ERROR, cause=ex)

3: Fetching a Token - find_token(self, token)

Purpose:
This is the method the SDK calls whenever it needs to make an API call on behalf of a user, but has only partial token information.
Depending on the token flow - Grant Token, Refresh Token, Access Token, or ID-based - only a specific token or ID may be provided during the API call. In such cases, find_token(self, token) method locates and return the complete OAuthToken object from storage if a matching one exists. If no matching token exists in the storage, this method will return None, and the SDK will proceed to generate a new token with the provided details and save it using the save_token(self, token) method. 

Expected behavior:
  • Based on the available details in the input token (user name, access token, refresh or grant token), this method should query storage and return a complete token object.
  • If no match is found, it should return None.
Input Parameters: A partially filled Token(OAuthToken) object.

Return value: A fully populated Token object if found, or None.

Sample Implementation using SQLite:
The find_token(self, token) method implementation does the following:
  • Dynamically builds a WHERE clause based on available attributes.
  • Queries the database for a matching record.
  • Fetches the matching record, if any, and populates the Token object with the full set of stored values (access token, refresh token, expiry time, etc.).
  • Returns the Token object if a matching record is found, or return None.
Without this method, your app wouldn’t know which token to use during API calls. For example, consider the case when a user reopens your app after hours. You have their refresh token stored. The SDK calls find_token(self, token) to get the full token and proceeds without requiring a fresh login.

def find_token(self, token):
        cursor = None
        connection = None
        try:
            connection = sqlite3.connect(self.db_name)
            if isinstance(token, OAuthToken):
                oauth_token = token
                query = "select * from oauthtoken"
                if oauth_token.get_user_signature() is not None:
                    name = oauth_token.get_user_signature().get_name()
                    if name is not None and len(name) > 0:
                        query = query + " where user_name='" + name + "'"
                elif oauth_token.get_access_token() is not None and self.are_all_objects_null(
                        [oauth_token.get_client_id(), oauth_token.get_client_secret()]):
                    query = query + " where access_token='" + oauth_token.get_access_token() + "'"
                elif oauth_token.get_refresh_token() is not None or oauth_token.get_grant_token() is not None and \
                        oauth_token.get_client_id() is not None and oauth_token.get_client_secret() is not None:
                    if oauth_token.get_grant_token() is not None and len(oauth_token.get_grant_token()) > 0:
                        query = query + " where grant_token='" + oauth_token.get_grant_token() + "'"
                    elif oauth_token.get_refresh_token() is not None and len(oauth_token.get_refresh_token()) > 0:
                        query = query + " where refresh_token='" + oauth_token.get_refresh_token() + "'"
                query = query + " limit 1"
                cursor = connection.cursor()
                cursor.execute(query)
                result = cursor.fetchone()
                if result is None:
                    return None
                self.set_merge_data(oauth_token, result)
        except Exception as ex:
            raise SDKException(Constants.TOKEN_STORE, Constants.GET_TOKEN_DB_ERROR1, cause=ex)
        finally:
            cursor.close() if cursor is not None else None
            connection.close() if connection is not None else None
        return token

4: Deleting a Token - delete_token(self, id)

Purpose:
Delete a specific token record from storage based on a unique token ID. It is commonly used when a user logs out or an admin revokes access for a user.

Expected behaviour:
  • Locate the token record by its unique ID.
  • Delete the corresponding record from storage.
Input Parameters: The token ID to be deleted.

Return values: None

Sample Implementation using SQLite:

def delete_token(self, id):
        cursor = None
        try:
            connection = sqlite3.connect(self.db_name)
            try:
                cursor = connection.cursor()
                query = "delete from oauthtoken where id= " + id + ";"
                cursor.execute(query)
                connection.commit()
            except Error as ex:
                raise ex
            finally:
                cursor.close() if cursor is not None else None
                connection.close() if connection is not None else None
        except Error as ex:
            raise SDKException(code=Constants.TOKEN_STORE, message=Constants.DELETE_TOKEN_DB_ERROR, cause=ex)

5: Deleting All Tokens - delete_tokens(self)

Purpose: Delete all tokens from storage, typically used for global logout or cleanup scenarios.

Expected behaviour: Remove all token records from storage in a single operation.

Input Parameters: None

Return Values: None

Sample Implementation using SQLite:

def delete_tokens(self):
        cursor = None
        try:
            connection = sqlite3.connect(self.db_name)
            try:
                cursor = connection.cursor()
                query = "delete from oauthtoken;"
                cursor.execute(query)
                self.connection.commit()
            except Error as ex:
                raise ex
            finally:
                cursor.close() if cursor is not None else None
                connection.close() if connection is not None else None
        except Error as ex:
            raise SDKException(code=Constants.TOKEN_STORE, message=Constants.DELETE_TOKENS_DB_ERROR, cause=ex)

6: Fetch all tokens - get_tokens(self)

Purpose: Retrieve all currently stored tokens.

Expected behaviour:
  • Query storage for all token records.
  • Construct and return a list of token objects 
Input Parameters: None

Return Value: A list of Token objects representing all stored tokens.

Sample Implementation using SQLite:


def get_tokens(self):
        cursor = None
        try:
            connection = sqlite3.connect(self.db_name)
            tokens = []
            try:
                cursor = connection.cursor()
                query = "select * from oauthtoken;"
                cursor.execute(query)
                results = cursor.fetchall()
                for result in results:
                    oauth_token = object.__new__(OAuthToken)
                    self.set_oauth_token(oauth_token)
                    self.set_merge_data(oauth_token, result)
                    tokens.append(oauth_token)
                return tokens
            except Error as ex:
                raise ex
            finally:
                cursor.close() if cursor is not None else None
                connection.close() if connection is not None else None
        except Error as ex:
            raise SDKException(code=Constants.TOKEN_STORE, message=Constants.GET_TOKENS_DB_ERROR, cause=ex)

7. Finding a Token by ID - find_token_by_id(self, id)

Purpose: Retrieve a specific token by its unique id.

Expected behaviour:
  • Search storage for a token with the given ID.
  • If found, return the complete token object; if not, return None.
Input Parameters: The unique identifier of the token (id)

Return Values: Returns a fully populated Token(OAuthToken) object if found; otherwise, returns None.

Sample Implementation using SQLite:
This method should follows a similar pattern to find_token, but use the unique id as the search key.

 def find_token_by_id(self, id):
        cursor = None
        try:
            connection = sqlite3.connect(self.db_name)
            try:
                query = "select * from oauthtoken where id='" + id + "'"
                oauth_token = object.__new__(OAuthToken)
                self.set_oauth_token(oauth_token)
                cursor = connection.cursor()
                cursor.execute(query)
                results = cursor.fetchall()
                if results is None or len(results) <= 0:
                    raise SDKException(Constants.TOKEN_STORE, Constants.GET_TOKEN_BY_ID_DB_ERROR)
                for result in results:
                    self.set_merge_data(oauth_token, result)
                    return oauth_token
            except Error as ex:
                raise ex
            finally:
                cursor.close() if cursor is not None else None
                connection.close() if connection is not None else None
        except Error as ex:
            raise SDKException(code=Constants.TOKEN_STORE, message=Constants.GET_TOKEN_BY_ID_DB_ERROR, cause=ex)


Please find the complete custom_store_sqlite.py file here.

How to use this in your project

To start using this custom token persistence class in your own Python project, follow these steps:
  • Download the custom_store_sqlite.py and place this inside your project directory.
  • Import the class in the script where you initialize the SDK. In our sample project, this is the record.py file.
    from store.custom_store_sqlite import CustomStoreSQLite
  • In the SDK configuration, use the CustomStoreSQLite method instead of the FireStore method:

def init(self, client_id, code, location, redirect_url):
        environment = DataCenter.get(location)
        client_secret = "17565609051856218813123b9a98de52c301722b7d"
        logger = Logger.get_instance(level=Logger.Levels.INFO,
                                     file_path="./logs.txt")
        store = CustomStoreSQLite()
        token = OAuthToken(client_id=client_id,
                           client_secret=client_secret,
                           grant_token=code,
                           redirect_url=redirect_url)
        Initializer.initialize(environment=environment,
                               token=token,
                               logger=logger,
 store=store)

That’s it! With this, all token operations (save, fetch, delete) will be routed through your custom store backed by SQLite.


The above video demonstrates this is in action. You can see what the database looks like when populated. 

More Custom Persistence Implementations

The advantage of using Zoho CRM SDKs is that it doesn't box you in. You are free to implement token persistence in a way that fits your business logic, team expertise, or project requirements. Whether you prefer SQLite, NoSQL, or something entirely different, the SDK gives you full control through the TokenStore interface.

In the SQLite example above, we walked through how to implement a custom store using a persistent file-based database. You need to implement all the methods as explained in the previous section, no matter where you decide to persist your tokens. 

To make things easier, we have included two additional reference implementations:
  • An in-memory store, where tokens are stored in a dictionary
  • A list-based store, which keeps token records as simple lists
Each one fully implements the required methods of the TokenStore interface.

SQLite In-Memory DB

This implementation uses SQLite's in-memory mode (using ":memory:") to store tokens in RAM. Here, we have implemented all the required methods from the TokenStore interface: find_token(), save_token(), delete_token(), get_tokens(), delete_tokens() and find_token_by_id().

Please find the custom_store_in_memory.py file here.

List-Based Persistence Using Simple Lists

The second reference implementation is a list-based token store that keeps token records in an in-memory Python list of lists. Each inner list represents a token’s attributes, such as ID, user signature, client ID, access token, refresh token, and so on.
This custom store fully implements all required methods from the TokenStore interface.

Please find the custom_store_list.py file here.

We hope this was useful and gives you enough info to build your own token persistence methods tailored to your needs. We used Python SDK here, but you can apply the same logic with any of our other SDKs. It is all the same logic, just different programming languages. Just remember to implement the required methods exactly as expected by the SDK, as explained here.

Give it a try, and please let us know how it goes or if you hit any bumps!  Comment below, or send an email to support@zohocrm.com. We will be waiting to hear from you!

Happy coding!

We are excited to be approaching the 200th post in our Kaizen series! As we get closer to this milestone, we would love to hear from you. Have questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in our future Kaizen posts? Your feedback helps us make the series even better.
 
Please take a moment to share your thoughts with us using this form - we'd really appreciate it!

  Previous Kaizen: Kaizen #191 - Implementing "Login with Zoho" using Python SDK |  Kaizen Directory                    


    Access your files securely from anywhere








                            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 #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

                                                            • Kaizen #152 - Client Script Support for the new Canvas Record Forms

                                                              Hello everyone! Have you ever wanted to trigger actions on click of a canvas button, icon, or text mandatory forms in Create/Edit and Clone Pages? Have you ever wanted to control how elements behave on the new Canvas Record Forms? This can be achieved

                                                            • Kaizen #142: How to Navigate to Another Page in Zoho CRM using Client Script

                                                              Hello everyone! Welcome back to another exciting Kaizen post. In this post, let us see how you can you navigate to different Pages using Client Script. In this Kaizen post, Need to Navigate to different Pages Client Script ZDKs related to navigation A.

                                                            • Kaizen #210 - Answering your Questions | Event Management System using ZDK CLI

                                                              Hello Everyone, Welcome back to yet another post in the Kaizen Series! As you already may know, for the Kaizen #200 milestone, we asked for your feedback and many of you suggested topics for us to discuss. We have been writing on these topics over the


                                                            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

                                                                                                              • Tax information

                                                                                                                Hello, I need help/guidance on how to add my organization's Tax/VAT information. Thank you Pavly

                                                                                                              • Build smarter Guided Conversations with Fork Blocks

                                                                                                                When your customers arrive on your support channel, they're not there to explore. They are usually confused and stuck while trying to fix something important. We understand how stressful that moment can feel and we want your bot to make things easier,

                                                                                                              • Custom item field won't allow decimal.

                                                                                                                Hello, I have a custom item field that needs to be able to have a value with a decimal place such as 6.7 or 6.18. I have tried custom formatting the input format but can not get the correct syntax to allow this. Is this possible in Zoho?

                                                                                                              • Free webinar: Zoho Sign unwrapped – 2025 in review

                                                                                                                Hey there! 2025 is coming to an end, and this year has been all about AI. Join our exclusive year-end webinar, where we'll walk you through the features that went live in 2025, provide answers to your questions, and give you a sneak peek on what to expect

                                                                                                              • HubSpot CRM to Zoho Creator Integration

                                                                                                                I'm trying to create an integration between HubSpot CRM and Zoho Creator with HubSpot being the push source (if a contact is created or updated in HubSpot, it pushes the information to Zoho Creator). I have two questions: 1- Is it best to use Zoho Flow

                                                                                                              • Custom Fields

                                                                                                                There is no way to add a custom field in the "Timesheet" module. Honestly, the ability to add a custom field should be available in every module.

                                                                                                              • Gain control over record sharing with portal users through our new enhancement: criteria-based data exposure

                                                                                                                Dear Customers, We hope you're well! Portals is a self-service avenue through which your clients can access and manage their direct and related data in Zoho CRM. This empowers them to be more independent and enables them to experience a sense of transparency

                                                                                                              • Best-practice setup in Zoho One for managing combined candidate pools and exporting anonymised CVs

                                                                                                                We are new users of the Zoho One bundle and operate a consulting and engineering company. Our workforce model includes a mix of permanent employees, active job applicants, and freelance/independent consultants. All three groups need to be searchable,

                                                                                                              • 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.

                                                                                                              • hard-bounced email list

                                                                                                                Hi, Below pops up when I try to send an Email to some of my customer. Please guide me how to take it out from hard-bounced list? I am not sure how they were marked in hard-bounced list

                                                                                                              • Register the 'Contact Role' addition and change as a Potential edition so it can trigger Workflows

                                                                                                                We are trying to use "Contact Roles" in Potentials. Contact Roles are special and different than the other Related lists, so, it may have a special behavior. Something to keep in mind is that you will never have 100 Contact Roles as you can have 100 Tasks, Calls, or any other Related list. In our case we will have 2 in average and up to 4 or 5 maximum. The problem is that we need to bring information from 3 key Contact Roles to the Potential and adding a Contact to the Contacts Roles area never trigger

                                                                                                              • 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

                                                                                                              • Best practice to structure reporting to include events covering multiple months / quarters.

                                                                                                                Hi, I'm new to Zoho, have some experience of more "enterprise" tools, looking for some input from the community. I'm looking to create a report that includes events that cover a long period, each event has a start / end date and I'm struggling undertanding

                                                                                                              • Marketing Tip #11: Turn features into benefits that sell

                                                                                                                We all love talking about our products, but here’s a secret: customers don’t just buy features, they buy benefits. Instead of just saying "Made from 100% organic cotton," try "Soft, breathable comfort that lasts all day." Benefits tell shoppers how your

                                                                                                              • Zoho Sheet - Printing - Page Breaks and Printing Customization

                                                                                                                I think the title is descriptive enough in that I cannot find help documentation on a simple task of adding in page brakes for separating pages on print. Thanks

                                                                                                              • Synchronise item image between Zoho Commerce and Zoho Books/Inventory/CRM

                                                                                                                Here is a blindingly simple idea to tie several Zoho products together. Zoho - please include a method to synchronise the item image (or images) from one Zoho application to another. For example, if you upload an item image in Zoho Inventory, a user should

                                                                                                              • How do I migrate from zoho mail to Office 365?

                                                                                                                The manual migration of Zoho Mail to Microsoft 365 typically requires using IMAP to move emails and configuring Microsoft Outlook to sync Zoho Mail. This approach can be error-prone, especially if there are multiple accounts or large email archives. Moreover,

                                                                                                              • New Update: Convert External Users in Bulk in Zoho Directory

                                                                                                                Greetings to all Zoho Directory users out there! We’re excited to introduce a new update that makes user management in Zoho Directory even more efficient; you can now convert external users in bulk! Earlier, admins could convert only one external user

                                                                                                              • New Update: Convert External Users in Bulk in Zoho One

                                                                                                                Greetings to all Zoho One users out there! We’re excited to introduce a new update that makes user management in Zoho One even more efficient; you can now convert external users in bulk! Earlier, admins could convert only one external user at a time.

                                                                                                              • How to edit form layout for extension

                                                                                                                I am working on extension development. I have created all the fields. I want to rearrange the layout in Sigma platform. But there is no layout module in Sigma. How can I achieve this for extensions other than Zet CLI and putting the fields into widget

                                                                                                              • Website not properly connecting with Zoho Creator app portal (embed & data sync issue)

                                                                                                                Hello Zoho Community, I’m currently facing an issue while trying to connect my external website with a Zoho Creator app portal. I have a tool-based website ( https://mygardencalculator.com/ ) where users interact with calculators and dynamic content.

                                                                                                              • 日本語フォントの選択肢拡充についての要望

                                                                                                                日本語フォントの選択肢がとても少ないと感じたことはありませんか？ 多くのアプリ（たとえば Invoice）ではフォントが1種類しかなく、正直あまり使いやすい・見た目が良いとも言えません。 そろそろ、もっと多くの日本語フォントを追加してほしい、そしてすべてのアプリで同じフォント選択肢を使えるようにしてほしいと、私たちユーザーが声を上げる時期だと思います。 ご存じのとおり、現状ではアプリごとにフォント周りの仕様にほとんど一貫性がありません。 みなさん、一緒に要望を出していきましょう！

                                                                                                              • Does anyone know how to setup Zoho Desk or Zoho CRM as a custom outgoing/incoming Call Centre?

                                                                                                                I need to setup a call center so I can setup agents to make phone calls across Canada to market our services.  I am trying to figure out the most reliable and cost efficient way to do this? I am currently paying for two phone services and neither seem

                                                                                                              • Display actual mileage on an invoice

                                                                                                                My users are creating expenses in Zoho expense. For example, they expense 10 miles and get paid 7 dollars (10 miles * IRS rate of .70). If I look at the expenses in Zoho Books, it does show them at 10 miles at .70 cent When I add these expense to an invoice

                                                                                                              • Prevent Unapproved Quotes from Exporting to Zoho CRM Finance Module

                                                                                                                Is it possible to prevent unapproved quotes in Zoho Books from being exported from Zoho Finance module inside Zoho CRM?

                                                                                                              • Integration with...

                                                                                                                Dear Zoho Commerce team, Please could you consider the integration within Zoho Commerce / Inventory and Qapla'? (https://www.qapla.it/en/) This app is better than Aftership in many ways: - Aftership integration require PRO plan and price start from more

                                                                                                              • Unable to Create Zoho Booking via the Book Appointment API

                                                                                                                Its giving the below error {     "response": {         "errormessage": "Error setting value for the variable:customer_details\n null",         "status": "Error"     } } Request: POST Url: https://www.zohoapis.in/bookings/v1/json/appointment attached Zoho-oauthtoken

                                                                                                              • Consultant-Only Booking Page

                                                                                                                Zoho Bookings does not allow for Meeting Type OR Workspace-Wide booking pages to be turned off. This is detrimental to organizations that have territory-based or assigned accounts, because if prospects can go to these booking pages and either select the

                                                                                                              • Request for Auto PO - Min–Max based Automated Purchase Feature

                                                                                                                Dear Zoho POS Team, I’m writing to request a feature enhancement that would significantly streamline inventory management for businesses using Zoho POS — particularly supermarkets, FMCG retail, and multi-store operations like ours. Feature Requested:

                                                                                                              • Export Invoices to XML file

                                                                                                                Namaste! ZOHO suite of Apps is awesome and we as Partner, would like to use and implement the app´s from the Financial suite like ZOHO Invoice, but, in Portugal, we can only use certified Invoice Software and for this reason, we need to develop/customize on top of ZOHO Invoice to create an XML file with specific information and after this, go to the government and certified the software. As soon as we have for example, ZOHO CRM integrated with ZOHO Invoice up and running, our business opportunities

                                                                                                              • issue with deluge script

                                                                                                                i used chat gpt to build this script and I am getting 2 errors which I cannot figure out how to fix: void monthly_sales_order_generation() { try { // ---------------- CONFIG ------------------- analytics_url_1 = "https://analytics.zoho.com/api/<workspaceID>/report/<reportID1>/data";

                                                                                                              • Introducing LinkedIn Apply Connect for Zoho Recruit

                                                                                                                Attract up to 3x more qualified candidates and hire more efficiently with LinkedIn Apply Connect. Let candidates fill-in job applications without any redirections, gain deeper insights with applicant highlights within Zoho Recruit, and keep candidates

                                                                                                              • Recruit paid support?

                                                                                                                Hi all, Could anyone who has paid support package advise if it provides value for money with regards to support response times? Exploring the idea as unfortunately when we have faced issues with Recruit it has been a 7+ day timescale from reporting to

                                                                                                              • Ticket Status email

                                                                                                                Good day, This was discussed in the past, but it would be helpful if we could have the system assign a custom response to a status. We have various statuses for tickets, e.g. "closed due to no response", or "Pending Status", it would be helpful for the

                                                                                                              • Future Orders - Due Date

                                                                                                                Hi In my role, I can receive tickets where the work required is requested months in advance. Using a Future Orders option, which I believe was setup under the On Hold status type, hides the Due Date, in all views/ticket etc. Whilst I understand the reasoning

                                                                                                              • Introducing Withdrawal Reasons for Offers

                                                                                                                We’re excited to introduce a new enhancement to the Offer module that brings more clarity and accountability to every withdrawn offer. The Withdrawal Reason update ensures that each withdrawal — manual or automatic — is backed by a clear explanation,

                                                                                                              • Zoho Creator customer portal users

                                                                                                                Hi, I'm in a Zoho One subscription with our company. I'm running a project now that involves creating a Zoho Creater application and using the Zoho Creator Customer Portal.  At most we need 25 customer portal users. In our Zoho One plan we only get 3

                                                                                                              • GPS tracking only or Check out facility

                                                                                                                Dear Team, Zoho CRM is quite robust CRM but till date i was waiting for the feature of having GPS tracking of Sales employees which is a common demand by all customers for thier field sales executives. We cover them by saying that CRM provides Checkin

                                                                                                              • Appraisals on Employee Information Profile

                                                                                                                Is it possible to show completed appraisals on each employee's "Employee Information" page? I would presume at the bottom - similar to the "Related Lists" concept in Zoho CRM. Obviously view access would be limited to employee and appropriate other roles

                                                                                                              • Kaizen #220: Actions API - Webhooks APIs - Part 2

                                                                                                                Hello all!! Welcome back to the follow-up Kaizen post of Kaizen #219: Actions API - Webhooks APIs - Part 1. In the previous week, we covered how to configure a basic Webhook and how to include Headers, Body, and URL Parameters using both the POST Webhook

                                                                                                              • Next Page