Kaizen #21 - Functions in Zoho CRM

Kaizen #21 - Functions in Zoho CRM

Hello everyone!

Welcome back to another week in the Kaizen series!
This week, we will discuss Functions in detail.

What will you learn from this post?
  1. What are Functions in Zoho CRM?
  2. Creating a function
    1. Choosing a function category
    2. Function body
  3. Integration Tasks
  4. Triggering Functions
    1. From Zoho CRM functionalities
    2. From third-party applications
  5. Limits of Functions

1. What are Functions in Zoho CRM?
  • Functions help you accomplish the tasks that are not available by default in Zoho CRM. 
  • You must write custom functions using DELUGE [Data Enriched Language for the Universal Grid Environment]—An online scripting language.
  • Using custom functions, you can automate actions within Zoho CRM, across Zoho products, or between Zoho CRM and any other third-party application.
Note:
Functions are supported only in the enterprise and ultimate editions.

2. Creating a function

To create a function:

Step 1: Go to Setup > Developer Space > Functions


Step 2: Click +New Function


Step 3: Enter details like the Function Name, Display Name, Description, and choose the function category.


2a. Choosing a function category

Functions can fall under five categories:
  • Button: The function gets executed when the user clicks the custom button.
  • Automation: The function gets executed based on workflow rules.
  • Schedule: The function gets executed based on a schedule.
  • Related List: The function gets invoked from a related list.
  • Standalone: A stand-alone function that can be triggered externally.
  • Validation Rule: The function gets executed based on a validation rule.

Step 4: Write the function logic in the console. To know more about DELUGE, refer to Deluge.
Here is an example of a function that automatically generates a quote from a deal on just the click of a button. In DealToQuote() function, the input values are extracted from deals. You can also choose to get them from the users as arguments or JSON request body.


2b. Function Body
potDetails = zoho.crm.getRecordById("Deals",potId.toLong());//integration task
/*Extracting details from the deal*/
quotesubject = ifnull(potDetails.get("Deal_Name"),""); 
contact = ifnull(potDetails.get("Contact_Name").get("id"),""); 
account = ifnull(potDetails.get("Account_Name").get("id"),"");
description = ifnull(potDetails.get("Description"),"");
RelatedProducts = zoho.crm.getRelatedRecords("Products","Potentials",potId.toLong());
product_items = List();
sub = 0.0;
/*Extracting product details from the deal and adding it to quote*/
for each product in RelatedProducts
{
proid = product.get("id");
proname = product.get("Product_Name");
productDesc = ifnull(product.get("Description"),"Manque Description Produit !!!");
quantity = 1;
price = ifnull(product.get("Unit_Price"),"0.0").toDecimal();
listprice = price * quantity;
lineitem = Map();
lineitem.put("product",{"name":proname,"id":proid});
lineitem.put("product_description",productDesc);
lineitem.put("quantity",quantity);
lineitem.put("net_total",listprice);
lineitem.put("total",listprice);
lineitem.put("list_price",listprice);
sub = sub + listprice;
product_items.add(lineitem);
}
/*Storing quote details*/
paramap = Map();
paramap.put("Product_Details",product_items);
paramap.put("Subject",quotesubject);
paramap.put("Contact_Name",contact);
paramap.put("Account_Name",account);
paramap.put("Deal_Name",potId.toLong());
paramap.put("Sub_Total",sub);
paramap.put("Grand_Total",sub);
paramap.put("Description",description);
createResp = zoho.crm.createRecord("Quotes",paramap);
info paramap;
info createResp;
newid = createResp.get("id");
return "Success";

Step 5: Once you have written your logic, click save and execute.


Step 6: Enter the argument values, if any.


Step 7: If your function gets executed successfully, you will get a success message.

Step 7: Click Save.

3. Integration Tasks
Integration tasks are pre-defined functions that allow you to get, create, and update records in Zoho CRM. You can simply use these method names in your Deluge script along with the required data to make API calls. 
In the above example, we have used the getRecordById() integration task that retrieves the details of the deal. For instance, the Deal Name, Contact Name, Account Name, and so on.

Syntax:
<response>=zoho.crm.getRecordById(<module_name>, <record_ID>, <connections>);

Parameters:
Parameter
Description
response
The response with the list of records matching the criteria.
module_name
string, mandatory
The API name of the module you want to fetch the records from.
record_ID
string, mandatory
The unique ID of the record.
connections
string, optional
The connectors that are associated with the function.

Example:
potDetails = zoho.crm.getRecordById("Deals",potId.toLong());

Some of the other available integration tasks are:
To know more about integration tasks, click here.

4. Triggering functions

A function needs a trigger to get executed. You can trigger a function in two ways:
      4a. From Zoho CRM functionality
      4b. From third-party applications

Scenario:
Functions are primarily used to write custom business logic in Zoho CRM. Consider a scenario, where you want your sales representatives to create a quote after reviewing the deal. Instead of letting them create each quote manually, you can add a custom button in the Edit Deal page, which when clicked upon, triggers a function that creates a quote. 

Also, you can configure a third-party system to automatically create a quote in Zoho CRM when the deal amount is less than 1000 OR the deal stage is closed-won. Thus, avoiding manual intervention and enabling them to emphasise on substantial deals. 

Let us discuss how to trigger the DealToQuote() function via a custom button and a third-party application. You can also trigger the same function from a third-party application as a REST API webhook

4a. From Zoho CRM functionality (Custom Button)
  1. Go to Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields.
  2. From the List of Modules, select the required module.
  3. In the Links & Buttons tab, click Create New Button.
  4. In the Create Your Button page, do the following:
    1. Enter the name of the button. The button name should not exceed 30 characters.
    2. Click the Add Description link and specify the details of your custom button. The description should not exceed 250 characters.
    3. Choose the location of your custom button from the drop-down list.
    4. Custom buttons can be placed in 6 different places in your CRM account - Create/Clone page, Edit page, View page, List View page, a button to each record in the list view and Related Lists Page. Note that you can create up to 50 buttons for each module.
  5. Choose an action to be executed when a user clicks the custom button. You can either choose a predefined action from the gallery or the existing functions that were already created by the users in your organization. Also, define your own action by writing a custom function, open a new web tab or invoke a URL based on your needs. It is mandatory to choose the button action. In our case, From Existing Actions in Functions. Choose the function and click Configure.


6. Map the input values to the fields in that module and click Save.


Once the custom button is associated with an action, CRM Administrators can manage permissions by assigning only specific profiles to view and access the custom button.

Similarly, you can associate functions with SchedulesWorkflowsValidation Rules, and Related Lists.

To know more, click here.

4b. From third-party applications

Here, we are going to configure a third-party system to automatically create a quote in Zoho CRM when the deal amount is less than 1000 OR the deal stage is closed-won, thus avoiding manual intervention. 

To achieve this, we are going to trigger the DealToQuote() function from a third-party application (automate.io), whenever the above conditions are met. 



If you want to trigger a function from a third-party application, you must make it available as REST API. 

1. Go to SetupDeveloper SpaceFunctions
2. Choose the function > Click more options > Click REST API


3.Enter the API name for the function. 
4. Enable OAuth 2.0 to share the function as an API within your organization and enable API key to share the function as a webhook with any third-party user.
Click Save.


You must make the API call from the third-party application using the request URL received here.

The DealToQuote() function is triggered from a third-party application (automate.io). You can achieve the same using:
  • Zoho Flow
  • Zoho CRM workflow rule that is triggered whenever a deal is updated
Sample bot configuration in automate.io:


We have triggered the DealToQuote() function using custom button as well as a third-party application. 



5. Limits of Functions
Function calls in Zoho CRM are associated with credits. Each function call results in reduction of one credit from your account. 
Maximum credit limit based on your edition
Edition
Allowed Credits
Maximum credits that can be availed in a 24 hour window
Starter
5,000 credits + (Number of User licenses x 200)
10,000 credits
Standard
5,000 credits + (Number of User licenses x 200)
15,000 credits
Professional
5,000 credits + (Number of User licenses x 200)
20,000 credits
Enterprise/Zoho One/CRM Plus
20,000 credits + (Number of User licenses x 500)
1,00,000 credits
Ultimate
20,000 credits + (Number of User licenses X 1000)
2,00,000 credits

Limits based on properties of a function
Functionality
Description
Limits
Execution Time
Function should be executed within the specified time.
1 minute
Response Limit
Function should return the response within a particular size.
10 MB
Lines of execution
The number of lines in a function code has a limit.
200,000
Send Mail
The number of emails that you can using the send mail syntax has a limit.
1000 per day
Webhooks
GET and POST URLs
50,000 requests per day

For more tips, refer to function tips.

We hope you found this post useful. Stay tuned for more!

Cheers!

Previous 'Kaizen' - Node JS SDK
Next 'Kaizen' - Connections in Zoho CRM

    Access your files securely from anywhere

          Zoho Developer Community




                                    Zoho Desk Resources

                                    • Desk Community Learning Series


                                    • Digest


                                    • Functions


                                    • Meetups


                                    • Kbase


                                    • Resources


                                    • Glossary


                                    • Desk Marketplace


                                    • MVP Corner


                                    • Word of the Day



                                        Zoho Marketing Automation


                                                Manage your brands on social media



                                                      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 Campaigns 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 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

                                                                                                  • 550 5.4.6 Unusual sending activity detected. Please try after sometime. <a href=https://www.zoho.com/mail/help/usage-policy.html target=_blank>Learn more.</a>

                                                                                                    Please help me with this. Sending of mails is blocked.
                                                                                                  • The Social Wall: November 2024

                                                                                                    Hey everyone, As we move into December, we're excited to share all the updates that went live in Social during November. View, monitor, and respond to your WhatsApp and Telegram messages from Inbox Take your communication a step further by integrating
                                                                                                  • Segmenting Contacts Based on Product Purchased

                                                                                                    I am trying to organize our main Marketing Automation email list in a way that segments contacts based on products they have purchased (for example in this case it is 3 different products). To my knowledge, this would require the sync from Zoho CRM to
                                                                                                  • Urgent Assistance Needed with DKIM Verification

                                                                                                    Hi, I have been trying to verify the DKIM for the past month using your instructions as well as other resources. Unfortunately, I have not been able to resolve the issue, and it remains persistent. I need to address this problem as soon as possible so
                                                                                                  • How do I attach tasks from one task to other tasks in the same project

                                                                                                    How do I attach tasks from one task to other tasks in the same project
                                                                                                  • Incorrect Handling of XLSX data

                                                                                                    Trying to import an XLSX schedule of bills into Zoho Books I ran across the problem of date formatting. To replicate: Build a CSV file with bill dates in whatever format you like and import it - this should work if you match the "dd/MM/yyy" etc. format
                                                                                                  • Zoho Books Invoice Salesperson: requires ID but there is no "Fetch salesperson" action

                                                                                                    Hi, I am trying to attach a Salesperson to a Zoho Books invoice. In Zoho Flow, the salesperson field required an ID. However, I only have the salesperson name, I need to fetch salesperson by name and then provide the ID. There is no option to fetch salesperson...
                                                                                                  • Change format of quantity format

                                                                                                    Hi,  I would like to change the qunatity format from 1,00 to 1.  Is this possible?   thanks!
                                                                                                  • Ticket Views: filter criteria -> dynamic date values in relation to the current date

                                                                                                    Hello all, It would be very helpful if you could build custom views in such a way that you do not have to adjust the criteria daily or at whatever interval in order to change the fixed date value as needed. For example, I would like to create a view that,
                                                                                                  • Captchas: No support for Google reCAPTCHA or similar

                                                                                                    Hi all, The current captcha integrated into Creator is very basic, and often near-impossible to read. I'm building an app for a charity which includes a couple of public-facing forms, and this is a real issue for people with dyslexia and related conditions - it's effectively excluding them if you want any form of spam protection at all on your published forms (and that being said, the current captcha doesn't even seem very effective - bots can often read it more easily than humans). I've raised this
                                                                                                  • Maintain consistency in ticket responses with shared snippets

                                                                                                    Hello everyone! We are excited to announce that our highly anticipated snippet sharing feature is now available to all users. As you know, snippets are pre-defined message templates, or canned messages, that help agents respond to tickets with efficiency.
                                                                                                  • Tickets - Zoho Desk

                                                                                                    Hi Team, My Clients need to see their tickets created and the status of the ticket in the Zoho Support Desk itself. How can I do this? My Client doesn't have a Zoho Account. They need to access the ticket by the provided link without signing in.
                                                                                                  • Automatically assign Contacts to Account owners

                                                                                                    Hi, I have a finite number of accounts set up in the CRM, and each new contact that comes in is automatically assigned to an Account according to a rule I set up. I want the Contact owner in the Contacts module to be assigned to the relevant Account owner.
                                                                                                  • Making Copies/Duplicates of Zoho Forms (Shared)

                                                                                                    Question to the community: is there a way to take a 'shared form' , make a duplicate copy and save under My Forms, so that i can use that which was already created as a template to make updates to and use as a test form and be able to have full access,
                                                                                                  • Using IMAP configuration for shared email inboxes

                                                                                                    Our customer service team utilizes shared email boxes to allow multiple people to view and handle incoming customer requests. For example, the customer sends an email to info@xxxx.com and multiple people can view it and handle the request. How can I configure
                                                                                                  • Can you help us creating a customised form with payment link?

                                                                                                    I would like to create a customised Transport form where the user will be asked to make payment basis the drop/ pick up they select.
                                                                                                  • Deleting or disabeling predefined ticket list views

                                                                                                    Is it possible to delete or disable predefined views or is this still not possible? For instance, we are not using the chat function and therefore have no use for the "Missed Chats" view. Thanks!
                                                                                                  • Email an Invoice from API

                                                                                                    When calling the API to email an invoice, it seems it does not actually send it. Below is a screen shot where I used an API call for the bottom record, and it updated its' status to "Due Today", but no email was actually sent. The top record, I hit the
                                                                                                  • Unable to load your extension. Please check your plugin-manifest or Resources.json.

                                                                                                    Hi Team, I am using the config module with multiple fields of different types, such as checkboxes and picklists. However, I am encountering the following issues: Error Message: When loading the extension, I get the error: "Unable to load your extension.
                                                                                                  • Layout Rules / Quick create

                                                                                                    Hello, is there a way to create a layout rule for quick create option? Regards, Katarzyna
                                                                                                  • Issue with Create Note Button and Popup Form in Leads Module

                                                                                                    Hello Zoho Community, I am trying to implement a "Create Note" button in the Leads module with the following functionality: 1. When the button is clicked, a form should pop up with fields to add notes. 2. After filling out the form and clicking Send,
                                                                                                  • Finding draft ticket replies

                                                                                                    Is there a way to see all tickets which have draft replies?
                                                                                                  • Guidance on Making Zoho Desk Connections Available for All Data Centers

                                                                                                    Hi Team, I’m currently developing an application using Zoho Desk connections to manage OAuth for my third-party products. Could you please advise on the steps required to make it available across all data centers? Looking forward to your thoughts on
                                                                                                  • Able to change project on timelog entries

                                                                                                    Ability to move the timesheet entry from one project to another. When a user adds a wrong entry a manager can change/update the timesheet entry to the correct project.
                                                                                                  • Caso de Uso | Menos trámites, más salud: Clínicum optimiza sus recursos con Zoho One

                                                                                                    "La automatización del proceso de solicitud de bajas y su trazabilidad a través de Zoho nos ha supuesto una mejora en el ROI." - Carol Rodríguez, Responsable de Experiencia del Cliente interno y externo en Clínicum ¡Hola a todos! Estamos emocionados de
                                                                                                  • How do I stop getting notified about upgrading to Upgrade now and save big!

                                                                                                    How do I stop getting notified about upgrading to Upgrade now and save big! There is no way to clear this notification, and EVERY Day I get alerted to upgrade, but there is no permanent way to dismiss this alert! How can I permanently dismiss this a
                                                                                                  • Double opt-in notifications and customizable confirmation messages for your webforms

                                                                                                    Dear CRM Community, We are excited to announce a major upgrade to our Webforms feature. You can now customize the confirmation message shown to your users who double opt-in from your webform and also customize your confirmation emails when they submit
                                                                                                  • Bulk create tasks - Zoho Projects API

                                                                                                    Hi Zoho/Community, I am trying to create multiple tasks in a single API call, is there a way we can combine multiple request bodies into one single payload? The issue I am facing is the rate limiting on the API, I wanted to create certain amount of tasks
                                                                                                  • Task Due dates and Reminder Date & Time

                                                                                                    I like to have a reminder on many tasks in Zoho Recruit. I find the process cumbersome in that each task requires the following: 1. click and select due date 2. Click the reminder box 3. Click on (Reminder) Start Date 4. Click on (Reminder )Time If one
                                                                                                  • Unable to Access Admin Console and Email Sending Issues

                                                                                                    Hello Zoho Support Team and Community, I hope this post finds you well. I am currently facing two significant issues with Zoho services: Admin Console Access Issue: Every time I try to access the Zoho Admin Console, it gets stuck on the loading screen
                                                                                                  • Tracking new lead response time

                                                                                                    Hi, I have a team of Sales Development Reps, who have a KPI of responding to a lead within 20 mins or less once it hits the system.  I seem to recall that Zoho CRM had the capability to track this in a previous version, but don't see it anywhere.   It's
                                                                                                  • Getting The Following Error.. 550 5.4.6 Unusual sending activity detected

                                                                                                    I just launched a marketing campaign and I got this error. Everything was working fine previously. This is a big launch so need to fix it asap. Can anyone help?
                                                                                                  • Printing on 80mm bluetooth Pos Printer

                                                                                                    Hello. I am trying to print receipts and invoices using my 80mm bluetooth connectivity Pos printer. I have configured the Templates to Retail so that it matches the paper width of the Pos printer. However, when I click Print in zoho, first it opens the
                                                                                                  • Trying to integrate gmail but google keeps blocking Zoho access for integration??

                                                                                                    hi i am trying to integrate a gmail account so can track/access business emails this way. I have followed the instructions but after selecting my email account it gets re-routed to this message (screengrab below) Can anyone advise a way around this or
                                                                                                  • Which attribute in Zoho books invoice api represent branch attached to the invoice?

                                                                                                    Hi Zoho Team, We have done the integration with Zoho Books API. While fetching data from Invoice API we want to get branch value attached to the invoice. We could not figure out which field in "Get an Invoice" api represents branch value attribute. Thanks
                                                                                                  • How to Billed from two different GST Numbers

                                                                                                    How to Billed from two different GST Numbers. Suppose ABC & Co had GST registration in Delhi and Haryana and Zoho account is created with Delhi GST Registration number. Now i also want to issue invoice from Haryana GST Registration number. How can i proceed ?
                                                                                                  • How to hide Predefined views

                                                                                                    Hi, I would like to know how to hide: Predefined views and Recent views or some records from this list. If I'm using it form iPad I have to scroll to see User created views. Or maybe it's possibility to move User created views on the top. All the best,
                                                                                                  • Deleting Views

                                                                                                    How do you delete views? Please syd
                                                                                                  • Fixed Assets

                                                                                                    Where would I manage my fixed assets
                                                                                                  • Report on Assets

                                                                                                    Hi,  Is it possible to report purchased assets on a specific year? The Balance Sheet shows everything up to the current date, and the expense reports will not show purchased assets because they are assets not expenses. If it is not possible, then is it possible to setup an API connection with Books to extract data from to another Reporting application?
                                                                                                  • Next Page