Mirror Component in Zoho CRM: Access real-time related data without leaving your record
Hi everyone,
We're excited to bring to you Zoho CRM's mirror component, which presents relevant data on a record's details page and keeps everything users need in one place without having to navigate across modules.
In CRM, records aren't always useful in isolation. A deal is linked to a contact and an account; a case is tied to a customer. Each of these related records holds critical information. However, since this information is organized in different modules, users have had to go back and forth between them for context or for the latest values, such as an updated phone number or email address related to a deal. While lookup fields establish the relationships between modules, they can't present all the contextual data within the parent record—which is exactly what the all-new mirror component does.
This feature is now available for the JP, CA, SA, UAE, and AU DCs.
We're excited to bring to you Zoho CRM's mirror component, which presents relevant data on a record's details page and keeps everything users need in one place without having to navigate across modules.
In CRM, records aren't always useful in isolation. A deal is linked to a contact and an account; a case is tied to a customer. Each of these related records holds critical information. However, since this information is organized in different modules, users have had to go back and forth between them for context or for the latest values, such as an updated phone number or email address related to a deal. While lookup fields establish the relationships between modules, they can't present all the contextual data within the parent record—which is exactly what the all-new mirror component does.
What is the Mirror Component?
Think of it as a live window into your related records; always current and accurate.
With the mirror component, you can view fields from a related record directly within the record you're working on, so there's no need to jump between modules to find what you need. It simply reflects data in real time, keeping your teams informed without requiring that they leave the current record.
Let's look at an example to understand its scope more clearly.
Sales reps working on a deal often need quick access to the linked contact's phone number or email address—but retrieving that information used to mean navigating away from the deal record, opening the contact record, and then finding their way back. With mirror components, that friction is gone; the contact's details are always on display right within the deal record and updated in real time so that reps are never working from outdated information.
In this scenario, we see that the users get the context they need, exactly where they need it.
As we've seen above, the mirror component is designed specifically to give users direct access to live data from related modules. Any changes or modifications made to the source record will be reflected instantly, ensuring that users always see the most current information.
The mirror component helps users:
- Understand the full context of a record in one glance.
- Reduce the need to switch between modules.
- Always work with up-to-date information, as any changes made in the parent record are instantly reflected.
- Make faster, better-informed decisions.
Mirror Component vs. FOL: Knowing when to use which
Both mirror components and fields of lookup (FOLs) help bring related data into a record, but they serve distinct purposes. Choosing the right one depends on what you need to do with the data.
Here's a simple way to understand it:
Use FOL when the data needs to be stored, acted upon, or modified. For example, reps should use an FOL if they're bringing a standard product discount into a Quotes record, which they can then manually overwrite for a specific customer.
Reps should use mirror components when they need data to be visible but not editable. For instance, displaying a contact's phone number and email address as a mirror component always reflects what's in the parent module.
Both mirror components and fields of lookup (FOLs) help bring related data into a record, but they serve distinct purposes. Choosing the right one depends on what you need to do with the data.
Here's a simple way to understand it:
Use FOL when the data needs to be stored, acted upon, or modified. For example, reps should use an FOL if they're bringing a standard product discount into a Quotes record, which they can then manually overwrite for a specific customer.
Reps should use mirror components when they need data to be visible but not editable. For instance, displaying a contact's phone number and email address as a mirror component always reflects what's in the parent module.
Notes
- Unlike other fields, mirror components are exclusive to the create, edit, and the details page; they aren't visible in other views like the list view.
- Mirror components can't be used in criteria and filters. However, if a user wants to use the related module fields in criteria and filters, they can use cross-module filters in custom views and smart filters.
Feature availability and limits
- Field limits: Zoho CRM supports up to 100 mirror fields per module, across a maximum of five lookup fields. For instance, one can add up to 100 mirror components for one lookup field or 20 mirror components for every five lookup fields.
- Layout-specific behavior: Mirror components are layout-specific.
- Availability: Mirror components will be available only in modules to which one can add lookup fields. They're therefore not supported in the Calls, Meetings, Tasks, Appointments, and Users modules.
- Edition: Available in all editions except the Free edition.
That's all for the enhancement. Please share your feedback in the comments below.
For more information on the feature, check out our help doc.
Kind regards,
Anna Sakhi John
CRM MArketing
Kind regards,
Anna Sakhi John
CRM MArketing