Seamless Round-Trip Navigation for Related Blocks (Detail View)
As highlighted previously in this post (and here, here, here, and here), we still lack a fundamental capability for seamless navigation in Related Blocks. The popup that appears when adding a related record doesn't exist for viewing/editing existing records, and there's no URL pattern to open a detail view within report context. This creates unnecessary friction, and I'm hoping the Zoho team can address this in a future update.
The Core Limitation
When viewing a record's Detail View, Zoho Creator allows you to display related child records in a Related Block. Developers can create clickable links to these child records using URL formula fields (set to display as HTML) or RTF fields populated via workflow. Using
zc_NextUrl, it's possible to redirect users back to a filtered report or a direct detail view URL.
The problem: Direct detail view URLs open as standalone pages outside any report context—there's no "back" button, no way to close the detail view and return to the report listing. Whether you redirect to a filtered report (requiring an extra click) or to a direct detail view URL (losing navigation context), neither option provides a seamless round-trip experience.
Note: This refers specifically to Related Blocks in Detail Views (parent-child relationships at the Report level), not Subforms within a Form.
| Expected Behavior | Current Zoho Creator Behavior | User Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Click on related record → Opens record's Detail View | Possible via URL formula (HTML) or RTF workarounds | ⚠ Requires workaround setup |
| After editing → Redirect back to filtered report | Possible using dynamic zc_NextUrl |
⚠ Returns to report, not detail view |
| After editing → Return to parent's Detail View open | No URL pattern to open detail view within report context | ✗ Broken UX: Redirects to list, user must find and reopen parent record |
| Direct URL to open record's detail view | Possible, but opens as standalone page outside report | ✗ No "back" navigation, loses report context |
| Open child in popup (stay on parent) | Works for ADDING records, but not for viewing/editing existing ones | ✗ Inconsistent behavior between add vs view/edit |
Current Workarounds (All Suboptimal)
To achieve what should be native functionality, developers must resort to complex workarounds. Frustratingly, the popup behavior that works perfectly when adding a related record doesn't exist for viewing/editing existing records:
| Workaround Approach | Implementation | Problems | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| zc_NextUrl → Filtered Report | Use zc_NextUrl to redirect back to a report filtered to the parent record |
- ✓ Returns user to correct report showing parent - ✓ Report context and navigation preserved - ✗ Detail view is NOT open on return - ✗ User must click again to open detail view |
⚠ Extra click required |
| zc_NextUrl → Direct Detail View URL | Use zc_NextUrl to redirect to the parent record's direct detail view URL |
- ✓ Opens parent's detail view directly - ✗ Opens OUTSIDE report context - ✗ No "back" button or report navigation - ✗ User is stranded on isolated page |
⚠ Loses navigation context |
| URL Formula Field (Display as HTML) | Create a formula field with direct URL, set to display as HTML to render as clickable link |
- ✓ Can navigate TO the child record - ✓ Can use zc_NextUrl for return - ✗ Same limitations as above for return navigation |
⚠ Return options both flawed |
| RTF Field with On Success Code | Use Rich Text Format field populated via workflow to create clickable link |
- ✓ Can navigate TO the child record - ✓ Can use zc_NextUrl for return - ✗ Same limitations as above for return navigation - ✗ Extra workflow scripting required |
⚠ Return options both flawed |
| Replace Related Block with Embedded Report | Use a Page with an embedded/filtered report instead of native Related Block |
- Loses native Detail View layout - Requires custom Page development - More complex maintenance - Loses summary layout formatting |
⚠ Functional but high effort |
| JavaScript Widget | Build a complete custom widget to replace Related Block functionality |
- Requires significant development effort - Must rebuild all Related Block features - Maintenance overhead - May not match native styling |
✗ Overkill for basic navigation |
The Core Problem: Detail View Opens Outside Report Context
While a direct URL to a record's detail view exists, it opens as a standalone page outside of any report context. This means:
- ✓ You CAN open a detail view directly via URL
- ✗ But it's NOT within a report—there's no "back" button to return
- ✗ User is stranded on an isolated page with no navigation context
- ✗ Using
zc_NextUrlto this standalone URL still leaves user outside report context
The inconsistency: When adding a related record through the detail view, Zoho Creator already opens a popup that preserves the parent context. This same behavior simply doesn't exist for viewing or editing existing records.
What's needed: Either (1) extend the popup behavior to view/edit, or (2) provide a URL parameter (e.g.,
&view_mode=detail) that opens the detail view within report context.Example: The Add vs. View/Edit Inconsistency
Consider a common business scenario—viewing a Customer record with their related Orders:
Note: If the diagram below doesn't display correctly in your browser, the key point is illustrated in the comparison between [+ Add Order] (which opens a popup preserving context) vs. [Edit] existing record (which navigates away, losing context).
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CUSTOMER DETAIL VIEW (within Customers_Report context) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Name: Acme Corporation │
│ Email: contact@acme.com [Close] ← Returns to report │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ RELATED ORDERS [+ Add Order] │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐│
│ │ Order # │ Date │ Amount │ Status │ Link ││
│ │ ORD-002 │ 2024-02-20 │ $3,500 │ Pending │ [Edit] ←─┼┼─ User clicks
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘│ existing record
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ │
│ [+ Add Order] │ [Edit] existing
▼ ▼
┌─────────────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────────┐
│ ✓ POPUP APPEARS │ │ ✗ FULL PAGE NAVIGATION │
│ (Parent preserved!) │ │ (Context lost!) │
├─────────────────────────┤ ├─────────────────────────┤
│ New Order Form │ │ Must use zc_NextUrl │
│ [Save] [Cancel] │ │ with flawed options... │
│ │ │ │
│ ✓ Close → back to │ │ A. Filtered report │
│ parent detail view │ │ (extra click) │
│ │ │ B. Direct detail URL │
│ WHY DOESN'T THIS │ │ (no navigation) │
│ WORK FOR EDIT TOO? │ │ │
└─────────────────────────┘ └─────────────────────────┘What Should Happen Instead
Proposed Solutions (Either Would Solve This):
Option 1: Extend Existing Popup Behavior to View/Edit
When adding a related record through the detail view, Zoho Creator already opens a popup that keeps the parent context intact. Simply extend this same behavior to viewing and editing existing records in the Related Block:
Current behavior:
[+ Add Related Record] → Opens popup → Parent detail view preserved ✓
Requested extension:
[Click existing record to view/edit] → Opens popup → Parent detail view preserved ✓
// The infrastructure already exists - just needs to be applied to view/edit!Option 2: URL Parameter to Open Detail View Within Report Context
Provide a URL parameter that can be appended to a report URL to auto-open a specific record in its detail view context:
// Proposed URL parameter - opens detail view WITHIN the report
#Report:Customers_Report?record_id=12345&view_mode=detail
// Used with zc_NextUrl for seamless return navigation
edit_url = child_edit_url + "&zc_NextUrl=" + encodeUrl(parent_detail_view_in_report_url);
// After save, user returns to parent's detail view WITH report context
// User can click "back" or close detail view to see report listing
Either solution would achieve Contextual Persistence. Option 1 may be simpler since the popup infrastructure already exists. Option 2 would provide more flexibility for developers building custom navigation flows.
Related Issues
This limitation compounds other navigation frustrations in Zoho Creator:
- Set custom function to open detail view of a record
- Record detail view in page
- Direct URL to view record
Real-World Impact
This limitation affects virtually any application with parent-child relationships:
- CRM systems – Viewing a Contact's related Cases, Opportunities, or Activities
- Project management – Viewing a Project's related Tasks or Milestones
- Order management – Viewing a Customer's related Orders or Invoices
- Inventory systems – Viewing a Product's related Stock Movements or Purchase Orders
- HR applications – Viewing an Employee's related Leave Requests or Performance Reviews
User Experience Impact: Developers must choose between two poor experiences: (A) extra clicks to reopen detail views, or (B) stranding users on pages with no navigation back. Neither option provides the seamless round-trip navigation users expect from a modern database application.
Request to Zoho Team
Can this be addressed in a future update?
The popup behavior for adding related records already proves this is technically feasible—the infrastructure exists. We just need one of these two solutions to achieve Contextual Persistence:
|
1. Extend Popup to View/Edit Apply the existing "Add" popup behavior to viewing/editing records in Related Blocks |
2. URL Parameter for Detail View Add a parameter like &view_mode=detail to open detail view within report context
|
Either solution would eliminate the current friction where users lose their navigation context or require extra clicks to return to their workflow.
Community Input Requested: Has anyone found an effective workaround that maintains contextual persistence when navigating to/from related records? This has been a long-standing request across multiple community posts, and a native solution would benefit countless Creator developers.
📚 Documentation References:
- Primary: Set Detail View Layout - Related Block Configuration
- Related: openUrl() - Deluge Documentation
- Related: Edit Record Using Record ID
Access your files securely from anywhere
Centralize Knowledge. Transform Learning.
All-in-one knowledge management and training platform for your employees and customers.
New to Zoho Recruit?
Zoho Developer Community
New to Zoho LandingPage?
Zoho LandingPage Resources
New to Zoho Survey?
New to Zoho CRM Plus?
Deliver unforgettable customer experiences
New to Zoho CRM Plus?
Deliver unforgettable customer experiences
New to Zoho Marketing Plus?
Everything you need to run your marketing
New to Zoho Marketing Plus?
Everything you need to run your marketing
New to Bigin?
Topic Participants
Damien Cregan
Immaculate Reshma
New to Zoho TeamInbox?
Zoho TeamInbox Resources
Zoho CRM Plus Resources
Zoho Books Resources
Zoho Subscriptions Resources
Zoho Projects Resources
Zoho Sprints Resources
Qntrl Resources
Zoho Creator Resources
Zoho CRM Resources
Design. Discuss. Deliver.
Zoho Show Resources
Get Started. Write Away!
Writer is a powerful online word processor, designed for collaborative work.
Zoho CRM コンテンツ
-
オンラインヘルプ
-
Webセミナー
-
機能活用動画
-
よくある質問
-
Ebook
-
-
Zoho Campaigns
- Zoho サービスのWebセミナー
その他のサービス コンテンツ
Nederlandse Hulpbronnen
ご検討中の方
Recent Topics
"code": "500","description": "Account not exists", mail api
I have been through all the steps and have a functioning Oath access_token etc etc... I then GET https://mail.zoho.com/api/organization And get my zoid then GET http://mail.zoho.com/api/organization/<hidden>/accounts and get the account details, whichRTL Support for Webforms in Zoho CRM
Dear Zoho CRM Support Team, We are writing to request an enhancement to the webform builder functionality within Zoho CRM. Currently, to create a webform in a right-to-left (RTL) language, the entire CRM instance must be set to RTL, which can be inconvenientImported contacts succesful but contacts do not show up in Contacts
I imported +300 contacts. I can see them in import history. When clicking on a contact in import history I see all the imported contact details for any given contact. So import seems to be successful. However the imported contacts do not show up in the contacts tab. Not in All contacts, and not in a filtered view where they absolutely should show up. The search function also does not find any imported contact. Help?Zoho Voice lance BYOC (Bring Your Own Carrier) : intégrez votre opérateur
Pour accompagner sa croissance, une entreprise a besoin d’une infrastructure téléphonique flexible et évolutive. Les solutions de téléphonie s’adaptent aux exigences du centre de contact, tout en intégrant aisément les opérateurs locaux de votre choix.Digest Novembre - Un résumé de ce qui s'est passé le mois dernier sur Community
Bonjour chers utilisateurs, Avec l'arrivée du dernier mois de l'année, il est temps de résumer les activités de novembre dans la communauté Zoho France. Ce mois-ci, Zoho Webinar se dote de deux nouvelles intégrations ! La première est avec Zapier : connectezE-Invoicing in Belgium with Zoho Books
Starting January 1, 2026, Belgium is introducing mandatory electronic invoices (e-invoicing) for all B2B transactions between VAT-registered businesses. This means that invoices and credits notes must be exchanged in a prescribed digital format. How E-InvoicingAnnouncing new features in Trident for Mac (1.30.0)
Hello everyone! We’re excited to introduce the latest updates to Trident, bringing you a more seamless, intuitive, and secure communication experience. Let’s take a quick look at what’s new. Work with PST/EML files more efficiently. You can now do moreOpen Form in Same window as Page from embedded Report
I have a page that has an embedded report, as shown below. When I click the + sign to add a new record, the form shows up inside the page where the report was embedded. I know that I can add a custom action to the report grid or report detail view andPricing Strategies: #4 Counting on Discounts
"Is there any chance I can get a little discount on this month's service?" Maya hears this almost every time at her fitness studio. She offers monthly subscription plans for various services, including yoga, strength training, wellness sessions, and personalIntroducing Query Workbench in Zoho CRM
Hello everyone! We’re excited to announce the Query Workbench, a brand-new interface designed to improve developer experience of building Queries in Zoho CRM faster, simpler, and more intuitive. In the past, constructing queries required navigating acrossLimitation with Dynamic Email Attachment Capture
I've discovered a flaw in how Zoho Creator handles email attachments when using the Email-to-Form feature, and I'm hoping the Zoho team can address this in a future update. The Issue According to the official documentation, capturing email attachmentsAdd Customer in Books on Creator Form Submit Params
Hi guys, Were integrating a creator app with books however what were doing is adding a books customer on submit of creator form. We have some parameters but some fields aren't coping, All were seeing is the contact name in books,. Any help of the params for this would be great. below is a sample of the script... response = zoho.books.createRecord("contacts", "XXXXXXXXX", { "contact_name" : input.Name, "address" : input.Email });Weekly Tips: Protect Confidential Information with PGP in Zoho Mail
We deal with confidential information almost every day, whether it is being sent out or received. Though emails sent using Zoho Mail are encrypted both during transit and at rest, attempts to access and steal your sensitive data are always a threat thatSuggestion : link KB with Accounts
Hi Zoho teams. I think it could be good to link KB articles with : accounts in order to easily find articles dedicated to some account specificities. I tried to use tags , but tags are free text with not easy way to retrieve it directly from ticket or list article for one tag. Tickets : It would be a good way to measure usage of KB directly from ticket when we don't need to copy/paste KB in solution. And : Great Tool , keep going !Drag and Drop in Creator Application
Hi, I am in the planning phase of a new application and I would like to use 'Drag and Drop' in the user interface of my new Creator application that I am sketching out, but I don't seem to be able to find any reference that this is available to developers. In my instance I have table of entries and I would like to be able to allow users to move an entry to another table (much like you do in your own interface when creating a Pivot Table report. In addition, I would like the user to be able to re-orderIs there any way to integrate Zoho with Zapier?
Is there any way to integrate Zoho with Zapier? I'd like to use it to create a workflow, sharing posts from our Wordpress website to all our channels.Popular Articles Report
From data to decisions: A deep dive into ticketing system reports Content management teams can use various metrics to assess the effectiveness of knowledge base articles, improve content quality, and ensure articles are regularly updated. Predefined articleInvoice Ref. Field
Hello Team, Currently, the Invoice Ref. field is set to a Number type with a maximum limit of 9 digits. However, we often receive customer invoices that contain up to 12 digits. In some cases, the invoice reference includes not only numbers but also lettersTurning off the new UI
Tried the new 'enhanced' UI and actively dislike it. Anyone know how to revert back?XML format to import knowledgebase into Zoho Desk
Hi, We just started to use Zoho Desk and want to import our knowledgebase from our old support system (Freshdesk) to Zoho Desk. Can anyone give us information about the format of xml file to import? There is no explanation on the related page.Pushing Zoho People leave into Microsoft calendar: how to chose how "event" is shown (busy, free etc)
Hi, how can I select how a "leave" event is pushed into Microsoft calendar? I want for leave "working elsewhere" to show as working elsewhere and NOT as busy.Duplicate Accounts
Hi There, I am looking for a solution, script, workflow or anything to solve an issue we have - in our customers section we have a rule that doesn't allow duplicates, however Zoho will allow customers with xxxxx and xxxxx PLC or LTD so effectivley weError with If formula
I've got this super simple If formula, what is the reason for the error? If ( LEN(${Leads.Trial Slot Option}) == 3,'y','n') Syntax Error. Check the examples for any functions you're using to see if you formatted them correctly. Make sure your fields areAnnouncing Multi-language Support in Zoho FSM
Zoho FSM now speaks your language. The much-awaited multi-language support is now available in Zoho FSM. The following languages are supported in Zoho FSM: Dutch (Nederlands) English - United Kingdom English - United States French (français) French -Creating multiple CRM leads from a Zoho Forms subform
Hi all, We have a heavily used intake form that is used for new leads as a part of our intake. There is a subform that allows the lead to add additional team members, their titles and other basic info. That form submission creates a new Lead and the subformFree webinar! Build smarter apps with Zoho Sign and Zoho Creator
Hello, Bring the power of digital signatures to the apps you build in Zoho Creator! Connect Zoho Sign as a microservice and enable seamless e-signature workflows in your applications. This integration allows you to automate signing tasks using Deluge.Restrict Addresses in Zoho Forms?
In the address field, is there a way to restrict the addresses that auto populate (via Zoho Maps or Google Maps) to a specific state (I know it's possible with the country). Additionally, how often does the address in Zoho Maps get updated? Certain addressesWeekly Tips: Secure your attachment downloads with Zoho Mail
Safety is one of our main concerns, whether it’s about device security or online protection. We use tools like fingerprint scanners, facial recognition, and two-factor authentication to keep our devices and email accounts secure. We use methods like OTPResume Harvester: New Enhancements for Faster Sourcing
We’re excited to share a set of enhancements to Resume Harvester that make sourcing faster and more flexible. These updates help you cut down on repetitive steps, manage auto searches more efficiently, and review candidate profiles with ease. Why we builtLooking for best practices to import data from SAP Business One (on-prem) into Zoho Analytics via Zoho DataPrep / Databridge — daily automated schedule
Hi all, I’m using SAP Business One on-prem (SQL Server / or HANA — depending on DB backend) as our ERP. I want to build a pipeline that, every morning at 9:00 AM IST: pulls transactional data (invoices, customers, products, stock, etc.) from SAP B1, loadsZoho One Unified Portal - Applications
Hello, It is great to see the work on the New Unified Customer Portal. Thanks for that. The number of applications is limited though. It is now only around the Zoho Books ecosystem (Books, Expense...) and Zoho Social. = Are other applications plannedMarketing Tip #10: Start a customer loyalty program
Winning a new customer is great, but keeping them coming back is even better. A loyalty program rewards repeat buyers with points, giving them more reasons to shop again. Over time, this builds trust and long-term relationships. Try this today: Set upZia Actions: AI-powered Workflow Automation for Faster and Smarter Execution
Hello everyone, Updated on 12th Dec 2025 Zia actions for Workflow is available for Enterprise edition ONLY. These features are currently available in the following DCs: US, CA, EU, IN, and AU Email Auto reply and Content Generation are available as EarlyDo Individual Forums within Categories, in Desk Community, Produce Their Own RSS Feed?
Do Individual Forums within Categories, in Desk Community, Produce Their Own RSS Feed? If not, can anyone share a work-around that could help me get an RSS feed for individual category forums?Incremental Migration Issue – Ticket Showing Resolution on Dec 9 Despite Urgent MX Cutover (Ticket ID: 152080262)
I am experiencing an issue with Zoho Mail incremental migration from Rackspace. The initial full migration completed successfully, but the incremental migration for one mailbox failed immediately with the message: “User not exist” This appears to be aResend Client Portal Invitation + View Email Delivery Status
Hi Zoho Team, We hope you are doing well. We would like to request two important enhancements related to the Zoho Creator Client Portal invitation process. At the moment, when we add a user to the Client Portal, Zoho Creator automatically sends an invitationGet user last login
1. Is there a way to programmatically get the last user login to trigger certain workflows? 2. Is there a way to programmatically access the custom fields on a user's account?Seeking Zoho Creator Expert (Delivery Management App / Logistics Ops) — Built & Deployed Before
Hi everyone, We’re building a Delivery Management App (focused on delivery operations for now) using Zoho Creator. We’re looking for a Zoho Creator expert who has already developed and deployed a similar delivery/workflow system and can assist us withAdding Multiple Files to a Zoho Vault Entry
There is a old blog post talking about adding multiple file attachments to one Zoho Vault Secret: https://www.zoho.com/blog/vault/introducing-new-features-in-zoho-vault-powerful-password-sharing-wider-storing.html Is that still possible, I can see howFNB South Africa Bank Feed
I should've thought this wouldn't work. As suspect, Zoho claims to be able to pull bank feeds from First National Bank (South Africa), but fails everytime. I suppose Xero (or even Sage One) is the way to go? If they (miraculously) get it to work again,Next Page