Portal users had to re-apply filters from scratch every time they needed a filtered view. That changes now. Portal users can save and reuse up to 5 filters per module on Professional, and up to 10 on Enterprise and Ultimate, just like standard CRM users.

The Approvals tab in My Jobs now lets you bulk approve, reject, or delegate instead of handling requests one by one, with advanced filters and column management to find what you need. Approval comments can be saved as record notes for use in reports and automations. You can also assign approvals to a user lookup field, so the right person gets the request automatically based on the record. Check the announcement for the full rundown.

Module and field label limits are increasing in Zoho CRM. Module labels go from 25 to 50 characters and field labels from 50 to 100, giving you room for clearer terminology instead of cut-off abbreviations. It's rolling out in phases over the coming days. Developers using the Modules or Fields APIs should review any client-side validations that enforce the old limits.

Zoho PageSense is now on Zoho MCP (Model Context Protocol), so you can connect it to your AI assistant and query your A/B tests, heatmaps, session recordings, goals, and funnels in plain language. Ask which variant is winning, which page needs optimization, or get a weekly CRO report without opening a single dashboard. You can also create polls by describing your goal in a prompt.

If you use Zoho ResearchStudio for qualitative research, start downloading your data now. The product will be discontinued on October 5, 2026, and Project Admins have until November 4 to export study data, tags, notes, charts, highlights, insights, and reports. After that, everything is permanently deleted and can't be recovered. Only Project Admins can export, so if you're not one, contact your admin now.

Email journaling is now available in Zoho Mail. Every email gets copied to a destination your organization controls before it hits any inbox, and that copy stays intact even if users delete mail or accounts get deactivated. Built for compliance teams, audits, and internal investigations, and distinct from backup and retention. Available on Zoho Mail and Zoho Workplace paid plans.

Microsoft is retiring Exchange Web Services on October 1, 2026, which affects one specific scenario: migrating in-place archive mailboxes from Microsoft 365 to Zoho Mail. Primary mailboxes, contacts, calendars, and shared mailboxes are unaffected. If you have archive mailboxes to migrate, complete them before the deadline, or that data may no longer be accessible for migration.

You can now create, edit, and analyze spreadsheets on your iPhone without an internet connection. No sign-up required to use the app offline, and you get the same features you use online, including data validation, 400+ functions, charts, and conditional formatting. Import XLSX, CSV, TSV, and TXT files, edit them, and export them back in your preferred format.

Three updates landed in Zoho Notebook. Theme-Based Notes automatically adapt to your device's light or dark mode instead of locking you into a fixed color. Compact View shows smaller note previews so you can see more at once without scrolling. And you can now export notes as formatted images to share through messaging apps, email, or social media — no screenshots needed. These are rolling out with the latest version, so update your app if you don't see them yet.

Zoho WorkDrive is phasing out older, less secure TLS cipher suites. If you reach WorkDrive through APIs, integrations, automation scripts, or older applications, check your configuration before enforcement completes, or you may hit connectivity issues. Most people on a current browser won't need to do anything, but an outdated browser, OS, or runtime can be affected too. A test endpoint tells you instantly whether you're compatible.

Authorize a Zoho service once and reuse it across multiple workflows. Booking events like appointments, cancellations, and no-shows can now trigger actions in Zoho Desk, Zoho Recruit, or Zoho Cliq automatically. Available on the Premium plan. More apps will be supported over the coming months.

Zoho Desk has a new Fields API at /api/v1/fields, supporting GET, CREATE, UPDATE, and DELETE. It's built for better performance and is the recommended endpoint for new integrations, especially AI-powered workflows and MCP tools. The existing /api/v1/organizationFields will keep working but won't receive further enhancements. There's no impact on your current integrations, and no discontinuation is planned for the next 12 months, with notice before any change.

Two updates in July. Businesses in Saudi Arabia can now meet ZATCA (Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority) Phase 2 e-invoicing requirements directly from Zoho POS, with automatic XML generation, cryptographic security, and QR code support built in. Round-off adjustments have also been extended to individual payment modes, so you can round only cash transactions and leave card or wallet payments untouched. This one is in Beta and currently Windows-only.

A new Work Center Calendar gives a visual overview of your production schedule so you can spot conflicts before production begins. Manufacturing orders can now be created directly from a sales order when stock is insufficient. Cost Overview compares estimated and actual manufacturing costs at the BOM (bill of materials) level. And the Retail iOS app is now live on the App Store. Check the announcement for the full list, including service units, quality inspections, and more.

That's your August Part 1 wrap-up. Which update stood out for you this week? Drop a comment and let us know, and we'll see you next week!

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