Zoho CRM is on its way to GDPR Compliance
Hello folks,
GDPR has been the talk of the hour and we would like to ensure that this GDPR fever does not come in the way of your business and selling. There are several GDPR centric enhancements in Zoho CRM that will be released in a phased manner to all our users in the following weeks.
Designed to help you meet the privacy standards set by the European Union, these enhancements will provide a streamlined mechanism for you to collect, process and store your customer data in conformation with the GDPR.
So what is GDPR and how will it affect your business?
GDPR or General Data Protection Regulation is a landmark policy aimed at empowering citizens of the European Union regarding their personal data. With increasingly complex flow of information across the world, GDPR aims to give EU citizens more direct control on how their personal information is being processed in addition to improved data privacy.
GDPR not only applies to companies in the EU region but to any organization that collects or processes the data of EU citizens. If you are one of those organizations who collect or process data of EU citizens, the following enhancements in Zoho CRM are for you.
GDPR centric enhancements in Zoho CRM:
We have split GDPR requirements into Data collection, Data processing and Data Subject Rights. In the sections below, we state the GDPR requirements along with the respective enhancements in Zoho CRM that meet them.
Note: The Organization collecting customer data is referred to as "Data Controller"/"Controller", your customers are referred to as "Data Subjects" and Zoho CRM will be the "Data Processor".
1. Data Collection
GDPR demands that personal information collected from Data Subjects should be limited to what the Data Controller needs in order to deliver its services, and a legitimate need in case of requesting additional information must be demonstrated. It is also mandatory that you state the purpose and get clear consent when collecting personal information.
Consent must be explicit, where Data Subjects take an affirmative action (clicking on the checkbox, so no pre-ticked check boxes). Controllers are also expected to be transparent about the duration for which the data will be processed.
Consent Form: Consent is one of the cornerstones of GDPR, as the execution of any processing activity now depends on the consent provided by the Data Subject. So in-order to demonstrate compliance, it is mandatory that a Data Controller identifies Data Subjects who require consent and those who do not require it under criteria such as Legitimate interest, Vital interest, Public interest, Contract, Freely given consent and other basis. After identifying this, the Data Controller should get consent from Data Subjects who require consent and be able to provide proof of consent if needed.
The fully customizable consent form in Zoho CRM allows Controllers to get explicit consent in regards to:
- The purpose of data collection.
- Preferred communication channel.
- Duration for which the data can be processed or consent duration.
- Sharing information with connected services.
Consent from Data Subjects, in written declaration or orally obtained consent (through email or telephone) can be attached to the form using the Attachment option.
Once the Data Subject has submitted their consent, it's stored under the Data Subject's record details page for the purpose of official record and for the Controller to know their actionable items from the data provided. For example, if a Data Subject has explicitly stated that their preferred channel of communication is email, then they are not to be contacted through any other means.
Double Opt-in Mechanism: This is one more compliance feature which you can use when setting up webforms. Anytime a Data Subject submits their information through a webform, a double Opt-in email is sent to them to confirm their registration/sign-up.
Double Opt-in Mechanism: This is one more compliance feature which you can use when setting up webforms. Anytime a Data Subject submits their information through a webform, a double Opt-in email is sent to them to confirm their registration/sign-up.
Data source tracking: Data Subjects' information can be pushed into Zoho CRM from multiple sources which include direct sources like web-forms, and indirect sources such as imports, manual entries, APIs, and third-party integrations.
The source and additional details if any (like the URL, IP address and geo-location) will be documented in the record details page. The screenshot below shows a new section called Data Privacy, under which Data source and the respective consent details are populated.
2. Data Processing
Information provided by a Data Subject can only be processed in a lawful basis. There is significant emphasis on the fact that all processing activities must be carried out securely to ensure that personal information is not exposed.
Marking Personal fields - fields containing PII (Personally Identifiable Information): Data Controllers can mark fields containing personal information as Personal fields and set a sensitivity level (High and Low). Based on the privacy preference, the Controller can choose to restrict these fields from certain processing activities such as exports, APIs and connected services.
There are two cases when data is being processed via connected services:
There are two cases when data is being processed via connected services:
Case 1 - Data Subject has not consented to their data being shared with any connected services. In such a case no information of theirs will be shared with any of the integrated services of Zoho CRM.
Case 2 - Data Subject has consented to their data being shared with connected services but there is an organizational restriction in sharing PIIs. In such a case the fields with PIIs will be not be processed in APIs and connected services.
With regards to Zoho connected services (Zoho products like Books, Desk, Campaigns, etc.) consent provided in one product will apply across all integrated Zoho products.
Encryption At Rest (EAR): Enterprise users have the option of Encryption At Rest for Personal fields.
Audit log and timeline for customer records: The Data Controller can monitor the processing activities done on a Data Subject's personal information.
Consent Management: The consent management system helps the Controller to keep track on the consent status of their Data Subjects. The system helps users identify Data Subjects who are yet to provide consent and immediately allows for sending an email with the consent form link. Consent can be obtained through webforms, consent form, portals and offline consent (Email or phone call).
The screenshot below is a consent dashboard showing the various consent statuses. Clicking on them will get you a list of all Data Subjects with their particular consent status.
3. Data Subject Rights
GDPR comes with a slew of rights which EU Data Subjects can exercise at any time which must be addressed in a month's time. The data request management in Zoho CRM lets the Controller keep track of all data requests to address them in a timely manner. The data requests raised is also maintained under each Data Subject's record details page so that the Controller is informed on any pending requests.
The Data Subject can exercise their rights through the consent form, portal, or offline through email and phone calls.
Zoho CRM helps Controllers address these data requests through the following options:
Access (Right to View): Using Zoho CRM's email feature, a template consisting of all customer information fields can be quickly created, which can then be sent to your customer upon request.
Rectify (Right to Rectify): Customer specific information can be exported and sent to the customer for rectification and the same can be updated.
Export (Right to Portability): Customer specific information can be exported, attached to an email and sent to a customer in a machine readable format, all without being downloaded on to your device.
Stop Process (Right to Stop Processing): Once a customer exercises this right, the corresponding record will be locked preventing further processing.
Erase (Right to be forgotten): Once exercised, the customer's record will be locked for the duration of the retention period defined in the Data controller's terms of service, after which the controller has the option to delete the customer information. Once deleted, the record will be moved to a blocklist and the re-entry of the same data will be prevented.
All of these enhancements will be made available for you in Zoho CRM in a phased manner. So watch this space for more updates!
Access your files securely from anywhere
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
Aishwarya EK
Bueller Bueller
Thomas iwant2help
Bala Ganesh
Sunderjan Siddharth
Sticky Posts
Accessibility in Zoho CRM: Not just a feature—a way to empower
For instructions on setting up these controls, please check this help document: Configuring accessibility controls. Hello everyone, Today (December 3, 2024), on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we begin our journey towards a CRM thatAct on your customers' voices in Zoho CRM
Dear Customers, We hope you're well! We are super excited to present a pivotal addition to VoC in Zoho CRM—the ability to act! Customer feedback is directly proportional to customer experience, and in this customer-driven market, that feedback has a powerfulFocus Group Webinar - Streamline Record Creation with Wizards
Hi there, With all the time your users spend on record creation, do you feel like they have the most seamless experience while doing it? For different types of records or those with a LOT of fields, do your users spend time navigating to enter data repeatedly?Notes and Attachments visibility can now be restricted based on profiles
Dear All, We hope you're well! We are here with a quick update about Notes and Attachments profile permissions. In the past, a record's Notes and Attachments were visible by default to all users with record access. However, as notes and attachments canIdentify and prioritize profitable deals: Zoho CRM Forecasts help users focus on revenue-driving opportunities
Post moderated on: 7th November: Release update: This feature is now available for users in all DCs. Dear Customers, We hope you're well! At any given time, a sales rep handles multiple deals, each progressing at its own pace. But not all deals will succeed—some
New to Zoho TeamInbox?
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
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
Dialing Microsoft Teams Phone Service via Zoho CRM
I am using the VOIP option in Microsoft teams for my office phone system. I was hoping to have a way to dial numbers directly from Zoho CRM, but don't see anything in the Teams Integration or in the Telephony integration that will enable this. Does anyone[Webinar] Zoho Writer for law firms and legal professionals
Are manual processes slowing down your legal practice? Are you ready to simplify document management and free up more time for your team to focus on what truly matters? Join us on January 16, 2025, for an exclusive Zoho Writer webinar designed specificallySet up multiple IMAP email addresses
Hi, I just started using CRM and its great, but I just found out I can only add one imap email address for incoming mail in the included salesinbox ...this is ridiculous. All companies have different email such as sales@domain, info@domain , personal@domainIntroducing Bin Locations In Zoho Inventory
Hello users, We are excited to let you know that your wait for the Bin Locations feature has now come to an end! Yes, you heard us right! We are here to introduce the much-awaited Bin Locations now in Zoho Inventory. But before we dive into the featureSearch function not working anymore
Hi! The search function is not working anymore. How can we solve this problem?Zoho CRM search not working
The search bar is not showing any results in our CRM installation. We have a lot of items and can not search them by using the navigation each time. Can someone please check this asap.How to send mail with js SDK
Hell o I'm using https://live.zwidgets.com/js-sdk/1.2/ZohoEmbededAppSDK.min.js, for my widget in CRM (built with sigma) Is it possible to send email from js file, I try ti use that ZOHO.CRM.API.sendMail({ "Entity": "Accounts", "RecordID": sharedVariableEntityId,In ZohoCRM Dashboards - Editing Shown Columns on Drilldown of Components
Hello! I'm working with some Dashboards inside of ZohoCRM. When creating a component (In this case, specifically a KPI Ranking Component), I'd like to customize which fields show when trying to drilldown. For example, when I click on one of the salesFeature request - pin or flag note
Hi, It would be great if you could either pin or flag one or more notes so that they remain visible when there are a bunch of notes and some get hidden in the list. Sometimes you are looking for a particular name that gets lost in a bunch of less importantFlow with CRM
Hello, I have a simple flow that uses a web hook to enter data into a Sales Order. I have the web hook sending Flow data which has a PO field. If the PO has a special character like - or / or \ the task fails. How can I get the flow to be okay with theSendMail in CRM Deluge function rejects a validated email address
In a CRM Deluge function, the email address is considered invalid. Is there another method by which it can be validated? It's unacceptable in my current situation to use either the zoho.loginuserid or adminuserid as the From address.how do i remove a specific Zoho Service from my account
I no longer need Zoho CRM, ZRM Assist nor ZRM BugTracker. How do I remove them from the list of apps for my account?Link project tasks to tasks in CRM and/or other modules.
Hello, I have created and configured a project in Zoho Projects with a set of tasks. I would now like to link these tasks (I imagine according to the ID of each one) to actions in the CRM: meetings, tasks, analytics). The aim is to link project tasksIntroducing 'Queries' In Zoho CRM
Hello everyone! We are here with an exciting feature - Queries in Zoho CRM! A little context before we dive right into the feature specifics :) In today’s fast-paced business environment, immediate access to relevant data is essential for informed decision-making.How to map a global picklist from one module to another
Hi there, i currently have a new field that is called sales office which we use for permission settings between our different offices located in different countries. It is a global set picklist with three different options: MY, SG and VN. I want to beBuild custom AI solutions with Catalyst’s QuickML capabilities in CRM
Hello everyone, We’re thrilled to announce an improvement for our Zoho CRM Enterprise users: the ability to create custom AI solutions using Catalyst’s QuickML directly from Zoho CRM. As you may already know, Zia, Zoho CRM’s AI-powered assistant, offersUnveiling Cadences: Redefining CRM interactions with automated sequential follow-ups
Last modified on 01/04/2024: Cadences is now available for all Zoho CRM users in all data centres (DCs). Note that it was previously an early access feature, available only upon request, and was also known as Cadences Studio. As of April 1, 2024, it'sPay Contractor Timesheets
I have contractors that fill out a timesheet. Each hour must be assigned to a current client. I need the easiest way to get the contracts paid. They are paid on an hourly bases. How can this be done?Inventory Valuation Method Feature
Zoho added another feature so called Inventory Valuation Method of each Item. This is actually good to see and it will benefit us so much but I have a question on this. For Existing Items that already have transactions, Zoho made it a default and assumedSet up slack alert based on a field changing from one option to any other
Hi, I'm trying to set-up a workflow to send a slack alert if a field changes from one option to any other. I've set-up a workflow to trigger on Edit and when a specific field gets modified but the only option I have 'is modified to' when really it shouldBetter UI more user friendly
Hello everyone, I think all finance apps, especially Zoho Books, would benefit from the following suggestions/ notes: 1. Grouping Fields in Zoho Books: Unlike Zoho CRM, Zoho Books does not seem to have an option to create sections or group fields. ThisChronicles of 2024: The Year in Retrospect
As we close out 2024, let’s take a moment to highlight the new features and updates that have enhanced Zoho Invoice in 2024. Among the exciting enhancements, we have launched a new AI-powered chatbot designed to assist you in understanding the app's featuresPower of Automation :: Automatically archive your inactive Projects
Hello Everyone, A custom function is a software code that can be used to automate a process and this allows you to automate a notification, call a webhook, or perform logic immediately after a workflow rule is triggered. This feature helps to automate554 5.1.8 Email Outgoing Blocked
HELP!!!!! My e-mail marymariya@zoho.com is blocked. Error: 554 5.1.8 Email Outgoing Blocked The third day I am writing to the forum, but zohosupport is not responding. Why? What is the problem? I ask to help solve the problem, because I can not communicate with my customer base.Zoho Inventory: Rewinding 2024
Custom Modules Now available for Standard and Professional Editions with Expanded Limits across all editions
#CRM25Q1 Hello Everyone, We are here with an exciting update to Custom Modules in Zoho CRM. Custom modules will now be available to Standard and Professional Edition users, with expanded support across all editions. The standard modules offered in ZohoAssistance with Custom Attendance Report in Zoho People
Hi, I created a custom report in Zoho People 5.0 to track employee attendance according to our specific needs, as the existing reports do not include all the required details. However, I’ve noticed that the report doesn’t update continuously or on a dailyZoho analyticsでのタブを跨いだ集計
Zoho analyticsまたはCRMレポートなどを用いて、 見込み客タブと商談タブで共通するユニークキー(リード管理番号)を軸に、「共通選択リスト」で設定した項目別の集計を行うことは可能でしょうか？ ・要望 ①リード管理番号をキーに、見込み客テーブルと商談テーブルを結合したRAWデータを作成したい ②具体的には下記表のように「共通選択リスト」項目(サービス)別のマーケ数値を一表にしたい ※リード＝見込み客タブ 商談・成約＝商談タブ リード数 商談数 成約数 サービスA 10 5 2Key Highlights of 2024: Recalling a Year of Progress and Advancements!
As we step into 2025, we’re excited to share the progress and developments we’ve made to simplify and streamline your travel and expense management in the past year. Let’s take a look back at some of the key updates and enhancements that have helped usHow to refresh the page by widget in related list?
Hello, ZOHO.CRM.UI.Popup.closeReload method does the thing I need. But in my case, I'm not using popup. I have a widget in related list and I want to refresh the page when I'm done with it. I searched for it but I wasn't able to find it. Is there an anyOrganization Variables - Restrict Access
Currently, there is no way to restrict the access to organization variables. This leads to a problem when storing API related values that should be kept secret as anyone with access to create and edit email templates, workflow rules, or inventory templatesHow Can I Customize Sales Reports in Zoho CRM to Better Track Our Sales Team's Performance?
Hello everyone, I'm new to using Zoho CRM and need some help with customizing our sales reports. We want to track our sales team's performance more effectively and visualize trends that can inform our strategy. What specific customizations or featuresyour phone line in the uk doesnt work i need help now
i need to speak with customer service urgentlyTop Menu Disappeared from Blog Page
Hi, Our top menu disappeared at Blog Posts page. However, it's still visible any other page on the website. I attached two screenshots, so it can be understood clearly. How can we bring back top menu? Thanks, K.Customise 404 page in Zoho Sites 2.0
Is it possible to customise the 404 page in Zoho Sites 2? You use to create a new 404 page and that became the default 404 page, but this does not seem to work anymore? Any pointers/suggestions/support appreciated :)[Important announcement] Zoho Writer will mandate DKIM configuration for automation users
Hi all, Effective Dec. 31, 2024, configuring DKIM for From addresses will be mandatory to send emails via Zoho Writer. DKIM configuration allows recipient email servers to identify your emails as valid and not spam. Emails sent from domains without DKIMCreate workflow rules based on notes
Last modified on 17/04/2023: Creating Workflow rules based on notes is now available for all Zoho CRM users in all DCs. Note that it was an early access feature available only upon request. As of April 13, 2023, it is rolled out for al Zoho CRM accounts.Workflow sync between zoho books and zoho inventory
Hello, While the custom fields, validation rules and even custom buttons are sync'd between zoho books and zoho inventory, the workflow rules do not. Not sure if this is an intentional purpose of zoho team for some good reason or if it's in the developmentHOW TO USE ZOHO
IDKItem sales account via api
Hey everyone, I’m making an invoice using the create invoice endpoint on the api. Is it possible to set a sales account in the line_items attributes?Next Page