Hello users,

As we step into the last quarter of 2021, we at Zoho Expense are ready to feel some optimism. On that note, we have been working on a few enhancements to the app. Let's quickly run through what's been added to Zoho Expense during the previous quarter.

New Triggers for Workflows

Workflows help you trigger email alerts or in-app notifications to users whenever a record satisfies the conditions you've configured. We've added two new triggers that can be used to trigger your workflows:

1. Lookup custom field: If you have used Lookup custom fields in your user creation forms, you can now add them as one of the triggers that will execute the workflow. For example, let's say you want to send an email notification to users when their Functional Head approves a record. In this case, you can add Functional Head as a Lookup custom field in the user creation form and assign the respective Functional Head for the user. While creating a workflow, you can set the trigger as When Approver is and select the Functional Head Lookup custom field. Once this is done, whenever a record gets approved by the Functional Head of a user, the user will get an email notification.

2. Policy Rules: You can trigger an email alert or in-app notification based on the number of policy rules violated. For example, you can configure a workflow rule in such a way that an in-app notification will be sent to the Manager when a user violates more than 3 policy rules in a report.
   
   Note: You can set up Policy Rules as a trigger only when you create a workflow rule for the Reports module.

Project Based Budgets

With this feature, you can now allocate budgets for your projects and help the users track their project-related expenses to keep them within the budget. While creating a budget, you can associate a project with it. Once it's associated, users can view the budget summary in a report that has expenses with projects associated to it. They can also view how much of the budget has been spent for project expenses so far and how much of it is remaining to be spent. 

Custom Fields Usage

Now you can track the number of new custom fields that have been created for every module, along with the default fields that are available in Zoho Expense. You will be able to view the number of new fields that are used, the number of fields remaining, and the maximum number of fields that can be created. This helps you plan the new fields to be added to your creation forms.

 

iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 Readiness

The Zoho Expense app has been re-tailored to support the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 updates. Here are the key updates:

• The all-new Spend Summary widget has been introduced for iOS 15 to help you get a real-time spend summary for your organization right from your home screen. It is available as an extra-large widget for iPadOS 15. 

• Live Text Capture in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, lets you capture text directly from real-life objects like business cards to fill out fields while creating records.
  

• We've introduced new shortcuts like Autoscan Receipts and Automate Report Creation in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, to help you perform important actions without even opening Zoho Expense.

• Use Quick Notes in iOS 15 to record important information from Zoho Expense in the Notes app.

Read our blog to learn how you can make the most of these updates.

iOS App Updates 

• You can now create purchase requests from your Zoho Expense iOS app and submit them for approval. Once the approvers approve the request, orders will be placed for the requested items. 

Android App Updates

• If your organization is integrated with Zoho Books, every time you create an expense with a GST-registered merchant in Zoho Expense, their GSTIN will be auto-filled for that expense. (India edition)

• We have enhanced the app lock feature to improve your usability experience.

Give all these features a go and let us know what you think in the comments below. If you have any questions, please write to support@zohoexpense.com and we will be happy to assist you.

Vidhya G.S.