Creating applications with Zia App Builder | Zoho Creator Help

Creating applications with Zia App Builder

1. What does this page cover

Learn about Zia App Builder and how it leverages AI to assist you in creating functional applications from user prompts by generating practical use cases and building working components.

2. Availability

  1. Zia is available only for paid plans of Creator.
  2. Only the super admin and admins can configure Zia and enable the Create Application feature. Along with them, developers can also create and manage AI-assisted applications. Meanwhile, other users can access them in live mode, based on their assigned permissions.
  3. Google, Anthropic and OpenAI are supported in all data centers except in CN.
  4. Zoho GenAI is supported in all data centers except in CN, JP, and SA.

3. What is Zia App Builder?

With AI revolutionizing industries, Zoho Creator introduces Zia App Builder, a game-changing tool that blends the versatility of our low-code platform with the intelligence of OpenAI. It lets you get a head start to creating powerful applications in minutes, with little to no effort. You can simply give a prompt describing your application and watch as it automatically comes to life with working components from forms and reports to blueprints, permissions, and beyond.

3.1. How does it work?

STEP 1: Give Zia App Builder a gist of what your application needs to be about
Zia App Builder offers a multimodal system to collect a description of your application through two means during the creation process:
  1. Text input - The required application's objectives or a list of the problems it will be solving for you.
Info
Tip: The prompt can be as simple as an application name, such as "Vendor Management", or a detailed set of points addressing all requirements. We recommend following the latter approach to nudge Zia App Builder into creating a more customized application for you.
  1. File input - Documents and images such as PRDs and process diagrams that pinpoint the flow or structure of your application can be uploaded. Zia App Builder will extract all the information from these files and give you personalized use cases based on them.
Info
Tip: We recommend including both types of inputs for a prompt to enhance the chances of getting custom use cases that your application can include. Check out this section to try a few sample text and file input prompts.
Security Tip: For your privacy and security, it's best to avoid sharing sensitive personal information, such as passwords or financial details, when interacting with AI platforms.

STEP 2: Review AI-generated use cases tailored according to your inputs
The AI assistant will generate practical use cases based on your inputs, which will provide solutions to handle all the tasks in your application. To generate an application that suits your requirement, you will have the opportunity to manage these use cases. You can verify if any use cases do not align with your application's objectives and remove them, or generate additional ones and add your own through text.
Zia App Builder will utilize the following Creator components to solve the use case requirements and create your application.
  1. Forms - Collects and stores data in Creator
  2. Integration Forms - Establishes a bridge between Creator and another service to enable automatic data synchronization
  3. Reports - Displays collected data in customizable views
  4. Pages - Present key metrics based on the data in a visually appealing and organized manner
  5. Application Layout - Personalizes your application by customizing the buttons, menus, and the overall theme of your application
  6. Permissions - Define customized permission sets that decide on how different users can access the application components and form data.
  7. Workflows 
    1. Form workflow - Automates or initiates tasks on triggers based out of a form
    2. Schedule workflow - Executes timed actions automatically based on a specified date value and can be scheduled for periodic execution.
  8. Blueprints - Streamlines a business flow that outlines the structured execution processes for a use case
Additionally, a dynamic data model (a conceptual framework) will appear, including tables to give you a preview of the forms that will be created in your application. Each table has a header that would be the form's name and a list of fields that follow, which will be included inside the form. The data model allows you to view how each form of the application is connected based on the use cases. As you add or remove use cases, it automatically updates alongside to give you a real-time overview.

3.2. Prerequisites

To use Zia App Builder, you must first head to the Operations module and configure Zia with OpenAI. Zia is an AI-powered assistant that accelerates your low-code journey by aiding you along an application's creation process. Once Zia is configured, by default, the Create Application feature will be enabled.
Notes
Note: If you've previously disabled the Create Application feature, be sure to enable the Access toggle before proceeding.

3.3. See how it works


3.4. Use case

A manufacturing company needs an application to monitor production line efficiency, track machine performance, and manage maintenance schedules, but lacks the technical resources to build it. Zia App Builder is used to create an application with minimal effort, fulfilling the above requirements.
With the prompt 'Build an application for a manufacturing company to log production details and schedule maintenance,' Zia App Builder suggests relevant use cases and creates the application upon your approval. The application might include features like:
  1. Production Line Logs: Automatically generates forms to log machine data, production output, and maintenance.
  2. Maintenance Scheduling: Creates automated workflows for tracking scheduled and unscheduled maintenance activities, with notifications for upcoming tasks.
  3. Real-Time Dashboards: Generates dashboards to provide real-time visualizations of machine health, production status, and performance metrics.
  4. User Permissions: Configures user personas, allowing managers to access high-level reports, while operators can log machine data and maintenance activities.

4. Steps to create an application using Zia App Builder

1. Navigate to the dashboard of your Creator account. You will land in the Solutions module by default.
2. Click +Create Solution in the top-right corner of the dashboard and select the Applications card to start building an application.
3. Choose the Create using Zia card to open Zia App Builder.
4. Specify the application requirements through either or both of the below methods, and click Start Building to receive AI-generated use cases that would address your business problem. 
  1. Text - Describe the application you want to create in detail for optimal results.
  2. File - Click Upload and attach files that outline the application objectives or pictorially represent the application flow, such as a PRD, BRD, RFP, or any relevant process diagrams.
Notes
Note:
  1. The text input can contain a maximum of 1000 characters.
  2. The file input can include either 1 document or up to 3 images.
  3. The supported file formats are:
    1. Image - PNG, JPG, JPEG, WEBP
    2. Document - PDF, and TXT
  4. It is recommended for your prompt to have both a file and text input that covers more specifications to help Zia generate more tailored use cases for you.
5. Review the AI-generated use cases and the visualized data model, including the necessary tables based on those use cases.
You can:
  1. Click Generate to add a new AI-generated use case relevant to your application.
  2. Click Add Custom to type a use case that you have in mind.
  3. Hover over a use case and click the bin icon () to remove a use case that does not align with the application's needs.
Notes
Note
  1. By default, five use cases will be generated. You can generate or add more use cases till a maximum count of 10 in total.
  2. If a use case requires connecting to another service to create an integration form, a separate table will be added in the data model. See the next section for guidance on integrating such tables using an existing connection.
6. Click Create Application to initiate the creation process based on the displayed data model. Zia App Builder will kickstart your custom application creation process from scratch by:
  1. Designing application components - Builds forms that receive and store input data, reports that display this data, dashboards that present key metrics and performance indicators, and designs the application style for a visual appeal.
  2. Creating permission sets - Adds permission sets that control data access for different types of users, managing their privileges to view and modify specific application data.
  3. Building business processes - Creates blueprints that are preset detailed process flows to ensure seamless execution operations.
  4. Automating tasks and actions - Introduces form workflows and schedules to automate trigger-based tasks and timed actions on a schedule, respectively.
Notes
Note: The number of forms, reports, and dashboards that are created varies according to the use cases. The number of other components that will be created are:
  1. Between two and four permission sets
  2. Two blueprints
  3. Four workflows (includes both form workflows and schedules)
Form workflows and schedules are not created when using Anthropic or Google only blueprints will be generated.
7. Click Access Application once the creation process is complete to head over to the live mode of the application. You will land on the dashboard of your application.

4.1. Connecting a table to another service to create an integration form

In a data model, some use cases may require a connection to another Zoho or other external service for data synchronization. To achieve this, Zia App Builder suggests linking these tables to the target service using relevant connections. If such tables are successfully linked, they will be converted into integration forms within the resulting application.
Notes
Note: Zia App Builder will search for the following supported services when a use case has a relevant requirement: Zoho CRM, Zoho Recruit,  Zoho Projects, Zoho People, Zoho BugTracker, Salesforce, and QuickBooks.
Let's look at a few scenarios that you might come across about a table being linked to a service.
Scenario
Description
Steps to be followed
1. Zia App Builder automatically connects a table to a relevant service.
In certain use cases, data synchronization may require linking a table to an additional service. If Zia App Builder detects a relevant service with an active and authorized connection in the Microservices module, it will automatically establish the connection for the table. It will also link to the appropriate module in that service using a datasource. After the application is created, the table will function as an integration form.
Notes
Note: If multiple connections to one or more relevant services are available, Zia App Builder will randomly connect to one of them.
-
2. Zia App Builder lists potential services but could not connect the table to any of them.
In certain use cases, data synchronization may require linking a table to an additional service. App Builder will list the relevant services but will not have connected to them, as the connection may be one of the following in the Microservices module
  1. Disabled - The connection's functionality is inactive
  2. Not connected - The connection is unauthorized
  3. Unavailable - No connection has been created for this service:
In such cases, a connection can be created or linked from Zia App Builder, and its configuration will be synced in the Microservices module. Post establishing the connection, Zia App Builder will link to the appropriate module in that service using a datasource. After the application is created, the table will function as an integration form.
Notes
Note: If a table is not connected to service, post application creation, the table will function as a normal form with default Creator fields.
1. Click the Connect dropdown in the top-right corner of the target table.

2. Click Connect next to the service you want to use from the list under Available Services.

Once a table is connected to a service, you may choose to link it to another available service or select a different datasource.
Scenario
Steps to be followed
1. Change to another relevant service - A table can be linked to a different service if required. To do so, the existing connection must first be disconnected, after which the table can be linked to the target service.
1. Click the Connect dropdown in the top-right corner of the target table, then click Disconnect next to the existing service to remove the integration.
2. Click Connect next to the required service below Available Services to integrate with it.
2. Change to another relevant datasource (module) for a connection - If a different module of the service better suits the use case, you can link the table to it. To do this, simply add the required datasource for the connection and use it.
1. Click the connection dropdown in the top-right of the target table, then click +Create New Datasource under Connected Datasource.
2. Choose the required module from the Create Datasource popup and click Create to link to it.

5. Points to note

  1. Zia App Builder includes sample data in your application during creation to test the various features Creator offers. Remember to delete it manually before using the application for your requirements.
  2. While AI enhances the application creation process, it’s crucial to verify the accuracy and relevance of AI-generated use cases and the resulting application. This ensures proper functionality and alignment with user needs.

6. Sample prompts

Text Prompts
  1. Design an application for streamlined loan processing, featuring tools for application submission, document upload, eligibility checks, and real-time status updates.
  2. Create an app for easy insurance claim filing and tracking, with features for uploading claim documents, direct communication with agents, and claim status notifications.
  3. Develop a streamlined procurement app for the manufacturing sector, focusing on supply chain modules, inventory tracking, and supplier performance.
  4. Develop an application to manage employee PTO requests and enable employees to submit applications based on their available leave balance. Include features for managers to review and approve requests, HR to monitor and track PTO balances.
  5. Create a Gift Distribution application that allows employees from Zoho People to choose and monitor the gift distribution process effectively.
File Prompts
  1. Understand Zia features in Creator
  2. Creating applications with Zia App Builder (supported by OpenAI)
What's next
Previous
What's next
Learn how to use Zia to create customized forms and generate field suggestions from text inputs that describe your requirements.
Previous
Learn how to configure Zia with OpenAI and enable the Create App feature in Zoho Creator by referring to the document Configure Zia.

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