Understand custom apps | Zoho Creator Help

Installing and managing distributed apps

 1. What does this page cover?  

This page explains how users can install apps—whether from Zoho Marketplace or privately distributed—and how they can view and install updates published by developers/partners.
2. Availability
Super admins with a Zoho Creator account can install apps, whether available on Zoho Marketplace or distributed privately by a developer, into their account.

3. Overview 

Zoho Creator gives you the ability to install custom apps designed using Zoho Developer Console to meet your business needs. Zoho Marketplace offers a variety of low-code apps that can be quickly added to a Zoho Creator account and privately distributed apps ensure exclusivity by offering users tailored solutions that meet specific needs.

3.1 Marketplace distributed apps

Zoho Marketplace is a platform where you can find and install low-code apps built by developers. These apps are designed to meet diverse needs, and you can easily integrate them into your Zoho Creator account without having to build from scratch. This approach saves time and effort, allowing you to quickly leverage fully functional applications that cater to your requirements.

3.2 Privately distributed apps    

You can easily collaborate with a developer/partner to build custom apps that meet your unique business needs, and they will create an app tailored to your exact specifications. Once the app is ready, it can be shared privately with you, ensuring that only you can install and access it. This approach offers the flexibility and customization your business requires, while maintaining privacy and exclusivity, as the app won’t be available to the public on Zoho Marketplace.

4. Installing an Application  

4.1 Marketplace distributed apps 

To install an application, you need to have a Zoho Creator account. Once you're in your account:
  1. Navigate to the Operations tab in the left pane of your Creator account. Click Marketplace under Applications. You can also install applications by navigating to Zoho Marketplace > Custom apps.
  2. Under the Custom Apps tab, click the app you want to install.

Tip: Using filters and search, you can easily browse for apps based on your requirements using the default filter options: Categories, Edition, Price, and Rating.

  1. Click Install. For paid apps, click on the Buy now button and complete the payment to proceed with the installation.
  2. A confirmation pop-up will be displayed explaining that you'll be sharing personal details with the vendor(developer/partner). To proceed, accept the terms and conditions and click Install.
  3. Click Continue to proceed with the installation.
Note: Installation time depends on the complexity of the app. Usually this process takes a couple of minutes. 
Once the app has been successfully installed, you'll be redirected to the live mode of the application to continue using it.



4.2 Privately distributed apps 

  1. Accept the email invitation from the developer/partner to allow them to start sharing applications with you.
  2. Install the app by clicking the Install Application button in the email sent to your account.
You will be redirected to your Zoho Creator account; click on Install to start the installation.


Once the app has been successfully installed, you'll be redirected to the live mode of the application to continue using it.

5. Managing applications 

Zoho Creator enables you to manage all the installed applications, allowing you to do the following actions:
  1. Accessing the apps
  2. Viewing app settings
  3. Viewing app details
  4. Updating apps
  5. Viewing version history
  6. Enabling/disabling apps
  7. Deleting apps

5.1 Accessing the app

The installed application can be accessed from the Solutions page. You can filter the apps by using the Installed apps filter from the dropdown.


Alternatively, navigate to Operations > Marketplace, and select the app under the Installed Application tab. Click the ellipsis next to the app or in the detailed view page of the app. Choose Access Live to view the application.

5.2 Viewing app settings 

If the installed application is from a vendor(developer/partner), you can access the Settings page, which includes:
  1. Permissions: View user permissions and portal user permissions, including all roles and data sharing options provided by the developer.
Note: These permissions are view-only and cannot be edited.
  • Personalization: Customize the language settings of your app under Localization. By default, custom apps are available in English, but you can choose from the following options:

  1. Specific Language: Set a preferred language for all users.
  2. Browser Language: Automatically translate the app's UI elements based on the user's web browser language settings.
  3. Zoho Account Language: Translate the app's UI elements based on the language set in the user's Zoho account.
  4. User's Preferred Language: Allow users to switch between multiple languages.
 Note: Editing  the application is not available for installed apps developed and published by vendors (developers/partners) due to source code protection.
However, if it's a gallery application by Zoho, you can edit the application after installing it, and also environments can be enabled.

 5.3 Viewing app details  

To view your installed applications:

  1. Navigate to Operations > Marketplace in your Creator account.


  2. Click Installed Applications.

You can view the details of your installed apps here:
  1. Application - Refers to the application name
  2. Version - Current installed version of the app
  3. Subscription - Not applicable (for privately distributed apps), Free, Paid, Trial Expired, or Plan Expired
  4. Status - Status is Enabled, by default, but can be disabled from your Solutions page
3. Click on the desired application to view the installation source, developed by, installation details, update details, and the version history of that application.


5.4 Updating apps

When there is an update available for an application, you can update by following these steps,

  1. Click on an app under the Installed Applications tab to view its available updates.

  2. In the Updates tab, click the Update button adjacent to the version to install the update.


Updates can only be applied in sequential order. The next update will only be enabled once the current update has been successfully installed. For instance, the current version of the application is V3.0 and the versions V4.0 and V5.0 are available for update. The latest version V5.0 can only be taken up once V4.0 is installed successfully.
  

  1. Click Continue in the confirmation pop-ups to proceed with installing the update. When the update is being installed, the application remains inaccessible.


    Tip: It is recommended to schedule your updates during non-business hours.

  2. It is recommended to schedule your updates during non-business hours.
While you're updating your application, you might encounter any of the following statuses:
  1. App update summary: During the update, if there's a potential data loss—for example, if a component is being deleted by a developer and a new version is published—you'll be prompted with the relevant details of the components being deleted.
    Tip: You can make a backup of your application before updating it to prevent potential data loss.
  2. Data migration in progress: Certain app updates may require data to be updated; for example, when a formula field expression is updated, it results in the recalculation of existing data. In such cases, the Data migration in progress status will appear. By clicking on this status, you can view the specific data that will undergo changes.
  3. Error occurred: If an error occurs during the update, an Error occurred during update status will be displayed. Clicking on this status will allow you to view the error summary along with the details for the support. 
For installed apps, the system may disable the application after a set time if the user remains on a deprecated version (Marketplace) or fails to install a mandatory update (privately distributed).
  1. Marketplace distributed apps - If you're using a system deprecated version of the application, it will stop functioning and will be automatically disabled within 120 days. To avoid the app being disabled, always keep it updated to an active version. The app can be enabled after updating to the active version.
  2. Privately distributed apps - For apps privately distributed, if a mandatory update is available, you need to update the app to the mandatory version within 30 days. To avoid the app being disabled, always keep it updated to an active version.
Once the update is installed successfully, you can continue using the application.


5.5 Viewing version history

The Version History tab lists details like all previous versions up to the current installed version, the email address of the super admin of the account, and the installation timestamp. To access the version history tab,
  1. Click on an app under the Installed Applications tab.

  2. Click on the Version history tab in the page.

5.6  Enabling/disabling apps

The installed application will be disabled automatically under any of the following cases:
  1. Marketplace app subscription expiration - For apps distributed through Marketplace, in case of an application subscription expiry, your app will be disabled. To enable it, click Renew from the pop-up. You'll then be directed to the payments page in Marketplace to renew your application. The app can only be enabled if the subscription is renewed. Alternatively, you can renew the subscription from the Application Details view page as well.
  1. Update to new version - For installed apps, the system disables an application if it has not been updated within a specified time period. This can be due to the user using a deprecated version or as a mandatory update has been sent by the developer.
To manually disable or enable an application:
Hover over any of the installed applications and click on the horizontal ellipsis that appears. Select Disable/Enable.

Note: Once an application is disabled, you cannot add or modify records related to it.
  

5.7  Deleting apps

Deleting will remove the application from your account. To delete an application:
  1. Navigate to Operations > Marketplace > Installed Applications.

  2. Hover over the desired application that you want to delete and click the horizontal ellipsis. Select Delete.

    Alternatively, you can delete the application from the application details page by clicking Delete under the horizontal ellipsis, as shown in the screenshot below.


6. Limitations

  1. Date and time settings cannot be configured for an installed application.
  2. The App URL and App icon provided by the developer cannot be modified by the user.
  3. Roles and permissions provided by the developer cannot be modified by the user.
  4. For installed applications, page variable settings with their defined and current values provided by the developers cannot be viewed due to source code protection.
  5. Updates can only be applied in sequential order, meaning the next update will only be enabled once the previous one is successfully installed.
  6. Updates are prioritized over payments for installed applications. For instance, even if the payment and Creator account are active, if the customer is using a deprecated version of the app, it will automatically be moved to a disabled state.
  7. For installed applications, users can't enable environments.

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