1. Overview 

1.1 Marketplace distributed apps

1.2 Privately distributed apps    

2. Installing an application  

2.1 Marketplace distributed apps 

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.

3. Click Install. For paid apps, click the Buy now button and complete the payment to proceed with the installation.
   
4. 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.
   
5. Click Continue to proceed with the installation.
   

2.2 Privately distributed apps

1. Accept the email invitation sent to you 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.
   

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

2.2.1 License Types & Validity

When a developer privately shares an application, they choose how long you can access and use it through licensing. The app can be shared under one of the following license types:

Trial License

A Trial License gives you limited-time access to explore the application before making a purchase decision. You can use this license for a hands-on experience of the app for 15, 30, or 60 days, as defined by the developer.

1. The validity of the installed application begins from the time the application is installed in your account.
2. Once the trial ends, the app will be permanently disabled in your account. You will still be able to view the existing data, but you won’t be able to add new data.
3. If the app meets your business needs, you can contact the developer to continue using it. They can convert the same app to a Subscription License, giving you uninterrupted access going forward.
4. After the trial ends, the developer can permanently delete the app from your account  including all its data.

Security tip: The app is shared for evaluation purposes, so use only test data when trying the functionalities of the application. Once the trial expires, the developer can permanently delete the app and its data from your account at any time.

Subscription License

A Subscription License lets you continue using the application for an extended period. You can use this license when you're ready to adopt the application for active use. It grants access for an extended period, based on the validity set by the developer, either for a fixed number of months or with no expiration. 

1. Months - The app will remain active for the specified number of months (from 1 to 36). 
1. Validity of the installed application starts from the time the application is installed in your account. 
2. Once the subscription period ends, the app will be disabled, and you will only be able to view the existing data without adding new entries.
   
3. Developers are also able to fully block access to the application once your subscription expires. This means you won’t be able to access the app at all, even in read-only mode. You can still download the data of the application through Backup>Download under Operations.
4. You can contact the developer to renew the subscription. Once renewed, the app will be automatically re-enabled in your account.
   

1. Lifetime - The app has no expiration date and will be accessible indefinitely from your account.
   

3. Environments for installed applications

Installed applications can be added to environments in Zoho Creator to streamline testing and deployment. Environments allow you to test an application safely before releasing them to live users. Learn more on the Environments page.

By adding an installed app to an environment, you can test new versions and improvements in the Stage environment before updating the live application in Production, ensuring stability and version control. In the Stage environment, you can explore new features, validate workflows, and verify that recent changes function as expected before updating and managing them in the Production environment.

Note: The Development environment is not supported for installed applications. You must first move your updates to Stage, test them thoroughly, and then update them to Production.

3.1 Adding apps to environments

You can add an installed app to an environment in three ways:

1. From the Solutions page (common for installed and created apps)

2. From the Environments page (common for installed and created apps)

3. From Operations (only for installed apps)

Adding an app to environments from Operations-

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

2. Select the application you want to add to environments.
   

3. Click Add to Environment button on the top of the page. Click Add in the popup that follows. Once the application is added to Stage environment, you can take up an update for testing.

   

Note: Developers previously added to this application will be removed. They can be re-added to the stage environment later as required. An installed application can be retained only in the production environment.

3.2 Removing apps from environments

Removing an application from environments disables multi-stage deployment. For installed applications, the Production environment is always retained. The retained version becomes a standalone Production-only application and will appear under the Solutions page.

Removing an application from environments does not delete the application. Deleting an application permanently removes it from your Zoho Creator account along with all its data. In contrast, removal simply disables the environment feature while keeping the retained Production version intact.

Note: For managed applications, the Stage and Production versions must be the same before you can proceed with removal.

3.2.1 Steps to remove an application from environment 

1. Navigate to Environments, click the ellipsis icon near the preferred application, and select Remove from Environment. The Remove from environments pane will appear displaying the selected app.
   
2. Click Select Applications button to choose any additional applications that you would like to remove. 
   
   
3. Note: An installed application can be retained only in the production environment.
4. Click Proceed to Remove.
   

3.3 Troubleshooting     

When an installed application is added to the environments, the app is automatically created in the stage environment. However, it can be created simultaneously for a maximum of three applications. Due to this, the applications will be added to the environments, but the app creation in the stage environment will not be initiated. This will occur in the following circumstances:

• When you try to add more than three apps to the environment at once.

• When you try to add three apps to environments but stage creation is already in progress for other applications. In other words, the number of apps being added should be equal to the number of vacant slots in queue for the Stage environment's app creation. Otherwise, the Stage environment creation will not be initiated.

• When you try to add more than three sets of dependent or independent apps. In other words, an app with its dependent apps are considered one set for this count.

In the above scenarios, the applications will be added to the environments, but it will not be created in the Stage environment. You will need to manually create the app in the Stage environment by following the steps below,

1. Navigate to the Environments module and click the horizontal ellipsis next to the preferred application without stage environment.

2. Choose the Create & Access option.
   

The app creation in the stage environment will be initiated, and the status will be Creating stage app. After completion, the status will be changed to Stage app creation complete and v1.0 in stage environment.

Environment statuses -

• Stage app not yet created - This status indicates that the application has been added to the environment without automatically creating it in the development and stage environments. When this happens, app creation must be manually initiated.

• Creating stage app - The app has been creating in the stage environment

• Error in app creation - The app creation has failed in the stage environment. Refer to the details for resolution.

4. Managing applications

4.1 Accessing the app

4.2 Viewing app settings 

If the installed application is from a vendor, developer or 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.
   

• 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:

4.3 Viewing app details  

To view your installed applications:

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

2. Click Installed Applications.
   
   

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

4.4 Updating apps

1. Environment enabled apps - Multi-stage deployment is enabled for your application, allowing you to test and update versions from developers without affecting the live (production) version.
2. Non environment apps - Applications that haven't been added to environment can be updated directly. These updates will be directly taken up in the live version (production) of the application.
   

Environment enabled apps

Non-environment apps

Environment enabled apps

After successfully adding the installed app to Stage, you can update the application to its latest versions either from the Environments page or from Operations. You can manage its version updates as follows:

1. Under Environments pane in your Creator account, click the ellipsis next to an application and select Version Updates to view the available versions and their update status.
   
2. In the slider that opens, click the Update button next to a particular version under the Updates tab.
   
3. Select To Stage to move the latest version of the application to stage and test them.
   

The Status column in the slider displays the status of the versions:

1. Yet to update in stage - when the version update has not yet been applied in the Stage environment.

2. Yet to update in production - when the version update has been updated in Stage and is ready to be published.

Note: Ensure that updates in Stage are applied sequentially to preserve correct version progression. When deploying to Production, you may select and publish any desired versions.

Once the testing in Stage is complete, click To Production under the Update button to publish the tested version of the application to the Production environment. You can also view the history of all the updated versions from the Version History tab.

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

4.4.2 Connections during version updates 

 When you add an installed app to environments, the connections are shared at the account level and referenced by both the stage and production environment. Because of this shared usage, connection-related behaviors in app updates behave the same across stage and production when app updates are moved across environments. The following cases can occur during version updates: 

• When an app update includes changes to connection permissions, the existing connection authorization is revoked. Since the same connection is used for both staging and production, you must reauthorize the connection, and this re-authorization applies across environments. Once that version is promoted to production, there will be no impact on the connection’s functionality. If an older version is promoted to production, the update will not be applied; it will be skipped, and the system will continue to reference the latest version from staging.

• When an app update includes changes to a connection’s display name, the update is reflected across environments without revoking the existing authorization.

• When a new connection is introduced as part of an app update and applied to stage, the connection is created and available for testing in the stage. Production continues to function without this connection until the update is published.

• When an update includes deletion of a connection, the connection is not removed when the update is applied to stage, since production still uses the connection. The connection is deleted only after the update is published to production, ensuring both environments run the same app version.

• If you have pending updates where a connection is first deleted and a new connection is later introduced with the same link name, you can't apply the connection creation update to stage until the deletion update is published to production.

• An app that includes connections cannot be removed from environments until both stage and production are running the same version of the app.

These behaviors ensure consistency between environments and prevent conflicts when managing connections across version updates.

Non-environment apps

Installed applications can be updated without enabling environments. These updates will be directly taken up in the production or live version of the application.

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.
   

When an app update includes connection changes, they automatically reflect in production. However, any change to the connection’s permission set requires re-authorization after the update is applied.

4.5 Error when updating apps

While you're updating your application, you might encounter any of the following statuses:

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.

4.7 Version history

Environment enabled apps

Non environment apps

Environment enabled apps

The Version History tab lists details like current installed version, the installation timestamp, and the installation details. To access the version history tab,

1. Click on an app under the Installed Applications tab.
   

2. Click the Version History tab in the page.
   

Note: Before an installed application is added to environments, the version history will display the production version updates only.

Non environment apps

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 the Version History tab in the page.
   

5.4.2 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 expiration, 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 disable or enable an application manually:

3. Hover over any of the installed applications and click on the horizontal ellipsis that appears. Select Disable/Enable.
4. Updates can only be applied in sequential order. The next update will only be enabled once the current update has been successfully installed. For example, the current version of the application is V3.0, and 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.
   
5. Click Continue in the confirmation pop-ups to proceed with installing the update. When the update is being installed, the application remains inaccessible.
   
6. 
   
   
   Tip: It is recommended to schedule your updates during non-business hours.

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

4.8 Deleting apps

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.
   

Note: On deleting an installed application, installed connections associated with it, will also be deleted.

4.9 Managing installed connections

When you install an app(from Marketplace or shared privately) containing connections, those connections are referred to as installed connections. When a partner shares an application or when you install one from Marketplace, connections configured by the developer are part of the app's setup. 

Note: 

- You can't edit, delete, or reuse installed connections in any of your other applications. Disabling an installed connection's access to its associated application is also restricted.

- The app access for system connection can;t be disabled until the references are removed.

4.9.1. Accessing connections

Users can view installed connections() in live mode through the Connections tab under Microservices or from the connections slider in the live mode of the application. Each connection is accompanied by the following details when accessing from the Details page:

1. Service Name: Indicates the associated external service.
2. Permission: Shows the permission granted to the service.
3. Authorized Owner: Displays the auto generated authorized account name (this can be edited).
4. Status: Shows whether the connection is active.
5. Authorize Button: Allows authorization if not previously done.
6. Connection Type: Represents Admin, System, or User connection with distinct icons.
7. Installed details: Installed by and when.
8. Others: Authorize button to allow authorization if not previously done, switch, and revoke authorization buttons.
   

When accessing from the live page:

1. Service Name: Indicates the associated external service.
2. Authorized Account: Displays the auto generated authorized account name once the connection is authorized (this can be edited).
3. Connection link name: Displays the link name of the connection created.
4. Permission: Shows the list of permissions granted to the service.
5. Status: Shows whether the connection is active.
6. Others: Authorize button to allow authorization if not previously done, switch, and revoke authorization buttons.
   

4.9.2. Authorizing a connection

      1. Log in to your Zoho Creator and navigate to the Connections tab under Microservices.

      2. Select the connection that was installed and click Authorize.
      

Note: Depending on the type of connection the other users can also authorize connection.

4.9.3. Switching authorization

Depending on the type of connection, the user can update authorizations when existing credentials expire or need replacement:

      1. Select the desired connection and click Switch.
      

      2. Choose an account and click Reauthorize. For OAuth2 connections, you will need to grant access within 90 seconds.

4.9.4. Revoking authorization

Depending on the type of connection, the user can revoke a connection’s authorization, stopping its use across all associated app components:

Select the connection and click Revoke.

4.9.5. Enabling/disabling connection

You can enable or disable an installed connection from the Connection Details page by clicking the More icon present on the page.

4.9.6 Point to Note

1. A single connection cannot be reused across multiple client-side apps.
2. Each connection must be authorized per app to maintain data security.
3. Connection updates initiated by developers will prompt re-authorization on the client side.
4. On deleting an installed application, the installed connections associated with it will also be deleted. 

5. 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.
   

6. Related topics 

• Understand Developer Console
  

• Previous step

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  Now we've covered how to install an application from Marketplace or shared by a partner or developer on your Creator account, head over to learn more about Marketplace distribution or private distribution.