Lookup Filters
Some of the features are available only to specific customers.
Overview
Lookup filters in Zoho CRM help streamline data selection by ensuring users can only choose relevant records when associating data across modules. This reduces the risk of errors by curating the available options based on specific criteria.
By applying lookup filters, organizations can:
- Ensure more accurate and relevant associations between records.
- Simplify the selection process for users by narrowing down the options to only those that meet predefined criteria.
- Improve data consistency and reduce manual errors, as users are guided toward the correct options.
Lookup filters are especially useful in scenarios where only certain records from another module are valid or necessary for the task at hand, ensuring better data integrity.
Availability
Permission Required
- Users with Module Customization permissions can configure lookup filters.
- Available in Enterprise and above editions.
Business Scenarios
Scenario 1
Scenario 2
Scenario 1
Let's say you want your lookup field to display only active accounts in the Deals module. Accordingly, you can create a lookup filter condition like that will filter records when the Business Active check box field is in the selected state.
During deal creation, when the sales rep looks for accounts, only the active ones will be displayed.
This way, the sales rep doesn't need to rummage through an exhaustive list of records to select the active accounts.
Scenario 2
Picture this scenario where a sales manager is finalizing a complex deal and needs to involve a subject matter expert (SME) for extra support. The lookup field can filter results dynamically and list the experts whose expertise matches the service requirements of the deal.
So, if the Service required is Product Customization, the lookup filter would automatically list only SMEs whose Expertise matches the Service requirement, Product Customization.
Adding a lookup filter
You can configure lookup filters by setting criteria in two ways:
- Value-based criteria: Specify the values that records must meet to appear in the lookup field. For example, you can set the filter to show only accounts where the "Industry" is "Technology". this means only records matching the pre-defined values will be available for selection.
- Field-based criteria: Use values from fields in the current record to filter the lookup options dynamically. For instance, if you're editing a contact record, you can configure the filter to display only those accounts where the "City" field matches the "City" field value in the contact. This makes the lookup options context-specific and responsive to the data being entered.
To add a lookup filter
- Hover over the desired module in the sidebar and click the ... icon. Select + Fields.
Alternatively, go to Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields.
Module refers to the Leads, Accounts, Contacts, etc. tabs. Select the desired module and layout. - In the layout editor, select a lookup field and click the More icon.
- Click Edit Properties.
- In the Lookup Properties popup, check Filter lookup records.
- Select the desired field for the criteria, and select the comparator.
- Select the condition and choose whether to match it with a value or field.
- For field-based criteria, select the field from the module whose value should be considered.
- You can add/remove criteria with the +/- button.
- Click Save.
-
Check Validate lookup filter during record edit, if required.
Note:
The "Validate lookup filter during record edit" option during record editing is useful when associated values or fields have changed due to updates. It allows users to re-check and confirm that the correct records are still linked when editing the record. - Click Done .
Points to remember
- Supported fields for lookup filter:
- Lookup fields in both layouts, and subforms.
- User fields in both layouts, and subforms
- Lookup filters are module-specific - The lookup filter applied to a field will be automatically applied for all layouts within a particular module if the field is present in those layouts.
- Record conversion - Lookup filters are not validated when records are created via conversion. However, after conversion—if such a record is edited—the system will prompt the user to make changes to match with the lookup criteria.
You can prevent this by setting the same lookup criteria in both the Leads and Contacts modules or the Accounts or Deals modules, as well as in the case of the Quotes, Sales Orders, and Invoices modules. - During import, data from the lookup field will be imported only if it matches the filter criteria configured in the module. If the criteria doesn't match, the value will not be imported.
- If a record is created using a workflow rule, validation will not be carried out for the lookup filter criteria.
- For lookup filters with Field-based criteria, the fields from the current module will be of the same type as the field selected in the lookup field. For example, if a Date, or Date/Time type field like Added Time from the lookup module is selected for the filter, similar fields from the parent module like Last Activity Time, Converted Date Time, etc. will be listed for the field-type matching.
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