What Are Connected Workflows?  

1. Automate multi-step, cross-team processes across modules
   
2. Create, update, and notify users based on predefined triggers
   
3. Maintain customer context at every stage of a process
   
4. Eliminate manual requests, delays, and inter-team dependencies
   

How to Set Up a Connected Workflow   

Triggers

1. when a record is created in the module
   
2. When a record is edited record in the module,
   
3. When a record is created or edited in the module, or
   
4. When a field in the record is edited in the module.
   

Multi-module criteria for Triggers

Actions

1. Creating a new connected record in the associated module
   
2. Updating an existing connected record in the associate module, or
   
3. Notifying users via email.
   

Use Case: Automating the process to successfully close a deal   

To create a connected workflow

1. Navigate to Settings, choose Process Management, and click Connected Workflows.
   
   
2. Click Create New Connected Workflow.
   
3. Enter the workflow name, choose a Primary Module, and enter a description if needed. The primary module can be an Organization Module (like Deals) or a Team Module. This is where the workflow begins.
   
   Note: You can only create ONE connected workflow for a primary module. For example, if you've created a connected workflow for the Deals module, you cannot create another connected workflow for the same module again.
4. Set Triggers  
   
1. Create a trigger for the primary module or associated modules to trigger actions to be completed in other modules.
   
   
2. To create a trigger you need to define when the workflow should start. Choose from the triggers below :
   - when a record is created in the module,
   - when a record is edited in the module or
   - when a record is created or edited in the module
   - when a field is edited in the module.
   
   
3. You can set multiple triggers for a module or for associated modules.
   
   
5. Next, Specify a criteria for the current record to trigger the workflow. 
   Say, you can add a condition where the case study record is a particular business process owner.
6. You can enable multi-module triggers by selecting the Other module criteria option to trigger the workflow other modules associated to the connected workflow. This way, whenever records are created/edited or when fields are edited in other modules with values specified in the trigger, the actions you configure below will also take place. Let's say you can add a criteria if the deal amount for this business process should be more than a hundred thousand dollars to trigger multiple other modules.
   
7. Choose if the criteria / condition should match with ANY connected record or with ALL connected records in the related modules. Specify the condition. Next, click Add Condition to add triggers to another module, choose the criteria and specify the condition, and click Save. You can do this to enable multiple module triggers from this workflow.
   Let’s say you choose the criteria to match all connected records, in that case, the record status can be marked as “Completed” only when all case study requests for the lead have been fulfilled. On the other hand, if you select the criteria to match any connected record in related modules, the status can be marked as “Completed” as soon as at least one case study request is fulfilled.
   
   
8. Define Actions : For each trigger, configure one or more actions:
1. Create a connected record in an associated module
   
2. Update an existing connected record
   
3. Notify users via email
   
   
9. Create a connected record action : Select the module where a connected record needs to be created, fill out other details as shown in the screenshot below, and click Save.
   
   
10. Update an connected record : Select the module whose connected record needs to be updated, choose the field to be updated, and enter the value for that field. Next, choose if you want to update the field in All Records, Current Records, or only Selected Records and click Save.
    
    Note : Fields in the current record will be updated only when the trigger module is the same as the module where the connected record is being updated.
11. Notify user via email : Select who you want to notify or specify an email address, choose an email template, and click Save.
    
    
12. Once you are done adding the required modules for your business process, click Publish.
    
    

How Are Connected Workflows Different from Traditional Workflows?      

1. Connected Workflows go beyond one module,  they’re designed to coordinate across team boundaries and hence use multiple modules to build a workflow.
   
2. Connected workflows trigger follow-up tasks/actions in both the Org and team modules.
   
3. Connected Workflows generate connected records as part of the process, so new requests are automatically created in modules, and those teams will have full context from day one. Users can save the time they take to create requests from the Request tab with this feature. 

Why use connected workflows for your business? 

1. No more manual follow-ups because of automating cross-team coordination and reducing dependency on reminders or emails.
   
2. Achieving consistent execution across multiple process by standardizing how deals, customers, and tickets move through your organization.
   
3. Providing end-to-end visibility where teams see the full customer journey, not just their part in the entire process.
   
4. Above all, providing contextual coordination among multiple teams by minimizing delays between process hand-offs.
   

Notes :

1. The primary module acts as the entry point for the Connected Workflow and will apply only to records created after the connected workflow is configured.
 

2. Only the modules involved in the Connected Workflow will be tracked for changes and execution. If any new module is added to the connected workflow, records created in this module after adding this module in the connected workflow will be tracked.

3. The order of execution for records earlier used to be :
Assignment Rules → Review Process → Scoring Rules → Workflow Rules → Approval Process → Blueprint → CommandCenter
 
Now, after adding the connected workflows features in Zoho CRM :
Assignment Rules → Review Process → Scoring Rules → Workflow Rules → Connected workflows → Approval Process → Blueprint → CommandCenter