Deluge in Zoho services #5: Zoho Connect

Deluge in Zoho services #5: Zoho Connect

Hello everyone,

Greetings from Deluge! Whoosh 🌬️ That's how quickly the first two months of 2023 came to an end, and now we're in full speed ahead! We hope you found the previous post in this series useful and are now back with our latest post.

Basically, ‌Zoho Connect is a team collaboration application that allows you to keep your workplace communication organized by building a thriving workplace culture for internal communications, employee engagement, and cross-team collaboration. As you all know, Deluge, our very own scripting language enables users to add logic to their applications/services, thereby making them more powerful and robust. Let us now explore the ways in which you can use Deluge to achieve more with Zoho Connect and stay powerfully connected!

In addition to supporting connections that enable you to log in to any Zoho or third-party service and access your data stored in those services, Zoho Connect supports Deluge in the following seven areas:

1. Incoming webhooks

In general, webhooks are used to trigger an action in one application using real-time events from an external service. Here, webhooks allow you to integrate Zoho Connect with other external services. They are of two types - Incoming webhooks and Outgoing webhooks (explained in the next heading).

Incoming webhooks are used to trigger an action inside Zoho Connect using real-time events from other Zoho products or third-party services. You can use incoming webhooks to post messages in Zoho Connect so that you can stay updated on activities in other applications without leaving Connect.Using Deluge, you can write custom logic that will be triggered upon an event in another application. For example, you can post messages in the Job Openings Connect group using these webhooks whenever a new opening is added to your portal. 

Note: Incoming Webhooks are available only at the Group level inside your Connect account.

Example

Let's assume that you had conducted a live workshop for your organization. Now, you've built a Feedback Form using Zoho Forms and emailed the form to your attendees. When an attendee fills in their details in the form and clicks submit, an incoming webhook will be triggered and the attendee's feedback will be added as a post inside the Feedback Group in Zoho Connect. Additionally, you can also present the feedback post in a presentable manner by using the advanced formatting options available for incoming webhooks.

See how it works



Note: Refer to the help page to learn how to achieve this automation.

2. Workflows

Workflows allow you to create a set of rules for Zoho Connect modules such as Profile, Feed, Events, Tasks, Polls, and Announcements, based on which the defined actions would be performed in a repetitive manner. These workflow rules can automate the specified actions like assigning tasks, creating events, and so on, whenever a rule is triggered. You (admin) can associate Deluge functions with the configured workflows and specify where (Network/Group) and in which instances that rule should be triggered. You can also set one or more conditions based on which the specified actions will be executed.

Example

Currently, in Connect, we can enable the Moderation option to allow group admins (moderators) to approve all posts and comments made in the group before they are made visible to everyone. To automate this process, we can use the Deluge AI tasks - analyze sentiment and keyword extraction that check the Connect posts for sentiments and extract the keywords that deem it unsuitable to be shared with a wider audience. For example, you have created a Zylker Writers Club group in Connect that allows its members to post their write-ups on a monthly basis. A workflow can be configured to check the live posts for their content. You can write a custom function for the workflow using Deluge to send a mail to the group admin asking them to review the posted content if the posts contain sensitive/hurtful content. Additionally, you can also configure the same function to create a task to be assigned to yourself (admin) with priority set as "high" and status as "to be reviewed". If the posts do not contain any sensitive content, an email can be sent to the group admin notifying them that posts have been made live in their group.

See how it works



Note: Refer to the help page to learn how to achieve this automation.

Custom Menu

Custom menus in Zoho Connect let you add customized menus to entities such as group conversations, tasks, and events, in addition to the default menus—Follow, Print, Bookmark, and Copy post URL that are already available. These custom menus can be configured to perform the required actions and solve requirement-specific use cases. You can write a Deluge custom function and define how the menu should work. These custom menus can then be shared with a set of users or groups.

Example

Let's assume you've created a Connect group named Zylker Feedback where you've configured the feedback collected from forms to be posted in this group. Now, let's assume you want to create a support ticket in Zoho Desk for the Connect feedbacks that are actionable. You can configure a custom menu named Create support ticket by defining a Deluge custom function for each of the required handlers and publishing the custom menu. When you access the respective group, you can click the ellipsis (three-dots) icon beside a post and the custom menu will be listed under the More option. You can click the menu, enter the required details and the ticket will be created successfully in Desk. This way, you can automate the process of ticket creation and ensure a quicker response to your customers.

See how it works



Note: Refer to the help page to learn how to achieve this automation.

4. Outgoing webhooks

An outgoing webhook enables you to trigger real-time updates from Zoho Connect to other Zoho products or third-party services. For example, you can send the details of posts or events in Connect to external services using these webhooks. This data transfer takes place via an authenticated API URL (webhook URL). You can also choose the required action to be performed when the trigger activity occurs i.e., either push information to a URL or perform an action defined in the Deluge custom function. For example, you can define a custom function to notify users in Zoho Cliq when an event is created or sync your data in Connect with third-party services like Trello.

5. Function APIs

While integrating two services using APIs, the structure of requests from one service must match the requirements of the other service. For example, to integrate Zoho Connect with SmartTask or any other task management application, the request and response structure of the Zoho Connect Create Task API must be followed.

However, the request and response structure of one service might not always meet the requirements of the other service. Function APIs include handlers that let you format the request and response structure of an API to match the requirements of a specific service. You can write a Deluge custom function to define how the request needs to be handled or customized by these handlers. Depending on the type of request made, the relevant handler will be triggered.

6. Scheduler

Schedulers in Zoho Connect enable you to automate your routine tasks without any user input. You can configure your schedulers to repeat at certain intervals — such as everyday, weekly or every month and thereby save manual time and labor.

7. User sync

Most organizations use enterprise directory systems (such as Active Directory or LDAP) to maintain employee information. For larger organizations, it can be difficult to manually add and manage users in the network. Zoho Connect's User Sync option simplifies these processes by enabling you to add, update, and disable user profiles in bulk using a .CSV file.

Handlers in User Sync enable you to perform customized actions on the input data. You can define the necessary action by writing a Deluge custom function in these handlers.

Currently, the User Sync option has two handlers: Function Handler and Post-Function Handler.
  • Function Handler: Define the action to be executed before syncing the user details with the Zoho Connect network. Ideally, this handler is triggered once a CSV file is uploaded. You can use this handler to make changes to the data in the CSV file. For example, you can write a function to change the email domain based on the location or reorder the first name and last name to align with local usage.
  • Post-Function Handler: Define the action to be executed after syncing the user details with the Zoho Connect network. You can use this handler to notify the admin that the user details are synced or send a welcome email to the newly added members.
You can refer to this help page to view more examples and sample scripts.
That’s it for now! We hope you found this post useful—we'll be exploring Deluge in Zoho Bug Tracker in our next post. Please let us know if you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions in the comments, or write to us at support@zohodeluge.com.

You can also check out our preview posts in this series.
Thank you!

      • Recent Topics

      • Zoho Desk Android app update: Filter, Sort and Saved filters Enhancements

        Hello everyone! We are excited to introduce the below features on the Android version Zoho Desk mobile app: 1. Filter & Sort support has been introduced for the Contacts and Accounts modules. 2. Sort options is now available in Custom Modules as well.

      • Accessing shared mailboxes through Trident (Windows)

        Hi, I have a created a couple of shared mailboxes. The mailboxes are showing up on the browser based Zoho workplace, but I cannot seem to figure out how to access my shared inboxes through Trident (Windows). Am I missing something or is this feature not

      • Feature Request: Ability to set Default Custom Filters and apply them via URL/Deluge

        I've discovered a significant gap in how Zoho Creator handles Custom Filters for reports, and I'm hoping the Zoho team can address this in a future update. This limitation has been raised before and continues to be requested, but remains unresolved. The

      • Closing the Loop: Why Lookup Asymmetry is Harming Data Integrity in Creator

        TL;DR: Lookup fields allow users to add new related records inline via the "+" icon, but there's no equivalent ability to edit an existing related record without navigating away and losing form context. Adding a native "Edit" icon—with automatic User

      • filtering lookup field options based on information in another module.

        In our CRM system. We have the standard Accounts and Deals modules. We would like to introduce the ability to classify Accounts by Sector. Our desired functionality is to have a global list of all sectors that an Account can select, with the ability to

      • Service op locatie organiseren met Zoho FSM: waar lopen organisaties tegenaan?

        Bij organisaties met service teams op locatie merken we vaak dat de complexiteit niet zozeer in de planning zelf zit, maar in wat er rond die planning gebeurt. Denk aan opvolging na interventies, consistente servicerapporten, en het bijhouden van installaties

      • Introducing Assemblies and Kits in Zoho Inventory

        Hello customers, We’re excited to share a major revamp to Zoho Inventory that brings both clarity and flexibility to your inventory management experience! Presenting Assemblies and Kits We’re thrilled to introduce Assemblies and Kits, which replaces the

      • Does the ability exist to make tax on the customer profile mandatory?

        I am reaching out to inquire about the possibility of making the "Customer Tax" field mandatory when creating a new customer in Zoho. We want to ensure that all customers have their tax information recorded to maintain compliance with our internal processes.

      • email association with CRM

        Why is it 2024 (almost 2025) and Zoho has not figured out how to integrate email with CRM? It is so inconsistent at associating emails within CRM. I am an attorney. I have clients and work with other attorneys. Attorney John Doe is associated with multiple

      • Fix the speed

        It takes ages to load on every step even though my dataset is quite small.

      • Credit Note for Shipped and Fatoora pushed invoices

        We have shipped a Sales Order and created an Invoice. The Invoice is also pushed to Fatoora Now we need to create a credit note for the invoice When we try it, it says we need to create a Sales Return in the Zoho Books, we have already created a Sales

      • FSM - Timesheet entires for Internal Work

        Hi FSM Team, Several of my clients have asked how they can manage internal timesheets within Zoho FSM. Since their technicians already spend most of their day working in FSM, it would be ideal if they could log all working hours directly in the FSM app.

      • Add a way of clearing fields values in Flow actions

        It would be great if there was an option to set a field as Null when creating flows. I had an instance today where I just wanted to clear a long integer field in the CRM based on an action in Projects but I had to write a custom function. It would be

      • Role Management

        I am creating an analytics dashboard for a company that will be utilized by its various departments such as Finance, Marketing, and HR. My goal is to design the dashboard with separate tabs for each department. Additionally, I plan to implement role-based

      • Highlight a candidate who is "off limits"

        Hello: Is there a way to highlight a candidate who is "off limits"?  I would like to have the ability to make certain candidate and / or Client records highlighted in RED or something like that.   This would be used for example when we may have placed a candidate somewhere and we want everyone in our company to quickly and easily see that they are off limits.  The same would apply when we want to put a client or former client off limits so no one recruits out of there. How can this be done? Cheers,

      • Announcing new features in Trident for Windows (v.1.37.5.0)

        Hello Community! Trident for Windows just received a major update, with a range of capabilities that strengthen email security and enhance communication. This update focuses on making your mailbox safer and your overall email experience more reliable.

      • Early Payment Discount customize Text

        Hi, I’m currently using Zoho Books and am trying to customize the standard “Early Payment Discount” message that appears in the PDF invoice template. I’ve reviewed the documentation here: https://www.zoho.com/books/help/invoice/early-payment-discount.html

      • Deprecation of SMS-based multi-factor authentication (MFA) mode

        Overview of SMS-based OTP MFA mode The SMS-based OTP MFA method involves the delivery of a one-time password to a user's mobile phone via SMS. The user receives the OTP on their mobile phone and enters it to sign into their account. SMS-based OTPs offer

      • Zoho Sheet - Desktop App or Offline

        Since Zoho Docs is now available as a desktop app and offline, when is a realistic ETA for Sheet to have the same functionality?I am surprised this was not laucned at the same time as Docs.

      • DKIM Now Mandatory - Changes to Zoho Forms Email Policies

        Hello Zoho Forms Users, This post is to inform you about an important update regarding the authentication of all email domains in your Zoho Forms account. This year, we are doubling down on our commitment to deliver a secure, seamless, and empowering

      • Call description in notes

        When completing a call, we type in the result of the call in the description. However, that does not show up under the notes history on the contact. We want to be able to see all the calls that have taken place for a contact wihtout having to go into

      • Email Address for Contact not Populating

        When I click "Send Mail" from a Contact's page, their email address does not auto populate the "To" field. How do I make this happen?

      • New in CRM: Dynamic filters for lookup fields

        Last modified on Oct 28, 2024: This feature was initially available only through Early Access upon request. It is now available to all users across all data centers, except for the IN DC. Users in the IN DC can temporarily request access using this form

      • Why hybrid project management might be the best fit for you?

        Project management techniques are designed to equip teams with proven methods for easy and efficient project execution. While management teams may have apprehensions about adopting the hybrid method of project management, we’ve compiled the top reasons

      • Allow all Company Users to view all projects, but only owner/admins can change projects

        I was wondering if there was a permission setting I could adjust to allow all our company users to see all projects created. Then, only the project owners and admins with the change permission. Thanks

      • Fail to send Email by deluge

        Hi， today I gonna update some email include details in deluge, while this msg pops up and restrict me to save but my rules has run for one year. can you tell me how to use one of our admin account or super admin account to send the email? I tried to update

      • Seeking help to be able to search on all custom functions that are defined

        Hello I have a lot of custom functions defined (around 200) and i would like to search some specific strings in the content of those. Is there a way to accomplish that? If not, is there a way to download all existing custom functions in some files locally

      • Totals for Sales Tax Report

        On the sales tax report, the column totals aren't shown for any column other than Total Tax. I can't think of a good reason that they shouldn't be included for the other columns, as well. It would help me with my returns, for sure. It seems ludicrous

      • Add Bulk Section / Grid Layout Duplicate Feature in Zoho Forms Builder

        Currently in Zoho Forms, users can only duplicate individual fields. There is no option to duplicate an entire section or two-column/grid layout with all internal fields. This becomes inefficient when building structured forms such as Family Details,

      • Leistungsdatum in Rechnungen (Zoho Books)

        Hallo, ist es irgendwie möglich den Leistungszeitraum in der Rechnung aufzuführen? Beste Grüße Aleks

      • Zoho Trident Windows - Streams Not Visible

        Namaste We’re having an issue with Streams not being visible in Trident (Windows), which is important for us as we share many emails internally. It appears that the feature to show Streams above the Inbox folder, as seen in the default mailbox view, is

      • Sales IQ Chat Widget is Only Displaying Last Name

        Can anyone suggest why the widget is only displaying "last name"?! We have the latest version of the wordpress plugin installed. Thanks Thanks!

      • Shopify - Item sync from Zoho Inventory

        Hi team, We’ve connected Shopify with Zoho Inventory. We want that when an item is created in Zoho Inventory, it must create a product in Shopify. But currently, new items created in Zoho Inventory are not getting created in Shopify even after clicking

      • Bulk upload image option in Zoho Commerce

        I dont know if I am not looking into it properly but is there no option to bulk upload images along with the products? Like after you upload the products, I will have to upload images one by one again? Can someone help me out here? And what should I enter

      • Is it possible to setup bin locations WITHOUT mandating batch tracking?

        Hi fellow zoho users, I'm wondering if anyone else has a similar issue to me? I only have some products batch tracked (items with shelf life expiry dates) but I am trying to setup bin locations for my entire inventory so we can do stock counting easier.

      • Kill zoho meeting

        Saying the quiet part out loud. Can zoho please just give up on the idea that they can make a meeting platform and just make our workplace licenses cheaper when you remove it so people can switch to zoom or teams. Tired of the excuses, you guys cant make

      • Utilisation de Zoho en conformitĂ© avec l’article 286 du Code gĂ©nĂ©ral des impĂ´ts (CGI)

        Cher(e) client(e), Conformément à l’article 286 du Code général des impôts (CGI) impose aux entreprises assujetties à la TVA d’utiliser des systèmes de caisse ou de gestion commerciale certifiés lorsqu’elles enregistrent des ventes à des particuliers.

      • Unable to Create Task as a Support Administrator

        Hello! I want to ask for help regarding creating tasks within the tickets. I am by default the Support Admin. I should be able to create tasks or activities right? But there's a prompt that I need to contact the Administrator. See photos for reference.

      • Introducing Forms in Zoho Sheet

        We hereby bring you the power of ​forms in Zoho Sheet. ​Now, build and create your own customized forms using Zoho Sheet. Be it compiling a questionnaire or rolling out a survey, Zoho Sheet can do it all for you. Forms is an excellent feature that helps you collect information in the simplest of ways and having it in Zoho Sheet takes it a notch higher. Build Simple yet Powerful forms Building forms using Zoho Sheet is fairly simple. The exclusive 'Form' tab lets you create one quickly. Whether you

      • Layout one survey question in a time & redirect next Page based on previous response

        I have doubt while, I am scripting survey on the Zoho where I redirecting to next page based on my previous response but didn’t get success on this. Please help me on this and tell me how I layout one survey questions in a time when I submit response

      • Next Page