Extensions 101: Build Extensions for Zoho Finance suite

Extensions 101: Build Extensions for Zoho Finance suite



Hello Developers!

We are thrilled to announce our 5-day webinar series on building extensions for Zoho Finance Suite products.

Our first session was a resounding success, introducing Extensions, Zoho Developer, Zoho Marketplace, and the Zoho Books Developer platform. The session was not only informative, but also highly interactive. We look forward to continuing this momentum in our upcoming sessions.

If you missed the first session, you can find the recording below. To participate in our upcoming sessions of this series, you can register here.



As part of our commitment to your learning, we have carefully curated the questions received during the session and provided answers. We understand your questions are crucial to your understanding, and we are here to support you.
  1. Could you help us with more information related to Zoho Platform in general, Zoho Flow, and Zoho Creator.
    You can find the details about the different platform capabilities in the following link. https://www.zoho.com/developer/apps.html. You can also refer to this video, which explains the Zoho Developer platform and the different sections available in it.

  2. How do we make connections work in the test environment?
    The base URL for testing APIs in the developer portal sandbox is     https://extension-books.sandbox.zoho.com.
    The respective team is working on a fix to resolve this, so that "api_root_endpoint" from the Organization map can be used without any issues to test the APIs in the sandbox. We will keep you updated here in this post once the fix is rolled out live.

    [Updated on 02/Jul/2024]
    As mentioned earlier, the issue has been fixed and rolled out. Now, you can use the "api_root_endpoint" from the Organization map, which will automatically fetch the current environment's base URL. You can refer to the code snippet below for fetching Books information with your connection details:

    organizationID = organization.get("organization_id");
    apiEndpoint = organization.get("api_root_endpoint");
    respcontacts = invokeurl [
         url :apiEndpoint + "/contacts?organization_id=" + organizationID
         type :GET
         connection:"xxxxxxxxxx"
         ];

  3. What are the criteria to be considered while choosing to utilize a Private Extension or performing the customizations on a Zoho Books instance?
    A private extension would be helpful when you need to share a customized feature with multiple Zoho Books instances (orgs or users). Otherwise, you can go with product customization.

  4. Are global variables created in an extension accessible in other extensions/widgets?
    No, global fields can be accessible within the extension in which they were created. If necessary, visibility can be controlled within the extension.
    https://www.zoho.com/books/developer/extensions/configuration.html#global-fields

  5. Is it possible to connect WhatsApp business account with Zoho books along with its features?
    No. You cannot directly connect an application with Zoho Books. For any integration with Zoho Books, a secure and valid connection with the respective product must be established. Following that, you need to build the integration based on the use cases you plan to achieve. This implementation will depend upon the platform as well as the products' supported features.

  6. How do I construct data for items, materials, and prices without manually editing items as it consumes more time?
    With widgets and APIs, you can use your own user interface to create the respective module's records.

  7. Can we use global variables to store sensitive information needed for use by the extension/widget? What is the alternative to global variables?
    While reviewing the extension, we don't encourage storing users' sensitive information as per privacy policies. Other than that, if you need some data to be stored securely and used within an extension, global variables would be the best option. Otherwise, you can store it through a widget.

  8. Is the sandbox data retained between tests?
    Yes. The data will be retained.

  9. How do widget and extension share data?
    Similar to how you add various components to your extension, widgets are also added as a component. Unlike the other components, widgets must be embedded into Zoho Books at a specific, customizable location. Consequently, data or values defined within an extension will be accessible from a widget. The visibility and accessibility of the data can be controlled depending on how it is defined.

  10. Can I access the Zoho Developer from my Zoho Books?
    No. Zoho Developer is a free cloud platform that allows users to build different types of apps for Zoho products. You can only develop extensions for Zoho Books using this platform.

  11. Use case: When a contact is linked to a product in Zoho CRM, a new ticket needs to be created in Zoho Desk. To implement this, how can I connect to Zoho Desk to create a ticket?
    To implement your use case, you must create an extension for Zoho CRM with a connector for Zoho Desk. You can invoke the Desk API to create a ticket using that connector.

  12. Is approval from the Zoho Books team required for a private extension?
    Yes. A review of private extensions will be done for the initial phase. Since finance suite extensions involve financial data, the review is mandatory.

  13. Which Zoho Books plan is offered in the developer platform? Also, which plan of Zoho Books is required to test and install an extension?
    The Ultimate plan of the Indian edition is applied by default in the Zoho Books developer platform to build extensions. All the features available as part of the Ultimate plan will be available during your extension development on the developer platform.

    With regard to the plan required to test an extension, a 14-day trial plan should suffice. However, if you already have a paid org, it's recommended to have a Premium or above plan to test and install the extension. If you're using other paid plans, the suitability depends on the component's limits. Please refer to this link for more details: https://www.zoho.com/in/books/pricing/pricing-comparison.html?highlight=professional#:~:text=Customization%20and%20automation

  14. Should we post in the developer forum or write directly to the support email for suggestions and help.
    If your query is a support question related to a Zoho product, you can email the respective Zoho product's support email address. However, the developer forum is ideal if you want to validate your thoughts from other Zoho users. There are 100+ million users in the forum. The challenge you face could have already been shared and discussed by other users. Hence, the Zoho Cliq developer forum is an efficient mode of quick exchange of thoughts.

  15. When will the comments in threads be accessible to Cliq channel users in EU data center?
    We love for all customers across the world to come together, exchange knowledge, and grow together. Our Cliq team is working to address some bottlenecks, like checking the thread, regardless of your DC. We will be the first to update you once the feature is ready.

  16. How can I use the request method within a widget?
    We have SDKs for widgets to communicate with Zoho Books. The ZFAPPS.request() method will help you to make a network request. You can learn more here.

  17. Will there be support for SDK methods for package module in future?
    We have currently supported SDK methods for limited modules. We will add the missing modules in future updates.

  18. Does the get method work only when we are on a particular module?
    The get method helps you to get records' data only on specific locations. For example, consider that you are on the sales order page; you can get the 'salesorder' data only. If you require other details, you have to use the request method to initiate an API call.

  19. What is the difference between Integration and extension?
    The terms integration and extension are almost similar. Integrations include both API-built apps as well as platform-built apps.

    Extensions: We use this term to the apps that are built using the Sigma platform, wherein you can make enhancements to extend the existing functionality of a Zoho product by customising the product or connecting with other applications.

    API-built apps: These apps could be built in any development environment of your choice, and you would consume the respective Zoho product REST APIs to implement your use case. In these types of apps, you would be operating more on the data of the respective apps.

  20. What's an example of a web tab?
    Say you've created a Zoho Creator application to manage the manufacturing process, POS, or a specific aspect of your business. You can copy the embed URL and create a web tab for it. Now, you’ll be able to access this Zoho Creator application within Zoho Books instead of opening it in a separate browser tab.

  21. Can we have a Zoho Books web tab directly inside Zoho CRM? Finance is available, but it is limited in its functionality.
    No, the entire Zoho Books product cannot be constructed as a web tab inside Zoho CRM. In general, a web tab is used to embed a page inside the product. However, Zoho finance inside the Zoho CRM is an integration with additional functionalities.

  22. What happens if an extension is not approved after review? Can it not be published on the Marketplace, or can I not use it as well?
    An approved extension can only be deployed in the Zoho marketplace. If it is not approved, you can make the necessary changes and send it again for review. Until then, you can use the extension locally and share it privately with your customers.

  23. What is the size limit for data storage in the Zoho Books widget?
    Up to 10000 characters can be stored.

  24. For third-party integrations, can you host the API pull request on Sigma?
    Yes. To invoke third-party APIs, you can use the request SDK method. These topics will be covered in our upcoming sessions. Stay tuned :)

  25. Is there any charge for building and listing extensions?
    No, the Zoho Developer platform is free, and hence, there is no charge for building extensions or listing them in the Zoho Marketplace.

  26. Can we create extensions using trial account also? I am unable to create extensions for CRM in my trial account.
    In general, trial accounts can be used to test product functionalities. Since Zoho Developer is a free cloud platform, you can sign up for a Zoho Developer account and directly start with extension development. Also, the extensions for Zoho CRM can be developed using a Zoho Developer account in the U.S. DC only.

  27. In the Zoho Books widget, is there any method to retrieve records from another module without using the request method, perhaps through any SDK methods?
    Sorry, this is not possible right now.

  28. As an individual developer and not a company, is it possible for me to create extensions?
    Yes, you can go ahead and create extensions if you have a Zoho Developer account.

      • Recent Topics

      • Directory Websites

        Directories are a good website category to gain search engine traffic. Directories for a professional service category as an example can help their members in search results over their individual website. It would be nice to have a directory template

      • Manage Task on Mobile

        How do we manage our task on mobile devices? It seems that there should be a standalone mobile app to handle the new task features. The new features released in regards to Task management are great by the way! Now we need to bring that all together in

      • Set Default Payment Method & Default account

        Hi, I would like to know how to set the default payment method and default bank account when recording payments in zoho books. At present we have to change these fields everytime we record a payment, which leads to potential error and as we have a very

      • Customer Portal on Zoho Desk

        Hi, I'd like to know more about the items below I found when setting up the Customer Portal on Zoho Desk. Could someone help me explaining these in details? Especially the 2nd and 3rd point. Thanking you in advance! Permissions Customers can sign up for Customer Portal Customers can view tickets of their organization (contacts) Customers must register to access Customer Portal Display Community in Customer Self Service portal

      • Slow Performance on desk.zoho.com. 11/3/2025

        I’m not seeing any active service alerts for desk.zoho.com, but everyone on our account is currently experiencing very slow load times when opening or navigating tickets. We’ve already tried the standard troubleshooting steps — clearing cache and cookies,

      • Computer Showing Offline in Unattended Access

        I have a computer that was connected to the internet but showing offline in Assist. I tried uninstalling the program and deleting it from Zoho Assist the reinstalling and it still does not show up. I have been a user for several months and am not pleased with the lack of connectivity with Assist. If this continues I will have to find another product. The computer I reinstalled it on is not even showing up in Assist now. The name is NYRVLI-PC. Thanks

      • Closing Accounting Periods - Invoice/Posting dates

        Hi, I have seen in another thread but I'm unsure on how the 'transaction locking' works with regards to new and old transactions. When producing monthly accounts if I close December 24 accounts on 8th Jan 25 will transaction locking prevent me from posting

      • Zoho CRM Portal Error

        Hi, We’re experiencing an issue with the Zoho CRM Portal. When we try to access it, we receive an HTTPS connection error: net::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID. If we proceed past that, we then get a 400 Bad Request error. Could you please help us resolve

      • Can we do Image swatches for color variants?

        We want to do something like the attached screenshot on our new zoho store. We need image swatches instead of normal text selection. We want to user to select an image as color option. Is this doable? I don't see any option on zoho backend. Please h

      • Integrating Zoho CRM EmbeddedApp SDK with Next.js — Initialization and Data Fetching Issues

        You can get an idea from my code I have given in end: First, I worked on a React project and tried the same thing — it worked. My goal was to import the Zoho script and then load contacts using the Zoho Widget SDK, which was successful in React. Now,

      • Script Editor not an option

        I am trying to apply a script to a sheet and Script Editor is not an option. I don't want to go outside Sheets to do this (like Creator) if it can be done inside Sheets.

      • monetizing the courses

        Can I add a price for course enrollment ?

      • Can we add zoho books features like invoices estemates etc on our zohocommerce website. When our customer login with their account they can able to see all books features in one place on zohocommerce?

        Can we add zoho books features like invoices estemates etc on our zohocommerce website. When our customer login with their account they can able to see all books features in one place on zohocommerce?

      • Copy paste from word document deletes random spaces

        Hello Dear Zoho Team, When copying from a word document into Notebook, often I face a problem of the program deleting random spaces between words, the document become terribly faulty, eventhough it is perfect in its original source document (and without

      • Create custom rollup summary fields in Zoho CRM

        Hello everyone, In Zoho CRM, rollup summary fields have been essential tools for summarizing data across related records and enabling users to gain quick insights without having to jump across modules. Previously, only predefined summary functions were

      • Download a file from within a zoho creator widget

        I have a widget running in Zoho Creator , it displays uploaded documents in a table file, and I have added a download link in the view. ( The widget is created with html, css and javascript). I do not succeed in getting the download working. Do I have

      • Taxes for EU B2B Transactions

        Currently, ZC doesn't seem to have a procedure for validating VAT numbers of businesses purchasing in another EU state, and removing local VAT is valid. This is essential for all inter EU B2B trade.

      • Unable to Receive Emails on Zoho Mail After Office 365 Coexistence Setup – Error: 553 Relaying Disallowed

        Hello, My domain name is bigniter.com, and I’ve been using Zoho Mail as my email service provider without any issues. Recently, I followed the steps outlined in the Zoho documentation to enable Coexistence with Office 365: 🔗 https://www.zoho.com/mail/help/adminconsole/coexistence-with-office365.html#multi-server

      • Enhance Sign CRM integration

        Hello all, I'm working on a custom Deluge script to enhance the integration between Zoho CRM and Sign by using a writer merge template for additional flexibility. I want to replicate the post-sign document integration that exists between CRM and Sign

      • CRM Related list table in Zoho analytics

        In Zoho Analytics, where can I view the tables created from zoho crm related lists? For example, in my Zoho CRM setup, I have added the Product module as a related list in the Lead module, and also the Lead module as a related list in the Product module.

      • Candidate Registration/Invitation

        It would be great to include the 'invite' candidate functionality into some of the automation functions - ether through a custom function trigger or webhook or accessible through an email template.  Currently there is no way to add this functionality into any workflows or blueprint steps which, I find limits the ability to invite candidates to engage with us directly through our candidate portal. 

      • [Free Webinar] Learning Table Series - Creator for Infrastructure Management | A Partner-driven collaborative session

        Hello Everyone! We’re excited to invite you to another edition of Learning Table Series, where we showcase how Zoho Creator empowers industries with innovative and automated solutions. About the Learning Table Series The Learning Table Series is a free,

      • Where we can change the icon in social preview

        Hi, we changed our logo, and the image that appear in preview (ex : when we post a appointment link somewhere) is still our old logo. I did change our logo in the org setting. https://bookings.zoho.com/app/#/home/dashboard/settings/basic-info?clview=false

      • Cadences

        I have just started using Cadences for follow-up up email pipeline. Is it just me or do you find the functionality very basic? For example, it will tell me (if I go looking for it) if someone has replied to a follow-up and been unenrolled; but it won't

      • I have error AS101 when I try to add paypal@mydomain.com to Zoho

        Please help me with this. I tried to call the help line 4 times but don't get any response.

      • VAT on Multiple Expenses

        Firstly, might I say I am based in Ireland, and I'm not an accountant, and therefore my understanding of procedures could be somewhat limited. Scenario. An employee pays for items throughout a month, and therefore their claim for expenses includes multiple items - some of the items are VAT deductible (eg, an IT product) and some are not (eg, a client lunch). Discovery The odd thing in ZBooks, is that whilst it seems possible to add a VAT rate to a one-off item of expense, it is not possible to add

      • Detect and ignore bots in visitors

        The SalesIQ visitor numbers are basically useless to us because there is no bot detection. We get the same bots coming in from the same countries looking at the same pages every day. It can't be that difficult to tell the difference between an actual

      • Agent assignment filter?

        Godo day, We are starting to play with FSM to see if it's going to work for our needs. Now so far we have found that it's very restrcitve in the field department you you have layout rules or can't even hide fields depending on the users roles. We can't

      • 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

      • In arattai received message can't be deleted

        The issue has been noticed in following: arattai app (Android) arattai app (Window) arattai web While the message posted by me may be deleted, the ones received from others can't be. The item <Delete> change to <Report> when the message is a received

      • is it possible to add more than one Whatsapp Phone Number to be integrated to Zoho CRM?

        so I have successfully added one Whatsapp number like this from this User Interface it seems I can't add a new Whatsapp Number. I need to add a new Whatsapp Number so I can control the lead assignment if a chat sent to Whatsapp Phone Number 1 then assign

      • Kiosk Page Refresh

        We have a Kiosk running from a button in contacts to update values and also add related lists, which works great, but when the kiosk is finished the page does not refresh to show the changes. Is there a way to force the contact to refresh/update when

      • Tips & tricks: Make SalesIQ automations work for you

        Every day, thousands of visitors land on your website. Some browse, some buy, and some leave without a word. But, wouldn’t it be great if you could automatically know who’s interested, engage them at the right moment, and never miss a lead, and all this

      • Add Custom Reports To Dashboard or Home Tab

        Hi there, I think it would be great to be able to add our custom reports to the Home Tab or Dashboards. Thanks! Chad

      • Digest Octobre - Un résumé de ce qui s'est passé le mois dernier sur Community

        Chers utilisateurs, Faisons le point sur les temps forts du mois d'octobre au sein de notre Community Zoho France. Partager des informations sensibles, comme des mots de passe, peut vite devenir compliqué et risqué. Les données circulent par email ou

      • How do I fully delete a user account

        Hi, I have two old accounts on my CRM which are inactive and show as 'Closed' in the list of users. BUT they are basically still there. How do I fully delete these accounts? They appear in some parts of CRM still such as the on the contact record emails

      • Automatically Add Recurring Zoho Meeting Events to Zoho Calendar / Zoho Meeting Calendar

        Hello Zoho Meeting Team, Hope you are doing well. We would like to request an enhancement regarding recurring meetings created inside Zoho Meeting. At the moment, when we schedule a recurring meeting in Zoho Meeting, it does not appear in Zoho Calendar

      • Credit Management: #6 Tackling Common Mistakes in Credit Based Billing

        Businesses extend credit to build relationships, make buying easy, and drive more sales. But somewhere between extending and collecting, things begin to slip. A few late payments here and there, an overlooked invoice, and a backlog make cash flow feel

      • Tasks Statuses

        Hi, The task status "Completed" is a final status which closes the task. We need to have a status "Cancelled". However, when the status is set to "Cancelled", the task prompt still has a blue button to Close Task. When the customer clicks that and closes

      • Updating Blueprint stage from my Deluge function

        Hi all, I need to update the blueprint stage. Its almost working, but ONLY if the current Deal stage is 'Closed Lost'. On any of my custom stages that Ive specified in the pipeline it doesnt work! My code: dealmap = Map(); deal_stage = deal.get("Stage");

      • Next Page