Kaizen #154 - Dynamically Update Picklist Values in Zoho CRM Workflows

Kaizen #154 - Dynamically Update Picklist Values in Zoho CRM Workflows



Hello all!
Welcome back to another interesting Kaizen post.
Today, we will discuss how to add automatically or remove values from a picklist field using Deluge within a workflow. This post serves as a solution for the forum post.

Use case

The sales team migrates users from Pipedrive to Zoho CRM. In Pipedrive, the team managed deals using a Kanban view displayed based on the Closing Months (a picklist field). They automated the updating of picklist values to include current and upcoming months based on the deals' closing timelines. 

In Zoho CRM, to replicate this process, users should manually update the picklist values. The requirement is to automate updating the picklist options during record creation or editing within a workflow.

Solution

By triggering the PATCH Fields API (introduced in V6) through a Deluge function within a workflow, this process can be easily automated. Automating picklist updates saves time, reduces the chances of human error, and ensures that picklist values are always up-to-date.
  • First, create a custom picklist field called "Closing Month" in the Deals module.
  • Then, use the custom picklist along with the Closing Date (a mandatory field date field in the Deals module) within a Deluge function in the Workflow. 
  • The PATCH Fields API can be used within the Deluge function to automate updating picklist values and to list the current and upcoming closing dates in deals.
Let us see the steps in detail on how to achieve this case.

Example

Consider the Closing Month as a custom picklist in the Deals module with three months: January, February, and March. Whenever a new deal is created and its closing month matches one of the picklist values, the record will be updated with the corresponding month in the Closing Month field and placed under the existing picklist value in the Kanban view. If the new closing month is not already in the picklist values, then the Deluge function will automatically create a new picklist value, and the record will fall under the new picklist value section in the Kanban view. 

Follow the steps below to achieve our case in Zoho CRM:
  1. Create a Custom Picklist Field in the Deals module.
  2. Set Up a Workflow.
  3. Add a Deluge Function within a workflow.
  4. Configure the Workflow.

1. Create a Custom Picklist Field in the Deals Module

  • Go to Setup > Customization > Modules and Fields.
  • Select the Deals module and the desired layout where you want to add the picklist.
  • Click on New Fields and then Add New Field.
  • Select Picklist as the field type, name it "Closing Month", and add a list of months (In this post, only three months have been added for example purposes).

                                  
  • Click Done to save the new picklist field.

2. Set Up a Workflow

  • Navigate to Setup > Automation > Workflow Rules.
  • Click on Create Rule, select the Deals module, and name the workflow in the Rule Name.
  • Set the rule to trigger on record creation or update.
                               
The workflow triggers based on the value of the Closing Date in the Deals module, executing the function when the Closing Date is not empty.


3. Add a Deluge Function within a workflow

You can either create a custom function or you can associate an existing one. Below is the Deluge code used within the workflow. 
  1. //To map months with Numbers
  2. month = {1:"Jan",2:"Feb",3:"Mar",4:"Apr",5:"May",6:"June",7:"Jul",8:"Aug",9:"Sep",10:"Oct",11:"Nov",12:"Dec"};
  3. //To retrieve the Deal record
  4. dealRecord = zoho.crm.getRecordById("Deals",dealRecordID);
  5. info dealRecord;
  6. //To retrieve the Closing Date
  7. closingDate = dealRecord.get("Closing_Date");
  8. info closingDate; 
  9. //To get the predefined value from the closing month
  10. closingMonth = month.get(closingDate.month());
  11. closingYear = closingDate.year();
  12. //To Format the Month and Year from the Closing Date
  13. picklistValue = closingMonth + " " + closingYear;
  14. info picklistValue;
  15. //Retrieving Current Picklist Values
  16. Dealsfield = invokeurl
  17. [
  18. url :"https://www.zohoapis.com/crm/v7/settings/fields/5725767000003664513?module=deals"
  19. type :GET
  20. connection:"zohocrm"
  21. ];
  22. info Dealsfield;
  23. picklistValues = Dealsfield.get("fields").get(0).get("pick_list_values");
  24. info picklistValues;
  25. //Checking if the Picklist Value Already Exists
  26. flag = false;
  27. for each  option in picklistValues
  28. {
  29. if(option.get("display_value").equals(picklistValue))
  30. {
  31.   flag = true;
  32.   info flag;
  33. }
  34. }
  35. //Adding a New Picklist Value if It Doesn't Exist
  36. if(flag == false)
  37. {
  38. requestBody = Map();
  39. requestList = List();
  40. requestData = Map();
  41. picklist = list();
  42. picklistobj = Map();
  43. picklistobj.put("display_value",picklistValue);
  44. picklist.add(picklistobj);
  45. requestData.put("pick_list_values",picklist);
  46. requestList.add(requestData);
  47. requestBody.put("fields",requestList);
  48. info requestBody + "";
  49. updateField = invokeurl
  50. [
  51.   url :"https://www.zohoapis.com/crm/v7/settings/fields/5725767000003664513?module=deals"
  52.   type :PATCH
  53.   parameters:requestBody + ""
  54.   connection:"zohocrm"
  55. ];
  56. info updateField;
  57. }
  58. //To update the Deal Record
  59. requestBody = Map();
  60. requestList = List();
  61. requestData = Map();
  62. requestData.put("Closing_Month",picklistValue);
  63. requestList.add(requestData);
  64. requestBody.put("data",requestList);
  65. info requestBody + "";
  66. dealreecordUpdate = invokeurl
  67. [
  68. url :"https://www.zohoapis.com/crm/v7/Deals/" + dealRecordID
  69. type :PUT
  70. parameters:requestBody + ""
  71. connection:"zohocrm"
  72. ];
  73. info dealreecordUpdate;


4. Configure the Workflow

Create a custom function by clicking the New Function or associate an existing one to the workflow. In our case, the deluge program has already been written and configured (associated) to the workflow. 

                            
  • Under the workflow actions, select Function and choose the function you created.
  • Ensure that the function is set to run when the workflow is triggered.

Creating a Deal with a Closing Date of January 2nd (Using an Existing Picklist Value)
                                               


Creating a Deal with a Closing Date of April 1st (Adding a New Picklist Value)



The new picklist value, which was not a value previously, has now been added to the picklist.

You can add values to a picklist field using the PATCH Field API. To remove an option from a picklist, use the Update Custom Layout API. Refer to the Sample input to mark picklist options as unused section in the Layouts API documentation.​

Cheers!!!

Related Links
Additional Links

      • Recent Topics

      • What is Resolution Time in Business Hours

        HI, What is the formula used to find the total time spent by an agent on a particular ticket? How is Resolution Time in Business Hours calculated in Zohodesk? As we need to find out the time spent on the ticket's solution by an agent we seek your assistance

      • Hide "Section" headers when using a form as a subform in "List view"

        When using a form as a subform and setting the "View Type" to "List View" it is not possible to hide the section headers. This can become an issue if I have a section which is not applicable to this subform and I hide the fields within that section and

      • Add additional field to quick search results

        IN the advanced search, we can add any field to the columns. In the regular search results (before you press enter, there is no option to modify the results. It would be super useful to include a custom field where it currently displays the pipleine

      • Books API Receiving an Error that Doesn't Make Sense when Creating Credit Note - trying to use 'ignore_auto_number_generation' argument

        Hello, I'm working on a newly created routine and I'm getting an error that doesn't make sense when trying to create a new Credit Note. Here is my POST request. Endpoint: https://www.zohoapis.com/books/v3/creditnotes?organization_id=########## Body:     {

      • Bug Report and Suggestions for Improvement in Zoho Applications

        Hi Zoho Team, I’d like to report a few bugs and improvement suggestions I’ve noticed while using Zoho products: Zoho Cliq Video Call: The camera sometimes turns off automatically during video calls. This seems to be a bug — please check and fix it. Zoho

      • Need Help: Updating Related Records via Subform Entries in Zoho Creator

        Hi everyone, I’m trying to set up a workflow in Zoho Creator where each row in a subform updates related records in another form automatically. Here’s the situation: My main form (e.g., “Receipts”) contains a subform where each row selects a related record

      • Zoho Desk - Community - Customer Portal - Description Field UX Improvement

        Hi Zoho Desk Team, As a prolific user of Zoho Cares Community, I find it very frustrating that I cannot increase the size of the Description box (this one which I am typing this message). Many apps with multi line text fields have a small handle in the

      • Add the same FROM email to multiple department

        Hi, We have several agents who work with multiple departments and we'd like to be able to select their names on the FROM field (sender), but apparently it's not possible to add a FROM address to multiple departments. Is there any way around this? Thanks.

      • Can I change the format of the buttons in the email templates?

        Hi all! We have been working hard trying to brand our email templates, and have some way to go yet. One of the things we can't seem to edit is the green ${Cases.CUSTOMER_PORTAL_BUTTON} button and the font of the View Ticket text. Is there any way of doing

      • Introducing parent-child ticketing in Zoho Desk [Early access]

        Hello Zoho Desk users! We have introduced the parent-child ticketing system to help customer service teams ensure efficient resolution of issues involving multiple, related tickets. You can now combine repetitive and interconnected tickets into parent-child

      • Zero Personalization of the File Sharing Experience

        By now (2025) this is the maximum level of personalization available for a Zoho sharing link. We gently asked Zoho if we could modify at least the background, and they replied that it cannot be customized. We're truly disappointed – and surprised every

      • Lead to Contact Conversion with multiple email address fields

        We are a B2C business with a strong repeat cycle, and as such it's not uncommon for customers to use multiple email addresses with us. We have both our Contacts & Leads modules set up with 3 email fields. (Primary Email / Secondary Email / Historic Email)

      • Introducing Dark Mode / Light Mode : A New Look For Your CRM

        Hello Users, We are excited to announce a highly anticipated feature - the launch of Day, Night and Auto Mode implementation in Zoho CRM's NextGen user interface! This feature is designed to provide a visually appealing and comfortable experience for

      • Does Thrive work with Zoho Billing (Subscriptions)?

        I would like to use Thrive with Zoho Billing Subscriptions but don't see a way to do so. Can someone point me in the right direction? Thank you

      • How to display two measures (sales and price) divided by categories on one line chart

        Hi everyone, I’m having trouble figuring out how to display two columns on a line chart with category breakdowns. What I need is a line chart where one line represents Sales and the other represents Price. However, the Price data is divided into around

      • Exporting Charts from ZohoCRM

        Hi...I'm relatively new to ZohoCRM, but very happy with it so far. I have all my leads and potentials accurately entered, and like the reports that I can view, with charts at the top of the data. But when I export the data, I'm receiving only the data, whether I export as excel, csv or pdf. How can I export both the chart and the data? In case it makes a difference, I'm using the free version right now. I tried researching the other editions to see if a paid version of the software offered the ability

      • Automatically Update Ticket Status in Zoho Desk Based on Actions in Zoho Projects

        Hi Zoho Desk Team, Hope you’re doing well. We’re using the Zoho Desk–Zoho Projects integration to manage tasks related to customer tickets, and it works well for linking and tracking progress. However, there are a few important automation capabilities

      • sms long credits

        I’m trying to purchase Long Code credits so I can send SMS campaigns to my contacts. However, when I click the “Buy Now” button, the page appears blank and doesn’t load any purchase options. Could you please assist me in purchasing the Long Code credits

      • Tip #48- Power Your AI Workflows with Zoho Assist on Zapier’s MCP- 'Insider Insights'

        We’re thrilled to announce that Zoho Assist is now part of Zapier’s Model Context Protocol (MCP), bringing remote support automation right into your AI ecosystem. What is MCP? The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is Zapier’s new framework designed to connect

      • Insert Cookie Policy in Zoho Sites

        Hello, i need to insert a banner on my site because i'm in Italy so i have to respect EU laws for Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy. I see that i need to insert a code in <head> section of my site to show a banner/popup with cookie info. How i can do this? Thank you Luca

      • Marketing Tip #1: Optimize item titles for SEO

        Your item title is the first thing both Google and shoppers notice. Instead of a generic “Leather Bag,” go for something detailed like “Handcrafted Leather Laptop Bag – Durable & Stylish.” This helps your items rank better in search results and instantly

      • Customer Parent Account or Sub-Customer Account

        Some of clients as they have 50 to 300 branches, they required separate account statement with outlet name and number; which means we have to open new account for each branch individually. However, the main issue is that, when they make a payment, they

      • Forced Logouts - Daily and More Frequent

        In the last month or so, I've been getting "power logged out" of all of my Zoho apps at least daily, sometimes more frequently. This happens in the same browser session on the same computer, and I need to re-login to each app separately after this happens.

      • ENTER key triggering Submit

        Is it possible to stopped the ENTER key from the mandatory triggering of the Submit button on Creator form? I want forms submitted "ONLY" when the Submit button is pressed. 

      • Is it possible to assign Client user to external task ON PROJECTS' TEMPLATES?

        Is it possible to assign Client user to external task ON TEMPLATES PROJECTS?

      • Draft & Schedule Emails Directly in Bigin

        Greetings, I hope all of you are doing well. We're happy to announce a few recent enhancements we've made to email in Bigin. We'll go over each one in detail, but here's a quick overview: Previously, you couldn't draft or schedule emails in Bigin, but

      • Zoho CRM Workflow and Function Backup Options

        Hi everyone! I have been able to make several backups of my CRM data and noticed that the Workflows and Functions are not included in these backups. To my knowledge, there is no backup feature for workflows and functions, which is problematic in of itself.

      • Cliq does not sync messages after Sleep on Mac

        I'm using the mac app of Cliq. When I open my mac after it was in sleep mode, Cliq does not sync the messages that I received. I always have to reload using cmd + R, which is not what I want when using a chat application.

      • Link to images

        I have added images in pages. I would like to link those images with linked in URL so that they open in new window. There is an option of image -> link but I am not able to use the same to open URL in new window. Please check the attached image. Can you

      • Canvas View - Print

        What is the best way to accomplish a print to PDF of the canvas view?

      • Respond faster and smarter with Zia in your IM Inbox

        You’re in the middle of a busy chat queue. New messages keep popping up. One customer sounds upset. Another is asking a long list of questions. You need context. You need speed. You need help. That’s exactly when Zia Insghts jumps into action. It shows

      • Meeting impossible to use when sharing screen

        he Meeting tool in Brazil is practically unusable when sharing anything, whether it’s a presentation or simple navigation. When accessed via Cliq, the situation gets even worse: even basic calls fail to work properly, constantly freezing. And as you are

      • Let's Talk Recruit: Meet Zia, your all-in-one AI assistant (Part-2)

        Welcome back to Let’s Talk Recruit series. In Part 1, we introduced Zia and how AI is reshaping the way recruiters work. This time, we’re taking a closer look at how far Zia has come and how each update continues to simplify your everyday tasks. When

      • WARNING : Smart list automatically unsubscribes your contacts.

        I created a smart list of my team members based on the criterion that their email domain was @_____. The list refreshed as expected — but it ended up unsubscribing almost all members of my team. I contacted support, but it took two months to get a reply,

      • Export Purchase orders as Excel

        Is it possible to export purchase orders as excel rather than PDF? Our suppliers don't want orders made in PDF, they need it to be excel

      • 5名限定 課題解決型ワークショップイベント Zoho ワークアウト開催のお知らせ (10/31)

        ユーザーの皆さま、こんにちは。Zoho ユーザーコミュニティチームの中野です。 10月開催のZoho ワークアウトについてお知らせします。 今回はZoomにて、オンライン開催します。 参加登録はこちら（無料）：https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BGYTysOnSqa9LA9eY2IKww ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Zoho ワークアウトとは？ Zoho ユーザー同士で交流しながら、サービスに関する疑問や不明点の解消を目的とした

      • Subforms in Stateless Forms

        Stateless Forms are very useful, but we can't build complex data entry pages without Subforms. Can this be implemented? This would make Stateless Forms truly powerful.

      • Custom Function not getting package details when triggered from Workflow Rules.

        I have a custom function for Packages that submits a form in our Creator app that we use to generate custom shipping labels (internal staff complete deliveries so we cannot generate shipping labels straight from Inventory). When the function is executed

      • Billing Preferences per Account

        Hello, We are trying to setup Billing Preferences in Zoho Desk to set up a different pricing per account. We charge different pricing per hour per customer/account. Account A = 100 per hour Account B = 125 per hour In the Billing Preferences in Time Entry

      • Time entry preview for custom time entry templates.

        Our company needed time entries in a specific format to document our client interactions. Since we are using a custom time entry layout, we have lost the "preview" on the time entry tab. Using the default time entry layout, you get a small preview of

      • Next Page