We Asked, Zoho Delivered: The New Early Access Program is Here

We Asked, Zoho Delivered: The New Early Access Program is Here

For years, the Zoho Creator community has requested a more transparent and participatory approach to beta testing and feature previews. Today, I'm thrilled to highlight that Zoho has delivered exactly what we asked for with the launch of the Early Access Program.

What's New
Zoho has introduced a dedicated Early Access section under Operations, where users can self-enrol to test upcoming features before they reach general availability. This is a significant shift—previously, beta access was often invite-only, inconsistently communicated, or required contacting support to request inclusion.
Note: The Early Access section is currently available only in Creator 6. If you're still on an earlier version, this is another compelling reason to consider upgrading.
Key Benefits:
  • Self-service enrollment: No more waiting for invitations or submitting support tickets
  • Transparency: All beta features are now listed in one discoverable location
  • Reversible: Each feature includes a toggle button—enable or disable based on your organisation's requirements without permanent commitment
  • Direct feedback channel: Early adopters can test and provide input before features go live
  • Account-level control: Admins can enable features when ready, at their own pace
Launch Features
The Early Access section launches with two compelling features:
Feature Description
New Themes A reimagined Theme Builder offering greater flexibility and control over customisation. This addresses long-standing requests for more granular theming capabilities beyond the current palette options.
Enhanced Mobile Metrics In-depth usage analytics for rebranded iOS and Android apps, powered by Apptics. Provides detailed insights into app performance and user behaviour—valuable data for understanding how users interact with your mobile applications.
Why This Matters
This represents a fundamental shift in how Zoho engages with the Creator community:
  • Democratised access: Any user can now participate in shaping the platform's future, not just those with enterprise contracts or direct Zoho relationships
  • Reduced friction: Features that previously languished in undocumented beta states can now be discovered and tested systematically
  • Improved feedback loops: Concentrated beta testing from engaged users means better quality releases
  • Community empowerment: Developers can plan and prepare for upcoming changes rather than being surprised by release notes
For those of us who have advocated for more community involvement in Zoho's development process, this is a welcome step forward. The promise that "going forward, any feature in its beta phase will be listed here" suggests this will become the standard channel for preview access.
How to Access
To enrol in Early Access features:
  1. Open your Zoho Creator Dashboard
  2. Locate the Operations tab in the left-hand navigation pane
  3. Select Early Access from the menu
  4. Review the available beta features and enable those you wish to test
Looking Ahead
This infrastructure opens exciting possibilities for the future. Features that the community has been requesting—whether that's enhanced report capabilities, new field types, or workflow improvements—now have a clear pathway from development to community preview to general availability.

Thank you, Zoho Team!

This is exactly the kind of community-focused development approach many of us have been requesting. The ability to self-enrol in beta programmes, test features in our own environments, and provide feedback before general release makes us genuine partners in the platform's evolution.

Community Discussion: Has anyone had a chance to test the new Theme Builder or Enhanced Mobile Metrics yet? I'd love to hear initial impressions and whether these features address the customisation needs you've encountered.


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