Zoho CRM Community Digest - Aug 2025 | Part 1

Hey everyone! 
The first half of August went by, and we have a few announcements and some good noteworthy discussions. So, let's take a look at them! 

Product Updates:

Introducing Connected Records feature:

Zoho CRM’s Next-Gen UI now includes Connected Records, a powerful feature that streamlines cross-team collaboration by linking related records such as deals, demo requests, onboarding tasks or contracts across modules. Unlike traditional lookup fields, Connected Records are more dynamic and can be created manually, directly from the source module, or triggered via workflows, all without admin setup. This ensures teams get the right context at the right time, reducing dependency on emails and making hand offs seamless. For a full walkthrough and visuals, check out the post.

The Zoho CRM iOS app latest updates:
 

Streamline data collection on the go with Kiosk, now accessible from Blueprints, Record Detail view, Custom Buttons, and Canvas.  Make calls using Zoho Voice and RingCentral directly from the app for a more integrated calling experience. Voice notes and voice-to-text inputs are now extended to 5 minutes, facilitating easy addition of longer notes. WhatsApp Business messaging is now deep-linked from Business Card section and Record Detail view, enabling you to start chats with a quick tap. Want to see how it all looks? The full post includes handy screenshots and walkthroughs.

Introducing Connected Workflows:

Zoho CRM introduces Connected Workflows, a powerful new feature designed to automate the entire customer journey by connecting multiple teams and the CRM modules each team works with. Unlike traditional Workflows that operate within a single module, Connected Workflows let you set up trigger criteria and actions across multiple CRM modules, enabling seamless, collaborative automation tailored to how different teams work. Want to see how to build these step-by-step? Check out the post for a full walkthrough!

Control Timeline & Interaction Visibility in Zoho CRM with Profile-Based Permissions

Admins now have the power to manage who sees the Timeline and Interactions across modules in Zoho CRM. With this update, profile-based permissions let you enable or disable access to a record's history for each module, ensuring users only see information relevant to their roles. The feature is currently available in most data centers, with a broader rollout on the way. Check out this post to learn more.

Zoho CRM UI Update: Streamlined Activities Module:

Zoho CRM is rolling out a UI update focused on the Activities module, covering Calls, Meetings, and Tasks. Key interface elements have been reorganized to create a more consistent experience across the CRM. The Timeline tab now appears next to the Overview, and details like call reminders, RSVPs, and task follow-up messages are easier to access. The rollout is happening gradually across all data centers and editions. Check out the full announcement for more updates and a complete overview of all these changes.

CommandCenter 2.0:

Managing a lead's journey, service delivery, vendor coordination, or the entire customer lifecycle involves complex orchestration of processes, touchpoints, and customers. With CommandCenter 2.0, we've made that orchestration smoother, smarter, and more scalable. You can now group records from multiple modules into unified stages, trigger actions from custom events, and track customer progress using dynamic identifiers, no pre-built relationships required. It’s all about clearer orchestration, smarter logic, and more control over your customer touchpoints. Check the post for full details.

Quick Wins:

Tips for effective usage of Lookup fields:

@gbjork has a Technicians module and Submissions module that tracks job assignments with a lookup to the related technician. As the lookup field displays only the primary field, an auto-generated Tech ID, they wanted to include the technician name in the Submissions module. @Hugh Marshall clarified how the lookup association works and suggested clicking the lookup icon to open a detailed view showing additional technician details to help select the right technician. He also pointed out that hovering over the info icon quickly reveals the technician's name. Check out this post for full details.

Developer's Corner:

Create Custom SalesSignals via Developer Console:

SalesSignals is currently supported out of the box only for the Leads and Contacts modules. When @Rakesh Kumar needed to configure SalesSignals for a custom module, @Ishwarya pointed out that this can be achieved using APIs or Functions. @Hugh Marshall stepped in with a brief explanation and the required code to make it work. Check out this post for more details.

Flexible Placement for Custom Buttons:

@Nick wanted all custom buttons visible on the record detail page instead of being hidden in a drop-down, as they felt users might miss them. @Haiku Technical Support shared a smart workaround using a client script that dynamically lists all available custom buttons in a widget. When clicked, the widget triggers the corresponding button action on the underlying CRM page. @Hugh Marshall summed it up in one word: Awesome! Check out this post for more details!

And that’s a wrap for this fortnight’s Zoho CRM Community Digest.
Caught something cool we missed? Or have a favorite from this edition? 
Drop it in the comments! We’d love to hear from you. We’ll be back in two weeks with more updates and community gems. 

Until then, stay tuned!

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