Zoho Developer Community Monthly Digest – February 2025

Zoho Developer Community Monthly Digest – February 2025



Hello everyone,
​
First of all, an apology is in order—our January digest got swept away by a whirlwind of hackathon madness. But fear not, February's digest is here to make up for lost time! We’ve got everything from upcoming events like the Zoho Developer Hangout (with a special focus on Catalyst!) to our new Client Script Commands session. We also dive into resources like the latest Zoho CRM Developer updates and Kaizen posts to help you stay ahead. Plus, the community spotlight showcases real developer problem-solving moments, and some of the best insights shared in our Cliq channel.

So, without further ado, grab your favorite beverage, settle in, and let’s jump into the updates!

Previous Month Highlights
​
Before we dive into this month's updates, let's take a moment to celebrate the grand success of the ZDC Hackathon 2024. After 46 days of innovation, intense competition, and collaboration, we wrapped up the first-ever Zoho Developer Community Hackathon with a bang!

With over 1,000 participants, 797 teams, and representation from 45 countries, this truly was a global event. A special shout-out to all our participants—students, independent developers, customers, and partners—who brought their A-game to the table.

The judges had their work cut out, but after thorough evaluation, we're proud to announce the winners:



A massive thank you to everyone who participated and made this hackathon a tremendous success! You can check out all the category-wise winners on our website. Until next time, keep the innovation rolling and stay tuned for the next challenge!

Upcoming Events

Client Script

Title: Part 5: Introduction to Client Script Commands 
Date: March 11, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM IST & 8:00 PM IST (GMT+5:30)

In this session, we'll explore a new dimension of Client Script that enables users to trigger them anytime and anywhere in CRM, extending their event-driven functionality beyond just specific modules and pages. Using Client Script Commands, the user can either use custom keyboard shortcuts or command palette to execute Client Scripts. Click here for registration and more details.

Zoho Developer Hangout: Episode 19

Title: Catalyst for Zoho Developers
Date: March 13, 2025
Time: 8:30 AM CT / 8:00 PM IST

This session, presented by our power user @Christopher Mowers, is for Zoho developers who are familiar with typical approaches to working in the Deluge environment and who would like to learn to adapt to the approach that Catalyst requires. We will cover the Catalyst services that are most relevant to you as a Zoho developer and the fastest and most reliable ways to integrate your Catalyst layer with other Zoho applications. We will also cover important factors to consider when planning to use Catalyst as a part of your Zoho solution. Register now to get tips from the expert!

Zoho Community Developer Bootcamp – Deluge

Date: March 15 & March 29
Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM IST
Place: New Delhi & Mumbai

All applications must be automated to improve themselves as well as the businesses they serve. Zoho provides a plethora of relevant solutions for all your application needs. However, to cater to specific requirements and handle more complex business logic, we use our in-house scripting language—Deluge. Save your spot to immerse yourself in our engaging hands-on bootcamp, designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge to harness the full potential of Deluge for Zoho applications.

Catalyst 101

Title: Introduction to Catalyst
Date: March 18, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM IST & 8:00 PM IST (GMT+5:30)

Catalyst is a full-stack cloud development platform that simplifies the complex. Build, test, host, deploy, and optimize solutions like never before. Its easy learning curve eliminates complexities, empowering you to craft bold innovations at the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO). This is a four-part learning initiative that focuses on offering a thorough understanding of Catalyst—Zoho's cloud computing platform. Click here for registration and more details.

ZDK CLI (Zoho Development Kit Command Line Interface)

Date: Mar 20 | Apr 10
Time: 10:00 AM IST & 8:00 PM IST (GMT+5:30)

Managing metadata in Zoho CRM shouldn’t feel like navigating a maze. Yet, the endless clicks to modify profiles, roles, modules, or layouts—and the challenges of version control—can quickly become overwhelming. What if you could skip the hassle and manage your metadata effortlessly? Introducing ZDK CLI—your one-stop solution for streamlining metadata modifications, pushing changes directly from the command line, and tracking updates seamlessly with your preferred Version Control System (VCS). Register now to discover how to take control of your CRM workflow with ZDK CLI.

Extensions 101

Title: Zoho Projects – Modal Boxes
Date: March 27, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM IST & 8:00 PM IST (GMT+5:30)

This series aims to guide developers through the process of building extensions for various Zoho products using the Zoho Developer platform, Sigma. Our previous sessions in this series covered extension development for multiple Zoho products and highlighted the platform's key capabilities for developing efficient extensions. Register for the upcoming sessions, where we'll delve deep into developing extensions for Zoho products like Projects, CRM, Books, and Desk.

Learning Table Series

Title: Creator for the Logistics industry
Date: April 3, 2025
APAC & ANZ: 11 AM to 12 PM IST - Registration Link
EMEA: 4 PM to 5 PM IST - Registration Link
Americas: 9 PM to 10 PM IST - Registration Link

We designed this series to provide users with valuable insights and knowledge about Creator's capabilities in various business use cases and applications. We have adopted the 12 Months 12 Industries concept. Every month, we will focus on a specific industry, illustrating its unique processes with real-time business scenarios and how to make best use of Creator for that industry. Our previous webinar on Creator for the Manufacturing Industry was a success, and in the upcoming session, we'll be exploring Creator for the Logistics industry.
 
Creator Tech Connect

Title: Product Release Updates in Zoho Creator
Date: April 10, 2025
APAC & ANZ: 11 AM to 12 PM IST - Registration Link
EMEA: 4 PM to 5 PM IST - Registration Link
Americas: 9 PM to 10 PM IST - Registration Link

Creator's tech connect series would comprise of technical sessions that provide immersive training on the key essentials and technical nuances of building a solution in Zoho Creator. This is a great opportunity for our developer community to stay informed about Creator's new feature releases, product roadmap, best practices to follow while scripting in deluge, new deluge concepts, and cloud functions. In our previous session, we discussed enhancing dashboards with Javascript widgets in Zoho Creator. In the upcoming session, we will explore the recent product release updates in Zoho Creator.

Resource Spotlight

Info
We've consolidated all the resources from the developer community learning series into a centralized hub for your convenient access. Consider bookmarking our Zoho Developer Community website to stay informed about the latest updates in the developer community.
  • Zoho CRM Developer Updates:
    • Introducing Catalyst Solutions to streamline automation at scale with minimal effort. 
    • The Bulk Data Processor CodeLib, powered by Catalyst, offers a ready-to-use solution for bulk reading, processing, and writing large datasets. It automatically handles the setup with pre-configured resources. Simply add your custom processing logic, and let the solution do the heavy lifting for you!
    • Refer to our Getting Started guide for setting up and the GitHub Repository for Code Samples.
Fill out this Early Access Form to get this feature enabled for your account. This feature will tentatively be opened in the second week of April, 2025.
    • Client Script support for Subforms is now available across all DCs.
Subform events are triggered from user actions, such as adding or deleting rows or updating data in subform.
These events allow you to run Client scripts for validation, automation, or dynamic updates.
By leveraging Subform Events, you gain precise control over subform behaviour. Click here to view the announcement post. Click here to view the updated help document.
    • Client Script functionality is extended to Zoho CRM Portals, allowing businesses to enhance portal interactions without creating new scripts. We understand that many of you have been eagerly awaiting this enhancement, and we are pleased to inform you that this support is now live for US DC. We will update once its rolled out for other DCs. Click here to view the announcement post.
    • Python SDK - Upgraded python SDK supporting V7 APIs to version 4.0.0. GitHub, pypi.
    • Upgraded NodeJS SDK supporting V7 APIs to version 4.0.0.
    • Kaizen Posts

      • Kaizen 171 - Check out the frequently asked questions on the Zoho CRM COQL API in the Zoho Community Forum with answers.
      • Kaizen 172 - This post discusses how you can use the 'crmAPIResponse' object in a standalone function and use that REST API-enabled function as a Source in Queries.
      • Kaizen 173 - Comparing Zoho CRM REST APIs and Zoho CRM GraphQL APIs.
      • Kaizen 174 - Learn how to trigger Client Scripts anywhere within Zoho CRM, extending the scope of Client Script beyond standard pages and events.
      • Kaizen 175 - Learn how to configure a Settings Widget for your Zoho CRM extension to enable key configurations and enhance user experience.
      • Kaizen 176 - Learn how you can optimize your queries in different ways using record ID as a variable.

      • Kaizen 177 - This post explains the Duplicate Check Preferences API, the Upsert API, and their differences, along with real-time scenario.

      • Kaizen 178 - Learn in detail about Criteria and Filter support in Zoho CRM APIs, how to construct them, and explore the various comparators supported for different field types.

      • Kaizen 179 - Discover when to use ZDK CLI vs. Zoho CRM UI for CRM customization. Learn the best practices while using ZDK CLI.

  • Building extensions for Zoho Finance Suite applications: 
  • Zoho Finance: We've supported new SDK methods in widgets. You can now include a confirmation modal and display success and failure messages in your widgets. Additionally, we have created a separate help document for the widget locations supported in Zoho Books.

  • Zoho IoT: The Internet of Things is no longer a futuristic concept—it’s a driving force for innovation across industries. Zoho IoT simplifies the complexity of IoT, offering a low-code platform that empowers businesses to harness the full potential of their data. Learn all about how you can build, visualize, and automate your workflows with Zoho IoT.

  • The Ultimate Guide to Automation: Are you tired of spending time on repetitive tasks? Automating routine processes not only boosts efficiency but also frees up your team to focus on what truly matters. Discover how automation can streamline workflows, reduce errors, and drive business growth. 

  • Zoho Cliq: Stay ahead of the game with Cliq Bot Calls! Automate alerts, speed up decision-making, and keep your team in sync—all without lifting a finger. Find out how this feature can transform your workflow.

  • Zoho DataPrep: Data preparation is evolving, and 2025 is set to bring smarter, faster, and more automated solutions! From AI-powered cleaning to real-time data enrichment, stay ahead of the trends shaping the future of data. Explore the top data preparation trends for 2025.

  • Zoho RPA: Not all tasks are created equal—some are perfect for automation! Discover which business processes are best suited for Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and how automating them can save time and reduce errors.

  • Zoho Analytics: This article explores how Zia can help you leverage advanced analytics, helping businesses identify trends, predict outcomes, automate insights like never before, and make smarter business decisions.

Community Discussions

Zoho Developer Forum

Developers ZUG Cliq Channel

Info
These conversations are confined to the Developers ZUG Cliq channel members. If you're keen on becoming a part of this space, visit our website, click JOIN NOW, and complete the form to get an invite to the channel.

Ever feel like you're banging your head against a wall trying to figure out a tech problem? Well, you're not alone! This month, we saw some awesome examples of how a community of Zoho users can turn those frustrating moments into "aha!" moments.
  • Real People, Real Problems, Real Solutions:
    • Imagine you're coding a script, and suddenly, it just...stops working. That's what happened to @Andre. Instead of spending hours pulling his hair out, he asked for help. And guess what? @Mike spotted a potential cause right away—a sneaky change behind the scenes. That's the power of having experienced folks around!
    • Or picture this: you're trying to connect two apps, but you keep getting an error message. @Buddy Quaid ran into this with Zoho Writer and CRM. Thankfully, @Mike (again, our resident superhero!) explained the missing piece, and boom, problem solved.
    • And it's not just about fixing errors. @Himali was trying to figure out a tricky workflow in Zoho Inventory. The community jumped in, explained the process, and @Bijoy even suggested a workaround to make things smoother. That's how we learn from each other!
    • We also had a great chat about keeping track of all those automations and workflows. Anyone else feel like you're herding cats sometimes? It was awesome to see everyone sharing their tips and tricks.
  • Unlocking the Power of Zoho Together:
  • Why this matters? (especially if you're new here):
    • You're never alone: Tech can be confusing, but in a community like this, you'll always find someone willing to help. So, the next time you're stuck, just ask the community—someone might just have the answer (or three)!
    • Learn by doing: Seeing how others solve problems is a fantastic way to learn something new. 
    • Discover hidden gems: You might stumble upon a clever trick or workaround you never knew existed.
    • We talk about the practical stuff: Like how to manage and keep track of your automations and workflows across the Zoho platform.

Community Spotlight

Cliq Contributors

We want to express our sincere appreciation to all our community contributors. Your commitment, expertise, and the time you invest are invaluable to the community. 



For those who are new to the Zoho Developer Community, check out this post to get started. 

Make sure to follow the digest every month for the most recent updates and conversations. Stay connected and participate in the forums and the Cliq channel to be featured in the upcoming month's digest. Wishing you all an amazing month ahead!


SEE ALSO



      • Recent Topics

      • Tip of the Week #75– Manage your social media messages from a single shared inbox.

        Are you tired of jumping between apps or browser tabs to reply to your business's Facebook and Instagram DMs? Handling customer messages on social media might seem simple, but switching between multiple platforms can easily lead to lost messages, duplicate

      • Zoho Map integration tasks have changed - you need to "Locate all instances of Zoho Map integration tasks in your Deluge scripts by searching for the v1 marker... before 16 January 2026"

        The Zoho Map deluge integration task has been changed (as at 21 October 2025) to provide a more structured, JSON-like response. This change affects all three Zoho Map integration tasks (Geocode, Reverse Geocode, and Distance Between). More details can

      • Using files from Zoho CRM in Gemini/ChatGPT/Claude

        Hi all, I’ve got subscriptions to Gemini and a few other AI tools which I use for tasks like data enrichment, email composition, etc. In our workflow, we often receive various documents from clients — such as process workflows, BRDs/requirement documents

      • Zoho Analytics & Zoho Creator - Modified Time value

        I'm trying to use the Zoho Creator system field 'modified time' in Zoho Analytics, but it's consistently showing 12 hours 'out' In Zoho Creator In Zoho Analytics Is this a constant difference that I just need to correct with a timezone change - or is

      • Zoho CRM - Option to create Follow-Up Task

        When completing a Zoho CRM Task, it would be very helpful if there was an option to "Complete and Create Follow-Up Task" in the pop-up which appears. It could clone the task you are closing and then show it on the screen in edit mode, all the user would

      • Portal For Different Apps

        I found some older threads on this but didn't see anything very recent. I'm new to Zoho One so forgive me if my terminology is off a bit. I was hoping set up a single point of entry into Zoho One. So, many of the apps could be found in one single place

      • Calls undetected

        Zoho Voice records indicate my last call ended at 6:00 PM. All incoming and outgoing calls occurred between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM.

      • Unable to Select Authenticated Domain as Sender

        We’ve already authenticated our domain, but it’s still not appearing in the sender list when we try to run a campaign. Could you please check what might be causing this issue?

      • Zoho Projects - Project Details on the Project Menu

        Hi Project's team, I've helped may businesses setup and use Zoho Project and one thing I see time and time again is confusion on where to find the Project Details information. I would be much more intuitive if Project Details was on the menu before Dashboard.

      • Introducing WhatsApp integration in Bigin

        Greetings! In today's business landscape, messaging apps play a significant role in customer operations. Customers can engage with businesses, seek support, ask questions, receive personalized recommendations, read reviews, and even make purchases—all

      • Zoho Projects - Show Task List as dropdown field on Task records

        Hi Project's Team, I noticed today that there is no field on a task record related to the task list it belongs to. A dropdown would be helpful for quickly moving tasks between lists while in a task. I know that you can go to "Other Actions" and choose

      • My followed tickets extension is not working under the All departments view

        Hi. I've installed the My followed tickets extension. However, when I try to open the extension under the all departments view, I get the following message: 'Sorry, this extension is not supported in the All Departments view.' How can I solve this p

      • Ticket Time Entry to Timesheet

        The title just about sums it up. I have searched here and not found anything relevant, but If I overlooked, then please set me straight.  We have staff that do nothing but close tickets in desk all day long. These tickets represent their timesheet. Is there a way to have this information sync or for a tech to go into their timesheet themselves and sync it with their tickets of the same timeframe?? We waste a ton of time doing timesheets and the old "Clock in/Clock out" isnt detailed enough for us!!

      • Calls undetected.

        The call is not showing on the call log.

      • Calls undetected

        Zoho is not reading calls made.

      • Multi-currency and Products

        One of the main reasons I have gone down the Zoho route is because I need multi-currency support.  However, I find that products can only be priced in the home currency, We sell to the US and UK.  However, we maintain different price lists for each. 

      • Missing information data Zoho inventory

        there some missing data in Zoho inventory connection. pick list stock counts bin location we have requested it via mail and the support team doesn’t gove feedback. has anyone achieve to get these info or to ask other ya les

      • Calendar Events Issues

        Not able to view scheduled events on my calendar

      • Extensions 101 webinar series: Build, integrate, and monetize with extensions

        Attention developers! Are you ready to take your extension development skills to the next level? We're excited to bring back the Extensions 101 webinar series with an expanded lineup of Zoho products and an introduction to more platform features. Last

      • Custom Related List Inside Zoho Books

        Hello, We can create the Related list inside the zoho books by the deluge code, I am sharing the reference code Please have a look may be it will help you. //..........Get Org Details organizationID = organization.get("organization_id"); Recordid = cm_g_a_data.get("module_record_id");

      • Where are recordings stored?

        I have hosted a couple of test meeting, used the "record" button to start and stop the recording but I am unable to find where are those recordings saved?  Can anybody help? Thanks

      • Zoho Desk's integration with Microsoft PowerBI delivers advanced analytics insights

        Hello everyone, Gaining advanced insights through reports and dashboards is one of the critical requirements of every business. In addition to key metrics tracked in Zoho Desk, such as agent performance, SLA adherence, and ticket lifecycle, businesses

      • Create static subforms in Zoho CRM: streamline data entry with pre-defined values

        Last modified on (9 July, 2025): This feature was available in early access and is currently being rolled out to customers in phases. Currently available for users in the the AU, CA, and SA DCs. It will be enabled for the remaining DCs in the next couple

      • IMAP error message in Zoho mail

        I cannot send emails today. Everything fine for years until today. Get a message: "You are yet to enable IMAP for your account. Please contact your administrator". Does anyone know how to correct this?

      • IMAP stopped working today

        Hello! I've been a paid customer for more than 10 years, IMAP was always working fine. But today this is the error I've got on my iPhone: I've tried toggling the IMAP for my account (Mail -> Settings -> Mail accounts) off and on again, but that did not

      • Are custom portals accessible on the Zoho learn smartphone app?

        In other words, can users external to my organisation, once signed up, use the app in the same way as internal users? Thanks

      • Zoho Books/Inventory - Update Marketplace Sales Order via API

        Hi everyone, Does anyone know if there is a way to update Sales Orders created from a marketplace intigration (Shopify in this case) via API? I'm trying to cover a scenario where an order is changed on the Shopify end and the changes must be reflected

      • Conditional Layouts On Multi Select Field

        How we can use Conditional Layouts On Multi Select Field field? Please help.

      • Multiple columns in a form

        I am evaluating Zoho Creator. However, I am seeing almost no layout control on a form.  Just a basic 1 or 2 column format that is then imposed on the entire form.  That's not going to work for many, many real world cases. We need multiple columns per line, and we need each line/section to occupy a single column or be able to span the columns.   Someone please tell me that I'm missing something and the capability is actually there.  

      • Global search

        Hi! I think it would be great to have a global search that would give you results from all records of a database, no only for a single field of a single form as we have now. Thanks!

      • Any insights about API/v2? Having problem for a while.

        I don't know why it is throwing a 404 error, my report name is correct. Has someone had this issue and how you fix it?

      • Edit QR code with redirect to form

        Guten morgen, wir haben ein Formular Reklamation_erstellen. Dort soll ein QR Code erstellt werden, der im Lieferschein angezeigt wird. Beim Scannen auf dem soll das jeweilige Formular zum BEARBEITEN geöffnet werden. Leider bekomme ich es nur so hin, dass

      • Getting all the ingredients together for baking an app

        Good day everyone. After reading a lot of the help docs and watching videos, I now started on my app. To prevent hours and hours wasted on going down the wrong track, I would like some clarification on the following. But first some background: I have

      • Help Needed with Configuring ZC Microservice

        I'm attempting to create a simple microservice, but am running into problems with scope and auth. Using Custom API Builder, here's my setup: 1. Method: GET 2. Auth: OAuth2 3. User Scope: All users 4. Response: Standard 5. Function: A function that returns

      • Creator Simplified #10: Predefine Form Field Values and Make Them Read-Only for Users

        Hey Creators, Ready for this week's tip in the Creator Simplified series? Today, we will explore how to have read only fields in a form. Use Case: Assume a scenario where the default value for a Department field needs to be English Literature, but you

      • Zoho Mail : Email Outgoing Blocked

        I suddenly received the following message yesterday. I cannot send any mail. Please resolve as soon as possible, I cannot work without sending email. Dear User, We regret to inform you that your email outgoing has been blocked and you will not be able

      • Creator and Tables

        Good day. I am trying to create my first application. I have imported my data into Tables and am creating my app in Creator. I do not see my tables and cannot see how to write forms data to a table. Even the Workflow just uses the form. In one of the

      • customer Name and address details

        i created one application there is no customer details in that . how to add customer details and

      • Recalculate every row in the subform

        Hello, Can anyone help me with a script, please? I have an issue. Sometimes it happens, that in a multi row subform one of the rows show an incorrect row total value. Not really understand how it can happen, if I have a 20 row subform, 19 rows show correct

      • Creating Repeat Forms that remove redundancies

        I wanted to understand if you can make multi-layer forms that reduce the need for users to input information in again and again. We want a form that our suppliers fill out per ingredient they sell, and the end result should have the Ingredient (Section

      • Next Page