Function #4: Schedule Customer Statements
Regularly sending statements to customers is an imperative part of many business processes as it helps foster strong customer relationships and provides timely guidance on payments. While you can generate the statement of accounts and have it sent over whenever you want, Zoho Books also helps you automate this process through a custom function and workflow.
We've written for you the function that automatically sends statements to your customers on a regular basis.
Prerequisites:
To get this function running, you need to create a Date type custom field for the Customers module in the name "Statement Date". This is where you must input the date from which you want to start sending the statement to each customer. If you plan to select the same date for all customers, you can choose the appropriate custom date or relative date as the Default value when creating the custom field. For existing customers, you can utilize the Bulk Update option in the Customers module to update the field's value.
Now it's time to set up the custom function and workflow.
Custom Function:
To create the custom function, go to Settings -> Automation -> Custom Functions -> +New Custom Function, and set it up as shown below.
The script for the function can be obtained from this GitHub link. Do ensure that you also configure the Connection by the name "zbooks". Refer to the following GIF for a visual guide on creating the connection.
Workflow Rule:
Next, a workflow rule needs to be set up to activate this function. Navigate to Settings -> Automation -> Workflow Rules -> +New Workflow Rule, and configure the workflow this way:
For the workflow's Execution Time, you can enter a suitable time of your choice. Finally, select the custom function you created before saving the workflow.
There you have it! Your customers will now receive their statement of accounts on time, eliminating the need for your manual involvement. If you think this workflow saved you some valuable time and helped prevent mishaps, do leave a comment to let us know your story. We'd love to hear it from you.
In case you encounter any errors or need additional customization for the function, feel free to contact us at support@zohobooks.com. We'll be happy to provide assistance.
Regards,
Divya R
Zoho Books