Kaizen #161: Global Sets using Zoho CRM APIs

Kaizen #161: Global Sets using Zoho CRM APIs

 Hello all!
In this week, we will see how to work on the Global Sets using our Zoho CRM APIs. Global Picklist APIs were introduced in Zoho CRM API version 6.

In this post, we will cover the following
  • Global Sets in Zoho CRM
  • Advantages of the Global Sets
  • Use case
  • Create a Global Set using the POST Global Picklist API
  • Use the Global Set with a Picklist Field in the Required Modules
  • Update the Global Set Values Using the PATCH Global Picklist Field API
  • Conclusion

Global Sets in Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM offers an efficient way to maintain a set of data that will be used commonly across the modules to maintain accuracy via the Global Sets or Global Picklists.
Global Sets or Global Picklists are collections of picklist values that can be associated with multiple picklists across modules. When you create Global Sets, you define a set of values that can be associated with fields in different CRM modules, ensuring uniformity in data input across your organization. Refer to this link to know more about Global Sets.

Advantages of Global Sets

  • Consistency: The same list of values is available across multiple modules, reducing errors and inconsistencies in data entry.
  • Time-saving: You do not have to update picklist values in each module manually. Once updated centrally, changes reflect across all associated fields in all modules.
  • Scalability: Easily expand your picklist when your business grows, adding new values (e.g., Adding new showroom location for franchises) without repetitive work.
  • Easy Management: Centralized management of picklist values means less administrative work.

Use case

Global Picklist for Showroom Locations at Zylker Electronic Franchise 
Zylker, an electronics business franchise, operates several showrooms across multiple cities, all managed in Zoho CRM. As the franchise expands, they need to add new showrooms to various modules such as Leads, Deals, and Services frequently.  Whenever a new showroom opens, they can update the Global Picklist, ensuring that all modules are updated instantly and preventing inconsistencies.
In these situations, different teams manually entering showroom locations in the picklist field can lead to mistakes like typos or different spellings of the same location.
By implementing a Global Picklist for "Showroom Location," Zylker ensures that all teams select from the same list of showroom locations.

Create a Global Set using the POST Global Picklist API

Create a Global Set with the desired values. 

Request URL:  {api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/global_picklists
Request Method: POST

Request Body: 

{
    "global_picklists": [
        {
            "display_label": "Showroom Location",
            "description": "Use this picklist option to manage showroom locations across all modules in your CRM.",
            "pick_list_values": [
                {
                    "display_value": "New York Showroom",
                    "sequence_number": 1,
                    "actual_value": "New York Showroom"
                },
                {
                    "display_value": "Los Angeles Showroom",
                    "sequence_number": 2,
                    "actual_value": "Los Angeles Showroom"
                },
                {
                    "display_value": "Chicago Showroom",
                    "sequence_number": 3,
                    "actual_value": "Chicago Showroom"
                },
                {
                    "display_value": "Houston Showroom",
                    "sequence_number": 4,
                    "actual_value": "Houston Showroom"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}


If the API call is successful, a global picklist will be created with the specified options. The following GIF demonstrates the newly created global picklist in the UI.



Use the Global Set with a Picklist Field in the Required Modules

Create picklist fields in the required modules, such as Leads and Contacts, and link the created Global Set with a picklist field in modules using the Create Custom Field API.

Follow the below steps to link the created Global Set with a picklist field in a module.

Step 1: Retrieve the unique ID of the Global Set 

Retrieve the unique ID of the created Global Set using the GET - Global Picklists API to link it with a picklist field. The below URL retrieves all Global Sets in your org.

Request URL: {api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/global_picklists
Request Method: GET

Response:


The API retrieves all available Global Sets in the organization.

In this case, the "Showroom Location" field needs to be associated with the modules, and its unique ID is 5725767000004230002. Use the following request URL to view the specific global picklist field along with its options.

Request URL: {api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/global_picklists/5725767000004230002
Request Method: GET

Response:



Step 2: Use the Global Set in the desired module

Create a new picklist field in the required modules and associate the "Showroom Location" Global Set with the picklist field.
  • Leads - To track customer inquiries by showroom location.
  • Deals - To monitor sales by showroom location.
  • Sales Orders - To process orders based on showroom location.
  • Service Requests - To handle customer service tickets by showroom location.
This post uses the "Leads" module as an example. Use the Create Custom Field API to associate the Global Set with the Leads module.

Request URL: {api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/fields?module=Leads
Note: The module parameter is mandatory to create a field in a module.
Request Method: POST

Request Body:


{
    "fields": [
        //Associating the Showroom Location Global Set with the Leads module
        {
            "field_label": "Showroom",  //The Showroom field in the Leads module, where the "Showroom Location" Global Set is associated

            "data_type": "picklist", //To associate a global picklist, use the data type "picklist"
            "global_picklist": {
                "id": "5725767000004230002" //ID of the global picklist
            }
        }
    ]
}


Response in the UI:



Use the above process to create the Global Set across modules using the Create Custom Field API. 

Below are the request URLs to associate the field with other modules as per our use case:

  • {api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/fields?module=Deals
  • {api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/fields?module=Sales_Orders
  • {api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/fields?module=Service_Requests


Update the Global Set Values Using the PATCH Global Picklist Field API

Any changes made to the Global Set will automatically reflect across all modules associated with it. Use the PATCH - Global Picklist Field API to update the values in a Global Set.

Request URL: 
{api-domain}/crm/{version}/settings/global_picklists/5725767000004230002
Request Method: PATCH

Request Body:


{
    "global_picklists": [
        {
            
            "pick_list_values": [
                {
                    //"display_value": "New York Showroom", 
                    "id": "5725767000004230003", 
                    "type": "unused" // to move the option to the unused state
                },
                {
                    "display_value": "Chicago Showroom",
                    "sequence_number": 3,
                    "actual_value": "Chicago Showroom",
                    "id": "5725767000004230007",
                    "type": "unused",
                    "_delete": null // deleting the option from the global Field
                },
                // Creating a new option or adding a new showroom location to the Global Set 
                {
                    "display_value": "San Francisco Showroom",
                    "actual_value": "San Francisco Showroom"
                },
                {
                    "display_value": "Boston Showroom",
                    "actual_value": "Boston Showroom"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}



Using the PATCH Global Picklist API, you can easily manage and perform various operations. In the above request, Zylker performed the following operations:

  • Moving an Option to Unused State: The "New York Showroom" option is marked with "type": "unused", meaning the showroom is moved to the "unused" state, indicating the option is no longer active but has not been deleted from the system.
  • Deleting an Option: The "Chicago Showroom" option is deleted from the picklist field using the  "_delete": null, meaning the option is removed or deleted from the system and is no longer valid.
  • Adding New Options: In addition to the above operations, two new showrooms namely "San Francisco Showroom" and "Boston Showroom", are added to the field using the "display_value"(mandatory) and "actual_value" (optional), as Zylker expands its franchise to new cities and manages them across the modules.
Note: The updated value will replace its old value in areas such as Records, Criteria, Workflow Actions, and Field Dependency. 

Conclusion

Hence, the Global Sets help Zylker keep the showroom location list up-to-date and consistent across modules, making it easier to manage showroom locations in their CRM system.

We trust that this post meets your needs and is helpful. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section or reach out to us at support@zohocrm.com
Stay tuned for more insights in our upcoming Kaizen posts!

Cheers!!!





      • Sticky Posts

      • Kaizen #197: Frequently Asked Questions on GraphQL APIs

        🎊 Nearing 200th Kaizen Post – We want to hear from you! Do you have any questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in future posts? Your insights and suggestions help us shape future content and make this series better for everyone.

      • Kaizen #198: Using Client Script for Custom Validation in Blueprint

        Nearing 200th Kaizen Post – 1 More to the Big Two-Oh-Oh! Do you have any questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in future posts? Your insights and suggestions help us shape future content and make this series better for everyone.

      • Celebrating 200 posts of Kaizen! Share your ideas for the milestone post

        Hello Developers, We launched the Kaizen series in 2019 to share helpful content to support your Zoho CRM development journey. Staying true to its spirit—Kaizen Series: Continuous Improvement for Developer Experience—we've shared everything from FAQs

      • Kaizen #193: Creating different fields in Zoho CRM through API

        🎊 Nearing 200th Kaizen Post – We want to hear from you! Do you have any questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in future posts? Your insights and suggestions help us shape future content and make this series better for everyone.

      • Client Script | Update - Introducing Commands in Client Script!

        Have you ever wished you could trigger Client Script from contexts other than just the supported pages and events? Have you ever wanted to leverage the advantage of Client Script at your finger tip? Discover the power of Client Script - Commands! Commands

        • Recent Topics

        • Tip #42 – How to manage data security with Privacy Settings – 'Insider Insights'

          Data privacy is a cornerstone of trust in remote support. Through Privacy Settings in Zoho Assist, you can set up how data is gathered, stored, and handled in your organization. These settings ensure compliance, data protection for sensitive details,

        • Zoho DataPrep and File Pattern configuration

          I'm using Zoho data prep to ingest data from One Drive into Zoho Analytics... The pipeline is super simple but I can't any way to get all the files that I need. Basically I need to bring all the files with a certain pattern and for that I'm using a regex

        • 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

        • Quick Item Search & Auto-suggestion for Invoices

          Hi Team, I am facing an issue while creating invoices in Zoho Books. Currently, I have to type the full item name in the correct sequence and spelling for it to appear. For example, my item name is: "Distemper Acri Silk Special White 10kg" If I type something

        • Ticketbai! en el Pais Vasco

          Hola a todos, En enero de 2.022 se va a implantar en el país vasco un nuevo sistema de facturación, denominado ticketbai!, ¿hay alguna previsión de realizar las adaptaciones en zoho books o zoho invoices? Ignoro la cantidad de clientes que tienen estas

        • Zoho CRM mobile app feature update: home page widgets, field tooltips and user image upload

          Hello everyone! Your business doesn't pause when you're on the move, and neither should your CRM. That's why in our latest update, we've introduced a few new features to make your mobile CRM experience smoother and more efficient. Let's take a quick look

        • Zoho CRM Plain Text Template: Line Breaks and Formatting Issue

          Hello, I'm following the instructions to create email templates in Zoho CRM, but I'm having a problem with the plain text version. https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/kb/zoho-sign/integrations/zoho-apps/zoho-crm/articles/zoho-crm-email-templates#Steps_to_create_a_custom_email_template

        • Optimizing Task Handling: Auto-Remove Recurrence for cancelled Tasks.

          Hello Everyone, A Custom function is a user-written set of code to achieve a specific requirement. Set the required conditions needed as when to trigger using the Workflow rules (be it Tasks / Project) and associate the custom function to it. Requirement:

        • Important updates to your connectors

          Hello everyone, Greeting from Zoho Creator! We're excited to announce that we'll be rolling out significant backend updates to Zoho Creator's built-in connectors to enhance security by following the latest frameworks. The existing version of some of the

        • Create, collaborate, and manage agreements with Zoho Sign

          Agreements drive business. We launched Zoho Sign in 2017 as a simple digital signature tool to sign agreements from anywhere, at any time. Over the years, we've learned that most agreements go through last-minute changes before they're signed. Our users

        • Function #25: Automatically generate purchase orders from a sales order

          We kicked off the "Function Fridays" series with the goal of helping you automate your everyday accounting tasks. As we delve into today's post, I'm delighted to announce that we're here to present the 25th custom function in this series. While it is

        • DNS set up

          I want to create an email with my company domain. When I tried to add new record with cloudflare it didn't work. The DNS record can't be manually added. I followed the instruction but still can't add it. Could you help?

        • hiding a topic from all but one segment (or list)

          My organization sends out a number of newsletters using Zoho Campaigns. One of those newsletters is for volunteers. In order to become a volunteer, a person has to first go through our volunteer orientation (training). After that, they can receive newsletters

        • How do I set up this automation correctly?

          When contacts enter my Subscribers list, I want it to reference a custom field to see if it is empty. Then I want it to do two things: If empty: Assign a tag based on a different custom field. If that custom field is empty, assign a different tag. If

        • Function #62: Display associated Quote on Invoice details screen

          Hello everyone! Today, we are sharing a Related List script that makes it easy to view and access the quote from which an invoice was created right from the invoice details screen. This Related List displays the Quote number and Amount, allowing you to

        • Desk x CRM Integration

          Howdy! We currently use SalesIQ but we are considering moving across to Desk as it seems to have more functionality that we want. One of the pulls is the ability for our customers to self serve. But, I might be getting over excited and not actually need

        • Function #53: Transaction Level Profitability for Invoices

          Hello everyone, and welcome back to our series! We have previously provided custom functions for calculating the profitability of a quote and a sales order. There may be instances where the invoice may differ from its corresponding quote or sales order.

        • Issue with Save & Share Link – Works for Others but Not Creator

          I’ve enabled the "Save and Share" feature in Zoho Forms, and it works correctly for all users accessing the public link—except for me (the form creator). Issue Details: When I save and share the link, recipients see a “no permission” error. The form is

        • Save the pdf report from a registration form in a Folder

          Through Zoho Forms I created a registration form with quite a lot of rules to handle different variables (TEAM types, payment in installments, etc.), and the result is pretty good. The automatic PDF that is sent to the respondent upon submission is already

        • zoho forms integration to zoho work drive

          Scenario: A user fills out a Zoho Form, entering details such as email, mobile number, and other required information, and uploads supporting documents like PAN, Aadhaar, etc. Upon submission, the data is available in Zoho Forms Reports. Requirement:

        • Zoho Forms to Zoho CRM Integration failed - can I restart it?

          The integration of Zoho Form to Zoho CRM has failed. Is there a way for me to restart it for the impacted entry?

        • insert an equation, but in document, it shows an image not available.

          I'm new to Zoho writer and used Zoho writer in desktop app version . When I inserted an equation, I got an image not available sign. Any help is appreciated. Thanks, Charles

        • Zoho Desk Android app update - Swipe action customization

          Hello everyone! We have brought in support for the swipe action customization in latest version(v2.9.13) of the Zoho Desk Android app update, enabling you to configure left and right swipe gestures on tickets to carry out the actions swiftly without opening

        • Import KB template OR Export template for zoho desk?

          Greetings. Can you tell me if there is a way to get an EXPORT of my KB articles? OR is there a template you supply for importing KB articles into my zoho desk? I am looking for a method of understanding what fields can be imported, and what their possible

        • XML format to import knowledgebase into Zoho Desk

          Hi, We just started to use Zoho Desk and want to import our knowledgebase from our old support system (Freshdesk) to Zoho Desk. Can anyone give us information about the format of xml file to import? There is no explanation on the related page.

        • Zoho Desk integration with Power BI

          Hi, I want to be able to create a Power BI report which has live updates of ticket data from zoho desk, is this possile at all? Thanks Jack

        • Arranging Ticket Templates

          Is there any way to arrange our ticket templates? It doesn't look very organised when it's just arranged according to when they were created. We want the list to look more organised, by arranging/grouping them by topics, or even just by alphabetical

        • What they mean with "Portal"?

          I just downloaded this app to take my personal notes on digital art studio because it seemed to me the most comfortable app to do it, I use it very often, what do they mean by “no activity on your portal”? I have about 1 year of work here and I don't

        • favorites no longer listed

          Hello, I can no longer navigate to my Favorites from the pulldown at the top of my grid view (see attached screenshot). I wasn't able to find it anywhere! Please help me display my Favorites. Thank you!

        • Notecards Disappeared

          Got a new phone. Downloaded and signed in Zoho Notebook. Not finding the Note cards. Just Empty Note books. Frustrating.

        • Table Errors

          Hello, I'm new to Zoho Notebook and using it on several Mac/Apple devices. My question is regarding tables: Why do they become broken, and how to fix the error without retyping all my data? (Please see the screenshot attached.)

        • Online Calculator with Zoho Forms?

          I'd like to build a custom calculator on my website. Zoho Forms seems to offer all the fields for basic calculations performed live without pressing any "Calculate" buttons. Unfortunately, there is still that "Submit" button at the bottom. There is nothing

        • Zoho Tables instead of Zoho Creator Spreadsheet reports <3

          That would make my day for sure. Zoho Creator is create, but miss data entering as AirTable/Spreadsheet can. Seeing Zoho putting effort in this makes me think maybe one day we could see a similar interface for Zoho Creator spreadsheet reports. B.

        • Notebook Stack

          Hi Everyone I Hope you´re fine, I´m sorry if this idea was posted before (I made a search but I haven´t find anything related). So, Having the possibility of stacking notebooks would be an interesting way to order notebooks that correspond to the same

        • Writing on sketch cards is bugged when zoomed in

          When zoomed in, it writes a noticeable distance above or to the side of where you're actually trying to write. The further you're zoomed in, the more noticeable it is. Zooming is also entirely absent on the desktop version.

        • Swipe between notes on iPhone

          It'd be convenient if I could move from one note to the next in a notebook simply by swiping left to right.

        • Sales IQ chat is not working in signed android apk

          I have integrated ZOHO sales IQ support chat and i have followed each step and its working fine in my development build but when i create signed APK for it. Chat does not work in it and showing awaiting for detail. I previously asked the same query but

        • COQL order by COUNT not working

          Dear community, I am trying to get a list of deal amounts per planner working on it and sorted to get see who has the least amount of deals. For some reason, I am unable to use sort by in combination with a COUNT. My original code was: query = "select

        • I want to duplicate a report and name it something else

          Hi, I have created a report, and now want to reproduce it and call it something else. so that I will end up with TWO separate reports with different titles. Please tell me how do I copy / reproduce a report please

        • Zoho CRM: Sales Rep Professional Certification Program on Coursera

          We are happy to share that we have published the Zoho Sales Representative Professional Certificate in partnership with Coursera, a leading platform for online learning and career development that offers access to courses and degrees from leading universities

        • Next Page