Unlocking New Horizons: A Year in Review

Unlocking New Horizons: A Year in Review



As we bid farewell to 2024, let's celebrate and revisit the key highlights of the year. From adding a new edition to cross-platform enhancements, here’s a roundup of all the feature updates designed to simplify accounting, optimize financial management, and fuel growth. 



Zoho Books brings you a comprehensive set of new features and updates designed to streamline your financial management. 

Fixed Asset Management 

Zoho Books allows you to monitor your fixed assets, automatically calculate depreciation, and manage their sale or write-off when they are fully depreciated or reach the end of their useful life. 

Progress Invoicing 

With progress invoicing, you can create and manage invoices for long-term projects by billing clients in stages rather than in a single payment.

Invoice Management System [India Edition]

The IMS allows you to review the transactions filed by your suppliers in their GSTR-1, GSTR-1A, or IFF. You can choose to accept, reject, or mark the transactions as pending to accurately claim Input Tax Credit (ITC).

TDS Payments [India Edition] 

You can now easily view all your TDS liabilities, and record challan under the TDS module.

GST TDS [India Edition] 

GST TDS allows you to deduct a portion of payments to suppliers, which is then remitted to the tax authorities.

Early Payment Discount [Global, Germany, & UK Editions]

You can offer discounts to customers who pay their invoices before the due date.

Payment Retention

With this feature, you can set a retention percentage for your invoices, automatically withhold a portion of payments, and track retained amounts easily. Once contract terms are fulfilled, you can release or adjust the retained payments with just a few clicks.

Note: This feature is not available for the India and Kenya editions of Zoho Books.

XML Import or Export [Germany Edition] 

You can import e-invoices in XRechnung and ZUGFeRD formats to ensure compliance with the EN 16931 standard. Additionally, invoices can be exported via email in either PDF or XML format.

XML Manager [Mexico Edition] 

You can now directly fetch and import e-invoices in XML format from the SAT Portal to Zoho Books and add them as transactions.

E-Invoicing via PEPPOL [Germany Edition] 

With Zoho Books, you can create, send, and receive e-invoices via the PEPPOL network.

CIS Filing [UK Edition] 

Zoho Books allows you to file your monthly returns directly with HMRC and record the payments.

BACS payments [UK Edition]

You can now generate and export BACS files for your bills. This feature allows businesses to pay multiple vendors directly via BACS without manual entry.

Profit Margin Scheme [UAE & Saudi Arabia Editions] 

The Profit Margin Scheme allows businesses to calculate VAT only on the profit margin, not the full sale price. It applies to businesses selling second-hand goods, used cars, or certain retail items. 

Push E-Invoices to ZATCA’s Fatoora Platform [Saudi Arabia Edition]

Zoho Books enables businesses in Saudi Arabia to effortlessly comply with the new e-invoicing regulations by pushing e-invoices to ZATCA’s Fatoora platform.

Combined Tax Returns [Canada Edition]

Businesses can now generate combined GST/HST-QST returns, in addition to federal GST/HST returns and provincial tax returns such as British Columbia PST, QST, Manitoba RST, and Saskatchewan PST returns.

Smart BillPay [India, Canada & US Editions] 

The BillPay feature simplifies and streamlines the entire accounts payable process by automating everything from vendor onboarding to setting up approval workflows. It makes paying vendors more efficient and hassle-free.

File T4A & T5018 Slips [Canada Edition] 

Easily generate and file your T4A & T5018 slips directly to CRA with Zoho Books.

Revenue Recognition [US, Canada, Mexico, UAE & Saudi Arabia Editions] 

Revenue recognition ensures that businesses report their revenue accurately, reflecting when it is earned rather than when the payment is made.

Manage 1099 & W9 [US Edition] 

With Zoho Books, you can easily collect W-9 forms from contractors, send 1099-NEC and 1099-MISC forms at year-end, and file them directly with the IRS, ensuring full compliance with IRS regulations. 

Retainer Invoices [Mexico Edition]

We now support the Retainer Invoices module. You can now easily stamp and submit e-invoices to the SAT portal as well as cancel them directly from within Zoho Books.

E-Accounting [Mexico Edition]

You can submit the Chart of Accounts, Trial Balance, and Journal reports in XML format to meet SAT regulatory requirements. The Account Group Code field has been added to the Accountant and Banking modules, which helps you add the unique identifier provided by SAT and categorize account types.






Charge a Late Fee to Your Customers [US &Global Editions]

A late fee is an extra charge for overdue invoices. You can charge a percentage of your customer's invoice total or a fixed amount and choose to exclude loyal customers.

Apply Tax to Your Purchase Transactions [US Edition]

You can now apply use tax and other applicable taxes to your purchase transactions and track them using the Tax Paid Expense account.

Assign a Company ID to your Customers and Vendors [Global Edition] 

We’ve introduced the Company ID field on the Customers and Vendors creation page to enter your company’s unique identification number.

Apply Transaction Posting Date to Your Transactions [Global, US & Canada Editions] 

The Transaction Posting Date is the date when journal entries for transactions like invoices, bills, payments, receipts, credit notes, and vendor credits are recorded. 



Manage Tax Exemptions and Out-of-Scope Transactions [UK Edition] 

We have introduced the Tax Exemption and Out of Scope options to manage transactions that are either exempt from tax or fall outside the scope of VAT.

Apply TDS Surcharge and Cess to Your Bills [India Edition]

You can now create and apply TDS surcharge and cess to your bills. A surcharge is an additional tax applied to the existing tax, while cess is a tax imposed by the government for a specific purpose.

Apply Tax on Shipping Charge [US Edition] 

You can now associate tax or tax exemption with shipping charges, and the tax will be tracked in the Tax Payable liability account.



Associate TDS at Line-item Level [India Edition] 

You can now associate TDS at the line-item level. We have also introduced Direct Taxes under Settings, where you can select the TDS preference.

Minimized View for Web Tabs

This feature lets you access web tabs from anywhere within the app. In the minimized view, you can navigate between modules while keeping web tabs compact. 

Multi-criteria Workflow 

With this feature, you can now define multiple criteria and associate actions with a single workflow rule.



Alipay Payment Method 

You can now collect payments in CNY globally with Alipay as the payment method. You can also receive payments in various other currencies based on your Stripe account's location.

Klarna Payment Method 

Klarna offers the option to pay immediately, later, or in installments. Even if your customers choose installments or pay later options, Stripe transfers the full payment amount to the recipient right away.





Create Purchase Receives for Service Items

You can create a Purchase Receive for service items and verify if all your services have been fulfilled.

Set Opening Stock for Multiple Warehouses

You can set opening stock for multiple warehouses across different branches when creating or editing item groups with multiple products.

Select Items by Category in Bulk

You can now filter and select items from one or more specific categories when adding items in bulk to sales and purchase transactions.



Form 1099 Vendor Payment Report [US Edition]

Form 1099 is a report used to track payments made to non-employees like freelancers and vendors.

TDS Receivables Summary Report [India Edition]

You can view the total TDS deductions made on invoices, bills of supply, customer debit notes, and credit notes with this report.

Zoho Marketplace Extensions

Must-Have Zoho Books Extensions for 2024: The Best in Every Category!







Introducing the new South Africa edition of Zoho Books. This edition allows you to send and receive VAT-compliant transactions at SARS-approved rates, generate VAT201 and VAT Audit reports for returns, mark items as capital assets, and set standard rates for items and tax treatments for customers and vendors. 




iOS

  • We've redesigned the app with a sleek design and simplified interactions, making your accounting experience smoother than ever! 
  • You can now connect your bank account using Plaid. [US & Canada Editions]
  • Personalize transaction PDFs by customizing color themes, adding bank details, and including your signature for a professional touch.
  • We support adding reporting tags to transactions, customers, and items.
  • You can correct and make adjustments to an invoice that is in the Sent status. [Germany Edition]
  • You can now auto-generate customer or vendor numbers when creating customers or vendors.

Android

  • Collect a percentage of the invoice amount or a fixed fee as a late charge when the payment is not made by the due date.
  • You can now cancel or make corrections to sent invoices.
  • We have launched the new South Africa Edition.
  • You can now manually create bank accounts or automatically sync accounts with Zoho Books using Plaid and Yodlee. [US & Canada Editions]
  • Provide discounts to customers who pay their invoices a certain number of days before the due date.

Windows

  • We have now supported the Documents module.
  • You can split and make payments on your invoices.
  • You can now select French and Hindi as your language at the organization level in the app.
  • We have launched the new South Africa and Germany editions.
  • Configure your sender email preferences under settings.
  • You can now format text (bold, italics) within the comments section.


  • We conducted over 50 online webinars in 6 regional languages such as Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada, covering a wide range of topics and highlighting key features to help users navigate and make the most of Zoho Books.
  • We organized 21 community meetups across 21 cities in India, where users learned about the new updates and features of Zoho Books, along with useful tips and tricks for better usage.





Rochelle Spence

Business Manager, Communications Consulting Group

For nearly a decade, Zoho Books has been an integral part of our business. The integration with our CRM has greatly streamlined our financial processes, providing us with enhanced visibility and efficiency. The customizable features, especially late fee invoicing, have significantly improved our bookkeeping. Zoho Books has truly made managing our finances easier and more effective. 

Naveedh V.V

Make Your Own Perfume

Running a business requires smart accounts management. Zoho Books simplifies everything from invoicing to inventory in one easy, cloud-based platform. Access your data anytime, anywhere!




As we close out this year, we hope you've enjoyed the updates that have enhanced your accounting experience. Thank you for being a part of our journey, and here's to reaching new heights in the year ahead. 







        • Recent Topics

        • How to make attachments mandatory

          I want the user to be unable to mark an opportunity as Closed – Won if it doesn’t have any attachments. I’ve already tried client scripts and functions, but nothing worked.

        • SLA Ticket Report

          From data to decisions: A deep dive into ticketing system reports Service level agreement (SLA) ticket reports in a help desk system are crucial for ensuring that services are delivered according to established commitments. They help maintain accountability

        • Zoho Backstage - PCI Compliance / Web Security

          I have a couple of questions related to Backstage and payment processing.... 1. my purchasing division is not giving approval to use Backstage yet because of some security issues. In order for us to take payments via a payment gateway like Authorize.net

        • Zoho Tables August 2025 Update: Faster and Smoother

          We’ve been working behind the scenes to make Zoho Tables faster, lighter, and more reliable. Here are the highlights: Faster Response Times Optimised the way responses are generated. Reduced memory consumption by 20–25%, leading to smoother performance

        • Video Upload from app says "unsupported aspect ratio" but is verified to be correct.

          I and my social media person are experiencing a problem where Social will not accept video uploads to Instagram. The error we receive is "unsupported aspect ratio" but looking directly at the file in question we see that the width and ratio both match

        • Disposable Email Addresses

          Dear zMail Team, Can you also bring out a few disposable email addresses for each accounts? That way occasional registrations and imminent spam from them can be largely solved right? ---- Deepak Vasudevan http://thamizhththendral.blogspot.com/

        • Zoho sheet - Zoho expense

          I want to schedule to create an expense using Zoho Sheet and flow. That is the EMI that I pay on a particular date to the bank and should be itemised, like principal and interest on the loan. Can someone help me in this regard??

        • Ability to configure a schedule/shift for each user and/or crew in Zoho FSM

          Hello, In our team of Field Agents, we have different shifts. Some field agent always work from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM while others work the evening shift like 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM. Sometime shift are on weekdays only or on weekend. It would be great to be

        • Free webinar: Streamlining customer service paperwork with the Zoho Sign extension for Zoho Desk

          Hello Everyone! Have you been wondering about bridging the gap between digitised customer service and business paperwork? Join our free webinar to learn how you can do this by connecting Zoho Sign, our digital signature app, with Zoho Desk, our online

        • Zoho Books | Product updates | July 2025

          Hello users, We’ve rolled out new features and enhancements in Zoho Books. From plan-based trials to the option to mark PDF templates as inactive, explore the updates designed to enhance your bookkeeping experience. Introducing Plan Based Trials in Zoho

        • Mail Search should allow grouping by conversation like Gmail.

          Having switched from gmail I have found the search function hard to use. Mostly because mail is not grouped by conversation in search. If I search for a word when looking for a conversation had with someone then sometimes 10 emails will come up from the

        • Improve Zoho Learn updated article notifications

          I noticed today while updating an article, that the notification users get says "[User Name] has published article [Article Name]..." My feedback to the product team is that it would be really helpful for an end user, if the system notification differentiated

        • Safari Support

          Safari, the world's second largest browser, zoho desk does not officially or fully support. That needs to change.

        • Can I get images from an "Image Upload" field in a webhook?

          I want to send images from 2 "image upload" fields via a webhook. Is this possible?

        • Ticket closure notification - all contacts cc'd on email thread

          Hello, If a client sends an email to our service desk and cc's in other people that work at the same company - so that they are in the loop of the service request. When the we close the ticket, only the ticket owner (person who emailed us - which created

        • Inactive account cleanup policy for Zoho Sign

          Zoho Sign reserves the right to delete accounts that are license free and inactive for more than 120 days. The account deletion will be initiated only after the user receives prior email notice about possible data deletion and how to backup the data.

        • Missde API documentation for Sales Receipt

          Hi! I noticed that the Sales Receipt endpoint is not currently listed in your API documentation (https://www.zoho.com/books/api/v3/introduction/). Could you please provide any available temporary documentation for this endpoint, along with a detailed

        • Multi-currency in Zoho CRM Forecast and Reports

          As a company we have branches in 4 different countries with as many different currencies. Our Sales Teams would like to work with their local currency as much as possible. The Forecast module using only 1 currency is practically usable only by the sales

        • How to select from pricebook when creating a salesorder or quote

          I am creating a sales order and when selecting the Products I do not see any where to select from pricebooks. How do i associate this to my orders?

        • Proposal for Creating a Unique "Address" Entity in Zoho FSM

          The "Address" entity is one of the most critical components for a service-oriented company. While homeowners may change and servicing companies may vary, the address itself remains constant. This constancy is essential for subsequent services, as it provides

        • I cannot find my older documents from 2024 and 2023

          I cannot find my older documents from 2024 and 2023.

        • System default SLA descriptions can't be modified

          The system default SLAs have identical descriptions for all SLA levels, but their settings differ. However, I am facing an issue where I cannot modify these descriptions and save the changes. The content of the description box can be edited but the changes

        • Customising Help Center

          Hi I don't think it is possible to add custom pages to help center? We'd like to use this as a customer portal with support tickets, FAQ/Guides, Billing and contracts. Is there any plans to add a feature like this or an alternative way to do it other

        • Replies sometimes creating separate ticket

          Sometimes when a customer responds to an email coming from Zoho Desk, instead of adding a reply to the original ticket, a separate ticket is created. This happens even though the response subject line contained the ticket number, and the person responding

        • Ticket Approvals - External Users

          The ticket approval option - we need to be able to select external users (Contacts) for approvals. Sometimes we are working with an end user and their boss needs to approve a purchase. For example, working with a cashier on a broken cash register and

        • Force Users to Ask Answer Bot a question... First

          End users will always skip talking to a bot. It would be nice if Zoho adopted the standard and forced users to first ask a question to answer bot (or zia in some fashion) and then pass to the agent if it wasn't answered. Options to force the user to speak

        • View Answer Bot conversations?

          We are trialing Zia and are experimenting with Answer Bot on our knowledge base. So far so good! Management asks me if it is possible to view Answer Bot conversations, the purpose being to look over its shoulder and confirm that it is working as des

        • Mass Email an Account

          It would be nice to mass email an account stating there is an outage at their business or something specific to an account is needed to be mass communicated. Even if it makes a ticket for every Email Out to every contact in the Account. Think: the customer

        • Multiple Topics assigned to a single Campaign

          Hello, is it possible to assign multiple Topics to a single Campaign? We frequently write a content to our subscribers that spans multiple Topics and we would like to send it to all Contacts that are subscribed to at least one of the Topics. But it looks

        • Zoho Projects Fonts and Accessibility missing

          I cannot find any more the tab where I can change the font in Zoho Project. I also checked the knowledgebase and there they have accessibility tab which I am completely missing. Is there some setup I am missing or is it a problem with our account?

        • Zoho Books Custom Widgets Deprecation Error

          I created a simple sample widget with zet and published it using sigma Both in the Sandbox and Production the Widgets are showing this error

        • Problems with PDF files in notebook

          I'm evaluating Zoho Notebook as an alternative to Evernote and imported my Evernote account to Zoho Notebook. First issue is that notes in Evernote that comprise a PDF are turned into a 'group' with a single note page (that has the text from the Evernote

        • API (v3) Tasks sorting issue

          We are using the v3 API for Projects. When we gat all tasks, per page of 100 tasks, we get the task info alright. But when we try to sort based on DESC(last_modified_time) we don't get the correct sort order. It is roughly sorted by the last_modified_time,

        • Assemblies make my stock go negative

          I am sure this is just the way that we are using this feature, but we use assemblies, a lot. The issue for us is the way that the relive inventory and the fact that it makes our composite item stock go negative. I have added flows to auto assemble and

        • User Activity Reports

          I'd like to get data related to user activity.  For example, Login and logout times, emails sent/received, new records created , etc. Is that currently available. I just can't seem to find anything . Thanks, Dave

        • Help: Populate “Contact Owner” details into Customer custom fields (for email templates) in Zoho Books

          We want to send invoices on behalf of our sales agents, and include the agent’s name, email, and phone in the email body using placeholders. Plan is to copy the Customer Owner details into three Customer custom fields, so they can be used as placeholders

        • Undocumented Books API error message - 1000 - The requested action could not be completed. Please try again. | Unexpected error

          This code sometimes throws this error 1000 - The requested action could not be completed. Please try again. | Unexpected error What does it mean? result = zoho.books.updateRecord("salesorders",organization.get("organization_id"),salesorder_id,sales_

        • Partial payments for retainer invoices

          When a customer does not pay the entire retainer invoice there is no way to apply a partial payment. PLEASE add this function.

        • Making Tags Mandatory

          When creating an expense, is it possible to make the Tags field mandatory?  I see the option in settings to make other fields mandatory, like Merchant, Description, Customer, etc, but nothing about Tags. Thanks! Kevin

        • Mass Update not trigger workflows

          Hi, I have performed a mass update of all records in a custom module using a custom view. I have a dummy checkbox on my module that I turn on or off - hoping to trigger all the new workflows that have been created for that module. However, no workflows

        • Next Page