Zoho Creator monthly roundup - September 2024

Zoho Creator monthly roundup - September 2024

Hello all,

We're back with an exciting set of new features and enhancements that will elevate your Creator experience even further. In case you missed it, we’ve recently revamped our Product Roadmap page, now with a refreshed design and showcasing all the updates planned for the rest of the year. Be sure to check it out for a peek into what's coming next!

Now, let's dive into the updates for this month:
  • Zia assistance using Zoho GenAI
  • Field permissions for portal users
  • Enhanced flow for connection creation
  • SAML authentication enhancement for portals
  • Extension testing before publishing
- - - - - - - - - -

Zia assistance using Zoho GenAI 

We’re excited to announce the launch of our own large language model (LLM), Zoho GenAI, which will power Zia assistance by default. However, we’ll continue offering OpenAI as a paid option via BYOK (bring your own key).

How does it work?
  1. Going forward, when you use Zia Assistance to create a new app or form, or get next-field suggestions, Zia will be powered by Zoho GenAI by default.
  2. If you prefer to use OpenAI with Zia, you can integrate it by visiting the Zia section under Operations and configuring it by adding your API key.
Business value
By leveraging Zoho GenAI as the default option for Zia Assistance, you benefit from our in-house AI capabilities at no extra cost. The dual options (Zoho GenAI and OpenAI) also offer enhanced flexibility and convenience, allowing you to choose the product that best fits your needs.
 
Applicable for: C6
Availability: US, IN DCs
Reference: Understand Zia features in Creator
 
- - - - - - - - - -

Field permissions for portal users 

Our existing portal permission sets have empowered you to control the application components and data that portal users can access and interact with. With this new update, we’re taking it a step further by giving you the ability to configure field-level permissions within the portal, providing you with even more granular control over which fields are visible to your portal users. A key use case for this feature is handling personally identifiable information (PII), allowing you to control exposure to sensitive fields (like email addresses) by selectively granting or restricting access based on user permissions.

How will it work?
You’ll now find a Field Permission option under the More section on the Portal User Permissions page.

 
Business value 
Field permissions provide greater flexibility and security and ensure portal users see only the information that’s relevant to them.
 
Applicable for: C5, C6
Availability: All DCs
Reference: Understand portal permissions

- - - - - - - - - -

Enhanced flow for connection creation 

We’ve made several updates to streamline the connection creation flow, with the aim of making it easier for you to create and authorize connections:
  • Automatic connection name: The connection name will now be auto-generated when you select a connector. You can still edit it at any time.
  • Simplified authorization: By default, the same authorization will apply across all environments. If you prefer different authorizations for each environment, select the Use different authorizations for each environment option and specify the relevant environments.
  • Auto-generated authorization account name: The authorization account name will be automatically generated based on the third-party account name, if available, or assigned a system-generated name. You can edit this name later, on the Connection Details page.
Business value
This update streamlines third-party integration by enabling one-click connection creation for any selected built-in connector, reducing manual input and automating tasks, leading to increased efficiency and fewer potential errors.

Applicable for: C5 & C6
Availability: All DCs

- - - - - - - - - -

SAML authentication enhancement for portals     

We've rolled out enhancements to the user addition flow for Zoho Creator portals that use SAML authentication. Previously, there was no direct sync between the portal and the identity provider (IDP), requiring admins to manually add users under the Portal Users section before they could access the portal using SAML. With this new update, users from the IDP will now be automatically added as portal users upon signing up using SAML. The consumption of limits, as per your pricing plan, will be calculated as signups occur.

Note: This feature is applicable only to public portals.

Business value 
This enhancement simplifies user management by automating the user addition process, providing a smoother and more efficient onboarding experience.

Applicable for: C5, C6
Availability: All DCs
Reference: Understand SAML authentication

- - - - - - - - - -

Test extensions before publishing 

We'll be rolling out a new feature that lets you test your extensions on a sample application before you publish them. Previously, the process involved only development and publishing. With this enhancement, it will now include development, testing, and publishing. This added testing phase allows you to evaluate how your extensions perform in a live setting, giving you the chance to make any needed adjustments before completing the publishing process.

How will it work?
  • Going forward, you'll find a Test option for the Extensions.
  • By clicking this, you'll be taken to a sample application where you can create a new page and insert your widget. Once done, click Access Application to see how your extension appears and functions on the page.
Business value
This enhancement enables you to test your extensions in a sample environment before publication, ensuring they function as intended and minimizing the risk of issues after launch.

Applicable for: Creator in Sigma
Availability: All DCs

- - - - - - - - - -

That wraps up this month's updates. Feel free to share your thoughts on these updates in the comments below!
 
Regards,
The Zoho Creator Team



      • Sticky Posts

      • Zoho Creator - 2023 Release Projection 1

        Hello everyone! A very Happy New Year to you and your family. Hope you're all good and having a great time using Zoho Creator to make your lives easier and your businesses prosper. 2022 was an action-packed year for us at Creator, and we hope to continue

      • Zoho Creator User Group meetups in a city near you! - Oct - Nov, 2023

        Greetings from the Zoho Creator team! We're hosting a series of Zoho Creator meetups in various cities across the globe, and we'd love to meet you there! Our meetups are a great opportunity to network with industry peers, exchange ideas and best practices,

      • Zoho Creator - 2023 Release Projection 2

        Hello everyone! Time truly flies when you're having an incredible journey, and today we mark the completion of an eventful and action-packed six months. It feels like just yesterday when we embarked on this adventure together with the launch of our new

      • Upcoming Updates - August 2022

        Hi all, Greetings from the Zoho Creator team! Today we've got news for you on some exciting updates. And rest assured— there’s more to come! In this post, we'll be going over the upcoming features and improvements for this month as mentioned below. A

      • Introducing Zoho Creator's v2 APIs

        Hello App Creators, Welcome to Zoho Creator's v2 APIs! This post will serve as the central point for migrating implementations of Creator's current APIs (v1) to v2. Improvements that v2 brings OAuth-based authentication, which is more secure than the

        • Recent Topics

        • Migrating a Zoho Forms form into Zoho Creator

          Hi, How can I migrate my Zoho Forms form into Zoho Creator? Thanks. Truly, Emad

        • Is there any way to recall an email sent using Zoho CRM?

          If an email is sent using Zoho Mail, there is a recall option/functionality that is available to the sender. Is there any way to recall an email if it was sent using Zoho CRM? I can't seem to find that option. Any help would be appreciated.

        • How to refresh a ticket view ?

          I am doing a widget where I send a rest api call to make a new draft to the ticket I am viewing. The issue is sometimes it refresh a ticket view and I can see inserted draft right away, but sometimes I do not see it even if it is inserted correctly and

        • Quick Create needs Client Script support

          As per the title. We need client scripts to apply at a Quick Create level. We enforce logic on the form to ensure data quality, automate field values, etc. However, all this is lost when a user attempts a "Quick Create". It is disappointing because, from

        • is it possible to add more than one Whatsapp Phone Number to be integrated to Zoho CRM?

          so I have successfully added one Whatsapp number like this from this User Interface it seems I can't add a new Whatsapp Number. I need to add a new Whatsapp Number so I can control the lead assignment if a chat sent to Whatsapp Phone Number 1 then assign

        • Problem with reports due to "Connected" items change - Yes this IS a problem

          Now that the change has been made to use "connected" items I can no longer run the reporting I need in CRM. I should be able to start with Deals as the parent, connect down to the Account (Account_Name) on the deal as the child, then to any child items

        • Zoho sheet desktop version

          Hi Zoho team Where can I access desktop version of zoho sheets? It is important as web version is slow and requires one to be online all the time to do even basic work. If it is available, please guide me to the same.

        • Introducing notifications in the vendor portal

          Imagine this: You're a recruiter working with multiple vendors on a high-volume hiring project. You’ve just updated a job description after a last-minute change from the hiring manager. One of your vendors, however, is still working off the older version

        • CRM limit reached: only 2 subforms can be created

          we recently stumbled upon a limit of 2 subforms per module. while we found a workaround on this occasion, only 2 subforms can be quite limiting in an enterprise setting. @Ishwarya SG I've read about imminent increase of other components (e.

        • LESS_THAN_MIN_OCCURANCE - code 2945

          Hi I'm trying to post a customer record to creator API and getting this error message. So cryptic. Can someone please help? Thanks Varun

        • How to update "Lead Status" to more than 100 records

          Hello Zoho CRM, How do I update "Lead Status" to more than 100 records at once? To give you a background, these leads were uploaded or Imported at once but the lead status record was incorrectly chosen. So since there was a way to quickly add records in the system no matter how many they are, we are also wondering if there is a quicker way to update these records to the correct "Lead Status". I hope our concern makes sense and that there will be a fix for it. All the best, Jonathan

        • Analytics for notes created

          Is there a way I can see how many notes were created per day? Via reporting or analytics?

        • Add Custom Reports To Dashboard or Home Tab

          Hi there, I think it would be great to be able to add our custom reports to the Home Tab or Dashboards. Thanks! Chad

        • Cannot update Recurring_Activity on Tasks – RRULE not accepted

          Hello, I am trying to update Tasks in Zoho CRM to make them recurring yearly, but I cannot find the correct recurrence pattern or way to update the Recurring_Activity field via API or Deluge. I have tried: Sending a string like "RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;INTERVAL=1"

        • Add image to report...

          Greetings, I send a weekly color coded report via Creator email. I would like to add the legend somewhere in the report. Header, footer where ever. I have the legend saved on Google Drive and can access it via shared link. Sure someone has wanted to add

        • More controls for User Fields in CRM

          Dear All, We are here with a minor but crucial enhancement to the user fields—now set accessibility permissions to the records for user field. User field allows you to extend co-ownership of records to your peers. You can collaborate with them for certain

        • Calls to accounts rather than leads or contacts?

          So..... We have a dilemma and I'm hoping someone has encountered this before and figured out a fix. We have just migrated to Zoho. It's great.....expect for how "Calls" are handled.... We are B2B. We do not use the leads module. A "Lead/Prospect" for

        • Image Upload Field | Zoho Canvas

          I'm working on making a custom view for one of our team's modules. It's an image upload field (Placement Photo) that would allow our sales reps to upload a picture of the house their working on. However, I don't see that field as a opinion when building

        • Power of Automation :: Automated 'Delayed & Closed' Status Update Based on Due Date

          Hello Everyone, A custom function is a software code that can be used to automate a process and this allows you to automate a notification, call a webhook, or perform logic immediately after a workflow rule is triggered. This feature helps to automate

        • Lead Blueprint transition in custom list view

          Hi, Is It possible to insert the Blueprint transition label in a custom Canvas list view? I am using Lead module. I see the status, but it would be great if our users could execute the Blueprint right from the list view without having to enter the detailed

        • Range names in Zoho Sheet are BROKEN!

          Hi - you've pushed an update that has broken range names. A previously working spreadsheet now returns errors because the range names are not updating the values correctly. I've shared a video with the support desk to illustrate the problem. This spreadsheet

        • Desk Email reply - set default font / use custom font

          Hello, in our e-mails, which we send to our customers, a certain font must be used (Corporate Design): Segoe UI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segoe#Segoe_UI How can this be included? How can this be set as the default font to ensure that this font is

        • Can Zoho Flows repeat Actions more than once?

          I'm attempting to make an intentional Zoho Flow loop using the below layout. However, when "WithinLimit" condition is met, the program fails to execute the action "Get & Add Request Co..." again. Is this by design? Is Zoho Flows unable to repeat actions

        • Has anyone integrated SMS well for Zoho Desk?

          Our company does property management and needs to be able to handle inbound sms messages which create a ticket for Zoho Desk. We then need to be able to reply back from Zoho desk which sends the user an sms message. This seems like a fairly common thing

        • populate email address and name in zoho desk?

          Is it possible to populate the email address and name in the zoho desk widget? We only use it in the context of an authenticated user, so we already know the user's name and email. Thanks,

        • Are there default/pre-built dashboards in Zoho Desk?

          Hi, I am looking for some pre-built dashboard templates in Zoho Desk, similar to what we can find in CRM/Projects, etc Thank you

        • Enable Locations for Expense

          Hi, please enable Locations (ex Branches) for Zoho Expense so that there is consistency between this app and Zoho Books. Thanks in advance.

        • Adding branded signature to tickets reply

          Hi, i am unable to figure out how to add signatures with logo to tickets reply. please advice .

        • Zoho Calendar not working since a few days

          Hey there, first off a minor thing, since I just tried to enable the Calendar after reading this in another topic (there was no setting for this though) : For some reason my current session is showing me based in New York - I'm in Germany, not using a

        • Zoho Marketing Automation 2.0 - Landing Page function not working

          Dear Zoho Team, I am working on implementing Zoho Marketing Automation 2.0, and am now looking into the section "Lead Generation". If I open the "Landing Pages" section, I immediately get an Error code: Error: internal error occurred. Can you help me

        • WebDAV / FTP / SFTP protocols for syncing

          I believe the Zoho for Desktop app is built using a proprietary protocol. For the growing number of people using services such as odrive to sync multiple accounts from various providers (Google, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, etc.) it would be really helpful if you implemented standard protocols such as WebDAV / FTP / SFTP so that alternative inc clients can be used.

        • Zoho Mail Android app update: Manage folders

          Hello everyone! In the latest version(v2.9) of the Zoho Mail Android app update, we have brought in support for an option to manage folders. You can now create, edit, and delete folders from within the mobile app. You can also manage folders for the POP

        • How to share ticket numbers across different ticket types

          I'm running an event and have three different ticket types. Add on Event + Main Event - Early bird Main Event only - Early bird Add on Event only - Early bird And Standard class - shown but not available until early bird finishes Add on Event + Main Event

        • Adding Social Media Buttons to Basic Campaigns

          Hi, I'm quote new to using Zoho Campaigns and I can't work out how to add Social Media Buttons into my basic campaign? In MailChimp there's a button that brings the icons into your campaign for you. I've tried adding the social media icons as 'buttons' in Zoho but it's not looking great. Can anyone help? Thanks!

        • Hide Inactive Social Sign-In Providers from Login Screen

          Hello Zoho Team, We hope you are doing well. Currently, Zoho One allows admins to configure security policies and enable or disable Social Sign-In options for third-party providers such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Yahoo, Twitter, Facebook,

        • Zoho Cliq not working on airplanes

          Hi, My team and I have been having this constant issue of cliq not working when connected to an airplane's wifi. Is there a reason for this? We have tried on different Airlines and it doesn't work on any of them. We need assistance here since we are constantly

        • [Free Webinar] AI Agents in Zoho Creator - Creator Tech Connect

          Hello Everyone! We welcome you all to the upcoming free webinar on the Creator Tech Connect Series. The Creator Tech Connect series is a free monthly webinar that runs for around 45 minutes. It comprises technical sessions in which we delve deep into

        • Ship via Carrier Not Working Since Commerce Update

          Since the recent update to the Commerce platform, I can no longer use the ship via carrier function. It will take me to the address screen and let me verify them but when I go to save and move tot he next screen it will not do anything. This is happening

        • automations: Can I execute a step on a specific date?

          I have created a form in Zoho forms, and created a contacts list. I have also begun setting up an automation with the intention of sending the form to the contact list on a specific date every month (via email) for the entire year (essentially sending

        • Zoho Expense - The ability to add detail to a Trip during booking

          As an admin, I would like the ability to add more detail to the approved Trips. At present a requestor can add flights, accommodation details and suggest their preferences. It would be great if the exact details of the trip could be added either by the

        • Next Page