How to Setup Blueprints on Zoho CRM?

How to Setup Blueprints on Zoho CRM?

Each business has a well-defined way of doing things. Some workflows serve as a pathway to complete different tasks and projects. The way workflows transpire contributes as a significant factor in deciding the software requirements as the software must be robust to offer a vast amount of capabilities that handle unique business processes.  

Now, Zoho understands these different requirements down to the core and does everything possible to implement them properly. The Zoho CRM Blueprint is, in fact, a method in which the sales process can be broken down into individual stages. As we transition between every step, it becomes possible to prompt users and the staff to enter relevant information so that nothing goes unnoticed.

Below, we will first understand what Blueprint is in detail to get a clear context on how we can set it up on Zoho CRM and what it can do.

Zoho CRM Blueprint

From the time a lead gets captured in the CRM system until it is followed and beyond, there are many sales processes that an organization carries out in function. For example, there is a company called Explore Electronics Pvt. Ltd. that offers technical gadgets to customers.

Now, other than the online orders that this company might get, they can also have a dedicated sales team that is supposed to follow up on the leads that get generated via demonstrations, offline sources, and events. The sales representatives at Zoho CRM Blueprint can start by calling a set of leads and scheduling product demos with these potential customers.

By the end of this demo, when the prospects get interested in purchasing the projects, a quote gets generated, which can further get converted to an order once it is approved. The products can then get shipped and delivered to the customers.

Sales Problems in Explore Electronic Pvt. Ltd.

Now this process that we just spoke about may sound very simple to you when you read it. However, when it actually comes to the execution of this process, one can face many problems because of certain roadblocks and loopholes. Let us look at them in complete detail.

Oftentimes, the sales managers can spend most of their time training new sales reps, which means that they do not get enough time to focus on their work.

The product and all that it can offer are not always clear in the minds of all the sales representatives. Many times, sales representatives may not be aware of important product details requested by prospects over a call which may also disappoint the lead and result in loss of sale.

At other times, important customer information may be missing. It is only during the process of an order when the delivery team may realize that the customer information or address is wrong, and this can clearly delay the order delivery.

They may be times when the discount policies are not followed. Explore Entertainment may have a policy that discounts cannot be more than 20%, but in some cases, quotes with higher discounts may get processed, which may escape the attention of Sales Managers.

The instances mentioned above are some of the most classic ways in which problems can be encountered when you have a large team for executing a process, but a well-defined system is missing for executing it efficiently. In this case, the main problem always revolves around the absence of clear guidance and validation of CRM.

Solutions Offered by Zoho CRM Blueprint

The Zoho CRM Blueprint can enable an organization to design and execute a process in an organized manner while being completely free from loopholes. With the Zoho Blueprint setup, almost every detail can be captured from the offline process within CRM, and hence the process of streamlining becomes very easy.
It is possible to define each stage in one process and link people with each stage. You can guide your teams along with the execution of a process, validate important information contextually, and also automate routine actions.
Lead Qualification

To make sure that the lead qualification objective is met, Zoho CRM Blueprint helps in making the calling agent’s script pretty linear. The software guides the sales representatives at each step of scheduling a product demo. The Blueprint acts as a call agent script and helps the sales representatives with product descriptions while they are on the phone with a prospective customer. This can solve the problem of any inconsistency in the message being communicated to the sales representatives.

Following-Up

With the Zoho Blueprint setup, almost every step can be regulated in the follow-up process, which consists of sending and reviewing a quote. In this, the discount offered to the customers can be validated by the CRM while ensuring that the sales team is adhering to the policies of the company. The email notifications are automated to the sales managers whenever anyone accepts the quote so that nothing skips their attention.
Order Management

For guiding the sales representatives at each step of the order management process, the Zoho CRM Blueprint plays an important role. It takes care of inventory check, shipping, and even delivery. Here, the sales representatives are also prompted to enter the CRM information such as customer address. This makes sure that there are no delays in product delivery.

Fundamental Blocks of Zoho CRM Blueprint

Blueprint in Zoho CRM is basically designed to execute a business process in a systematic and well-defined manner. With this Blueprint, one can define each stage in a process and associate the right people with every stage. It can also help in guiding the teams all through the execution of a process. In addition, it also helps in mandating and validating important information contextually while automating routine actions.

A Blueprint gets designed by creating a sequential order of the stages counted in a process. In the CRM language, the primary building blocks of a Blueprint are States and Transitions.
State

In a Blueprint setup, a “State” is the condition that something is in at a specific time. For instance, any deal in a CRM goes through different stages until the follow-up happens, which includes qualification, negotiation, and discount approval. All these stages are called a State. The states must be dragged and dropped in the Blueprint Editor to design the process flow.

Transition

A Transition is nothing but a link between two States that come in a process. It prescribes the conditions needed for a record to move from one kind of State to another. For example, the conditions and actions required for a record to move from Qualification to Negotiation are usually prescribed in the Transition block.
Designing a Blueprint


The process of setup or building a process is actually a three-step procedure. It includes:

Entering Basic Information

Here, you can specify the module, layout, and field for which the process needs to be created.
You can go to the “Setup”, then “Automation”, and then “Blueprint.”
You can then click on creating a Blueprint.
In this Create Blueprint popup, you can choose the module, layout, and the field for which the process is supposed to be created.
Let us say that the process is that of Following up with leads. In this case, you can choose the Deals module with a Standard layout and Stage field.
For more clarity, you can also specify criteria because if you do not do that, then all records created in the layout will enter the process.
Finally, click on Next.

Defining Process Flow

In the Blueprint Editor, you can define the process flow right from the beginning of the default state to the exit state.
In the Blueprint Editor, you can drag and drop all the States that form a part of the process.
You can also establish the process flow between States by connecting different nodes in the State buttons.
You must note that the Start state is equivalent to none value of the chosen picklist field.
You can create Transitions by clicking on the + button between two States. For deleting a transition, all you have to do is right-click on the transition line and click Remove Transition.

Configure Transition Settings

You can configure the Before, During, and After Transition settings between different states in the process just as required. For example, we can look at the Transition between the States.
We can name this “Closing”. In the example of Explore Electronics mentioned above, the following can be some of the guidelines that should be observed at the time of configuration.
For completing the Negotiation Transition, a sales representative in Explore Electronics can enter the Discount percentage and the closing date.
Based on the company’s policy, the discount for a product cannot be more than 20%.
Right when the Closing Transition is executed, an email notification can be automated to the sales representative’s manager while informing them about the deal submission.
Hence, one can easily say that Blueprint enables you to create a replica of offline business processes in your CRM. Right from lead generation to deal closure, an organization follows many business processes. The Blueprints can be used to give Zoho CRM users a detailed guide on how to carry out all steps in a business process.
For example, one needs to collect some documents before sending a quotation to a customer. One can set up a stage within a blueprint that mandates the document upload and enable the record to move to the next stage right after the documents have been uploaded.
 
Conclusion

When the process that you follow offline is not captured accurately in the software application, there is never any assurance that it will be followed in the right manner. There might be some inconsistencies and possible gaps in the process, and this is the problem that Blueprint solves.


Abhi
(Seasoned Zoho Authorized and Certified Partner)

Feel free to contact me if you have any queries
Email: abhishek(@)encaptechno(dot)com
Call: +1-416-405-8185

    • Recent Topics

    • WhatsApp Calling Integration via Zoho Desk

      Dear Zoho Desk Team, I would like to request a feature that allows users to call WhatsApp numbers directly via Zoho Desk. This integration would enable sending and receiving calls to and from WhatsApp numbers over the internet, without the need for traditional

    • Identify long running sync jobs/tables

      My sync process causes strain on my production database and I'd love some tools/alerts to help me identify which tables are taking the longest. The current screen only shows 3 tables at a time and truncates the last fetch time so that it is very cumbersome

    • Temporarily rate limited due to IP reputation.

      We have suddenly started receiving the following Mail Delivery Status Notification: Diagnostic-Code: 4.7.650 The mail server [136.143.184.12] has been temporarily rate limited due to IP reputation. For e-mail delivery information, see https://aka.ms/postmaster

    • Automatically CC an address using Zoho CRM Email Templates

      Hi all - have searched but can't see a definitive answer. We have built multiple email templates in CRM. Every time we send this we want it to CC a particular address (the same address for every email sent) so that it populates the reply back into our

    • Solution to Import PST File into Office 365.

      MailsDaddy OST to Office 365 Migration Tool is an outstanding solution to recover OST files and migrate them into Office 365 without any hassle. Using this software users can multiple OST files into Office 365 with complete data security. It offers users

    • Associate emails from both primary and secondary contacts to deal

      We need to associate emails from multiple contacts to a deal. Please advise how this can be achieved. At present, only emails from primary contacts can be associated. Thanks

    • New integration: Zoho Sign for Zoho Projects

      Hey there! We’re excited to announce the brand-new Zoho Sign integration for Zoho Projects! With this integration, users can now send documents for signatures, track their progress, and manage approvals—all without leaving Zoho Projects. This bridges

    • Update to attachment display in ticket threads

      This enhancement will provide faster access for support teams and end-users, significantly boosting productivity for everyone. Get ready for a more efficient and satisfying experience! Immediate benefits Faster ticket rendering reduces wait times and

    • Narrative 15: Blueprint - Automate, guide, and transform your support processes

      Behind the scenes of a successful ticketing system: BTS Series Narrative 15: Blueprint - Automate, guide, and transform your support processes Even organizations that deliver quality products and services can face low customer satisfaction when their

    • Different MRP / Pricing for same product but different batches

      We often face the following situations where MRP of a particular product changes on every purchase and hence we have to charge the customer accordingly. This can't be solved by Batch tracking as of now so far as I understand Zoho. How do you manage it as of now? 

    • Batch/lot # and Storage bin location

      Hi I want to ask for a feature on Zoho inventory I own a warehouse and I've gone through different management software solutions with no luck until I found Zoho, it has been a game changer for my business with up to the minute information, I'm extremely happy with it. It's almost perfect. And I say Almost because the only thing missing for me (and I'm sure I'm not alone) is the need of being able to identify the lot number of my inventory and where it is located in the warehouse. Due to the nature

    • ZOHO BOOKS - RECEIVING MORE ITEMS THAN ORDERED

      Hello, When trying to enter a vendor's bill that contains items with bigger quantity than ordered in the PO (it happens quite often) - The system would not let us save the bill and show this error: "Quantity recorded cannot be more than quantity ordered." 

    • Good news! Calendar in Zoho CRM gets a face lift

      Dear Customers, We are delighted to unveil the revamped calendar UI in Zoho CRM. With a complete visual overhaul aligned with CRM for Everyone, the calendar now offers a more intuitive and flexible scheduling experience. What’s new? Distinguish activities

    • Sync desktop folders instantly with WorkDrive TrueSync (Beta)

      Keeping your important files backed up and accessible has never been easier! With WorkDrive desktop app (TrueSync), you can now automatically sync specific desktop folders to WorkDrive Web, ensuring seamless, real-time updates across devices. Important:

    • Writer update results in BitDefender blocking it as malware

      After updating Writer to latest update, Bitdefender blocked the app and writer no longer runs.

    • Refresh frequency

      Dear Zoho Team, I really, truly appreciate that Zoho Books gets frequent updates. As a matter of fact this is how a good SaaS company should stay on top. However, I feel that I have to hit refresh almost every day. This was exciting at the beginning but

    • Refund

      My plan expired today, and I updated my payment details with a new credit card. At the same time, I wanted to downgrade, but the system wouldn’t allow the downgrade until the payment details were updated. As a result, I was charged for the same plan before

    • Calling Function via REST API with API Key gives 401 using Zoho Developer

      Hi, I created a couple of functions using the one month trial of Enterprise edition, which I was able to call using the API Key method from Postman and from an external site. Now that my trial has expired, I have created the same functions in the Developer

    • Error due to - 'Internal Exception' when uploading Sign-generated PDF file to workdrive via Deluge in Zoho CRM

      Hi I wasnt getting this error a few days ago and my code had not changed, so I'm wondering if there's a Zoho bug somewhere? I am downloading a PDF file from a Zoho Sign url using invokeurl and then uploading it to a Workdrive folder using zoho.workdrive.uploadFile.

    • Embed CRM record images in email templates

      I have email templates that I want to embed dynamic images in their body - not as an attachment. For the context, the image is a QR code individual to each contact. So there are couple of challenges for which I think there is no solution in CRM: 1/ I

    • Assign multiple departments to multiple helpcenters

      Hi there! I have a reseller company for a software and I'm using Zoho Desk as my helpcenter and ticket management system. The software is great and I would like to make a suggestion! With multi-branding activated, your departments that visible in help

    • Zoho Desk Training

      Hello, We've had Zoho desk for a while now, but we run into issues occasionally, and I was wondering if there was a customer who currently uses it and really enjoys the functionality, that would be wiling to chat with us?

    • Edit default "We are here to help you" text in chat SalesIQ widget

      Does anyone know how this text can be edited? I can't find it anywhere in settings. Thanks!

    • PO Based Advance payment to Vendor

      We recommend to introduce a provision at PO to make advance payment to vendors and auto apply that advance paid later at the time of Vendor Bill submission for that PO. This will help us track PO-wise Total Payments.

    • Converting Customer Invoice to Purchase Bill

      Hi, In my service-based business, I sometimes create the customer invoice first, and later I receive the purchase bill from the vendor for the same job. Is there any option in Zoho Books to: Convert a customer invoice into a purchase bill, or Link/associate

    • Getting Project Template List using the REST API

      I am trying to confirm that I can use the REST API to create a project using a project template. The API documentation indicates this is possible by providing the Template ID, but it is not clear at all how to get a list of available Project Templates

    • How to get Quickbooks Desktop Info into Zoho?

      Our team has used Quickbooks desktop for years and is looking at switching to Zoho books in 2026. I want to bring all old sales history over since we use Zoho CRM. I can export Item sales history and generic sales orders from Quickbooks desktop. How do

    • ZeptoMail API Request

      We tried to send mail using ZeptoMail using Django. Following is my payload {'from': {'address': 'abc@abc.com'}, 'to': [{'email_address': {'address': 'xyz@xyz.in', 'name': 'Bhavik'}}], 'subject': 'Report Name', 'htmlbody': '<p>Test</p>'} Following is

    • Zoho Inventory - Allow Update of Marketplace Generated Sales Orders via API

      Hi Inventory Team, I was recently asked by a client to create an automation which updated a Zoho Inventory Sales Order if a Shopify Order was updated. I have created the script but I found that the request is blocked as the Sales Order was generated by

    • Mass import of documents into Zoho Writer

      I'm using Google's word processor at the moment but feel that Zoho does a better job (on the online apps market). Iwant to move my documents (about 50-70) to Zoho but it seems to me that I have to import them seperately. Is it already possible to upload several documents at a time or is this a forthcoming feature? Cheers Rolli :?:

    • Add home page or dashboard in CRM customer portal

      is it possible to add home page or dashboard in CRM customer portal?

    • User Tips: How to change the the label display name of a system defined field

      Most users know how to change field label names via Settings > Modules & Fields but if you want to change the name of a system defined field you can’t as there is no “edit properties” option.  However with a simple hack you can edit any system defined

    • Search not working!

      I have items in my notebook tagged but when I search for a tag nothing comes up! Any fix for this?

    • Zoho CRM Community Digest - October 2025 | Part 1

      Hello Everyone! Here's a quick recap of first two weeks of October! Product Updates: Zoho CRM Android App Update: Surveys, Blueprints, and Smarter Mobile Features! Zoho CRM’s Android app just got a useful upgrade. You can now share records, upload your

    • Automate onboarding emails with CRM Workflow and Accounts module

      We’re a B2B SaaS company selling to public-sector organisations. Each organisation is stored as an Account in Zoho CRM, and each organisation typically has multiple associated Contacts. Our backend syncs product-usage data (setup status, user activity,

    • Important update: Enhanced security measures for account operations in Zoho Cliq

      Greetings from the Zoho Cliq team! We’d like to share an important security update that has an influence on some admin actions such as password reset, MFA reset, and MFA backup code generation. What’s changing? With our latest security enhancements, these

    • Sales Receipts Duplicating when I run reports why and how do we rectify this and any other report if this happens

      find attached extract of my report

    • No Functional Autosave or Manual Save Button

      Application : Zoho Notebook So I wanted to try Zoho Notebook(On Ubuntu) as an application, I installed the application and went solving my LeetCode problems visually(Drawing mode), at one point the app just stopped saving anything... Every time I tried

    • Enterprise subscription support

      My organization sells subscription services to enterprise customers, which is a different model from the consumer subscription model that Zoho Billing has been designed to support and I beleve this capability should be added. An enterprise subscription

    • Issue with Creator's IF logic

      Hi, I found the following code produces unexpected results: if(-1.0 < 0.0000000) {       info "True"; } else {       info "False"; } if(-1.0 < 0.000000) {       info "True"; } else {       info "False"; } The output returned is: False True However, the

    • Next Page