Kaizen #181 - Mandating Subform Data for Blueprint Transitions using Widget

Kaizen #181 - Mandating Subform Data for Blueprint Transitions using Widget



Hello Developers!

Welcome back to another week of Kaizen! 

This time, we are tackling a common challenge on how to enforce subform data from a different module before allowing a blueprint transition in Zoho CRM Deals module.

Many CRM workflows require checking and collecting related records' data across modules before advancing a deal, case, or order to the next stage. Zoho CRM Blueprint natively support subforms from Quotes, Sales Orders, and Invoices for the Deals module with the help of Associated Items in the transition settings. 

Let us explore how to mandate custom subforms' data from a different module for a blueprint transition.

Why Mandate Subform Data from a Different Module?

In Zoho CRM, subforms manage multiple data entries under a single parent record. However, certain blueprint transitions may depend on subform data from related modules, such as:  
  • A Deal's transition may depend on the document data stored in the associated Contact’s subform.
  • A Service Request requiring validation against a subform in the related Account before processing.  
  • A Loan Application requiring income proof from the Customer’s subform before approval.  
Since blueprint transition rules only validate fields within the same module, you can use a custom widget to check and update subform data across modules before proceeding.

Business Scenario: Insurance Deals Qualification

Consider Zylker, an insurance company, using Zoho CRM to manage customers and streamline processes. Their sales process follows this blueprint when a deal reaches the Qualification stage:
Insurance Sales Blueprint

Steps to Build a Blueprint Widget

Step 1 - Review Basics

Refer to our earlier Kaizen on CLI Installation, Creating a Widget Project, and Internal hosting of the same.

Step 2 - Develop your Widget

After setting up the widget project using CLI, implement the logic based on your business case.

Here’s the logic for the sample use case we are discussing:

Widget Execution During Transition
  • When the user clicks the Collect Requirements transition, the widget loads.
  • Using the PageLoad event listener, retrieve the current record's ID and module name.
  • Use the GET Records API via its JS SDK to fetch the Contact ID linked to the Deal. 
ZOHO.embeddedApp.on("PageLoad", function(data) {
      // Fetch the current page's record details
      const recordId = data.EntityId;
      const moduleName = data.Entity;
      ZOHO.CRM.API.getRecord({Entity: moduleName, RecordID: recordId})
        .then(function(response) {
          const record = response.data[0];
          console.log("Current Record Details:", record);
          // Fetch the associated contact ID
 contactId = record.Contact_Name.id;

Check and Collect Required Document Details
  • Using the Contact ID, run a COQL query using Connection JS SDK to check if each Document Category has at least one entry in the Document Details subform.
Notes
Notes
In invoke connection JS SDK, use param type 2 for the API request payload inside the parameter key and param type 1 for regular parameters.

Explore the Working with Connections help page and create a connection with the necessary scopes to invoke the COQL API.
  • If all four categories (Address Proof, ID Proof, Income Proof, Medical Report) have at least one entry, the widget allows the transition immediately.
  • If any category is missing, the widget prompts the user to enter the details in a table that mirrors the Document Details subform in the Contacts module.
// Make a query API call 
          const query = {
            "select_query": `select Document_Category,COUNT(id) from Document_Details where id is not null and Parent_Id='${contactId}' group by Document_Category`
          };
          ZOHO.CRM.CONNECTION.invoke("crm_oauth_connection", {
            method: "POST",
            url: "https://www.zohoapis.com/crm/v7/coql",
            parameters: query,
            param_type: 2,
            headers: {
              "Content-Type": "application/json"
            }
 }).then(function(response) {
     const data = response.details.statusMessage.data;
            if (response.details.statusMessage === "" || (data && data.length < 4)) {
              createSubformUI();
              document.getElementById('contentContainer').style.display = 'block';
            } else if (data && data.length === 4) {
              document.getElementById('messageContainer').style.display = 'block';
              // Enable the "Move to Next State" button if all files are already updated
              const nextStateButton = document.querySelector('.nextStateButton');
              nextStateButton.disabled = false;
              nextStateButton.style.backgroundColor = ''; 
            }
 })

Update the Contact's Subform
  • The user enters the document details and clicks the Save button in the widget. 
  • Since subform updates act like a PATCH request, any existing record IDs must be included in the update payload to retain them. To get the existing subform record IDs make a  GET Records API call via its JS SDK. 
async function getExisitingSubFormRecords(contactId) {
let exisitingRecords = [];
awaitasync function getExisitingSubFormRecords(contactId) {
let exisitingRecords = [];
await ZOHO.CRM.API.getRecord({ Entity: "Contacts", RecordID: contactId })
.then(function (response) {
const record = response.data[0];
console.log("Current Record Details:", record);

if (record.Document_Details)
{
record.Document_Details.forEach(function (document) {
exisitingRecords.push({id: document.id});
});
}
})
.catch(function (error) {
console.error("Error fetching records:", error);
});
return exisitingRecords;
} ZOHO.CRM.API.getRecord({ Entity: "Contacts", RecordID: contactId })
.then(function (response) {
const record = response.data[0];
console.log("Current Record Details:", record);
record.Document_Details.forEach(function (document) {
exisitingRecords.push({id: document.id});
});
})
.catch(function (error) {
console.error("Error fetching records:", error);
});
return exisitingRecords;
}
  • Clicking the Save button executes the following actions:
    -> Uploads the selected file to Zoho File System (ZFS) using the Upload File API through its JS SDK.
    -> Updates the Document Details subform in the associated Contact record by adding the file ID from the upload response and each row's entry using the Update Records API (via the Update Record JS SDK).
  • Once the subform is successfully updated, the widget allows the transition to next Blueprint state.
async function updateRecord(event) {
event.preventDefault();
// Collect user entries from each row
const rows = document.querySelectorAll('#documentsTable tbody tr');
const documentDetails = await Promise.all(Array.from(rows).map(async (row, index) => {
const documentCategory = row.querySelector('select[name="documentCategory"]').value;
const documentNumber = row.querySelector('input[name="documentNumber"]').value;
const documentName = row.querySelector('input[name="documentName"]').value;
const documentFile = row.querySelector('input[name="upload"]').files[0];
const fileId = await uploadFile(documentFile);
return {
Document_Category: documentCategory,
Document_Number: documentNumber,
Document_Name: documentName,
Upload: [
{
file_id: fileId
}
]
};
}));
// Get the existing subform records
const existingRecords = await getExisitingSubFormRecords(contactId);
// Merge the existing records with the new records
existingRecords.forEach(record => documentDetails.push(record));
// Prepare the payload for the update API call
const payload = {
id: contactId,
Document_Details: documentDetails
};
// Make the update API call
ZOHO.CRM.API.updateRecord({
Entity: "Contacts",
APIData: payload
}).then(function (updateResponse) {
console.log("Update response:", updateResponse);
const saveButton = document.querySelector('.saveButton');
saveButton.textContent = "Saved";
saveButton.disabled = false;
saveButton.style.backgroundColor = 'grey';
// Enable the "Move to Next State" button after saving
const nextStateButton = document.querySelector('.nextStateButton');
nextStateButton.disabled = false;
nextStateButton.style.backgroundColor = ''; 
})

Step 3 - Validate and Pack the Widget

  • Follow the steps given in the Widget help page to validate and package the widget.
  • Go to Zoho CRM > Setup > Developer Hub > Widgets and click Create New Widget.
  • Fill in the required details as shown in this image and ensure to select Blueprint as the widget type.
    Creating a Blueprint Widget

Step 4 - Associate the Widget with the Blueprint

  • Navigate to Setup > Process Management > Blueprint and open the Deals Blueprint created for this use case.
  • Click on the Collect Requirements transition.
    Associate Widget to a Blueprint Transition
  • In the During tab on the left pane, select Widgets and associate the newly created widget.
  • Publish the Blueprint to activate the changes.

Try it Out! 

A complete working code sample of this widget is attached at the bottom of this post for reference. 
 
Now, let us see how this Blueprint works from the Deals page:  
  1. All required document details are available: The widget validates the Contact’s subform and allows the transition.  



  2. Missing or incomplete document details: The widget prompts the user to enter the missing details, updates the Contact’s subform, and then enables the transition.  



This approach ensures that required subform data from another module is validated and captured before proceeding with a Blueprint transition.  

Would you like us to address any of your pain-points or have a topic to discuss? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us via support@zohocrm.com.

Until next time, Happy Coding! 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Additional Reading

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Info
More enhancements in the COQL API are now live in Zoho CRM API Version 7. Check out the V7 Changelog for detailed information on these updates.

    • Recent Topics

    • Is it really true that I can't set the default 'deposit to' account in 2025?

      I've been using Books for 7 years and the default account has never been a problem. I usually manually reconcile invoices and have never had a thought about which account. It has always been my account. However, I recently noticed that for the past 4

    • Cliq iOS can't see shared screen

      Hello, I had this morning a video call with a colleague. She is using Cliq Desktop MacOS and wanted to share her screen with me. I'm on iPad. I noticed, while she shared her screen, I could only see her video, but not the shared screen... Does Cliq iOS is able to display shared screen, or is it somewhere else to be found ? Regards

    • [Live Webinar] New in Zoho WorkDrive: AI enhancements, Data Loss Prevention, Version Controls, and more

      Hello everyone, We're excited to bring you another round of powerful updates in Zoho WorkDrive! Join us on May 15 for an exclusive live webinar where we’ll unveil the latest features designed to enhance your team’s productivity, collaboration, and data

    • Live webinar: Streamlining legal operations: Leveraging Zoho WorkDrive for law firm success

      Hello everyone, Managing legal documents across departments and jurisdictions can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be. Join us on March 6 for an exclusive webinar where we’ll show you how Zoho WorkDrive empowers legal teams to stay compliant, organized,

    • Live Webinar: Optimizing back-office operations in the manufacturing industry to maximize profitability

      Hello everyone, We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming live webinar on February 6! Discover how Zoho WorkDrive can help manufacturing businesses optimize back-office operations, improve efficiency, and boost profitability. Our product experts will

    • Live webinar: 2024 recap of Zoho WorkDrive

      Hello everyone, We’re excited to invite you to our year-end live webinar! This session will take you through the transformative features and updates we’ve introduced in Zoho WorkDrive this year, helping you streamline document management like never before.

    • Live webinar: Explore WorkDrive's seamless integrations with key Zoho apps

      Hello everyone, We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming live webinar, where we'll delve into the seamless integration of WorkDrive with other key Zoho applications! This is a fantastic opportunity to enhance your productivity and streamline your workflows

    • Live webinar: Getting the most out of WorkDrive in Zoho Workplace

      Hello everyone, We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming live webinar, where we’ll explore how to maximize your use of WorkDrive as part of the Zoho Workplace bundle. This is a fantastic opportunity to elevate your productivity and streamline your

    • Live webinar: Mastering data migration, organization, and team collaboration

      Hello everyone, We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming live webinar! Discover how to seamlessly migrate your data, optimize file organization, and boost team collaboration using Zoho WorkDrive’s powerful features. This is a fantastic opportunity

    • BARCODE PICKLIST

      Hello! Does anyone know how the Picklist module works? I tried scanning the barcode using the UPC and EAN codes I added to the item, but it doesn’t work. Which barcode format does this module use for scanning?

    • Join our live webinar: Explore the WorkDrive TrueSync application!

      Hello everyone, We are thrilled to invite you to a live webinar focused on mastering the WorkDrive TrueSync application. Discover how to seamlessly sync your content between the cloud and your computer, ensuring smooth and efficient file management. Our

    • Bug tracking

      Hi, does anyone know how to track errors during picking or packing? This way I can keep track and see how to improve and prevent errors in this area.

    • Can the Product Image on the Quote Template be enlarged

      Hello, I am editing the Quote Template and added ${Products.Product Image} to the line item and the image comes up but it is very tiny. Is there anyway that you can resize this to be larger? Any help would be great! Thanks

    • Zoho Creator customer portal limitation | Zoho One

      I'm asking you all for any feedback as to the logic or reasoning behind drastically limiting portal users when Zoho already meters based on number of records. I'm a single-seat, Zoho One Enterprise license holder. If my portal users are going to add records, wouldn't that increase revenue for Zoho as that is how Creator is monetized? Why limit my customer portal to only THREE external users when more users would equate to more records being entered into the database?!? (See help ticket reply below.)

    • Script Editor not an option

      I am trying to apply a script to a sheet and Script Editor is not an option. I don't want to go outside Sheets to do this (like Creator) if it can be done inside Sheets.

    • Send Automated WhatsApp Messages and Leverage the Improved WhatsApp Templates

      Greetings, I hope all of you are doing well. We're excited to announce a major upgrade to Bigin's WhatsApp integration that brings more flexibility, interactivity, and automation to your customer messaging. WhatsApp message automation You can now use

    • Envio de mails

      Hola! No puedo enviar mails pero si recibirlos. No se como solucionarlo! Mi dominio es chidobebes.com.ar

    • ERROR CODE :554 - Your access to this mail system has been rejected due to poor reputation of a domain used in message transfer

      In my email configuration: The domain's MX Records are pointed to Zoho The domain's SPF Records have been pointed out successfully DKIM is enabled. DMARC Record is pointed for the domain. The domain name is digioorja.in. Still facing the issue of Error:

    • This Operation has been restricted. Please contact support-as@zohocorp.com for further details

      l tried to verify my domain (casalimpaeperfumada.com.br) and its shows this error: This Operation has been restricted. Please contact support-as@zohocorp.com for further details.

    • SLOW EMAILS

      Is there an issue with the Zoho server? For two days now I've been having issues with very long buffering. Please advise. Thank you.

    • POP3 authentication error - SOLVED

      Just in case others are as forgetful as me ... As Zoho has changed the POP server for personal and free organisational users, I needed to change the POP server on my email client. This failed persistently but eventually I remembered that I had chosen

    • 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

    • Add Zoho One Groups/Departments to Shared Mailbox Access

      Hi, I hope you're doing well. Currently, in Zoho Mail, I can manually add specific users or the entire organization to a shared mailbox. However, there is no option to add Zoho One groups or departments. Feature Request: We would like the ability to assign

    • Allow Filters with Only Special Characters in Zoho Mail

      Hi Zoho Mail Team, I hope you're doing well. We have noticed that currently, Zoho Mail does not allow creating filter criteria using only special characters, such as = or #. However, there are scenarios where such a filter is necessary. For example: Filtering

    • How to save email as PDF?

      I saw 2 previous threads about this. One is from 14 years ago. The other was closed as "answered" a year ago but the feature was never implemented: https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/community/topic/how-to-download-save-emails-as-pdf Is the "save as PDF"

    • Flexible plans

      Hi, I have a Workplace Standard subscription. On Zoho's website, it mentions that with the annual plan it's possible to have multiple plans under the same organization—for example, Workplace Standard and Mail Lite. However, I can’t find a way to do this

    • Weekly Tips : Teamwork made easy with Multiple Assignees

      Let's say you are working on a big project where different parts of a single task need attention from several people at the same time—like reviewing a proposal that requires input from sales, legal, and finance teams. Instead of sending separate reminders

    • Cannot give public access to Html Snippet in Zoho Creator Page

      Hi, I created a form in Zoho Creator and published it. The permalink works but I want to override the css of the form. (style based URL parameters is not good enough) So I created a page and added an Html snippet. I can now override the css, which is

    • Weekly Tips : Customize your Compose for a smoother workflow

      You are someone who sends a lot of emails, but half the sections in the composer just get in your way — like fields you never use or sections that clutter the space. You find yourself always hunting for the same few formatting tools, and the layout just

    • Unable to confirm Super Admin assignment — confirmation button not working

      I’m trying to change the roles within my organization. I am currently a super admin and would like to add another user as a super admin. When I attempt to confirm the action, a screen appears asking for my password to verify my identity. However, when

    • Installing EMAIL Setup in New Domain

      Respected Support team, I'm facing an issue with cloudflare in Pakistan, I want to setup Zoho Mail Setup but I Don't know how to enable Zoho mail setup without cloudflare. My Website https://stumbleguyzzapk.com/, https://fakservices.com/ is using CF,

    • Will I Get a Refund If I Downgrade Zoho Mail?

      Hello, We upgraded an email account for our new employee. However, the employee left after one month, and now I've reduced the number of Zoho Mail users from 7 to 6. Can we get a refund for the remaining portion of our annual payment?

    • Accounting on the Go Series-43:Enhancing Your Reporting Efficiency with Dashboard Filter State Retention

      Hello everyone! Welcome back to our series on Zoho Books mobile app features. Today, we will talk about a feature that yet again helps you focus on work that really matters-Dashboard Filter State Retention. Imagine you're working on your Zoho Books dashboard,

    • Zoho books/payroll tax payment

      I accidentally made a second payment to my taxes for $300 which is reflected in my bank account and therefore on Zoho books but I can not match it to any transactions because its not reflected in payroll as a tax payment. Is there a way to add an extra

    • I can't renew the Finance Plus subscription

      I tried to renew the Finance Plus subscription but it keeps reloading the same page over and over when ever I click on "Renew Subscription" button

    • Estimate vs Quote

      they are different. Quote is for 1 piece price + other charges. Estimate is for total quantity to be ordered. The gross total amount of the Estimate is the amount payable. Replacing Estimate as Quote is not understandable because they are different. In

    • Accounting on the Go Series-47: Effortless GSTIN Management- Auto Populate TaxPayer Details in Zoho Books Mobile App

      Hello everyone, Welcome back! Today, we're focusing on a feature specifically designed for our Indian users in the Zoho Books-Indian edition, particularly those who deal with GST compliance regularly. We understand the importance of accurate and efficient

    • Accounting on the Go Series-48: Enhance Accuracy with Custom Work Week Start Days in Zoho Books iOS app

      Hello everyone, Welcome back! We’re here with another feature spotlight that might seem small but can have a big impact on your daily routine: setting the first day of the work week in the Zoho Books iOS app. Imagine this: You’re a business owner who

    • Time to Get Paid Report in ZBooks

      Hello, One of our customers who has 25 different companies around the world gets 60 days to make payments. Unfortunately, the subject report does not report an average time to get paid (in days) or the ability to look at a custom period of time. Currently

    • How to prepare a balance sheet for a company that has no operations yet?

      .

    • Next Page