Kaizen #63 - Layout Rules in Zoho CRM

Kaizen #63 - Layout Rules in Zoho CRM

Hello and welcome to another week of Kaizen!

This week, we will be discussing Layout Rules in Zoho CRM.
If you need to modify the layout of a module based on user inputs, or to show or hide sections based on the value of a specific field, we have got just the perfect solution for you.

What is a Page Layout?

In simple terms, a page layout is a template where you can add, choose and arrange the fields and sections that will be displayed in a module. Depending on your application requirement, you can either edit the standard layout, or create custom layouts.

What are Layout Rules and why you need them?

Layout rules are a set of criteria that you define to modify the layout of a module. These rules help you keep your layouts clean and clutter-free. Often, you may need to set up dynamic layouts, where the value selected for one field determines the subsequent sections and fields. 
For example, in an automobile rental company, the field requirements for a two-wheeler will differ from the ones for a car. By using layout rules, you can display only the relevant sections and fields based on the type of vehicle being rented. This article will use an automobile rental company as an example to explain Layout Rules.

Who can access Layout Rules feature?

Only users with permission to Customize Zoho CRM profile can access this feature.

How and when are Layout rules triggered?

You can trigger the rule when the chosen primary field meets one of the following conditions.
  • is
  • isn't
  • contains
  • doesn't contain
  • starts with
  • ends with
  • is empty
  • is not empty
You can trigger the following actions when the criteria are met:
  • Show Fields - To show specific fields. For example, show the Number of Helmets field only if the Helmets Required is YES.
  • Show Sections - To show specific sections. For example, display the Four wheeler section only if the vehicle type is Four wheeler. 
  • Set Mandatory Fields - To set specific fields mandatory. For instance, make the car type field mandatory if the vehicle type is Four wheeler.
  • Show Subforms - To show specific subforms. For example, to show the Accessories Required only if the user chooses to rent accessories.

How to create Layout Rules?

  1. Go to Setup > Customization > Modules.
  2. Select the module.
  3. Go to the Layout Rules section and + New Layout Rule.
  4. In the New Layout Rule pop-up, enter the following details:
    1. Rule Name
    2. Rule Description
    3. Select the Layout to which the rule is applicable.
    4. Choose the primary field that controls the rule.
    5. Choose a condition to initiate the rule.
  5. Click Next.
  6. In the Rule Page, click + Trigger an action.
  7. Select the action and choose the corresponding section/field/subform according to the action you have selected.
  8. Click Save.


How to trigger more than one action with a condition?

With a single condition, you can trigger more than one action by repeating steps 6 to 8. For instance, if the vehicle type is two-wheeler, you can show the two-wheeler section, and make the bike-type field mandatory.

How to add more criteria to a condition?

To add more than one criteria to the condition, click on Edit Condition after initiating the rule. For example, you can show the Number of seating rows field only if the car type is MUV/SUV AND the seating capacity is greater than 4.



Note : You can add a maximum of five criteria in each condition, combined using AND or OR. You can use the primary field for only one criterion, and this criterion can only have AND operator with others.

How to add more conditions?

To add more conditions and actions depending on the same primary field, click on Choose an option and add them. For example, if the Vehicle Type is Four-wheeler, show the Four wheeler section of the layout.



How to make a field mandatory?

Apart from showing specific fields, sections or subforms, you can also make a field mandatory depending on a condition. For example, you can make the Number of Helmets field mandatory if the Helmets Required field is checked.



Layout Rules in action


The image illustrates the effects of the layout rules. Two-wheeler or Four-wheeler sections are shown depending on the value of the Vehicle Type field. The Number of Helmets required field becomes mandatory if Helmet Required field is checked. If the car type is MUV or SUV, AND the Maximum seating capacity is more than 5, then the Number of seating rows field is displayed.

API support for Layouts and Layout Rules

If you do not specify the layout while creating a record using API call, the standard layout will be applied by default. If you specify a layout, the record will be assigned to it along with mandatory field check configured for that specific layout. In either scenario, the Show Field/Section/Subform layout rules applicable will be applied to the view record page in the UI. 

Mandatory Field Layout Rules

In order to apply the mandatory field rules, you must include the apply_feature_execution key in the input JSON. This is supported for Insert, Update and Upsert Records API from v2.
Currently API support is only available for Mandatory Field Layout Rules, during inserting or updating a record. 
Here is the sample JSON to create a record applying the layout rules.


 {
    "data": [
        {
            "Email": "patricia.boyle@zoho.com", 
            "Name": "Patricia",
            "Name1" : "Matt",
            "Mobile_Number" : "999999999",
            "Vehicle_Type": "Two wheeler",
            "Bike_Type": "Standard",
            "Helmets_Required": true,
             "Layout": {
                "name": "Standard",
                "id": "4876876000002670001"
            }
        }
    ],
     "apply_feature_execution": [
       {
           "name": "layout_rules"
       }
   ]
 }


In this example, the system will throw the following MANDATORY_NOT_FOUND error since we have made the Number of Helmets field mandatory if the Helmets Required field is True.


 {
    "data": [
        {
            "code": "MANDATORY_NOT_FOUND",
            "details": {
                "layout_rule": {
                    "name": "Helmet Mandatory Rule",
                    "id": "4876876000002695023"
                },
                "api_name": "No_of_Helmets"
            },
            "message": "required field not found",
            "status": "error"
        }
    ]
 }


You can use apply_feature_execution key in the Update and Upsert Record APIs to apply mandatory field rules to those records created without apply_feature_execution key.

Show Field/Section/Subform Rules 

API support is currently not extended to these rules. When using API calls, you can add values to all fields, even if they are hidden by layout rules.  Get Records API returns all the fields in the layout. In other words, using APIs bypasses layout rules for Show Field/Section/Subform.

Points to remember

  • You can include the primary field of one layout rule in the "Show Field" and "Set Mandatory Fields" actions for other layout rules, but not as a primary field for another rule.
  • The Record Owner field or a multi-select picklist field cannot be the primary field for a rule.
  • Layout rules are active when creating a record manually and when creating a record through the API. However, when using the API, only mandatory field rules are applied. Layout rules are not available for records generated via import, webforms or lead convert page. Refer to Layout Rule Exceptions for more details.
  • When you edit a primary field associated with a layout rule, and if the actions triggered include making one or more fields mandatory, the system will capture these mandatory fields via a pop-up prompt. For example, when you edit a record, and change the Helmets Required from No to Yes, the Number of Helmets Required field will be captured via a pop-up prompt.
  • You cannot use Layout Rules on Auto Number, Lookup, Multi Select Lookup, User Lookup, Formula, File Upload and Multi Line field types.
  • Layout Rules are applicable for create, edit and view pages.
We hope you found this post useful. We will meet you next week with another interesting topic!
If you have any questions let us know in the comment section.

Related Links



    • Recent Topics

    • Shared calendar issues and duplications

      Apparently there was a calendar update?  Now when I schedule an event for a team member that has shared his calendar with me, the event makes me the organizer and adds the event to my calendar as well.  Previous to this "update" I would scheduled an event

    • Subscribed Calendar

      Hi i have subscribed to a calendar for Holidays in Canada it shows all the holidays perfectly but every one of them has the word Canada before the rest of the name is there a way to remove that word Canada? It takes up a lot of space in the square on

    • The year that was at Zoho Calendar 2023- Part 1

      Hello, amazing community members! Happy new year from all of us here at Zoho Calendar. As we begin the new year, we'd like to thank each and everyone of our community members for your unwavering support and love that you have shown for Zoho Calendar.

    • Zoho Calendar 2024: A Year in Review

      Hello, community members! Happy new year from all of us here at Zoho Calendar. As we turn the page to a new year, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to every member of our Zoho Calendar community for your continued support and enthusiasm. Your feedback

    • Zoho Calendar not syncing correctly with personal Google Calendar

      Coming to this forum as Zoho Calendar support team is not responding, any more. For the past 8 weeks, I have been having an issue with Zoho Calendar not syncing with my personal Google Calendar correctly. I subscribed to Zoho Calendar iCal in my personal

    • MTA - BAD IP reputation by outlook/hotmail

      Messages to Microsoft email servers are bouncing back due to poor reputation. Message: 4.7.650 The mail server [136.143.188.206] has been temporarily rate limited due to IP reputation. For e-mail delivery information see https://postmaster.live.com (S775)

    • Zeptomail API error 500 internal server error

      Hi Everyone, getting this eror continuously! Can anyone please guide around the same! Zeptomail API error 500 internal server error Best Regards

    • Waiting multiple days to buy credits, causing my website to suffer

      So I own a fairly large website that gets a lot of registered users. I use transmail send activation emails, and also forgot password emails. I sent an email to zoho's presales team when I was only at 4K/10K emails sent, hoping to buy more credits before

    • Follow up

      Hello, I sent a message 2 days ago but I don't receive any response and I cannot find my ticket here. this is the ticket: Your ticket has been created with the ticket ID 68925465 and subject "Fwd: Fishing-alert" looking forward to seeing your response.

    • What's new in TransMail!

      Note: TransMail is now ZeptoMail. Click here to know more. Hello again, everyone! We've recently crossed the 6 months mark of TransMail's launch. In this time post our launch, we have been constantly working on updating our platform and adding new features

    • June 2021 in TransMail!

      Note: TransMail is now ZeptoMail. Click here to know more. Hello again, everyone! Hope you and your loved ones are doing well. If you're doing less than fine, we truly hope that things only get better for you.  We've had a few updates in the past month

    • TransMail has a new name—ZeptoMail!

      Tried navigating to TransMail's community forum but see a different name now? That's because TransMail has a new name. TransMail is now ZeptoMail! As we’ve grown from an internal service used mainly by other Zoho products to an up-and-coming competitor

    • July 2021 in ZeptoMail!

      Note: TransMail is now ZeptoMail. Click here to know more. Hello again, everyone! Hope you and your loved ones are doing well.  We've had a few updates in the past month in ZeptoMail—some new features and some important announcements. Take look at what

    • Send Email From the ZeptoMail BY API

      What is Zeptomail:- Transactional email service with reliable and fast delivery How we can Create a Connection for Zeptomail in Zoho CRM Go to the Setup Click on Connection Enter Connection Details:- Generate Consumer Key & Consumer Secret Using Zoho

    • Customer email on Opencart 3

      When I place an order, 2 emails are sent: 1) administrator 2) to the user The administrator receives a beautiful letter, but the user receives a damaged letter (see screenshot). What could be the problem?

    • [Announcement] Insert image from URL changes in Zoho Writer

      Hi Zoho Writer users! We'd like to let you know that we've changed the behavior of the Insert image from URL option in Zoho Writer for security reasons. Earlier behavior Once you inserted an image URL in a Writer document, the image would be fetched from

    • Dynamic Signature - Record owner

      Hi everyone, I’m using Zoho Writer merge templates from Zoho CRM and have two questions: Owner signature: How can I automatically insert the CRM record owner’s signature in the merged document? I’m not sure where this signature is stored or how to reference

    • Writer sing up problom

      Zoho writer sing up prolom face

    • Unable to copy into a new document

      Whe I create a new Writer doc and attemp to copy and past I get this message. The only way to copy into a document is I duplicate an existing document, erase the text and save it under a different name and then paste the information. Not ideal. Can you

    • [Webinar] Live demos and user Q&A with Zoho Writer product experts

      Join us on June 12, 2025 for live demos based on your use cases and real-world scenarios raised via form. This is also an opportunity to get your questions answered directly by product experts from the Zoho Writer team. Webinar agenda Live demos based

    • Zoho Writer's built-in citation and bibliography generator

      Hey researchers and writers! Do you manually format citations and bibliographies, spending hours jumping between apps and tabs? If so, then check out Zoho Writer's built-in "Citations and Bibliography" feature. Imagine you're writing a thesis on the future

    • Single and group checkboxes in Zoho Writer's fillable forms

      Hey Writer Fam, Are you making the most out of single and group checkboxes in fillable forms in Zoho Writer? Here is a handy tip to optimize your use of checkboxes, both single and group, and enhance your data collection process. Single checkboxes: Single

    • Collaborate efficiently with Zoho Writer's track changes feature

      Hi Zoho Writer Community, Zoho Writer's track changes feature is a simple, built-in solution that helps you and your team work together efficiently. Instead of juggling multiple versions of a document or building up a long email chain of comments, each

    • Zoho Writer's WordPress extensions

      Hey Zoho Writer users! Say goodbye to all your WordPress content publishing woes with Zoho Writer's WordPress extensions. Publish content with all your formatting and images, republish content when you update a document, and more—from a single window

    • Time-saving table hacks

      Hey Zoho Writer Community, Do you find yourself using a lot of tables in your documents? We're here to share some of our time-saving hacks that will help you work more efficiently, organize your data, and make your documents look neat and professional.

    • Automating document approval and signing with Zoho Writer and Zoho Sign

      Hey Zoho Writer Community! Here's another automation tip to make your processes more efficient! Question: Can I send a document for client approval first, then automatically send it for signing with Zoho Sign if they approve? Since it's the same person

    • Customization hacks in Zoho Writer - Part 2

      Hey community, We're back with some more tricks to personalize your documents, save time, and get in the zone when you work in Writer. Check out part 1 of this post if you haven't already. Let's dive right in! Document ruler units Imagine you're creating

    • Simplify your tax calculations with Zoho Writer

      Hello Zoho Writer Community! Tax season can be stressful, but with Zoho Writer, managing your income tax calculations becomes straightforward and efficient. Here’s an example of how you can use the tables and formulae of Zoho Writer to calculate income

    • Enhance document navigation with headings and TOC

      Hey Zoho Writer Community! We're back with some useful features in Zoho Writer that can simplify your document creation and navigation process. Let's dive right in! Check out our video on how to make the most of Zoho Writer's heading and table of contents

    • Use and download in PDF format of Zoho wirter Merge template using deluge

      Hello Zoho Developers. Here is some information about Zoho Writer. Writer is not just another online word processor, it's a powerful tool for editing, collaboration, and publishing. Even with its wide range of features, Writer's pared-down user interface

    • Customization hacks in Zoho Writer - Part 3

      Hello everyone, Welcome back to Part 3 of our customization tips in Zoho Writer! In this third installment, we'll be diving into some essential customization settings that can enhance your document creation experience. Sender email address in mail merge

    • Daytime saving timezones messing up writer pdf

      Hi, I need help for something I can't figure out. I created a Form to collect data and it is set up with my current Daylight Saving Time (GMT-3). This form is used to generate a contract (pdf Writer) with dates from an event that is being held in 4 months

    • Issue with locked content in Writer

      Hi, I have seen the documentation which outlines how to lock specific content within a Writer document so that it can't be modified by collaborators, but I have come across an issue. When the editor locks a paragraph for example, then a collaborator can't

    • Deprecation of certain URL patterns for published Zoho Writer documents

      Hi Zoho Writer users! We'd like to let you know that we have deprecated certain URL patterns for published and embedded documents in Zoho Writer due to security reasons. If the published or embedded documents are in any of these URL patterns, then their

    • Using Mail Merge Template to Print Documents with One Subform Record's Fields per Document

      Hello, We have a Mail Merge template created in Zoho Writer which is not able to perform the functionality which is currently required to automate the documentation task portion of our process. The CRM module we are primarily using is based on a "Loans"

    • Problem with Writer and Workdrive

      Hi team, I’m the super admin for our Zoho One org. WorkDrive is active, and Zoho Docs is deprecated for our org. However, Zoho Writer cannot connect to WorkDrive at all — we’ve cleared cache, tried incognito, and restarted several times. I was able to

    • Set to Review for all

      We are testing the use of Writer as part of an internal review process for statement of work documents and have found that when the document is changed from Compose to Review by one person, that is not reflected for all others who view the document. Is

    • I’ve noticed that Zoho Sheet currently doesn’t have a feature similar to the QUERY formula in Google Sheets or Power Query in Microsoft Excel.

      These tools are extremely helpful for: Filtering and extracting data using simple SQL-like queries Combining or transforming data from multiple sheets or tables Creating dynamic reports without using complex formulas Having a Query-like function in Zoho

    • Shortcut to fill a range of cells

      Good evening: I'm writing because I haven't been able to find a feature that allows you to select a range of cells, type in one of them, and then use a key combination to type in all of them. In Excel, the keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+Enter. I haven't found

    • stock

      bom/bse : stock details or price =STOCK(C14;"price") not showing issue is #N/A! kindly resolve this problem

    • Next Page