Creating and configuring custom service connections in Bigin Toppings

Creating and configuring custom service connections in Bigin Toppings

Hello Biginners,

Integrating Bigin with external applications extends its capabilities and enables customized functionalities. In our last post, we saw how to create a default service connection. Today, we'll see how to create a custom service connection when the application you need to integrate with isn't listed in the default services.

Consider a scenario where a team uses Bigin to manage its tasks and handles project tracking and collaboration in Trello. Keeping both the applications synchronized can be a challenging task and often requires manual data entry, which increases the risk of errors. To solve this challenge, we can create a Bigin topping with a custom service connection established with the Trello application. Using this custom service connection, we can automate the process by creating a new card inside Trello each time a new task is created in Bigin.

Let's learn how to do this.

Setting up the topping

A topping needs to be created using the Bigin Developer Center; for detailed instructions on creating a topping, refer to this post.

Once you've created the topping and accessed the Bigin Developer Console, the next steps are creating the custom service connection and configuring the topping's functionality.
  1. Navigate to the Connections section in the left panel and click the Get Started button.
  1. Under the Services section, select Custom Services, then click Create Service.
  1. Fill in the required details for the custom service in the configuration screen.
  1. Enter a name for the custom service connection under Service Name; this will automatically generate the service link name.
  2. Select the appropriate authentication type supported by the third-party application from the available options: API key, Basic Authentication, OAuth 1, OAuth 2, or AWS signature.
Notes
Note:

Refer to the official API documentation of the third-party application to determine the authentication type.
  1. Each authentication type has its own set of parameters to ensure secure integration with the third-party app. For detailed instructions on configuring each authentication type and field, refer to this guide.
  2. For integrating with Trello, we'll choose API Key, which is the authentication type supported by the Trello app. For more information on getting your API key and token, refer to the Trello API documentation. Trello requires an API key and token to authenticate with another app. They have to be configured as query parameters, so set the parameter type to Query String.
  3. In the Parameter Key fields, enter the key and token, and set their corresponding Parameter Display Names to Trello API Key and Trello Token respectively.
Notes
Note:

Providing both the key and token is essential because Trello requires these two credentials for secure API access.
The key is the unique identifier for your application, and the token is a user-specific credential that authorizes our application to access and modify Trello data.
  1. Once all the required parameters are configured, click Create Service.

After successfully creating the custom service, the next step is to establish the connection with the Trello service by clicking the Create Connection button.

  1. On the following screen, provide a connection name for your Trello integration; this name will automatically generate the Connection Link Name.
  2. Once you've entered the necessary details, click the Create And Connect button to start the connection process.
  1. You'll be prompted to authenticate your Trello account using the API key and token you got from the Trello API documentation.
  2. After entering these credentials, click Connect to authenticate and integrate your Trello account with the custom service you have created.
  1. Once the connection is established, you'll be redirected back to the Bigin Developer Console. Here, you can view the details of your custom service connection, including the connection link name, confirming that the integration with Trello is active and ready for use.

This connection link name serves as a unique identifier for your integration and will be referenced in the Deluge code.

You'll also need to create a default service connection with Bigin with the scope ZohoBigin.modules.tasks.ALL to access Task details from your Bigin account.



The next step is to set up a workflow rule to automate the card creation process. This workflow will trigger whenever a new task is created in Bigin to create a corresponding card in Trello. To do this, a custom function needs to be associated with the workflow.

To configure the workflow, navigate to the Automate section in the left panel of the Bigin Developer Console and select Workflow. Create a new workflow rule within the Tasks module, setting the trigger to activate whenever a new task is created in Bigin. For the trigger condition, choose to apply the workflow to All tasks to ensure every new task initiates the automation.

Next, associate the workflow rule with a function by selecting the Function option from the Instant Actions menu.


After providing the required function details, you'll be redirected to the Deluge editor, where you can implement the logic for creating a new Trello Card.



In the Deluge code:
  1. Retrieve the details of the newly created task from Bigin using its Task ID.
  2. Extract relevant task data such as the subject (used as the task name) and description.
  3. Identify the target Trello board and the specific list where the card should be created.
  4. Fetch all lists from the Trello board and locate the list ID that matches the desired list name. For our use case, we'll be creating the task as a card in the Trello list named "Today" so that the task created on that specific day will fall under the Today list. Later, it can be moved across other lists in Trello as its status updates.
  5. Prepare the card details using the extracted task information and the identified list ID.
  6. Create a new card in Trello using the prepared details.
The code below implements the logic for automatically creating a Trello card whenever a new task is created in Bigin.
  1. // Step 1: Get task details from Bigin
  2. taskDetails = zoho.bigin.getRecordById("Tasks",task.get("Tasks.ID"),Map(),"biginandtrello__biginconnection");
  3. // Step 2: Extract task data
  4. taskData = taskDetails.get("data").get(0);
  5. taskName = taskData.get("Subject");
  6. taskDescription = taskData.get("Description");
  7. // Step 3: Trello board and target list name
  8. boardId = "KQMtdnPX";
  9. targetListName = "Today";
  10. // Step 4: Get all lists on Trello board
  11. listsResponse = invokeurl
  12. [
  13. url :"https://api.trello.com/1/boards/" + boardId + "/lists"
  14. type :GET
  15. connection:"biginandtrello__trello"
  16. ];
  17. // Step 5: Find the list ID by name
  18. listId = "";
  19. for each listItem in listsResponse
  20. {
  21. if(listItem.get("name") == targetListName)
  22. {
  23. listId = listItem.get("id");
  24. break;
  25. }
  26. }
  27. // Step 6: Check if list exists
  28. if(listId == "")
  29. {
  30. info "List with name '" + targetListName + "' not found.";
  31. return;
  32. }
  33. // Step 7: Prepare Trello card details
  34. cardDetails = Map();
  35. cardDetails.put("name",taskName + " - From Bigin");
  36. cardDetails.put("desc",taskDescription);
  37. cardDetails.put("idList",listId);
  38. // Step 8: Create Trello card
  39. createCardResponse = invokeurl
  40. [
  41. url :"https://api.trello.com/1/cards"
  42. type :POST
  43. parameters:cardDetails
  44. connection:"biginandtrello__trello"
  45. ];
  46. // Step 9: Log Trello response
  47. info "Trello card creation response: " + createCardResponse;

For details about the API endpoints and request formats used in this code, refer to the Bigin Deluge reference library and Trello API documentation.
Now, let's test whether the topping is functioning as expected. To test the topping, click Test your Topping on the top right of the Bigin Developer Console.


You can test the topping by creating a new Task in your Bigin Sandbox account and then checking your Trello account to see if a new card is created in the specified list.



In this post, We've successfully created a custom service connection between Bigin and Trello!

By using custom service connections, you can securely integrate third-party applications with Bigin and achieve your business's use cases.

Stay tuned for more posts where we'll dive deeper into additional features and best practices for developing powerful toppings in Bigin.

<< Previous                                                                                                                                                                            Next>>

    • Recent Topics

    • I cannot add user to my account

      I have an account, I deleted a user from the account and I have one unused licence which lasts for 23 days, I tried adding a new user and it said This user is not allowed to add in Zoho. Please contact support-as@zohocorp.com for further details, please

    • Domain Activation Issue

      I purchased a domain through Zoho, and as I understand it, you were supposed to send me a domain activation link. However, I never received it. As a result, I was unable to activate the domain, and it is now suspended. Because of this, I am not receiving

    • Grouping by Stage *type* in widgets

      Hi Can I ask for a new feature? I'd like to be able to group by stage type in a Deal widget. That is by whether the Deal is in an Open Stage, a Closed Won Stage, or a Lost stage. Currently I can group by Stage, but if we have 10 open stages and one Closed

    • Please release domain bravovietnam.com from an old account

      Hello Zoho Support, I am trying to set up Zoho Mail with my domain bravovietnam.com on my account office@bravovietnam.com. Every time I add the domain, I get: "This domain is already associated with this account" — pointing to a DIFFERENT, older account

    • Creator -Dynamic addition of Customer Portal User Licenses

      Hi, We have a Creator App for B2C about to get released. We are experiencing the Portal User license challenge. Unable to predict the number of users who will download and Subscribe. When a User is about Subscribe and the portal licenses does not exists,

    • Migrate Mailbox between Microsoft 365 tenants - Safe, Fast & Easy

      Moving mailboxes between Microsoft 365 tenants is a difficult proposition when you've got a large number of user accounts, a lot of email data and a number of Microsoft 365 services to contend with. This is a common scenario when a business is undergoing

    • 👍 Zoho CRM's Notes now gets Reactions and a new look

      Available in SA and JP DCs. Rolling out to other DCs in phases. Hello everyone, Notes help users capture important updates, collaborate with teammates, and maintain context for records. Now with Note Reactions, users can quickly acknowledge updates, express

    • Widget Height were destroyed

      All widget heights in the Details Canvas view are broken. Moderation Update: This is a known issue with widget heights in Client Script popups and flyouts. A fix is in progress, and this post will be updated once it's released.

    • Introducing Incentives for Zoho CRM: Build, automate, and track sales commissions

      Dear Customers, We are here with an amazing news! We built a direct solution to help manage your commission provisioning activity in your business. From creating commission plans to issuing payouts, this application leverages your sales reps’ performance

    • Enhanced Zoho CRM and Office 365 calendar synchronization features!

      Dear customers, We're excited to share some significant improvements to our Office 365 calendar synchronization features, aimed at providing you with more control and a more personalized experience. What’s new Choose your Office 365 calendar: During the

    • Introducing Zoho Key Service, a simpler way to access LLMs without API keys

      Available in the Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions in the US, IN, AU, JP, and CA DCs. Hello everyone, We are excited to bring Zoho Key Service (ZKS) in Zoho CRM, a simpler way for organizations to access and use third party LLMs. You can

    • Zoho Books Support

      Dear Team, Zoho Books offers a demo before you purchase zoho books. But after that when he actually purchases the product he has to rely on toll free number or help documents. But this might get frustrated in the initial period. Specially in initial period.

    • How to add a fee based on payment method

      I currently accept both ACH payments and credit card. I want to add a 3% fee to a number of my subscription plans if the customer chooses to use a credit card (and not ACH/checking). How do I do this? Is there an in-built feature, or would i have to create

    • Mirror Component in Zoho CRM: Access real-time related data without leaving your record

      Hi everyone, This feature is now available for the JP, CA, SA, UAE, and AU DCs. We're excited to bring to you Zoho CRM's mirror component, which presents relevant data on a record's details page and keeps everything users need in one place without having

    • What's New in Zoho Invoice | July – September 2026

      Hello everyone! We're back with the latest updates and enhancements we've rolled out in Zoho Invoice from July to September 2026. Here's what's new this quarter: Zoho Invoice is Now Available in Nigeria Introducing the Super Admin Privilege E-Invoicing

    • Convert MBOX to PDF Free on Mac and Windows

      MBOX files are widely used for storing email messages in email clients such as Thunderbird, Apple Mail, and other programs that support the MBOX format. Although this format is useful for handling emails, it can at times be inconvenient to access the

    • Notes - Reaction Buttons

      Using the native notes option within CRM is fine, it works and the RTF features are great, however, would it be possible - if there isnt already something in place, where we can add a reactions button, similar to teams/whatsapp to show that its been read

    • ZohoBooks - "Account transactions" report doesn't have any "Desciptions"

      Hi, I'd like to push for this to be included in ZohoBooks: In a "account transactions" report all the numbers are right, but I'd really like to see the "Description" as part of this report, i.e. the line-item-description as I would see it in the bank statement. Essentially all you see is a list of numbers adding up to the total. It is very difficult to see if things are right without being able to see what exactly each transaction refers to. Going into each transaction one-by-one is not a workable

    • Address limits per customer by edition

      I’m on the Standard edition and have reached a limit of 30 addresses under a single customer. Before I move to an annual Professional subscription, I need to confirm the following: What is the maximum number of addresses allowed under one contact, and

    • Export from List view

      I'm constantly having the issue where my users are building lists in ListView for various objects and then realising they cant export the data, then they have to go and build the data set in reports to export. I would like to see the ability to export to excel/csv from ListView.

    • Cannot apply tags to multiple items at once

      It is very frustrating needing to apply tags to notes individually. Even worse that it takes multiple clicks to do it. Can there please be an update to: 1.) Allow us to apply tags to batches of notes in one go. 2.) Make it less clicks to add a tag 3.)

    • Get all hiring updates via Zoho Cliq bot notifications

      We’re introducing a new way to stay updated on recruitment activities: Cliq Bot notifications. Now you can receive Zoho Recruit notifications directly in Zoho Cliq—alongside your existing in-app alerts and emails. Whether it’s a candidate status change,

    • Notes Acknowledgement

      It would be great to have emojis that can be used for Notes. Emojis such as Thumbs Up to let someone know you agree with them or a emoji for thanks. It's a simple way to acknowledge that you read someone's note. Moderation update: Emoji reactions for

    • Is it possible to log text messages from iphone into Zoho CRM

      My team is more and more utilizing text messaging to communicate with clients. Does Zoho have a solution for logging these text messages when clicking "Send Text Message" from the Zoho app. Much like when you call, you get prompted to log a call, can

    • Project Finances: Fully Accessible within Projects

      Project finances and work items are now on the same screen and it transforms the way you run your project. Managing your project finances is now much easier and in the same screen as your work items. Access quotes, invoices, bills, sales orders, and purchase

    • zoho stream web notifications

      since im locked out of IMAP and cant use my mail app that lets my team collaborate and chat below emails, im trying out the zoho version of this... zoho streams. On the bottom of an email in the zoho mail web app, i "comment" and mention another user.

    • UI / UX Improvements

      Please consider changing the Dependency Details window from a column-based layout to a list-based layout, or allowing users to choose their preferred layout. The current column-based view uses screen space inefficiently and makes navigation difficult,

    • Zoho CRM and Desk sandboxes for testing native integration

      Hello team, We are evaluating the native integration between Zoho CRM and Zoho Desk, We have sandbox instances of both products and want to test the integration there, without any effect on our production CRM or production Desk data. While setting up

    • Function #24: Automatically display deal name from Zoho CRM on quotes in Zoho Books

      Deals allow businesses to organize and visualize their sales pipeline. This provides a clear overview of all potential opportunities and helps in making informed decisions. Zoho CRM empowers you to create deals or potentials for your clients and monitor

    • Zoho Books | Product updates | August 2026

      Hello users, July has been an exciting month for Zoho Books! This month, we're excited to introduce HTML PDF Templates, Placeholders as Pills, expanded approval workflows for Sales Returns and Journals, and significant compliance updates across the India,

    • Auto-Sync Field of Lookup Values When Parent Record Changes

      Hi Zoho Team, Currently, when you use a "Field of Lookup" in Zoho CRM, the value is captured as a snapshot at the time the lookup is set. If the parent record is later updated, the Field of Lookup value on the child record does NOT update and stays stale.

    • [Request] Pivot filter date option : from set date to relative value ie from 01Jan to LastMonth

      I don't think I can currently do this... but it's worth asking if it's possible. My use case is concerning annual leave which is calculated from the beginning of the calendar year (01Jan) then each month I want to have details of leave taken etc... In

    • Customer Statement Showing Incorrect Negative Balance Due to Unused Advance

      Dear Zoho Support Team, We are facing an issue with the Customer Statement in Zoho Invoice related to customer advances/mobilization advances. The issue is that when a customer has made an advance payment that has not yet been fully utilized against invoices,

    • Mois de la sensibilisation à la cybersécurité 2026 : faites de la sécurité un réflexe avec Zoho

      Imaginez : vos systèmes informatiques répondent aux normes de sécurité en vigueur et votre entreprise est assurée contre les cyberattaques. Pourtant, un matin, tout bascule. Vos données sont chiffrées et un message glaçant s’affiche à l’écran : « Si vous

    • Specifying time increments on a Date/Time field

      Hi all, Im using a Date/Time field in my CRM module. At the moment the increments are 30 minutes. How can I change these to be 15 minutes? Thanks

    • Read, View, Access, or Open an OST File Without Outlook

      Have you at any time needed to open an old OST file only to find that Microsoft Outlook is not installed on your computer? It is very annoying, particularly in the case where the file includes important emails, attachments, contacts, or calendar items.

    • What's new in Zoho Workplace | August 2026

      Hello Zoho Workplace community! Here's a roundup of all the new features and announcements that went live across Zoho Workplace applications in August. Zoho Mail Zoho Mail is now available in AWS Marketplace! AWS Marketplace users can access and subscribe

    • Read, View or Open MBOX File without Any Email Clients

      Since email messages are stored in a single file by MBOX files, they are useful for keeping email data in one location. Many email programmes, such as Thunderbird and other mail clients, support this format. However, if you have an old MBOX file and the

    • What's new in Zoho Social - Q3 recap

      Hello everyone, We've rolled out a bunch of exciting updates in Q3, and we're thrilled to walk you through them. Here's a quick look at everything we released in July, August, and September to help you experiment with content, automate engagement workflows,

    • The Social Wall: September 2026

      Hello everyone! This month, we’re bringing Snapchat to Zoho Social. You can now connect your Snapchat account and manage your content alongside your other social channels. Whether you want to reach a wider audience through Spotlights or share quick updates

    • Next Page