[Early-access] Introducing Zoho's CommandCenter - Cross-Zoho business process automation

[Early-access] Introducing Zoho's CommandCenter - Cross-Zoho business process automation

 

Resources to help

Webinar recording | Documentation 

Feature Restrictions

Currently available on early-access only for US data center accounts

Features Role

CommandCenter as a Service uses signals across Zoho services to propel the movement of records through different stages of a business process


Note: CommandCenter was introduced as a feature within CRM in 2020. Zoho's CommandCenter is a standalone service that operates across Zoho platforms. 

For the sake of clarity, please note that in this post, we will refer to CommandCenter feature in Zoho CRM as "Zoho CRM's CommandCenter", and "CommandCenter as a Service", as "Zoho's CommandCenter"

CommandCenter is powered by signals. Signals are events performed in various arenas of Zoho applications that can be used to trigger the transition of a record to its next state. 

Signals serve as the backbone of the CommandCenter builder., Let's understand a little more about them. 

When you want to connect various customer touchpoints together, and build your customer journey end-to-end, there are many, touchpoints involved. 

Let's consider a real estate business powered by Zoho One end-to-end. .This company uses the following modules for their operations:
  •  Zoho CRM for client management
  • Zoho Finance for bookkeeping
  • Zoho Desk to provide support to clients
  • Zoho Meeting to setup online sessions with prospective clients 
- In their business process, each customer record moves through different stages in each of these services. For example, a lead moves from a "needs assessment" stage to a "needs assessed". 
- Here, for the record to move, it must transition through a stage of "assessment" where "type and budget" details are captured. This transition is fuelled by certain actions which we will configure. 
- In this example, we will configure the transition based on a trigger that the company brochure is downloaded or that a query is submitted on the website.

Each of the actions of updating these fields serve as a trigger for the movement of one or more record(s). We call these actions, "Signals".  At the backend, Signals route the events to multiple destinations. Signals can be setup for several Zoho services, including Zoho CRM. CommandCenter is setup such that any signal can be captured from other Zoho Apps to trigger the movement of a record to its next state.

Default signals - Default signals available in Zoho CRM, Desk, Survey, and Webinar are supported now. Default signals from other Zoho services, and third-party integrations will be supported down the line. 

Custom signals - API triggers or custom signals allow your system to use ANY event as your trigger, besides the readily available signals. Custom signals broaden CC's capabilities by allowing transition of records based on custom events that are specific to your business, making your mapped customer journey that much more accurate.

CommandCenter as a service ties together every single touchpoint of a record, mapping the whole customer journey with all its bits and pieces in ONE space. . Right from capturing information and creating leads, to the final stage, anything that can be automated is mapped within CC. Many of us are familiar with Zoho CRM's CommandCenter that runs and manage an entire business-process end-to-end. CRM's CommandCenter not only allows you to map your customer journey across multiple modules in a single space, but also guides and automates every action in a single space. Zoho's CommandCenter isn't an alternative to this, but an avenue to use and tie together your business processes, across multiple Zoho services. It uses triggers to execute different actions through different Zoho apps, at different stages (states) of a customer lifecycle. 

The main components of this tool are: 

States - The building blocks of a CC flow. They signify the state/stage a record is stationed at that point of the process. In our real estate example, we have many states. Pre-approval,  Funds processing, Inspection completion, Loan approval, etc

Transitions - The process initiating the movement of a record to its next state. A "Documents verification in progress", between the "Waiting for approval" and "Documents verified" states. 

Triggers - Triggers are our signals that propel the transition of records. Any default or custom signal can be used as a trigger for a transition.

Actions - At every stage, automated actions that are configured such as email alters, field updates, task creation, or any custom action.
Here's a quick overview on how Zoho's CommandCenter adds to the existing automation options. 



Comparison 1 - Workflows 
Comparison 2 - Blueprint
Feature
Help automate any set of actions within a module



Automation rules
Mandates certain actions from the user's end (manual) before a record is transitioned. (includes workflow functionalities in actions)

Internal process application tool
Use-case achievable
During the document verification process, we need to automate the "Document submitted" field in the Contact page, based on a rule that a Webform is filled. 
Business process steps that can be included in Blueprint. 
Collateral Assessment| Documentation Check| Document first release| Legal Verification | Release of loan | Loan closure/rejection (based on approval/denial)

Comparison 3 - Zoho CRM's CommandCenter
Comparison 4 - Zoho's CommandCenter
Feature
Allows the entire business process from your CRM to be created end-to-end, within a single space across modules

Cross-module online journey orchestration tool in Zoho CRM
Builds an online replica of your business process with the various entries of the records and signals across all Zoho services in ONE space
Cross-Zoho online replica of a business process
Use Case achievable
All the steps under Comparison 2. Additionally, we will be able to map the following steps of our business process in CRM. 
Pre-approval | Manual approval | Document verification | Loan rejected | Address verified | Loan rejected (if address proof is not submitted) | Loan approved | Funds processing initiated | Loan sanctioned | Loan closed | Loan settled | Overdue (in case of payment failure) | Overdue proceedings in due | Overdue proceedings settled (After legal proceedings are initiated)
All the steps under Comparison 3. Additionally, it will be able to include the following signals as triggers

- Filling of a customized survey used during home inspection process

- Booking of slots using Zoho Meeting to schedule a call with the realtor to understand requirements

- During the loan process, closing of customers' tickets created on Zoho Desk is used as a trigger to fully end their purchase

What's new with Zoho's CommandCenter 
- Advanced reporting for CommandCenter allows for tracking and measuring customer journeys, noting and rectifying pain points as the journey progresses.The new Pivot Charts in reports is noteworthy. 
- Unifies data across multiple apps, but also for multiple orgs across each application. 
- Custom signals or API triggers to flexibly trigger a transition based on any event from other Zoho services. 

Note - We've enabled CommandCenter early-access   to our EA community. Do try it out, let us know what you think as comments to this post. We request that you post any issues you face, feedback and suggestions for improvements, and what you like about it. Our CommandCenter team is all ears and will love to join in on the discussion. 

Access it at commandcenter.zoho.com

Pricing details - CommandCenter will be included in Zoho One when it is ready for public launch. It will be charged based on a Fair Usage Policy, where the base free limits will vary based on the number of users purchased. Post this, they will be charged for additional usage. We'll let you know the exact limits and pricing details closer to the public launch date

Pricing
Free edition
Enterprise Edition (post free usage)
Transitions
300/day
$0.0002/transition
Actions
250/day
$0.0003/action
Journeys
3
$5/journey/month (bonus of 1 free user)
Users
3
$2/additional user/month

    • Recent Topics

    • WhatsApp Channels in Zoho Campaigns

      Now that Meta has opened WhatsApp Channels globally, will you add it to Zoho Campaigns? It's another top channel for marketing communications as email and SMS. Thanks.
    • Zoho sign and creator error message {"code":9043,"error_param":"Checked by","message":"Extra key found","status":"failure"}

      Good day, I receive the error message: {"code":9043,"error_param":"Checked by","message":"Extra key found","status":"failure"} when running below code from creator to sign, void TestForSign(int ID) { //Fetch Template Details (Optional, for dynamic mapping)
    • Download a writer template as .docx instead of .pdf.

      I have been trying to implement a feature to download a writer template as a .docx and got it working partly but it isn't good. Earlier I checked our code and I saw openurl("https://crm.zoho.com/crm/org121314/specific/Template.do?action=print&step=pdfPreview&id="
    • Allow the usage of Multi-Select fields as the primary field on "Layout Rules"

      We want to force our users to enter some explanation strings when a multi-select field has been utilized. I can't understand the reason for the usage restriction of Multi-Select fields as a primary field. This is a simple "Display hidden mandatory field
    • Ask the Experts 25: Experience the full spectrum of Zoho Desk’s autumn and spring releases for 2025

      Hello Everyone, We’re on the 25th episode of our ATE series! It's a true milestone in our live community interactions! It’s been an amazing journey since we started in October 2018. Zoho Desk has come a long way, evolving with the support of a wonderful
    • WriterTh

      After every space Writer goes to capital letters mode in my Android tablet. The cap mode stays till the second letter is typed in the word then it comes to normal mode.
    • Extract Archived Projects using Zoho Projects API

      In my organization we archive the projects when they are already completed, charged, invoiced, so that only those that are still pending process remain active. I need to access all projects (active and archived) from an external system, but the API v3
    • Pincode based Product Restriction

      we have different types of products. 1) Very bulky items like plywood. 2) Too delicate items like glass These type of products we want to sell to local customers. Other products we want to supply all over India. There should be an option to restrict products
    • Ask the Experts: Five-hour live Q&A session with Zoho WorkDrive product experts

      Have questions about WorkDrive 5.0? Let’s talk! We recently launched Zoho WorkDrive 5.0, packed with powerful updates to help your team work smarter, stay secure, and get more value from your business content. From content-centric workflows and AI-powered
    • File upload support for subforms

      Dear All, Subforms help you add and track data related to your CRM records. We've always supported most of the commonly used field types in subforms, so as to cater to your business requirements. Now we're happy to extend support to file upload fields.
    • Two factor authentication for helpdesk users

      The company i work for wants use the helpdesk site in Zoho desk, as a place for their distribution partners to ask question and look for information about our product. The things there is suppose to go up there is somewhat confidential between my company
    • Circular record relationship in CRM

      Given there is a lookup in custom module Transactions creating a related list on the chosen Contact record. I. e. a lookup field on Transactions module points to Contacts. The related list on a Contact record can thus have have many transaction records.
    • Contact data removes Account data when creating a quote

      Hi, Our customer has address fields in their quote layout which should be the address of the Account. They prefill the information, adding the account name - the address data is populated as per what is in the account - great. However when they then add
    • Kiosk can't merge picklist or multiselect

      There is no ability to load a multiselect or picklikst field into a kiosk with the values that have been previously selected. So, I essentially have 3 unacceptable options: 1.)Load the value into a text string and include instructions like this: "Picklist
    • Multi-currency and Products

      One of the main reasons I have gone down the Zoho route is because I need multi-currency support.  However, I find that products can only be priced in the home currency, We sell to the US and UK.  However, we maintain different price lists for each. 
    • All new Address Field in Zoho CRM: maintain structured and accurate address inputs

      The address field will be available exclusively for IN DC users. We'll keep you updated on the DC-specific rollout soon. It's currently available for all new sign-ups and for existing Zoho CRM orgs which are in the Professional edition. Latest update
    • Is it possible to pull the Zoho desk data into Zoho analytics in real time

      Hi - I am looking to add more dashboards and reports of Zoho Desk in analytics. I see there is a schedule to pull the data into analytics, but I'm wondering if there is an option to pull the data in real time instead of a specific interval?
    • Enhance productivity with the revamped Zoho Sheet View

      Hello folks, For some time now, you've been able to use the Zoho Sheet View to quickly edit multiple records or to insert a batch of new records. Its tabular interface allows users to engage in these tasks productively. Despite this, the existing Sheet
    • How to set value of dropdown field to variable

      For the life of me, I can't figure out why the following code won't set input.status to the previousSelection. Steps to reproduce: 1. Click input.complete 2. input.status dropdown updates from '1-Backlog' to '4-Done' 3. Click input.complete again to deselect
    • [Product Update] TimeSheets module is now renamed as Time Logs in Zoho Projects.

      Dear Zoho Analytics customers, As part of the ongoing enhancements in Zoho Projects, the Timesheets module has been renamed to Time Logs. However, the module name will continue to be displayed as Timesheets in Zoho Analytics until the relevant APIs are
    • Issue in Annual Leave

      We created a policy to credit 21 days at the Start of the Year An employee has taken 16 days of leaves thought the year, so we expect to see 5 Leaves remaining right? But Zoho People is Showing 12 Days of Leave Balance Available If we check the Leave
    • [WEBINAR][MEA] Learn how to control your inventory and multi-channel sales with the Zoho Inventory & Zoho Books integration

      Hello there, We are hosting an exclusive live webinar tailored for businesses across the Middle East and African countries, where you'll learn how to take full control of your inventory and multi-channel sales while keeping your accounting perfectly in
    • Less clicks, more connection – the usability edge of Zoho Desk

      Imagine joining a new workplace, eager to prove your skills, partner with peers, learn new tools, and build a strong foundation for your career. The standards you've set could drive pressure into your head. You now discover the organization is using Zoho
    • Tip #3 Automating total item weight calculation for your sales orders in Zoho Inventory

      Hello, Hope the day is treating you well. Last week, we saw how we could automate the calculation of total shipping charges from numerous shipments for your sales orders and invoices. This week, we will see how you can automate the calculation of total item weight for your sales orders.  How does this work? First, you are required to capture the weight of all your items using a custom field. And when you create a sales order, you can either have the system display the individual weights for you or
    • Why Format section gets disabled when we create Merge Template over PDF

      I need some assistance I have a Client who is going to give certificates to users who passes his exam. So, I am using mail merge but in ZOHO writer after I upload the PDF and create merge Template over PDF the format Section gets disabled. My problem
    • Whatsapp Integration on Zoho Campaign

      Team: Can the messages from Zoho Campaign delivered through Whatsapp... now customers no longer are active on email, but the entire campaign module is email based.... when will it be available on whatsapp.... are there any thirdparty providers who can
    • Big Things Just Dropped in the SalesIQ Universe: Top Upgrades You’ll Love in Nova’25

      Nova'25 has landed, and it’s packed with meaningful upgrades to help you engage smarter, work faster, and scale with ease. Whether you're into proactive messaging, smarter automation, or better admin control, there's something here for everyone. Here's
    • How to calculate separate totals for Product Line Items filtered by category in Quotes?

      Hello! I'm working with Quotes in Zoho CRM and need help calculating conditional totals for line items. Current setup: I have two tables in my Quote template (Zoho Writer), both displaying Quoted Line Items Table 1 (top): Shows all products where Product
    • I Need Help Verifying Ownership of My Zoho Help Desk on Google Search Console

      I added my Zoho desk portal to Google Search Console, but since i do not have access to the html code of my theme, i could not verify ownership of my portal on Google search console. I want you to help me place the html code given to me from Google search
    • Zoho Desk API Documentation missing a required field

      We are trying to create a section using this information. Even after preparing everything based on that page, we still get an error. The error we get is this: {"errorCode":"INVALID_DATA","message":"The data is invalid due to validation restrictions","errors":[{"fieldName":"/translations","errorType":"missing","errorMessage":""}]}
    • Fetch Subform values through a lookup of a lookup

      Hi, I'm having an issue fetching the values of a subform through a lookup field through another lookup field. The code works perfectly to show me the subform row ID, but the second I try to get any readable data, it says "Error occurred. Please contact
    • 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
    • Turn Decision Box to a button

      Dear all, I need your help on CSS to turn a Decision Box to a Button. I have a Decision Box like: Turn on/off to refresh the information. (on User Input, either True or False, will refresh the information) Now I want to simulate to treat it like a Refresh
    • Emails not being received from a particular domain

      Cannot receive any emails sent from atco.com Domain is in the spam whitelist so should be no reason for it not to be coming through. Have filed a ticket and besides a generic response of we are looking at it - it seems there is no actual support workers
    • Stock Count

      The stock count is a nice new feature, but we cannot figure out how to: 1. Use it without assigning to a person, we have a team or one of multiple do stock counts as do most any company. 2. Add any extra fields to what the "counter" sees. The most important
    • CRM x WorkDrive: File storage for new CRM signups is now powered by WorkDrive

      Availability Editions: All DCs: All Release plan: Released for new signups in all DCs. It will be enabled for existing users in a phased manner in the upcoming months. Help documentation: Documents in Zoho CRM Manage folders in Documents tab Manage files
    • Send Whatsapp message from Whatsapp template with custom variables

      Hi, I'm trying to do some basic integration for sending WhatsApp messages from Zoho CRM using Zoho Desk whatsapp templates. When creating new whatsapp template in Zoho Desk we can choose ticket related fields as variables but it's not clear how to use
    • How to remove some users in zoho accounts

      How to remove some users in Zoho accounts.
    • Outgoing blocked: Unusual activity detected.

      I just made payment for my Zohomail Today and have been debited so i will like to be Unblocked because this is what it says (Outgoing blocked: Unusual activity detected) Thank you i await your swift responses
    • Integrating with My Own Application and ZOHO CRM Simultaneously

      I have my own WhatsApp bot that uses my WhatsApp business account. I want to use the same phone number to integrate with ZOHO as well. What is the recommended way to do that? Should I integrate my application with ZOHO, forwarding messages whenever the
    • Next Page