Kaizen #206 - Answering your Questions | Displaying Related Purchase Orders from Zoho Books in CRM Deals using Queries

Kaizen #206 - Answering your Questions | Displaying Related Purchase Orders from Zoho Books in CRM Deals using Queries


Hello everyone!
We're back with another post in the Kaizen series.
We're grateful for the feedback we received from all of you!

One of the questions we received was "I would like to see the list of Purchase Orders in Zoho Books for a Deal in CRM."

We will discuss how to achieve this using the Queries feature in Zoho CRM.

Scenario

In many organizations, a single Deal in Zoho CRM may correspond to one or more Purchase Orders(POs) in Zoho Books. To get a real-time view of all POs associated with a Deal in CRM, we can leverage the Queries feature under Setup > Developer Hub > Queries, and custom related lists.

1. CRM and Zoho Books Integration

Zoho CRM and Books integration allows you to
  • View POs, invoices, and payments for deals directly in CRM
  • Synchronize financial data between CRM deals and Books POs
  • Automate the mapping of deals to POs via custom fields
To create this connection,
  1. Go to Setup > Developer Hub > Connections
  2. Create a connection to Books(OAuth) with the scopes ZohoBooks.contacts.All and ZohoBooks.purchaseorders.All.

2. Prerequisites

Before creating the query and automation, you must have the following ready:
  1. Zoho Books organization ID – needed for REST API calls.
  2. Custom field in Books PO module:
    Field Name: CRM Deal ID
    Type: Single-line
    Purpose: Store the CRM deal ID that each PO relates to.
    Why do we need this custom field?
    By default, Books POs are not directly linked to CRM Deals. To bridge this gap, we create a custom single-line field(CRM Deal ID) in Books POs to store the CRM Deal’s record ID. This makes it possible to filter POs in queries(cf_crm_deal_id == {{deal_ID}}) and reliably display only the related POs in CRM.

    You can store the record ID of the deal in CRM in this field either manually or via a custom function. When you use a custom function, use the Update a Purchase Order API to update the CRM Deal ID field in Books with the record ID of the deal in CRM. You can then associate this function to a button or automation to constantly update the PO in Books every time a deal in CRM is created or updated in CRM. You can also use Zoho Flow to achieve this instead of a function.
  3. Trusted domain and source:
    1. Ensure you have added Books API domain to trusted domain for API calls.

    2. Add Zoho Books as the source of the query to get the PO details from Books. You can add the Books' organization ID as a parameter either here or while creating the query.

3. Single Deal, Multiple POs

Scenario

  • A CRM deal requires multiple POs from different vendors.
  • Each PO in Books stores the same Deal ID in the CRM Deal ID field.
  • This allows a related list in CRM to show all POs associated with the deal.

Why a Single-line Field Works?

  • Each PO references one deal.
  • Queries in CRM can filter using cf_crm_deal_id == {{deal_ID}}. cf_crm_deal_id is the API name of the custom field in PO of Books. You can find it under Setup > Purchases > Purchase Orders > {the custom field} > Edit.
  • Works reliably for related list display.

4. Creating a REST API Query in CRM

Since we will use Books API to get the list of POs, we will create a REST API type query.

  1. Go to Setup > Developer Hub > Queries > Create Query.
  2. Enter the details as shown in the following image:

  3. Choose the Books source that you added recently.
  4. Give a name for the query.
  5. The API name will be auto-populated, and the URL will be populated from the source.
  6. Enter the endpoint to access the resource from Books. In our case, purchaseorders.
  7. To filter based on the value in the CRM Deal ID field in Books, enter the parameter as cf_crm_deal_id and its value as a variable. This variable takes the Deal's record ID as the value during run time. This ensures that the query takes the deal residing in the CRM Deal ID(which is also the record ID of the deal in CRM) field in Books and filters only those POs related to this Deal.
  8. If you have not given org_id as a parameter while creating the source, include it here.
  9. Click Next. You will get a pop-up asking for the value to the variable cf_crm_deal_id. Give a value to see the query in action.
  10. The query returns the list of POs from Books that are related to this particular deal in CRM.
  11. Save the query.

5. Serializing(to return a table for the related list)

Serializer allows you to manipulate the response of the query using Javascript.
In our example, the raw response of the query will contain the POs from Books for a deal in CRM as an array with many fields.
For example, the deal with CRM record ID 3652397000017912047 has two POs in Books viz, PO-00001 and PO-00003. The raw response before serialization is as follows.


But, to associate this response with a related list, we don't need all the fields. We can use the serializer to modify this response and use only the required fields.
The following image shows the serialized response.


Click Save and configure the Schema.


Click Save to save the query.

6. Adding the Query to a Related List

Now that we have the query ready, let's associate this with a related list in the Deals module in CRM to contextually view the POs of the Deal in Books.
  1. Navigate to the Deals module in CRM.
  2. Click the three-dot icon on the right corner of the record, and click Add Related List. Alternatively, you can also click the Add Related List option on the left in the Related List pane.

  3. From the pop-up, select Queries.

  4. From the list of available queries, select the Get Purchase Orders query you created and click Associate.

  5. Give a name for the related list.
  6. Under Variable Mapping, type #(to view merge fields) to get the list of modules available. Choose Deals and the Deal Id field. This means that the record ID of the deal will be passed as the value of the cf_crm_deal_id variable at runtime. The query will then fetch the list of POs for this Deal ID from Books, and display it in this related list.

  7. Click Save and you will see the related list under the Related Lists section of the record.

  8. Reload the page to see the query in action.

Automation Options

You can automatically update the CRM Deal ID in Books POs when a deal is created or a PO is raised.

1. Using Function

  • Function triggers on deal creation or a button click in CRM.
  • Fetches the PO in Books and updates the CRM Deal ID field using the Books connection.

2. Using Zoho Flow

  • Event: Deal created or updated in CRM.
  • Action: Update the corresponding PO(s) in Books.
  • Works without writing Deluge code.
Both methods require the Books connection and organization ID.

Summary/Best Practices

  • Single Deal, Multiple POs: Use single-line CRM Deal ID field in Books.
  • Queries and serializer: Filter POs based on cf_crm_deal_id == {{deal_ID}}.
  • Automation: Use functions or Zoho Flow for real-time updates.
  • Multi-Deal, Single PO: Not supported for related lists; use custom reporting instead.

This setup ensures that sales and finance teams can see all POs for a deal directly in CRM without manual reconciliation.


We hope this post answered your question and you found this useful.
Let us know what you think in the comments or write to us at support@zohocrm.com.


Cheers!


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










    • Sticky Posts

    • Kaizen #226: Using ZRC in Client Script

      Hello everyone! Welcome to another week of Kaizen. In today's post, lets see what is ZRC (Zoho Request Client) and how we can use ZRC methods in Client Script to get inputs from a Salesperson and update the Lead status with a single button click. In this

    • Kaizen #222 - Client Script Support for Notes Related List

      Hello everyone! Welcome to another week of Kaizen. The final Kaizen post of the year 2025 is here! With the new Client Script support for the Notes Related List, you can validate, enrich, and manage notes across modules. In this post, we’ll explore how

    • Kaizen #217 - Actions APIs : Tasks

      Welcome to another week of Kaizen! In last week's post we discussed Email Notifications APIs which act as the link between your Workflow automations and you. We have discussed how Zylker Cloud Services uses Email Notifications API in their custom dashboard.

    • Kaizen #216 - Actions APIs : Email Notifications

      Welcome to another week of Kaizen! For the last three weeks, we have been discussing Zylker's workflows. We successfully updated a dormant workflow, built a new one from the ground up and more. But our work is not finished—these automated processes are

    • Kaizen #152 - Client Script Support for the new Canvas Record Forms

      Hello everyone! Have you ever wanted to trigger actions on click of a canvas button, icon, or text mandatory forms in Create/Edit and Clone Pages? Have you ever wanted to control how elements behave on the new Canvas Record Forms? This can be achieved

    • Recent Topics

    • Deluge Learning Series – Client functions in Deluge | January 2026

      We’re excited to kick-start the first session of the 2026 Deluge Learning Series (DLS) with Client functions in Deluge. For those who are new to DLS, here’s a quick overview of what the series is all about: The Deluge Learning Series takes place on the

    • Rich Text For Notes in Zoho CRM

      Hello everyone, As you know, notes are essential for recording information and ensuring smooth communication across your records. With our latest update, you can now use Rich Text formatting to organize and structure your notes more efficiently. By using

    • Implement Meeting Polls in Zoho Bookings

      Dear Zoho Bookings Support Team, We'd like to propose a feature enhancement related to appointment scheduling within Zoho Bookings. Current Functionality: Zoho Bookings excels at streamlining individual appointment scheduling. Users can set availability

    • Zoho Bookings and Survey Integration through Flow

      I am trying to set up flows where once an appointment is marked as completed in Zoho Bookings, the applicable survey form would be sent to the customer. Problem is, I cannot customise flows wherein if Consultation A is completed, Survey Form A would be

    • Service Account Admin for API Calls and System Actions

      Hello, I would like to request the addition of a Service Account Admin option in Zoho product. This feature would allow API calls and system actions to be performed on behalf of the system, rather than an active user. Current Issue: At present, API calls

    • How to apply customized Zoho Crm Home Page to all users?

      I have tried to study manuals and play with Zoho CRM but haven't found a way how to apply customized Zoho CRM Home Page as a (default) home page for other CRM users.. How that can be done, if possible? - kipi Moderation Update: Currently, each user has

    • Please can the open tasks be shown in each customer account at the top.

      Hi there This has happened before, where the open tasks are no longer visible at the top of the page for each customer in the CRM. They have gone missing previously and were reinstated when I asked so I think it's just after an update that this feature

    • How to Customize Task Creation to Send a Custom Alert Using JavaScript in Zoho CRM?

      Hello Zoho CRM Community, I’m looking to customize Zoho CRM to send a custom alert whenever a task is created. I understand that Zoho CRM supports client scripts using JavaScript, and I would like to leverage this feature to implement the alert functionality.

    • Send Whatsapp with API including custom placeholders

      Is is possible to initiate a session on whatsapp IM channel with a template that includes params (placeholders) that are passed on the API call? This is very usefull to send a Utility message for a transactional notification including an order number

    • Configurable Zoho Cliq Notifications for Zoho People Alerts

      Hello Zoho People Product Team, Greetings and hope you are doing well. We would like to request an enhancement to Zoho People notifications, enabling a native delivery via Zoho Cliq with admin-level control, similar to the notification settings available

    • Add Israel & Jewish Holidays to Zoho People Holidays Gallery

      Greetings, We hope you are doing well. We are writing to request an enhancement to the Holidays Gallery in Zoho People. Currently, there are several holidays available, but none for Israel and none for Jewish holidays (which are not necessarily the same

    • Keep Zoho People Feature Requests in the Zoho People Forum

      Hello Zoho People Product Team, Greetings. We would like to submit a feature request regarding the handling of feature requests themselves, specifically for Zoho People. Issue: Feature Requests Being Moved to Zoho One Zoho People feature requests are

    • ZO25: The refreshed, more unified, and intelligent OS for business

      Hello all, Greetings from Zoho One! 2025 has been a remarkable year, packed with new features that will take your Zoho One experience to the next level! From sleek, customizable dashboards to an all-new action panel for instant task management, we’ve

    • Introducing Multi-Asset Support in Work Orders, Estimates, and Service Appointments

      We’re excited to announce a highly requested enhancement in Zoho FSM — you can now associate multiple assets with Work Orders, Estimates, and Service Appointments. This update brings more clarity, flexibility, and control to your field service operations,

    • [Product Update] Locations module migration in Zoho Books integration with Zoho Analytics

      Dear Customers, As Zoho Books are starting to support an advance version of the Branches/Warehouses module called the Locations module, users who choose to migrate to the Locations module in Zoho Books will also be migrated in Zoho Analytics-Zoho Books

    • Introducing Schedules for smarter availability management

      Greetings from the Zoho Bookings team! We’re excited to introduce Schedules, a powerful enhancement to manage availability across your workspace. Schedules are reusable working-hour templates that help you define and maintain consistent availability across

    • Why Zoho Contracts Prefers Structured Approvals Over Ad-hoc Approvals

      Approvals are one of the most important stages in a contract’s lifecycle. They determine whether a contract moves forward, gets revised, or needs further discussion. The approval process also defines accountability within the organization. Zoho Contracts

    • Whatsapp Connection Status still "Pending" after migration

      Hello, I migrated my WhatsApp API to Zoho from another provider a day ago. So far the connection status is still “Pending”. There is a problem? How long does it usually take?

    • Kaizen #226: Using ZRC in Client Script

      Hello everyone! Welcome to another week of Kaizen. In today's post, lets see what is ZRC (Zoho Request Client) and how we can use ZRC methods in Client Script to get inputs from a Salesperson and update the Lead status with a single button click. In this

    • How to Filter timewise question to check uploaded one month or two months before in these community question ?

      i want to find the question that is asked some month or before any particular year, so how can i filter it ?

    • Proposal for Creating a Unique "Address" Entity in Zoho FSM

      The "Address" entity is one of the most critical components for a service-oriented company. While homeowners may change and servicing companies may vary, the address itself remains constant. This constancy is essential for subsequent services, as it provides

    • Workflow Down/Bug

      We have a workflow that sends an email to one of our internal departments 10 minutes after a record is created in a custom module. The workflow actually works correctly. However, we have now noticed that on January 8, between 3:55 p.m. and 4:33 p.m.,

    • Service Locations: Designed for Shared Sites and Changing Customers

      Managing service addresses sounds simple—until it isn’t. Large facilities, shared sites, and frequently changing customers can quickly turn address management into an operational bottleneck. This is where Service Locations deliver clarity and control.

    • Can I re-send the Customer Satisfaction Survey after a ticket closure?

      Hello, Some customers does not answer the survey right after closure, is it possible to re-send after a few days or weeks? Best Regards!

    • Account blocked

      Yesterday I got my Zeptomail account blocked due to too many hard bounces. My account is used exclusively for sending transactional emails (eg. your order has been shipped, a form has been filled, etc) and the sudden blocking impacted hundreds of websites

    • Filter contacts based on selected category in Zoho Desk ticket

      Hello community, I’m setting up the Tickets module in Zoho Desk and I need help implementing the following: When a category is selected in a ticket, I want the Contact field to be filtered so that it only displays contacts that are related to that category.

    • Mapping a new Ticket in Zoho Desk to an Account or Deal in Zoho CRM manually

      Is there any way for me to map an existing ticket in Zoho desk to an account or Deal within Zoho CRM? Sometimes people use different email to put in a ticket than the one that we have in the CRM, but it's still the same person. We would like to be able

    • Assign Income to Project Without Invoice

      Hello, Fairly new user here so apologies if there is a really obvious solution here that I am just missing... I have hundreds of small deposits into a bank account that I want to assign to a project but do not want to have to create an invoice every time

    • Tracking Non-Inventory Items

      We have several business locations and currently use zoho inventory to track retail items (sales and purchase orders). We were hoping to use zoho inventory to track our non-inventory items as well (toilet paper, paper towels, etc). I understand that we

    • Profile Page View Customization

      I need to change the fields, sections from the profile view of an emplyoyee.

    • Zoho Desk Android app update: Filter, Sort and Saved filters Enhancements

      Hello everyone! We are excited to introduce the below features on the Android version Zoho Desk mobile app: 1. Filter & Sort support has been introduced for the Contacts and Accounts modules. 2. Sort options is now available in Custom Modules as well.

    • Accessing shared mailboxes through Trident (Windows)

      Hi, I have a created a couple of shared mailboxes. The mailboxes are showing up on the browser based Zoho workplace, but I cannot seem to figure out how to access my shared inboxes through Trident (Windows). Am I missing something or is this feature not

    • Feature Request: Ability to set Default Custom Filters and apply them via URL/Deluge

      I've discovered a significant gap in how Zoho Creator handles Custom Filters for reports, and I'm hoping the Zoho team can address this in a future update. This limitation has been raised before and continues to be requested, but remains unresolved. The

    • Closing the Loop: Why Lookup Asymmetry is Harming Data Integrity in Creator

      TL;DR: Lookup fields allow users to add new related records inline via the "+" icon, but there's no equivalent ability to edit an existing related record without navigating away and losing form context. Adding a native "Edit" icon—with automatic User

    • filtering lookup field options based on information in another module.

      In our CRM system. We have the standard Accounts and Deals modules. We would like to introduce the ability to classify Accounts by Sector. Our desired functionality is to have a global list of all sectors that an Account can select, with the ability to

    • Service op locatie organiseren met Zoho FSM: waar lopen organisaties tegenaan?

      Bij organisaties met service teams op locatie merken we vaak dat de complexiteit niet zozeer in de planning zelf zit, maar in wat er rond die planning gebeurt. Denk aan opvolging na interventies, consistente servicerapporten, en het bijhouden van installaties

    • Introducing Assemblies and Kits in Zoho Inventory

      Hello customers, We’re excited to share a major revamp to Zoho Inventory that brings both clarity and flexibility to your inventory management experience! Presenting Assemblies and Kits We’re thrilled to introduce Assemblies and Kits, which replaces the

    • Does the ability exist to make tax on the customer profile mandatory?

      I am reaching out to inquire about the possibility of making the "Customer Tax" field mandatory when creating a new customer in Zoho. We want to ensure that all customers have their tax information recorded to maintain compliance with our internal processes.

    • email association with CRM

      Why is it 2024 (almost 2025) and Zoho has not figured out how to integrate email with CRM? It is so inconsistent at associating emails within CRM. I am an attorney. I have clients and work with other attorneys. Attorney John Doe is associated with multiple

    • Fix the speed

      It takes ages to load on every step even though my dataset is quite small.

    • Next Page