Say hello to an improved way to merge documents!

Say hello to an improved way to merge documents!

Automating all your documents from start to finish is now easier than ever with Writer's new merge tools.
 

If you haven't seen it yet, you can read the main announcement here.

Here is the full list of the features we've rolled out:

1. Dynamic Table Headers and repeated blocks
After listening to our latest user feedback, we knew these two features were a must-have.

Subform creation
Subforms are field groups that mostly denote choices, transactions, and other activities registered under a single record. With Writer, you can now create such field groups within a record that, when merged, will dynamically grow based on the records in your data source.  
 

For example: Say you want to keep track of the products purchased by a certain customer. In this case, "Customer" is a record, and "the products they purchased" are recorded as a subform under their name.

 

Subforms can be mapped to a related subform in a data source, like Zoho Creator, Zoho CRM, and more.

 



Repeating blocks
You can now repeat blocks as a paragraph, a table row, a table cell, or a table column. For instance, if you're listing the names of books, their authors and descriptions, you can just use the Repeat option of your choice, select the merge fields that carry those details, and insert it into the document.

The selected blocks with all the information you need would then automatically be repeated for each book in your data source.




2. New field types
You can now choose from a variety of different field types to up your template-creation game.


Same field, different configurations 
In case you would want the settings of a field to be different in one or a few places alone, we added a new "change for this instance" option. This way, you can tweak format, output type, and other value settings for a particular instance of a field without affecting other parts of the document where the same field is used.



Repeated blocks? Auto-number it!
If you're working with repeated blocks using the repeat field or subform fields, you can assign auto-increment serial numbers by simply inserting the new "Auto-number" field before them.
  


Embed fields to make documents more interactive
Here's something to make your templates more personalized for each of your recipients: You can now add unique, interactive elements for each of them using an Embed field. This makes it easier to add map locations for each of your records or add contextual video links to guide them.
 



Placeholder images in templates
You can now apply custom placeholder images to image fields in Writer based on the type of document you're working with.

 

In addition to giving your template designers better layout control over the template, placeholder images also let the user know the type of image to be inserted or attached.




3. Tools to format those field types
What's the point of so many different field types if you can't adjust them to your liking? That's exactly what we did.

Shortened field names
There could be fields in your data source whose names are way too long, making your templates look untidy or unclear. Long field names could also denote that your content might look drastically different if the values those fields have are usually much shorter.
 

To tackle this, we're introducing a provision in which you can shorten the names of fields in your merged documents.




Formula that output!
Know that feeling when you have everything ready and merged in your output document except for the final cost of your products? That's why we've introduced formulas in merge fields: so you no longer have to calculate your figures manually. You can now use formulas to calculate your merged output using the desired functions.



Personalized date formats
Certain documents require dates to be written in a certain format. For instance, formal letters require the date to be written in full with the day, month, followed by a comma and the year. With Writer's new update, you can now change the format of the merged date to suit your purpose.




Display past or future dates
The date field provides an easy way to display the current date, but what about when you want to display a past or future date?
For instance, if you're sending renewal reminders and the renewal date is 3 months from the subscription date, you can simply add "3" in the months option or add the number of days for the interval in the days field, and Writer will automatically calculate and enter the renewal date in the field. Similarly, you can do the same to enter dates that are even prior to the subscription date.
  


Rich text
The fields in your data source may carry links, or even have different styles. Merge fields in Writer are now enabled with rich text to retain the style and  format of the fields from your data source after merge.




Number and currency field formatting
Just like how you can change the format of date fields, you can also do the same with number and currency fields. Legal documents, for instance, require values to be presented in the correct decimal and currency format. In such cases, all you have to do is simply change the format of the merged values by using the number formatting option.




4. Other handy merge upgrades
We didn't just stop there. Here are three more upgrades we think will enhance the way you work with your documents pre- and post-merge.

Customize merge docs with sign settings
Create sign-ready, customized documents for specific clients that your colleagues can check, change a few things if needed, and then send for sign immediately with the configuration you've set for them. This gives you that final layer of review and confirmation before sending out a contract to clients.

 



Detailed merge reports
Now, stay on top of your merged emails by tracking when they have been viewed or read by your recipients and how they are interacting with your links.


Lastly, the automation panel gets a new look!
That's right. Based on what some of you told us, we've improved the automation panel by making it easier for you to access "Prepare" and "Run Merge" steps distinctly from the panel at any time.


That's all for now. Let us know what you think of these updates in the comments below.

Read the main announcement here.


Happy merging!


    • Sticky Posts

    • Easily perform calculations using dates with the new DATEDIF function

      Hey Zoho Writer users! We've enhanced Zoho Writer's formula capabilities with the new DATEDIF function. This allows you to calculate the difference between dates in days, months, and years. Function syntax: =DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, unit) Inputs:

    • 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

    • Date-based conditions and filters

      Configure conditions with date  Hi everyone! We are excited to announce that you can now compare and filter data with date-based conditions. This update lets you compare date fields in a document to a reference date and display a text or value if the

    • Introducing group by, aggregation, and repeating regions in mail merge templates

      Display data exactly the way you want and highlight key insights with Zoho Writer's enhanced merge templates. We've supercharged Zoho Writer's merge templates with the capability to dynamically group, aggregate, and repeat data as blocks. You can now

    • Say hello to an improved way to merge documents!

      Automating all your documents from start to finish is now easier than ever with Writer's new merge tools. If you haven't seen it yet, you can read the main announcement here. Here is the full list of the features we've rolled out: 1. Dynamic Table Headers

    • Recent Topics

    • Zia Agents looks promising, but I still cannot deploy my first agent or connect WhatsApp after weeks of support tickets

      Hi Everyone, I am posting here because I am stuck and need practical help from someone who has successfully deployed a Zia Agent with WhatsApp. Zia Agents looks like a very promising product. I have watched the platform expand quickly, and I have noticed

    • Zoho CRM

      Cuándo voy a adjuntar un archivo .pdf en un registro en el campo Archivo obtengo el siguiente error:

    • 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

    • Recording Salaries and wages in zoho books with bank fees

      Hello Community, I am posting this questions to understand the best way to record the salary and payroll expenses in zoho books. The way it works here, For example if I have 3 employees and each employee salary is lets say $1000. I usually use the bank

    • API - Available Stock Definitions

      Okay, Zoho team... your copywriters fell down on the job for this one :) I think these warrant a bit more explanation as to what they include and what they don't.

    • [BUG] WebTabs in ZohoCRM now have a spurious "\" displayed along with some additional HTML Head code included

      An example of the issue can be seen below:

    • CNIL - Suivi de Pixel

      Bonjour à tous, À la suite de la nouvelle recommandation de la CNIL sur les pixels de suivi dans les e-mails, savez-vous si Zoho Campaigns permet : de conditionner le suivi des ouvertures au consentement de chaque contact ; de proposer un lien permettant

    • Scheduled import

      The tutorial shows a scheduled import option but this option doesn't appear to be available when using Zoho DB.

    • #4 Choosing How My Invoice Should Look

      Day 4: Meera had the basics sorted. Her business name was there, the address looked right, and her logo finally appeared where it should. But the invoice still did not quite look like hers. Her old studio used invoices that were clean, tightly laid out,

    • Transaction rules for "Owner's Contribution" ?

      I have a bank account where a lot of the deposits are "Owner's Contributions" (i.e., the business owner investing money in the company). Is it possible to create a Transaction Rule to automatically recognize these? They all have the same verbiage from

    • DYK 12: Turn Email into Work Items

      Did you know you can add work items to your Zoho Projects portal directly from your inbox? The initial step of important collaborations start over an email, and most of these require an immediate follow-up by creating a task, or reporting an issue. During

    • Custom Function not getting package details when triggered from Workflow Rules.

      I have a custom function for Packages that submits a form in our Creator app that we use to generate custom shipping labels (internal staff complete deliveries so we cannot generate shipping labels straight from Inventory). When the function is executed

    • how to Solve Conflict Invoices in Zoho POS

      Hello Team, I am facing a repeated issue in Zoho POS while saving a sale that contains service-based items. My products are intentionally created as Service (Non-Inventory) items because I do not want to track stock for them. However, every time I try

    • ¿Cuándo estará disponible la edición de Zoho POS para México?

      He estado revisando las capacidades de Zoho POS y su evolución dentro de la estrategia de Zoho for Retail, y me parece que existe una oportunidad muy interesante para el mercado mexicano. Zoho POS ya ofrece funcionalidades para gestionar ventas, inventario,

    • Important update for Zoho RPA Windows Agent users

      Hi everyone, We would like to share an important update for Zoho RPA Windows Agent users running Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019. The new Zoho RPA Windows Agent 6.0.0 and later versions are not supported on Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server

    • Multi-Option Estimates: One Estimate, Multiple Choices

      Every service request can have multiple solutions. Multi-Option Estimates help you present these different solutions in a single estimate with its own name, parts, price, and total. Each option can differ in scope, approach, or price — whatever choices

    • Delete CRM Portal

      How do I delete portals from my CRM? I created one just to test, it is not in use and is disabled but it's existence is preventing me from marking fields in modules as "required" unless I make it 'read/write' in the portal first. I'd rather just delete

    • Marketing Tip #32: Improve SEO and customer confidence with an FAQ section

      Before making a purchase, customers often have simple questions about delivery times, returns, product usage, or sizing. If they can’t quickly find answers, they may leave your store without buying. Adding a clear FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section

    • Contact removed when picking ticket template.

      hi new to Desk rolling out to company, replacing Freshdesk. Is there way to keep the in context contact when selecting a template? When you choose a template you lose the contact!

    • ZOHO Campaigns in ZOHO Analytics - Campaigns vs Contacts Table

      There seems to be information in the Zoho Campaigns table such as Unique Opens and Unique Clicks that can't be found in the Campaigns vs Contacts table where only Opens and Clicks are shown on a per contact level. Is there a way to bring Unique Opens

    • Zoho Publish is now available in Zoho One!

      Hello Zoho One users, We’re excited to announce that Zoho Publish is now included as part of the Zoho One suite! As businesses grow, managing Google Business Profiles across many locations becomes challenging. Business information needs to stay accurate,

    • How to change an employee mail id

      Hi, Does the administrator have the rights to edit an  employees mail id. 

    • Cousin Domain Verification in Zoho Mail: Identify and block look-alike domains

      Phishing attacks often rely on domain names that closely resemble legitimate ones. This makes it difficult for users to identify fraudulent emails at first glance. Zoho Mail's Cousin Domain Verification feature allows administrators to define trusted

    • How do I add 2 agents under the same email?

      I have 2 agents who use the same email address. I added one, but when adding the second agent, it says that the email is already registered. How do I configure this properly?

    • Zoho Desk API modifiedTimeRange returns HTTP 500 around 2026-03-08T02:00:00.000Z

      Hello Zoho Support Team, We are experiencing a reproducible HTTP 500 Internal Server Error when querying the Zoho Desk API search endpoint with a specific modifiedTimeRange boundary. ### API Endpoint GET /api/v1/tickets/search ### Reproduction Steps &

    • Updating an Invoice Line Item's Discount Account via API Call / Deluge Custom Function

      I need help updating an invoice line item's discount account via API. Below is a screenshot of the line item field I am referring to. Now the field to the left of the highlighted field (discount account) is the sales income account. I am able to modify

    • Collaborate Visually with Whiteboard in Zoho Projects

      Whiteboard in Zoho Projects allows you to collaborate visually by creating diagrams, annotating designs, and sketching project workflows using shapes, text, and images within project modules. Team members can work simultaneously, improving productivity

    • Associate project with timer on iPhone

      When I start the timer without first associating a project (on my iPhone), its starts fine but now when I need to associate a project, and click on the link, I get a list of EVERY project I've ever put into Zoho Books. It used to just show active projects.

    • Sales Tax Refund on Commerce Order

      I've looked high and low. Relatively new to ZOHO but not to systems in general. How do we produce a refund for sales tax charged and paid for by a customer in error? This does not impact inventory stock. Simply for accounting and getting the $ back to

    • Importing Chart of Accounts from Quickbooks -- "Debit or Credit"?

      I'm trying to switch from QB to Zoho Books. I've prepped my chart of accounts and put it into the format following the structure of the sample CSV file. But one thing that does not exist at all on the Quickbooks side is the Zoho column for "Debit or Credit".

    • Long term pricing for customers managing multiple organizations

      I've been using Zoho extensively for quite some time and genuinely think it's one of the most powerful and customizable business platforms available. Between Zoho Books and Zoho Analytics, I've invested a significant amount of time building automations,

    • Default Status for Appointments to Completed

      We use Zoho Bookings integrated with Zoho Desk to book time for tech support sessions, we've configured it to only allow for a contact to book a single session to avoid customers overbooking time that may not be needed. The trouble is, once a session

    • Customer User Fields for use in Rules

      Hi, I would like to be able to add custom fields to the users, such as Department or Role, which can then be used in Rules, Reports, etc. as a condition. A use case is limiting Global lists or Choices based on the users Custom Field, so one form can be

    • Add ZeptoMail to Zoho One

      Hi Zoho Team, I would like to request that ZeptoMail be added as a fully included application within Zoho One. Why this is important Zoho One is positioned as a unified business operating system that brings the applications an organization needs under

    • Item image on document

      I know what I am asking may not be possible, but I will ask anyway, maybe I will get lucky, and someone else is doing it. My business is based on special orders only from various online stores. When I send a quote to a client, I generate a separate quote

    • Dashboard Metric Drill-Down Shows Stale Data

      Summary: When clicking between different metric components on a custom dashboard, the drill-down list shows data from the previously opened metric instead of the one just clicked. Steps to Reproduce: Create a custom dashboard with multiple pre-defined/templatized

    • Zoho Marketing Automation WhatsApp Campaign Import Sync for Zoho Analytics

      WhatsApp is a critical channel in modern marketing, yet WhatsApp Campaign metrics from Zoho Marketing Automation currently cannot be natively imported into Zoho Analytics via the default advanced analytics connector. Integrating this into the standard

    • Allow Reauthorizing CRM Connections Without Revoking First

      Currently, when a Zoho CRM connection needs to be reauthorized or authorized with another account, we first have to revoke the existing authorization and then authorize it again. This creates a gap where the connection is unavailable, and any functions,

    • Programmatic Itemized Expenses?

      It does not appear that it is possible to create itemized expenses programmatically (via the API)? Is this correct, or am I misunderstanding the situation?

    • Prefix & Suffix on Single Line, Number, etc.

      Hi, I would like to have the same Prefix and Suffix that was added to the Unique ID on Text and Number Fields. Use case could be as basic as temperature, as per another Idea I have to use Single Line (Text) for a number that might have leading zeros today,

    • Next Page