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




      Zoho Campaigns Resources


        • Desk Community Learning Series


        • Digest


        • Functions


        • Meetups


        • Kbase


        • Resources


        • Glossary


        • Desk Marketplace


        • MVP Corner


        • Word of the Day


        • Ask the Experts


          • Sticky Posts

          • Kaizen #197: Frequently Asked Questions on GraphQL APIs

            🎊 Nearing 200th Kaizen Post – We want to hear from you! Do you have any questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in future posts? Your insights and suggestions help us shape future content and make this series better for everyone.
          • Kaizen #198: Using Client Script for Custom Validation in Blueprint

            Nearing 200th Kaizen Post – 1 More to the Big Two-Oh-Oh! Do you have any questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in future posts? Your insights and suggestions help us shape future content and make this series better for everyone.
          • Celebrating 200 posts of Kaizen! Share your ideas for the milestone post

            Hello Developers, We launched the Kaizen series in 2019 to share helpful content to support your Zoho CRM development journey. Staying true to its spirit—Kaizen Series: Continuous Improvement for Developer Experience—we've shared everything from FAQs
          • Kaizen #193: Creating different fields in Zoho CRM through API

            🎊 Nearing 200th Kaizen Post – We want to hear from you! Do you have any questions, suggestions, or topics you would like us to cover in future posts? Your insights and suggestions help us shape future content and make this series better for everyone.
          • Client Script | Update - Introducing Commands in Client Script!

            Have you ever wished you could trigger Client Script from contexts other than just the supported pages and events? Have you ever wanted to leverage the advantage of Client Script at your finger tip? Discover the power of Client Script - Commands! Commands

          Zoho CRM Plus Resources

            Zoho Books Resources


              Zoho Subscriptions Resources

                Zoho Projects Resources


                  Zoho Sprints Resources


                    Zoho Orchestly Resources


                      Zoho Creator Resources


                        Zoho WorkDrive Resources



                          Zoho CRM Resources

                          • CRM Community Learning Series

                            CRM Community Learning Series


                          • Tips

                            Tips

                          • Functions

                            Functions

                          • Meetups

                            Meetups

                          • Kbase

                            Kbase

                          • Resources

                            Resources

                          • Digest

                            Digest

                          • CRM Marketplace

                            CRM Marketplace

                          • MVP Corner

                            MVP Corner




                            Zoho Writer Writer

                            Get Started. Write Away!

                            Writer is a powerful online word processor, designed for collaborative work.

                              Zoho CRM コンテンツ








                                ご検討中の方

                                  • Recent Topics

                                  • Leads - Kanban view fit to screen

                                    Hey guys, I created a custom layout for my leads, staged by lead status. I have 10 types of status. In Kanban view I see only 4 columns/stages and need to scroll to the right to see the rest. Is there a way to make columns/stages be displayed all together?
                                  • Request to Differentiate Auto-Closed WhatsApp Conversations in SalesIQ

                                    Hi Zoho Support, I’d like to raise a request related to the way WhatsApp conversations are auto-closed in SalesIQ. Every Monday, our Sales team has to manually review each closed WhatsApp conversation from the weekend to identify which ones were automatically
                                  • Kanban View UI gets a revamp

                                    Hello everyone, In the coming week you will notice design related enhancements in Kanban View. The UI has been changed and a new option is introduced under Kanban View Settings that allows to change the color of the category headers.  Please, note that the functionality is not changed. These changes will not apply to the Activities and Visits modules. Here are the details of the changes: 1. The column widths have been fixed to 300 px. The records will have a box around them for clear distinction.
                                  • Can you stop Custom View Cadences from un-enrolling leads?

                                    I'm testing Cadences for lead nurture. I have set un-enroll properties to trigger on email bounce/unsubscribe, and do NOT have a view criteria un-enroll trigger. However, help documents say that emails are automatically un-enrolled from a Cadence when
                                  • Issue with Anchor Link on Zoho Landing Page (Mobile/Tablet View)

                                    Hi Team, I have created a landing page using Zoho Landing Page and added an anchor link to it. The anchor link is working fine on desktop view; however, it does not work properly on mobile or tablet view. I’ve tried debugging this issue in multiple ways,
                                  • Simplest way to convert XML to a map?

                                    I've reviewed the help info and some great posts on the forum here by Stephen Rhyne (srhyne). At the moment I'm using XPath to generate a list of xml nodes, iterating through that to fetch the field name/value pairs and adding them to a map (one map for each record in the data). I then convert the row map to a string and add it to a list. Here's the function: list xml.getRecordListFromXML(string xml_data, string ele_name) {     result = List();     // get list of record nodes     rec_list = input.xml_data.toXML().executeXPath("//"
                                  • Introducing Creator Simplified: An exclusive learning series to enhance your app development skills

                                    Hey Creators! Welcome to Zoho Creator's new learning series, Creator Simplified. In this series, we'll dive into real-world business use cases and explore how to translate your requirements into solutions in your Creator application. You can also expect
                                  • [Product update] Updated Data Synchronization Process for QuickBooks - Zoho Analytics Integration.

                                    Dear QuickBooks integration users, We’re making an important update in the way data is currently synced in your QuickBooks integration within Analytics workspace. What’s changing: Previously, with every data synchronization, Zoho Analytics used to fetch
                                  • Zoho CRM new calander format cannot strikethrough completed task

                                    Hi, Recently there is a new format for calendar within Zoho CRM However, found out that a completed task will not cross out or strikethrough like previous format. Without strikethrough, it will be difficult to identify which task is still in Open status.
                                  • How to edit form layout for extension

                                    I am working on extension development. I have created all the fields. I want to rearrange the layout in Sigma platform. But there is no layout module in Sigma. How can I achieve this for extensions other than Zet CLI and putting the fields into widget
                                  • Employees not Users

                                    Hello, We are a construction company that has +180 employees and most of them are in remote location working onsite with no access to internet. Is it possible that we have data stored for all employees but have only 5-10 users who will be in charge of entering employees data? or do we have to pay for all +180 employees? even though they won't be using the system?
                                  • Zoho people generatimg pdf

                                    Hello , now i want to make a customm button in zoho people that is inside a deduction module , that fetches all the records and generate a pdf with a template that i have done in the mail merges template , i was told that i have to upload template on
                                  • Ability to Filter Alias Mailboxes in Zoho Recruit

                                    Dear Zoho Recruit Team, I hope you are doing well. We would like to request a feature enhancement regarding the handling of alias mailboxes in Zoho Recruit. Currently, when we connect an alias mailbox (e.g., jobs@domain.com) from our Zoho One account
                                  • zohorecruit.com career form postcode bug

                                    Dear, When I select a postcode from the drop down on a zohorecruit.com career form, the street text field is automatically filled with the name of the city, which should not happen. Any idea how I can fix this? Thanks, Bart
                                  • Office-365-agenda and Microsoft Teams Integration

                                    Dear, I have a trial version of Zoho Recruit and trying to evaluate the Microsoft Teams Integration in Zoho Recruit. After registering with my Office 365 account and checking the result of the registration/sign-in at https://mysignins.microsoft.com/ (which
                                  • Delegate Access - Mobile iOS/iPad

                                    We’re over the moon that delegate access is now available in Zoho Mail as we were nearly ready to switch platforms because of it! Is there a timeline on when delegate mailboxes will be accessible from the iOS and iPad OS applications? Thanks, Jake
                                  • How to add Connector in developer platform zoho?

                                    Hi, I am working on creating an Extension, and part of the development is to retrieve Email templates. In my CRM instance I can invokeURL by creating Zoho OAuth connection and get the template. But developer platform does not provide Zoho OAuth or any
                                  • How to archive Lost/Junk Leads so sales reps don’t see them, but keep them for reporting?

                                    Hi everyone, In our Zoho CRM we have two Lead Status values: Lost Lead and Junk Lead. What I want to achieve is: When a lead is marked as Lost or Junk, it should disappear from my sales reps’ Lead views (so they only see active leads). At the same time,
                                  • Zoho CRM Canvas Copy Original Layout

                                    Hello all, I want to use Canvas to make small changes to certain views, not to make huge changes. Is it possible to copy the original Zoho layout and set-up and start from there? I checked and all I can find are some templates which are far from the original
                                  • Is there a way to request a password?

                                    We add customers info into the vaults and I wanted to see if we could do some sort of "file request" like how dropbox offers with files. It would be awesome if a customer could go to a link and input a "title, username, password, url" all securely and it then shows up in our team vault or something. Not sure if that is safe, but it's the best I can think of to be semi scalable and obviously better than sending emails. I am open to another idea, just thought this would be a great feature.  Thanks,
                                  • Revenue Management: #5 Revenue Recognition in SaaS

                                    If you're building or running a SaaS business, you've probably encountered this. You get paid upfront for a subscription and a one-time onboarding fee, but you end up with confusion about when to consider it revenue. Can I book all of it now? Should I
                                  • MS Teams for daily call operations

                                    Hello all, Our most anticipated and crucial update is finally here! Organizations using Microsoft Teams phone system can now integrate it effectively with Zoho CRM for tasks like dialling numbers and logging calls. We are enhancing our MS Teams functionality
                                  • Zoho Learn Course Access Issue

                                    One of the learners in a specific course can't see any lessons. They are registered as both a user and learner for this course in Zoo Learn. What could be the reason?
                                  • ZOHOLICS Japan 2025 開催のお知らせ(再投稿)

                                    【コミュニティユーザーの皆さまへお知らせ】 Zoho 最大のユーザーイベント「ZOHOLICS Japan 2025」を9月19日(金)に開催します。 AI活用に関する特別講演、ユーザー事例、Zoho 製品の活用例のご紹介など、Zoholicsならではのセッションをご用意しています。 Zoho コミュニティ開催のMeetupとはまた違った雰囲気のイベントです。 ご都合のつく方はお気軽にご参加ください✨ 詳細はこちら https://events.zoho.jp/zoholics2025#/?affl=forumpost2
                                  • Phone Number format for Bulk Upload via csv for Zoho Sign

                                    What is the phone number format that we need to use for a bulk recipient upload via csv in zoho sign, should the country code be included for ex if its US should it be +18889007865 ior 18889007865 or without country code 8889007865? the sample csv provided
                                  • Filter Page Elements By Selectable Date Range

                                    I have created a basic Page that will serve as a client dashboard with elements that will provide simple counts & sums of data in reports. There are no reports or forms added to the page, just elements. It currently functions as needed, but shows the
                                  • Can’t Enter my Notebook is Locked

                                    I’ve been using Notebook for taking notes at my college for a month and I never signed in and I never established a password. Today I tried to enter the app after the update and it asked me for a password. I need to access to my notes urgently and I can’t
                                  • Send Email Directly to Channel

                                    Hi, We are coming from Slack. In Slack each channel has a unique Email address that you can send emails too. I currently forward a specific type of email from my Gmail InBox directly do this channel for Verification Codes so my team doesn't have to ask
                                  • Secure your external sharing process with OTP Authentication

                                    For any business, it's crucial to share files externally in a way that is both secure and controlled. Let's say you want to share confidential data with your partners and vendors. You must ensure that only your intended recipients can access the shared
                                  • Items attribute questions

                                    Many of my items have attributes, such as size and color. How can I add new fields to the "New Items" screen to capture that in my Purchase Orders, Items, and Sales Order pages? I only see these attribute fields when adding an Item Group. Also, on the
                                  • Is there a way to search mail for items you haven't yet responded to?

                                    I'm trying to create a search to show emails that haven't been responded to and that have also been assigned a tag or label. Is there a way to search for the inverse of replied?
                                  • Zobot and Sales IQ

                                    What will happen to the Zoho Sales IQ being integrated to the website after creating the Zobot on the website too
                                  • Subtotals per Header

                                    Hey, we would like to display subtotals per header in our invoices:
                                  • upgrade storage

                                    how to upgrade my storage
                                  • Linking items from books and subscription

                                    Linking books and subscription It is a pity that it is not possible to associate with a product an article present in ZohoBooks This would make it possible to manage products composed of a nomenclature of articles of books
                                  • Add the ability to view number of hours planned for a workorder while in the Dispatch Console

                                    Hi Zoho, When dispatching a work order through the Dispatch Console, there's currently no way to view the number of planned hours for the service tasks associated with that specific work order. Having to click into the details each time to check planned
                                  • Uploading Files from uploads api

                                    I tried uploading the image from the API call but its giving me unauthorized error even i have given valid token in header. After uploading i need that id to pass in create ticket api uploads but its not uploading that file. Please help me out in th
                                  • Categorize Items with Item Headers

                                    Hello customers, Did you ever want to classify items based on specific categories to help your customers understand your invoice better? With the new Item Header feature, you can easily categorize items in your invoices and estimates and give them a common title.  Item Headers are available in the Invoices, the Recurring Invoices and the Estimates module. It can be carried forward from estimates to invoices at the time of converting the estimates.  To add an item header: Go to the Estimates, Invoices
                                  • URLs being masked despite disabling tracking

                                    Hey, We had disabled click tracking from an email update we are sharing with our users. Despite this, the URL the end user is receiving is masked, and looks like "https://qksyl-cmpzourl.maillist-manage.net/click/1d8e72714515cda6/1d8e72714515ca70" instead
                                  • Change format of quantity format

                                    Hi,  I would like to change the qunatity format from 1,00 to 1.  Is this possible?   thanks!
                                  • Next Page