Tip 24: How to generate a file preview in a report without downloading it.

Tip 24: How to generate a file preview in a report without downloading it.

Hi folks,


This month we will teach you how to preview a report file before sending it to someone or sending it for approval. While viewing reports in Zoho Creator, users cannot access or preview files uploaded through the File Upload field without downloading them. 

 

In this tip, we'll show you a way to do this.




Key concept:

The best way to achieve this function is to preview the uploaded file's content using the Add Note field in a stateless form (pop-up window) based on the record ID.  


Use case:

Let's use the example of Candidates applying for a job, where candidates have to fill in their details using the Job Application form. Their information will be displayed on the Candidates Details report, a list report with a button on every record. The admin can use these buttons to preview resumes without downloading them.

Application flow:

 

1. Candidates enter their information using the Job Application form.
2.  Whenever the admin accesses the Candidates Details report, they can preview all the submitted resumes with the click of a button.

Requirements:
  1. A Job Application form with fields Name, DOB, Contact Number, and Resume (File Upload field)
  2. A Stateless form (Please refer to the help article here to learn how to create a stateless form.)
  3. A Candidates Details report to view all the candidate information
  4. Custom action buttons to preview the resumes


Step 2: Create the stateless form with the following fields:
  • Parent Record ID:  Number Field  
  • Notes: Add Notes Field
NOTE: Please ensure that the maximum digits allowed in the Number field is 19 as we will be using this field to store record ID values for Zoho Creator. These will be 19-digit numbers.

Step 3: Create a custom action button for each record to open the stateless form
Follow the steps below to create a custom action that will help you pass the current Record ID as a parameter to the Number field in the stateless form.
  1. Edit the application.
  1. Access the Candidate Details Report.
  1. Click Edit this application.
  1. Click Configure Fields for Web.
  1. Click Add Fields, then select Add New Button.







Configure the button by clicking Create a new function with the code below.
  1. Void preview_function(int id1)
  1. {
  1. openUrl("#Form:<Stateless_Form>?<Number>=" + input.id1,"popup window");
  1. }
where,
Stateless_Form - The link name of the target stateless form
Number - Deluge name of Number field on the stateless form
id1 - argument to be associated with the ID of the actual form

Now, let's associate id1 as an argument to the Record ID.


The function above would open the stateless form and pass the current Record ID value to the Number field in the stateless form.
Step 4: Create a workflow to preview the uploaded file using the stateless form
Let's create a workflow based on the stateless form to fetch the file related to the Report ID, which is passed as a parameter to the Number field as mentioned below. 

Configure the code below in the On Load workflow of the Preview Data form (stateless form).
  1. Hide <Number>; 
  1. fetch_file = <Form>[ID == input.<Number>].<File>.content;
  1. Input.<Notes_Field> = fetch_file;
where,
Form - the form in which the file exists
Number - Number field in the Stateless form
File - the File Upload field in the Job Application form
Note: We are hiding the Number field using the "hide <field_name>" syntax. It's used to populate IDs for backend validations, which shouldn't be visible when the user accesses the form.

Step 5: Configuring the button with a workflow to close the pop-up window
As we all know, by default, a stateless form would have two button options:

1. Submit
2. Refresh

Since we are not going to perform any form submissions, we can delete that option. Then, we can add a new button and name it "Close." This can be used to close the pop-up window that will open to preview the file.

Create a workflow of the form Stateless > Button Click > Close.
  1. openUrl("#script:window:close,"same window");
Note: This can be used for the file upload field data of a type file. If you like to preview images, you can use Image fields. 
File types that usually contain only text values (for example, .txt, .csv, etc.) will return the content accurately. File types that usually contain images (for example, .pdf, etc.) will return junk values.

We hope this tip was interesting for you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below, and we'll be happy to address them soon!








      Zoho Campaigns Resources


        • Desk Community Learning Series


        • Digest


        • Functions


        • Meetups


        • Kbase


        • Resources


        • Glossary


        • Desk Marketplace


        • MVP Corner


        • Word of the Day


        • Ask the Experts


          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

                                  • Pourquoi dans zohobooks version gratuite on ne peut ajouter notre stock d'ouverture??

                                    Pourquoi dans zohobooks version gratuite on ne peut ajouter notre stock d'ouverture ??
                                  • How can I adjust column width in Zoho Books?

                                    One issue I keep running into is as I show or hide columns in reports, the column widths get weird. Some columns have text cut off while others can take a fourth of the page for just a few characters. I checked report layout guides and my settings, but
                                  • Invalid value passed for file_name

                                    System generated file name does not send file anymore - what is the problem?
                                  • Custom Function for Estimates

                                    Hey everyone, I was wondering if there was a way to automate the Subject of an estimate whenever one is created or edited: * the green box using following infos: * Customer Name and Estimate Date. My Goal is to change the Subject to have this format "<MyFirm>-Estimate
                                  • This domain is not allowed to add. Please contact support-as@zohocorp.com for further details

                                    I am trying to setup the free version of Zoho Mail. When I tried to add my domain, theselfreunion.com I got the error message that is the subject of this Topic. I've read your other community forum topics, and this is NOT a free domain. So what is the
                                  • Search in module lists has detiorated

                                    Every module has a problem with the search function :-/
                                  • YouTube Live #1: AI-powered agreement management with Zia and Zoho Sign

                                    Hi there! We're excited to announce Zoho Sign’s first YouTube live series, where you can catch the latest updates and interact with our Zoho Sign experts, pose questions, and discover lesser-known features. We're starting off by riding the AI wave in
                                  • Search in module lists has detiorated

                                    Every module has a problem with the search function :-/
                                  • Sales Receipts Duplicating when I run reports why and how do we rectify this and any other report if this happens

                                    find attached extract of my report
                                  • Add Zoho Forms to Zoho CRM Plus bundle

                                    Great Zoho apps like CRM and Desk have very limited form builders when it comes to form and field rules, design, integration and deployment options. Many of my clients who use Zoho CRM Plus often hit limitations with the built in forms in CRM or Desk and are then disappointed to hear that they have to additionally pay for Zoho Forms to get all these great forms functionalities. Please consider adding Zoho Forms in the Zoho CRM Plus bundle. Best regards, Mladen Svraka Zoho Certified Consultant and
                                  • Bigin: filter Contacts by Company fields

                                    Hello, I was wondering if there's a way to filter the contacts based on a field belonging to their company. I.e.: - filter contacts by Company Annual Revenue field - filter contacts by Company Employee No. field In case this is not possibile, what workaround
                                  • Has Zoho changed the way it searches Items?

                                    Right now all of our searches have broken and we can no longer search using the SKU or alias. It was fine last night and we came in this morning to broken.....this is impacting our operations now.
                                  • Refunds do not export from Shopify, Amazon and Esty to Zoho. And then do not go from Zoho inventory to Quickbooks.

                                    I have a huge hole in my accounts from refunds and the lack of synchronisation between shopify , Amazon and Etsy to Zoho ( i.e when I process a refund on shopify/ Amazon or Etsy it does not come through to Zoho) and then if I process a manual credit note/
                                  • CRM->INVENTORY, sync products as composite items

                                    We have a product team working in the CRM, as it’s more convenient than using Books or Inventory—especially with features like Blueprints being available. Once a product reaches a certain stage, it needs to become visible in Inventory. To achieve this,
                                  • Zoho Calendar not working since a few days

                                    Hey there, first off a minor thing, since I just tried to enable the Calendar after reading this in another topic (there was no setting for this though) : For some reason my current session is showing me based in New York - I'm in Germany, not using a
                                  • Monthly timesheet, consolidation of time by project

                                    I have time logs for various jobs for project. Is it possible to consolidate the time spent for each job, when I am generating a timesheet for a month? I am getting the entries of jobs done on each day when I generate a timesheet for a month For example
                                  • Building a Strong Online Identity with G-Tech Solutions

                                    In today’s fast-moving world, having a strong online identity is essential for every business. https://gtechsol.com.au helps businesses establish a digital presence that reflects their vision and values. By focusing on innovation and quality, they create
                                  • Sending emails from an outlook account

                                    Hi, I need to know if it's possible to send automatic emails from an Outlook account configured in Zoho CRM and, if so, how I can accomplish that. To give you some context, I set up a domain and created a function that generates PDF files to be sent later
                                  • Struggling with stock management in Zoho CRM – is Zoho Inventory the solution?

                                    My biggest pain point today with Zoho is inventory management. I run a retail business and reliable stock management is absolutely critical. Obviously, I need this inventory to be visible inside the CRM. At first, I tried handling it through custom modules
                                  • Automating CRM backup storage?

                                    Hi there, We've recently set up automatic backups for our Zoho CRM account. We were hoping that the backup functionality would not require any manual work on our end, but it seems that we are always required to download the backups ourselves, store them,
                                  • Nimble enhancements to WhatsApp for Business integration in Zoho CRM: Enjoy context and clarity in business messaging

                                    Dear Customers, We hope you're well! WhatsApp for business is a renowned business messaging platform that takes your business closer to your customers; it gives your business the power of personalized outreach. Using the WhatsApp for Business integration
                                  • can't login Kiosk URGENT

                                    already try, can't login pls help to support. thanks.
                                  • 【Zoho CRM】CRM for Everyoneに関するアップデート:関連データ機能

                                    ユーザーの皆さま、こんにちは。コミュニティチームの中野です。 今回は「Zoho CRM アップデート情報」の中から、CRM for Everyoneの新機能「関連データ機能」をご紹介します。 関連データ機能は、あるタブのデータを別のタブに柔軟に関連付け、異なるタブで管理されている情報を1か所にまとめて表示できます。 たとえば、組織タブとチームタブのデータを関連付けることで、必要な情報に効率よくアクセスでき、顧客理解を深めながら他チームとの連携もスムーズに行えます。 目次 1. 関連データの設定方法
                                  • Zoho Books

                                    How do I manually insert opening balance?
                                  • Profit / margins on Sales orders / Invoices / Estimates

                                    When we select an SKU or item name in any of these documents, much info such as invoice.line_items.rate is pulled from the item & filled into the document being worked on. If we had another lineItem DB field (hidden) auto filled at the same time: invoice.line_items.purchase_rate
                                  • Inventory to Xero Invocie Sync Issues

                                    Has anyone had an issue with Invoices not syncing to Xero. It seems to be an issue when there is VAT on a shipping cost, but I cannot be 100% as the error is vague: "Unable to export Invoice 'INV-000053' as the account mapped with some items does not
                                  • How to activate RFQ? What if a price list has ladder price for items?

                                    Where can I find the option to activate request for quotation? How does it work? If the item has ladder price, does it gets calculated depending on how many items are in the cart?
                                  • Mailk got blocked / Inquiry About Email Sending Limits and Upgrade Options

                                    Dear Zoho Support Team, My name is Kamr Elsayed I created this account to use for applying for vocational training in Germany. As part of this process, I send multiple emails to different companies. However, after sending only 8 emails today, I received
                                  • Can't join canal Developers Zoho User

                                    Hello, I received an invitation to join this channel, but I get an error when I try to join it, and I get the same error when I go to the Zoho Cliq interface > Search for a channel. Is this because I don't have a license linked to this email address?
                                  • Desk Email reply - set default font / use custom font

                                    Hello, in our e-mails, which we send to our customers, a certain font must be used (Corporate Design): Segoe UI https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segoe#Segoe_UI How can this be included? How can this be set as the default font to ensure that this font is
                                  • PDF Templates - Checkbox Borders

                                    Is there a way to remove the border of a radio/checkbox on a PDF? I'd like to use the function of checkbox but if there's no easy way to remove the border (the PDF form already has a rectangle so it gets cluttered), then I'm forced to create a single
                                  • Zoho CRM's custom views are now deployable from sandboxes

                                    This feature is now available for users in the AU, JP, and CN DCs. This feature is now available for users in CA and SA DCs. New update: This feature is now available for users in all DCs. Hello everyone, We're excited to announce that you can now deploy
                                  • Settings Icon No Longer in ZOHO Desk?

                                    In ZOHO desk, there has been a gear icon for settings. as of yesterday, it is no longer there. I showed up briefly this morning but is gone again. Anybody else experiecing this?
                                  • Introducing the all-new email parser!

                                    Greetings, We are pleased to introduce to you, a brand-new, upgraded version of the Zoho CRM Email Parser, which is packed with fresh features and has been completely redesigned to meet latest customers needs and their business requirements. On that note,
                                  • Tip #43 - Track, Review, and Analyze Your Assist Sessions with Reports-'Insider Insights'

                                    Did you know you can generate detailed reports for both remote support sessions and unattended access sessions in Zoho Assist? This makes it easy to monitor technician activity, measure efficiency, and review customer interactions. Let us now take a closer
                                  • Function #20: Custom calculation in item table of invoices

                                    When you create an invoice in Zoho Books, the 'Amount' of a line item is typically calculated as the product of the "Quantity" and the "Rate" of the item. For instance, if an item has a sales rate of $50 and a quantity of 5 is sold, then the amount would
                                  • CBSA - GST CHARGES on imports

                                    Hi there, We have a questions about landed cost categorization. We received a shipment from overseas. CBSA invoiced us for the GST on the items. Now we entered the CBSA-GST as a separate bill and attached it as landed cost to the main invoice based on
                                  • Simplified Call Logging

                                    Our organization would like to start logging calls in our CRM; however, with 13 fields that can't be removed, our team is finding it extremely cumbersome. For our use case, we only need to record that a call happened theirfor would only need the following
                                  • Sub form doesn't as formula field

                                    Is it possible to get formula field in sub form in futures?
                                  • Week date range in pivot table

                                    Hello, I need to create a report that breakouts the data by week.  I am using the pivot table report, and breaking out the date by week, however the date is displayed as 'Week 1 2014' format.  Is there anyway to get the actual dates in there? ex. 1/6/2014-1/12/2014 Thanks,
                                  • Next Page