Zoho Creator Upcoming Updates — February 2023

Hello all!

A very happy new year to all of you! We're back with the very first monthly update of the year! Your support has made Creator's journey in 2022 both momentous and remarkable, and we'll be striving hard to make sure 2023 is even more incredible. Moreover, we're overwhelmed by your response to our brand new Product Roadmap page—thank you so much!

We'd like to welcome you to the new year with a slew of crucial updates:

Blueprint Deluge tasks
Inactive accounts deletion
Old [C4] payment deprecation
Upgrading to new sharing for user and customer portals
Dynamically embed components in pages
Import data to reports via permalink
Parent window navigation for widgets
AI-model assistant to create apps from files
OpenAPI specification

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Blueprint Deluge tasks

We thought a rendezvous between two major Zoho Creator features—Deluge and Blueprint—would open up infinite possibilities. So we pulled up our socks to get working and came up with two new Deluge tasks related to blueprints.

thisapp.blueprint.executeTransition - This is a task that will let you execute a transition and move a record from one stage to another. This task is handy when you need to perform bulk actions on a large number of records.
thisapp.blueprint.changeStage - This task will let you move from one stage to another stage without having to execute a transition. Moreover, this task will be applicable in a bidirectional way, meaning that you can use it to move to a stage that is present before or after the current stage in the blueprint.

Crucially, we've also managed to overcome the limitation which prevented records manipulated using Deluge from being a part of any Blueprints. Going forward, even records added/updated using Deluge tasks can partake in the blueprint process.

How do I benefit?

The ability to work with blueprint workflows using Deluge programming will help vastly improve the automation of business processes.

Applicable for: C5, C6

Availability: All DCs
Released on: 08-Feb-23

Reference: https://www.zoho.com/deluge/help/creator-blueprint-tasks.html

Note: Blueprint Deluge tasks will be rolled out in a phased manner. Initially, they will be available only for new signups, but then later will be rolled out for all.

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Inactive accounts deletion

In order to enhance performance, preserve security, reduce data retention, and safeguard the privacy of Creator users, we've decided to make the hard choice to delete inactive accounts. While we're sad to see some people leave Creator, we also see this as an opportunity to improve the performance of those who choose to stay with us. Any account that hasn't been accessed for 180 days will be considered as inactive and marked for deletion.

How will it work?

After prolonged inactivity, an account will be listed for deletion.
Note: Only inactive accounts with a free, expired, or unpaid subscription will be considered.
The account admin will be informed via email of the impending deletion. Multiple reminders will follow.
Finally, on a predetermined and well-publicized date, the account will be deleted.
If the admin changes their mind and wants to retain their account, they can do so at any time before the deletion deadline, simply by clicking the Reactivate account button in the emails they've received.

How do I benefit?

Once this entire process is complete, the load on our systems will be reduced considerably, and we'll be able to reuse resources to serve you better. And finally, we're making rapid progress towards our ultimate aim of making Zoho Creator the fastest low-code development platform available.

Applicable for: C5

Availability: All DCs
Released on: 09-March-23

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Old [C4] payment deprecation

Creator vets will remember that you used to be able to configure payments from within Form properties in C4. While it worked well, we came up with something even better in C5—Payment workflows.

Upon its launch, we began a process of slowly consolidating all payments under Workflows. Then, awhile later, we deprecated support for the creation of new payments from form properties. But, by popular request, we allowed existing payment configurations to continue functioning as before.

Although old C4 payments were permanently disabled, the payment field was retained to store the payment configuration and its associated data. However, old C4 payment configurations will soon reach their end of life.

What should I do?

Go to Form -> Form properties.
Then navigate to the Payment section.
i. If a payment configuration is present, then click the Delete icon.
ii. If the payment configuration was removed earlier, then the payment field alone will be present. In this case, click Delete old payment.
iii. If you don't see anything under the payment section, then you don't need to do anything. You're already good to go.

How do I benefit?

Shifting to payment workflows will enable you to collect payments by integrating with a large number of payment gateways. Additionally, any application which still has old payment configurations cannot become part of Environments. You don't want to miss out on that functionality!

Applicable for: C5, C6 users who are using the old payment method

Availability: All DCs

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Upgrading to new sharing for Users and Customer portal

A small but significant percentage of Creator users continue to stick with the old sharing setup for users and customer portals. All good things come to an end, but this time around they'll be superseded by something vastly superior. The new sharing model brings with it massive upgrades—customizable permissions, field permissions, the ability to restrict visibility, and much more—to the process of sharing with users and customers. We're sure that you'll love the upgrade!

We realize that this could be a big change for some of you, though. With that in mind, we came up with a pretty helpful Upgrade wizard to assist you with the upgrading process. The upgrade wizard will give you a detailed preview of how the user and customer portal permissions and other configurations will be mapped after the upgrade.

How do I upgrade?

Visit the Updates section under Account Setup and choose the Users and Customer Portal upgrade.
In the upgrade wizard, select the application which should be upgraded to the new sharing.
A preview of how the permissions will look after upgrading to the new sharing will be displayed.
After carefully reviewing the permissions, you can finalize the upgrade.

How do I benefit?

The new sharing setup comes with the benefit of better-structured access control policies using permissions and roles.
Permission to access, view, edit, delete, import, and export records can be set as part of the new sharing process.
Getting the new sharing setup for user and customer portal is a mandatory prerequisite to upgrading to C6, the most powerful and innovative version of Creator yet.
You (already are and) will continue missing out on exciting updates by sticking with the old sharing setup. We intend to focus our developmental resources only on the new sharing version.

Applicable for: C5 users who are using the old sharing model

Availability: All DCs

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Dynamically embed components in pages

Currently, you can embed other Creator components (like forms, reports, etc.) in a page. Now we're taking it up a notch by opening up the possibility of embedding Creator components in a page as:

Popup windows
Embed containers within the same page (both as HTML and iframe)
<div> containers

What do I need to do?

Just use the new zc_LoadIn page parameter to dynamically embed components into pages.

How do I benefit?

Apart from allowing you new ways to embed components into a page, the other advantage of this parameter is that now the page can show dynamic real-time values, without having to refresh the entire page. With the older fixed embed, you needed to refresh the page to get updated data.

Applicable for: C5, C6

Availability: All DCs
Released on: 06-Feb-23

Reference: https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/kb/creator/developer-guide/pages/create-and-manage-parameters/articles/understanding-the-zc-loadin-parameter

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Import data to reports via permalink

We'll be launching standardized functionality-based URLs that'll allow your users to import data directly to reports. Save your users' time, as they'll no longer need to go to that particular report to upload data.

How will it work?

The import permalink will have the following pattern:

https://<base_url>/<account_owner_name>/<application_name>/report/<report_link_name>/import

Use it anywhere in any component to quickly direct the user to the import interface.

How do I benefit?

This standalone import permalink can provide you with innumerable ways to enable users to upload data to reports. Apart from saving them the hassle, the permalink can be added to other components, like pages, forms, workflows, and more.

Applicable for: C5, C6

Availability: All DCs

Released on: 06-Feb-23

Reference: https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/kb/creator/developer-guide/others/url-patterns/articles/functionality-based-urls#To_import_data_to_Report

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Parent window navigation for widgets

As you're probably aware, Widgets help you build components that aren't always possible using Creator's built-in functionalities. But, due to certain restrictions, you couldn't execute actions from widgets to their parent window (creatorapp.zoho.com). Annoying, right?

To overcome this limitation, we've come up with a new method, navigateparentURL(), which will ‌allow you to execute an action in the parent window from the child window itself. This method can handle the open, back, reload, close, and close all actions.

How will it work?

Just use the navigateparentURL() method present under the ‌ZOHO.CREATOR.UTIL with JavaScript functions. The action that's required to be performed (back, close, etc) should be passed as a param.

Syntax:

var param = {
action:${ACTIONVALUE}
url: ${URL}
window: ${WINDOWTYPE}
}
ZOHO.CREATOR.UTIL.navigateParentURL(param)

How do I benefit?

With the new method, you can provide a powerful yet greatly simplified experience to your users, with the help of UI buttons which perform actions in the parent window.

Applicable for: C5, C6

Availability: All DCs

Released on: 13-Mar-23

Reference:

https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/kb/creator/developer-guide/application-settings/widgets/articles/widgets-understand-navigateparenturl-method

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AI-model assistant to create apps from files

Trying to create an app or form by importing a file containing large amounts of data can be a real headache! That's why we've come up with an AI-powered tool to help you achieve data normalization while importing files. Data normalization is the process of breaking down data into smaller tables with a more organized structure.

Our AI will quickly analyze the data you're importing and provide you with a list of suggestions to split them into smaller tables along with suitable relationships that can be established by showing you a list of reference forms and lookup fields.

What should I do?

In the Import from file window when creating a new application in the wizard, click Restructure table under the Data section.
You'll then be shown a list of suggestions. Choose the most suitable one and, if needed, make any changes as per requirements.

How do I benefit?

This features brings order to your disorganized data, segments it in a disciplined fashion, and makes it more suitable for consumption.

Applicable for: C5, C6

Availability: All DCs
Released on: 06-Feb-23

Reference: https://help.zoho.com/portal/en/kb/creator/developer-guide/applications/articles/create-an-application-by-importing-data#11_Restructure_Table

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OpenAPI specification

As part of our continuing process of standardizing the APIs across our products, Zoho Creator v2 APIs are now defined using OpenAPI specifications. The key advantage of embracing OAS is that it includes a standard and language-agnostic interface for describing APIs in a manner in which they are both machine-readable and interpretable by human readers.

How to get them?

Visit the OpenAPI page under the API docs. There, you can download the OAS files as a whole or individually, as per your requirement.
Alternatively, when you visit any individual API page (say Add records, for example) you'll see a Download OAS button. Use it to get the OAS file.
Then use them in Swagger.

How do I benefit?

Since OAS is the industry standard, you can steeply reduce the learning curve of APIs. Anyone can easily determine how an API works, as the OAS files contain detailed information about the endpoints, components, and meta information.

Applicable for: C5, C6

Availability: All DCs
Released on: 06-Feb-23

Reference: https://www.zoho.com/creator/help/api/v2/openapi-specification.html

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We'll notify you as these features are rolled out. In the meantime, let us know what you think about these updates in the comments below!

Regards,

Zoho Creator Team

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