Deluge in Zoho services #5: Zoho Connect

Deluge in Zoho services #5: Zoho Connect

Hello everyone,

Greetings from Deluge! Whoosh 🌬️ That's how quickly the first two months of 2023 came to an end, and now we're in full speed ahead! We hope you found the previous post in this series useful and are now back with our latest post.

Basically, ‌Zoho Connect is a team collaboration application that allows you to keep your workplace communication organized by building a thriving workplace culture for internal communications, employee engagement, and cross-team collaboration. As you all know, Deluge, our very own scripting language enables users to add logic to their applications/services, thereby making them more powerful and robust. Let us now explore the ways in which you can use Deluge to achieve more with Zoho Connect and stay powerfully connected!

In addition to supporting connections that enable you to log in to any Zoho or third-party service and access your data stored in those services, Zoho Connect supports Deluge in the following seven areas:

1. Incoming webhooks

In general, webhooks are used to trigger an action in one application using real-time events from an external service. Here, webhooks allow you to integrate Zoho Connect with other external services. They are of two types - Incoming webhooks and Outgoing webhooks (explained in the next heading).

Incoming webhooks are used to trigger an action inside Zoho Connect using real-time events from other Zoho products or third-party services. You can use incoming webhooks to post messages in Zoho Connect so that you can stay updated on activities in other applications without leaving Connect.Using Deluge, you can write custom logic that will be triggered upon an event in another application. For example, you can post messages in the Job Openings Connect group using these webhooks whenever a new opening is added to your portal. 

Note: Incoming Webhooks are available only at the Group level inside your Connect account.

Example

Let's assume that you had conducted a live workshop for your organization. Now, you've built a Feedback Form using Zoho Forms and emailed the form to your attendees. When an attendee fills in their details in the form and clicks submit, an incoming webhook will be triggered and the attendee's feedback will be added as a post inside the Feedback Group in Zoho Connect. Additionally, you can also present the feedback post in a presentable manner by using the advanced formatting options available for incoming webhooks.

See how it works



Note: Refer to the help page to learn how to achieve this automation.

2. Workflows

Workflows allow you to create a set of rules for Zoho Connect modules such as ProfileFeedEventsTasksPolls, and Announcements, based on which the defined actions would be performed in a repetitive manner. These workflow rules can automate the specified actions like assigning tasks, creating events, and so on, whenever a rule is triggered. You (admin) can associate Deluge functions with the configured workflows and specify where (Network/Group) and in which instances that rule should be triggered. You can also set one or more conditions based on which the specified actions will be executed.

Example

Currently, in Connect, we can enable the Moderation option to allow group admins (moderators) to approve all posts and comments made in the group before they are made visible to everyone. To automate this process, we can use the Deluge AI tasks - analyze sentiment and keyword extraction that check the Connect posts for sentiments and extract the keywords that deem it unsuitable to be shared with a wider audience. For example, you have created a Zylker Writers Club group in Connect that allows its members to post their write-ups on a monthly basis. A workflow can be configured to check the live posts for their content. You can write a custom function for the workflow using Deluge to send a mail to the group admin asking them to review the posted content if the posts contain sensitive/hurtful content. Additionally, you can also configure the same function to create a task to be assigned to yourself (admin) with priority set as "high" and status as "to be reviewed". If the posts do not contain any sensitive content, an email can be sent to the group admin notifying them that posts have been made live in their group.

See how it works



Note: Refer to the help page to learn how to achieve this automation.

Custom Menu

Custom menus in Zoho Connect let you add customized menus to entities such as group conversations, tasks, and events, in addition to the default menus—FollowPrintBookmark, and Copy post URL that are already available. These custom menus can be configured to perform the required actions and solve requirement-specific use cases. You can write a Deluge custom function and define how the menu should work. These custom menus can then be shared with a set of users or groups.

Example

Let's assume you've created a Connect group named Zylker Feedback where you've configured the feedback collected from forms to be posted in this group. Now, let's assume you want to create a support ticket in Zoho Desk for the Connect feedbacks that are actionable. You can configure a custom menu named Create support ticket by defining a Deluge custom function for each of the required handlers and publishing the custom menu. When you access the respective group, you can click the ellipsis (three-dots) icon beside a post and the custom menu will be listed under the More option. You can click the menu, enter the required details and the ticket will be created successfully in Desk. This way, you can automate the process of ticket creation and ensure a quicker response to your customers.

See how it works



Note: Refer to the help page to learn how to achieve this automation.

4. Outgoing webhooks

An outgoing webhook enables you to trigger real-time updates from Zoho Connect to other Zoho products or third-party services. For example, you can send the details of posts or events in Connect to external services using these webhooks. This data transfer takes place via an authenticated API URL (webhook URL). You can also choose the required action to be performed when the trigger activity occurs i.e., either push information to a URL or perform an action defined in the Deluge custom function. For example, you can define a custom function to notify users in Zoho Cliq when an event is created or sync your data in Connect with third-party services like Trello.

5. Function APIs

While integrating two services using APIs, the structure of requests from one service must match the requirements of the other service. For example, to integrate Zoho Connect with SmartTask or any other task management application, the request and response structure of the Zoho Connect Create Task API must be followed.

However, the request and response structure of one service might not always meet the requirements of the other service. Function APIs include handlers that let you format the request and response structure of an API to match the requirements of a specific service. You can write a Deluge custom function to define how the request needs to be handled or customized by these handlers. Depending on the type of request made, the relevant handler will be triggered.

6. Scheduler

Schedulers in Zoho Connect enable you to automate your routine tasks without any user input. You can configure your schedulers to repeat at certain intervals — such as everyday, weekly or every month and thereby save manual time and labor.

7. User sync

Most organizations use enterprise directory systems (such as Active Directory or LDAP) to maintain employee information. For larger organizations, it can be difficult to manually add and manage users in the network. Zoho Connect's User Sync option simplifies these processes by enabling you to add, update, and disable user profiles in bulk using a .CSV file.

Handlers in User Sync enable you to perform customized actions on the input data. You can define the necessary action by writing a Deluge custom function in these handlers.

Currently, the User Sync option has two handlers: Function Handler and Post-Function Handler.
  • Function Handler: Define the action to be executed before syncing the user details with the Zoho Connect network. Ideally, this handler is triggered once a CSV file is uploaded. You can use this handler to make changes to the data in the CSV file. For example, you can write a function to change the email domain based on the location or reorder the first name and last name to align with local usage.
  • Post-Function Handler: Define the action to be executed after syncing the user details with the Zoho Connect network. You can use this handler to notify the admin that the user details are synced or send a welcome email to the newly added members.
You can refer to this help page to view more examples and sample scripts.
That’s it for now! We hope you found this post useful—we'll be exploring Deluge in Zoho Bug Tracker in our next post. Please let us know if you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions in the comments, or write to us at support@zohodeluge.com.

You can also check out our preview posts in this series.
Thank you!

    Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


      • Recent Topics

      • Notes badge as a quick action in the list view

        Hello all, We are introducing the Notes badge in the list view of all modules as a quick action you can perform for each record, in addition to the existing Activity badge. With this enhancement, users will have quick visibility into the notes associated
      • Sorting Custom Date in API isn't working w pagination limit

        How can we sort a custom field with DATE using pagination? Starting at page=1 then moving to page=2 with a limit of 10 each, its all messed up and even shows some of the same records as page 1? https://www.zohoapis.com/crm/v2/INVOICE_MODULE/search?criteria=(FM_Contact_ID:equals:1234)&sort_by=Invoice_Date&sort_order=desc&per_page=10&page='
      • The reason I switched away from Zoho Notebook

        My main reason for switching to Zoho was driven by three core principles: moving away from US-based products, keeping my data within India as much as possible, and supporting Indian companies. With that intent, I’ve been actively de-Googling my digital
      • Decimal places settings for exchange rates

        Hello, We are facing issues while matching vendor payments with banking feeds. As we often import products/services exchange rate comes into play. Currently, ZOHO allows only six digits for decimal places. We feel that conversions like JPY to INR require
      • Zoho removed ability to see all Scheduled Reports!

        If you are not the owner of a scheduled report, Zoho recently removed the capability to see each scheduled report. As an admin who relies on seeing all scheduled reports being sent, this is a terrible update. Now I cannot see ANY scheduled reports...even the ones I am being sent!!  This should be a setting for admins to control.  This is a bad update.
      • 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
      • Automate Backups

        This is a feature request. Consider adding an auto backup feature. Where when you turn it on, it will auto backup on the 15-day schedule. For additional consideration, allow for the export of module data via API calls. Thank you for your consideration.
      • GCLID and Zoho Bookings

        Is there anyway to embed a Zoho Bookings signup on a landing page and pass the GCLID information? More specifically, can this be done using auto-tagging and not manual tagging the GCLID? I know Zappier has an integration to do this but is there a better
      • Merge Items

        Is there a work around for merging items? We currently have three names for one item, all have had a transaction associated so there is no deleting (just deactivating, which doesn't really help. It still appears so people are continuing to use it). I also can't assign inventory tracking to items used in past transactions, which I don't understand, this is an important feature moving forward.. It would be nice to merge into one item and be able to track inventory. Let me know if this is possible.
      • Create PO from an invoice

        We are a hardware and software sales company which receives orders over the internet. We drop ship most of our products from a warehouse outside of our company. Our orders get sync'd into Zoho from our store via onesaas as invoices. It would be great
      • Blueprint or Validation Rules for Invoices in Zoho Books

        Can I implement Blueprint or Validation Rules for Invoices in Zoho Books? Example, use case could be, Agent confirms from client that payment is done, but bank only syncs transactions tomorrow. in this case, Agent can update invoice status to done, and
      • Resetting auto-number on new year

        Hi everyone! We have an auto-number with prefix "D{YYYY}-", it generates numbers like D2025-1, D2025-2, etc... How can we have it auto-reset at the beginning of the next year, so that it goes to D2026-1? Thanks!
      • Delivery and handling of documents e-stamped using Zoho Sign

        Hello everyone! Zoho Sign makes it easy to pay non judicial stamp duty online and automatically attach the digitally generated e-stamp challan to electronic documents. We also manage the delivery of physical e-stamped papers. We periodically receive these
      • The Social Wall: December 2025

        Hello everyone! As we wrap up the final edition of the Social Wall for 2025, it’s the perfect time to look at what went live during December. QR code generator From paying for coffee to scanning metro tickets, QR codes are everywhere and have made everyday
      • Custom AI solutions with QuickML for Zoho CRM

        Hello everyone, Earlier, we introduced Custom AI Solutions in CRM that let you access QuickML for your custom AI needs. Building on that foundation, we’ve now enabled a deeper integration: QuickML models can be seamlessly integrated into CRM, and surface
      • Helper Functions and DRY principle

        Hello everyone, I believe Deluge should be able to use 'Helper functions' inside the main function. I know I can create different standalones, but this is not helpful and confusing. I don't want 10000 different standalones, and I dont want to have to
      • Add specific field value to URL

        Hi Everyone. I have the following code which is set to run from a subform when the user selects a value from a lookup field "Plant_Key" the URL opens a report but i want the report to be filtered on the matching field/value. so in the report there is
      • Introducing workflow automation for the Products module

        Greetings, I hope all of you are doing well. We're happy to announce a few recent enhancements we've made to Bigin's Products module. The Products module in Bigin now supports Workflows, enabling you to automate routine actions. Along with this update,
      • Power up your Kiosk Studio with Real-Time Data Capture, Client Scripts & More!

        Hello Everyone, We’re thrilled to announce a powerful set of enhancements to Kiosk Studio in Zoho CRM. These new updates give you more flexibility, faster record handling, and real-time data capture, making your Kiosk flows smarter and more efficient
      • Zia Formula Expression Generator for Formula fields

        Hello everyone! Formula fields are super useful when you want your CRM to calculate things for you but writing the expression is where most people slow down. You know what you want, but you’re not fully sure which function to use, how the syntax should
      • Add multiple users to a task

        When I´m assigning a task it is almost always related to more than one person. Practical situation: When a client request some improvement the related department opens the task with the situation and people related to it as the client itself, the salesman
      • Where is the settings option in zoho writer?

        hi, my zoho writer on windows has menu fonts too large. where do i find the settings to change this option? my screen resolution is correct and other apps/softwares in windows have no issues. regards
      • CRM project association via deluge

        I have created a workflow in my Zoho CRM for closing a deal. Part of this workflow leverages a deluge script to create a project for our delivery team. Creating the project works great however, after or during the project creation, I would like to associate
      • Issue with Zoho Creator Form Full-Screen View in CRM Related List Integration

        Hi Team, We have created a custom application in Zoho Creator and integrated it into Zoho CRM as a related list under the Vendor module, which we have renamed as Consignors. Within the Creator application, there is a form named “Pickup Request.” Inside
      • Wrapping up 2025 on a high note: CRM Release Highlights of the year

        Dear Customers, 2025 was an eventful year for us at Zoho CRM. We’ve had releases of all sizes and impact, and we are excited to look back, break it down, and rediscover them with you! Before we rewind—we’d like to take a minute and sincerely thank you
      • Directly Edit, Filter, and Sort Subforms on the Details Page

        Hello everyone, As you know, subforms allow you to associate multiple line items with a single record, greatly enhancing your data organization. For example, a sales order subform neatly lists all products, their quantities, amounts, and other relevant
      • Customer Parent Account or Sub-Customer Account

        Some of clients as they have 50 to 300 branches, they required separate account statement with outlet name and number; which means we have to open new account for each branch individually. However, the main issue is that, when they make a payment, they
      • Drop Down Value

        Hi, May I know why Zoho Flow treat this drop down as number and not as string. If so, how can I fetch the right value for filtering. This field is from Creator, in Creator upon checking by default it is a string since it's not a lookup field.
      • Projects custom colors replaced by default orange

        Since yesterday, projects uploaded to Zoho, to which I had assigned a custom color, have lost the customization and reverted to the default color (orange). Has anyone else had the same problem? If so, how did you resolve it?
      • How to manage task lists in Zoho Desk?

        Hello, I use Zoho Desk for IT customer support. I have a list of standard operating procedures (SOPs), including SOPs for onboarding new users, offboarding users, losing a device, etc. These are lists of tasks to be performed depending on the situation.
      • Creating a Chart from a Report

        In Zoho Analytics, is it possible to create a chart from a Pivot View report? We are looking to use Zoho Analytics to replace Excel for Sales reports and would like to be able to show both the table and the chart together.
      • Restrict Users access to login into CRM?

        I’m wanting my employees to be able to utilize the Zoho CRM Lookup field within Zoho Forms. For them to use lookup field in Zoho Forms it is my understanding that they need to be licensed for Forms and the CRM. However, I don’t want them to be able to
      • how to change the page signers see after signing a document in zoho sign

        Hello, How can I please change the page a signer sees after signing a document in Zoho Sign? I cannot seem to find it. As it is now, it shows a default landing page "return to Zoho Sign Home". Thanks!
      • Holidays - Cannot Enter Two Holidays on Same Day

        I have a fairly common setup, where part-time employees receive 1/2 day's pay on a holiday and full-time employees receive a full day's pay. Historically, I've been able to accommodate this by entering two separate holidays, one that covers full-time
      • Introducing Connected Records to bring business context to every aspect of your work in Zoho CRM for Everyone

        Hello Everyone, We are excited to unveil phase one of a powerful enhancement to CRM for Everyone - Connected Records, available only in CRM's Nextgen UI. With CRM for Everyone, businesses can onboard all customer-facing teams onto the CRM platform to
      • Can a project be cloned?

        Good afternoon, greetings. I would like to ask if it's possible to clone a project in Microsoft Project. I found a way to do it using templates, but I'm not sure if there's a direct way to clone a project. Thank you in advance for your attention, and
      • JWT Token authentication problem that sometimes generates infinite redirect loops

        Description : Nous proposons un bouton sur notre plateforme permettant de rediriger l'utilisateur vers le portail ZohoDesk via un jeton JWT pour une authentification transparente. Cependant, il arrive que certains utilisateurs soient pris dans une boucle
      • Unknown table or alias 'A1'

        I would like to create a subquery but i am getting the following error: Unknown table or alias 'A1' used in select query. This is the sql statement:  SELECT A1.active_paying_customers, A1.active_trial_customers, A1.new_paying_signup, date(A1.date_active_customers), 
      • Why Sharing Rules do Not support relative date comparison???

        I am creating a Sharing Rule and simply want to share where "Last Day of Coverage" (Date field) is Greater than TODAY (Starting Tomorrow). However, sharing rules don't have the option to compare a date field to a relative date (like today), only to Static
      • in the Zoho creator i have address field based the customer lookup im selecting the addresss , some times the customer address getting as null i want to show as blank

        in the Zoho creator i have address field based the customer lookup im selecting the addresss , some times the customer address getting as null ,i want to show as blank instead of showing null. input.Billing_Address.address_line_1 = ifNUll(input.Customers_Name.Address.address_line_1,"");
      • Next Page