Kaizen 206 - Answering your Questions | Displaying Related Purchase Orders from Zoho Books in CRM D

Kaizen 206 - Answering your Questions | Displaying Related Purchase Orders from Zoho Books in CRM D


Hello everyone!
We're back with another post in the Kaizen series.
We're grateful for the feedback we received from all of you!

One of the questions we received was "I would like to see the list of Purchase Orders in Zoho Books for a Deal in CRM."

We will discuss how to achieve this using the Queries feature in Zoho CRM.

Scenario

In many organizations, a single Deal in Zoho CRM may correspond to one or more Purchase Orders(POs) in Zoho Books. To get a real-time view of all POs associated with a Deal in CRM, we can leverage the Queries feature under Setup > Developer Hub > Queries, and custom related lists.

1. CRM and Zoho Books Integration

Zoho CRM and Books integration allows you to
  • View POs, invoices, and payments for deals directly in CRM
  • Synchronize financial data between CRM deals and Books POs
  • Automate the mapping of deals to POs via custom fields
To create this connection,
  1. Go to Setup > Developer Hub > Connections
  2. Create a connection to Books(OAuth) with the scopes ZohoBooks.contacts.All and ZohoBooks.purchaseorders.All.

2. Prerequisites

Before creating the query and automation, you must have the following ready:
  1. Zoho Books organization ID – needed for REST API calls.
  2. Custom field in Books PO module:
    Field Name: CRM Deal ID
    Type: Single-line
    Purpose: Store the CRM deal ID that each PO relates to.
    Why do we need this custom field?
    By default, Books POs are not directly linked to CRM Deals. To bridge this gap, we create a custom single-line field(CRM Deal ID) in Books POs to store the CRM Deal’s record ID. This makes it possible to filter POs in queries(cf_crm_deal_id == {{deal_ID}}) and reliably display only the related POs in CRM.

    You can store the record ID of the deal in CRM in this field either manually or via a custom function. When you use a custom function, use the Update a Purchase Order API to update the CRM Deal ID field in Books with the record ID of the deal in CRM. You can then associate this function to a button or automation to constantly update the PO in Books every time a deal in CRM is created or updated in CRM. You can also use Zoho Flow to achieve this instead of a function.
  3. Trusted domain and source:
    1. Ensure you have added Books API domain to trusted domain for API calls.

    2. Add Zoho Books as the source of the query to get the PO details from Books. You can add the Books' organization ID as a parameter either here or while creating the query.

3. Single Deal, Multiple POs

Scenario

  • A CRM deal requires multiple POs from different vendors.
  • Each PO in Books stores the same Deal ID in the CRM Deal ID field.
  • This allows a related list in CRM to show all POs associated with the deal.

Why a Single-line Field Works?

  • Each PO references one deal.
  • Queries in CRM can filter using cf_crm_deal_id == {{deal_ID}}. cf_crm_deal_id is the API name of the custom field in PO of Books. You can find it under Setup > Purchases > Purchase Orders > {the custom field} > Edit.
  • Works reliably for related list display.

4. Creating a REST API Query in CRM

Since we will use Books API to get the list of POs, we will create a REST API type query.

  1. Go to Setup > Developer Hub > Queries > Create Query.
  2. Enter the details as shown in the following image:

  3. Choose the Books source that you added recently.
  4. Give a name for the query.
  5. The API name will be auto-populated, and the URL will be populated from the source.
  6. Enter the endpoint to access the resource from Books. In our case, purchaseorders.
  7. To filter based on the value in the CRM Deal ID field in Books, enter the parameter as cf_crm_deal_id and its value as a variable. This variable takes the Deal's record ID as the value during run time. This ensures that the query takes the deal residing in the CRM Deal ID(which is also the record ID of the deal in CRM) field in Books and filters only those POs related to this Deal.
  8. If you have not given org_id as a parameter while creating the source, include it here.
  9. Click Next. You will get a pop-up asking for the value to the variable cf_crm_deal_id. Give a value to see the query in action.
  10. The query returns the list of POs from Books that are related to this particular deal in CRM.
  11. Save the query.

5. Serializing(to return a table for the related list)

Serializer allows you to manipulate the response of the query using Javascript.
In our example, the raw response of the query will contain the POs from Books for a deal in CRM as an array with many fields.
For example, the deal with CRM record ID 3652397000017912047 has two POs in Books viz, PO-00001 and PO-00003. The raw response before serialization is as follows.


But, to associate this response with a related list, we don't need all the fields. We can use the serializer to modify this response and use only the required fields.
The following image shows the serialized response.


Click Save and configure the Schema.


Click Save to save the query.

6. Adding the Query to a Related List

Now that we have the query ready, let's associate this with a related list in the Deals module in CRM to contextually view the POs of the Deal in Books.
  1. Navigate to the Deals module in CRM.
  2. Click the three-dot icon on the right corner of the record, and click Add Related List. Alternatively, you can also click the Add Related List option on the left in the Related List pane.

  3. From the pop-up, select Queries.

  4. From the list of available queries, select the Get Purchase Orders query you created and click Associate.

  5. Give a name for the related list.
  6. Under Variable Mapping, type #(to view merge fields) to get the list of modules available. Choose Deals and the Deal Id field. This means that the record ID of the deal will be passed as the value of the cf_crm_deal_id variable at runtime. The query will then fetch the list of POs for this Deal ID from Books, and display it in this related list.

  7. Click Save and you will see the related list under the Related Lists section of the record.

  8. Reload the page to see the query in action.

Automation Options

You can automatically update the CRM Deal ID in Books POs when a deal is created or a PO is raised.

1. Using Function

  • Function triggers on deal creation or a button click in CRM.
  • Fetches the PO in Books and updates the CRM Deal ID field using the Books connection.

2. Using Zoho Flow

  • Event: Deal created or updated in CRM.
  • Action: Update the corresponding PO(s) in Books.
  • Works without writing Deluge code.
Both methods require the Books connection and organization ID.

Summary/Best Practices

  • Single Deal, Multiple POs: Use single-line CRM Deal ID field in Books.
  • Queries and serializer: Filter POs based on cf_crm_deal_id == {{deal_ID}}.
  • Automation: Use functions or Zoho Flow for real-time updates.
  • Multi-Deal, Single PO: Not supported for related lists; use custom reporting instead.

This setup ensures that sales and finance teams can see all POs for a deal directly in CRM without manual reconciliation.


We hope this post answered your question and you found this useful.
Let us know what you think in the comments or write to us at support@zohocrm.com.


Cheers!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------










    • 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

    Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


      • Recent Topics

      • Subform edits don't appear in parent record timeline?

        Is it possible to have subform edits (like add row/delete row) appear in the Timeline for parent records? A user can edit a record, only edit the subform, and it doesn't appear in the timeline. Is there a workaround or way that we can show when a user

      • Knowledge Base Module

        How to enable the knowledge base module in zoho crm account. I saw this module in one crm account but unable to find it other zoho crm account. can anyone know about this?

      • Zoho sign changed Indexing of signing_order

        Because I missed this Announcement (is there even one?): when you work with the indexes of actions > signing_order. Previous those started with 0 now starts with 1. Changed somewhere between 15.07 and 23.07

      • How to Invoice Based on Timesheet Hours Logged on a Zoho FSM Work Order

        Hi everyone, We’re working on optimizing our invoicing process in Zoho FSM, and we’ve run into a bit of a roadblock. Here’s our goal: We want to invoice based on the actual number of hours logged by our technicians on a job, specifically using the timesheets

      • Zoho CRM Community Digest - June 2025 | Part 2

        Welcome back to the Zoho CRM Community Digest! We’re wrapping up June with more fresh updates, smart discussions, and clever workarounds shared by the community. Product Updates: Struggling to keep track of scattered customer interactions? Zoho CRM's

      • Allow Variable Insertion in Prebuilt "Update Record" Action in Schedules

        Hi Zoho Creator Team, Hope you're doing well. We’d like to submit a feature request based on our experience using Zoho Creator schedules to manage workflows integrated with Zoho Desk. We currently have an app where Zoho Desk tickets create records in

      • Rich Text Field Editor in Form Builder is Too Small and Not Resizable

        Hello, I am experiencing a significant usability issue with the rich text field in the Zoho Forms builder. The editor window for this field is fixed-size and extremely small. It does not adapt to the screen size, which makes it very difficult to manage

      • Publicar Formulário

        Obs. Não consigo publicar meus formulários, pesquisei alguns artigos, mas me deixou perdido, fala de campo sensível, não consigo entender o que significa. Segue Imagem do problema. Todo formulário que faço sempre termina assim sem o botão de publicar..

      • Anyone else unable to login to ZMA this weekend?

        Hey Is anyone else unable to log into Zoho Marketing Automation at all this weekend? I've been trying on multiple devices - despot and mobile - and multiple browser. I've reset browsing data, gone incognito. Nothing - since Friday I've been unable to

      • Custom Action for Subform row

        Dears, As for now, we only have 2 actions for each subform row: Edit and Delete. I would suggest to have custom action here, instead of create a button with Fx field within the subform. For example, I would create Duplicate button, which duplicates the

      • Urgent: Unable to Receive OTP Email for Portal User Registration in Zoho Creator

        I paid to enable the Portal User feature on 2/25, and followed the official instructions (Youtube video: Customer Portals | Zoho Creator) to set up the Portal User using my Gmail account. However, I am not receiving the OTP email and am unable to successfully

      • Sole Trader - Financial Advisor (Appointed Representative) - Paid via Capital Account but no Invoicing...

        Hi. I'm about to venture into a new business after 12 months of intensive learning/exams. A little chuffed if I may say so especially at 52! I really like the look of ZoHo Books for my modest enterprise but I'm in need of some guidance, please. My services

      • Display multiple fields in lookup dropdown

        I have a module called Technicians and a related module called submissions that registers technicians for different assignments. The lookup in Submissions to Technicians is the Technician ID (auto generated unique number). How do I display in the dropdown

      • Integrate with Power BI

        Hi, How to connect Zoho CRM dashboards & reports with POWER BI ?

      • No "Import Users" option in Zoho FSM

        I recently noticed that there is no option to import Users into Zoho FSM, and this has become a serious challenge for us. When migrating data, especially technicians or other user profiles, we often have hundreds of users to bring into the system. Currently,

      • Finding "like" projects

        Hi Everyone! My team is running into several duplicating deals. I've been trying to get them all to name things the same way ex. State is 2 letters not spelled out. Things like that. What I am wondering if there is anything I can do as the superadmin

      • Não consigo localizar o Botão de Publicar Formulário no meu app

        Depois que finalizar meus formulários, não consigo localizar o botão de publicar para concluir meu aplicativo

      • DATEV-Export Erfahrungen?

        Wir würden gern den DATEV-Export in Books nutzen, jedoch ist dieser nicht wirklich nutzbar. Gibt es positive Erfahrungen von Alternativ-Lösungen?

      • Kaizen #191: Implementing "Login with Zoho" using Python SDK

        Welcome back to another week of Kaizen!! This week, we are diving into how to implement secure user authentication using Login with Zoho and integrate it with Zoho CRM through our Python SDK. To ground this in a real-world scenario, we will look at how

      • WhatsApp Business Calling API

        Dear Zoho SalesIQ Team, I would like to request a feature that allows users to call WhatsApp numbers directly via Zoho SalesIQ. This integration would enable sending and receiving calls to and from WhatsApp numbers over the internet, without the need

      • Custom modules not showing in developer console

        I'm trying to create a custom summing function for a custom module I made in my CRM. When I go to create the function, my module isnt showing up. Do I need to share the custom moldule with my developer console or something of the like?

      • Following retainer invoice for partial payment of a sales order

        HI, We issue sales orders when a client buy a product from us. We also issue multiple retainer invoices for partial payment (2 to 4 depending of the client). Team wants to follow payment of these retainer invoices for this Sales Order. If they are paid

      • Zoho CommunitySpacesとzoho CRM連携について

        お世話になっております。 いつもご質問に丁寧に回答いただき大変助かっております。 今、当団体ではZoho CommunitySpacesを利用しており、利用ユーザ一覧をzoho CRMに自動登録（連携）したいと考えております。 そもそも可能なのか、もしあれば具体的な手順や方法はあるのかをご教授いただきたいです。 上記がないのなら、ユーザ一覧のエクスポート方法（メールアドレスと姓を含む）でもよいです。 お手数となりますが、お願いいたします。

      • Zoho Wiki or new Zoho Learn

        We are currently evaluating if we should move off confluence. At present in Confluence we have multiple levels within our documentation but with learn it looks like you can only have Space       - Manual             - Chapter Is it possible to have levels below Chapter? Also the same question for the existing wiki, can I have more sub-levels?

      • New user After moving over from QBO

        New user observations/suggestions. QBO took away a lot of features I was used to with the desktop version. Chaos ensued. Zoho Books has a lot of what I was used to and a bit more. Good deal Some things I have run into and suggest some upgrades. 1: The

      • Sales without an invoice

        Sales without an invoice is not included on the “payments received” report. Also, sales without an invoice is not listed in the transactions under the customer’s profile, also making it easy to do a double entry. Is there a way for me to see my sales

      • Zoho Sign API - Create a document from template.

        1. I would like to create a document from a template and send the document to the customer for signing. Is this possible using the Zoho Sign API? If so, please share the api reference link. 2. Is there sand box for Zoho Sign to test the APIs without using

      • Zoho Sign embedded iframe

        Hello, we are looking for any of these options: a) some iframe that we can paste into our website for every signer, for onpage signing document. b) or get direct link for signers from Zoho sign API which we can redirect manually. Is any of these options

      • Goods in transit

        When creating a purchase order in Zoho Books, how can I properly reflect the inventory as "Goods in Transit" until it reaches its final destination?

      • how to coming soon, holding site, or "under construction"

        Hi! I was wandering if was possible to create a website with the simple sign of "Under construction or coming soon" while i work on the site. if possible, how? Cheers

      • Announcing Agentic AI - Ask Zia!

        We are delighted to roll out the new agentic AI capabilities in Ask Zia, where every stage of the BI workflow is assisted by AI. With a human-in-the-loop approach, Ask Zia ensures that you’re in command of the decision, while AI handles the complexity.

      • Zoho People LMS VS Zoho Connect Manuals VS Zoho Learn

        in the past I came accross Zoho WIKI but did not like the platform because it could use a lot of upgrade. Over the time I have noticed Zoho People come out with a LMS module which allows us to created a shared knowledge for our internal team I also came across Zoho Connect which as a knowledge-based for internal team referred to as Manual Now I am seeing Zoho Learn which is a new and fine-tuned version of Zoho Wiki. All of these platforms are very similar but I am wondering what are the differences

      • Marketing Automation Activities in Zoho CRM

        Hello, I've connected Zoho CRM and Marketing Automation, sent a campaign, but no data are displayed in CRM, neither in "campaigns" section inside contact profile. It is possible to display Marketing Automation activities in CRM? Also in CRM Timelines?

      • How do we get a follow up to Experts 22: Scale up your customer support with integrations & extensibility

        Hi, How do we get a followup and answers to the questions we have asked during 'Experts 22: Scale up your customer support with integrations & extensibility'. I have repsonded to the answers but have no way of following up. Thanks Brett

      • Frustrating Email Duplication and Timeline Issues Between Zoho Mail and CRM

        Hi Zoho team, Can someone please help clarify what’s going on here? Here’s what’s happening: I initiate an email to a lead using Zoho Mail. The lead is created in Zoho CRM via the integration, and the email is correctly associated with that lead. Sometimes,

      • Best Strategy to import contacts and when to create leads

        Hi, I'm new to Bigin and looking for a "best" strategy. I had and have the following idea for an use case: 1. Search for websites which I want to contact 2. Create a contact in Bigin with all the required information based on this website (via API if

      • Better implementation of Item Category on Invoices and Estimates

        1) I have added Item Category as a custom field. Honestly, this should be a native part of the item itself, and either required, optional, or not used.  2) When entering an item on an invoice, you have to enter the first character(s) of the item, otherwise

      • Bulk Update (via the 'Accountant' menu)

        Why can't we bulk update Expenses to Owner's Drawings? It always ends in failure with the error "Involved account types are not applicable". If such conversion isn't possible, why make the option available? Better to allow it though.

      • Set Reply_to parameter for "Email an Invoice" API Endpoint

        Is there a way to set "Reply To" email address when using the Email an invoice API endpoint? It doesn't seem to be in documentation, but sometimes there are undocumented parameters. If it doesn't exist, please consider adding it as parameter since all

      • Zoho Books adaptado a la legislación española. ¿Sustitutos?

        Buenas a tod@s No tenemos información sobre la adaptación de Zoho Books a la nueva ley de facturación en España. Me preguntan usuarios de zoho que deberían hacer. Propongo una lista de alternativas, si al final se opta por no desarrollar la funcionalidad

      • Next Page