Seamless Round-Trip Navigation for Related Blocks (Detail View)

Seamless Round-Trip Navigation for Related Blocks (Detail View)

As highlighted previously in this post (and here, here, here, and here), we still lack a fundamental capability for seamless navigation in Related Blocks. The popup that appears when adding a related record doesn't exist for viewing/editing existing records, and there's no URL pattern to open a detail view within report context. This creates unnecessary friction, and I'm hoping the Zoho team can address this in a future update.

The Core Limitation
When viewing a record's Detail View, Zoho Creator allows you to display related child records in a Related Block. Developers can create clickable links to these child records using URL formula fields (set to display as HTML) or RTF fields populated via workflow. Using zc_NextUrl, it's possible to redirect users back to a filtered report or a direct detail view URL.

The problem: Direct detail view URLs open as standalone pages outside any report context—there's no "back" button, no way to close the detail view and return to the report listing. Whether you redirect to a filtered report (requiring an extra click) or to a direct detail view URL (losing navigation context), neither option provides a seamless round-trip experience.

Note: This refers specifically to Related Blocks in Detail Views (parent-child relationships at the Report level), not Subforms within a Form.
Expected Behavior Current Zoho Creator Behavior User Impact
Click on related record → Opens record's Detail View Possible via URL formula (HTML) or RTF workarounds ⚠ Requires workaround setup
After editing → Redirect back to filtered report Possible using dynamic zc_NextUrl ⚠ Returns to report, not detail view
After editing → Return to parent's Detail View open No URL pattern to open detail view within report context ✗ Broken UX: Redirects to list, user must find and reopen parent record
Direct URL to open record's detail view Possible, but opens as standalone page outside report ✗ No "back" navigation, loses report context
Open child in popup (stay on parent) Works for ADDING records, but not for viewing/editing existing ones ✗ Inconsistent behavior between add vs view/edit
Current Workarounds (All Suboptimal)
To achieve what should be native functionality, developers must resort to complex workarounds. Frustratingly, the popup behavior that works perfectly when adding a related record doesn't exist for viewing/editing existing records:
Workaround Approach Implementation Problems Status
zc_NextUrl → Filtered Report Use zc_NextUrl to redirect back to a report filtered to the parent record - ✓ Returns user to correct report showing parent
- ✓ Report context and navigation preserved
- ✗ Detail view is NOT open on return
- ✗ User must click again to open detail view
⚠ Extra click required
zc_NextUrl → Direct Detail View URL Use zc_NextUrl to redirect to the parent record's direct detail view URL - ✓ Opens parent's detail view directly
- ✗ Opens OUTSIDE report context
- ✗ No "back" button or report navigation
- ✗ User is stranded on isolated page
⚠ Loses navigation context
URL Formula Field (Display as HTML) Create a formula field with direct URL, set to display as HTML to render as clickable link - ✓ Can navigate TO the child record
- ✓ Can use zc_NextUrl for return
- ✗ Same limitations as above for return navigation
⚠ Return options both flawed
RTF Field with On Success Code Use Rich Text Format field populated via workflow to create clickable link - ✓ Can navigate TO the child record
- ✓ Can use zc_NextUrl for return
- ✗ Same limitations as above for return navigation
- ✗ Extra workflow scripting required
⚠ Return options both flawed
Replace Related Block with Embedded Report Use a Page with an embedded/filtered report instead of native Related Block - Loses native Detail View layout
- Requires custom Page development
- More complex maintenance
- Loses summary layout formatting
⚠ Functional but high effort
JavaScript Widget Build a complete custom widget to replace Related Block functionality - Requires significant development effort
- Must rebuild all Related Block features
- Maintenance overhead
- May not match native styling
✗ Overkill for basic navigation
The Core Problem: Detail View Opens Outside Report Context
While a direct URL to a record's detail view exists, it opens as a standalone page outside of any report context. This means:
  • ✓ You CAN open a detail view directly via URL
  • ✗ But it's NOT within a report—there's no "back" button to return
  • ✗ User is stranded on an isolated page with no navigation context
  • ✗ Using zc_NextUrl to this standalone URL still leaves user outside report context
The inconsistency: When adding a related record through the detail view, Zoho Creator already opens a popup that preserves the parent context. This same behavior simply doesn't exist for viewing or editing existing records.
What's needed: Either (1) extend the popup behavior to view/edit, or (2) provide a URL parameter (e.g., &view_mode=detail) that opens the detail view within report context.

Example: The Add vs. View/Edit Inconsistency
Consider a common business scenario—viewing a Customer record with their related Orders:
Note: If the diagram below doesn't display correctly in your browser, the key point is illustrated in the comparison between [+ Add Order] (which opens a popup preserving context) vs. [Edit] existing record (which navigates away, losing context).
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CUSTOMER DETAIL VIEW (within Customers_Report context) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Name: Acme Corporation │
│ Email: contact@acme.com [Close] ← Returns to report │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ RELATED ORDERS [+ Add Order] │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐│
│ │ Order # │ Date │ Amount │ Status │ Link ││
│ │ ORD-002 │ 2024-02-20 │ $3,500 │ Pending │ [Edit] ←─┼┼─ User clicks
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘│ existing record
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│ │
│ [+ Add Order] │ [Edit] existing
▼ ▼
┌─────────────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────────┐
│ ✓ POPUP APPEARS │ │ ✗ FULL PAGE NAVIGATION │
│ (Parent preserved!) │ │ (Context lost!) │
├─────────────────────────┤ ├─────────────────────────┤
│ New Order Form │ │ Must use zc_NextUrl │
│ [Save] [Cancel] │ │ with flawed options... │
│ │ │ │
│ ✓ Close → back to │ │ A. Filtered report │
│ parent detail view │ │ (extra click) │
│ │ │ B. Direct detail URL │
│ WHY DOESN'T THIS │ │ (no navigation) │
│ WORK FOR EDIT TOO? │ │ │
└─────────────────────────┘ └─────────────────────────┘

What Should Happen Instead
Proposed Solutions (Either Would Solve This):

Option 1: Extend Existing Popup Behavior to View/Edit
When adding a related record through the detail view, Zoho Creator already opens a popup that keeps the parent context intact. Simply extend this same behavior to viewing and editing existing records in the Related Block:
Current behavior:
[+ Add Related Record] → Opens popup → Parent detail view preserved ✓

Requested extension:
[Click existing record to view/edit] → Opens popup → Parent detail view preserved ✓

// The infrastructure already exists - just needs to be applied to view/edit!

Option 2: URL Parameter to Open Detail View Within Report Context
Provide a URL parameter that can be appended to a report URL to auto-open a specific record in its detail view context:
// Proposed URL parameter - opens detail view WITHIN the report
#Report:Customers_Report?record_id=12345&view_mode=detail

// Used with zc_NextUrl for seamless return navigation
edit_url = child_edit_url + "&zc_NextUrl=" + encodeUrl(parent_detail_view_in_report_url);

// After save, user returns to parent's detail view WITH report context
// User can click "back" or close detail view to see report listing
Either solution would achieve Contextual Persistence. Option 1 may be simpler since the popup infrastructure already exists. Option 2 would provide more flexibility for developers building custom navigation flows.

Related Issues
This limitation compounds other navigation frustrations in Zoho Creator:

Real-World Impact
This limitation affects virtually any application with parent-child relationships:
  • CRM systems – Viewing a Contact's related Cases, Opportunities, or Activities
  • Project management – Viewing a Project's related Tasks or Milestones
  • Order management – Viewing a Customer's related Orders or Invoices
  • Inventory systems – Viewing a Product's related Stock Movements or Purchase Orders
  • HR applications – Viewing an Employee's related Leave Requests or Performance Reviews

User Experience Impact: Developers must choose between two poor experiences: (A) extra clicks to reopen detail views, or (B) stranding users on pages with no navigation back. Neither option provides the seamless round-trip navigation users expect from a modern database application.


Request to Zoho Team

Can this be addressed in a future update?

The popup behavior for adding related records already proves this is technically feasible—the infrastructure exists. We just need one of these two solutions to achieve Contextual Persistence:

1. Extend Popup to View/Edit
Apply the existing "Add" popup behavior to viewing/editing records in Related Blocks
2. URL Parameter for Detail View
Add a parameter like &view_mode=detail to open detail view within report context

Either solution would eliminate the current friction where users lose their navigation context or require extra clicks to return to their workflow.

Community Input Requested: Has anyone found an effective workaround that maintains contextual persistence when navigating to/from related records? This has been a long-standing request across multiple community posts, and a native solution would benefit countless Creator developers.


    Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


      • Recent Topics

      • Customer ticket creation via Microsoft Teams

        Hi all, I'm looking to see if someone could point me in the right direction. I'd love to make it so my customers/ end users can make tickets, see responses and respond within microsoft teams. As Admin and an Agent i've installed the zoho assist app within
      • Is there a way to update all the start and end dates of tasks of a project after a calendar change?

        Hi! Here's my situation. I've built a complete project planning. All its tasks have start dates and due dates. After completing the planning, I've realized that the project calendar was not the right one. So I changed the project calendar. I now have
      • How to update task start date when project start date changes?

        Hi there, When the start date of a project changes, it's important to update the start dates of the tasks associated with that project to reflect the new timeline. Is there a way to shift the start date of all project tasks when the start date of a project
      • Issue with Picklist Dropdown Not Opening on Mobile

        Hello I am experiencing an issue with picklist values on mobile. While the arrow is visible, the dropdown to scroll through the available values often does not open. This issue occurs sporadically, it has worked occasionally, but it is very rare and quite
      • using the client script based on the look up filed i wnat to fetch the record details like service number , service rate

        based on selected service look up field iwant to fetch the service serial number in the serice form how i achive using client script also how i get the current date in the date field in the on load of the form
      • Zoho Books/Square integration, using 2 Square 'locations' with new Books 'locations'?

        Hello! I saw some old threads about this but wasn't sure if there were any updates. Is there a way to integrate the Square locations feature with the Books locations feature? As in, transactions from separate Books locations go to separate Square locations
      • Zoho Commerce - How To Change Blog Published Date and Author

        Hi Commerce Team, I'm discussing a project with a client who wants to move from Woo Commerce / Wordpress to Zoho Commerce. They have around 620 blog posts which will need to be migrated. I am now aware of the blog import feature and I have run some tests.
      • Does zoho inventory need Enterprise or Premium subsrciption to make Widgets.

        We have Zoho One Enterprise and yet we can't create widgets on inventory.
      • ZMA shows as already connected to Zoho CRM, but integration not working

        When I try to connect ZMA with Zoho CRM, it shows as already connected, but the integration doesn’t seem to be working. I’ve attached the screen recording for reference.
      • Automatic Email Alerts for Errors in Zoho Creator Logs

        Hello, We would like to request a feature enhancement in Zoho Creator regarding error notifications. Currently, Zoho Creator allows users to view logs and errors for each application by navigating to Zoho Creator > Operations > Logs. However, there is
      • Workflow Rule - Field Updates: Ability to use Placeholders

        It will be great if you can use placeholder tags to update fields. For example if we want to update a custom field with the client name we can use ${CONTACT.CONTACT_FIRSTNAME}${CONTACT.CONTACT_LASTNAME}, etc
      • Password Assessment Reports for all users

        I'm the super admin and looking at the reporting available for Zoho Vault. I can see that there is a Password Assessment report available showing the passwords/weak and security score by user. However I'm confused at the 'report generated on' value. Monitor
      • Can't change form's original name in URL

        Hi all, I have been duplicating + editing forms for jobs regarding the same department to maintain formatting + styling. The issue I've not run into is because I've duplicated it from an existing form, the URL doesn't seem to want to update with the new
      • Setting certian items to be pickup only

        How do we have some items that are pickup only? I have several items in my item's list that I do not ship. But they need to be on the website to be sold, and picked up in store. Need to be able to do this as one of these products is a major seller for
      • Using gift vouchers

        We would like to be able to offer a limited number of gift vouchers, of varying values, to our customers, and are looking for the best way to do this. We have looked at Coupons and Gift Certificates, but neither seem to fit the bill perfectly. Coupons:
      • Automatically updating field(s) of lookup module

        I have a lookup field, which also pulls through the Status field from the linked record. When the lookup is first done, the Status is pulled through - this works perfectly. If that Status is later updated, the lookup field does not update as well. As
      • Zoho Commerce and Third-party shipping (MachShip) API integration

        We are implementing a third-party shipping (MachShip) API integration for our Zoho Commerce store and have made significant progress. However, we need guidance on a specific technical challenge. Current Challenge: We need to get the customer input to
      • Adding custom "lookup" fields in Zoho Customization

        How can I add a second “lookup” field in Zoho? I’m trying to create another lookup that pulls from my Contacts, but the option doesn’t appear in the module customization sidebar. In many cases, a single work order involves multiple contacts. Ideally,
      • Can you import projects into Zoho Projects yet?

        I see some very old posts asking about importing project records into Zoho Projects. But I can't find anything up to date about the topic. Has this functionality been added? Importing tasks is helpful. But we do have a project where importing projects
      • Zoho Inventory. Preventing Negative Stock in Sales Orders – Best Practices?

        Dear Zoho Inventory Community, We’re a small business using Zoho Inventory with a team of sales managers. Unfortunately, some employees occasionally overlook stock levels during order processing, leading to negative inventory issues. Is there a way to
      • Automation #10 - Auto Assign Ticket based on Keywords

        This is a monthly series designed to help you get the best out of Desk. We take our cue from what's being discussed or asked about the most in our community. Then we find the right use cases that specifically highlight solutions, ideas and tips on optimizing
      • Automate attendance tracking with Zoho Cliq Developer Platform

        I wish remote work were permanently mandated so we could join work calls from a movie theatre or even while skydiving! But wait, it's time to wake up! The alarm has snoozed twice, and your team has already logged on for the day. Keeping tabs on attendance
      • Reusable Custom Functions Across Department Workflows

        Dear Zoho Desk Team, We appreciate the powerful workflow automation capabilities in Zoho Desk, particularly the ability to create and use custom functions within workflows. However, we have encountered a limitation that impacts efficiency and maintainability.
      • Don't Allow Customer to Edit Values After Submitting Ticket

        After a customer submits a ticket through the customer portal, they can go into the ticket and see some of the values from the questions they answered in the sidebar. Currently, a customer can edit these values even after they submitted them. This makes no sense. We ask very specific questions that we don't want customers to later change! Please disable the ability for customers to edit the values to their submission questions in the portal. Screenshot attached.
      • Analytics <-> Invoice Connection DELETED by Zoho

        Hi All, I am reaching out today because of a big issue we have at the moment with Zoho Analytics and Zoho Invoice. Our organization relies on Zoho Analytics for most of our reporting (operationnal teams). A few days ago we observed a sync issue with the
      • text length in list report mobile/tablet

        Is there a way to make the full text of a text field appear in the list report on mobile and tablet? With custom layouts, the text is always truncated after a certain number of characters.
      • Automation #4 - Auto Delete Tickets based on Rules

        This is a monthly series in which we pick some common use cases that have been either discussed or most asked about in our community and explain how they can be achieved using one of the automation capabilities in Zoho Desk. Unwanted tickets spamming
      • Zoho Community Digest — Enero 2026

        ¡Hola, comunidad! 🌟 Aquí os traemos las novedades más interesantes de Zoho durante este mes de enero, incluyendo actualizaciones de productos, integraciones y un recordatorio sobre los workshops certificados que vuelven a España. 🎓 Eventos y Comunidad
      • Automation #3 - Auto-sync email attachments to tickets

        This is a monthly series where we pick some common use cases that have been either discussed or most asked about in our community and explain how they can be achieved using one of the automation capabilities in Zoho Desk. Most of our customers use email
      • Automation #11 - Auto Update Custom Fields with Values from Emails

        This is a monthly series designed to help you get the best out of Desk. We take our cue from what's being discussed or asked about the most in our community. Then we find the right use cases that specifically highlight solutions, ideas and tips to optimize
      • Automation #13 - Auto assign tickets based on agent shift time

        This is a monthly series designed to help you get the best out of Desk. We take our cue from what's being discussed or asked about the most in our community. Then we find the right use cases that specifically highlight solutions, ideas and tips to optimize
      • Automation #14: Capture Jira Issue Key/ID in a Ticket Custom Field

        Hello Everyone! This month's edition brings you a custom function to consolidate your records associated with Jira integration. Jira integration enables support engineers and R&D units to collaborate seamlessly on feature development, product improvement,
      • Automation #16: Automate Ticket Reopening on Scheduled Timestamp

        Hello Everyone! This edition uncovers the option to schedule reopening a ticket automatically. Zylker Finance tracks insurance policyholder activities through Zoho Desk. For policyholders who pay monthly premiums, tickets are closed upon payment completion.
      • Automation#19:Auto-Close Tickets Upon Task Completion

        Hello Everyone! We’re excited to bring you another custom function this week. In this edition, we’ll show you how to automatically close tickets when all associated tasks are marked as completed. Let’s see how ZylkaPure, a leading water filter company,
      • Automation #15: Automatically Adding Static Secondary Contacts

        Rockel is a top-tier client of Zylker traders. Marcus handles communications with Rockel and would like to add Terence, the CTO of Zylker traders to the email conversations. In this case, the emails coming from user address rockel.com should have Terence
      • Improved UX design for Projects CRM integration

        The current integration embeds the entier projects inteface into the CRM this is confusing and allows users to get lost. For example as a user i navigate to an account and go down to the related projects list and want to get information about a specific
      • Link Purchase Order to Deal

        Zoho Books directly syncs with contacts, vendors and products in Zoho CRM including field mapping. Is there any way to associate vendor purchase orders with deals, so that we can calculate our profit margin for each deal with connected sales invoices
      • Transformer vos stocks en décisions intelligentes avec Zoho Inventory et Zoho Analytics

        Zoho Inventory permet de suivre facilement les niveaux de stock et d’anticiper les restockages. Pour de nombreuses entreprises, cela suffit à gérer les opérations au quotidien. Mais à mesure que l’activité se développe, cette clarté peut commencer à montrer
      • Security Enhancements | Migrate to the Updated Policies

        Hello everyone, Zoho Directory's security policies have been updated and reorganized into three new policies with features that enhance the overall organization security. These policies provide a stronger and more secure sign-in methods and improve the
      • Bring Zoho Shifts Capabilities into Zoho People Shift Module

        Hello Zoho People Product Team, After a deep review of the Zoho People Shift module and a direct comparison with Zoho Shifts, we would like to raise a feature request and serious concern regarding the current state of shift management in Zoho People.
      • Next Page