🚀 WorkDrive 5.0: Evolving from a file sharing app to an intelligent content management platform: Phase 2

🚀 WorkDrive 5.0: Evolving from a file sharing app to an intelligent content management platform: Phase 2

Hello everyone,

WorkDrive's primary focus has always been to provide an intelligent and secure content management platform, simplify collaboration, and be the central repository of files for all Zoho apps.

In our previous announcement, we unveiled the first set of WorkDrive 5.0 features, including watermarking, bulk version deletion, image annotation, Outlook add-in, and more. Today, we’re excited to introduce the next set of WorkDrive 5.0 feature updates, packed with new features to boost collaboration, strengthen security, and optimize data management.

With 5.0 Phase 2, we’ve now added some of the most-requested tools, including Workflows, Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies, custom folder permissions, AI features, and advanced sharing options.

Let’s dive into what’s new!

Protect Sensitive Data with DLP Policies (Beta)


Worried about data security? 
WorkDrive’s Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies automatically classify files containing sensitive information and control what actions can be taken with these files – whether it’s sharing, downloading, copying, or printing.

Automatic Classification
Admins can leverage the following methods to enable automatic classification through DLP policies:
  • Built-in Sensitive Content Identifiers: Choose from 149 pre-defined types spanning 47 countries/regions, such as National ID cards, Bank account details, Social Security numbers, and more. View the full list of supported sensitive information types 

  • Custom Rules: Use keywords, file names, or file extensions to create tailored rules for classification.
Disclaimer: Automatic classification enhances security by identifying and labeling sensitive data automatically, but it may not always be 100% accurate. To ensure full protection, WorkDrive provides manual classification, allowing users to manually label files that may be missed.

Manual Classification
Admins can create custom classification labels and enable team members to apply these labels to sensitive files. This allows warnings to be displayed or specific actions—such as external sharing, downloading, copying, or printing—to be blocked.

InfoImportant: In automatic classification, newly created DLP policies will not be applied to existing files. Only new, modified, or uploaded files after the policy is created will be scanned and enforced if they meet the policy criteria.

Supported plans: Business plan and Zoho One bundle.

Automate and optimize processes with Workflows (Beta)

Workflows automate routine, content-specific tasks, helping your team save time, reduce manual effort, and maintain consistency. WorkDrive supports both automatic workflows (triggered by specific events) and manual workflows (initiated manually by right-clicking a file or folder).

To help you get started quickly, we've enabled three ready-to-use manual workflows (Review, Approval, Review and Approval). You can also use the no-code workflow builder to design and deploy custom workflows tailored to your team’s unique needs.
  • Managing and Tracking Workflows: The Workflows tab in the left panel helps you manage workflows effortlessly. It provides two sections: Waiting for my action and Started by me, ensuring you can keep track of workflows assigned to you and those you’ve initiated.

  • Centralized Workflow Management for Admins: Team admins can access all team workflows from the Admin Console > Workflows, where they can view, edit, delete, or clone workflows, toggle them on or off, and track their activity—all from one place.
Feature Rollout Plan
  • Enabled for new users: The Workflows feature will be automatically activated for all new signups. It will be gradually rolled out to organizations with existing accounts that have not yet used Zoho Writer workflows.

  • Seamless migration for existing users: For organizations that are already utilizing Zoho Writer workflows, our team is working to migrate existing workflows to Zoho WorkDrive Workflows. This ensures a smooth transition to your ongoing processes.

Supported plans
  • Default Workflows (Review, Approval, Review and Approval): Available for all plans except the WorkDrive Individual plan.
  • Custom Workflows: Available only for WorkDrive Business plan and Zoho One users.

Full Folder Customization: Manage Access and Permissions with Ease


WorkDrive’s Team Folders let you collaborate effectively by assigning specific roles to members, such as Admin, Organizer, Editor, Commenter, and Viewer. By default, all Team Folder members can access every file and folder within it. However, with folder customization, you can:
  • Restrict a member’s access to certain folders.
  • Hide specific folders entirely from other members or collaborators.
You can customize folder permissions while creating the folder or after the folder is created. Only users with the Admin/Organizer role or Organize-level access can customize folder permissions.

Once a folder is customized:
  • New members added to the Team Folder or parent folder won’t automatically have access. You’ll need to manually share the folder if needed.
  • Team Folder roles and parent folder permissions won’t apply.
  • Team folder admin roles cannot be restricted or modified with folder customization.
If folder customization is removed:
  • Team Folder members regain access based on their roles.
  • Individual collaborators who had access to the customized folder will lose it.
Notes:
  • Folder customization is only available for Team Folders.
  • It is not supported in My Folders. While you can grant higher permissions to a child folder, you cannot restrict access or lower permissions if the parent folder has higher-level permissions.

Supported plans: All WorkDrive plans (Starter, Team, & Business), Zoho Workplace and Zoho One bundles.

AI-Powered Transcription: Making Audio and Video Content More Accessible (Beta)


WorkDrive now supports generating transcripts (text-version) for audio and video files using our native Zoho AI service. Transcripts are widely used in various fields such as media, education, healthcare, research, and business for documentation, accessibility, and analysis.

Click on a timestamp to jump straight to that part of the file, saving you time on reviews.
  • Supported language: English
  • Supported video formats: mp4, mpeg, mpg, mov, avi, flv, webm, wmv, swf, mkv 
  • Supported audio formats: wav, flac, mp3, opus, m4a

Supported plans: All WorkDrive plans (Starter, Team, & Business), Zoho Workplace and Zoho One bundles.

Boost Productivity with our in-house AI service - Zoho AI (Beta)


We’re excited to unveil Zoho AI, our very own in-house AI service powered by open-source large language models. Until now, Zia has leveraged OpenAI services for AI-powered content creation, image generation, and comment refinement.

Highlights of Zoho AI:
  • With Zoho AI, you get intelligent AI capabilities—completely free and with no third-party configuration!
  • Secure and private as your data stays within Zoho.
Flexible AI selection: Team admins can now enable both supported AI services (Zoho AI and OpenAI) and set a preferred AI service for each feature.

Smarter AI features to improve your workflow:
We’ve already made content creation, image generation, and comment refinement easier with Zia. Now, we’re adding even more intelligent AI features to help you get more done with less effort!

Comment translation
Break language barriers with seamless comment translation. Zia helps you understand and respond in your preferred language or share comments in a language others understand. We currently provide comment translation support for about 74 languages. Learn more about translating comments using Zia 

File Summarization
No more sifting through lengthy documents! With Zia’s AI-powered summarization, you can instantly extract key highlights from your files, helping you focus on essential insights. Plus, you can save these summaries directly to WorkDrive in .zdoc format for easy access and future reference. Learn more about summarizing files using Zia 

Note: Image and cover image generation features are only available through OpenAI services and are not yet supported by Zoho AI.

Supported plans: All WorkDrive plans (Starter, Team, & Business), WorkDrive Individual Free Plan, Zoho Workplace, and Zoho One bundles

File Version Settings: Manage Storage with Smart Retention Controls


One of WorkDrive’s key benefits is its unlimited file versioning, allowing users to effortlessly access and manage different versions of a file. However, for large files like videos and designs, storing multiple versions can quickly consume your team’s storage.

To help you optimize space while maintaining control over file history, we’ve introduced Version Retention Settings. With this feature, team admins can define how many versions to retain, ensuring efficient storage management without compromising accessibility.
  • Need to hold onto only the latest updates? Choose your version limit and free up storage automatically!
  • And for quick clean-ups from individual files, you can use Bulk Version Deletion to clear old versions and keep your projects organized.
Notes: 
  • You can mark a version as "Keep Forever" to prevent them from being deleted automatically based on the team's version settings.
  • Version retention settings currently do not apply to office suite files (Writer, Sheet, and Show) where storage is completely free.

Supported plans: All WorkDrive plans (Starter, Team, & Business), Zoho Workplace and Zoho One bundles

Take Complete Control Over External Sharing


WorkDrive’s advanced sharing settings provide precise control over who can access your files and how they are shared, tailored to meet your organization’s needs. Whether you’re sharing directly via email, creating a custom link, or embedding a file, you will now have the flexibility to enable or disable sharing options individually.
  • Whitelist domains and email addresses for secure sharing
    For an extra layer of security, you can whitelist specific email addresses and domains to ensure files only go to trusted collaborators while sharing externally via email address.

    Supported plans: All WorkDrive plans (Starter, Team, & Business), Zoho Workplace and Zoho One bundle

  • View and remove share permissions in bulk
    From the Shared Items section in Data Administration, you can view all the shared items based on their share types. You can now easily remove access or links from multiple files and folders in bulk.

    Supported plans: Business plan and Zoho One bundle


Link: A smarter way to keep your important links handy


WorkDrive now offers the Link feature, allowing you to manually store and organize URLs, just like files, creating a personal hub for quick and easy access. Whether it’s an important contract, a frequently referenced spreadsheet, or a key website, Links help you keep everything you need at your fingertips.

Here's how Link feature help you work smarter:
  • Save web URLs: The Link feature allows you to store important web links directly within WorkDrive, ensuring quick access to essential webpages without the need to search for them repeatedly.

  • Organize WorkDrive files & folders: No need to duplicate files across multiple locations. With the Link feature, you can organize frequently accessed WorkDrive documents from various folders into one central location for easy access.
Supported plans: All WorkDrive plans (Starter, Team, & Business), Zoho Workplace and Zoho One bundles

Index View: Simplified Navigation for your folders


An Index view is an effective way to present users with a summary of what's available in a folder, sparing them the effort of opening each item manually. It serves as a dynamic guide, allowing users to quickly locate frequently accessed or critical files and folders.

For instance, in a project folder, you can create a Writer document with organized links to key resources such as Getting Started guides, essential steps, and troubleshooting tips. By setting this file as the Index for the folder, team members can instantly access important documents and navigate to relevant sections with ease.

Notes:
  • Supported file types for Index view: Zoho Writer files only
  • Only users with Edit access or higher can add or remove Index for a folder.

Supported plans: All WorkDrive plans (Starter, Team, & Business), Zoho Workplace and Zoho One bundles

Sync desktop folders instantly with WorkDrive TrueSync (Beta)


Tired of manually backing up your important desktop files and folders?

With WorkDrive TrueSync, you can now select specific desktop folders to sync automatically to WorkDrive web. Any changes or new files added to these folders via desktop or via the WorkDrive web app will be instantly backed up, ensuring seamless two-way synchronization.

Feature availability:
  • Currently, this feature is supported only on Windows OS.  Mac support will be available soon.
  • You need to manually download and install the beta version of WorkDrive TrueSync to utilize this functionality.

Explore and share feedback: With WorkDrive 5.0 Phase 2, you’re equipped with a powerhouse of tools to manage files, protect data, and keep collaboration running smoothly. Whether it’s fine-tuning permissions, enhancing security, or streamlining your business processes, these new features have got you covered.

Try out WorkDrive 5.0, and let us know what you think!

Happy collaborating!


    • Sticky Posts

    • Ask the Experts: Five-hour live Q&A session with Zoho WorkDrive product experts

      Have questions about WorkDrive 5.0? Let’s talk! We recently launched Zoho WorkDrive 5.0, packed with powerful updates to help your team work smarter, stay secure, and get more value from your business content. From content-centric workflows and AI-powered

    • Support for auto-upgrade in TrueSync (for Windows)

      WorkDrive TrueSync app now supports auto-upgrading to the latest version for Windows OS. You must manually download and install the TrueSync app version 3.4.0 to avail this feature. Download the latest TrueSync app for Windows (version 3.4.0) Supported

    • WorkDrive API Documentation

      WorkDrive provides users and developers an extensive set of APIs to help integrate functionalities of Zoho WorkDrive with other Zoho applications and third-party tools. We have published the official WorkDrive API Documentation page for all external users.

    • March 15, 2023: Zoho Docs is discontinued

      As of today (March 15, 2023) Zoho Docs is discontinued for all users. We would like to thank our customers for trusting us for so many years! Going forward, we're confident you'll enjoy using Zoho WorkDrive for all your advanced file management and collaboration

    • Introducing WorkDrive 4.0: Enhanced productivity. Advanced data administration. (Phase 1)

      Hello All, We're excited to share the release of WorkDrive 4.0, which includes important new features and enhancements focused primarily on productivity, secure collaboration, data administration, integrations, and user experience. Read the official announcement

    Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


      • Recent Topics

      • Approval - Report/Views

        Hi, On Zoho Desk - Is there a way to report on pending approvals, or a view or similar?

      • PDF attachments no longer preview in Zoho Desk

        We are experiencing a new issue in Zoho Desk with PDF attachments. Until a few days ago, clicking a PDF attachment within a ticket opened the PDF for preview. Now clicking the same type of attachment automatically downloads the PDF to the computer instead

      • Is there a way to allow users to preview ticket attachments from clients or view in the browser?

        It's very time-consuming and takes away from the elegance of a web-based system to have to download the attachments to view them. Our clients often send spreadsheets and PDFs as attachments that must be viewed in order to answer the ticket, but they do not need to be downloaded. Zoho docs allows users to view in browser without downloading - this functionality would be ideal for Tickets. 

      • New Style for multilevel list numbering

        Hi, in my country most of legal contracts are numbered in top level as First, Second.. (Primero, Segundo, Tercero...). I suggest include this style for multilevel lists. Thanks in advance.

      • Export current view on timesheet bug?

        When you export current view on timesheet, which is a welcome change, it states: Only the current view with its visible columns will be exported from Zoho Books in CSV or XLS format.". However when this is done, the current view is not fully exported.

      • Client Portal Not Accessible

        I am new to Zoho Books and am just starting to experiment. I sent myself an invoice at a personal test email address, which I paid. When I go back to the email I received and click "View Invoice", I get taken to a zohosecurepay page which shows the paid

      • Change sender email in Zoho Finance for a Sales Order

        Using Zoho Finance to send Sales Orders. There is a "From" drop-down field on the "Send Email" prompt. How can I add another company email to the list of "From" options? It currently only shows my email, even though another employee, who has full admin rights, is the owner of the Sales Order.

      • Subforms and automation

        If a user updates a field how do we create an automation etc. We have a field for returned parts and i want to get an email when that field is ticked. How please as Zoho tells me no automation on subforms. The Reason- Why having waited for ever for FSM

      • 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

      • Feature Request – Per-Channel Pre-Chat Form Controls

        We'd like the ability to enable/disable the pre-chat form on a per-channel basis, rather than having a single global setting. On the website widget, asking for name and email before chat starts makes sense. On WhatsApp, however, email isn't necessary

      • Zoho Finance Triggers

        I would like to propose that Flows triggered by a Zoho Finance app (Books, Inventory, etc.) have the option to be triggered by the same action taken in any Zoho Finance app, not just the one chosen. Problem: Currently, Flow automations can only be triggered

      • Flow Needs "Digital Employee" Analog

        Zia Agents have the ability to perform tasks under their own identity when set up as a "Digital Employee". One of the stated benefits of this is audit visibility; actions taken by the Zia Agent can be distinguished in logs from actions taken by the owner

      • Copying a Document with its Citations

        When I copy a document that contains citations using File>Make a Copy from the document's menu the text copies but the citations do not (according to Google they should). Is this the correct way to make a complete copy of a document with its citations

      • Trigger Workflow Rules from subform row actions

        Hello all, Previously, workflow rules could only be configured at the module level, which meant subform data had to be tracked and managed manually. With this update, workflow rules can now be triggered directly by actions within subform rows, giving

      • Announcing the new SKILL.md for Zoho CRM and the updated OAS repository!

        We are introducing a new zoho-crm skill to make working with Zoho CRM Developer tools (like APIs, functions, widgets, client scripts, queries etc) easier and faster, with the help of AI in your preferred AI harness like Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VSCode

      • Connect ZOHO social with Google Data Studio and download data from ZOHO social

        Dear ZOHO team, I am writing this message to enquire about how to connect ZOHO social with Google data studio since our company would like to use Google data studio to generate reports. Is it a way to download data from ZOHO social? Best regards, Chris

      • Best way to setup Inventory bin tracking for products with multiple boxes/crates

        Hi - we need some advice from the community on setting up Items in the Inventory for products with multiple crates. We have large products in our warehouse where the product is delivered as two large (double pallet) crates. We've setup the Items for these

      • how to differentiate if whatsapp comes from certain landing page?

        I create a Zobot in SalesIQ to create a Whatsapp bot to capture the lead. I have 2 landing pages, one is SEO optimized and the other want is optimized for leads comes from Google Ads. I want to know from which landing page this lead came through WhatsApp

      • Zoho Sign / Prefill By You - Editable by Them!

        Zoho Sign seems to have two field options available - an empty field for signer(s) to complete or a field that has been prefilled by you, that becomes read only once sent.  What I would like is an option on the pre-filled by you fields, to leave them

      • Out of Stock items showing in Commerce

        I have over 6000 items and most are not in stock, but all items are showing up in Commerce whether they are inventory or not. What option or feature can you use to hide items in Commerce at zero or negative quantities? I currently am using Commerce for

      • Facturation électronique 2026 - obligation dès le 1er septembre 2026

        Bonjour, Je me permets de réagir à divers posts publiés ici et là concernant le projet de E-Invoicing, dans le cadre de la facturation électronique prévue très prochainement. Dans le cadre du passage à la facturation électronique pour les entreprises,

      • Need complete Zoho Commerce theme ZIP example and safe staging workflow

        I want to build a complete custom Zoho Commerce storefront through Edit Code, including: • Global header and footer • Responsive homepage • Category, search and filter pages • Product cards and product-detail pages • Cart and checkout wrapper • Mobile

      • CRM wants to access other apps and services on this device (Documents area)

        Did anyone else see this today? It only seemed to popup in the Documents area. Blocking it did not stop the ability to upload files there... Why is this coming up and what apps/services is it requesting in the background? Also, is it applicable elsewhere

      • Date Field & Date Picker Problem

        The Date Fields in Fillable Fields are not working properly. The Date Picker is putting out the incorrect values.

      • What's New in Zoho Inventory | June 2026

        Hello users, June 2026 introduces a range of exciting enhancements to Zoho Inventory. With the full rollout of the Zoho Inventory Windows application, the launch of Terminal Payments, and new tracking combinations in Advanced Inventory Tracking, you can

      • How do I set the value of a Lookup field in SlyteUI?

        I am using the "crm-field" component in a SlyteUI project (code attached) https://www.zohocrm.dev/explore/slyteui/ui-components/crm-field/api#Properties The client would like to have this field pre-populated with a value. When I try to input the record

      • Items (products) Export to PDF Feature as a Catalog Generator

        Would like to request a product catalog feature where the admin can export "items" along with selected attributes (e.g.: product name, size, price, etc) in a professional template as a PDF document.  Since product pictures and the product attributes are already saved in our system DB, it would be a natural extension to just export it out as a catalog for customers.  I've been duplicating this feature in other apps to make a product catalog.  Having a central repository of "items" makes good sense,

      • DYK 11: Blueprint Import

        Did you know you can import task blueprint into Zoho Projects instead of building it from scratch? Tasks can sometimes have multiple stages and move through several stakeholders before completion. Without a defined process, task changes can happen without

      • Tip #87 – Stop Describing, Start Showing with Annotation – 'Insider Insights'

        Hello Zoho Assist Community! A new employee needs help getting set up on the internal tools their team uses. The IT technician jumps on a remote session, but walking through an unfamiliar interface verbally only goes so far. "The icon at the top, no,

      • Building extensions #7: Storing and managing module-specific data in Zoho Sprints extensions

        Storing and handling data related to Zoho Sprints modules is a key necessity when managing an extension. In this post, we'll look at the advantages of data storage and how it can be used with an example demonstration. Data storage An introduction In general,

      • sending a Daily nag reminder email?

        I'm wondering if it's possible to set up nag reminders, if a task/case/deal is overdue then i want send a daily email until it's either closed, or the due date is updated. A date based workflow automation looks like it will only trigger once, and not

      • Can I hide some products from a particular customer

        HI I want ot give a customer access to the portal but I need to hide some products from them that are not available for them to buy- is this possible ?

      • CNIL - Suivi de Pixel

        Bonjour à tous, À la suite de la nouvelle recommandation de la CNIL sur les pixels de suivi dans les e-mails, savez-vous si Zoho Campaigns permet : de conditionner le suivi des ouvertures au consentement de chaque contact ; de proposer un lien permettant

      • Master Zoho Desk through the Virtual Classroom Training (VCRT)

        Hello Everyone, This month's Virtual Classroom Training (VCRT) is for Zoho Desk users in APAC and India. Zoho Desk offers an expert-led 4-day Virtual Classroom Training (VCRT). The training covers configurations, automations, and ways to streamline Zoho

      • Discount Per Item / Option Removed

        Hi, I was using Zoho Books for three years now and very saticfied. Now, as we try to add an invoice, we founds that the discount option per item was takn away, and a discount from total was implemented. However, we have cases when we add a diffrent discount to each item. Was this option removed permanently? Thanks, 

      • What is a realistic turnaround time for account review for ZeptoMail?

        On signing up it said 2-3 business days. I am on business-day 6 and have had zero contact of any kind. No follow-up questions, no approval or decline. Attempts to "leave a message" or use the "Contact Us" form have just vanished without a trace. It still

      • UI for requestor

        can you assist me on how to access as reque

      • Bank Transaction Rules Link Under Each Bank Account

        Hello, can you'll move the "transaction rules" button or link back under each bank account? It is now on Bank Overview, if I am working on a specific bank account, I don't want to go out to overview to check the rules. That button displays rules for all

      • Zoho ERP | Product updates | August 2026

        Hello users, What’s new in Zoho ERP this month? From Account Registers to new reports, we’ve packed this release with updates worth checking out. Take a look at what’s new and see what’s in store for your business. Introducing Account Registers Account

      • WhatsApp Coexistence

        Hello, please implement WhatsApp Coexistence, we need to track staff whatsapp chats on their PC and they need to be able to use WhatsApp on their mobile in around the office and warehouse, as we video call customers and send them product pictures. Thank

      • Next Page