Kaizen #188 - Building a Timer and Worklog Widget (Part 2)

Kaizen #188 - Building a Timer and Worklog Widget (Part 2)



Welcome back, Tech Wizards!

In Part 1, we developed a Timer Widget that logs active work sessions into the Timer Entries module. 

Now, let's enhance this functionality by transferring these entries into the Work Log subform within the Cases module using a workflow with Deluge function and APIs. We will also explore how to generate insightful reports from the Timer Entries module data.

Here is a consolidated view of the outcomes we aim to achieve through these sequential posts.



The following data model illustrates the modules and subforms involved in this use case to help you understand the structure more clearly.


Learn more about the Data Model and how it helps to simplify the understanding of complex processes.

Auto-Syncing Timer Entries to Case Work Logs

For automating the data transfer from the Timer Entries module to the Work Log subforms within Cases module, we will create a workflow rule with an instant action defined in Deluge function. 

Prerequisites

Create a subform named Work Log in the Cases module with the following fields. 

Field Name
Data Type
Actual Time Taken(in mins.)
Aggregate

(sum of Total Duration (in mins.) field in related case )
End Time
DateTime
Related to Case
Lookup to Cases
Related to Current Case
Checkbox
Start Time
DateTime
Timer Entry
Lookup to Timer Entries
Total Duration
Aggregate 

(sum of all the Total Duration (in mins.) field )
Total Duration (in mins.)
Number
Work Description
Multi Line

Follow the Building a Subform and  Working with Custom Fields help pages for creating the subform and fields in Zoho CRM UI, or you can also make Post Custom Fields API calls to create the custom fields in the subform. 

Step 1: Create a Workflow

  • Login to your Zoho CRM and go to Setup > Automation > Workflow Rules and click Create Rule.
  • Choose the Timer Entries module from the dropdown. Provide name and description for the workflow rule.
  • In the 'When' section of the workflow, choose the trigger as Record Action. In record action, define the trigger as when the End Time field is modified to any value. 
  • In the 'Condition' section, choose all timer entries. In the 'Instant Actions' section, select Function and choose Write your own. 

Step 2: Create a Deluge Function

  • In the pop box that appeared after choosing to write your own function. Fill in the following details as shown in the image and click Create.
  • A code editor will open, where you have to define the data transfer logic in Deluge. 

Code logic

The UpdateDataInWorkLog function automates the process of syncing a completed Timer Entry with its associated Cases in Zoho CRM by populating the Work_Log subform for each case.

Fetches Target Case Records

The function uses a predefined custom view (cvid) that we created in Part I of this post to retrieve a list of Case records that are eligible for update. It extracts their record IDs and prepares them for bulk processing.

paramMap = Map();
paramMap.put("cvid","5545974000011183885");
getRecordsResponse = invokeurl
[
type :GET
parameters:paramMap
connection:"crm_oauth_connection"
];
responseDataArray = getRecordsResponse.get("data");
idList = List();
for each  item in responseDataArray
{
idList.add(item.get("id"));
}
caseRecordsToUpdate = idList;

Retrieves Timer Entry Details

The selected Timer Entry (identified by recordId received through workflow trigger) is fetched to extract its key details like, Start and end times, Total time spent (duration), Work description, the Case it’s directly related to (if any).

record = zoho.crm.getRecordById("Timer_Entries",recordId,Map(),"crm_oauth_connection");
startTime = record.get("Start_Time");
endTime = record.get("End_Time");
totalTime = record.get("Total_Duration");
workDescription = record.get("Work_Description");
relatedToCaseId = "";
if(record.get("Related_to_Case") != null)
{
relatedToCaseId = record.get("Related_to_Case").get("id");
}

Prepares Work_Log Subform Entries

For each retrieved Case, a new subform entry is created in the Work_Log subform. This entry contains the time details, work description, and a reference to the Timer Entry. A flag (Related_to_Current_Case) marks whether the Timer Entry is directly associated with the Case.

caseRecordIds = caseRecordsToUpdate;
if(!caseRecordIds.isEmpty())
{
recordUpdateArray = List();
for each  caseRecordId in caseRecordIds
{
TimerArray = List();
TimerObj = Map();
TimerObj.put("Work_Description",workDescription);
TimerObj.put("Timer_Entry",recordId);
TimerObj.put("Related_to_Case",relatedToCaseId);
TimerObj.put("Start_Time",startTime);
TimerObj.put("End_Time",endTime);
TimerObj.put("Actual_Duration_in_mins",totalTime.toNumber());
info totalTime;
TimerObj.put("Related_to_Current_Case",caseRecordId == relatedToCaseId);
TimerArray.add(TimerObj);
recordUpdateObj = Map();
recordUpdateObj.put("id",caseRecordId);
recordUpdateObj.put("Work_Log",TimerArray);
recordUpdateArray.add(recordUpdateObj);
}

Bulk Updates Case Records

All Case records are updated in bulk via the Update Records API. Each gets its Work_Log subform updated or appended with the latest Timer Entry details.

updateRequestBody = {"data":recordUpdateArray};
updateResponse = invokeurl
[
type :PUT
parameters:updateRequestBody + ""
connection:"crm_oauth_connection"
];
}

Once done, click Save and associate the merge field (Timer Entry ID) with the function.


This workflow is triggered when the timer widget is stopped and the end time is updated in the corresponding timer entry record. 

Following is a GIF that illustrates how the data sync reflects in the case records.

Generating Reports from Timer Entries

With the Timer Entries and Work Log data in place, you can create comprehensive reports to analyze work patterns, SLA adherence, and productivity trends.
  1. Navigate to the Reports module and click Create Report.
  2. Choose Cases as the primary module and include the Work Log subform.
  3. Select the desired fields like Case Subject, Start Time, End Time, Total Duration, and Work Description. 
  4. Group data by fields like Case Owner or Status to gain insights into workload distribution and case progress.
  5. Apply filters as needed, such as date ranges or specific case statuses.

Refer to the Understanding and Building Report help page for more details. 

With the Timer Widget, automated data transfer to Work Logs, and insightful reporting, we have established a robust system to track and analyze multiple active work times within Zoho CRM.

If you have specific scenarios or challenges you'd like us to address in future Kaizen posts, feel free to share them in the comments or reach out to us at support@zohocrm.com.

Cheers!

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

Additional Reading 

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


    • Recent Topics

    • Improve History Feature in Zoho Inventory

      At present there is a "history" tab on Zoho Inventory Items, however this only shows a date and time stamp along with the users name. It doesn't say what was changed. What is the value of this if you can't see what was changed? My Ideal is to include

    • Show backordered items on packing slip

      We send out a lot of large orders, and often there are one or two things backordered. How can I fix the packing slips to show quantity ordered  & quantity packed There should also be the ability to "ship" 0 of an item so the receiver knows that things

    • Document | Files

      The vendor "Partial matches" still not fixed here after years of putting up with having to select most vendors manually ! ( again, the banking "Transaction rules" would solve a lot of these issues ) Some unwanted, irrelevant pdf's also arrive. It would

    • books+POS+ tap to pay+ stripe

      So in the UK we now have tap to pay with stripe. So we can use the stripe app as a POS terminal. Brilliant news. Can we hope that the Books App might add this feature ASAP. It would be great to have one system rather than using the not very good Square

    • Canvas Form View - Client Script Page on load - Url params not working

      We have a custom module with a canvas page for form view. We have a button in Customers module to open this canvas page using invokeurl function. We send few parameters as in the URL as query parameters. https://crm.zoho.in/crm/orgxxxxxxxx/tab/CustomModule12/create/canvas/64333200000261xxxx?layoutId=643332000002605001&c=${Customers.Customer

    • Sending Recruit SMS's to Zoho Cliq - Or tracking in the Messages module in Recruit?

      Is there any way to send SMS Gateway messages in Recruit to ZOho Cliq? We use 2-way SMS massages a lot in Zoho Recruit to speed up communication with Candidates. However the only way to keep track of received SMS's is by keeping a look out for the Email

    • This mobile number has been marked spam. Please contact support.

      Hi Support, Can you tell me why number was marked as spam. I have having difficult to add my number as you keep requesting i must use it. My number is +63....163 Or is Zoho company excluding Philippines from their services?

    • Zohomail does not support additional fields in mailto links

      Hello, I set up Zohomail as default composer in Firefox according to manual here: https://www.zoho.com/mail/help/defaultcomposer.html#alink2 Later, I wanted to use this functionality to answer in a Linux mailing list thread using mailto link: mailto:xxxxx@kernel.org?In-Reply-To=%3C727o0521-q24p-s0qq-66n0-sn436rpqqr1p@example.com%3E&Cc=xxxxx%example.org&Subject=Re%3A%20%5BPATCH%20v2%28%29

    • Is it possible to set a customer context variable in Zobot

      Hi, I want to use a context variable to route users down different paths in my Zobot chat flow. I know I can do this when the user enters data. But I want to know if I can use a variable that is 'hard coded' on the card, that the user is unaware of. Use

    • Cannot change Blog Title

      There is nowhere to change the blog title. You can change the blog URL but that is making no difference to the text "Enter Your Post Title" am I missing something?

    • Kaizen #203 - Answering Your Questions | Handling API Limits and Error Responses

      Hi Everyone, Welcome back to yet another post in the Kaizen Series! We appreciate your keen participation in the 200th milestone celebration of the Kaizen series. We will continue to answer the queries we received through the feedback. When working with

    • How to verify website ownership with google search console

      Hi, I am having a free .in domain provided by Zoho I have created a website on it now I want to verify my ownership to google webmaster. Can you please help me how to do that.

    • Kaizen #89 - Color Coding using Client Script

      Hello everyone! Welcome back to another exciting Kaizen post. Today let us see how you can apply color codes to the List and Detail Pages of Zoho CRM using Client Script. Need for color code in Zoho CRM When you mark things with different colors as a

    • "SPF record exceed the allowed limit of 10"

      Hi, I was wondering if there were a "universal Zoho SPF record" that would allow all my configured Zoho services that email things to meet this limitation ? or do I have to have an entry for mail, com, billing, etc?

    • Zoho Mail android app update: Block & reject future emails, Report phishing, Spam alerts, Suspicious URL detection

      Hello everyone! In the most recent Zoho Mail Android app update, we have brought in support for the following features: Block & reject future emails Report Phishing Spam alerts in the mail details screen. Suspicious URL detection. Block & reject future

    • Animated GIF Images in Chat

      I know this seems to be a small feature request but in a recent Cliq update Zoho disabled autoplay for animated GIFs posted in Cliq conversations. We think this was not a good change. In our organization, animated GIFs in a chat play a role in expressing

    • I can't seem to login in to Mail Apps of MacOS /IOS

      Hi, i'm having trouble in signing in to mail apps from IOS. It's always come back to wrong passwords. But i already changed my password like 3 times. But still it says wrong credentials

    • Profile Image Showing Incorrectly in Zoho Mail

      Hi everyone, I’m facing a serious issue with Zoho Mail. The profile image showing for my email address is incorrect — it’s not my image. When I send an email to my Gmail account, it displays someone else’s image. This looks very suspicious and can make

    • I need access to my old email

      I need access to my old email bromzeman@zoho.com to verify it for forwarding. I can’t access the inbox to get the confirmation code. Please assist with recovery or forwarding. as you might already know, they made alot of the email addresses to have that

    • Set Defaults for Email Groups

      Is there a way to set defaults for all of the groups that I establish as a moderator? For example, I want every group I establish to have the following settings: 1. Moderator is <user> 2. User is <user>, <user> 3. Notifications for new group turned

    • LOGS FOR RECEIVED MAIL ( READ DATE & TIME)

      In Zoho mail we can extract the read logs of received mails so that we can see when we have read the mail and at what time & we have read it.

    • Domain verification probem

      Hello, i use a domain from Namecheap with hosting from Cinfu when i try to verify my domain on zoho i get "TXT Verification failure" i even tried the HTML verification and the code appears but also giving me the verification failure error.

    • Switching to Cloudflare email routing from Zoho Mail

      Hello, I'm currently working on migrating from Zoho Mail to Cloudflare's email routing solution. This requires changing MX and TXT records for our custom domain - when we do this, will our users still be able to log into their accounts and access an archived

    • Un Subscription Button

      How can i Add the Un Subscription Button in Zoho mail

    • Documents unable view and need to downlad

      I can't view .doc files in Zoho mail unless I download them, but I can view PDF files without downloading.

    • we encountered a problem while sending your email. please try again later.

    • Adding and removing people from groups

      We're having problems adding people to a group. Apparently Zoho has one email address and will not recognize a different email address.

    • MAIL SEARCH IS NOT WORKING

      THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN BUGGING ME SINCE MORNING, PLEASE RESOLVE THIS AT THE EARLIEST

    • URL Parameter on Help Center SIgn in link

      Is it possible to add a url parameter to the sign in link on the Help Center?

    • migrating from HelpScout

      I am attempting to import a conversation file from helpscout into desk and am receiving size errors. What is the current file size restriction. Does anyone have any tips for a successful migration?

    • Layout Rules Don't Apply To Blueprints

      Hi Zoho the conditional layout rules for fields and making fields required don't work well with with Blueprints if those same fields are called DURING a Blueprint. Example. I have field A that is used in layout rule. If value of field A is "1" it is supposed to show and make required field B. If the value to field A is "2" it is supposed to show and make required field C. Now I have a Blueprint that says when last stage moves to "Closed," during the transition, the agent must fill out field A. Now

    • Article Name Sorting in Zoho Desk Knowledge Base (agent / admin side)

      Dear Zoho Desk Support, We are writing to request an enhancement to the Knowledge Base management feature within Zoho Desk. Currently, there is no option to sort articles by their name, which significantly hinders efficient article management, especially

    • How to parse JSON data with SQL in Zoho Analytics?

      Hi all, I have a column with JSON data. I want to show this column in a chart, but it is very messy, and no JSON parsing function is supported on Zoho Analytics. data example: {"id": 5, "status": "false", "date": "15/10/22"} what I want to do in SQL is

    • Ability to turn off "Would you like this amount to be reflected in the Payment field?" message

      Team, Is there any way to turn off the message" Would you like this amount to be reflected in the Payment field?" when I make a payment? This is so annoying. This happens EVERY TIME I put an amount in the Payment Made field.

    • Add an Equation Field (Or update the Formula Field)

      Hi, I would like to be able to have one field as a Text Field with QR Code, and then have multiple Equation/Formula Fields that then take parts of that fields data with LEFT, MID, RIGHT, REGEX, etc. Thanks Dan

    • How to parse column having JSON data using SQL?

      We have a daily sync from a PostgreSQL database that brings data into Zoho Analytics. Some of the columns store raw JSON data. We need to build SQL queries on top to parse data from JSON and store them in discrete columns. There is no option for "Data

    • Enable report button based on the current user role

      Greetings  i have a report that contains action buttons, i want these buttons to appear as enabled only when the current logged in user has a certain role, for example only CEO role users will be able to use this button. but when setting the conditions

    • 500 Internal Error In Mail API

      I'm getting 500 Internal Error when using mail API. I'm getting this error for this one account, it works fine for other Account IDs which I have in my system.

    • Piss poor service in Support in Domains and email

      Srijith Narayanan B contacted me today. Very pleasant fellow. Just didn't want to tell him how bad your support service is. You help the person, but you leave before we can finish the next stage. Which causes a lot of frustration. It's been 8 days now

    • Zoho live chat widget in React Js

      I am trying to test Zoho live chat widget code in react js, below is the sample code void(0)} onClick={()=>window.$zoho.salesiq.floatwindow.visible("show")}>LIVE CHAT window.$zoho = window.$zoho || {};window.$zoho.salesiq = window.$zoho.salesiq

    • Next Page