Building extensions #7: Create custom widgets for a simplified end-user experience

Building extensions #7: Create custom widgets for a simplified end-user experience

Discover the benefits of using widgets!

We explored the significance of widgets, prerequisites, and the availability of JS SDK methods as part of our previous post. In this post, let's go over a detailed example of using widgets along with certain Zoho Projects JS SDK methods.

Use case: A developer is working on a Zoho Projects task and wants to know if there are any existing references that could be used to get a head start on their work.

Goal: Our goal here is to simplify the developer's job by presenting them with articles that are relevant to the task at hand.

Solution: Widgets! To achieve this goal, it would be ideal for the developer to have access to relevant Zoho Desk articles from a tab on the Task Details page. This can be accomplished by developing a custom widget.

Required components:
  1. A connection between Zoho Projects and Zoho Desk.
  2. An extension configuration process that includes:
A. Creating an extension
B. Configuring the plugin manifest
C. Setting up the widget code to display the Zoho Desk articles on the Zoho Projects Task Details tab
We have already explored the steps to establish a connection, create an extension, and configure the plugin-manifest.json file as part of our earlier posts. You can refer to those resources for detailed guidance. In this case, we have already completed most of these steps (screenshots below).

1. Connection

We have created a connection to establish a secure integration between Zoho Projects and Zoho Desk.



2. Extension Configuration
A. Extension creation: We have created a new extension for Zoho Projects.



B. Plugin-manifest.json configuration: Once the extension is created, we next configure the plugin-manifest.json file to include the created connection and a widget.
For our extension use case, the plugin-manifest.json file is configured as shown in the below screenshot.



C. Setting up the widget code:
Now that we have the connection established, the extension created, and the plugin-manifest.json configured, let's go ahead and set up the custom widget code to achieve our goal.

Index.html - Widget code

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>App Default Screen</title>
<style>
div.a {
line-height: 200%;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="a">
<ul id="demo" style="font-size:20px"> <b>Article Details</b></ul>
</div>
</body>
<script>
var subject = "";
Util = {};
zohoprojects.init().then(function() {
//Fetching the task subject using the Zoho Projects JS SDK method
zohoprojects.get("task.name").then(function(response) {
subject = response.data;
var articledetails = {
type: "GET",
headers: {
"orgId": "xxxxxxx",
"Content-Type": "application/json"
}
};
//Using the request JS SDK method to invoke and get the Desk articles matching the task subject 
using the connection
zohoprojects.request(url, articledetails, "zohodeskforlistingarticles").then(function(response) {
var list = document.getElementById('demo');
var a = document.createElement("a");
var result = response.result;
var data = result.data;
//Looping through the articles
for (i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
var title = data[i].title;
var author = data[i].author;
var authorname = author.name;
var weburl = data[i].webUrl;
var entry = document.createElement('li');
entry.innerHTML = title.link(weburl) + " by " + authorname;
list.appendChild(entry);
}
});
});
});
</script>
</html>
  • Here, we utilized the Zoho Projects JS SDK method to extract the task name, which is the task subject.
  • We then used the Zoho Projects Request method to invoke the Zoho Desk API to search for articles.
  • The Request method is used to make requests to third-party applications. It must be invoked with the belowparameters:
  • Third-party API URL: This is the URL of the third-party application's API that needs to be invoked. In our case, we need to fetch articles from Zoho Desk based on a search value, so we used the Zoho Desk Articles Search API. We've included a search query parameter in the API as the title of the help article (wildcard search), and we've set the value of the search query parameter (title) as the task's subject. As a result, the API will look for any Zoho Desk help articles that satisfy a wildcard match with the task subject.
  • Data object: Depending on the type of action being performed, each API requires a method type, body, header, and/or parameters to be invoked. To invoke the third-party application API, a data object with the necessary API details must be created. In our scenario, a header providing the Zoho Desk org ID is required to call the Zoho Desk article search API, which we have hardcoded.
  • Connection: To work on the data of a third-party application safely, we would need to connect to that application. The link name of the connection created for the third-party application is the value of the connection parameter. This value will be available in the JSON code generated when the third-party application connection is established. This connection allows you to invoke the Zoho Desk API securely.
  • Once the API is invoked by providing the necessary parameters for the Request method, the response for the invoked Zoho Desk search articles API is returned. We extract the information we require from the response, like the title, author name, and web URL. We then list and display this data in the Zoho Projects task details widget, Related Articles.
Sample output
  • Access your Zoho Projects portal and enter into a task.

  • Choose the Related Articles task tab, which is the widget we created.

  • The widget displays the available Zoho Desk articles that are related to the task at hand.

  • Finally, click on an article to view its detailed information in Zoho Desk.


Using this method, developers working on Zoho Projects tasks can discover relevant articles and get helpful information to troubleshoot problems.

You can further enhance this use case by including a text box in the widget that allows the developer to enter a keyword and search for related articles using the Zoho Desk search articles API.

You can also accomplish use cases such as creating a task tab widget to associate data with a task. Every time the task loads, task-specific data can be displayed on the Task tab. To accomplish these kind of use cases, the data storage feature is available in Zoho Projects. We look forward to exploring the data storage feature,, and other use cases for custom widgets, in future posts.

We hope you found this information useful. Follow this space for further updates!

Sign up for a Zoho Developer account and start developing extensions for Zoho products using Sigma.

SEE ALSO


Next>>

    • Recent Topics

    • Ask the Experts 27: Onboarding and managing support reps

      Hello everyone, We are back with our Ask the Experts (ATE) series for 2026. This year, we bring experts to help you address customer support challenges using Zoho Desk. For our first ATE, we are getting into the human side of customer support. "Every

    • Newby Questions

      Q1. The top bar of Zoho Books has a "Search in Banking (/) " field. What is the proper use of this text box? - Searching for Amazon for example has no results but there are transactions. - Is the search case sensitive? - Are regular expressions allowed?

    • Duplicate Leads Notification Help!

      Hello! I have several web forms that have a duplicate lead notification that are being sent to the creator of the web form. I understand how to change the form entry notification, but I am specifically looking to change the recipient of the "Duplicate Lead" notification. Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated! TIA, ~ Jenn

    • Bulk Associate Tasks/Task Lists to Milestones (Similar to Issues)

      Hello Zoho Projects Team, We hope you are doing well. We would like to request an enhancement regarding Milestone management for Tasks in Zoho Projects. Current Behavior: In the Issues module, it is possible to select multiple issues and easily associate

    • How to see Statement Details Shown in Unclassified Transactions in All Transactions?

      All, The list of Unclassified Transactions show the Statement Details and Descriptions. What is the method to see that column in the All Transactions list? -Thanks!

    • Zoho CRM - Feature Request - Analytics Components Group By Week Alternative Formats

      On the Zoho CRM Analytics Components, please consider adding an option to allow group by week format to be changed to other formats such as Week Commencing or Week Ending dates, rather than the current Week Number. This would provide improved usability

    • Is Zoho Sites still actively being developed?

      Hello, Is Zoho Sites still actively being developed as part of the Zoho ecosystem? I noticed that the What's New page (https://www.zoho.com/sites/whats-new.html) does not show any updates since Q1 2025. We were considering migrating our website from Squarespace

    • Adding new data to the sheet with most recent data being added to top row.

      I am using a form that I built from within sheets.  When the form is submitted, is it possible to have the data entered in (for example) row 2 (since row 1 is the heading) instead of being added into the next available row which should be hundreds of

    • Duplicate Leads Concerns with Round Robin and Lead Approval Process

      It is great to have the Duplicate Lead Approval Process, there are a few issues with the process that I would greatly appreciate taken consideration in enhancing. It appears that A Lead comes in Lead owner assigned by the Round Robin Check for Duplicate,

    • need a packing list feature

      In our business, goods listed on an invoice are packed in separate boxes and shipped off. for e.g. an invoice may have 10 items. each item could then be packed in different boxes depending on qty of each item. this packing list is as important as the invoice for purposes of shipping documents.  Request you to add this feature asap.

    • Editing Item Group to add Image

      I did not have the image of the product when the Item Group was created. Now I have the product image, and would like to associate/add to the Item Group. However the Item Group Edit functionality does not show/allow adding/changing image. Please hel

    • Zoho CRM Queries Now Support Databases and Cloud Data Sources

      Hello everyone! We're thrilled to announce a major enhancement to the Queries feature in Zoho CRM! Queries now support a broader range of external data sources, allowing you to fetch live data and combine it with CRM records, all using a unified query

    • Use arbitrary images in deluge

      I am sending emails from my deluge code and I would like to be able to include a few images in the email template. While I know that I could put the on a website somewhere and link to them in the HTML, that is not what I want due to email client security

    • Map: Output None

      Hi, Checking if you help me inspect this block The code below triggers during Successful form Submission from another Form. // rec_a = formA[ID!=0]; rec_b = formB[ID!=0]; ListA = List(); //subformA for each recA in rec_a.ItemSubform { for each recB in

    • Incoming email replies not automatically associating with Deals/Opportunities - Is this possible in Zoho CRM?

      Hello Zoho Community, I'm running a travel agency (B2B and B2C) and we've been struggling with what seems like a basic functionality that we cannot get to work properly. Our use case: We send emails to suppliers (hotels, transportation companies) and

    • Re: Application Architecture in Zoho Creator — A Platform-Specific Deep Dive

      A recent community post on application architecture made some excellent points about planning architecture early in Zoho Creator projects. The core message is right — Creator applications have a habit of growing organically into maintenance nightmares,

    • Files Uploaded to Zoho WorkDrive Not Being Indexed by Search Engines

      Hello, I have noticed that the files I upload to Zoho WorkDrive are not being indexed by search engines, including Google. I’d like to understand why this might be happening and what steps I can take to resolve it. Here are the details of my issue: File

    • Introducing a smarter, faster, and more flexible charting experience

      Hello Zoho Sheet users, We're delighted to share the latest news about a major update to charts in Zoho Sheet! The new version supports dynamic data ranges, granular styling options, faster loading, and other interesting enhancements that allow you to

    • sync two zoho crm

      Hello everyone. Is it possible to sync 2 zoho crm? what would be the easiest way? I am thinking of Flow. I have a Custom Module that I would like to share with my client. We both use zoho crm. Regards.

    • Zoho Bookings - Feature Request - Services Which Include A Resource and Consultant

      Hi Bookings Team, My feature request is to have the ability to add Consultants and Resources to Services. Use case: Your business provides first aid training and there are certain equpment you require to provide the half day training. There are only specific

    • Assign Meeting in records

      It would be nice to be able to "call and assing" meetings from a record, for example from a Deal. Right now - calendar is synced with CRM - meetings show in calendar - you can go in each meeting and assign it to a record It would be nice to be able to

    • You have reached the maximum limit of bank accounts that can be connected to Zoho Books through token.

      I can no longer connect to my bank account to download transactions into Zoho Books. I egt the error message: "You have reached the maximum limit of bank accounts that can be connected to Zoho Books through token. To connect more accounts, write to us

    • Sincronizar eventos de Bigin en Zoho Calendar (Zoho Mail)

      Hola Me gustaría poder sincronizar mi Calendario de Zoho (Mail) con los eventos de Bigin. No veo la opción disponible.

    • Sales Receipts in UK Free tier

      Is Sales Receipts available in UK Books, specifically at the Free tier? None of the options from the help pages are available to me.

    • My client requires me to have custom pdf file names to except payment for invoices, how can I customize this before emailing.

      Hello! I love the program so far but there are a few things that are standing in the way. I hope you guys can code them in so I can keep the program for years to come. My client requires I customize the pdf file names I send in for billing. Can you please

    • When I schedule calendar appointments in zoho and invite external emails, they do not receive invites

      Hello, We have recently transitioned to zoho and are having a problem with the calendar feature. When we schedule new calendar appointments in zoho the invite emails aren't being sent to the external users that we list in participants. However, this works

    • Migrate different zoho subscription to zoho one

      Dear We have different zoho subscription we need to migrate it to zoho one. Currently we are paying for zoho email, zoho expense, zoho payroll etc under different admin We need to move it too zoho one flexlible plan for all my employees

    • Bigin use in hospital- Human Med or Veterinary

      I am looking for users who are in either human or veterinary medicine and use the CRM specifically for referral management tasks. Are you using the basic version? How many users update the CRM and is it effective? Did you pay for additional customizations?

    • Questions Regarding Helpdesk & SalesIQ Customization and Email Setup

      Hello, I hope you’re doing well. I have a few questions regarding Helpdesk and SalesIQ: Can the emails sent to customers via helpdesk tickets be fully customized — including signature, subject line, and other elements? Also, is it possible to send these

    • Internal Fillable Contract with Zoho Writer (Before Sending to Client)

      Hi everyone, I’m trying to automate the following process in Zoho CRM and would appreciate some guidance. Process: When a Deal moves to a specific stage, CRM triggers an automation. CRM sends a contract template to an internal team member so they can

    • How to sync overtime from zoho people to zoho payroll

      Hi everyone, I’m currently setting up Zoho People with Zoho Payroll. While configuring the sync, I noticed I can only fetch Employee Profiles, LOP (Loss of Pay), and enable the Employee Portal. I can’t seem to find a way to automatically pull Overtime

    • Standardize email communication with Signature Template

      Maintaining a consistent and professional signature across all outgoing emails is essential for any organization. However, when users manage their signatures individually, it often leads to inconsistencies like varying formats, missing designations, or

    • CRM x WorkDrive: File storage for new CRM signups is now powered by WorkDrive

      Availability Editions: All DCs: All Release plan: Released for new signups in all DCs. It will be enabled for existing users in a phased manner in the upcoming months. Help documentation: Documents in Zoho CRM Manage folders in Documents tab Manage files

    • How can I export all Deluge code across the application?

      I’m working on a application with multiple forms, reports, and HTML views, where Deluge scripts are used across workflows, field actions, and custom functions. Is there a way to export all Deluge scripts into a single file for easier search?

    • Zoho Books: tax is not automatically pulled from product-data anymore - why?

      Hi, until a short time ago, you could set a default taxrate for each product/item. This taxrate automatically appeared each time the item was chosen in an invoice or quote. Why does this not work anymore? The field is still there at the product record,

    • Setting up property management in Zoho Books

      Hi, I run a property management business that manages property complexes. There are multiple owners, some owning more than one property on the same complex. My role is to manage the fees they pay for maintenance of common areas, such as the swimming pool

    • Sync Attachments in Comments from Zoho Desk to Zoho Projects

      Hello Zoho Desk Team, We hope you're doing well. We are actively using the Zoho Desk–Zoho Projects integration, especially for reporting and managing bugs/issues between support and development teams. Current Limitation: After creating a bugs/issues via

    • Zoho Creator to GMAIL API Setup - Where Do I Begin?

      Does anyone know how to connect Zoho Creator to Google Workspace (Specifically GMAIL?) We have FLOW setup and working fine to send emails via GMAIL, but Flow doesn't accept file attachments which is a major problem. So, we need to be able to send an email

    • Kiosk Page Refresh

      We have a Kiosk running from a button in contacts to update values and also add related lists, which works great, but when the kiosk is finished the page does not refresh to show the changes. Is there a way to force the contact to refresh/update when

    • How to call Functions and perform Write Operations using Page Scripts?

      Hi everyone, How to call a function from a Zoho Creator application within a Page Script, also how to perform write operations (adding or updating records) using page scripts?

    • Next Page