Closing the Loop: Why Lookup Asymmetry is Harming Data Integrity in Creator

Closing the Loop: Why Lookup Asymmetry is Harming Data Integrity in Creator

TL;DR: Lookup fields allow users to add new related records inline via the "+" icon, but there's no equivalent ability to edit an existing related record without navigating away and losing form context. Adding a native "Edit" icon—with automatic User Input workflow re-triggering on save—would close this asymmetry and prevent the data quality issues that arise when fixing related records is too disruptive to bother with.
I've discovered a significant gap in how Zoho Creator handles related records through lookup fields, and I'm hoping the Zoho team can address this in a future update. This limitation creates a disjointed user experience that breaks natural workflow patterns.

The Issue
According to Zoho Creator's lookup field functionality, users can add new related records directly through a lookup field—both single-select and multi-select variants support this via the "+" icon. This is an excellent feature that streamlines data entry.
However, there is no equivalent ability to edit an existing related record while adding or editing the parent record. Once a related record exists, users must navigate away from their current form to make changes—breaking their workflow and context.
Example Use Case
Consider a Sales Order form with a lookup field to Clients.
Scenario: While creating a new Sales Order, the user notices the selected Client's phone number is outdated.
Desired behavior:
  • Click an "edit" icon next to the lookup field
  • Update the Client's phone number in a popup/modal
  • Save and return to the Sales Order form with context preserved
  • Continue completing the Sales Order without interruption
Current reality: The user must abandon their partially-completed Sales Order, navigate to the Clients report, find and edit the Client record, then return to create a new Sales Order from scratch—or risk losing unsaved data.
The Problem
Zoho Creator provides asymmetric functionality for related records—you can create but not edit:
Action Single-Select Lookup Multi-Select Lookup
Select existing related record ✓ Yes ✓ Yes
Add new related record ✓ Yes (via + icon) ✓ Yes (via + icon)
Edit selected related record ✗ No ✗ No
View selected record details inline ✗ No ✗ No
The openUrl() Workaround — And Why It Falls Short
Technically, you can use Deluge's openUrl() function to open a related record for editing—either from the User Input of a field or from an anchor tag in an Add Notes field. According to the documentation on editing records via Record ID:
// URL pattern to edit individual records by passing record ID:
// https://<base_url>/<account_owner_name>/<app_link_name>/#Form:<form_link_name>?recLinkID=<record_ID>&viewLinkName=<view_link_name>

// Example: Open related Client record for editing via User Input
client_id = input.Client_Lookup.ID;
edit_url = "#Form:Clients?recLinkID=" + client_id + "&viewLinkName=Clients_Report&zc_LoadIn=dialog";
openUrl(edit_url, "same window");
Critical Limitation: While openUrl() can open the related record for editing, the lookup field's User Input workflow does not re-trigger when the related record is saved. This means any field population logic that runs on record selection won't run again after an edit.
The result is a broken workflow:
  • Parent form → Can open child record for editing ✓
  • Child record → Can be edited and saved ✓
  • Parent form → User Input workflow does not re-trigger
  • Parent form → Lookup display shows stale data
  • Parent form → Dependent fields remain outdated
Workaround Approach Implementation Problems Status
openUrl() from User Input Trigger openUrl() on field change to open related record in dialog - User Input workflow doesn't re-trigger after edit
- Lookup field shows stale display data
- Dependent fields remain outdated
⚠ Partial solution
Anchor tag in Add Notes Embed clickable link using <a href="..."> in Add Notes field - Same limitations as openUrl()
- Requires visible Add Notes field
- Less discoverable for users
⚠ Partial solution
1-Row Subform Replace lookup with a subform limited to 1 entry for "inline" editing - Cannot search/select from existing records
- Designed for creating new child data, not picking existing
- Doesn't scale (can't browse 5,000+ records)
- Loses all lookup field benefits
✗ Architectural mismatch
JavaScript Widget Build custom widget with iframe and postMessage API - Requires complete UI rebuild
- Complex development effort
- Maintenance overhead
- Not native Creator experience
✗ Overkill for simple requirement
Navigate Away User leaves current form, edits related record, returns - Loses unsaved parent form data
- Destroys dynamic form state and transient variable calculations
- Breaks user workflow
- Poor user experience
✗ Not viable
The Missing Pieces
For a complete solution, Zoho Creator would need to provide:
Capability Current State Required State
Native Edit Icon Not available on lookup fields Edit icon alongside + (add) icon
Parent Form Preservation No mechanism to preserve state Parent form remains open with unsaved data intact
User Input Re-trigger Does not fire after related record edit Existing User Input workflow re-triggers on related record save
Lookup Display Refresh Display shows stale data after edit Lookup field reflects updated related record data
What Should Happen Instead
Proposed Solution 1: Native Edit Icon on Lookup Fields
Add an edit icon (pencil) alongside the existing add icon (+) on lookup fields:
[ Selected Client Name     ▼ ]  [+]  [✏️]
│ │
│ └── Edit selected record (NEW)
└──────── Add new record (existing)
Clicking the edit icon would open the selected record in a dialog/modal, preserving the parent form's state.
Note for Multi-Select Lookups: The edit icon could appear next to each individual "pill" or selected item in the list, allowing users to edit any of the selected records independently.
Proposed Solution 2: Re-trigger Existing User Input Workflow
When a record is selected in a lookup field, it already triggers the field's User Input workflow. This same behavior should occur automatically when an edited related record is saved—no separate event type needed:
// Existing User Input workflow on Client_Lookup field
// This ALREADY triggers when a record is selected
// It SHOULD also trigger when the related record is edited and saved

on user input of Client_Lookup
{
// Populate fields based on selected client
input.Contact_Phone = input.Client_Lookup.Phone;
input.Contact_Email = input.Client_Lookup.Email;
input.Billing_Address = input.Client_Lookup.Address;
}
Expected behavior: After editing the Client record via the lookup field's edit icon and saving, the User Input workflow should re-trigger automatically—without requiring the user to manually de-select and re-select the record. This seamless refresh is what makes the UX feel native. The workflow would update any dependent fields with the corrected data using existing logic, no new code required.
Proposed Solution 3: Lookup Field Property for Edit Behavior
Add a lookup field property to control edit behavior:
Lookup Field Properties:
├── Allow Add New Record: ☑ Enabled
├── Allow Edit Selected Record: ☑ Enabled ← NEW OPTION
│ └── Edit Opens In: ○ Dialog ○ Slide-in Panel ○ New Tab
└── On Related Record Save: ○ Refresh Lookup ○ Custom Script ○ No Action
Note: The Edit icon should naturally respect the user's Module Permissions. If a user does not have 'Edit' access to the related form, the icon should remain hidden or disabled—consistent with existing permission behavior for the Add (+) icon.
Real-World Impact
This limitation affects any workflow involving:
  • CRM/Sales workflows — Updating client contact info while creating quotes or orders
  • Project management — Editing task details while logging time entries
  • Inventory systems — Correcting product specifications while processing orders
  • HR applications — Updating employee details while processing leave requests
  • Support ticketing — Modifying customer information while handling tickets
  • Data integrity — When users spot typos or outdated info but can't fix it easily, they tend to ignore it. This leads to "dirty data" accumulating simply because the "cost" of fixing it (navigating away, losing context) is too high
  • Any parent-child data relationship — Where child record corrections are discovered during parent record creation

User Experience Impact: Users are forced to choose between completing their current task with stale/incorrect related data, or abandoning their work to fix the related record. This friction compounds across every data entry session, significantly impacting productivity.

The Asymmetry Problem:
The ability to add new related records directly from a lookup field is incredibly useful and demonstrates that Zoho Creator understands the value of contextual record management. The absence of an equivalent edit capability creates an inconsistent and frustrating user experience.
If users can add related records without leaving the form, they should be able to edit them too.
Setting the Standard:
Zoho Creator is marketed as the platform for building bespoke solutions—applications tailored to workflows that standard SaaS offerings cannot accommodate. Bespoke solutions shouldn't be constrained by out-of-the-box limitations like this.
Creator is the ideal place to pioneer this feature. Developers choose Creator precisely because we need workflows that are more fluid and contextual than pre-built software allows. Native inline editing for lookup fields would reinforce Creator's position as a developer-first platform.
Request to Zoho Team

Can this be addressed in a future update?

The current implementation forces users to choose between:

1. Workflow Continuity
Complete the current form with potentially outdated related data, then fix later (risking data quality issues)
2. Data Accuracy
Abandon the current form, navigate to fix the related record, then start over (losing time and unsaved work)

We shouldn't have to make this choice—lookup fields should support both adding AND editing related records.

Community Input Requested: Has anyone else encountered this limitation or developed a more elegant workaround? I'd particularly love to hear from anyone who has implemented a JavaScript Widget solution and whether the development overhead was justified.


📚 Documentation References:
🔗 Related Community Discussions:
    • Recent Topics

    • Zoho Expense Import Reports Won't Work Because Default Accounts Already Exist

      Im trying to import reports from another Zoho expense account to mine and im getting errors that won't allow the import to happen The account name that you've entered 'Ground Transportation' already exists. Enter another name for the account and try again.z
    • Inactive License for free account.

      I recently upgraded my Cliq subscription not my team (on the free version), are unable to login to their accounts. The error message received is Inactive License Looks like you have not been covered under the current free plan of users. Please contact
    • Syncing zoho books into zoho crm

      I was wondering how I can use zoho books in crm as I have been using them separately and would like to sync the two. Is this possible and if so, how? Thanks
    • Announcing new features in Trident for Mac (1.34.0)

      Hello everyone! We’re excited to introduce the latest updates to Trident, which are designed to take workplace communication to the next level. Let’s take a quick look at what’s new. Connect with customers using Zoho Voice integration. You can now easily
    • The Social Wall: January 2026

      Hello everyone, We’re back with the first edition of The Social Wall of 2026. There’s a lot planned for the year ahead, and we’re starting with a few useful features and improvements released in January to help you get started. Create a GBP in Social
    • How to block whole domain?

      I am getting at least 50-75sometimes over 100 spams emails a day. I see a lot of the spam is coming from .eu domains. I would like to block /reject all email coming for the .eu domain. I do not have any need for email from .EU domains. Why won't the BlackList
    • How Zoho Contracts Makes Negotiations Clear, Secure, and Transparent

      Negotiation is one of the most critical—and often most chaotic—stages of the contract lifecycle. Multiple stakeholders review the same document, propose changes, debate terms, and exchange feedback. Without the right tools, this collaborative process
    • Error: Invalid Element tax_override_preference

      In both Books and Inventory, we're getting the following error whenever we try to enter any Bill: I think this is a bug. Even cloning an old bill (that obviously was entered just fine), this error occurs.
    • Assign Income to Project Without Invoice

      Hello, Fairly new user here so apologies if there is a really obvious solution here that I am just missing... I have hundreds of small deposits into a bank account that I want to assign to a project but do not want to have to create an invoice every time
    • How to Print the Data Model Zoho CRM

      I have created the data model in Zoho CRM and I want the ability to Print this. How do we do this please? I want the diagram exported to a PDF. There doesnt appear to be an option to do this. Thanks Andrew
    • our customers have difficult to understand the Statements

      our costumers have big problems to understand Zohos Statements. we need a text box after the payment number to explain what the payments are for. Is it possible to develop a version of the Statement with that kind of box and if so whu can do it
    • How to track a list of ALL the items that ONE customer bought?

      Hello, I am interested in getting a list of all the items that only ONE of my customers bought, and the invoices are what show up instead. It's very tedious to go through every single invoice when we sell a lot of items to this customer. Surely there
    • Exchange Rate Updates

      Hi, It would be great that when you work with multiple currencies, the exchange rate updates automagically every day (as seen on Zoho Books) or at least that when you create/update an opportunity the exchange rate could be manually updated, or maybe both!
    • Locked Out of Super Admin Account

      I'm locked out of my Super Admin account and the external e-mail is no longer associated with it. There seems to be a problem during set up, the system ought to ask to assign a new password instead of using Google accounts. Please help me get back access.
    • Emails are going to notification folder and not in inbox

      emails are going to notification folder and not into inbox
    • 550 5.4.6 Unusual sending activity detected. Please try after sometime

      Hi, I am receiving this error message when trying to send my emails. The only reason I can think why this is happening is my previous two emails were bounced back to me due to a non working mailbox error. I have followed the online links for unblocking
    • Projects Home Customization

      Hello! We've been in Zoho One since July of last year, and my team has started providing feedback on what they'd like to do. Their latest wish is that they could have more control over the Projects Home content. For example, they want a card that shows
    • IMAP search support

      Does Zoho Mail support IMAP search? https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc9051.html#name-search-command TEXT <string> Messages that contain the specified string in the header (including MIME header fields) or body of the message. Servers are allowed to implement
    • Performance is degrading

      We have used Mail and Cliq for about three years now. I used to use both on the browser. Both have, over the past 6 months, had a severe degradation in performance. I switched to desktop email, which appeared to improve things somewhat, although initial
    • Cannot reorder fields in Page Layout in Expenses and Purchase Requests

      It is very inconvenient that the custom fields in Page Layout cannot be re-ordered. The only way is to remove the fields and re-create them; however, it is impractical. This would affect the reports and dashboards we are having. Not able to re-order the
    • bouncing emails

      My recurring invoices have bounced back
    • Probable Scam / Phising attempt from email pretending to be Zoho

      I think this is a scam email right? It says "zohCworkplace.com". I'm on the Mail Free plan The link in the CTA button seems to go to a redirect. Just wanted to bring it up to the security team.
    • Feature Request: Ability to set Default Custom Filters and apply them via URL/Deluge

      I've discovered a significant gap in how Zoho Creator handles Custom Filters for reports, and I'm hoping the Zoho team can address this in a future update. This limitation has been raised before and continues to be requested, but remains unresolved. The
    • Email Address Search in "To" Field Search is broken, Zoho refuses to fix it

      Typing a part of the email address string other than the beginning of the string does NOT work, I kindly urge Zoho to fix this. Let's say you remember writing an email so someone called "smith" from company "corp.com", but can't remember their first name,
    • Emails not being received by @hotmail.com, @outlook.com and a few others

      When I try to send emails from zoho mail to people with email addresses ending @outlook.com and @hotmail.com (and a few others), I get a 'delayed' automatic email and then a few hours later, an 'undelivered' automatic email. This has started a few months
    • scroll bar for far left of screen

      I am unable to even see the scroll bar to the right of "inbox" etc on the left; it is stuck at "streams" and I can't get to inbox or anything else. It would help if it could be made a lighter color as the black or dark grey can't bee seen.
    • OUt of office every friday

      Hi, I tryed to configure my out of office, because i'm not working or emailing on fridays. But when i select only friday as unavailable day, the out of office still sets for the whole week. What am I doing wrong?
    • Signature line

      How do I set signature line in email
    • Zoho email

      I cannot send email to mail.ru
    • 【参加無料】東京 Zoho ユーザ交流会 NEXUS ー CRMで始めるマーケティング事例 / AI活用法(Zia Agents)

      ユーザーの皆さま、こんにちは。コミュニティチームの藤澤です。 3月27日(金)に東京、新橋で東京 Zoho ユーザー交流会 NEXUS を開催します! 昨年度までより、さらにパワーアップして戻ってきました! ユーザー活用事例は、2人のユーザーさんからお話しいただきます。Zoho サービスの活用の幅を広げたい方や、他のユーザーの利用法を気軽に知りたい方など、多くの方にとって学びのあるセッションになること間違いなしです✨ また今年は、これまで以上に、AI機能にも焦点を当てて行く予定です。 初回として、Zoho社員からZoho
    • Issue Exporting Data – CSRF Token Invalid Error

      Dear Zoho Team, We are experiencing an issue when exporting data from our Analytics workspace. Whenever we attempt to export data from our analytical pool, the system displays the following alert message: Alert Message: The CSRF token is invalid. It could
    • Deluge Learning Series – Client functions in Deluge | January 2026

      We’re excited to kick-start the first session of the 2026 Deluge Learning Series (DLS) with Client functions in Deluge. For those who are new to DLS, here’s a quick overview of what the series is all about: The Deluge Learning Series takes place on the
    • Zoho Mail 505 error I can not send email

      Hi, I’m having issues sending emails from my custom domain email address. When I send emails to Outlook addresses, I receive an “Undeliverable 505” error. However, emails send and receive correctly when I use Gmail. This is important for my business,
    • Multiple MFA Methods

      With SMS-based MFA methods being discontinued, there is now no way to have mutliple MFA methods. I'd like to add my zoho account on two seperate phones using the Google Authenticator app. In the https://accounts.zoho.com/home#multiTFA/modes you can only
    • Reuse Standalone Function

      I noticed that there's a missing information in documentation to reuse a standalone function and it is because the parameters require an argument. Here is my code and it is working. response = invokeurl [ url: "https://people.zoho.com/api/v3/function/sample/execute"
    • Domain renewals

      Need to know how hoe to renew the domain
    • MX shopify problem

      hello, i added all MX values in my shopify DNS - it shows those values on the shopify panel + your toolkit. I tried to send some email and it works, however on my gmail it says they cant verify this email. When i try to answer into my domain's email -
    • Best Way to Manage Email Notifications While Running a Strategy Website

      I am currently managing a content-based website, and I use Zoho Mail for handling contact forms, user queries, and collaboration emails. One challenge I am facing is organizing incoming emails efficiently, especially when messages come from different
    • What is the maximum email domains ?

      I help manage about 20 associations and I'm looking for a way to centralize them in one place. Does Zoho Mail pro or enterprise support 20-30 domains for 3-5 users each?
    • Add to Workdrive filter

      I'm trying to create a filter that will upload attachments in emails and the e-mail body to a folder in workdrive. I am able to do one or the other (attachment, or e-mail content), but not both. I first tried it using the "Email (EML) + attachment" option.
    • Next Page