Customer Payments in Zoho Cliq

For businesses that depend on cash flow, payment updates are essential for operational decision-making and go beyond simple accounting entries. The sales team needs to be notified when invoices are cleared so that upcoming orders can be released. In contrast, the finance team requires real-time updates to manage accounts effectively.

Manually checking Zoho Books for customer payments or sending updates via email can delay the process. Teams can stay coordinated, reduce manual tracking, and respond promptly by creating a custom automation that sends instant notifications to Zoho Cliq whenever a payment is recorded in Zoho Books.

This guide assists you in setting up a custom workflow to automate real-time payment alerts into a Zoho Cliq channel from Zoho Books.

Step 1: Access Zoho Books

Go to https://books.zoho.com and log in to your organization account.  

Step 2: Create a custom function

1. Navigate to: Settings → Automation → Workflow Actions → Functions → New
   

1. Fill in the following details:  
   
1. Function Name: Enter a relevant name (e.g., NotifyPayment)  
   
2. Description: Briefly describe the function's purpose.  
   
3. Module: Select "Customer Payment"  
   

1. Click "Proceed." 
   
2. Paste the attached Deluge script in the function editor, then click "Save."  
   

Prerequisites:

Connection creation

• A connection needs to be created and used in scripts to access data from the required service.

• Go to Connections and create a new connection with any unique name and scope - ZohoCliq.Webhooks.Create

• Uncheck the check box - Use credentials of the login user and click create and connect

• Refer to the links below to learn more: Connections in Cliq

How do you obtain or locate the channel's unique name in Cliq?

• Navigate to the top right corner of the preferred channel and locate the three dots. Click it.

• In the menu that appears, select "Channel info." A pop-up will open displaying detailed channel information. Hover over the "Connectors" section and click it.

• Under "API Parameters," you will find the channel's unique name.

Note: Kindly update the CONNECTION LINK NAME and CHANNEL UNIQUE NAME in line 12.

1. paymentStatus = customer_payment.get("payment_status");
2. if(paymentStatus = "paid")
3. {
4.       customerName = customer_payment.get("customer_name");
5.       paymentMode = customer_payment.get("payment_mode");
6.       invoiceNumber = customer_payment.get("invoices").get(0).get("invoice_number");
7.       amount = customer_payment.get("invoices").get(0).get("amount_applied_formatted");
8.       orgID = organization.get("organization_id");
9.       data_center_extension = organization.get("data_center_extension");
10.       paymentUrl = "https://books.zoho" + data_center_extension + "/app/" + orgID + "#/paymentsreceived/" + customer_payment.get("payment_id");
11.       messageContent = {"text":"### New payment has been received from _" + customerName + "_","slides":{{"type":"label","data":{{"Invoice Number":invoiceNumber},{"Amount":amount},{"Payment       Mode":paymentMode}}}},"buttons":{{"label":"View payment","type":"+","action":{"type":"open.url","data":{"web":paymentUrl}}}},"card":{"theme":"modern-inline"}};
12.       messageStatus = zoho.cliq.postToChannel("CHANNEL_UNIQUE_NAME",messageContent,"CONNECTION_LINK_NAME");
13.       info messageStatus;
14. }

Step 3: Configuring workflow rule  

1. Create a Workflow Rule by navigating to: Settings → Automation → Workflow Rules → New 
2. Fill in the required information:  
   
1. Workflow Name: e.g., CustomerPaymentAlert  
   
2. Description: e.g., Notify Zoho Cliq on customer payment  
   
3. Module: Select "Customer Payment"  
   

1. Set Workflow Trigger  
   
1. Choose "When to execute" as "On a record being created," then click "Next."  
   
2. Set Criteria
   
1. Select "No" for the condition (this will run for all records), then click "Done."  
   
3. Configure Action
   
1. Under Immediate Actions, select:  
   
1. Action Type: Custom Function  
   
2. Choose function: Search and select the function you created earlier.  
   

🎬 Workflow Demo

Watch how it works and a quick walkthrough of customer payments in Zoho Cliq.

                                                                                                                 

Business Benefits and Use Cases

1. Receive instant alerts when a payment is logged, enabling quicker reconciliation and accurate cash flow tracking.
   
2. All payment alerts are logged in Cliq, allowing teams to revisit notification history for transparency and compliance checks.
   
3. When customers clear pending invoices, the sales team can trigger the next set of orders or service delivery without waiting for manual updates.
   

Automating Zoho Books payment updates directly into your communication platform, such as Cliq, can significantly reduce delays. Sales representatives can instantly confirm cleared invoices, while managers gain transparency regarding the company's cash flow without requesting updates. This process helps avoid miscommunication and ensures that your workforce remains as agile as your business.

We're here to help, so don't hesitate to reach out to support@zohocliq.com with any questions or if you need assistance in crafting more tailored workflows.

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