Zoho Creator Upcoming Updates - March 2025

Hello everyone,

We hope you’ve had the chance to explore Release Projection 1 for 2025! This month, we’re keeping up the momentum by bringing even more powerful features and enhancements to Zoho Creator. Here's what you can expect in March:

• App menu builder
  
• BYOK support for encryption
  
• Workflow for integration forms
  
• Deluge editor enhancements
  
• App logo customization
  
• Custom API enhancements
• New built-in connectors
  

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App menu builder

Your wait is finally over! The highly anticipated app menu builder is now here. With its customizable drag-and-drop interface, you can now easily create and manage navigation menus for your Zoho Creator apps.

• Here's what you can do with the new app menu builder:
  
• Organize components: Group multiple app components under a space and control visibility for specific users.
  
• Customize menu: Add user components (forms, reports, etc.) and system components (connections, approvals, etc.).
  
• Enhance visual cues: Use elements like sections, breaks, lines, titles, and titles with lines to create structured and visually intuitive menus.
  
• Ensure a consistent experience: The app menu you configure will be reflected across platforms (web, mobile, and tablet).
  
• ... and much more!
  

For a complete breakdown, head over to the app menu help documentation.

How to access
Navigate to the Design tab in the edit mode of the application and click the App Menu Builder icon.

Here’s a sample menu with two spaces—one for trainers and another for employees. In it, different app components are organized under their respective categories.

This is how it will appear in live mode:

When you select Trainer from the dropdown, the components added to that space will be displayed.

How do I benefit from this?
The app menu builder is a versatile tool that gives you full control over how your menus should appear and helps you design tailored menus for a smooth and personalized user experience.

Note: This feature is currently available for new signups and will be gradually rolled out to all users in a phased manner.

If you want early access, send a request to support@zohocreator.com, and we’ll enable it for you!

Applicable for: C5, C6
Availability: All DCs
Reference: Understanding app menu

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BYOK support for encryption 

In order to better meet the security needs of enterprises, we’ve introduced bring your own key (BYOK) support, giving you full control over data encryption. With BYOK, you can use your own key encryption key (KEK), instead of the default Zoho KEK, to encrypt data at rest. This feature is powered by Zoho Directory and supports four leading external key management systems (EKMs):

• AWS KMS
  
• Google Cloud KMS
  
• Thales CTM
  
• Fortanix DSM

If you prefer not to rely on third-party providers, you also have the option to upload encryption keys manually.

How to access
Navigate to Governance -> BYOK and click Configure Key. You'll be redirected to the Zoho Directory page, where you can configure your own encryption key or integrate with an external KMS.

How do I benefit from this?
BYOK enhances security and compliance by allowing enterprises to maintain full ownership of their encryption keys. This ensures greater control over sensitive data and helps enterprises fulfill regulatory requirements.

Note: This feature is currently available on an on-demand basis. If interested, please contact support@zohocreator.com to get it.

Applicable for: C6
Availability: All DCs
Released on: March 3, 2025
Reference: Encryption using Private Key in Zoho Creator

------

Workflow for integration forms 

We’ve introduced workflow support for integration forms, giving you control over third-party data by automating actions based on supported triggers all within Zoho Creator. Now you can configure actions based on supported triggers like, on load, on validate, on user input, and field rules, giving you endless possibilities to meet your requirements. With this enhancement, you can trigger workflows based on data from linked fields, making it easier to automate processes, enforce validations and maintain synchronized data across platforms.

How to create them
The process remains unchanged. While creating a workflow, integration forms will now be listed in the dropdown where you select the form.

How do I benefit from this?
This update improves efficiency by automating actions based on incoming data from integrated services. It ensures better data consistency, reduces manual effort, and enhances cross-platform synchronization.

Applicable for: C5, C6
Availability: All DCs
Released on: March 7, 2025
Reference: Understand Form Workflows

------

Deluge editor enhancements 

We'll be rolling out new enhancements to the Deluge editor to make scripting more intuitive, efficient, and user-friendly. Here's what's changing:

• Real-time error messages: The new Deluge editor detects coding errors as you script and displays intuitive error messages in real time, even before you save. This helps you quickly identify and fix issues.
  
• Custom shortcuts: You can now set up personalized keyboard shortcuts to speed up actions.
  
• Full-screen mode: Maximize your workspace with a distraction-free full-screen mode. This ensures smoother scrolling and better focus while coding.
  

How do I benefit from this?
These improvements streamline the scripting experience by providing real-time feedback, faster navigation, and a more immersive coding environment, boosting productivity for developers.

Applicable for: C5, C6
Availability: All DCs
Released on: 19-Mar-25
Reference: Deluge Preferences and Deluge Editor

-----

App logo customization 

Creator now offers greater flexibility in branding your applications. This provides you with the ability to fully customize your app logo to better reflect your brand identity. Choose from the following options:

• Text: Enter custom text and select from various color options to match your branding.
  
• Image upload: Upload a JPG, JPEG, or PNG file to represent your app visually.
  

How to access
Go to the Application Summary section. Hover over your app logo and click the Pen icon to edit it.

How do I benefit from this?
This feature allows for greater personalization and ensures your app aligns with your brand’s visual identity.

Applicable for: C5, C6
Availability: All DCs 
Reference: Manage Application Summary

-----

Custom API enhancements

Currently, custom APIs can't be tested in environments, which makes it challenging to ensure they're working correctly before deployment. Thankfully, you'll soon be able to fully test your APIs in environments to validate their functionality before going live. The Custom API also gets the following updates:

• User scope enhancements: Added two new user scopes—Portal Users and All Users—alongside the existing Admin Only and Selective Users. You can select these under the User Scope dropdown during configuration.
  
• Custom APIs in environment-enabled functions: Custom APIs can now be utilized in app functions that support environments.
  
• Portal user access: Portal users can now invoke Custom APIs via Widgets.
  

How do I benefit from this?

This enhancement ensures that any API-related issues are identified and resolved early in the development process. It also ensures that the production data and your end users aren't disrupted as you test APIs.

Applicable for: C6
Availability: All DCs 
Reference: Understanding custom APIs

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New built-in connectors

We've expanded our set of built-in connectors by adding support for 22 new connectors, which enable further integration of Zoho Creator with widely used services. The new connectors are:

• Zoho SalesIQ
  
• Zoho Notebook
  
• Zoho Vault
  
• Zoho Learn
  
• Zoho Workerly
  
• Zoho Mail
  
• Zoho FSM
  
• Zoho WorkDrive
  
• Zoho Sprints
  
• Zoho Table
  
• Catalyst by Zoho
  
• Zoho Connect
  
• Zoho Writer
  
• Asana
  
• TrainerCentral
  
• Bigin by Zoho CRM
  
• Zoho Desk
  
• Zoho CommunitySpaces
  
• Mailchimp
  
• Freshdesk
  
• Calendly
  
• Dropbox
  

Applicable for: C6
Reference: Understand Connectors 

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We'll notify you as these features are rolled out. In the meantime, let us know what you think about these updates in the comments below!

And that's all we have for March—we'll be back soon with another set of updates!

Regards,
Zoho Creator Team

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