Smart Document Automation:: From Zoho Projects to Zoho Writer – Merge, Edit, and Share

Smart Document Automation:: From Zoho Projects to Zoho Writer – Merge, Edit, and Share

Hello Everyone, 

A custom function is a software code that can be used to automate a process and this allows you to automate a notification, call a webhook, or perform logic immediately after a workflow rule is triggered. This feature helps to automate complex tasks and calculations.

In this post, I will present a specific use case that demonstrates the integration between Zoho Projects and Zoho Writer.


Use Case:

Merge data from Zoho Projects into a predefined template in Zoho Writer.
Automatically generate a fillable document.
Share the document link with a designated user, either specified within Zoho Writer or Zoho Projects.
Include fillable fields within the merge template, allowing the recipient to complete the necessary information.

This functionality has been successfully implemented using Custom Functions. The following steps outline the setup process. Refer to the attached screenshots for additional context.

Step 1: Navigate to Zoho Writer → Automate → Merge Template
Step 2: Click on 'Convert'
Step 3: Select a data source to start merging
Step 4: Select 'Custom Source'
Step 5: Click on 'Use' next to the Projects Fields
Step 6: Once done, enter the Zoho Org ID i.e., ZOID within the portalID.
Step 7: Click on 'Connections' within the same page → Create a Connection with the mentioned scopes.
Step 8: Click on 'Manage Fields' → Drag and Drop the required fields.
Step 9: You can setup the Merge options as per your concern as in this screen shot
Step 10: Click on 'Merge & Share Fillable Link'
Step 11: Select the required field from the 'Fields & Buttons'
Step 12: Configure the 'Merge & share fillable link'
Step 13: Click on 'Configure from submit actions' → Webhook & Custom Functions → Execute Custom Functions.

The following functionality can be achieved using the code provided below. Additionally, two connections must be created as outlined

  1. Zoho Projects Connection :: Create a connection for the Zoho Projects service with the following scopes 'ZohoProjects.projects.READ, ZohoProjects.milestones.READ, ZohoProjects.tasklists.READ, ZohoProjects.tasks.READ, ZohoProjects.users.READ, and ZohoProjects.clients.READ'.

    Update the placeholder 'xxxxxxxxx' with the actual connection name in ZPConnection.

  2. Zoho OAuth Connection :: Create a connection for the Zoho OAuth service with the following scopes 'ZohoWriter.documentEditor.ALL and ZohoWriter.Merge.ALL'.

    Replace 'yyyyyyyyy' with the actual connection name in ZWConnection.

For detailed guidance on creating a connection, please refer to this link. The required code is provided below.

//connections for authentication
tomailaddress = "a@b.com";
ZPConnection = "xxxxxxxxx";
ZWConnection = "yyyyyyyyy";
projectsDomain = "https://projectsapi.zoho.com/";
writerDomain = "https://zohoapis.com/";
headers = Map();
// Mandatory header - Do not remove
headers.put("x-zoho-service","ZohoWriter");
//Domain url for Projects and Writer
projectsDetailsUrl = projectsDomain + "restapi/portal/" + portalId + "/projects/" + projectId + "/";
milestoneDetailsUrl = projectsDomain + "restapi/portal/" + portalId + "/projects/" + projectId + "/milestones/";
taskListDetailsUrl = projectsDomain + "restapi/portal/" + portalId + "/projects/" + projectId + "/tasklists/";
taskDetailsUrl = projectsDomain + "restapi/portal/" + portalId + "/projects/" + projectId + "/tasks/";
projectsUsersUrl = projectsDomain + "/api/v3/portal/" + portalId + "/projects/" + projectId + "/users";
clientUsersUrl = projectsDomain + "api/v3/portal/" + portalId + "/projects/" + projectId + "/clients/users";
mergeFieldsUrl = writerDomain + "/writer/api/v1/documents/" + templateId + "/fields";
mergeAndStoreUrl = writerDomain + "/writer/api/v1/documents/" + templateId + "/merge/sharetofill";
projectsCommentUrl = projectsDomain + "api/v3/portal/" + portalId + "/projects/" + projectId + "/comments";
getAllFields = invokeurl
[
url :mergeFieldsUrl
type :GET
connection:"writer"
];
if(!getAllFields.contains("error") && getAllFields.getJSON("merge").size() > 0)
{
values_map = Map();
projectDetails = invokeurl
[
url :projectsDetailsUrl
type :GET
headers:headers
connection:"connectionprojects"
];
if(!projectDetails.contains("error"))
{
projectFieldValues = projectDetails.getJson("projects").get(0);
projectCF = false;
if(projectFieldValues.contains("custom_fields"))
{
projectCF = true;
projectCustomfields = projectFieldValues.getJSON("custom_fields");
}
for each  mergeField in getAllFields.getJson("merge")
{
if(projectFieldValues.containsKey(mergeField.getJSON("id")))
{
if(mergeField.getJSON("id") == "TAGS")
{
tagList = List();
for each  tag in projectFieldValues.getJSON("TAGS")
{
tagList.add(tag.getJSON("name"));
}
values_map.put(mergeField.get("id"),tagList);
continue;
}
else
{
values_map.put(mergeField.get("id"),projectFieldValues.getJSON(mergeField.getJSON("id")));
continue;
}
}
// merge project customfields
if(projectCF == true)
{
for each  field in projectCustomfields
{
if(field.containsKey(mergeField.getJSON("id")))
{
values_map.put(mergeField.get("id"),field.getJSON(mergeField.getJSON("id")));
break;
}
}
}
// merge milestone details
if(mergeField.get("id") == "milestone_details")
{
milestoneDetilList = List();
MilestoneDetails = invokeurl
[
url :milestoneDetailsUrl
type :GET
headers:headers
connection:"connectionprojects"
];
if(!MilestoneDetails.contains("error"))
{
allMilestonedetails = MilestoneDetails.getJson("milestones");
for each  milestone in allMilestonedetails
{
milestoneDetilMap = Map();
for each  milestoneField in mergeField.getJSON("fields")
{
mergeFieldId = milestoneField.get("id");
mergeFieldName = mergeFieldId.subString("milestone_details.".length(),mergeFieldId.length());
//merge milestone fields
if(milestone.containsKey(mergeFieldName))
{
if(mergeFieldName == "tags")
{
tagList = List();
for each  tag in milestone.getJSON(mergeFieldName)
{
tagList.add(tag.getJSON("name"));
}
milestoneDetilMap.put(mergeFieldId,tagList);
continue;
}
else if(mergeFieldName == "status")
{
milestoneDetilMap.put(mergeFieldId,milestone.getJson("status_det").getJson("name"));
continue;
}
else
{
milestoneDetilMap.put(mergeFieldId,milestone.getJson(mergeFieldName));
continue;
}
}
}
milestoneDetilList.add(milestoneDetilMap);
}
values_map.put("milestone_details",milestoneDetilList);
}
}
// merge tasklist details
if(mergeField.get("id") == "tasklist_details")
{
taskListDetilList = List();
getTasklistDetails = invokeurl
[
url :taskListDetailsUrl
type :GET
headers:headers
connection:"connectionprojects"
];
if(!getTasklistDetails.contains("error"))
{
taskListdetails = getTasklistDetails.getJson("tasklists");
for each  tasklist in taskListdetails
{
taskListDetilMap = Map();
for each  taskListField in mergeField.getJSON("fields")
{
mergeFieldId = taskListField.get("id");
mergeFieldName = mergeFieldId.subString("tasklist_details.".length(),mergeFieldId.length());
//merge tasklist fields
if(tasklist.containsKey(mergeFieldName))
{
if(mergeFieldName == "tags")
{
tagDetails = List();
for each  tag in tasklist.getJson(mergeFieldName)
{
tagDetails.add(tag.getJSON("name"));
}
taskListDetilMap.put(mergeFieldId,tagDetails);
continue;
}
else
{
taskListDetilMap.put(mergeFieldId,tasklist.getJson(mergeFieldName));
continue;
}
}
}
taskListDetilList.add(taskListDetilMap);
}
values_map.put("tasklist_details",taskListDetilList);
}
}
// merge task details
if(mergeField.get("id") == "task_details")
{
taskDetilList = List();
getTaskDetails = invokeurl
[
url :taskDetailsUrl
type :GET
headers:headers
connection:"connectionprojects"
];
if(!getTaskDetails.contains("error"))
{
taskdetails = getTaskDetails.getJson("tasks");
for each  taskdetail in taskdetails
{
taskDetilMap = Map();
taskCFs = false;
if(taskdetail.contains("custom_fields"))
{
taskCFs = true;
taskCustomfields = taskdetail.getJSON("custom_fields");
}
for each  taskField in mergeField.getJSON("fields")
{
mergeFieldId = taskField.get("id");
mergeFieldName = mergeFieldId.subString("task_details.".length(),mergeFieldId.length());
//merge task fields
if(taskdetail.containsKey(mergeFieldName))
{
if(mergeFieldName == "tasklist" || mergeFieldName == "status")
{
taskDetilMap.put(mergeFieldId,taskdetail.getJson(mergeFieldName).getJson("name"));
continue;
}
else if(mergeFieldName == "tags")
{
tagDetails = List();
for each  tag in taskdetail.getJson(mergeFieldName)
{
tagDetails.add(tag.getJSON("name"));
}
taskDetilMap.put(mergeFieldId,tagDetails);
continue;
}
else
{
taskDetilMap.put(mergeFieldId,taskdetail.getJson(mergeFieldName));
continue;
}
}
else if(taskdetail.containsKey("details"))
{
if(mergeFieldName == "owners")
{
ownerDetail = List();
ownerList = taskdetail.getJson("details").getJSON("owners");
for each  owner in ownerList
{
ownerDetail.add(owner.getJson("name"));
}
taskDetilMap.put(mergeFieldId,ownerDetail);
continue;
}
}
else if(taskdetail.containsKey("log_hours"))
{
if(mergeFieldName == "billable_hours" || mergeFieldName == "non_billable_hours")
{
taskDetilMap.put(mergeFieldId,taskdetail.getJson("log_hours").getJSON(mergeFieldName));
continue;
}
}
//merge task customfields
if(taskCFs == true)
{
for each  taskCF in taskCustomfields
{
if(taskCF.containsKey(mergeFieldName))
{
taskDetilMap.put(mergeFieldId,taskCF.getJson(mergeFieldName));
break;
}
}
}
}
taskDetilList.add(taskDetilMap);
}
values_map.put("task_details",taskDetilList);
}
}
// merge projectUsers
if(mergeField.get("id") == "project_users")
{
projectUserList = List();
getProjectUsers = invokeurl
[
url :projectsUsersUrl
type :GET
connection:"connectionprojects"
];
if(!getProjectUsers.contains("error"))
{
projectUserdetails = getProjectUsers.getJson("users");
for each  userDetails in projectUserdetails
{
projectUsersMap = Map();
for each  userField in mergeField.getJSON("fields")
{
mergeFieldId = userField.get("id");
mergeFieldName = mergeFieldId.subString("project_users.".length(),mergeFieldId.length());
//merge projectusers fields
if(mergeFieldName == "role")
{
if(userDetails.get(mergeFieldName).size() > 0)
{
projectUsersMap.put(mergeFieldId,userDetails.getJSON(mergeFieldName).getJSON("name"));
continue;
}
}
else if(mergeFieldName == "profile")
{
if(userDetails.get(mergeFieldName).size() > 0)
{
projectUsersMap.put(mergeFieldId,userDetails.getJSON(mergeFieldName).getJSON("name"));
continue;
}
}
else
{
projectUsersMap.put(mergeFieldId,userDetails.getJSON(mergeFieldName));
continue;
}
}
projectUserList.add(projectUsersMap);
}
values_map.put("project_users",projectUserList);
}
}
// merge clients users
if(mergeField.get("id") == "client_users")
{
clientUserList = List();
getProjectClientUser = invokeurl
[
url :clientUsersUrl
type :GET
connection:"connectionprojects"
];
if(!getProjectClientUser.contains("error"))
{
clientUserdetails = getProjectClientUser.getJson("clients").getJSON("users");
for each  userDetails in clientUserdetails
{
clientUsersMap = Map();
for each  userField in mergeField.getJSON("fields")
{
mergeFieldId = userField.get("id");
mergeFieldName = mergeFieldId.subString("client_users.".length(),mergeFieldId.length());
// merge clientsUsers
if(!mergeFieldName == "profile")
{
clientUsersMap.put(mergeFieldId,userDetails.getJSON(mergeFieldName));
continue;
}
else
{
clientUsersMap.put(mergeFieldId,userDetails.getJSON("profile").getJson("name"));
continue;
}
}
clientUserList.add(clientUsersMap);
}
values_map.put("client_users",clientUserList);
}
}
}
mergeDataParams = Map();
mergeDataParams.put("merge_data",{"data":values_map});
mergeAndStore = invokeurl
[
url :mergeAndStoreUrl
type :POST
parameters:mergeDataParams
connection:"writer"
];
if(!mergeAndStore.containsKey("error") && mergeAndStore.containsKey("merge_report_url"))
{
   mailMessage =  "Fill in the document " + mergeAndStore.get("records").get(0).get("fillable_link");
sendmail
[
from :zoho.loginuserid
to :tomailaddress
subject :"Fillable document link"
message :mailMessage
]
}
return mergeAndStore;
}
else
{
return projectDetails;
}
}
else
{
return getAllFields;
}

Creating custom functions in Zoho Projects is a straightforward process, supported by comprehensive documentation. Zoho offers a variety of built-in functions that serve as useful starting points, and you can also define your own functions using Zoho’s scripting language, Deluge. Implementing these functions can significantly enhance efficiency and improve productivity.

Stay tuned for additional examples and custom function scripts.

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