10 Unique Zoho Implementations from 2024

It’s been an exciting year for our team at Zenatta, filled with new challenges that inspired innovative custom solutions. From the 52 implementations we’ve shared this year, we’ve selected 10 standout examples we think you’ll enjoy.

Zoho CRM+Books Integration for WooCommerce Subscriptions using WP-Webhooks & Zoho Flow

The Challenge

Our client was using WooCommerce Subscriptions to handle subscription billing directly on their website. While Zoho Subscriptions is a robust alternative, the client preferred WooCommerce’s flexibility and polished user experience. However, they still needed the subscription data to reside in Zoho CRM for customer management and Zoho Books for accounting. The challenge was to bridge these systems while maintaining real-time updates.

The Solution

We deployed a multi-step solution leveraging WP-Webhooks, Zoho Flow, Zoho CRM, and Zoho Books:

1. Installing WP-Webhooks:
   WP-Webhooks was installed on the client’s WordPress website. This powerful plugin allowed us to trigger webhooks based on WooCommerce Subscriptions activities, such as updates or payment processing.
2. Setting Up Zoho Flow Endpoints:
   We configured endpoints in Zoho Flow to receive data from the webhooks. These endpoints captured subscription updates and payment details, serving as a bridge between WooCommerce and Zoho.
3. Mapping Data to Zoho CRM:
   Using Zoho Flow, we mapped the incoming data to Zoho CRM. This integration ensured that Customers, Subscriptions, and Subscription Payments were accurately created or updated in CRM, providing a central hub for subscription management.
4. Integrating Zoho Books:
   To streamline accounting, Zoho Flow was used to create invoices and associated payments in Zoho Books. A three-hour delay was added to the workflow to ensure new customer data fully synced before generating invoices. Each invoice was linked to the appropriate customer for seamless reconciliation.

Key Benefits

• Centralized Subscription Management: With all subscription data in Zoho CRM, businesses gained full visibility into the status of customer subscriptions, from activation to cancellation.
• Accurate Accounting: Automated invoice creation in Zoho Books ensured every subscription payment was accounted for, reducing manual effort and the risk of errors.
• Flexibility and Scalability: The use of WP-Webhooks and Zoho Flow allowed for a custom integration that could easily adapt to other WordPress plugins or third-party tools in the future.

Ideal Business Applications

This implementation is perfect for:

• E-commerce businesses using WooCommerce Subscriptions to manage recurring billing.
• Small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) that prefer WooCommerce for its aesthetics and functionality but need robust backend management.
• Subscription-based services that require detailed tracking and accounting for recurring payments.

Customer Validation & Transfer for 3rd Party Call Center via Zoho Analytics, Forms & CRM

The Challenge

The client provides subscription-based services. Calls to their support line are initially routed through a third-party call center, where operators must validate that the caller is an active subscriber. This step prevents non-subscribers from accessing services. Additionally, the client needed a simple mechanism for the call center to forward validated customer information and notes to their internal employees for follow-up. The solution had to ensure accuracy, automation, and usability.

The Solution

We designed and implemented a multi-step workflow using Zoho Analytics, Forms, CRM, and Flow to tackle the challenge effectively:

1. Zoho Analytics for Validation Reports:
   We created a minimalistic report in Zoho Analytics displaying only essential details about active customers. This report allows the call center to validate callers by matching their name and a secondary piece of identifying information. The dataset is intentionally limited to maintain privacy and data security.
2. Pre-Filled Zoho Form for Data Transfer:
   A custom URL field was added to the Analytics report. When clicked, it opens a pre-filled Zoho Form with the customer’s name and the validation details. The form also includes fields for the call center to add notes and hidden fields to capture CRM record IDs.
3. Zoho Flow for Automation:
   Upon form submission, Zoho Flow processes the data to:
   • Create a “Request” record in Zoho CRM, linked to the appropriate customer.
   • Assign the request to the relevant employee on the client’s team for immediate follow-up.

Key Benefits

• Improved Customer Validation: The validation process ensures that only legitimate subscribers are passed on to the client’s employees, reducing the risk of unauthorized service access.
• Streamlined Data Transfer: The Zoho Form pre-fills critical information, reducing manual entry errors and saving time for the call center staff.
• Centralized Request Management: All requests are tracked within Zoho CRM, providing transparency and easy access for the client’s team.
• Automation for Efficiency: Zoho Flow automates data handling, eliminating repetitive tasks and enabling the team to focus on high-value activities.

Ideal Business Applications

This solution is perfect for:

• Organizations emphasizing data security and workflow automation in customer interactions.
• Subscription-based services requiring customer validation before offering support.
• Businesses with outsourced call centers that need to integrate data transfer seamlessly into their internal CRM systems.

CRM Record Creation via Custom Button in Emails Related List

The Challenge

Our client often received emails containing actionable requests, such as improvement suggestions for a SaaS product or support items relevant to multiple stakeholders. However, manually converting these emails into work items in the CRM system was time-consuming and prone to errors. The client needed a way to quickly and accurately transform these emails into CRM records that could be tracked, assigned, and acted upon.

The Solution

By utilizing Zoho CRM’s custom button feature, we created a seamless process that turned emails into actionable records with a single click:

1. Custom Button Integration:
   We added a custom button to the emails’ related list in Zoho CRM. This button was configured to process data from the selected email, including:
   • Email subject: Used as the work item name.
   • Sender information: Queried to link the work item to the appropriate contact.
   • Related account: Associated with the corresponding account tied to the contact.
2. Actionable Record Creation:
   When clicked, the button triggered a custom function that automatically created a work item in CRM. The new record was populated with relevant details from the email, including a name, due date, and linked relationships, ensuring all contextual information was retained.
3. Flexible Placement:
   The custom button was made accessible in multiple locations:
   • Directly on the emails related list, enabling batch actions.
   • Inside individual email threads for one-click functionality without opening additional interfaces.

Key Benefits

• Time Efficiency: Eliminates the need to manually copy, paste, and enter data from emails into CRM, reducing time spent on administrative tasks.
• Improved Accuracy: Ensures that work items are created with consistent, accurate information directly from the email source.
• Enhanced Usability: Provides multiple points of access for the custom button, catering to different user workflows.
• Actionable Insights: Automatically associates work items with relevant contacts and accounts, allowing the team to focus on high-priority tasks without additional administrative burden.

Ideal Business Applications

This solution is a perfect fit for:

• Customer Support Teams: Streamline the conversion of email inquiries into actionable tickets or work items.
• Project Management: Capture actionable feedback or improvement requests directly from email communication.
• Sales Teams: Create follow-up tasks or work items from client emails without disrupting workflow.

DHL Shipment Tracking Integration for Zoho CRM

The Challenge

The client manages their sales processes through Zoho CRM’s transactional modules (Quotes, Sales Orders, and Invoices) but does not use Zoho Inventory. After an Invoice is paid, the product is shipped to the customer using DHL. The problem arose when customers contacted sales representatives for shipment updates—salespeople often had no direct access to the DHL portal, leading to inefficient back-and-forth communication with the shipping team. The client needed a streamlined solution to sync shipment statuses with CRM for improved visibility and faster responses.

The Solution

Our team developed an automated workflow integrating DHL shipment tracking into Zoho CRM’s Invoice module:

1. Tracking Number Entry:
   We designed a process for the client’s team to input the DHL tracking number into the Invoice record during the label generation and shipment phase. This ensured that every shipment was linked to its corresponding Invoice in CRM.
2. DHL API Integration:
   A custom function was created to connect with DHL’s servers via their API. This function regularly queried the DHL system to check the status of any undelivered shipments using the tracking numbers entered in CRM.
3. CRM Status Updates:
   The function updated the shipment status fields in CRM automatically, reflecting key stages such as:
   • Packaged
   • Picked up
   • In transit
   • Delivered
4. Accessible Information for Sales Teams:
   The shipment status was displayed on the Invoice record, enabling sales representatives to provide accurate and real-time updates to customers without accessing the DHL portal or contacting the shipping team.

Key Benefits

• Real-Time Shipment Visibility: Sales representatives could access up-to-date shipment statuses directly from CRM, providing immediate answers to customer inquiries.
• Improved Efficiency: Eliminated the need for back-and-forth communication between sales and shipping teams, reducing response times and enhancing productivity.
• Enhanced Customer Experience: Customers received prompt and accurate information during calls, reinforcing trust and satisfaction.
• Centralized Data Management: By keeping all relevant shipment information within CRM, the client streamlined their operations and minimized reliance on external portals.

Ideal Business Applications

This integration is ideal for:

• E-commerce and Retail Businesses: Shipping high volumes of products and requiring real-time shipment tracking.
• Sales-Driven Organizations: Where sales teams are the primary point of contact for customers post-purchase.
• Non-Inventory Users: Businesses using Zoho CRM without Zoho Inventory to manage transactional modules.

Zoho CRM & Cliq Integration to Generate Channels for New Deals

The Challenge

Our client manages sales opportunities that often span several months, sometimes years, with intricate requirements such as government approvals and budget cycles. Each Deal involves a high level of collaboration across multiple teams, making email chains or unified channels inefficient for maintaining focused discussions. The client needed a solution to provide dedicated spaces for team communication specific to each Deal.

The Solution

Zenatta implemented a Zoho CRM and Cliq integration to automate the creation of dedicated Cliq channels for every new Deal:

1. Automated Channel Creation:
   A workflow and custom function in Zoho CRM were set up to create a unique Cliq channel automatically when a Deal is created. The channel name dynamically pulls data from the Deal and Account, ensuring it’s easy to search and identify.
2. Structured Channel Naming:
   To maintain consistency and searchability, the channel names were designed to include specific details about the Deal and associated Account, making it simple to find relevant channels in Cliq.
3. Future-Ready User Assignment:
   The next phase involves dynamically adding specific team members or departments to the Cliq channel based on Deal requirements. For instance:
   • If the Deal requires AutoCAD designs, a member of the design team is automatically added to the channel.
   • Other parameters can be used to assign legal, finance, or technical experts to the channel.
4. Centralized Collaboration:
   The dedicated channels allow teams to share updates, discuss progress, and track developments in one place. This minimizes the risk of communication gaps and ensures everyone involved stays aligned.

Key Benefits

• Focused Collaboration: Each Deal has its own dedicated space for discussions, avoiding clutter and irrelevant information from other Deals.
• Improved Efficiency: Automatically creating channels and assigning users eliminates manual processes and ensures quick onboarding of the right team members.
• Enhanced Organization: Structured naming conventions make it easy to search for and retrieve Deal-specific communication in Cliq.
• Scalability: The integration lays the groundwork for additional enhancements, such as automated forms, reminders, or workflows tied to specific Deal stages.

Ideal Business Applications

This solution is ideal for:

• B2B Sales Teams: Managing long-term, complex sales cycles that involve multiple stakeholders.
• Project-Driven Businesses: Where each project or Deal requires a dedicated communication channel.
• Organizations Using Zoho CRM and Cliq: Seeking to bridge sales and collaboration seamlessly.

Multiple Shipping Addresses on SOs for Single Books Customer

The Challenge

Our client’s setup involved grouping hundreds of Shopify customers under a single parent customer record in Zoho Books. While this approach simplified billing, it created a challenge: orders needed to ship to various locations with attention to specific individuals, but the system defaulted to using the parent company’s billing and shipping details on Sales Orders. The client needed a way to show accurate shipping information for each order while maintaining unified billing under the parent record.

The Solution

Zenatta developed a custom workflow within Zoho Books to manage shipping addresses and recipients dynamically:

1. Custom Fields in Sales Orders:
   Two custom fields, “Company” and “Attention,” were added to the Sales Order module. These fields captured specific shipping information for each Shopify order, ensuring accurate details for delivery.
2. Data Mapping from Shopify:
   Shopify order details were mapped to these custom fields in Zoho Books, allowing information like the shipping address and recipient’s name to flow seamlessly into the system.
3. Sales Order Template Adjustments:
   The Sales Order template was customized:
   • Parent Record Suppression: The default contact information for the parent company was hidden.
   • Dynamic Placeholder Use: Placeholders for the custom “Company” and “Attention” fields were added under the “Document Details” section. This ensured that each Sales Order displayed the correct shipping address and recipient details.
4. Granular Shipping While Unified Billing:
   The updated template allowed each order to show the correct shipping address and recipient, while all transactions remained linked to the parent customer record for billing and accounting purposes.

Key Benefits

• Accurate Shipping Details: Each Sales Order included the correct recipient and shipping address, reducing errors and ensuring timely deliveries.
• Streamlined Accounting: All transactions were billed to the parent customer record, simplifying reconciliation and reporting.
• Improved Customer Experience: Orders were clearly labeled with recipient-specific information, ensuring clarity for both the client and their customers.
• Scalability: This approach allows for handling hundreds of customers efficiently without creating unnecessary records in Zoho Books.

Ideal Business Applications

This implementation is ideal for:

• B2B Companies: Serving multiple employees or branches of a single client organization.
• E-commerce Businesses: Managing orders from numerous customers that are billed under a single corporate account.
• Companies Using Unified Billing: Who need flexibility in shipping without sacrificing accounting clarity.

Automated Notification to Deal Owner upon Zoho Sign Document Completion

pletion of Zoho Sign documents, even when they are not the sender.

The Challenge

In the client’s workflow, contract preparation often involved multiple team members, such as legal or engineering. Consequently, the person who sends the Zoho Sign document might not always be the Deal Owner. Since Zoho Sign notifications are sent only to the document owner, the Deal Owner would often be left out of the loop when a contract was completed. This gap could delay follow-ups or updates to the Deal’s status.

The Solution

To bridge this gap, we designed an automated notification process using Zoho Flow:

1. Trigger Zoho Flow on Document Completion:
   A Zoho Flow was set up to monitor completed Zoho Sign documents. This ensures that as soon as a document is signed, the workflow is triggered.
2. Find the Associated Deal in Zoho CRM:
   The flow matches the completed document to its corresponding Deal in Zoho CRM. This is achieved by embedding unique identifiers (such as Deal or Account names) in the Zoho Sign document’s name.
3. Notify the Deal Owner:
   Once the associated Deal is identified, the Flow sends a notification to the Deal Owner. Notifications can be customized to fit the client’s preferred communication channels, such as:
   • Email
   • Zoho Cliq Message
   • SMS
4. Additional Workflow Enhancements:
   Beyond notifications, the Flow can trigger additional automations, such as:
   • Updating the Deal status to “Contract Signed.”
   • Assigning follow-up tasks to the Deal Owner.
   • Creating related records, such as invoices or projects, depending on the client’s needs.

Key Benefits

• Immediate Visibility: Ensures the Deal Owner is informed the moment a contract is signed, allowing them to take prompt action.
• Streamlined Communication: Reduces reliance on manual updates or ad hoc notifications between team members.
• Error-Free Updates: Automated status changes and task assignments minimize the risk of delays or missed follow-ups.
• Customizable Workflow: Easily adapts to unique client requirements, such as different notification preferences or additional post-signature actions.

Ideal Business Applications

This solution is ideal for:

• Collaborative Sales Teams: Where multiple team members contribute to contract preparation and execution.
• High-Volume Sales Environments: Requiring automation to avoid delays or manual errors.
• Businesses Using Zoho CRM and Sign: Seeking tighter integration between contract management and sales processes.

Automated Delivery of Price Lists to Dealers and Distributors

The Challenge

Our client sells their products through a network of dealers and distributors organized into categories based on factors such as industry, purchasing volume, or company size. Each category uses a different price list, stored in Zoho CRM. Spreadsheet versions of these price lists are stored in Zoho WorkDrive for delivery to clients. Previously, the process of linking the correct price list to a dealer and sending it to their primary contact was manual and time-intensive, prone to delays and errors.

The Solution

We implemented a streamlined workflow to automate price list delivery:

1. Price List Storage and Categorization:
   • Price lists for each category were stored as records in Zoho CRM.
   • Spreadsheet versions of these price lists were automatically generated and stored in Zoho WorkDrive for external sharing.
2. Custom Button for Account Records:
   • A custom button was added to the Account module in CRM. When pressed, it determines the appropriate price list for the selected Account based on its category and links that price list to the Account record.
3. Automated Delivery to Primary Contacts:
   • Once the price list is linked, the system automatically sends the corresponding spreadsheet to the primary Contact associated with the Account. This ensures that each dealer or distributor receives the correct price list tailored to their needs.
4. Flexibility for Bulk Updates:
   • While the process is button-triggered for individual Accounts, the system can be scaled for bulk updates. For instance, when a price list is updated, the system can mail the new list to all applicable dealers and distributors simultaneously, ensuring consistency.

Key Benefits

• Accuracy and Efficiency: Automating the selection and delivery of price lists eliminates errors and reduces manual effort.
• Customizable Workflow: Dealers and distributors are categorized flexibly, and price lists are dynamically matched to Accounts.
• Scalability: The solution supports individual updates as well as mass distribution of price lists.
• Streamlined Document Management: Centralized storage in WorkDrive ensures all price lists are up-to-date and easily accessible.

Ideal Business Applications

This implementation is ideal for:

• Wholesalers and Distributors: Selling products through a tiered dealer network with varying pricing structures.
• B2B Companies: Managing complex pricing agreements across different customer segments.
• Industries with Frequent Pricing Updates: Where updated pricing must be communicated quickly and accurately.

Automated Late Fees in Zoho Books Invoices

The Challenge

The client wanted an automated system to apply late fees to unpaid invoices 15 days after their due date. The late fee needed to be calculated dynamically, based on either a percentage of the invoice total or a fixed amount, depending on predefined rules. Additionally, some customers required exemption from late fees due to their longstanding business relationship and reliability. The client also wanted the flexibility to remove or adjust late fees on a case-by-case basis without disrupting the system.

The Solution

We designed a robust and flexible workflow to automate late fee application in Zoho Books:

1. Exemption Field for Customers:
   A custom field, “Exempt from Late Fees,” was added to the Customer module. When checked, this field ensures the customer is excluded from late fee calculations for all invoices.
2. Workflow and Function for Late Fees:
   A workflow was configured to trigger a custom Deluge function 15 days after an invoice’s due date, provided the invoice remained unpaid. The function performed the following tasks:
   • Checked if the customer was marked as exempt.
   • Calculated the late fee dynamically:
     • Applied 15% of the invoice total if it exceeded a predefined threshold.
     • Applied a fixed fee if the 15% calculation fell below the threshold.
   • Added the late fee to the invoice as an adjustment.
3. Flexibility for Adjustments:
   The workflow was designed as a one-time trigger, ensuring late fees were only applied once. This allowed the client to manually adjust or waive fees after they were applied without the system overriding their changes.
4. Customer-Friendly Approach (Optional):
   A notification system could be added to inform exempt customers that their late fee had been waived, reinforcing goodwill and transparency.

Key Benefits

• Consistency: Late fees are applied automatically and according to the client’s business rules, ensuring fairness and adherence to policy.
• Exemptions Made Easy: A simple checkbox allows exempting reliable customers from late fees without additional manual intervention.
• Dynamic Fee Calculation: The system accommodates varying invoice values, applying either a percentage-based or fixed fee as appropriate.
• Time Savings: Automating late fee application reduces administrative burden and ensures timely action on overdue invoices.
• Flexibility for Manual Adjustments: The system allows manual overrides for special cases, providing control and adaptability.

Ideal Business Applications

This solution is ideal for:

• Service Providers and Suppliers: Managing recurring invoices where late payments are common.
• Businesses with Tiered Customer Policies: Offering preferential terms to select clients while enforcing late fees for others.
• Companies Using Zoho Books: Seeking to automate financial workflows for improved efficiency.

Automated File Transfer from Zoho Forms, to CRM, to WorkDrive

The Challenge

Our client needed a reliable way to handle files submitted through Zoho Forms as part of their business process. These files had to be associated with the appropriate Contact in Zoho CRM and ultimately stored in a structured WorkDrive folder system. Challenges included:

• Ensuring only the most recent file was retained in CRM while avoiding duplication.
• Maintaining a structured naming convention for files stored in WorkDrive.
• Preventing CRM storage limits from being exceeded in high-volume scenarios.

The Solution

We designed an automated workflow to seamlessly move files from Forms to CRM and finally to WorkDrive:

1. WorkDrive Folder Setup:
   Automated creation of WorkDrive folders for each CRM Contact was configured based on a pre-defined folder structure. This ensured every Contact had a dedicated space for file storage.
2. File Upload Fields in Forms and CRM:
   A file upload field was added to both Zoho Forms and the CRM Contact module. The CRM field was configured to allow up to five files, preventing submission failures caused by Zoho Forms restrictions.
3. File Mapping from Zoho Forms to CRM:
   The file upload field in the Zoho Form was mapped to the corresponding field in CRM. Each new submission added the file to the CRM record.
4. File Management in CRM:
   A workflow and Deluge function in CRM were set up to:
   • Identify the most recent file uploaded to the CRM record.
   • Remove all older files from the CRM field to avoid clutter.
   • Rename the file according to a consistent naming convention (e.g., “FirstName_LastName_FileType”).
   • Upload the file to the Contact’s WorkDrive folder, overwriting any previous version of the same file.
5. WorkDrive File Overwrite:
   The renamed file was uploaded to WorkDrive with overwrite enabled, ensuring only the most recent version was stored.

Key Benefits

• Efficient File Management: Automates the transfer, renaming, and storage of files across Zoho applications.
• Consistency and Organization: Files are renamed according to a standard convention and stored in structured folders.
• Storage Optimization: Older files are removed from CRM to prevent exceeding storage limits, with WorkDrive serving as the central repository.
• User Convenience: Files remain accessible in CRM for easy reference while being securely stored in WorkDrive.

Ideal Business Applications

This solution is ideal for:

• Staffing Agencies: Collecting and managing resumes.
• Construction Firms: Handling blueprints and project specifications.
• Legal Practices: Managing client-submitted documentation.
• Businesses with Client File Submissions: Needing a clear and efficient file-handling pipeline.