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Zoho CRM Integrations

Revolutionize Your Workflow with These Top 5 Zoho CRM Integrations

Published on: April 25, 2024Category: Zoho Features, Zoho IntegrationLast Updated: December 17, 2024 Comments: 0

Zoho CRM integrations are often touted as the top reason why organizations choose the platform as their CRM and business software solution. From finance and communication to sales, marketing, and office operations, Zoho ecosystem integrations truly can bring it all together. And if you’re using a service or application that isn’t Zoho, no worries, because Zoho was built with this scenario in mind and there are tools available to bring those apps into the fold, as well. Do you have a vision where information is no longer siloed? Where your teams collaborate easily? We think you may have just found the solution!

[caption id="attachment_5132" align="alignright" width="400"]popular zoho integrations Explore popular Zoho CRM integrations to help you spend less time managing software and more time making your business as successful as it can be! [/caption]

In this article, we’ll talk about the five major ways that utilizing Zoho CRM integration can enhance your business’ analytical capabilities from the top down, help to streamline your sales and marketing efforts, and give you the data you need to refine and improve your customer experience. Keep reading to see how integrating your Zoho solutions can help you spend less time managing software and more time doing the important things to make your business as successful as it can be.

1 Accounting and Finance Integrations SalesIQ from Zoho is an incredibly powerful integration that shows your CRM data in the application, so your Customer Service or Sales agents are set and ready with account information, or lead visit details.

One question we hear A LOT is “Does Zoho CRM Integrate with QuickBooks?” And yes, it does, but it’s not even near the only accounting and finance option for playing nicely with Zoho. We do that work quite often for many clients, but QuickBooks is just one  accounting and finance option available out there!  Whether you’re using QB Desktop, QB Online, Sage programs, or another option, the Zoho capabilities exist to solve for double data entry, and can end the frustration of ongoing disconnect between your CRM and Financial data. 

Our client, Lavoro Technologies found the freedom to scale and evolve with their integration, and we think you might, too. Zoho itself has several solutions i f you’re not using any of the applications we just mentioned. Options are based on your business model and needs:

[caption id="attachment_5131" align="alignleft" width="400"]does zoho crm integrate with quickbooks Accounting and Finance Integrations for Zoho remove the task of double entry, streamline your operations, and help you gain accuracy.[/caption]

Zoho Books simplifies collaboration between sales and finance teams. It removes the need for duplicate data entry when integrated with Zoho CRM, and allows sales teams to record their estimates, sales orders, and estimates in CRM. It also provides purchase and transaction history details in CRM, and gives you the ability to automate some processes.

Zoho Expense helps salespeople capture expenses as they occur for their Accounts, Contacts, and Potentials. You submit approvals to CRM, where you can use Analytics to keep a pulse on spending. Take advantage of custom approvals, or you can even automate approvals when specific criteria are met. How much time could that save your sales team?

Zoho Billing “bridges the gap between subscription and customer information” letting sales teams work in Zoho CRM to manage subscriptions because the customer information is seamlessly synchronized between the two apps in Zoho!

2 Communication Apps

All businesses run on communication, it’s basically the thing we do all day, every day. And Zoho has no shortage of available tools within their own ecosystem, and no shortage of other applications it connects to. Here are a few popular solutions for communication tools that integrate with Zoho.

Collaboration tools are at the top of the list of needs for many teams, ours here at ZBrains, too! Is your organization still working remotely or have dispersed teams? It is essential for your teams to keep in touch and communicate in real time. Zoho provides the essential tools and integrations required to collaborate perfectly. While it can integrate with Slack, Zoho has its own tool like it, called Cliq, and even that integrates with the applications you use most including: Dropbox, Trello, and Zoho Desk, Zoho People, and of course Zoho CRM. For deeper project management needs, we suggest Zoho Projects.

Telephony & SMS

As much as most of us probably wouldn’t like to admit it, we still use and need to make calls. Because this tech is still here and important to many, integrations for telephony solutions like RingCentral are there for good old fashioned calls! Messaging integrations like Twilio integration with Zoho CRM can help you with SMS campaigns.  Perfect for when you want to prime a contact with a text before calling, or to follow up after you reach them.

[caption id="attachment_5130" align="alignright" width="400"]Zoho Webinar and Zoho Meet for Sales and Marketing Teams Collaborative communication apps from Zoho like Webinar and Meeting help remote teams connect with colleagues, clients, and leads![/caption]

Live Chat and Meetings for Sales, Marketing & Customer Service

Live Chat allows you to connect with your customers and leads when they want to connect with you. SalesIQ from Zoho is an incredibly powerful integration that shows your CRM data in the application, so your Customer Service or Sales agents are set and ready with account information, or lead visit details. There’s even a mobile app!

Zooms and Webinars are everyday occurrences now, too. And we’re a bit of a broken record here, but Zoom and apps like GoToWebinar (plus others) integrate with Zoho. And Zoho has its own solutions for events and meetings, aptly named Zoho Webinar and Zoho Meeting, which you can use directly from CRM.

3 Marketing and Sales Integrations

Zoho CRM email marketing integration and Zoho social media integration are no-brainers. Zoho addresses your entire lead-to-cash cycle with these tools. 

Marketing Integrations

[caption id="attachment_5129" align="alignleft" width="400"]Zoho social media integrations Zoho features integration that brings your sales and marketing teams closer together, from social media lead metrics to customer surveys![/caption]
  • Zoho Social and Zoho CRM integration starts with generating new leads, then lets you identify the most successful channels, moving those leads to sales for faster closing. The system in Zoho Social has automation features, pushes leads from Facebook Ads directly to Zoho CRM with one click, gives you social listening capabilities, and of course, gives you the tools to track revenue in order to repeat your most successful strategies.
  • Zoho Marketing Automation contains tools to help you generate leads, understand their behaviors, and analyze the data from your lead cycle to enable greater sales. Additionally, as the name implies, you can automate customer journeys for your leads and customers using data from journey actions and CRM data for very specific segmentation that is virtually personalized. This integration takes your marketing activities beyond just email.
  • Zoho Survey closes the loop on customer experience with Zoho Survey and CRM integration. Gather, report, and act on survey responses, and use the insight to create better sales pitches when you know what’s working and what’s not.

Sales Integration for Zoho CRM

CRM is often seen as the pinnacle of sales tools, and you can already see from the sheer volume of things that integrate with Zoho CRM how this is true. They all add up to give sales professionals, and sales leaders the insight and information they need in order to best serve the right clients with the right solutions at the right time. 

Doing business with your organization should be as simple and seamless as it can be. Making your system easy to use, with highly integrated data sources, ensures that it is. Imagine giving your sales teams all the tools and information they require to get more sales, more quickly, that allows them to hold on to each hard earned customer for longer with a more profitable result. We’ll share a little more in the next section about the operational tools that also assist Sales.

4 Office Operations & E-commerce

[caption id="attachment_5128" align="alignright" width="400"]Zoho form integration Zoho Sign helps manage paperless workflow for digital signatures, allowing you to close deals faster![/caption]

Some of the most time consuming aspects of daily work are the office operations that we don’t often give a second thought to. We just do the work and move on. However, Zoho CRM integrates with such a vast number of tools both from Zoho itself, and others, to make this daily necessity more lightweight. You’ll find that once you integrate these always-used applications with Zoho CRM that the minutes per day that you shave off searching for emails and documents, sending and signing them, and generally managing the day-to-day storage and document shuffle of office life really do add up to a substantial amount of time. Here are a few integrations we like most.

Daily Operations

  • GSuite and Zoho CRM integrate so you can easily sync and access Gmail contacts, your tasks, and your Google calendar events in CRM.
  • Microsoft Office / Office 365 and Zoho Integration brings your presentations, spreadsheets, docs, etc. into one space within Zoho CRM for easier management. For example, you can access the Office suite from CRM for mail merge to automatically create customized documents. 
  • Google Drive, DropBox, and other integrations with Zoho CRM are available solutions for document storage. And you can access these directly from CRM, as well!

Paperless Office

  • And document signing, or paperless workflow for digital signatures, is another set of tasks that takes a lot of time and personal bandwidth to manage. Of course, Zoho has addressed this with its own secure solution, Zoho Sign, but offers integrations for other tools as well. For example, Adobe Sign Zoho CRM integration gives you visibility to document signing status, and both can shorten time to close by keeping the process digital.

E-Commerce

  • Finally, for online sellers, shippers, and e-commerce, Zoho CRM integrates with Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, and other platforms to help streamline your online transactions from click-to-buy, to invoice, payment collection, and shipping!

5 Almost Endless Zoho Integration Options 

So far you’ve read about some of the most universal business needs that are addressed when you use Zoho’s application ecosystem, like Zoho One, or integrate it with some popular solutions you might already have. But wait – there’s more! We weren’t really exaggerating when we said that the integration options are more or less endless. Zoho Creator is the platform to address almost any custom application or integration you can fathom, “from simple call logs to complex ERPs that integrate with your existing processes.”

ERP Solutions for Zoho CRM Integration

The good news is that some of these solutions for field services, manufacturers, and similar industries are already available from ZBrains. If you’re seeking solutions for any of the following processes, and would like to integrate with Zoho – drop us a line!

  • Quote Calculator (CPQ): Configure Price Quote tool enables your sales staff to generate Zoho CRM quotes or standalone quotes quickly and easily, using just one simple system.
  • Commission Calculator: Give your sales team back their confidence by calculating their commissions quickly and easily.
  • Payment Processing: Accept payments in Zoho CRM. Certain Zoho apps like Creator, Books, and Invoice have accepted credit card payments for some time.  But, it hasn’t been possible to process those transactions with a Zoho CRM credit card integration–until now.
  • SmartScheduler™: Using parameters you set, the Zoho SmartScheduler™ recommends possible appointment times for you or you staff to streamline your scheduling tasks and ensure that the right resources are assigned to jobs.
  • Executive Dashboards: Building a better Executive Dashboard with ZBrains means you can ensure all the reporting is done accurately, showing you results for all your KPI’s so you can make informed decisions instantly.
  • Inventory Management: Generate accurate insight into your business performance by syncing with inventory, order management and financial data. Centralize your operations with a Zoho ERP solution. 
  • Zoho Job Costing: This add-on for Zoho CRM enables your sales staff to generate quotes, manage proposals, and  track every dollar and hour spent on completing a job quickly and easily, using just one simple system – not the array of programs and personnel you might be used to dealing with.

Final Thoughts & Next Steps

Don’t see the solutions you need on this list, or mentioned in this article? Get in touch with us!  We know from experience that Zoho integrations can enable your team. They can help you drive your business with accurate data while saving you countless hours of effort chasing loose ends. Take the first steps today and empower your team and stay connected with your business! 

Zoho Partners like ZBrains

How Zoho Partners Like ZBrains Help Simplify Your CRM

Published on: March 21, 2024Category: Certified Zoho Consultants, Zoho PartnersLast Updated: December 17, 2024 Comments: 0

Companies turn to Zoho CRM for plenty of different reasons, whether they want to scale their operations or they’re aiming to improve efficiency or manage costs. And in most of these situations, Zoho CRM is a great choice—it’s incredibly robust, cost-effective, and offers plenty of automation features to help streamline your workflows.

But although Zoho claims that its CRM delivers one of the fastest implementation experiences in the enterprise CRM market, it’s not uncommon for new users to encounter challenges when working through their initial setup.

That’s where Zoho Partners like ZBrains can help. Read on if your Zoho CRM experience hasn’t been as straightforward as you’d hoped—or if you’re now stuck with a needlessly complicated CRM setup that’s interfering with your ability to operate efficiently.

ZBrains: Your Premier Zoho Partner for Implementation & Support

Zoho Partners are Zoho experts dedicated to implementing Zoho for client businesses and acting as front-line support between their clients and Zoho. This commonly includes system design, implementation, customization, integration with third-party systems, and general support as Zoho releases new features and applications. 

Zoho’s Partner program is broken into multiple tiers. At ZBrains, we’re proud to be one of Zoho’s Premium Partners, a top distinction given to a select group of Zoho Partners who are responsible for a certain proportion of Zoho’s annual revenue.

When to Work with Zoho Partners

How do you know if working with Zoho Partners is right for you? There are a number of common use cases where working with an external partner on Zoho CRM implementations makes sense.  For example, here at ZBrains, we regularly come across companies that:

  • Are brand new to the Zoho ecosystem and aren’t familiar with best practices for deploying a new business CRM.
  • Have begun exploring Zoho CRM’s free trial, but realize that they’ll need some additional support to realize their vision. 
  • Are already up and running with Zoho CRM, but recognize that they’re only scratching the surface in terms of its potential for their business.
  • Have tried out Zoho CRM in the past, but either couldn’t get buy-in from other staff members or couldn’t find a way to make it work within their company’s requirements.

In these and other related cases, having a second set of eyes in the form of a Zoho Partner can help to evaluate your current setup and identify opportunities to simplify your CRM setup that you may miss on your own. 

At ZBrains, for example, we typically begin Zoho CRM engagements with a Business Process Analysis. This helps us to understand the existing state of your Zoho CRM implementation and begin mapping a path forward to streamline your system.

How a Zoho Partner Simplifies Your CRM

If you’re migrating from another CRM, such as Salesforce or Hubspot, simply getting the right data into Zoho CRM, in the right format, can be challenging. To make matters more confusing, Zoho’s business productivity suite comprises 45+ different applications—some of which have overlapping functionality. 

So how exactly can Zoho Partners actually help you to simplify your Zoho CRM setup? Depending on your specific needs and circumstances, we’ve found that any of the following actions may be appropriate:

  • Migrating your data from your former CRM in the cleanest way possible
  • Identifying the most efficient way for data to be processed through and integrated with third-party systems
  • Designing your systems in the most optimal way
  • Ensuring user permissions are set so your data is protected
  • Identifying and implementing impactful automation opportunities
  • Identifying how custom development could be used to solve difficult system issues

Zoho Partners Set You Up for Success

Finally, another important element to consider when evaluating Zoho Partners is their approach to change management. It’s one thing to build a streamlined Zoho CRM implementation—ensuring your team members are prepared to use it is another thing entirely.

At ZBrains, we offer a number of established and bespoke coaching packages, including sessions that can help you:

  • Learn how to navigate and work within Zoho CRM
  • Customize your Zoho CRM implementation to drive valuable business insights
  • Implement automation within Zoho CRM to streamline your workflows

Getting Started with Zoho Partners

Ultimately, although it can be tempting to try to DIY your Zoho CRM setup, most companies save time—and ultimately, money—by working with an experienced partner who can help them find their way around the system.

If your current approach to Zoho CRM is working, you may not need the support of a Zoho Partner. But if you find yourself in any of the scenarios described above—or if you simply want to benefit from incorporating an expert perspective to identify additional optimization opportunities long-term—reach out to ZBrains to learn more about our Zoho Implementation Plans and Zoho CRM training.

Migrating from Hubspot to Zoho with help of ZBrains

Hubspot Migration: How to Migrate Data to Zoho CRM?

Published on: February 19, 2024Category: Certified Zoho Consultants, Zoho CRMLast Updated: December 17, 2024 Comments: 0

 The decision to transition between customer relationship management (CRM) programs shouldn’t be made lightly. In fact, CRM data migration—the aspect we’ll focus on in this article—is only one step in the process. Successfully migrating from one CRM to another involves both strategic planning and execution work to ensure a seamless transition.

That said, when it comes to the data layer of CRM migrations, one of the best aspects of Zoho CRM is that you don’t necessarily have to start from scratch. In fact, Zoho makes it easy to migrate from many other CRMs—Hubspot included. 

To see the process in action, take a look at the step-by-step process we’ve put together below on how to migrate your data from HubSpot to Zoho CRM. 

Understanding HubSpot to Zoho CRM Migration

Migrating from HubSpot to Zoho CRM can be a transformative step, requiring meticulous planning, execution, and data management. The process involves transferring various data elements, including customer contacts, leads, deals, notes, tasks, etc. To navigate this successfully, follow these key steps:

1. Assess and Plan

Initiate the migration process by thoroughly assessing your current HubSpot CRM setup. Identify the data you intend to transfer, evaluate data quality, and determine which aspects of your business processes require preservation throughout the migration. This comprehensive planning phase will serve as the foundation for the entire process.

2. Map Your Data

Data mapping is integral to this process, as it involves defining how the data in your HubSpot CRM corresponds to the fields and structure in Zoho CRM. Accurate data mapping is essential to ensure data aligns correctly and prevent inconsistencies and data loss during migration. Detailed data mapping minimizes errors and guarantees a seamless transition.

3. Extract Data

Extract data from your HubSpot CRM by exporting the identified datasets into a format compatible with Zoho CRM. This step may involve exporting CSV files or using migration tools that facilitate data extraction.

4. Cleanse and Transform Data

Before importing data into Zoho CRM, ensure that the data is clean and transformed. Standardize data formats, eliminate duplicate records, and maintain data integrity throughout migration.

5. Import Data into Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM provides tools and features for importing data from various sources. Utilize Zoho’s import functionalities while following the earlier data mapping, ensuring accurate and efficient data transfer.

6. Validate Data

After data import, perform thorough data validation to verify accuracy and completeness. This step helps identify potential issues and guarantees that the migrated data aligns with your business requirements.

7. Customize and Configure

Leverage Zoho CRM’s customization options to tailor the platform to your business needs. Configure fields, layouts, workflows, and automation rules to replicate your HubSpot CRM functionalities within the Zoho ecosystem.

8. Test and Train Users

Conduct comprehensive testing before fully implementing Zoho CRM to ensure all functionalities are operating as expected. Furthermore, provide adequate training to your team members to familiarize them with Zoho CRM’s interface and features.

9. Go Live and Provide Post-Migration Support

With comprehensive testing and team training completed, it’s time to go live with Zoho CRM. Monitor the transition closely and offer post-migration support to address any issues or questions during the initial stages.

Why should you consider transitioning from Hubspot to Zoho CRM?

Before we jump in, let’s cover a few of the top benefits of transitioning from Hubspot to Zoho CRM in the first place. After all, your CRM supports critical functions within your business. It’s important to ensure that the system you’ve chosen is the right one to support your business goals. 

There are many reasons you might want to choose Zoho CRM over HubSpot, but here are just a few:

  • Zoho CRM is more user-friendly. Zoho CRM allows for team collaboration on all tiers, whereas HubSpot only offers collaboration on top-tier plans.  
  • Zoho CRM is easier on your wallet. Not only does Zoho offer a longer free trial, there are many different pricing tiers for Zoho CRM, starting with a free version and going up to $40 per user for the enterprise version (when billed annually). By comparison, Hubspot’s entry-level paid plan comes in at $45 per month for two users.
  • Zoho’s platform offers greater extensibility. Zoho CRM easily integrates with the company’s broader suite of apps. While Hubspot offers sales, marketing, and operations modules, it does not offer comparable solutions for inventory management, HR, legal, and security needs.
  • Zoho is endorsed by publications like Forbes as a top choice for SMBs. Thanks to its budget-friendly, flexible nature, Forbes has recognized Zoho CRM as the better choice for small and medium-sized businesses in nearly every industry. 

The Necessity of CRM Migration

As businesses evolve and expand, their CRM requirements also evolve. In some cases, enterprises seek more robust alternatives due to the limitations of their existing CRM platform. With its extensive array of features and customization options, Zoho CRM often emerges as a compelling choice for businesses looking to enhance their customer engagement strategy.

Not sure if Zoho CRM is right for you? ZBrain’s expert team can help. Reach out to schedule a personalized assessment of your business’s needs.

The Hubspot to Zoho CRM Data Migration Process 

At a broader level, data migration involves moving all your information from one platform to another—in this case, from Hubspot’s CRM to Zoho CRM.

In Zoho CRM, you’ll use the Data Migration wizard to transfer your data from Hubspot, accurately and efficiently. Where common modules are available, the wizard will automatically map your import files to Zoho CRM modules, aligning file columns with Zoho CRM fields. 

Where modules aren’t already available, Zoho CRM will create them and map the relevant files to them. It will also let you know how many files have been mapped, how many remain unmapped, and which—if any—aren’t supported. 

If your migration needs are more complex or if multiple applications are involved, you can turn to Zoho’s vast partner network—including ZBrains, a leading, US-based Zoho Consulting Partner—for help.

How to Migrate from HubSpot to Zoho CRM: A Step-By-Step Process

On a technical level, Zoho CRM’s Data Migration wizard uses APIs and Instance URLs to migrate your data from HubSpot to Zoho. For this reason, you’ll initiate the migration by generating and entering the API key, and then the entire migration will take place in the back end. 

You’ll be notified by email when your migration is complete, and you’ll have the option to undo or rerun the migration up to three times. 

Step #1: Generate the API Token

To find or generate your API token:

  1. Log into your HubSpot account
  2. Click Account Name on the top right corner and select Integrations
  3. Click API Key
  4. Click Generate API Key (if you’ve never generated an API key before)
  5. Click Copy

If you’ve already generated an API key in the past, click Show key and then Copy. You’ll also want to capture your Instance URL using this process.

Step #2: Initiate the Migration

Once you have your API key and Instance URL:

  1. Log in to Zoho CRM (make sure you have Administrator privileges)
  2. Navigate to Setup > Data Administration > Import
  3. On the Data Migration page, choose HubSpot as the CRM you’re importing data from
  4. Enter the Instance URL and the API Token you generated in Hubspot
  5. Click Migrate Now

Once the migration is complete, you’ll be notified via a pop-up and an email.

Step #3: Check Your Data Migration

Zoho’s Data Migration wizard makes importing your Hubspot data simple, but it’s still a good idea to check your data for accuracy once the migration is complete. 

To do so, navigate to Setup > Data Administration > Import > Import History, and check that all fields have been imported properly. It’s also a good idea to spot-check individual records. Navigate to a few people and accounts to see if their data matches up with their corresponding Hubspot records (or to what you know to be true for them).

Remember, Zoho CRM allows you to undo or rerun the migration, but only for a limited number of times. If you are not satisfied with the import or field mapping results, you can delete the imported records and re-run the migration. Just don’t wait to detect errors until you’re too far down the road to redo your migration!

Keep the following notes in mind while planning and executing your migration as well:

  • Tags can be migrated from Hubspot into Zoho CRM, but only the first 10 tags will be migrated. Additionally, each tag can only have up to 25 characters. 
  • Your data migration will be paused if more than 5,000 records in a module are skipped during the migration. At this point, you’ll have the option to discard the migration or continue—Zoho CRM will inform you of every module where this occurs.
  • If you need to undo the data migration, visit your Import History. 

The ZBrains Advantage: Your Partner in Seamless Migration

At ZBrains, we understand that CRM migration can be a daunting endeavor. With years of experience in CRM solutions and business process optimization, we’ve fine-tuned our migration approach to ensure minimal disruption to your operations. Our team of experts takes a personalized approach, meticulously mapping your existing data and processes to HubSpot CRM’s structure. The result? A smooth transition that preserves data integrity while unlocking the full potential of HubSpot CRM.

If you’re ready to make the change from Hubspot to Zoho CRM, built-in migration tools make the process as simple as possible, while also alerting you to any issues that need to be resolved manually. 

But if you have any questions about migrating from HubSpot to Zoho CRM—or if you’d like expert support while you navigate the process—get in touch with ZBrain’s team of Zoho experts for personal assistance. 

Businesswoman Using Zoho Books API in her Business

What is the Zoho Books API and How Do I Use It?

Published on: January 17, 2024Category: Zoho BooksLast Updated: December 17, 2024 Comments: 0

Zoho Books, a cloud-based accounting software, allows businesses to easily manage their finances and automate their workflows through a rich set of features and an intuitive user interface. 

With the Zoho Books API, companies can integrate Zoho Books with other Zoho apps and third-party software to increase its functionality and streamline internal workflows.

Understanding the Zoho Books API: A Quick Overview

The Zoho Books API serves as an interface that enables developers to interact programmatically with Zoho Books. Essentially, this empowers you to extend Zoho Books’ functionality, integrate it with other applications, and automate tasks, ultimately slashing time wastage and diminishing manual errors. Whether you’re a small business owner, an accountant, or a developer, the Zoho Books API unfurls a realm of possibilities for elevating your financial management processes.

Key Features of Zoho Books API:

Automate and Simplify Your Finances

With the Zoho Books API, you can automate repetitive tasks and reduce the risk of human error in financial management. Seamlessly connect Zoho Books with Zoho Campaigns to automate invoice notifications and payment reminders, ensuring timely payments from your customers. Integrate Zoho Mail to streamline communication with clients and vendors, making sending invoices, receipts, and other financial documents directly from your Zoho Books account easy.

Efficient Inventory Management

Integrating Zoho Books with Zoho Inventory through the API can be a game-changer for businesses that deal with inventory. Automatically sync your inventory levels across both platforms, ensuring you always sell and are well-stocked. Efficiently manage purchase orders, track shipments, and update product information in real time, all from within your Zoho Books interface.

Seamless Customer Relationship Management

By integrating Zoho Books with your Zoho CRM using the API, you can gain deeper insights into your customers’ financial activities. View a customer’s payment history, outstanding invoices, and credit notes directly from your CRM dashboard. This integration enables your sales and finance teams to work together efficiently, providing a seamless customer experience.

Real-Time Reporting and Analytics

The Zoho Books API allows you to extract financial data and create real-time custom reports. Connect Zoho Books with your preferred business intelligence tools, and gain valuable insights into your financial performance, cash flow, and profitability. Accessing up-to-date financial information at your fingertips empowers better decision-making and strategic planning.

Enhanced Security and Data Privacy

Zoho takes security and data privacy seriously. The Zoho Books API uses OAuth 2.0 protocols, ensuring secure access to your data while protecting sensitive financial information. You have complete control over the permissions granted to third-party applications, enhancing data security and compliance.

But how exactly does it work? Let’s take a closer look. 

How does the Zoho Books API enhance integration and functionality?

Essentially, the Zoho Books API is the function that allows you to perform all of your Zoho Books operations within the web client. 

It is built on REST (Representational State Transfer) principles, making it relatively straightforward to use and allowing for a wide range of activities and integrations. Further, because the API follows HTTP rules, every resource is exposed as a URL, and every URL can be obtained through the API Root Endpoint. 

In practical terms, integrations set up using the Zoho Books API enable businesses to utilize add-ons to get more from their Zoho Apps. The API not only integrates with several other third-party software, but also allows Zoho Books to integrate with other Zoho products, such as Zoho Campaigns, Zoho Mail, and Zoho Inventory. 

This is especially helpful for businesses working across multiple Zoho apps or that already have established third-party solutions in place that they don’t want to replace.

How Does the Zoho Books API Work?

Use the following instructions to start using the Zoho Books API:

Step #1: Register a New Client 

Because Zoho’s REST APIs use OAuth 2.0 protocols, your first step will be to register your application within Zoho’s Developer Console to generate a Client ID and Client Secret. 

Step #2: Generate a Grant Token. 

Next, you’ll redirect to the authorization URL (https://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/auth) with the relevant parameters:

zoho books api

Upon this request, Zoho will present a user consent page. Clicking ‘Accept’ will cause Zoho to redirect to the given redirect_uri with the ‘code’ and ‘state’ parameters (which you’ll need to get the access token in the next step). Note that this code is only valid for 60 seconds. 

If you click ‘Deny’, Zoho will return a server error.

Step #3: Generate Access and Refresh Token 

Once you have your access token, make a POST request using this URL (https://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/token?) and the following parameters to generate your access token: 

zoho books api

This will generate both an access token (which will expire after a set period) and a refresh token. Be aware that Zoho limits refresh tokens to 20 per user. Earlier refresh tokens will be deleted by default if this limit is exceeded, whether or not they’re in use. 

Step #4: Generate an Access Code from a Refresh Token 

If your access token expires, use the refresh token to request a new one by redirecting to the following POST URL using the parameters below: https://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/token? 

zoho books api

Step #5: Revoking a Refresh Token 

If you need to revoke a refresh token, use the following URL with the parameter below: https://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/token/revoke?

zoho books api

Step #6: Call an API 

Finally, call the Zoho Books API in header using the following values: 

  • Header name: Authorization
  • Header value: Zoho-oauthtoken 

Specific scopes available for the Zoho Books API include contacts, settings, estimates, invoices, customerpayments, creditnotes, projects, expenses, salesorder, purchaseorder, bills, debitnotes, vendorpayments, banking, and accountants.

Embarking on Your Zoho Books API Journey


  • API Documentation: Begin by acquainting yourself with Zoho Books API’s official documentation. This comprehensive resource elucidates endpoints, request parameters, authentication methods, and response formats.

  • Access Credentials: Your foray into the API requires authentication credentials, including the client ID and client secret. Obtain these by creating a client in the Zoho Books Developer Console.

  • Authentication: OAuth 2.0 safeguards API access, ensuring secure entry to your Zoho Books account and authorizing only designated actions.

  • Selecting a Programming Language: The API caters to various programming languages. Select the one aligning with your proficiency and project requisites.

  • API Requests: Engaging with the API involves crafting HTTP requests for specific endpoints. These requests facilitate data retrieval, record creation, information updates, and other tasks.

Top Tips for Using the Zoho Books API

Once you’ve set up, keep the following suggestions in mind as you begin using it:

Pay Attention to Your Limits

Generally speaking, Zoho Books API calls are limited in order to provide a better quality of service and greater availability to all users. As a result, the following limits on total requests per day for each plan are currently in place:

  • Free Plan: 1,000 API requests/day
  • Standard Plan: 2,000 requests/day
  • Professional Plan: 5,000 requests/day
  • Premium Plan: 10,000 requests/day
  • Elite Plan: 10,000 requests/day
  • Ultimate Plan: 10.000 requests/day

Carry Out Load Testing

One of the things we’ve noticed among ZBrains clients is that almost everyone hits their limits more quickly than expected. And because that can lead to unexpected shutdowns, we recommend carrying out significant load testing in advance to see how your requirements stack up against Zoho’s daily limits.

Increase Your API Limits 

Fortunately, if you do find that your business requirements exceed your API call limit, increasing your limit is relatively easy and inexpensive. The best way to do so is to email support@zohocrm.com with your requirements, and Zoho will get back to you with specific pricing details and instructions on increasing your API call limits.


Sample Use Cases

  • E-commerce Integration: Integrate your online store with Zoho Books, triggering automatic invoice creation for each transaction. This eradicates manual data entry and ensures real-time financial record updates.
  • Expense Automation: Develop an app that captures employee expenses. Utilize the API to transmit expense data directly to Zoho Books, eliminating paper-based reporting.
  • Real-Time Reporting: Construct a custom dashboard drawing data from Zoho Books via the API. This dashboard could offer real-time insights into your business’s financial standing, enabling informed decisions on the fly.
  • Automated Reminders: Create an application issuing automated payment reminders to clients with outstanding invoices. This practice enhances cash flow by minimizing payment delays.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Zoho Books API:

 

Q: What is the Zoho Books API?

A: The Zoho Books API is an interface that allows developers and businesses to integrate Zoho Books with other Zoho apps and third-party software. It enables automation, data exchange, and enhanced functionality by allowing you to perform Zoho Books operations programmatically.

 

Q: How can I get started with the Zoho Books API?

A: The Zoho Books API may help businesses of all sizes optimize their financial processes, automate procedures, and increase data interchange between applications. Whether your company is small or large, the API can help you greatly improve efficiency and productivity.



Q: What are the key benefits of using the Zoho Books API?

A: The Zoho Books API improves integration and functionality, enabling businesses to automate activities, streamline workflows, and effortlessly sync data between Zoho Books and other apps. It offers real-time reporting, improves customer relationship management, and streamlines inventory management.



Q: What permissions do I need to grant to third-party applications?

A: The API employs OAuth 2.0 protocols to ensure safe data access. When integrating with third-party programs, you have control over the breadth of rights provided. You can control how much access each application gets to your Zoho Books data.

 

Q: Are there any limitations on API usage?

A: Yes, the amount of API queries per day is limited by your Zoho Books membership plan. The Free Plan, for example, enables 1,000 API queries each day, whereas the Ultimate Plan allows 10,000. It is critical to be aware of these limitations and plan your API usage accordingly.

 

Q: Can I increase my API call limits if needed?

A: You can increase your API call limits if your business requirements exceed the allocated limits. Contact Zoho’s support team at support@zohocrm.com with your needs, and they will provide you with specific pricing details and instructions on increasing your API call limits.

 

Q: How can I ensure data security using the Zoho Books API?

A: Zoho takes data security seriously. The OAuth 2.0 protocols used by the API ensure secure access to your Zoho Books account. Furthermore, you have complete control over the permissions granted to third-party programs, allowing you to efficiently manage data privacy.

 

Q: Can I test the Zoho Books API before implementing it?

A: Zoho allows you to download and test the Zoho Books API beforehand. This way, you can experiment with the integration and ensure it meets your business requirements before fully implementing it.

 

Q: What kind of support can I get for using the Zoho Books API?

A: If you have any queries or require support using the Zoho Books API, the expert team at ZBrains is available to assist you. They can give you specialized advice on how to get started, integrate the API with your Zoho CRM, and make the most of this powerful tool.

 

Q: Is the Zoho Books API suitable for my business?

A: The suitability of the Zoho Books API for your business depends on your specific needs and requirements. The Zoho Books API could be quite useful if you want to optimize your financial processes, automate procedures, and improve data interchange between applications. It allows you to interact with other Zoho apps and third-party software to streamline your workflows and increase efficiency.

 

Need Help with the Zoho Books API?

Zoho makes it possible to download and test out the Zoho Books API ahead of time. But if you still have questions, the expert team at ZBrains can help.

Reach out to our team for personalized guidance on your top Zoho Books API questions, including how to get started and how to integrate the API with your Zoho CRM.




A woman using Zoho Expense to manage her business

How to Use Zoho Expense to Manage Your Business Expenses

Published on: November 28, 2023Category: Zoho ExpenseLast Updated: October 21, 2024 Comments: 0

Zoho Expense is an expense reporting software from Zoho’s suite of powerful cloud-based business apps. It enables businesses to quickly capture, track, and report on the expenses of their employees for tax, accounting, and budgeting purposes.

It integrates with Zoho Books, allowing businesses to manage their travel and business expenses more efficiently. When used in conjunction with Zoho Books, business owners can set up their account and start using Zoho Expense right away.

Zoho Expense also offers a streamlined experience that saves time and effort. One noteworthy feature is its OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology, which scans receipts and automatically creates expenses. While the accuracy of OCR-generated data may vary (and requires human review), it significantly reduces the time spent on manual data entry and speeds up the expense reporting process.

How to Get Started with Zoho Expense

It’s easy to get started with Zoho Expense—all you need to do is sign up. Once you’ve done that, your 14-day free trial will begin automatically.

Like most expense management software, Zoho Expense can integrate directly with your bank and identify expenses. Setting up custom criteria for automated expense classifications and categorizations saves you from having to enter each expense manually.

Here’s a brief overview of Zoho Expense’s main interface:

  1. A left-hand side Navigation panel provides an organized overview of all Zoho Expense modules.
  2. To easily create new transactions, use the Quick Create button near each respective module.
  3. Use the Search bar feature to locate a particular expense, report, or additional information.
  4. Manage your Organization Profile, subscriptions, and more by clicking the Settings icon.
  5. Contact Zoho Expense regarding any issues via the Support option.

Once you familiarize yourself with its main interface, you can begin creating expense reports and managing your company spending.

Step 1: Creating Expense Reports

Create and Manage Expense Reports

Follow these steps to create and manage your expense reports:

  1. Create a new expense report by clicking the “+” icon next to “Reports.” Fill in the required information on the New Report screen, such as:
    1. Report title
    2. Length of time
    3. Business purpose (optional)
    4. Submit to (select an approver, if applicable)
  1. Incorporate previously created expenses into the report, as needed.
  2. To add a new expense directly to the report, simply create it on the same page.
  3. Click “Save and Submit” to save your progress and immediately send the report to your designated approver.

Zoho Expense also offers customers an automated expense report generator they can use for free with the software.

Approve Expense Reports

Follow these steps to approve, reject, or reimburse expense reports effectively:

  1. Click on “My Approvals” located on the left-hand side of the screen.
  2. Choose an expense report that requires approval or rejection.
  3. Decide whether to approve or reject the report based on its content and accuracy.
  4. If necessary, send the report to another stakeholder instead of approving or rejecting it yourself.
  5. Leave a comment for clarification or additional information, or send an email to the reporter.
  6. Reimburse expenses after approval from all stakeholders involved.

Configure Expense Preferences

Establish essential preferences and company policies for expenses by following these steps:

  1. Click on “Settings” located on the left-hand side (LHS) of the screen.
  2. Choose “Expenses” from the Preferences section to access expense-related settings.
  3. Define the currencies to be used for recording expenses.
  4. Add custom fields to the expense creation page, allowing for more detailed and organized records.
  5. Set up Notifications for expenses to stay informed about important updates and changes.

Step 2: Managing Business Expenses

Zoho Expense offers numerous features, such as Mileage Tracking and Expense Reporting Automation, to help you efficiently monitor your business expenses for different activities and events. Depending on your business and its expense types, you can use these features to get better insights into your spending and manage it more effectively.

To analyze expenses and gain better visibility into your spending, follow these steps:

  1. Select “Analytics” from the left-hand side of the screen to access expense analytics.
  2. Choose a specific report from the left pane that fits your needs.
  3. Customize the report according to your requirements for a more detailed analysis.
  4. Print or export the report as a PDF for easy sharing and review if needed.

Zoho Expense integrates natively with other Zoho products, including Zoho Books, Zoho CRM, and Zoho People. It also integrates with Quickbooks for a more comprehensive view of your finances.

Integrate with other systems using the Zoho Expense API or Zapier to automate and streamline expense processes.

How to Best Manage Business Expenses

Managing business expenses is straightforward, and automating the process makes it less error-prone. Still, there are a few issues you can run into if you don’t follow these best practices:

  • Ensure that all company policies and preferences are set up correctly to maintain consistency across expense reports.
  • Regularly review and update expense categories to reflect your business’s evolving needs.
  • Utilize the Analytics feature to monitor spending patterns and identify areas for cost reduction.
  • Set up expense rules to automate categorization and streamline the approval process.
  • Integrate Zoho Expense with other business applications for seamless data sharing and improved efficiency.

Tips to Improve Expense Management Efforts

Failing to establish clear expense policies can lead to compliance issues. And neglecting to consistently update and maintain expense categories results in inaccurate data and analysis.

To improve your expense tracking efforts with Zoho Expense, use the following tips:

  1. Encourage employees to submit expenses on time and attach receipts for accurate documentation.
  2. Set up automated notifications to remind employees and approvers of pending tasks and deadlines.
  3. Regularly review expense reports to identify trends, anomalies, or potential fraud.
  4. Train employees on how to use Zoho Expense effectively, and work with a reputable third-party consultant for insights and help.

Zoho Expense Mobile App

Zoho Expense is available on both Android and iOS devices, allowing users to manage expenses on the go. The mobile app enables employees to quickly capture receipts, create and submit expense reports, and even track mileage, ensuring that expense management is convenient and efficient, no matter where they are.

Conclusion

Zoho Expense is a powerful and easy-to-use expense management platform for businesses of all sizes. Automated expense tracking and robust analytics help organizations control costs and get better insights into their spending.

For more on Zoho Expense setup, API integration, and company-wide deployment, contact our team for help.

Employee using Zoho Campaigns: Autoresponders with help of ZBrains

Zoho Campaigns: Autoresponders vs. Workflows

Published on: September 9, 2023Category: Uncategorized, Zoho Campaigns, Zoho CampaignsLast Updated: December 6, 2023 Comments: 0

Businesses use Zoho Campaigns to capture website leads, nurture them through the marketing funnel, and execute their email marketing strategy.

In this article, we’ll show you how to work with these Autoresponder and Workflow, Zoho Campaigns’ two tools for automated communication, and how you can leverage them in your email marketing campaigns for maximum impact.

Maximizing Engagement with Zoho Campaigns’ Autoresponders

In Zoho Campaigns, autoresponders allow you to create a series of emails that automatically send at predetermined intervals or based on certain actions your subscribers take, such as signing up for your newsletter, downloading an eBook, or making a purchase.

A few examples of when to use autoresponders include:

  • Welcome emails
  • Educational series
  • Abandoned cart reminders
  • Post-purchase follow-ups
  • Confirmation emails

These time-saving automations boost engagement while creating a more personalized experience for your customers.

What are Workflows?

Workflows are more sophisticated than autoresponders, as they enable you to create multi-step and multi-channel journeys.

You can use workflows to segment your subscribers into different groups based on their interests and preferences, then plan personalized messages designed to reach their inbox at exactly the right time, or in response to a trigger, such as sending a discount code when someone purchases a certain item.

In Zoho Campaigns, workflows are triggered by events or conditions that you specify in advance.

For example, you can set up a workflow so that when someone subscribes to your newsletter, they automatically receive a welcome email plus additional emails over the following weeks about your products and services.

You can also configure workflows to send out surveys or discounts based on certain criteria or customer segments such as their location or purchase history.

Like autoresponders, they are massive time savers and help keep your customers engaged. They make your life even easier by allowing you to create an automated sequence of emails and actions that can be monitored for conversions and adjusted as needed.

Autoresponders vs. Workflows: When To Use Each

Autoresponders are based on time intervals or specific subscriber actions, while workflows use more complex triggers, such as subscriber engagement, lead score, or changes in contact information.

They are also simpler tools—companies primarily use them for linear email sequences. Workflows allow you to build branching email campaigns based on multiple conditions.

Workflows offer greater flexibility in terms of targeting, segmentation, and tracking.

Use Autoresponders for:

  • Simple, time-based email sequences (e.g., welcome series, educational content)
  • Basic follow-up emails based on specific subscriber actions (e.g., abandoned cart reminders, post-purchase follow-ups)
  • Help desk or customer service emails that require immediate response (e.g., confirmation emails, account verification)

Use Workflows for:

  • Complex email campaigns that require branching and multiple conditions (e.g., targeted promotions based on user behavior or preferences)
  • Advanced targeting and segmentation (e.g., sending emails based on lead score, engagement, or changes in contact information)
  • Improved tracking and reporting to optimize email performance

How to Create Autoresponders and Workflows in Zoho Campaigns

Create an Autoresponder

To create an autoresponder, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the toolbar and select “Automation,” then choose “Autoresponders.”
  2. Click on “Create Autoresponder” and hover over the Signup autoresponder before clicking “Create.”
  3. Fill in the necessary information:
  4. a. Assign a name to the autoresponder for easy reference.
  5. b. Choose a mailing list associated with your autoresponder or create a new one if needed.
  6. c. Opt to include contacts added to your mailing list through Import and CRM Sync, if required.
  7. Click “Create.”

The Signup autoresponder offers two views: timeline and tree view. You can switch between these views using the toggle button in the top-right corner.

Create a Workflow

To create a workflow in Zoho Campaigns, follow these steps:

  1. Go to “Automation,” select “Workflows,” and click “Create Workflow” in the top-right corner.
  2. Choose a template for the desired workflow type or create a custom workflow.
  3. Select a trigger from the left panel to initiate the workflow and configure it on the canvas.
  4. Pick a flow control component or condition component from the Process section and set it up on the canvas.
  5. Add and configure actions from the Engagement, Productivity, or Zoho CRM categories.
  6. Click “Activate” in the top-right corner to enable your completed workflow.

Best Practices When Using Autoresponders and Workflows

When using Autoresponders and Workflows, remember the following best practices:

  • Be aware of your subscriber’s actions. When creating an autoresponder or workflow, consider the actions that the subscribers have already taken. For example, if someone has already made a purchase from you, don’t include them in your onboarding sequence.
  • Only send content around topics your customers have subscribed to. Make sure your content is relevant to the topics they signed up for.
  • Test and refine your emails as much as possible. Monitor email performance and adjust your campaigns accordingly. Keep track of open rates, click-through rates, unsubscribed, etc., to ensure each campaign reaches its desired goal.
  • Limit send frequency. Avoid bombarding subscribers with too many emails. Make sure you are only sending content that is engaging and valuable, as opposed to promotional or irrelevant emails.
  • Keep your messages short and sweet. Simple formatting and plain language help readers digest the information quickly, leading to higher conversion rates.

Conclusion

Zoho Campaigns is one of the most straightforward and robust email marketing platforms that you can use to create autoresponders and workflows. Autoresponders are ideal for simple, time-based email sequences while workflows are perfect for more complex campaigns with multiple conditions. 

Following the steps in this guide, you can create successful campaigns that will engage your customers and drive conversions.

If you’re still having trouble setting up and automating your campaigns, chat with us for more help.

Zoho Quickbooks Integration

Zoho CRM Integration: Benefits and Process

Published on: August 23, 2023Category: Zoho CRMLast Updated: December 6, 2023 Comments: 0

With more than 80 percent of the SMB market share, QuickBooks is by far the world’s most popular accounting software. Businesses use QuickBooks to track income and expenses, pay bills, send invoices, and produce files and reports for their accountants. Integrating Quickbooks with Zoho CRM takes account management capabilities even further, automating repetitive data entry processes and enabling more agile interactions with customers.

Simplify Sales and Order Process: QuickBooks Integration with Zoho CRM

Integrating QuickBooks with Zoho CRM saves businesses a lot of time by eliminating the need for duplicated, manual data entry. Integration helps to lessen errors in the sales and order process and eliminate data conflicts by synchronizing contacts, quotes, products, vendors, sales orders, invoices, and other data fields.zoho crm

Following integration, the salesperson can enter the order in CRM and the software manipulates the record type as the order is processed, filled, and invoiced. Once the order has been filled and invoiced, the software syncs the information back to the original system.

The process of integrating QuickBooks differs depending on whether you use QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop. Here’s an overview of the integration process for each.

QuickBooks Online <> Zoho CRM Integration

For QuickBooks Online, there are two integration alternatives – using Zoho’s integration platform, Zoho Flow, or using a service provider to allow custom syncs.

Zoho Flow is Zoho’s DIY tool for connecting cloud applications and automating complex business workflows without needing to write any code. The platform works with over 400 business applications (including QuickBooks Online) and offers over 500 ready-to-use integrations. Its drag-and-drop integration builder can also accommodate a degree of custom integration. If you need deeper integration or run into problems using Zoho Flow, reach out to us at ZBrains.

Companies that need custom synchronizations or don’t feel comfortable undertaking such an important task on their own should work with an experienced service provider like ZBrains. We’ve done hundreds of QuickBooks Online <> Zoho CRM integrations.

Modules That Can Be Synced

Essential modules that can be synced in a QuickBooks <> Zoho CRM integration include:

  • QuickBooks Customers with Zoho CRM Accounts
  • QuickBooks Customers with Zoho CRM Contacts
  • QuickBooks Items with Zoho CRM Products
  • QuickBooks Vendors with Zoho CRM Vendors

Transactional modules that can be synced include:

  • QuickBooks Invoices with Zoho CRM Invoices
  • QuickBooks Sales Orders with Zoho CRM Sales Orders
  • QuickBooks Estimates with Zoho CRM Quotes
  • QuickBooks Purchase Orders with Zoho CRM Purchase Orders

Other modules that can be synced include but are not limited to:

  • QuickBooks Jobs <> Zoho Deals
  • QuickBooks Payments <> Zoho Payments

Major Steps in the Integration Process

All integrations include at least seven major steps, starting with the discovery phase and continuing through ongoing support post-integration.

Discovery

Before any work begins, there should be one or more planning sessions to develop the information needed to create integration specifications. These specifications will be followed in field mapping, deploying the integration, and establishing the appropriate settings.

Systems backup

Next, test environments and data backups of both QuickBooks and Zoho CRM should be created before the integration deploys.

Deployment and Testing

The deployment process, which includes integration planning, data cleanup, and field mapping, is typically completed in less than one day. That includes time spent meeting with the deployment engineers, creating test records, and verifying data.

This process typically incorporates screen-sharing sessions and involves the use of a tool such as ZBrains AgilitySync.

Sync and migrate data between systems

Data from Zoho CRM to QuickBooks or QuickBooks to Zoho CRM can be migrated from as far back as 2012. This is a labor-intensive process that normally adds 2-4 weeks to the integration timeline.

Ongoing support

However your integration is undertaken, you will need ongoing support for tasks such as mapping and settings changes, bug fixes, and answers to any questions you may have along the way.

Efficient QuickBooks Desktop Integration: Expert Guidance

Since QuickBooks Desktop is locally hosted, integrations are more complicated and there is no ready-made integration option.

You will need to use a service provider who can help you decide whether integrating directly to Zoho CRM or migrating first to Zoho Books is the best option for you. ZBrains has extensive experience working with companies on their QuickBooks Desktop integrations, with or without a Zoho Books migration.

Conclusion

Any business can reap the benefits of a QuickBooks <> Zoho CRM integration, from saving time and eliminating data conflicts, to strengthening the sales cycle and enhancing the overall customer experience. ZBrains provides total deployment assistance for QuickBooks <> Zoho CRM integrations, including standard and custom field mappings, data migration, conditional syncing, and more.

Reach out today for more information.

ZBrains Zoho Inventory Pricing

Zoho Inventory Pricing: Create Bundles for Maximum Sales

Published on: July 5, 2023Category: Zoho CRMLast Updated: May 8, 2024 Comments: 0

Grouping products together creates a number of benefits, such as making it easier to organize your items and increasing your selling power by enabling you to create retail product bundles with attractive pricing. 

If you’re new to Zoho Inventory, let’s take a closer look at some of the sales and marketing advantages of bundling products, as well as how to do so in Zoho. 

The Advantages of Zoho Inventory Pricing Bundling for Sales

When you bundle products, you can increase your revenue and stay ahead of your competitors by packaging two or more products together at an attractive price. Further, inventory bundling makes it possible to:

  • Increase your sales margin by cross-selling products. Bundling helps introduce customers to products that are compatible with each other, potentially increasing your customers’ spend at checkout. 
  • Keep your dead stock moving. Stock that’s not selling can weigh heavily on your business. With bundling, you can move slow-selling products more quickly by grouping them with other, more desirable items. 
  • Encourage your customer to buy more. If you incentivize higher spending with free shipping, for example, inventory bundling can help your customers reach your minimum order threshold. 
  • Promote new products effortlessly. When you bundle a new or obscure product with an already popular item, it’s more likely to gain a presence in your shop. 
  • Accelerate the fulfillment process. The bigger the customer’s shopping cart, the easier it is to fulfill and ship the order than if they ordered the same items across several individual purchases. With Inventory Bundles, you can package, ship, and track one single commodity, speeding up the order fulfillment process. 

How to Create Zoho Inventory Bundles

Within Zoho Inventory Pricing, Inventory Bundles are created within Composite Items or Sales Transactions. To take advantage of Bundles, you’ll need to have the Composite Items feature enabled within Zoho. Do this by navigating to Settings > Preferences > Items, and then click the ‘Enable Composite Items’ checkbox. Now, Composite Items will be accessible within the Items module.

Now, you’ll have two options for bundling in Zoho:

Bundling Items from Composite Items

  1. Open Zoho CRM
  2. Go to the Composite Items module under Items from the left sidebar
  3. Open the Composite Item for which you want to create a unique bundle
  4. Click the Create Bundle button

ZBrains Zoho Inventory Bundles Screenshot 6

From here, you’ll need to specify the Bundling#, Bundling Date, Quantity to Bundle, and the warehouse within which you’d like to create the Bundle for this Composite Item.

ZBrains Zoho Inventory Bundles Screenshot 5

Finally, if you’ve enabled serial or batch number tracking for your Composite Item, you can use the screen pictured below to enter the serial or batch numbers for the bundle quantity.

ZBrains Zoho Inventory Bundles Screenshot 4

During this process, any items or services that are associated with the Composite Item will be auto-populated (you can also add, change, or remove items, as needed). Once your bundle is saved, the necessary adjustments will be made to your Zoho Inventory. 

If needed, you can also view past Bundle activity by visiting the Bundling History section and clicking the number associated with an individual Bundle.

ZBrains Zoho Inventory Bundles Screenshot 3

Creating Bundles from Sales Transactions

If you find yourself in a situation where the quantity in demand for one or more of your Composite Items is greater than the quantity you have available, you’ll want to use the Bundle option within sales orders or invoices to generate the quantity required.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Go to the Sales Orders or Invoices module under Sales from the left sidebar of Zoho Inventory
  2. Create a new sales order or invoice and add a Composite Item
  3. Specify the number of Composite Items ordered by your customer (note that the quantity ordered will need to exceed the available quality shown to trigger the Bundle option to appear)

Zbrains Inventory Bundles Screenshot 2

4. Click the Bundle option, and the required quantity of Composite Items that need to be bundled will be calculated automatically

ZBrains Zoho Inventory Bundles Screenshot 1

Creating Zoho Inventory Pricing Bundles in Zoho CRM gives you the flexibility needed to customize Composite Items for individual customers—for example, to add extra products or services to sweeten the deal for a single buyer.

However, we also recognize that managing Zoho Inventory Pricing can be tricky. If you have questions about working with Composite Items or Bundles in Zoho, get in touch with the expert team at ZBrains for assistance.

ZBrains Omnichannel Personalization

Zoho Analytics: Customize Marketing for Omnichannel Personalization

Published on: June 9, 2023Category: Zoho AnalyticsLast Updated: July 1, 2024 Comments: 0

Zoho Analytics is a powerful tool for businesses looking to achieve omnichannel personalization in their marketing strategies. As a cloud-based business intelligence and analytics solution, companies can easily create insightful reports, dashboards, and visualizations. 

With features such as pre-built connectors, dynamic dashboards, and more, Zoho Analytics aids marketers in making better decisions on how to allocate resources for optimizing campaigns across multiple channels. Here, we’ll take a look at how to put it to good use by building an omnichannel marketing dashboard based on best practices we’ve observed working with ZBrains’ clients.

How does Zoho Analytics enable Omnichannel Personalization?

Zoho Analytics offers an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop builder that allows marketers to create custom dashboards with powerful visualizations, enabling omnichannel personalization. The platform includes several features that make it an ideal tool for creating an omnichannel marketing dashboard, including:

  • Pre-built connectors to quickly and easily connect data from multiple sources
  • Dynamic dashboards and drill-down reports, enabling marketers to slice and dice their data in real-time
  • Role-based access control, allowing organizations to manage who can access and edit dashboards
  • Automated data refresh, making it easy to maintain up-to-date reports
  • Advanced analytics with powerful AI capabilities for predicting future trends

However, Zoho can’t do it all on its own. For example, data from external sources must be connected to the platform before it can be used in dashboards. For this reason, it’s essential to understand the data sources available and how to connect them to Zoho.

Connecting Data Sources for Omnichannel Personalization with Zoho Analytics

Zoho Analytics provides a wide range of pre-built connectors that allow marketers to quickly and easily connect data from multiple sources.

To start, log in to your Zoho account and click the ‘Data Sources tab. Here, you’ll find a list of all the supported data sources and instructions on how to connect them.

Once the data sources are connected, you can begin creating your dashboard. Zoho Analytics provides several drag-and-drop options allowing marketers to create custom dashboards quickly. You can also use templates and widgets to customize the dashboard further.

Pulling Data From Multiple Sources With Zoho

Once your sources are connected, the next step is to combine data from multiple sources within your dashboard. 

To do this, select the data sources from which you want to pull data and then drag and drop them into the dashboard. You can customize the visuals using widgets, charts, and other elements.

Metrics to Track Using Omnichannel Personalization Reporting

Depending on your omnichannel strategy, there are several different metrics you may want to track in your dashboard.

SEO and Website Metrics

Key metrics to track:

  • Organic Traffic
  • Bounce Rate
  • Conversion Rate
  • Conversion Volume
  • Time on Site

You may also want to use Zoho Analytics to track the SEO performance of your content and campaigns (i.e., keywords, topic authority, backlinks, etc.), as this will help you understand how well your content is performing in terms of search engine rankings.

Social Media Metrics

Key metrics to track:

  • Total Dollars Spent (by campaign)
  • Number of Leads
  • Percent Junk (i.e., spam)
  • Cost per Click (CPC) (by campaign)
  • Cost per Lead (by campaign)
  • Revenue Generated (by campaign)
  • Return on ad spend (RoAS)

To get a complete picture of social media performance, you should monitor qualitative metrics like sentiment and user engagement. These metrics can be a little harder to measure but can provide valuable insights into the success of your campaigns.

SEM Metrics

Since many SEM activities are paid, they share some overlap with the metrics tracked for paid social media campaigns. The essential KPIs include:

  • Cost per Click (CPC)
  • Total Dollars Spent
  • Revenue Generated
  • Return on Ad Spend (RoAS)

Zoho Analytics can also help you monitor the cost and quality of the clicks you get for omnichannel personalization. This includes metrics like ad relevancy, click-through rate (CTR), impression rate, and keyword relevance. You can also compare your ad metrics against your SEO and web conversion metrics to determine whether or not your ads are worth the money.

Traditional Media

Finally, traditional media includes channels like television, radio, print, and out-of-home (OOH) advertising. Businesses can track metrics like budget spent, impressions, reach, and audience engagement in their dashboard.

Mostly traditional media outlets are mainly used for PR campaigns. These KPIs measure brand awareness and reach, ad recall, cost-effectiveness, and overall ROI.

Tips for a Successful Implementation and Choosing What to Track

Here are a few tips to ensure you get started on the right track with your new omnichannel dashboard:

  1. Start by mapping out your objectives. Could you identify the KPIs you want to track and ensure they align with your business and marketing goals?
  2. Choose data sources wisely. You can select only the seeds that will give you the most valuable insights into your marketing efforts.
  3. Use the proper connectors and integrations. Depending on the platform you are using for your dashboard, you may need to configure special connectors or integrations to pull data.
  4. Identify key performance indicators for each channel. Each channel should have its own set of KPIs, so could you make sure to track the right metrics?
  5. Create a dashboard that is user-friendly and informative. Could you ensure the dashboard is easy to navigate, understand, and use?
  6. Automate where possible. Automation can save you time and ensure the accuracy of your data.
  7. Avoid tracking too many KPIs. Too many metrics mean more work, so focus on the most critical KPIs for your business.

Some of the most commonly used Analytics connectors include Facebook Ads, Facebook Custom Audiences, Google Ads, Google Analytics, and LinkedIn Ads. Specific integrations you might want to consider having: 

  • VoIP: Integrating with VoIP services can help you track phone calls and conversations, mainly if your organization uses a service like RingCentral or Aircall.
  • Integrations with ESPs: Integrating with email marketing service providers (ESPs) like MailChimp, Constant Contact, and SendinBlue will allow you to track the performance of your email campaigns (if you aren’t managing your email marketing within Zoho).
  • Callrail: This call-tracking software helps you analyze the performance of your calls and conversations.
  • Clearbit: Integrating Zoho with Clearbit can help you get enriched data about your customers, such as job titles and social profiles.
  • ZoomInfo: This contact database aggregates publicly available data on businesses and people. Integrating with ZoomInfo can help you get insights into your target market.

Lastly, omnichannel personalization using Zoho Analytics is a way to boost customer satisfaction and drive sales.

We understand that setting up an omnichannel marketing dashboard in Zoho Analytics can be daunting. That’s why ZBrains is here to help. Our experienced professionals can guide you through the entire process, from data integration and customization to dashboard creation and optimization.

With ZBrains expertise, you can better understand your customer’s behavior and preferences and use that knowledge to deliver personalized experiences that drive engagement and loyalty. Please get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help you achieve your marketing goals with Zoho Analytics.