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Employees Using Zoho Sprints with help of ZBrains

Zoho Sprints: Agile Project Management Made Easy

Published on: December 15, 2022Category: Zoho Projects, Zoho SprintsLast Updated: November 13, 2023 Comments: 0

Any project management solution comes with pros and cons. But if your company has committed to agile project management workflows, Zoho Sprints is worth serious consideration.

Not sure what agile project management is or how it works? In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at Zoho agile project management practices, including a breakdown of the difference between Zoho Projects and Zoho Sprints for agile shops. 

How does Agile project management improve product development?

According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), agile practices “aim for early, measurable ROI through defined, iterative delivery of product increments. They feature continuous involvement of the customer throughout the product development cycle. Although agile has its roots in software and IT, agile adoption is growing and expanding in a wide range of industries.”

Agile project management involves breaking projects into individual tasks that are delivered on a periodic basis. This approach also allows for a more iterative, responsive way of working that enables stakeholders to incorporate relevant feedback as the project develops. 

“Scrum” is one particular agile project management technique that divides complicated projects into smaller, simpler units. At the end of each iteration (known as a “sprint”), the team reports on its progress and gathers feedback. Once this data is received and analyzed, another sprint begins, based on the customer feedback. 

How Zoho Sprints Agile Project Management Works

Zoho Sprints is Zoho’s first-ever agile project management software. Developed using scrum methodology, Sprints enables businesses to plan, execute, and deliver complicated projects by segmenting them across various modules. 

With Sprints, you can set up backlogs for your projects, divide these backlogs into scheduled sprints, and work on them in an iterative, collaborative way. 

Implementing Zoho Sprints is relatively simple. First, create your project, and use Zoho’s prompts to add users and manage your project’s settings. 

Once your project is set up, you’ll be able to create individual work items and sprints. 

From here, you can drag and drop work items from your backlog into your sprints, assign tasks to relevant users, and kick off your individual sprints.

Once your sprints start, you’ll be able to access fully customizable scrum boards, which let you visualize your tasks and move them through different stages or statuses. You can also create “Epics” which group items that share the same objective.

You’ll also want to check out the Charts and Reports feature, where you can monitor and compare sprints, as well as track your team members’ performance. The Timetrack module tracks your billable vs non-billable hours, while the Meetings module lets you set up sprint reviews and meetings. 

Zoho Sprints vs Zoho Projects: Choosing the Right Option

Having said that, one of the questions we hear a lot at ZBrains is: what is the difference between Zoho Projects and Sprints, and how do I know which one to use? 

Both Zoho Projects and Zoho Sprints are solid project management solutions, each offering efficient and coherent approaches to delivering projects. That said, any software solution has its own strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the right one largely comes down to the nature of your projects. 

Macro vs. Micro Project Management 

Zoho Projects makes it easy to visualize projects as a whole, including their steps, processes, and target outcomes. In other words, Projects is a good option for projects that begin with a robust plan (such as those following the waterfall methodology) or for projects you intend to replicate in the future. 

Zoho Sprints, on the other hand, is especially useful for projects that are being planned and implemented in stages. Because projects in Sprints are broken down into smaller cycles with periodic outcomes, the tool makes it easy for stakeholders to check in, evaluate progress, and adjust the project at regular intervals.  

In summary, Sprints is good for projects that need to be able to adapt and change, whereas Projects is ideal for simpler projects with more robust plans that aren’t expected to change. 

Value for Money 

As of December 1, 2022, both Zoho Projects and Zoho Sprints offer a free trial period to let you try out the software at no cost. That said, while Projects has a free tier, all of Sprints’ tiers are paid. 

The free version of Projects includes up to 3 users and up to 2 projects. From there, pricing begins at $18 per month (based on a minimum of 6 users at $3 per user per month) and includes a maximum of 10 projects. The next pricing tier begins at $4 per user, per month, with a minimum of 15 users and unlimited projects.

Sprints begins at $12 per month for up to 12 users. Customers requiring 13-100 users are billed $5 per user, per month (which can be paid either monthly or annually). 

Integrations

Both Projects and Sprints integrate with other Zoho apps, as well as MS Teams, MS Office, Bitbucket, and GitHub. Using Zapier, both Sprints and Projects can connect to over 2,000 Google apps. 

In addition, Zoho Sprints integrates with GitLab and Jenkins, while Projects integrate with many others, including Slack, iCal, Zen Desk, Google, and Crashlytics. 

Team Management

While both Projects and Sprints offer communications tools, Sprints includes additional features for tracking your teams, gathering data after each sprint, and holding meetings to enable collaboration. Sprint also offers reports and insights into your team’s performance. 

In comparison, Projects allows users to assign and monitor tasks, specify tasks’ priority, and send reminders to team members. You can also monitor time sheets and track issues that might arise in the project. 

Getting Started with Zoho Sprints

Ready to learn more about Zoho Sprints, including whether or not it’s the right choice for your agile project management approach? Connect with the ZBrains team directly for customized suggestions, based on your unique project specifications.  

ZBrains Discussing How Contract CRM can help Business Owners

Using Zoho Contracts to Streamline Your Contract Process

Published on: December 6, 2022Category: Zoho ContractsLast Updated: May 23, 2023 Comments: 0

Zoho Contracts is a comprehensive platform that allows businesses to streamline the contract process, facilitating everything from contract signings to contract workflows and transition management during contract changes.

But how exactly does Zoho Contracts work in practice, and how does it benefit your business? Here’s how Zoho Contracts makes the contract management process easy and pain-free. 

Simplify Contract Management with Zoho Contracts

Contracts are a big part of any business, but it’s how you manage them that’s important. 

Generally speaking, businesses need a tight contract process to ensure nothing is overlooked and your business is protected—and picking the right contract management software is foundational to building a tight contract management process. 

Zoho Contracts is purpose-built to save time and reduce errors by integrating cleanly with your CRM, facilitating close collaboration with sales, making redlining simple, and keeping your contract management tasks and terms centralized and up-to-date in a single location.

Not only does CRM integration help you avoid silos and improve transparency, but it may also improve sales cycle times by reducing delays between contract approval stages. When you integrate your contracting process into your CRM, you’re able to bring teams together—notably, your legal and sales teams—so that they can work collaboratively to the same end. 

Contract Creation

Once your CRM is integrated with Zoho Contracts, there are a number of features you can take advantage of when creating your contracts.

Contract Templates That Save You Time

Zoho Contracts provides industry-standard contract templates that can be used out of the box or adapted at the advice of legal counsel—regardless of your business or industry size. 

Because these templates have been legally reviewed, your contract teams can work more quickly to move contract workflows along (though it’s important to note that legal review by your company’s designated counsel is still appropriate to ensure they’re legally enforceable). 

In addition, Zoho Contracts offers a standard clause library with template text you can simply copy and paste into your contracts—again, saving you time over manually writing your own language. 

Contract Authoring to Limit Legal Liability and Improve Enforceability

Manually authoring contracts can be time-consuming and cost-intensive, as legal teams have to look out for language consistency issues that might otherwise leave them open to human error and unanticipated risks. 

Zoho Contracts limits this liability through features that ensure language remains consistent across your documents. In addition, with Zoho Contracts, your contract authoring workflows benefit from the program’s simple user interface for building, editing, sharing, and reviewing contracts across internal teams and external users.  

Contract Processing

Once contracts are created, additional features within Zoho Contracts help to streamline their processing.

Easy Approval Workflows that Reduce Errors

First, contract approval features in Zoho Contracts ensure all stakeholders get the chance to review a contract’s terms and conditions, as well as keep abreast of involved risks and opportunities. 

Zoho Contracts also makes it possible for contract admins to create multiple approval workflows, associate them with different contract types, and assign approval processes to be completed before submitting contracts to prospects or clients. 

Whether you set up a sequential or a parallel approval workflow, the approval process can be fully automated, reducing errors and saving time in getting contracts signed off. 

Make Negotiations and Review Less Complicated

In the contract lifecycle, the negotiation stage is crucial. Whatever your negotiation strategy or process, it’s this phase that will set the tone of your relationship moving forward. 

That being said, negotiations can be challenging to manage from a contracts point of view. With Zoho Contracts, you can negotiate entirely online, seamlessly manage redlining, view contract version histories, and even gain analytical insights into your negotiations. This both improves the quality of your negotiations and saves you time and resources in the process. 

Transparent Obligation Management 

Once your contracts have been signed and executed, it can be easy to overlook the issue of contractual fulfillment. Even with the most explicit contract terms—with all parties in agreement—if this process isn’t tracked and reviewed, contract breaches can occur. 

With Zoho Contracts, obligation management becomes transparent. You can add obligations, check them off as they’re fulfilled, and review outstanding obligations as often as needed. You can also prioritize obligations, assign obligations to specific team members, and receive alerts and reminders to ensure obligations are being fulfilled. 

A Less Frustrating Change Management Process

When any new contract comes into effect, managing its effects across the organization can be tricky. That’s why Zoho Contracts’ change management feature includes smart letter and activity-tracking capabilities, enabling parties to be notified of changes when they happen so that they can feel in full control of the process. 

Reliable & Industry-Leading Data Protection

Finally, with government regulations such as GDPR and CCPA impacting the way organizations manage data, it’s imperative that they correctly manage any personally identifiable information (PII) captured during the contract process. 

Zoho Contracts secures your stakeholders’ data, ensuring not only that data remains safe—a legal necessity—but that your relationship and trust remain intact as well. Its data protection feature helps your business avoid data breaches while also fulfilling your confidentiality obligations. 

In Summary

Managing contracts is a critical fact of life for businesses, but it isn’t always an easy one from an operational perspective. With Zoho Contracts in place, you can rest assured that not only will you avoid the pitfalls of miscommunication, human error, and wasted time, but you’ll benefit from the program’s cost savings and the streamlining of your operations as well.

For more on how to implement and integrate Zoho Contracts into your CRM, reach out to the Zoho experts at ZBrains.  

Migrating from Hubspot to Zoho with help of ZBrains

Hubspot Migration: How to Migrate Data to Zoho CRM?

Published on: October 19, 2022Category: Certified Zoho Consultants, Zoho CRMLast Updated: October 21, 2024 Comments: 0

The decision to transition between customer relationship management (CRM) programs shouldn’t be made lightly. In fact, 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. 

A Woman Connecting Facebook Lead Ads to Zoho CRM

Connect Facebook Lead Ads to Zoho CRM: Integration Guide

Published on: September 22, 2022Category: Zoho Analytics, Zoho Campaigns, Zoho CRM, Zoho MarketingHubLast Updated: October 21, 2024 Comments: 0

In today’s digital age, harnessing the power of social media platforms is crucial for businesses to expand their reach and engage with potential customers. Facebook, being one of the most popular social media platforms, offers an effective advertising solution called Facebook Lead Ads. These ads allow businesses to capture valuable lead information directly from their Facebook ads. However, to effectively manage and utilize these leads, integrating Facebook Lead Ads with a robust customer relationship management (CRM) system like Zoho CRM is essential. This integration guide aims to provide a comprehensive walkthrough, empowering businesses to seamlessly connect their Facebook Lead Ads to Zoho CRM and optimize their lead generation and customer management processes.

Lead generation is a critical aspect of any business strategy. The Facebook Lead Ads program—which involves capturing prospective customers’ information via social media—can be a user-friendly option for identifying and capturing new leads. 

But for lead generation to be effective, it must be followed up with plenty of nurturing and analysis so that you can reach the best prospects who are most likely to convert into customers or clients. Integrating your Facebook Lead campaigns into your Zoho CRM allows you to keep all of your lead generation efforts in one place, while also facilitating lead nurture in real-time. 

To take advantage of these benefits, however, you’ll need to connect your Facebook Lead Ads to Zoho CRM. Here’s how to do it:

How can Facebook Lead Ads help in generating new leads effectively?

Facebook Lead Ads can be an easy way to generate new leads, as it allows you to run your marketing message within a venue you know your prospective customers frequent. Reaching people where they already are—in this case, Facebook—minimizes friction and increases the likelihood of your ads being seen.

Within Facebook, when prospects tap on one of your ads, a form pops up that’s already prepopulated with their Facebook contact information. All it takes is a few taps for them to get the information they need, while you generate a new lead for your business. 

Why Zoho CRM Partners Well with Facebook Lead Ads

By syncing your Zoho CRM account with your Facebook Ad Leads account, new leads can be automatically integrated into your CRM. As a result, you won’t have to manually export leads from your Facebook lead campaigns for import into your CRM. Instead, every time you get a new lead, it can be automatically saved to your Zoho CRM database, along with extra information such as the source of the lead.  

Additional Benefits of Zoho CRM Integration

Turning Conversations into Opportunities

Not only does Zoho CRM let you follow up on your Facebook leads, but it also lets you add leads from your listening streams, even if you’re not running an ad campaign. 

You can add these leads from the Social Tab manually, or set up triggers to automatically add leads from interactions that happen on your Facebook page. You can then assign these leads to your sales reps with specific rules, tasks, and reminders. 

Bringing Facebook and CRM Conversations Together

When a contact has been added to your Zoho CRM, you can go to your Social Tab and access their information, history, and activities. In addition, you can see their recent social interactions with your business so that you can respond appropriately to their social posts and comments. 

Engaging with Your Audience Live

Using the Social Tab in your Zoho CRM, you can easily create new social media posts or reply to comments and messages in real-time. Rather than switching between Facebook and Zoho CRM, you can keep your audience engaged from within a single platform. 

Tracking Conversations About Your Brand

By setting up listening streams that monitor when a prospect or competitor messages you or mentions you, you can manage your Facebook conversations in real-time. SalesSignals gives you real-time Facebook notifications via Zoho CRM. 

How to Connect Facebook Lead Ads to Zoho CRM

To connect your Facebook Lead Ads with your Zoho CRM account, you’ll need to use one of the Facebook Ad management extensions found within Zoho CRM’s marketplace.

Step #1: Install Facebook Advert Manager

To begin, you can either navigate to the Zoho Marketplace and install the Facebook Advert Manager extension, or you can log in to your Zoho CRM account and install it from there. Once the extension has been added to your CRM, take the following steps:

  1. Go to Setup > Marketplace > All
  2. Search for Facebook Adverts Manager
  3. Click Install Now

In the following screen, agree to the terms of service and click Install Now.

Select the users for whom you want to install the extension, and then click Confirm. Then, click Authorize on the following screen:

Finally, in the pop-up that appears, specify the username and password of your Facebook account, and click Continue.

Step #2: Import Your Facebook Ads

Once you’ve installed and authorized the Facebook Advert Manager Extension, you can start importing your ad data into Zoho CRM. When you first set up the extension, you’ll need to perform a complete import of your data.

  1. Within Zoho CRM, select the Facebook Advert Manager tab
  2. On the Facebook Advert Manager page, click Import
  3. This will import all the ads and ad sets that are associated with your Facebook account into Zoho CRM

Once this step is complete, you’ll be able to view and manage all of your ad campaigns from this tab itself. This will take some time, however, depending on the amount of ad data you have to import.

Additionally, if you’ve made changes in Facebook and want them to be reflected in Zoho, you may need to manually update your ads on the Facebook Advert Manager page. To update the details of a particular ad, select the required Advert ID and click Import Advert. The current status of the selected ad will be updated.

To import new ads from Facebook, click the Import button at the top right-hand corner of the window. This will not only import new ads from Facebook, but will update all of your existing ads as well.

Once you’ve successfully connected your Facebook Lead Ads account to Zoho CRM, you can take advantage of Zoho marketing campaign tools to easily nurture and convert the new leads you generate—as well as analyze your new data to create stronger campaigns.

FAQs: Integrating Facebook Lead Ads with Zoho CRM 

  1. What is the benefit of integrating Facebook Lead Ads with Zoho CRM?

Integrating Facebook Lead Ads with Zoho CRM offers several advantages. It automatically transfers lead data from Facebook to your CRM, streamlining your lead-generation efforts. Additionally, you can follow up on leads, engage with your audience in real time, and track conversations about your brand, all from within the Zoho CRM platform.

  1. Do I need technical expertise to connect Facebook Lead Ads to Zoho CRM?

You can use extensive technical knowledge. Zoho CRM’s user-friendly interface and the Facebook Advert Manager extension make the integration process straightforward. Just follow the step-by-step guide in the article to connect your accounts seamlessly.

  1. Can I import existing Facebook ads into Zoho CRM after integration?

You can import your existing Facebook ads and ad sets into Zoho CRM using the Facebook Advert Manager extension. Once connected, you can completely import your ad data into the CRM.

  1. How long does it take to import my Facebook ad data into Zoho CRM?

The time it takes to import your Facebook ad data into Zoho CRM may vary depending on the amount of data you have. For larger datasets, the import process might take longer. However, once the initial import is complete, you can easily manage and update your ads in real time.

  1. Can Zoho CRM help me nurture leads beyond Facebook campaigns?

Absolutely! Zoho CRM’s comprehensive lead management features allow you to nurture leads from various sources, including interactions on your Facebook page and other listening streams. You can set up triggers to automatically add leads and assign them to sales reps, facilitating lead nurturing and follow-up.

  1. How does Zoho CRM’s Social Tab help with engagement on Facebook?

The Social Tab in Zoho CRM enables you to interact with your audience on Facebook without leaving the CRM platform. You can create and schedule new social media posts, respond to comments and messages, and monitor real-time conversations. This keeps your engagement efficient and centralized.

  1. Can Zoho CRM provide real-time notifications for Facebook interactions?

Yes, Zoho CRM’s SalesSignals feature provides real-time notifications for Facebook interactions. This means you can stay informed about prospect messages or mentions as they happen, allowing you to respond promptly and take advantage of opportunities.

  1. Is Zoho CRM suitable for businesses of all sizes?

Yes, Zoho CRM is suitable for organizations of all sizes, from small startups to major corporations. Its scalable features and customizable options make it a versatile CRM solution for businesses looking to optimize lead generation, customer management, and sales processes.

  1. Can I analyze the performance of my Facebook Lead Ads within Zoho CRM?

Yes, Zoho CRM offers robust reporting and analytics tools that allow you to track the performance of your Facebook Lead Ads campaigns. You can gain valuable insights into lead generation, conversion rates, and campaign effectiveness to make data-driven decisions and improve your marketing strategies.

  1. Are there additional costs for integrating Facebook Lead Ads with Zoho CRM?

The Facebook Advert Manager extension is available in the Zoho Marketplace, and its installation is generally accessible.

However, depending on your usage and specific requirements, additional costs may be associated with Zoho CRM’s premium features or higher-tier plans. Remember, by integrating Facebook Lead Ads with Zoho CRM, you can enhance your lead generation efforts, improve lead nurture, and manage your customer relationships more efficiently, leading to better business growth and success.

Have further questions about connecting Facebook Lead Ads to Zoho CRM? Need help maximizing the value of the data you generate from these campaigns? Get in touch with our team of Zoho specialists for customized assistance. 

A Business Department Using Zoho Desk Teams and Zoho Desk Departments

Using Zoho Desk Teams and Departments Effectively

Published on: August 5, 2022Category: Zoho Desk, Zoho DeskLast Updated: October 21, 2024 Comments: 0

Running a help desk system provides tremendous business value by keeping customer requests from falling through the cracks, helping to improve the customer experience and lower churn. Working with a platform like Zoho Desk also benefits managers and executives, who can use support desk performance data to improve customer outcomes and overall productivity.

Generally speaking, Zoho Desk works like any other help desk or customer service desk–think Zendesk or Freshdesk. It issues tickets, assigns them to individuals, and then tracks their progress as each ticket gets resolved. 

That said, there is still a lot of confusion that exists about the platform. One question in particular that we often get at ZBrains when our users are setting up Zoho Desk is the difference between Zoho Desk Teams and Zoho Desk Departments–as well as how you use them appropriately.

Because there is a major difference between the two, let us take a closer look at each of them, including the various scenarios in which you would use each. 

Zoho Desk Teams and Ticket Management

In Zoho Desk, a Team is a group of “agents” all sitting in the same department. When you upload a new profile to Zoho Desk, they appear as individual “agents.” You can then create “Teams” into which you can add multiple agents. A Team might represent a subdepartment, a project, or any kind of subdivision within a department. 

When a customer submits a new ticket, you can assign it to an agent, a Team, or an agent within a Team. That agent or Team will then get to work on the ticket by following the ticket blueprints, which you will have already set up. 

Zoho Desk will then track that ticket via various metrics, such as response times, customer satisfaction ratings, and product-specific issues. These metrics can be agent-specific or department-wide. 

What are Departments in Zoho Desk?

“Departments” are how you fully segment Zoho Desk to represent the departments or segments within your company. You can, for example, use it to differentiate between different brands, knowledge bases, locations, and other entities within your organization. 

When Should You Use Zoho Desk Departments? 

In short, we would advise you to only set up a new Zoho Desk Department if you need to. For example, if your organization deals with separate brands or knowledge bases, it stands to reason that you would want to keep these brands apart. 

In fact, you may already have separate domains–and, therefore, email addresses–linked to those separate brands. In this case, you would benefit from setting up entirely separate Zoho Desk interfaces to keep them distinguishable from one another. 

Another scenario where using different Zoho Desk Departments is appropriate is when you want to keep two departments within your organization separate. 

Take, for example, your HR and Customer Service departments. It is highly unlikely that you would want to reassign tasks between these two departments–and you are likely to have different sets of users working in those areas, anyways. In this case, it makes sense to keep them separate and to set up entirely distinct departments. 

When Should You Not Use Zoho Desk Departments? 

While there are advantages to using separate Zoho Desk Departments, there are cases where the extra effort is not appropriate. Since setting up separate Departments is a big task, it is worth avoiding it, if possible. 

Further, remember that there is a hard cut between Departments. As a result, you cannot assign tickets to another department within your organization. If you have multiple teams that collaborate closely, working within a single Department allows them to retain this functionality.

Effectively, as long as your teams operate within the same knowledge base, brand, and department, using “Teams” as your ticketing differentiator should make the most sense. 

Of course, we also recognize that every company’s structure and needs are different. If you have any other questions about Zoho Desk Teams and Zoho Desk Departments, reach out to the team at ZBrains. Our team of Zoho experts can help you clarify the specific solution that is best for your requirements.

ZBrains Zoho CRM Reports Graph

Maximize Sales with Zoho CRM Reports: Analytics Reporting Guide

Published on: August 3, 2022Category: Zoho Analytics, Zoho CRM, Zoho CRM, Zoho Reports, Zoho ReportsLast Updated: May 8, 2024 Comments: 0

Of all the advantages of using Zoho, one of the most compelling is the platform’s simple, yet in-depth reporting applications. 

Depending on what you need to report on, you may find that the basic reporting options built into Zoho CRM suffice. Alternatively (or, additionally), you can tap into the power of the more advanced Zoho Analytics when you need to get a deeper understanding of how your business functions.

With that in mind, let us explore each in turn, looking more closely at the advantages and disadvantages of Zoho CRM or Zoho Analytics. 

Zoho CRM

As a CRM, Zoho’s offering is well-rounded and user-friendly, offering most businesses everything they need to keep track of customer relationships. 

From a reporting perspective, Zoho CRM comes with its own reporting engine that is customizable and operates in real-time. As a result, the program enables you to run reports on key relationship and sales metrics, as well as email them out on a scheduled basis. Zoho CRM also comes pre-built with a myriad of reports useful for sales, account management, and front office leadership.

Building Your Dashboards

In the Zoho CRM reporting window, you will see a list of records that you can build into tables, including pivot tables and pivot charts:

You can choose a range of components to group into your dashboards, as well as place components on your home screen. 

An example of a group of components

An example of a dashboard

That said, while Zoho CRM allows you to choose the time or table that best represents your data, it does not allow you to change how your query is built. When you choose the type of table you want to use, Zoho writes the query for you. 

Scheduling Your Reports

With Zoho CRM, you can schedule reports to be automatically sent out by email, which can streamline internal progress reporting and status updates. 

Simply go to the left-hand menu, pick Scheduled Reports, and enter the report you want to have emailed out on a regular basis. 

The major advantage Zoho CRM reporting is real-time but limited to CRM data with no drill-down configuration. If you need additional reporting capabilities beyond what Zoho CRM can provide, you may want to look into Zoho Analytics.

Zoho Analytics

Zoho Analytics is Zoho’s business intelligence and analytics platform. Zoho Analytics allows you to review and report on data from a variety of data sources, as well as customize how that data is presented and shared. 

Data Sources

Incorporating data from multiple sources means that Zoho Analytics facilitates a much deeper dive into your data. In addition to Zoho data points, you can also use Analytics to pull in data from external applications, such as Google Analytics, YouTube, Google Ads, or Facebook. 

Within Analytics, simply select your chosen data sources, and pull them into the same workspace. From there, you will be able to query those different tables together to build reports that span across each application. 

Customizing Your Data Drill-Downs

Like Zoho CRM, Analytics allows you to choose from a variety of charts to present your data. However, with Zoho Analytics, you also have the option to customize charts and tables for tailored insights with Zoho Analytics.

Once you have built your table or chart, you can drag and drop them onto your dashboard for enhanced visibility. 

You can also utilize global filters–such as user, team, and date–to drill down into your data. For example, if you wanted to check on an individual team’s performance, you could filter your reports by team. All of the charts and tables that include a team filter would then be updated and displayed accordingly. 

Trend Reporting

One final feature that may make Zoho Analytics a better fit for your organization is its predictive capabilities. Analytics displays trends and projections, enabling informed predictions for future business decisions and investments.  

As a note, this is not an ‘either/or’ situation. You can Embed Zoho Analytics reports into Zoho CRM via the Analytics widget, by inputting the dashboard URL. Overall, Zoho Analytics is valuable for teams needing trend reporting, global filtering, and multiple data sources.

It is worth keeping in mind, however, that Analytics is not a real-time dashboard. The tradeoff for this enhanced functionality is that you will have a three-hour sync to contend with, though this is not likely to be a deal-breaker for most teams.

Zoho CRM vs. Zoho Analytics Reporting

As you explore your different Zoho reporting options, weigh your options within CRM and Analytics carefully. Taking these and other key points into consideration will help you arrive at the right solution for your team.

Any other questions about Zoho CRM and Zoho Analytics? Reach out to the team at ZBrains if you have any queries or need clarification.

Zoho Updates October 2021

Zoho Updates, New Features, and Issues | October 2021

Published on: October 6, 2021Category: Certified Zoho Consultants, Zoho Bugs, Zoho CRMLast Updated: May 10, 2023 Comments: 0

Hello and welcome back to the Zoho Updates October 2021. In the past month, Zoho CRM has released a number of notable updates and improvements. In this digest you’ll find time saving new features, how CRM is making user experience better, and how Zoho Desk is making the ability to relate contacts to multiple accounts simpler!

Keep reading for details about What’s New, Zoho Updates Ocotober 2021. 

New Features & Improvements from Zoho

Zoho CRM

  • Updates to IOS Mobile App for Zoho CRM:

    • User-related lookup fields have been optimized, including the search and selection of users from owner lookup field.
    • “Plotting Leads, Contacts, and Accounts in nearby maps has been optimized for better user experience. Also, nearby pins will be grouped on zooming out a location on maps.”

  • Online instances of Zoho Campaigns offers increased specificity in regards to bounced status. “Soft Bounced” and “Hard Bounced” are now noted instead of just “bounced.”

  • Predictive Analytics utilizing Zia in CRM have been improved to achieve more accurate outcomes.

  • New color-coded picklist values improves data interpretation at a glance. Color-coded values are seen in records, modules, deals pipeline, charts, dashboards, and more.

  • Zoho CRM Sales Motivator admins can now compare the performance of a KPI or Target with other KPIs and Targets. Read more here.

  • Select your theme in Motivator; toggle between the light or dark theme to suit your viewing preference.

  • Zone Analysis is a new Dashboard component in Zoho CRM that helps you understand which data requires attention. This comparative analysis currently allows you to analyze two parameters.

  • If you have questions or need help setting up any of these, ZBrains Support is here for you!

Zoho Creator

  • This month Creator released two new enhancements to help you streamline work.
    • The first are a set of enhancements to export settings which allow you to name a file, select the format, select columns to include, and password protect exported files.
    • Secondly, Creator can now pull and pull data from external apps! Using Widgets you can now configure integration from your external apps, giving more power to the applications you use created on the Creator platform.

Zoho Desk

  • Desk now allows you to add a contact to multiple accounts: “Zoho Desk provides a way to relate a single contact to multiple accounts so your agents can easily track the relationships between the customers and companies they work with. Additionally, contacts can view all the tickets belonging to their account on the help center. When you enable this feature, each contact requires a primary account. The primary account represents a direct relationship. But you can associate additional accounts to the contact in a secondary relationship.”

ZOHO UPDATESApplication Updates from Zoho

Zoho CRM

  • CRM extension for LinkedIn Sales Navigator was sunsetted on September 30th. Affecting all users, the extension can no longer be used by current users or downloaded by anyone.

 

Have a question we didn’t answer here?  If you have questions or would like to connect with one of our consultants, schedule below. We’re also available by phone, just call our offices at (888) 207-4111.

 

Connect with a Consultant

 

Webinar for Zoho Writer

Zoho Writer: How-to & Tips Webinar

Published on: September 23, 2021Category: Certified Zoho Consultants, Zoho CRM, Zoho Sign, Zoho Writer AppLast Updated: November 13, 2023 Comments: 0

Master the Art of Zoho Writer: Join Our How-to & Tips Webinar Today!

In less than 15 minutes, join the Zoho CRM webinar with ZBrains Founder, James Converse, to learn about Zoho Writer and its integration with Zoho CRM. The session covers key features and tips to boost productivity.

  • How to use Writer and Zoho Sign to collect signatures on your quotes and other business documents.
  • You’ll see how to relate your Zoho Writer templates to modules.
  • Document storage best practices and tips on where to find the docs you create.
  • We’ll also review Writer templates: how to create them, using themes to coordinate with your brand, incorporating images, mapping fields from CRM, and the uses of sub-forms in Writer documents.

Our Zoho Writer How-to & Tips Webinar is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to share all the juicy insider tips with you. Have questions? Don’t be shy, leave them in the comments below!

Register for this on-demand webinar now, or at any time! and learn how to maximize your CRM’s potential. Our experts will share tips and tricks to help you improve your sales, marketing, and customer service processes. Don’t miss this opportunity to take your business to the next level with Zoho CRM. Sign up now!

Register for the Webinar

Zoho Sandboxes Webinar

Zoho Sandboxes in 10 Minutes or Less

Published on: September 10, 2021Category: Certified Zoho Consultants, Zoho BugsLast Updated: July 1, 2024 Comments: 0

Easy Zoho Sandbox Setup: Steps in 10 Minutes or Less

In this quick webinar, ZBrains Founder, James Converse shares how sandboxes work, how to avoid common pitfalls, and briefly reviews how to set up Zoho sandboxes.

  • First, we’ll show you how to set up a sandbox test environment in Zoho CRM.
  • You’ll learn which functionalities from production exist in the sandbox environment, and which don’t at this time. 
  • We show you some methods for populating your sandbox with sample data, or your own data.
  • At the end, you’ll see how to ship all your sandbox customizations back to production after testing.

It’s important to know that not every Zoho application has sandboxes, so we’re discussing Zoho CRM and Zoho Creator here. 

Register now for this on-demand webinar and feel free to leave any questions in the comments or contact us if we can help you with your Zoho sandbox and test environment setup!

Register for the Webinar

Zoho August 2021

Zoho Updates, New Features, and Issues | September 2021

Published on: September 2, 2021Category: Certified Zoho Consultants, Zoho Bugs, Zoho CRMLast Updated: July 20, 2023 Comments: 0

Welcome back again to your Zoho Updates September 2021. In the past month, we’ve seen a number of improvements across Zoho Books and Zoho CRM. In this digest you’ll find time saving new features, how CRM is making user experiences even more customizable, and how Zoho Desk is making the ability to relate contacts to multiple accounts simpler!

Discover Zoho’s Latest: What’s New – September 2021

New Features & Improvements from Zoho

Zoho CRM

  • New feature in CRM allows you to assign the record owner through a Workflow. You may now define conditions in Workflows, and the owner will be assigned when the condition is met. Zoho says, “Records can be assigned to users, roles, users who create or modify records, or to those mentioned in the Assignment rule criteria.” Additionally, “owner assignment will be triggered ONLY from the first workflow rule that it matches. For the subsequent workflows, all other actions except owner assignment will be executed.”

  • Adding Users to Zoho CRM just got easier with the ability to import up to 1000 users at a time. Admin profiles and those with Manage User permissions can now import users into their organizations account using .xls, .xlsx, or .csv file types. Learn more from Zoho’s help article on this topic.

  • Webform Analytics in CRM has new metrics and charts available. Metrics for time spent on fields, field correction rate, drop rate, and the order that fields are filled can be put to use in your analytics. You now also have access to device source for form submissions. Individual form analytics now display average time spend and the abandon rate in submissions. Having this information available helps in analyzing your form success rates and adjusting forms for better engagement.

  • Expanded capabilities including Subform Fields now exists when you map dependency. Previously only fields from the layout were available to be mapped.

  • Zoho introduced their new CRM designer called Canvas, calling it “the industry’s first CRM design studio. “This no-code, drag-and-drop design studio is built into Zoho CRM and allows users to create contextual, immersive experiences for their teams.” Learn more about it from Zoho.

  • Email status updates make filters more straightforward so finding who responded to your messages possible. The Latest Email Status filter now includes “Responded” as an option. Use this and “Opened and Not responded” to segment your contacts for better communication messaging, for example positioning follow ups.

  • If you have questions or need help setting up any of these, ZBrains Support is here for you!

Zoho Desk

  • Have you ever needed to associate a contact with multiple accounts? Now you can select to enable this Accounts feature in Zoho Desk, and select to relate a single contact to multiple accounts. You can learn more here.

Zoho Books

  • Custom Reports in Books gives you the capability now to save your customizations. Find them instantly and use them again and again. There’s increased flexibility around user control, for example, who can view, export, or schedule custom reports.

  • New from Zoho Books, “Once you reconcile an account, you can now print the reconciliation details as well. You can print the the transaction details, transaction type, deposits and withdrawals.”

  • Increased capabilities to select the customer advance accounts for tracking and recording excess payment, and configure the default account for tracking excess payments.

ZOHO UPDATESApplication Updates from Zoho

Zoho Desk

  • The Community module in Zoho Desk has three updates this past month including:
      • Assigning category visibility to “agents only.” This makes topics in these categories internal and visible to agents only.
      • New key category metrics are now available including: # of forums, @ of topics and comments received, % of topics created under each topic type, and more.
      • Increased functionality around controlling the ability to choose who can post and reply to topics in a category.

Zoho BugsIssues Notices from Zoho

 Zoho Creator

  • Creator rolled out a set of minor fixes product-wide including: bugs related to adding and deleting fields in forms, issue with record detail view in blueprint, a minor issue in file preview, and several additional minor issues.

Have a question we didn’t answer here?  If you have questions or would like to connect with one of our consultants, schedule below. We’re also available by phone, just call our offices at (888) 207-4111.

Connect with a Consultant

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