Published on: October 7, 2024Category: Zoho CRM, Zoho CRMLast Updated: November 6, 2024 Comments: 0
Custom Zoho CRM integrations with other apps and services give new meaning to the term “empowerment” by allowing organizations to streamline operations and maximize the value of their technology solutions.
Integration requirements can vary widely and may include business applications for marketing, collaboration, telephony, messaging, customer support, finance, events, social media, storage, live chat, and more.
What is a Custom Zoho CRM Integration?
In simplest terms, a Custom Zoho CRM Integration is a project that results in Zoho CRM being able to fluidly communicate with other applications and vice-versa. The integration lets you take advantage of the best features of both software applications and eliminates any need for duplicated data entry or processes.
If there is no pre-existing integration tool available for the software you want to integrate with Zoho CRM, or the tool doesn’t handle the modules or datasets you want to sync, custom integration is the answer.
What are the benefits of Custom Zoho CRM Integrations?
Zoho CRM is designed to address the primary needs of companies across countless industries including education, finance, insurance, life sciences, non-profits, real estate, software, technology, and start-ups. With such a wide scope, it’s not possible to meet the needs of all customers.
By integrating with other tools in your workflow, or building custom applications that expand the basic Zoho CRM functionality, you can maximize the value of Zoho CRM for your business.
Why would I want to pursue a Custom Zoho CRM Integration?
The Zoho suite of products can do just about anything, but in some cases, companies need to continue using legacy software for business purposes.
Zoho recognized this when building its product and created several ways to integrate its CRM with other applications, including built-in integrations, the Zoho Flow migration tool, and other pre-built integration engines like Zapier.
Common applications to integrate with Zoho CRM include:
Google Workspace
PandaDoc
Microsoft 365
RingCentral
Twilio
Knowlarity
SMS-Magic
BurstSMS
Klenty
GoToWebinar
GoToMeeting
Eventbrite
Zoom
Quickbooks
Zero
Saasu
Proposify
QuoteWerks
iQuoteXpress
DocuSign
Adobe Sign
Leadfeeder
Address Locator
Google Ads
MailChimp
ActiveCampaign
Facebook Ad Manager
Dropbox
Google Drive
Box
Google Sheets
Slack
Kanban Board
Mail Parser
Front
Idle Deal Alert
Lead Queue
Get Response
Pie Sync
Zapier
SurveyMonkey
Chatbot
Don’t see yours on that list? Don’t worry. Using ZBrains’ expertise, experience, and integration tools, practically any third-party legacy software or system can be integrated with Zoho CRM.
Preparing for Your Custom Zoho CRM Integration
Identify pain points
Why do you need a custom integration? What functionality are you missing that you’d like to build? Understanding these “requirements” is essential to determining the integration tools and processes best suited to achieving the outcome you’re investing in.
Define business needs
Determine your scope, defining which modules or data needs to be synced, the sync direction, and the sync interval (Is it enough to sync once per day in batches, or do you need immediate sync every time data is undated?).
This information is necessary to determine which type and how many API calls will be needed (REST APIs, Bulk APIs, Notification APIs, and Query APIs). The number and type of API calls needed directly impacts the project budget.
Define goals and objectives
Set and define goals and the objectives needed to reach them regarding the integration timeline and budget.
Steps To Setting Up a Custom Zoho CRM Integration
Set up and enable basic CRM features, including organizational details, user roles and profiles, data security, and data visibility rules
Customize fields and modules, creating a detailed mapping plan for the two applications
Establish workflow automation processes, including email notifications, field updates, record creation, actions defined through functions, and webhooks.
Decide on an integration method, including Zoho Flow, built-in CRM integrations, or another pre-built integration engine such as Zapier.
Execute the integration
Troubleshoot any problems encountered
Test to confirm accurate migration and syncing
Refine and optimize, an ongoing process post-integration
How ZBrains Can Help with Custom Zoho CRM Integration
Zbrains is a top Zoho Premium Partner for business solutions. Since 2012, we’ve built end-to-end solutions to transform organizations through technology.
Advantages of working with ZBrains
Expertise/experience
Simply stated, our experience and expertise save our clients time and money. We provide consulting, training, customization, development, and other services related to the Zoho suite of apps. Our clients include organizations of all sizes in practically all industries, although we primarily serve companies in field services, construction, manufacturing, distribution, technology, and SaaS.
Tailored solutions
Zbrains is not your “normal” Zoho consulting shop. We offer tailored solutions.
AgilitySync is our proprietary ETL (extract-transform-load) platform for connecting Zoho apps to third-party ERP apps, connecting Zoho CRM, Finance, and Creator to programs like QuickBooks and Sage 100 ERP, among others.
Conclusion
Organizations don’t have to forego the benefits of Zoho CRM because they aren’t ready to let go of their other systems. Custom Zoho CRM integrations with other apps and services allow you to streamline operations and maximize the value of your technology solutions.
Ready to explore a custom Zoho CRM integration? Reach out to Zbrains, a trusted partner, to understand what will be the fastest, most reliable, and most economical way to integrate your third-party application with Zoho CRM.
Published on: October 1, 2024Category: Zoho CRM, Zoho CRMLast Updated: November 6, 2024 Comments: 0
Zoho CRM is sales force automation software for enhanced productivity that lets you generate and manage leads, see your pipeline, manage account details, engage with contacts, automate routine tasks, and route leads automatically, all from a single location. Powerful forecasting and analytics tools let you spend your time negotiating opportunities rather than trying to calculate where they may lie.
Imagine getting immediate alerts when customers and prospects respond to emails, enabling your sales team to reply instantly, add follow-ups, and take notes, all from one integrated location.
By integrating your email with Zoho CRM, incoming and outgoing emails are automatically associated with customer records, saving time and ensuring important details aren’t missed.
What Are the Benefits of Integrating Email With Zoho CRM?
1. Streamlined communication
Even though the CRM is a salesperson’s primary tool, most communication with customers and prospects happens through email. Without email integration, a lot of time is wasted switching between CRM and email to read incoming, send follow-ups, and update details.
2. Improved tracking/management of emails
Zoho CRM confirms when your email was delivered, if it has been opened, and when it was read. Advanced filters identify leads who don’t respond within a certain period – and, conversely, those who are responsive and ready to close – so you can plan follow-ups strategically. Through individual scheduling or a one-time automated workflow setup, personalized follow-up emails can be scheduled to send at the most beneficial time.
3. Higher productivity
Regardless of which email client you integrate with Zoho CRM, incoming messages will be organized according to the CRM pipeline, helping you stay on top of high-value deals. Through individual scheduling or a one-time automated workflow setup, personalized follow-up emails can be scheduled to send at the most beneficial time.
4. Better management of customer relationships
Built-in analytics provide deeper insights into customer accounts. View customer activity, associated contacts, pending deals, ongoing projects, and more from a single location. Communicating with multiple decision-makers is much easier when you take advantage of Zoho CRM’s parent-child feature to set them up as separate accounts under the same parent.
Steps to Integrating Your Email With Zoho CRM
Define business email requirements
Zoho CRM can integrate email through API (Gmail), exchange (Outlook), or other service providers through IMAP and POP protocols. In this article, we will outline the process for IMAP and POP protocols.
The IMAP email protocol allows email activity to remain in sync across multiple devices (computers, laptops, mobile phones, and tablets). Emails stay on the email server rather than downloading onto a device.
The POP3 email protocol downloads emails from the server to a specific device. Unless configured to “keep messages in the server,” downloaded emails are automatically deleted after downloading. If your business email requires POP#, Zoho CRM will sync and display the emails in the Zoho SalesInBox.
2. Check compatibility with your business email provider
Zoho CRM is compatible with popular business email clients – including Outlook, Gmail, and Yahoo – in addition to Zoho Mail. If you use a different email client, check with your provider regarding its compatibility with Zoho CRM. As noted above, Zoho CRM can accommodate any email client that uses the IMAP or POP3 protocol.
3. Access email settings in Zoho CRM
In Zoho CRM, navigate to Setup > Channels > Email > Email Configuration. Then, under the Email tab, click “Get Started” and select Popular Email Service.
Under Choose the Protocol to Configure, select either IMAP Integration or POP Integration. Click Configure.
Enter the email account’s Display Name, Email Address, and Password. Click Configure.
In the Import Filter popup, click Import. (This can be skipped and done later.)
Under Email Sharing Settings, choose the desired sharing permission level from the drop-down list.
In the More From Address, the Default Address field should display the email account’s display name that you entered above.
Click Add Email Address to enter more “From” email addresses, if needed.
IMAP users only – Under Folder Mapping, select the folders from your custom mailbox to map with the appropriate folder in the Zoho SalesInbox.
Click Server Details to view the incoming and outgoing server settings. These are automatically populated by selecting one of the popular IMAP integrations.
Under Email Sharing, select Private, Public, or Custom record sharing as required.
Click Update
4. Validate the email account
Adding A Signature In Zoho CRM (and Other Customizations)
How to add a signature
In Zoho CRM, navigate to Setup > Channels > Email > Email Configuration. Then, under the Compose tab, you’ll find the Email Signature section.
Name your signature and assign the email address associated with your signature. If you’ve set up other organization emails or from addresses you can associate signatures with these addresses in this section as well.
Click Save. Now that you have configured an email signature, it will automatically insert into the body of any email sent from Zoho CRM.
How to create an email template
Navigate to Setup > Customization > Templates > Email.
Click + New Template.
Select the module for which the email template is being created (Zoho CRM) from the drop-down list and click Next to be taken to the Template Gallery page.
You then have the option to create an email template from scratch, choose a predesigned template, or insert HTML code.
To create an email template from scratch, choose the Blank template from the Template Gallery. Drag and drop required components from the All Components section onto the template and customize as needed. Set the Name and Subject of the template and Save the template to the appropriate folder. Thereafter you can customize the template using the template builder.
To choose a predesigned template, view those included in the Template Gallery. Select any available template and customize using the drag-and-drop template editor.
To insert HTML code, navigate to Setup > Customization > Template. In the Template Gallery, select the link titled Insert HTML code/Plain text. Click on the HTML icon, paste your HTML code, and click Insert. Then click Save.
How to create autoresponders
You can set a maximum of 3 autoresponders and a maximum of 5 follow-ups per autoresponder.
Click the Leads/Contacts tab. On the Leads/Contacts Home page, select Actions > Autoresponders. On the Autoresponders page, select Create Autoresponder.
On the New Autoresponder page, enter the autoresponder’s Name. Select the owner of the record from the Assigned To list. (By default, this field will display the name of the user creating the autoresponder unless you change it.) Select Custom View to choose the autoresponder recipient list.
Select a Folder for the autoresponder, then select whether the folder is Static or Dynamic. (Static folders are for autoresponders where the follow-up happens on a fixed date; for Dynamic folders, the follow-up happens on predefined intervals you set.)
You can add follow-ups at this time if needed. After selecting the email template for the follow-up, you will be prompted to enter the From and Reply-To email addresses from the drop-down list.
Click Save.
How to create email workflows
If you have IMAP configuration enabled in your account, you can set up workflow rules for incoming emails. There are three parts to the process:
Rule execution – When the rules should be executed for incoming and outgoing emails, such as Received, Unreplied, and Opened and Unreplied for incoming emails and Sent, Bounced, Opened, Clicked, Opened and Unreplied, and Unreplied for outgoing emails.
Specify condition – Once you’ve defined when to execute, you need to specify the condition(s) that should be met for the rule to execute. Conditions can be set for a specific email field (attachment name, CC, sender, sent to, has attachment, and subject) or a module (leads, contacts, unknown, or custom). For example, you could set a condition that if the email has an attachment that contains the word “Proposal” in its file name, then execute the rule.
Specify the immediate action – Once conditions are met, you must specify the action. These can include task, create record, webhook, function, or notify.
The step-by-step process is as follows:
Go to Setup > Automation > Workflow Rules. Click Create Rule.
On the Create New Rule page, select the Email module from the drop-down list, enter the rule name and description, and click Next.
Under When do you want to execute the rule?, select Incoming email or Outgoing email from the drop-down list. Click Next.
Under Would you like to set conditions for email fields?, select Yes or No. (If you choose Yes, specify the field names you want to set conditions for.)
Under Apply this rule to, choose a module.
Under Which do you want to apply this rule to?, select All or Specify the conditions. Click Next.
Under Instant actions, select an action. Click Save.
How ZBrains Can Help with Zoho CRM Email Setup
Zoho software can do almost anything. But to do that, it has to be configured for your needs. As outlined above, it’s possible to configure your Zoho CRM email integration independently. But if you’d rather not take that on, or you need troubleshooting help while doing it yourself, call Zbrains.
Zbrains is a full-service Certified Zoho Consultant and offers numerous integrations. We can plan and manage the entire process for you, including field and screen customization, permission settings, workflow automation setup, converting data from your former email system, training your team, providing support, and more.
Conclusion
With most customer and prospect communication coming through email, you don’t want to miss the many advantages of integrating your email with Zoho CRM.
Regardless of which email client you integrate, Zoho CRM organizes incoming messages according to the CRM pipeline, helping you stay on top of high-value deals, and provides you with analytics that can help build more effective and profitable relationships with customers and prospects.
When you’re ready to begin integrating your email with Zoho CRM, consider whether you want to do it yourself or have Zbrains complete the process. Either way, we invite you to contact our team for guidance and support.
How often have you wanted to generate a document from your CRM with fields automatically populated, ready to send for review and signature? Whether that document is a letter, email, brochure, proposal, or contract, Zoho has you covered.
With the Zoho Writer, you can craft well-written documents with ease, collaborate in real-time, and seamlessly integrate with popular platforms. When creating legally binding documents, Zoho Contracts provides valuable tools such as compliance tracking, digital signature, and more.
At their very core, Zoho Writer and Zoho Contracts are both word-processing applications. While Zoho Writer is a good choice for basic document needs, Zoho Contracts provides advanced functionality for more complex contract processes. Here’s how to know which is best suited for your projects and workflow.
What is Zoho Writer?
Zoho Writer is a powerful cloud based word processor for all devices. Users can collaborate with teammates in real-time to create accurate, elegant documents. In addition to producing native documents, the application can open and edit documents created in other word-processing applications and save files in many popular file formats.
Who is Zoho Writer for?
If you do a lot of writing and content creation – personally or professionally – Zoho Writer is for you. Use of Zoho Writer’s desktop, tablet, mobile, or extension app is free of charge.
To gain storage space, the ability to upload documents, share with multiple users, etc., plans start at $2.50/user per month (minimum 3 users). Automation features can be accessed in exchange for credits, which range in price from $0.01 to $0.05 per credit.
When Should I Use Zoho Writer?
With its powerful word processing, AI, collaboration, and automation capabilities, Zoho Writer enables you to create well-written business correspondence, resumes, business forms and reports, charts and graphs, simple agreements, brochures and flyers, posters and invitations, emails, labels, personal documents, and more.
However, unlike Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Grammarly, and similar applications, Zoho Writer lets you take things a step further. This application has the power to generate proposals and other documents merging in information from the Zoho CRM using templates. If you’re a small business looking to streamline your front office efforts, these additional features are key.
Why Zoho Writer?
Collaboration
Customization
Versatility
Integration with CRM, WordPress, Blogger, and more
Where Zoho Writer Shines
1. Creative and general writing tasks
Zia is Zoho Writer’s AI-powered assistant, trained to help you write better. As you write, Zia constantly monitors readability and sentence structure, alerting for common issues such as run-on sentences, polysyllabic words, sentence length, wordy phrases, passive sentences, cliches, and overuse of adverbs.
2. Collaboration
Rather than trying to incorporate changes into a document based on discussions held elsewhere, Zoho Writer lets you engage right inside the document. Make and respond to comments, track changes, hide sensitive content from specific collaborators, and lock text blocks that you don’t want anyone to alter.
3. Managing, tracking, and auditing documents
Pre-built, ready-to-use workflows route your documents through parallel and sequential review and approval processes. Collect feedback from peers and in-house SMEs and get documents approved by managers and process owners. See who changed what and when with Zoho Writer’s comprehensive workflow history and detailed audit trails.
Features:
Zia writing assistant
Zia makes suggestions to improve grammar, punctuation, spelling, and writing style and knows English, Spanish, and French. You can also add Zia as a browser extension for proofing anywhere you’re writing on the internet.
Collaborative review & approval
Zoho writer’s review and collaboration features were created with both authors and editors in mind. You can receive and manage feedback while keeping a document’s essence intact. In addition to inserting comments and tracking changes, you can lock sections of a document to prevent editing or pause collaboration altogether to lock the entire document.
Document workflows
Choose from four ready-to-use workflows with due-date options that trigger an email reminder to reviewers to act before the deadline.
Offline use
Although web-based, Zoho Writer lets you create and edit documents offline. Once you’re back online everything is automatically saved and synced to your account.
Merge documents
Zoho Writer lets users create a template, select a data source, choose the desired output, and track merges. Users can also specify merge conditions and add personalized attachments per recipient.
Sign documents
Built-in e-signing options allow documents to remain digital (paperless) from creation through signature. Set deadlines and reminders, track progress, and automate what happens after signatures are collected.
Fillable documents
Whether creating a new document or using an existing one scanned in, Zoho Writer lets you create fillable documents and then manage, embed, and handle responses. Auto-populate field values from selected data sources without having to create macros.
Fillable PDFs
Any static PDF document can be converted into a fillable form online using Zoho Writer’s interactive PDF creator.
Workflow automation
Create integrated experiences using Zoho Writer’s merge APIs, such as automatically generating custom documents for new leads added to Zoho CRM, and pulling information from any product in the Zoho CRM database.
WordPress Integration
Automatically publish content directly from Zoho Writer to a WordPress blogging site or publish manually with just a few clicks. Properties such as the blog title, category, and tags can be set in Zoho Writer before publishing.
What is Zoho Contracts?
Zoho Contracts is a cloud-based, contract lifecycle management (CLM) app that helps individuals and businesses streamline their contract processes at scale. Users can conquer common challenges such as long contract cycle times, high operational costs, missed renewal opportunities, and poor compliance.
Who is Zoho Contracts for?
Zoho Contracts is for individuals and businesses seeking to manage the entire contract lifecycle and automate contract workflows all in one place.
Here are a few of the benefits you can expect with this kind of contract life management (CLM):
Quickly generate compliant contract agreements and have standard clauses that can be inserted into agreements
Redline and keep track of document changes quickly and easily
Accurately tracking term durations keeping your business protected once agreements are reached.
Subscription-based pricing ranges from $50 to $60 per user per month for the Standard plan, which applies to customers who process up to 25 contracts per user per month and do not need the CRM integration, obligations management, and audit log functionality.
For the Professional plan, which includes unlimited contracts, counterparties, and workflows each month, along with CRM integration, obligations management, and audit log functionality, pricing ranges from $65 to $78 per user per month.
There is also a Free plan for up to 3 users at the same entity. This plan allows up to 10 contracts, 5 counterparties, 1 approval workflow, and 2 built-in contract templates per month.
When Should I Use Zoho Contracts?
Common types of contracts and agreements that Zoho Contracts are used with include, but are not limited to:
Product sales agreements
E-commerce vendor agreements
Reseller agreements
Data sharing agreements
Master services agreements
Investor rights agreements
Employee stock purchase plans
Executive employment agreements
Independent contractor agreements
Severance agreements
Non-disclosure agreements
Licensing agreements
Catering service agreements
Subscription agreements
Why Zoho Contracts?
Comprehensive contract lifecycle management
Security
Compliance
Integration
Where Zoho Contracts Shines
1. Contract creation and management
Zoho Contracts provides a built-in document editor (Zoho Writer) and industry-standard, time-tested contract templates and clause language that significantly accelerate the contract lifecycle. In addition to faster authoring, templates provide language consistency across all contracts, easy incorporation of organization-wide policy changes, accelerated revision, and approval, improved compliance, reduced legal dependence and costs, and reduced incidence of human error.
2. Tracking and reporting of compliance
With the fast-growing emphasis on risk mitigation and improved compliance, the contract approval process is crucial. Manual processes are too slow, hard to keep up with, and challenging to audit. Zoho Contracts allows for complete control over approval while promoting informed decision-making and internal transparency.
3. E-signature feature
Legally recognized and enforceable globally for most situations, digital signatures empower effortless contract signing from anywhere at any time. In addition to reducing contract execution costs and turnaround times, they enhance security through data integrity.
Features:
Predefined templates
Pre-approved templates allow all users (even those with no legal background) to provide relevant information quickly, tweak clauses to suit the engagement or counterparty, and roll out the contract for speedy execution.
Instant content creation
Add the contract and counterparty information in a form for generating contracts with all the right details in place. Templates empower all team members to create contracts that include consistent language regardless of the creator.
Built-in document editor
The document editor built into Zoho Contracts features many of the same powerful features found in Zoho Writer.
Digital signatures
Not to be confused with an electronic signature, digital signatures include protective features which make them legally valid worldwide.
Zoho CRM integration
When a new sale is imminent, salespeople without an integrated system must email, call, or directly message Legal to request the contract be drafted. Zoho Contracts integrates with Zoho CRM to hasten the contract lifestyle.
Leegality integration
Leegality is a digital stamping, e-signing, and document workflow platform. After paying Indian stamp duty, you receive stamp paper that must be affixed to the contract document to be legally valid. With Zoho Contracts, this process can now be done online, digitizing stamp papers in a legally-compliant manner.
Contract templates and authoring
Zoho Contracts automatically generates a contract document based on the contract template and the other details entered in the New Contract form. Existing contract drafts can be imported and manipulated using the built-in document editor. Changes by collaborators are tracked, and older versions can be restored if desired.
Approval workflows
Zoho Contracts allows for complete control over approval while promoting informed decision-making and internal transparency. Approval workflows are customizable, with effortless collaboration, granular visibility, and analytical insights.
Negotiation and review
Negotiation strategy and process set the tone for business relationships. Seamlessly negotiate entirely online, improve the quality of your negotiations, and reduce operational costs with Zoho Contracts.
Obligation management
Zoho Contracts streamlines obligation management and helps you avoid oversights, improve compliance, mitigate business risks, and enhance performance.
Change management
Evolving technologies, uncertain geopolitical environments, and regulatory changes keep the business landscape in flux. Using clause-based reports from Zoho Contracts, companies can effectively assess the impact of changes across all of their business deals.
Analytics and reporting
Zoho Contracts offers advanced analytical capabilities and over 30 standard reports, transforming contracts into strategic assets which help companies increase revenue, improve governance, and mitigate risks.
Data protection
To achieve data security, Zoho has built robust internal mechanisms into all of its software, many of which are incorporated in Zoho Contracts. PII information and contract data remain encrypted at rest.
iOS mobile app
The Zoho Contracts iOS app gives users a high-level overview of business contracts, enabling them to make informed decisions on a daily basis.
Zoho Writer vs. Zoho Contracts: Which Should I Use?
Zoho Writer is a powerful word processor that goes far beyond just creating documents. It is commonly used for proposals and mail merges directly from CRM while also offering simple and easy integration with other apps in the Zoho system and other common digital signature platforms. On top of that, it boasts great collaboration features that make it appropriate for all individuals and businesses that want to be able to create well-written, effective documents that work well with other applications.
Most companies that currently use Zoho Writer instead of Zoho Contracts are classified as Small-to-Medium Businesses (SMBs) with 50 employees or less. Their legal obligations are comparatively easy to pinpoint and manage, with little need for day-to-day variability in their legal documents or widespread collaboration across multiple locations.
On the other hand, Zoho Contracts is for businesses whose operations include frequent or complex legal agreements, especially when multiple parties or locations are involved in document creation and approval. Most companies that currently use Zoho Contracts have up to 250 employees.
These companies typically have an internal legal team to ensure compliance. The complexity of their operations and legal agreements require extensive monitoring, and failure to maintain compliance can result in substantial monetary, relationship, and/or reputational damages.
Conclusion
Zoho Writer can create all types of business documents and includes templates for simple legal agreements such as basic human resource documents, non-disclosure agreements, and credit memos. Pricing is very low, making it affordable for practically anyone.
Larger entities with more complex operations and multiple collaborators and approval processes will find Zoho Contracts a powerful tool for saving time and money. From basic requirements like document creation and processing to more complex and technical needs like reducing risk from inconsistent document preparation and non-compliance with deadlines and other legal obligations.
Still need help deciding which one is right for you? Ready to begin integrating Zoho Writer or Zoho Contracts with your current systems? Contact our team for guidance and support.
