Customizing Zoho CRM

TABLE OF CONTENTS  [Hide]

Introduction
Renaming Tabs
Managing Custom Fields
How many custom fields I can create in each module?
Customizing Currency Type Fields
Customizing Pick list Values
Customizing Multi-Select Pick list Values
Managing Lookup Field
Managing Auto-number Fields
Customizing Page Layout
Changing Tab Order
Changing Related Lists
Modifying Default Custom Views
Customizing Search Layout
Customizing Related List Views
Customizing Terms and Conditions
Customizing Tax Rates

Introduction

You can customize the Zoho CRM user interface according to your organization-wide business (sales, marketing, support, and inventory management) process. The customization includes the following:

• Renaming of tabs according to industry terminology
• Modifying standard fields in various modules
• Adding custom fields to various modules
• Modifying the page layout
• Modifying the related list views

In Zoho CRM, some of the standard fields, pages, related lists, and modules (tabs) are provided for the benefit of administrators to jump start customization of the product. You can customize these functions as per your business process. Before working with customization you must collect your organization-wide sales, marketing, support and inventory management requirements. While planning for the product customization, discuss with CRM users in your organization and understand their exact requirements before Zoho CRM implementation.

In Zoho CRM, you can perform the following operations in product customization module:

• Rename tabs
• Create custom fields
• Add/modify pick list values
• Customize page layout
• Change tabs order
• Change the related list order
• Modify Default Custom Views

Renaming Tabs

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM permission)

The aim of the any CRM system is to acquire customers with less expenditure, reduce the churn rate, retain customers, and sell more products/services in future. The fundamental philosophy is approximately same across the industries but the terminology used in defining sales, marketing, and support processes may vary slightly.

The Zoho CRM system provides an option to change the standard tab names according to your industry terminology. For example, if you are planning to use the Zoho CRM for a Real Estate business you may change the "Account" tab to "Tenant" where for an Educational Institution may rename as "Parents" and so on. After changing the tab name, the changes are reflected in all the standard pages in user interface except custom reports and dashboards.

Notes: If you revert/rename the tab name to standard name/new name, the new name will not be updated in custom views, if the custom view is modified after renaming the tab. New tab names will not be reflected on Page Layout, Reports, and Dashboards modules. Always standard names are displayed. All the fields names will also change according to the new name. For example, if you change "Account" tab to "Client", the "Account Name" field will be changed to "Client Name". If you change a tab name to plural form with suffix "-ies" (last three characters - right to left), the singular form will be suffixed with "y". For example, If you change "Potentials" to "Opportunities", in all the places the singular form of "Potential" is changed to "Opportunity". While changing the tab name you can add singular and plural names for the tab. Ex: Leads vs. Lead. (Will be available in upcoming release)

To rename tabs

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup Home page, click the Tab Settings link.
3. In the Tab Settings page, click the Rename Tabs link.
4. In the Rename Tabs page, click the Edit link for the tab name to be changed.
5. In the Change Tab Name page, specify the new name in the New Tab Name field.
6. Click Save.
   The tab name and other text will be updated according to your changes.
   

Managing Custom Fields

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM permission)

By default, some of the standard fields are available in each module, which helps you to start working with the CRM system. You may consider adding more industry-specific custom fields according to your business process. You can add custom fields in all the modules except tasks and events modules.

How many custom fields I can create in each module?

In each module you can add up to 120 custom fields. The maximum number fields for each type are given below:

• text, pick list, multi-select pick list, auto-number, email, phone, text area, and URL fields - 50
• integer, decimal, percent, and currency - 15
• date field - 10
• check-box - 10
• lookup - 10

In the Setup: New <Module>Edit form, you need to specify the custom field-related information. The following table provides descriptions of the various fields in the form.

Field Type	Description	Fields
Text	To add Text type fields.	Label: Specify the field name Length: Specify the field size (number of character - Integer)
Integer	To add Integer type number fields.	Label: Specify the field name Length: Specify the field size (Integer)
Decimal	To add decimal type number fields.	Label: Specify the field name Length: Specify the field size (including decimal places)
Percent	To add percentage type fields.	Label: Specify the field name Length: Specify the field size (Integer) Decimal Places: Specify the number of decimal places
Currency	To add currency type fields.	Label: Specify the field name Length: Specify the field size (Integer) Rounding Option: Specify the rounding option Decimal Places: Specify the number of decimal places Precision: Specify the rounding precision
Date	To add date type fields.	Label: Specify the field name Format: YYYY/MM/DD Note: Date format will be changed according user time zone settings.
Date & Time	To add date & time combination fields.	Label: Specify the field name Format: YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM Note: Date format will be changed according user time zone settings.
E-mail	To add E-mail addresses type fields.	Label: Specify the field name Length: Specify the field size (Integer)
Phone	To add phone numbers type fields.	Label: Specify the field name Length: Specify the field size (Integer)
Pick list	To add pick lists type fields.	Label: Specify the field name Pick List Values: Specify the pick list values
Multi-select Pick list	To add pick lists with multiple selection of values	Label: Specify the field name Pick List Values: Specify the pick list values
URL	To add Web site addresses.	Label: Specify the field name
Text Area	To add long text - 3000 characters	Label: Specify the field name
Check-box	To select a true (checked) or false (unchecked) type value.	Label: Specify the field name
Auto Increment	To add auto-increment type fields	Label: Specify the field name Prefix: Specify the prefix of the auto-number sequence Starting Number: Specify the starting number of the sequence Suffix: Specify the suffix of the auto-number sequence Existing Records: Select the check-box to apply auto-number to existing records.
Lookup	To establish Parent-child and One-to-One relationship between single module and different modules respectively.	Label: Specify the field name Lookup Type: Select the module for which you like to establish relationship Related List Label: Specify the related list view name

To add custom fields

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup: Home page select the required <Module> Settings link.
3. In the <Module> Settings page click the Fields link. In the <Module> Fields page all the available fields are displayed.
4. Click the New Custom Field button.
5. In the Custom Field Settings - New Custom Field page, do the following:
   1. In Select Field Type section, select the filed type.
   2. In Provide Field Details section, enter the field name, field size, and decimal places in the Label, Length, and Decimal Places fields respectively.
8. Click Save. The custom field is added to the respective module. To check the field, select the corresponding module and add/edit the record. The new field added is displayed under Custom Information section to enter the required details.

Customizing Currency Type Fields

The custom field in Currency type enables you to define the decimal and the precision settings based on your selected currency locale.
The chart below displays the working of the different Rounding option available in Zoho CRM:

                                                         

Normal Rounding : Selecting this option does not provide any rounding after the decimal point.

• In Field List link, Click on Field List
• In the Field List page, Click on New Custom Field
• In Custom Field Settings, Select Currency from the Field Information list
• In the Field Details, type a name in the Label field
• In the Field Length, type the desired length of the total number of digits
• In the Rounding option, select Normal from the drop-down list
• In the Decimal Places, type the number of decimal places you require
• Click on Save

Round Off: This option allows rounding off after the decimal points. If the second/third digits after the decimal point is < 5, there is no rounding off. If the second/third digits after the decimal point is > 5, it rounds off to the next number.

Set Round Off to currency type custom field:

• In Field List link, Click on Field List
• In the Field List page, Click on New Custom Field
• In Custom Field Settings, Select Currency from the Field Information list
• In the Field Details, type a name in the Label field
• In the Field Length, type the desired length of the total number of digits
• In the Rounding option, select Round Off from the drop-down list
• In the Decimal Places, type the number of decimal places you require
• In the Precision field, type the decimal’s rounding precision
• Click on Save

To provide Round Down currency type custom field:

• In Field List link, Click on Field List
• In the Field List page, Click on New Custom Field
• In Custom Field Settings, Select Currency from the Field Information list
• In the Field Details, type a name in the Label field
• In the Field Length, type the desired length of the total number of digits
• In the Rounding option, select Round Down from the drop-down list
• In the Decimal Places, type the number of decimal places you require
• In the Precision field, type the decimal’s rounding precision
• Click on Save

Round Up: This option allows rounding up in the amount after the decimal point. The second/third digits after the decimal point rounds up (increases) to the previous number.

• In Field List link, Click on Field List
• In the Field List page, Click on New Custom Field
• In Custom Field Settings, Select Currency from the Field Information list
• In the Field Details, type a name in the Label field
• In the Field Length, type the desired length of the total number of digits
• In the Rounding option, select Round Up from the drop-down list
• In the Decimal Places, type the number of decimal places you require
• In the Precision field, type the decimal’s rounding precision
• Click on Save

Customizing Pick list Values

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM permission)

By default, some of the industry standard pick list values are available in each module. You can modify the pick list values as per your organization business process and replace the existing value with new value so that records will be associated to new values.

To add/modify pick list values

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup: Home page, under <Module> Settings section, click the Field List link.
3. In the <Module> List page, edit the field with data type Pick List (For example, Lead Source field in the Lead List page).
4. In the Edit Pick List page, add/modify values in the Values list box. Once you have updated the pick list values you can sort the values alphabetically and use the first values as the default pick list value.
5. Click Save.

Example: If you want to add, modify, or delete the pick list values for Lead Source field in Leads module:

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup: Home page, under Lead Settings section, click the Field List link.
3. In the Lead List page, edit the Lead Source field.
4. In the Edit Pick List page, add/modify values in the Values list box. Once you have updated the pick list values for Lead Source you can sort the values alphabetically and use the first values as the default pick list value.
5. Click Save.

Warning: If you delete/modify any of the pick list values, records associated with the values are changed to "None" and no longer use the deleted values. Hence you are strongly recommended to first change the values in records to another value and then delete/modify the pick lists.

Customizing Multi-Select Pick list Values

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM permission)

You can use the multi-select pick list field for selecting multiple values while creating or editing a record.

For example, your organization may be offering different services and some of your customers may be interested in multiple services. In this case you can use the multi-select pick list value instead of single pick list value while creating a potential.

Periodically you can also modify the pick list values as per your organization business process and replace the existing value with new value so that records will be associated to new values.

To add/modify multi-select pick list values

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup: Home page, under <Module> Settings section, click the Field List link.
3. In the <Module> List page, edit the field with data type Multi-select Pick List.
4. In the Edit Pick List page, add/modify values in the Values list box. Once you have updated the pick list values you can sort the values alphabetically and use the first values as the default pick list value.
5. Click Save.

To select multi-select pick list values

1. Click on the <Module> tab.
2. In the <Module>: Home page, create a new record or edit the existing one.
3. In the Create/Edit <Module> page, select the required values from the multi-select pick list field (Ex: Type of Service)..
4. Click Save.

Managing Lookup Field

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM permission)

You can use the Lookup field for establishing relationship between different modules (linking two different modules: Accounts with Contacts) or within a module (Parent-child relationship).

Examples of Parent-Child Relationship:

• Parent Account - Member Accounts (Doing business with Head Quarter Company and multiple divisions within company)
  
• Contact - Member Contacts
  
• Case - Sub Case
• Product - Part Products
• Solution - Related Solutions

To Create Lookup Field

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup: Home page, under <Module> Settings section, click the Field List link.
3. In the <Module> List page, do the following:
1. Select the field type as Lookup.
2. Under the Provide Field Details section, specify name of the Lookup field, select the linking module, and related list view name.
4. Click Save.
5. Now select Setup > <Module> Settings > Customize <Module> Details link
6. In the Customize <Module> Details page change the order of the custom related list (Example: Member Contact created for Reports To lookup).
   
   
   
   
7. Click Save.
   

To Use Lookup Field

1. Click on the <Module> tab (Example: Contacts tab)
2. In the <Module> Home page, select the record to be linked to the other record.
3. In the <Record> Edit page, select the lookup field as shown above. For example, Reports To field for establishing parent-child relationship between two contacts. In this scenario one contact reports to the other contact in customer organization.
4. Click Save.
5. In detail view of the record, you can see the new record under the custom related list section. For example, under Member Contacts section you can view all the contacts reporting to the primary contact as given below: 

Managing Auto-number Fields

You can use the auto-number type custom field for classifying the records by unique numbers. Once the auto-number field is added to CRM module, the number will be added sequentially to the new records. If required you can update the existing records also.

Examples: Invoice Number, Quote Number, Sales Order

To create auto-number field

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup: Home page select the required <Module> Settings link.
3. In the <Module> Settings page click the Fields link. In the <Module> Fields page all the available fields are displayed.
4. Click the New Custom Field button.
5. In the Custom Field Settings - New Custom Field page, do the following:
   1. In Select Field Type section, select the Auto-number type field.
   2. In Provide Field Details section, enter the field name, prefix, starting number and suffix.
6. Click Save.
   The auto-number field is added to the respective module. To check the field, select the corresponding module and add a record. The auto-number field is displayed once you save the record.
   

Customizing Page Layout

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM permission)

Page customization is one of the most important administrator function that should be completed before rolling out the CRM system for your organization. You can use the Drag & Drop customization to perform the following operations:

• Show/hide fields in pages: By default all the standard fields are displayed in each module page layout. You can hide some of the standard fields, add new custom fields to the pages, and move fields from one section to other section.
• Add/Modify sections in pages: By default some of the sections are available in each module. You can add, modify or delete the sections.
• Change field navigation: You can use the tab key to navigate the fields while entering the field details. In each section, the tab navigation order can be configured either to Left --> Right or Top --> bottom.
• Change field properties: You can change the fields to mandatory or optional (read-only). But you cannot change the property of the standard mandatory fields (For example, Company name in Leads module is a mandatory field. You cannot change the Company field to read-only). 

Drag & Drop Customization

To modify the page layout

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup: Home page, under <Module> Settings section, click the Edit Page Layout link.
3. In the Edit Page Layout page, do the following:
   • Show/Hide fields: Drag the field to be hidden from the Page Layout: <Module> section and drop to the Field List section. You can also drag the fields to be shown from the Field List section to the Page Layout: <Module> section.
   • Create new sections in page: Click the Create New Section button. In the Section Information popup box specify the section name and tab order (Left -->Right or Top -->Bottom) in the Name and Tab Order fields respectively.
   • Change the property of the fields: Select the field to be modified and click the Edit Field Properties button. In the Edit Field Properties popup box change the field property to Mandatory or Read-only.
4. Follow the same procedure till you have completed the page layout customization.
5. Click Save. The updated the page layout is reflected for all the users in your organization according to their field level access. 

Changing Tab Order

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM permission)

You can change the order of the modules according to your organization's business process. You can hide all the tabs except Home tab.

Change Tab Order

To change the tab order

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Tab Settings section, click the Customize Tabs link.
3. In the Customize Tabs page, change the tabs order and show/hide some of the tabs.
4. Click Save. Tab order will be changed for all the users. 

Changing Related Lists

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM permission)

In each module you can change the order of the related list views and show/hide some of the related lists as per your requirement.

Note: After hiding the tabs, users cannot access the hidden tabs.

Change Related List Order

To customize the related lists

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup Home page, click the <Module> Settings link. The module can be Lead, Account, Contact, and others.
3. In the <Module> Settings section, click the Customize <Module> Details link.
4. In the Customize <Module> Details page, change the related list order from the Selected List box or hide related lists that are not required.
5. Once you have completed the operation, click Save. 

Modifying Default Custom Views

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM permission)

By default, some of the standard list views are available in each of the module home pages. You can change the default list view as per your requirements. Whenever user accesses a particular module Home page, the modified list view is displayed. 

Modify Default Custom View

To modify custom views

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup Home page, click the <Module> Settings link. The module can be Lead, Account, Contact, and others.
3. In the <Module> Settings section, click the Custom View Settings link.
4. In the Custom View Settings page, change the default view to be displayed from the New View drop-down list.
5. Click Save.
   

Customizing Search Layout

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM permission)

By default, in each module some of the standard fields are considered for searching the data. However, you can customize the search criteria by enabling additional fields in Search layout. While customizing the Search layout you can select up to six fields for each module.

To customize search layout

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup Home page, click the Admin Settings > Customize Search link.
3. In the Customize Search page, do the following:
4. Select the module from the Module List drop-down menu.
   List of fields will be displayed under the <Module> Fields List section.
5. In the <Module> Fields List section, Edit the list and select the fields to be considered for search.
6. Click Save.
   The search layout of the module will be changed as per your requirement. Follow the same procedure for other modules.

Customizing Related List Views

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM permission)

This option allows you to select the columns from Available Columns to be displayed on Related List.

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup Home page, click on the Tab Settings link.
3. In the Tab Settings sub-menu, click on the Customize Related List link.
4. In the Customize Related List page, do the following:
1. Select the Module from the Modules List which you want to customize. 
2. Choose the options from the Available columns that you want to be displayed in the Related List.
3. Move the selected options to the Selected Columns list.
5. Click Save.

                      

Customizing Terms and Conditions

You can use the boilerplate text for terms and conditions while creating the Quotes, Orders, and Invoices. Once the template is created the text is automatically displayed in the Quote, Order, and Invoice page.

To customize Terms & Conditions

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup Home page, click the Invoice Settings link.
3. In the Invoice Settings page, click on the Fields List link..
4. In the Fields List page, edit the Terms & Conditions field
5. In the Edit Terms & Conditions page, specify your payment terms.
6. Click Save.
   While creating Invoice for customer, terms & conditions text will be automatically displayed in the invoice page.

Customizing Tax Rates

You can define define different types of tax rates for the products you sell to your customers. Once the tax rates are added, you can select the tax type and rate while creating a quote, order, or invoice for the customers.

Example: VAT = 4%; Sales Tax = 11% etc.

To customize Terms & Conditions

1. Click on the Setup link.
2. In the Setup Home page, click the Product Settings link.
3. In the Product Settings page, click on the Customize Tax Rates link.
4. In the Customize Tax Rates page, click on the Add Tax link, and specify the type of tax and tax rate under Tax Label and Tax Value fields respectively.
5. Click Save.
   

To use Tax Rates

1. Click on the New Invoice link.
2. In the Create Invoice page, specify the customer and product details.
3. In the Product details section, click on the Tax link after sub totaling the line items
4. In the Group Tax box, you can select the default tax rates or specify the new rates.
5. Click Save.