Working with Cases

Table of Contents  [ Hide]

Navigating Cases
Searching Cases
Creating List Views
Creating Cases
Importing Cases
Associating Cases with Other Records
Exporting Cases
Changing Case Owner
Printing Case Details
Viewing Case Reports
Deleting Cases
Customizing Cases
Setting up Case Assignment Rules
Setting Up Case Escalation Rules
Capturing Cases from Website (Web-to-Case form)
Approving Cases Captured through Website
Managing Email-based Cases
Frequently Asked Questions

In the world of Internet , online Customer Support has became an integral part of the organizations' business process. Customer Support is becoming an important activity in retaining all types of products and service industries. In general cases, trouble tickets are used to capture the customer feedback on various types of problems that arise after purchasing product/service from your company. Sometimes customers may provide some good feature requests, that may be useful during future product/service enhancements.

Typical Case Management Process

1. Customize the fields in Case page according to your organization's Customer Support process (You may use the existing fields, disable some of the fields, or add new custom fields).
2. Setup case generation process by filling the Case form, importing case data from external sources, or capturing cases directly from Website using Web-to-Case form.
3. Assign cases to the correct users using the workflow rules.
4. Follow-up cases till resolutions are sent to the customers.
5. Once the resolution is working fine, add the solution to the publicly accessible Solutions module for future reference.

In the Zoho CRM system, cases can be generated through telephone, E-mail, or Website. In addition, you can also generate cases from customer specific E-mails in Microsoft Outlook using the Zoho CRM Outlook Edition. Refer: Working with Outlook Edition.

The Cases home page contains:-

• Case List
• Case Reports
• Tools, such as Import, Export, mass transfer, and delete cases
• Quick Create pane
• Search
• Alphabetical Search
• Custom Views
• Change Owner
• Delete
• Page Navigation

You can perform the following operations in Cases module:

• Navigate cases
• Search cases (Alphabetical or advanced options)
• Create List views
• Create cases (Form filling, quick create, or duplicate options)
• Associate cases with other records
• Import cases (individual/Organizational)
• Change case owners (individually or in bulk)
• Export cases
• Print cases details
• View case reports
• Delete cases (individually or in bulk)
• Customize cases
• Capture cases from Website (using Web-to-Case form)
• Track cases through Email

Navigating Cases

(Access Privilege: Read permission)

You can navigate cases available in the Cases List.

To navigate cases

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases Home page, go to the Cases List section, and then select one of the views from Select View drop-down list to display the list of Cases according to the priority of the Case (For example, Low, Medium, High, and others).
3. In the Cases List section, click the Previous or Next link to access the list of cases.

Searching Cases

(Access Privilege: Read permission)

You can search the cases alphabetically or filling the required information in Search box.

To search cases

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases Home page, under Case Search section, do any one of the following:
3. • Specify the search criteria in Search box, and the click Go, or
   • Select one of the alphabetical search links.
3. In the Case List page, a list of the cases is displayed as per the search criteria.

Creating List Views

(Access Privilege: Read/Write permission)

In the Case List you can create/modify/delete the custom views, sort columns in the list view (ascending/descending order), and search the records available in the current list view. In addition to this, you can modify some of the columns in standard list views. By default, the following standard list views are available in the Cases module:

• All Cases
• My Cases
• Today Cases
• Open Cases
• Closed Cases
• Escalated Cases

To create custom views

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases Home page, under Case List section, click the Create View link.
   
   

   Under the Case List section some of the standard list views are displayed. You can only rearrange the order of columns and add more columns.

3. In the Create New View page, do the following:
   • In the View Information section, specify the name of the custom view in the View Name field. It is mandatory. The custom view name appears in the 'View' drop-down list. You can also set the custom view as a default list view by selecting the Set as Default View check box.
   • In the Specify Criteria section, specify the filter criteria. For more details, refer to the Specifying List View Criteria section.
   • In the Choose Columns section, select the columns to be displayed in the List View. For more details, refer to the Selecting List View Columns section.
   • In the Accessibility Details section, select the users to whom custom list view has to be enabled. For more details, refer to the Enabling View Access section.
4. Click Save. The custom list view is displayed in the 'View' drop-down list.

Creating Cases

(Access Privilege: Read/Write permissions)

In the Zoho CRM system, you can create cases by:

• Entering data manually into case details form
• Importing cases from external sources
• Capture cases from Website through Web-to-Case form
• Adding customer-specific e-mail message as case from Microsoft Outlook to Cases module

In the Case: Edit form, you need to specify the case-related information. The following table provides descriptions of the various fields in the form.

List of Standard Case-related Fields

To create cases

1. Click the New Case link.
2. In the Case: page, enter the details.
   
   Note: Case Title is a mandatory field. Refer to the List of Standard Case-related Fields section for more details.
3. Click Save to save the Case details. Case details are displayed in Case: <Case Name> page where you can perform the additional operations. Refer to the Associating cases with Other Records section for more details.

To create cases instantly

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In left hand-side under the New Case section, specify the mandatory details, such as Status, Case Origin, and Subject.
3. Click Save. Case details are displayed in the Case: < Case Name> page where you can update the additional details or perform the additional operations.

To create duplicate cases

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Case List view page, select the Case to be duplicated.
3. In the Case: < Case Name> page, clickClone.
4. In the Edit: < Case Name> page, modify some of the Case-related details.
5. Click Save. Case details are displayed in the Case: <Case Name> page where you can perform the additional operations.

Importing Cases

(Access Privilege: Data Import permission)

You can import cases from other Help Desk and CRM applications to the Zoho CRM system for a better integration of your organization-wide sales and customer support processes.

To import cases from external sources

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases: Home page under Case Tools section, click Import My Cases.
3. In the Import My Cases Wizard page, browse the Cases-related data (CSV/XLS format), and then click Next.
4. In the Fields Mapping page, map the CSV/XLS column header with case fields in Zoho CRM.
5. Click the Import button. It will take a few seconds to complete the importation.
6. In the Cases: Home page, imported cases are displayed under the Cases List section. You can continue the importation further or complete the operation.

Associating Cases with Other Records

(Access Privilege: Read/Write permissions)

You can create a 360-degrees view of the Case to display all the associated details, such as potentials, cases, open activities, history of the completed activities, attachments, and notes.

To associate cases with other records

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases Home page, under the Case List section, select the required Case.
3. In the Case: <Case Name> page, you can perform the following operations:
   • Edit the Case details.
   • Create activities, such as events and tasks related to case
   • Attach documents and notes
4. Close the case page once all the required information is updated for the case.

Exporting Cases

(Access Privilege: Data Export permission)

Occasionally it is very useful to export the cases from Zoho CRM to Spreadsheet programs, such as Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice, and others for further data analysis.

To export cases to external sources

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases: Home page under the Case Tools section, click Export All Cases.
3. In the File Download pop-up dialog, Click Save to save the cases details in CSV/XLS file format.

Changing Case Owner

(Access Privilege: Read/Write permission)

You can change the owner of an individual case or a group of cases to other users.

To change owner of cases individually

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases: Home page, select the case.
3. In the Case: <Case Name> page, click Edit.
4. In the Case: <Case Name> page, change the case owner from the Case Owner lookup field.
5. Click Save to update the case owner.

To change owner of cases in bulk

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases: Home page, go to the Case List section and select the check boxes corresponding to the cases. You can also select all the cases.
3. Click Change Owner.
4. In the Cases: Change Owner page, select the user from the Select New Owner pick list and click Update Owner to change the owner of the cases permanently.
   
   Note: Cases ownership will be changed to another user, irrespective of its existing owner. Use this operation carefully, otherwise cases belonging to different users will be changed to new user. To overcome this problem, first you may search the cases with a required owner name then change the owner in bulk.

Printing Case Details

(Access Privilege: Read permission)

You can view a printable form and print the Case details using browser&apos;s Print function.

To print case details

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases: Home page, under the cases List section, select the required Case.
3. In the Case: <Case Name> page click Printable View.
4. In the Case: <Case Name> page, click Print Page to print the document.

Viewing Case Reports

(Access Privilege: Read/Write permission)

You can directly access some of the standard reports pertaining to cases from the Case Reports section. By default, the following reports are displayed under Cases module:

• Cases By Origin
• Cases By Status
• Cases By Priority
• Cases By Comments

To view case report

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases: Home page, go to the Case Reports section.
3. Click the required report link. The report is displayed in Reports page, which can be further customized as per your requirements.

For more details about reports customization refer to Chapter 19: Working with Reports.

Deleting Cases

(Access Privilege: Read/Write/Delete permissions)

Rarely you may need to remove the unnecessary cases, which are not tracked further. This will help you manage your cases in a better way. You can delete cases either individually or in bulk.

To delete cases individually

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases: Home page, select the Case to be deleted.
3. In the Case: < Case Name> page, click Delete.
4. In the Confirmation dialog, click OK to delete the case permanently.

To delete cases in bulk

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases: Home page, under the cases List section, select the cases to be deleted using the Select check box (first column).
3. Click Mass Delete.
4. In the Confirmation dialog, click OK to delete the selected cases permanently.

Customizing Cases

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM.com permission)

Customization of the cases module includes renaming the tab name, modifying the pick list values in standard fields, adding new custom fields, modifying case page layout, and show/hide the related list views according to your Case management process requirements.

For more details, refer to Customizing Zoho CRM

Setting up Case Assignment Rules

(Access Privilege: Manage Case Assignment Permission)

You can setup case assignment rules based on your organization-wide case distribution (based on product support) process so that cases generated through import tool are automatically assigned to the respective support agents.

Case Assignment Workflow

• Create case assignment rule.
• Associate rule entries to the assignment rule, which contains matching criteria, selecting user, and adding default workflow task.
• Select the required assignment rule in "case import tool"
• During case importation, first assignment rule is evaluated and the casess are assigned to the Zoho CRM users according matching criteria.

Limitations

• You can create up to 20 different case assignment rules.
• In each assignment rule, you can associate up to 20 different criteria.
• Even though you can setup multiple rules, users can select only one rule at a time.
• Case assignment rule can be used only for the cases generated through import tool and Web-to-Case form. You cannot assign cases to users if you are creating manually.
  

To set up case assignment rules

1. Click the Setup link.
2. In the Settings Home page, under the Case Settings section click the Assignment Rules link.
3. In the Case Assignment Rules page, under the Rules List section list of default rules are displayed. Click Create New Rule to add a new rule.
4. In the New Rule page, specify the rule in the Rule Name field, and then click Save.
   
   
5. In the Case Assignment Rule Entry page, under the Rules Entries section list of default rule entries are displayed. Click Create New Rule Entry to add a new rule entry.
6. In the Rule Entry page, do the following:
   1. Specify Criteria: Select the matching criteria to evaluate the rule (Refer to Managing Workflow)
   2. Select User: Select the user to whom the case has to be assigned.
   3. Add Task: Select the workflow task to be assigned (Refer to Managing Workflow)
7. Click Save.

Setting Up Case Escalation Rules

(Access Privilege: Case Escalation permission)

This option enables the user to configure an escalation rule by which the cases climb the operational hierarchy if not attended to at the assigned hierarchical level, depending on the distribution rules of an organization.

Note:

• Case Escalation feature is available only in the Enterprise Edition
• Only ONE Escalation Rule can be active at a time (If a newly created rule is set as active then the existing active rule will get deactivated)
  

To set the Case Escalation Rule

• Enabling the Escalation Scheduler
• Setting Case Escalation Rule
• Creating Rule Entry
• Defining Escalation Action for the Rule Entry

Enabling the Escalation Scheduler

The Escalation Scheduler should be enabled prior to creating the Case Escalation Rule.

1. Open Setup> Case Settings > Case Escalation Rules.
2. In the Case Escalation Rules page, click Enable Escalation Scheduler.

Setting Case Escalation Rule

1. Click New Case Escalation Rule.
2. In the Create Case Escalation Rule Name page, Type a Name for the escalation rule.
3. Select the Active check box (Activating any Rule, automatically deactivates the existing active Rule).
4. Click Save.

Creating Rule Entry

1. Click Case Escalation Rule Name > Create New Rule Entry.
2. In the Rule Entry page, Specify Criteria from the drop - down list.
3. In the Rule Entry details, specify the business hours and Set the Escalation Time.
4. Click Save.

Defining Escalation Action for the Rule Entry

1. In the Rule Entries section, click Criteria > New Escalation Action.
2. In the New Escalation Action page, fill in the Escalation Action Details.
3. Select Age of Escalation Action from the drop - down list.
4. Select the Escalation user from the Escalate to Name look up.
5. Select the Escalate Template from the drop-down list.
6. Click Save.

Capturing Cases from Website (Web-to-Case form)

(Access Privilege: Customize ZohoCRM.com permission)

Click Here to learn on capturing cases from your Web site.

Approving Cases Captured through Website

(Access Privilege: Approve Web-to-Lead Permission)

By default, cases captured through Website are assigned to one of the Customer Support Administrator who can update the cases with additional information and assign it to the corresponding Support Agent in your organization. It will allow your Support Agents to focus mainly on the cases assigned to them.

To approve cases from Website

1. Click the Cases tab.
2. In the Cases Home page, scroll down to the Case Tools section and click the Approve Cases link.
3. In the Case Approval page, view the case details, assign to specific user, and then click Approve. After this, the case owner can follow-up the case.
   

Managing Email-based Cases

With the rapid growth of Internet and related technologies, Email has emerged as one of the most important media for customer support. Email-based case management helps Zoho CRM customers to easily use and track all the customer-speicific cases in a consolidated format.

Frequently Asked Questions