Overview

Zoho CRM is a comprehensive, affordable CRM solution popular with SMBs and growing enterprises. The Cloud-PBX integration brings full telephony capabilities to Zoho, enabling sales and support teams to communicate efficiently with complete customer context.

Key Features:

• Screen pop with leads, contacts, accounts, and deals
• Automatic call logging to activity timeline
• Click-to-call from any Zoho record
• Call recording links in notes
• Integration with Zoho Workflow automation
• Zoho Analytics integration for call reporting
• Multi-currency and multi-user support

Benefits:

• Complete customer communication history
• Affordable enterprise features
• Deep Zoho ecosystem integration
• Advanced automation capabilities
• Comprehensive analytics

Features

Screen Pop

Incoming calls automatically display Zoho CRM records:

Search Objects:

1. Contacts: Primary customer contact records
2. Leads: Potential customers
3. Accounts: Company records
4. Deals: Sales opportunities
5. Custom Modules: Industry-specific records

Screen Pop Display:

Incoming Call: +91-44-1234-5678
↓
Zoho Search: All modules by phone
↓
Match Found: Rajesh Kumar (Contact)
↓
Information Displayed:
──────────────────────────────────────────
Contact: Rajesh Kumar
Title: Purchasing Manager
Account: TechSolutions Pvt Ltd
Phone: +91-44-1234-5678 (Mobile)
Email: [email protected]
Owner: Priya Sharma

Recent Activity:
  - Email: Proposal sent (Yesterday)
  - Task: Follow-up call (Today)
  - Note: Interested in Enterprise plan

Open Deals:
  - Annual Subscription (₹5,00,000) - Negotiation
  - Implementation Services (₹1,50,000) - Proposal

Account Details:
  - Industry: Technology
  - Employees: 250
  - Annual Revenue: ₹10 Crore
  - Rating: Hot

Deal Stage: Negotiation (75% probability)
Next Action: Send pricing breakdown
──────────────────────────────────────────

Automatic Call Logging

Every call creates an activity in Zoho CRM:

Call Log Details:

• Call Type: Inbound, Outbound, Missed
• Subject: Call with [Contact/Lead Name]
• Date & Time: Call timestamp with timezone
• Duration: Talk time in minutes and seconds
• Call Owner: Zoho user who handled call
• Call Purpose: Meeting, Demo, Follow-up, Support, etc.
• Call Result: Connected, No Answer, Busy, Voicemail
• Description: Call notes and summary
• Recording URL: Link to call recording

Activity Timeline Entry:

📞 Outbound Call
To: Rajesh Kumar (TechSolutions Pvt Ltd)
Date: Today, 3:15 PM IST
Duration: 15 minutes, 42 seconds
Call Purpose: Product Demo
Call Result: Connected - Demo Completed
Owner: Priya Sharma

Call Notes:
Conducted product demo focusing on:
- Enterprise features and scalability
- API integration capabilities
- Security and compliance (ISO certified)
- Deployment options (cloud vs on-premise)

Customer Feedback:
- Very interested in API capabilities
- Needs approval from CTO (Vikram Patel)
- Budget confirmed: ₹5L - ₹6L
- Timeline: Decision by end of month

Next Steps:
1. Send API documentation and use cases
2. Schedule technical call with Vikram (CTO)
3. Prepare formal proposal with ROI analysis
4. Follow up in 3 days

Recording: [Play] [Download] (15m 42s)

Related Records:
  - Contact: Rajesh Kumar
  - Account: TechSolutions Pvt Ltd
  - Deal: Annual Subscription (₹5,00,000)

Click-to-Call

Call from Anywhere in Zoho:

Zoho PhoneBridge Integration: Zoho has PhoneBridge (native telephony). Cloud-PBX integrates as provider:

• Calls through Zoho's interface
• Native Zoho dialer experience
• Call status in Zoho header
• No separate window needed

Call Recording Integration

Recordings in Zoho:

• Recording URL stored in custom field
• Play recordings inline in Zoho
• Download recordings
• Share recording links via email/Chatter
• Attach recordings to deals or cases

Recording Management:

• Automatic retention based on policy
• Tag recordings for easy search
• Compliance features (pause for PCI)
• Access control and permissions
• Audit trail of playback

Zoho Workflow Integration

Trigger Workflows from Calls:

Example Workflow 1: Hot Lead Follow-Up:

Workflow: Immediate Follow-Up for Hot Leads

Trigger: Call Activity Created
Conditions:
  - Related To: Lead
  - Call Duration > 3 minutes
  - Lead Status = "Contact Made"
  
Actions:
  - Update Lead: Status = "Qualified"
  - Create Task: "Send proposal" (Due: +2 days)
  - Send Email: Proposal template to lead
  - Create Deal: From lead (if qualified)
  - Notify: Sales Manager via email

Example Workflow 2: Missed Call Recovery:

Workflow: Missed Call Auto-Recovery

Trigger: Call Activity Created
Conditions:
  - Call Result = "Missed" or "No Answer"
  - Call Type = "Inbound"
  - Contact/Lead Status ≠ "Closed" or "Lost"

Actions:
  - Create High Priority Task: "Call back [Name]" (Due: 1 hour)
  - Send SMS to customer: "Sorry we missed your call..."
  - Update Contact: Last Activity = Today
  - If Lead: Increment "Call Attempts" counter
  - Notify: Contact owner via mobile push

Example Workflow 3: Deal Stage Automation:

Workflow: Progress Deal After Demo

Trigger: Call Activity Created
Conditions:
  - Related To: Deal
  - Call Purpose = "Product Demo"
  - Call Result = "Connected"
  - Call Duration > 10 minutes

Actions:
  - Update Deal Stage: "Proposal/Price Quote"
  - Update Deal: Next Step = "Send proposal"
  - Create Task: "Prepare and send proposal" (+1 day)
  - Send Internal Email: Notify sales team of demo completion
  - Create Follow-up Call Task: (+3 days) "Follow up on proposal"

Setup Guide

Zoho CRM → Setup → Developer Space → API
Should show: API Access Enabled

Required Scopes:
  - ZohoCRM.modules.ALL (Read/Write contacts, leads, accounts, deals)
  - ZohoCRM.users.READ (User information)
  - ZohoCRM.settings.ALL (Custom fields and workflows)

Zoho User                Cloud-PBX User
────────────────────────────────────────────
[email protected]    →   [email protected] ✓
[email protected]     →   [email protected] ✓
[email protected]     →   Not Mapped ✗

Settings → Integrations → Zoho CRM → User Mapping

Cloud-PBX User        Zoho CRM User
──────────────────────────────────────
Priya Sharma     →    [email protected]
Amit Patel       →    [email protected]
Neha Verma       →    [email protected]

Settings → Integrations → Zoho CRM → Screen Pop

Enable Screen Pop: Yes

Search Priority:
  1. Contacts (most specific)
  2. Leads (potential customers)
  3. Accounts (company level)
  4. Deals (opportunities)

Pop Behavior:
  Open In: New tab
  If Multiple Matches: Show most recent
  If No Match: Create new lead

Phone Matching:
  ☑ Fuzzy matching (ignore formatting)
  ☑ International format support
  ☑ Match mobile, phone, other phone fields

Settings → Integrations → Zoho CRM → Call Logging

Log As: Call Activity (under contact/lead/deal)

Fields to Log:
  ☑ Subject (auto-generated)
  ☑ Call Type (Inbound/Outbound)
  ☑ Duration
  ☑ Call Purpose (Meeting, Demo, Follow-up, etc.)
  ☑ Call Result (Connected, No Answer, etc.)
  ☑ Description (call notes)
  ☑ Recording URL (custom field)

Auto-Associate:
  ☑ Contact (if found by phone)
  ☑ Account (from contact's account)
  ☑ Lead (if contact is lead)
  ☑ Deal (if open deal exists)

Required Fields:
  ☑ Call Result (disposition required)
  ☐ Description (optional)

Zoho CRM → Setup → Customization → Modules

Select: Calls
→ Fields → New Field
  - Field Label: Call Recording URL
  - Field Type: URL
  - Help Text: Link to call recording
→ Save

Advanced Configuration

Zoho Analytics Integration

Call Reporting in Zoho Analytics:

Create Call Analysis Report:

Zoho Analytics → Create Report

Data Source: Zoho CRM - Calls
Metrics:
  - Total Calls (Count)
  - Average Duration
  - Calls by Result (Connected, Missed, etc.)
  - Calls by Purpose (Demo, Follow-up, etc.)
  - Call-to-Deal Conversion Rate

Dimensions:
  - Call Owner (user)
  - Call Type (Inbound/Outbound)
  - Date (day, week, month)
  - Account Industry
  - Deal Stage

Visualization: Dashboard with:
  - Call volume trend (line chart)
  - Calls by result (pie chart)
  - Agent performance (table)
  - Average duration by call purpose (bar chart)

Zoho Desk Integration

If Using Zoho Desk for Support:

Settings → Integrations → Zoho CRM → Zoho Desk

Enable Zoho Desk Integration: Yes

Features:
  ☑ Screen pop ticket information
  ☑ Log calls to tickets
  ☑ Click-to-call from tickets
  ☑ Auto-create ticket from call (if no existing)

Screen Pop Priority (with Desk):
  1. Open Ticket (if customer has active case)
  2. Contact
  3. Closed Tickets (for reference)
  4. Account

Call-to-Ticket:
  - Call > 2 min with no ticket → Create ticket
  - Ticket Department: [Auto-assign by rules]
  - Priority: Based on call urgency

Zoho Blueprint Integration

Structured Processes with Blueprints:

Example: Lead Qualification Blueprint

Zoho CRM → Setup → Blueprints

Blueprint: Lead Qualification Process

Stages:
  1. New Lead
  2. Contact Made (Transition: After first call)
  3. Needs Analysis (Transition: After discovery call)
  4. Proposal Sent (Transition: After demo)
  5. Negotiation (Transition: Based on feedback call)
  6. Won/Lost

Transition Criteria (Contact Made → Needs Analysis):
  - Required: Call activity exists
  - Call Duration: > 3 minutes
  - Call Result: Connected
  - Action: Create task "Schedule discovery call"

Zoho Books Integration

Link Calls to Invoices/Quotes:

Settings → Integrations → Zoho CRM → Zoho Books

Enable Zoho Books: Yes

Features:
  - Associate calls with Estimates/Quotes
  - Log calls to Invoice timeline
  - Click-to-call from unpaid invoice customer

Use Case:
  - Collections calls linked to overdue invoices
  - Quote follow-up calls tracked
  - Payment confirmation calls logged

Troubleshooting

Authentication Issues

Problem: "Invalid Client ID" or "Token Expired"

Solutions:

1. Verify Data Center:

   Zoho account on zoho.in? Select "India" data center
   Zoho account on zoho.com? Select "US" data center

2. Regenerate Client Secret:

   Zoho API Console → Your Client → Regenerate Secret
   → Copy new secret → Update in Cloud-PBX

3. Re-authorize:

   Settings → Integrations → Zoho CRM
   → Disconnect → Reconnect → Authorize again

4. Check Redirect URI: Must exactly match:

   https://admin.voco.us/auth/zoho/callback

Call Logging Issues

Problem: Calls not appearing in Zoho

Diagnostic Steps:

1. Check integration status: Should be "Connected ✅"
2. Review logs:

   Settings → Integrations → Zoho CRM → Logs
   Look for: API errors, auth failures

3. Verify API quota not exceeded:

   Zoho API Console → Your Client → API Usage
   Standard: 1,000/day
   Professional: 2,500/day
   Enterprise: 5,000/day

4. Check user mapping
5. Test manual call log

Screen Pop Issues

Problem: Wrong record or no screen pop

Phone Format Matching:

Zoho: +91-44-1234-5678
Incoming: 914412345678

Enable: Normalize Phone Numbers
  - Strip country code prefixes
  - Remove hyphens and spaces
  - Match last 10 digits (adjust for country)

Multiple Matches:

Settings → Screen Pop → Duplicate Handling

If multiple records with same phone:
  - Show: Most recently modified
  - Or: Contact over Lead over Account
  - Or: Ask user to choose

Best Practices

Multi-Currency Support

For Global Operations:

Settings → Integrations → Zoho CRM → Currency

Call Value Tracking: Yes
Default Currency: Auto-detect from deal/account
  - US customers: USD
  - India customers: INR
  - EU customers: EUR

Report Currency: Use Home Currency for reporting

Territory Management

Route Calls by Territory:

Settings → Integrations → Zoho CRM → Territories

Enable Territory Routing: Yes

Rules:
  - Incoming call from India territory → Route to India sales team
  - Call from US number → Route to US team
  - International: Route to global team

Respect Zoho territory assignments for screen pop

Zoho SalesIQ Integration

For Website Chat + Phone:

Settings → Integrations → Zoho CRM → SalesIQ

Link SalesIQ Conversations: Yes

Unified Timeline:
  - Chat conversations
  - Phone calls
  - Emails
  - Meetings

Screen Pop Shows:
  - Ongoing/recent SalesIQ chats
  - Visitor website activity
  - Call history
  → Complete omnichannel view

Zoho-Specific Features

Zia (AI Assistant) Integration

Zia Call Insights:

Enable Zia for Calls: Yes (Enterprise+)

Features:
  - Call sentiment analysis
  - Keyword detection
  - Action item extraction
  - Next best action suggestions
  - Deal probability updates based on calls

Example:
  Call Notes: "Customer interested, needs approval"
  → Zia detects: Positive sentiment, decision stage
  → Suggestion: "Schedule follow-up in 3 days"
  → Deal probability: 75% → 85%

Zoho Campaigns Integration

Track Marketing Campaign Calls:

Settings → Integrations → Zoho CRM → Campaigns

Associate Calls with Campaigns: Yes

Workflow:
  1. Marketing campaign sends email
  2. Lead calls phone number from email
  3. Call attributed to campaign
  4. ROI: Campaign cost vs. calls vs. deals closed

Report: Campaign ROI with Call Data
  - Emails sent
  - Website visits
  - Phone calls generated
  - Deals closed
  - Revenue per call

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does this work with Zoho CRM Free edition? A: Limited functionality. Free edition has API restrictions. Standard or higher recommended for full integration.

Q: Can we integrate with Zoho Desk simultaneously? A: Yes! Integrate with both CRM and Desk. Calls associated with relevant module (sales → CRM, support → Desk).

Q: What about Zoho One (all products)? A: Full integration with Zoho One. Works across CRM, Desk, Books, Analytics, etc.

Q: Multiple Zoho organizations? A: Yes, each org requires separate integration configuration. Enterprise Cloud-PBX plan supports multiple orgs.

Q: Zoho data centers? A: Supported: US (zoho.com), EU (zoho.eu), India (zoho.in), Australia (zoho.com.au), China (zoho.com.cn). Select correct data center during setup.

Q: Call recordings storage? A: Stored on Cloud-PBX servers (not Zoho). Playback link stored in Zoho custom field. No impact on Zoho storage quota.

Getting Help

Resources:

• Zoho CRM API Documentation: zoho.com/crm/developer
• Video Tutorial: Cloud-PBX + Zoho Setup (18 min)
• Zoho Community Forums: Integration discussions

Next Steps