We spoke in a previous blog post about the most efficient way to set up a custom module in Zoho CRM. Today what we are going to talk about are the Zoho custom field types that are available when you create your own module. Once you create your module, it’s important to understand the different custom field types that Zoho has to offer. There are a lot of ways you can customize your modules, so let’s review them together.
You can modify the field properties by selecting the “…”, then “Edit Properties”. The options you see next will differ depending on the field type you modify the properties of.
Pick list & multi-select:
These are both drop-down type of Zoho custom fields that allow you to enter different options (including predefined options like months in a year, countries, and more). Select “+ Add Options in Bulk”, then “predefined options” to access these. You can also add many options in bulk in an open text field. Multi-select allows you to choose more than one option. You can select a default value, enable history tracking, or select an option to display the values alphabetically instead of the order they were entered in.
Auto-number:
This out-of-the-box feature will begin auto-numbering records in the format you specify. You can specify a prefix, suffix, and the starting number (0 or greater). You can also retroactively apply the autonumber to existing records.
Phone, Email, URL:
These field types will all format automatically and provide links to the respective items. For example, an email will display as a hyperlink that you can select and Zoho will attempt to open your email application.
Formula:
The formula Zoho custom field type has lots of options and provides many tips to help you build the function from scratch. For every function, there is a helpful “Function Usage” box that shows examples of the output and syntax, as well as a description.
Lookup, Multi-Select Lookup:
In the properties section, you can specify the entity you wish to associate the field with, and provide a name for the corresponding label/relationship for that entity. Multi-select lookup allows you to select multiple records from that entity and associate them all with the record.
What about Subforms?
Subforms allow you to add a table or list of items related to the current module. For example, a deal could have a list of “deal contacts”, “stakeholders”, “sub-products”, “properties”, etc. Please note that you do NOT need to add a lookup field or associate the subform with any other module. If you do add lookup fields to the subform, you can access fields from the associated modules.
It can be difficult to know if you are using Zoho’s customization tools to their fullest. The Marks Group offers expert-led Zoho training and support on all Zoho apps and products. Contact us at info@marksgroup.net to find out more and check out our YouTube video library!
