Chapter 27: Working with Zoho CRM Outlook Edition

The Zoho CRM Outlook edition is productivity-enhancement software that can be used with Zoho CRM system and Microsoft Outlook. The Outlook edition can be installed on users' MS Outlook as a plugin, which can be used to synchronize the contacts in between Microsoft Outlook and the Zoho CRM and add the contact specific e-mail as a Case to the Zoho CRM customer specific cases.

1. Installation Procedure

• System Requirements
• Installation Prerequisites
• Installing Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in
• Uninstalling Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in

System Requirements

• Hardware: x486 with 256 MB RAM or higher with a minimum of 10 MB disk space
• Operating Systems: Windows 2000/XP/2003
• Software: Microsoft Outlook 2000/2002/2003 and Internet Explorer 6

Installation Prerequisites

• You must have administrator privileges on the system.
• Microsoft Outlook user details are registered with Zoho CRM server, i.e., you must have valid login details to connect Zoho CRM server.
• Microsoft Outlook must be stopped before installing the Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in.

Installing Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in

1. Log in to your Zoho CRM account.
2. Download the Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in from the Setup > Personal Settings > Outlook Edition page.
3. Run the ZohoCRM_Outlook_Plugin.exe.
4. In the Welcome to the Installation Wizard dialog, click the Next button.
5. In the License Agreement dialog, read the license agreement and click the Yes button if you accept the license agreement.
6. In the Directory Choose Destination Location dialog, browse the directory (By default the destination directory is C:\AdventNet\ZohoCRM Outlook Edition) in which you want to install Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in and click the Next button. Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in installation will take a few seconds.
7. In the Installation Completed dialog, click the Finish button to complete the installation.

Uninstalling Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in

1. Stop the Microsoft Outlook if it is running.
2. Select Start > Settings > Control Panel.
3. In the Control Panel, click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
4. In the Add/Remove Programs dialog, select the Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in and click the Remove link. It will take a few minutes to uninstall the Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in.
   

2. Working with Outlook Edition

Using the Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in, you can perform the following operations:

• Synchronize the Microsoft Outlook contacts with Zoho CRM
• Resolve the conflicts (if any) while synchronizing the contacts with Zoho CRM
• Add customers-related E-mails to the customer specific Cases in Zoho CRM
• Modify the E-mail message before adding to the Zoho CRM

Note: Currently Zoho CRM Outlook Plug-in supports Microsoft Outlook 2000, 2002, and 2003 versions only.

Configuring Zoho CRM Server

Before adding or synchronizing Microsoft Outlook E-mails and contacts to the Zoho CRM system, specify the Zoho CRM login details in Microsoft Outlook. You can use the Outlook edition to connect the Zoho CRM On-demand service as well as On-premise edition.

To configure Zoho CRM login details

1. Start the Microsoft Outlook.
2. Click the Zoho CRM -> Login menu.
3. In the Zoho CRM Login dialog, specify your Zoho CRM login details:
   • Zoho CRM ID: Enter the user name to log in to the Zoho CRM.
   • Password: Enter the password for the user name.
   • Remember Me: Select the check box if you want to remember the login details.
   • Click Login Option link to add the Zoho CRM URL. You can select either On-demand Service or Installed Zoho CRM Solution option and specify the exact URL of the service. 
4. Click Save to apply the changes.

Synchronizing the Microsoft Outlook Contacts with Zoho CRM

Synchronization allows you to enter the customer-specific contacts from Microsoft Outlook to Zoho CRM and vice-a-versa and update the information in both Zoho CRM and Microsoft Outlook. It also eliminates duplication of contacts and resolves conflicts if the data is not in sync.

To synchronize contacts between Microsoft Outlook and Zoho CRM

1. Select the Contacts shortcut from the Microsoft Outlook sidebar.
2. Select the required contact(s) from the Inbox.
3. Click the Zoho CRM -> Sync Contacts menu.
4. It takes a few minutes to completely read the contacts in Zoho CRM and Microsoft Outlook. Once reading is completed, you have to complete one of the following operations:
5. 1. Add Contacts
   2. Resolve Conflicts

Adding contacts

If you are synchronizing contacts first time, then follow these steps:

1. In the Synchronizing Status dialog, contacts added, updated, and deleted are displayed. Click the View Details button to view the list of contacts.
   
2. In the Sync Changes dialog, list of contacts are displayed. Once you are ensured that all the contact details are correct, click the Close button.
   
3. In the Synchronizing Status dialog, click the Accept Changes or the Close button to complete or abort the synchronization respectively.
   

Resolving Conflicts

Say, after the first time synchronization, you update the contact details in Zoho CRM or in Microsoft Outlook. Then there will be differences in contact details present in Zoho CRM and Microsoft Outlook. To make the contact details similar both in Zoho CRM and in Microsoft Outlook you have to override the data in other-side.

To resolve conflict in between Microsoft Outlook and Zoho CRM

1. In the Conflict Resolution dialog, conflicting contact name and the corresponding fields are displayed in a table. Select the value to be synchronized (either from MS Outlook column or from Zoho CRM). You can select the following options:
   • Update Outlook Details in Zoho CRM: To update the changes made in Outlook to Zoho CRM.
   • Update Zoho CRM Details in Outlook: To update the changes made in Zoho CRM to Outlook.
     
2. Click Save.
3. Once contacts details are updated click the Accept Changes button.

Adding E-mail Messages as Cases in the Zoho CRM

You can add customer-specific E-mail messages from Microsoft Outlook to Zoho CRM as a Case. Before adding the E-mail messages make sure the corresponding contact to the E-mail exists in Zoho CRM.

To add E-mail messages from Outlook to Case in the Zoho CRM

1. Select the Inbox shortcut from sidebar.
2. Select the customer-specific E-mail message from the Inbox.
3. Click the Zoho CRM > Add Case to Zoho CRM menu.
   
   

   Note: If the corresponding contact's E-mail address is not available in Zoho CRM, an error message "No matching contacts for <Email Address>" is displayed. When this error message is displayed, first add the contact in the Zoho CRM system before adding the E-mail message.

   
   
4. In the Add Selected Message to Zoho CRM dialog, the Contacts tab is displayed where the selected E-mail details are displayed. 
5. In the Contacts table, click the View link to view the contact details in Zoho CRM.
   
   

   Note: When you click the View link, a default browser is displayed. Here, enter the Zoho CRM login details. First time, it will not display the appropriate contact details. You have to click the View link again to view the selected contact details.

   
   
6. Some times you may not require archiving the complete E-mail in Zoho CRM. In this case, you can modify the E-mail message before adding it to the Zoho CRM. Follow the steps given below to modify the E-mail message:
   1. Select the E-mail message to be modified from the Contacts table. 
   2. Click the Edit Message tab.
   3. Modify the content in the Edit Message text area.
7. You can also attach the files related to the e-mail message. Click the Attachments tab and view the list of attached files. You cannot attach files with more than 1 MB and delete any attachments.
8. Click the Add to Zoho CRM button to add the E-mail message to the selected contact in Zoho CRM.
9. Once the E-mail message is added to Zoho CRM, the "Successfully Added" message is displayed. Click the Close button to complete the operation.