Chapter 2: Getting Started

Before you start using the Zoho CRM, ensure that you have:

• Web browser running on your computer
• JavaScript and cookies support enabled in your web browser
• Internet/Network access to Zoho CRM service

Web browser running on your computer

The Zoho CRM software has been tested with the following Web browsers:

• Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.5 and higher
• Mozilla version 1.6 and higher
• Firefox version 1.0 and higher

JavaScript and cookies support enabled in your web browser

Both JavaScript and cookies support must be enabled in the security settings of your browser and is usually turned on by default.

If you encounter any problems accessing the system, check your Web browser configuration to ensure both JavaScript and cookies support are enabled.

Network access to a server that is running the Zoho CRM software

Your system administrator will be able to provide you with an Internet address (URL) from which Zoho CRM can be accessed.

Logging in and out Zoho CRM

To log in to the Zoho CRM service/software, you must have a valid login details, such as Zoho CRM system URL, user name, and password. You will receive a notification from Zoho CRM system administrator about your login details. If you have any issues related to login, contact your system administrator.

Tip: You may bookmark the Zoho CRM site URL, so that it will be easy to access next time.

To log in to the Zoho CRM

1. Start the Web browser and connect to the Zoho CRM server (For example, http://demo.zohocrm.com).
2. In the Sign in page, enter the user name and password in User Name and Password fields respectively.
3. Click the Login button. The Zoho CRM Home page opens. Refer to Understanding Zoho CRM User Interface section for more details.

Login to Zoho CRM

To log out from the Zoho CRM

In Zoho CRM home page, click the Logout link.

Note: If you are not using Zoho CRM for more than 30 minutes you have to log in again. With this you can disallow access to unauthorized users during your absence.

Changing Password

After logging in first time, you are strongly recommended to change your password for a better security.

To change password

1. In Zoho CRM Home page, click the Setup link available at top right corner.
2. In Setup page, click the Personal Settings link.
3. In the Personal Settings page, click the Change Password link.
4. In the Change Password page, specify the old password, new password, and confirm the password in Old Password, New Password, and Retype New Password fields respectively.
5. Click Save.
6. Log out from the Zoho CRM and log in again with the new password.

Change Password

Understanding Zoho CRM User Interface

After logging into the Zoho CRM, Home page is displayed, which comprises of the following components:

• Tabs
• New Links
• Search (Global/module)
• Tasks List
• Recent Items
• Calendar
• Today's Events
• World Clock
• Snapshot
• Calculator
• Dashboard
• Recycle Bin

Zoho CRM Home Page

The Zoho CRM system consists of the following major components:

Functions for Standard Users

• CRM Modules (Marketing, Sales force automation, Customer Support, and Inventory management)
• Create new records in various modules
• Quick create pane to enter the data in module with minimal data
• Basic/Alphabetical/Advanced Search of the records
• List of records in a module
• Predefined list views
• Link to view the user accounts details
• List of recently viewed records
• Interrelated List views
• Web form components, such as text boxes, text areas, pick lists, check boxes, radio buttons, and others.

Functions for System Administrators

1. User Management

• Manage Users
• • Create users
  • Assign roles to the users
  • Change the user's password
  • Reset users' password
  • Deactivate users
• Manage Roles
• • Create roles
  • Assign modules to the roles
  • Control module-level access
  • Control field-level access

2. Customization

• Create Custom Fields
  • Text
  • Number
  • Percent
  • Currency
  • Date
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Pick list
  • URL
  • Text Area
• Modify pick list values in various modules
• Customize page layout in various modules
• Customize related list views in modules
• Rename modules as per vertical industry terminology

4. Data Administration

• Import data from other applications
• Export data to other applications
• Migrate data from other CRM applications

Working with List Views

List Views are very useful for displaying customer specific data according to your business requirements. For example, you may be interested to follow-up the leads created during last one week or overdue tasks as of today. The best way to handle this kind of scenario is first filter the records from customer data bank and then perform all the necessary operations on records. You can also use the List Views for changing record owners to another user, delete records, send e-mail in bulk.

List of Standard List Views

In the <Module>: Home page, under the Account List section, you need to select the required list view from the View drop-down list. The following table provides descriptions of the various drop-down list values in View drop-down list.

Specifying List View Criteria

In the Specify Criteria section you can specify the matching criteria.

• You can specify only single criteria in each row.
• Specify the numbers without commas. For example, specify 15,000 as 15000.
• You cannot add custom view criteria for Boolean values. Currently checkbook fields are not supported.
• For drop-down list fields, use the exact field value, otherwise custom view will not be created.
• If you select the "None" option, custom view will not be created.
• For a better performance it is better to select less than 20 rows in matching criteria.
• To create views, such as last week records or today records select the criteria as "Age in Days"

Custom View Criteria

Selecting List View Columns

In the Choose Columns section, select the columns to be displayed in the List View from the Available Columns list box. After selecting the columns you can change the order of the columns and remove unnecessary columns from the Selected Columns list box.

Choose Custom View Columns

Note: It is better to select less than 10 columns to avoid horizontal scrolling in List View.

Enabling Access List View

In the Accessibility Details section, enable the list view for users. You can enable the list view for all the users, user creating the view, or selected users. To enable list view for some of the users, select the users from the Available Users list box. In the Available Users list box you can select the users or roles to whom the list view has to be displayed.

User Access Details

Note: If you have only single user in the Zoho CRM system, you cannot view the Accessibility Details section. This section is enabled only if you have more than two users.