How do I integrate Zoho CRM in my QR Code account?

You can use different integrations to connect your account with other systems like CRM- and marketing systems for you to be able to exchange data automatically.

This post contains technical details like generating API tokens. Please get in touch with an IT expert on your end to help you setting it up if you get stuck.

Integration typically involves linking different software applications, services, or systems to enable smooth interaction and functionality.

For instance, integrating a customer relationship management (CRM) system with an email marketing platform allows customer data to sync automatically, enabling targeted email campaigns based on user activity.

An integration is based on a combination of a

1. Trigger Event you want to react to. A trigger can be for example a new lead that submits his contact data on a Lead Form or a Digital Business Card
2. Service that you want some action to be taken in e.g. Zoho CRM
3. Use Case that you want to be performed in the service if the trigger event has happened e.g. create a new contact

First, log into your Zoho API Console (EU) and click on Add Client.

Zoho has different datacenters and domains for different geographical locations. Please make sure you log into the correct one (as you use for your regular login into Zoho apps): https://api-console.zoho.xxx/add#web

Choose Server-based Applications.

Enter QR Platform for the Connected App Name and make sure Server-based Applications is selected in the dropdown.

The next step in Zoho will be to enter the Redirect URL. This one is unique and based on your account name with our QR Code Platform. Lets figure it out!

Please open a new tab in your browser and log into your account.

Click the button Connect to Zoho.

Now scroll down until you see the Authorized Redirect URL and Homepage URL. Copy them to your favourite text editor. We will need it in a bit.

Next, switch back to the tab where you have your Zoho API Console page open.

Paste the Authorized Redirect URL as well as the Homepage URL you just copied before and click on Create.

Copy the Client ID and paste it in Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac). Repeat for Client Secret. We will need them later.

That's it, we are now finished in Zoho and ready to finish the configuration in your account!

Switch back to the browser tab where you copied the Redirect URL before.

Now it is time to fill out the integration form. First, choose a Name that you want to use. This will be shown later in your list of integrations. So, pick something that makes sense for you to easily find it again.

Choose a Trigger event you want to happen to start your integration. In our example we choose New Lead from your Digital Business Cards. This trigger is fired when a user exchanges his contact data on a Digital Business Card with the two-way contact sharing feature.

If you want you can filter the trigger, so the integration workflow is only executed on a set of chosen Business Cards.

This becomes handy when you want to connect one card to Zoho and another card to a different service like HubSpot or to another Zoho account.

If you don't enter anything into the filter field, then the integration workflow is triggered on all Digital Business Cards.

Next, we need to choose a Use Case. A Use Case specifies which action should be taken in Zoho CRM if the Trigger event has happened.

In our case we chose Add Lead. So every time a new lead from a Digital Business Card is being generated it gets added as a Lead in Zoho CRM.

Now paste the Client ID and Client Secret that you copied from Zoho before into the form. You saved it in Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac). This ensures that our QR Code Platform can connect to Zoho and perform the necessary Use Cases.

Next, click on the button Connect to save the Integration and test the connection.

You will then get redirected to the Zoho Login. Please enter your credentials and click Next.

Choose the system you want our QR Platform to get access to and click the Submit button.

Click on Accept button to accept the access of our QR Platform to your Zoho system.

Click on the circled arrows to test the connection.

If everything worked out fine, you will get a success message at the top of the page. If there was a problem, please double-check that you pasted the correct Client ID and Client Secret into the fields.

Congratulations, you just configured a Zoho CRM integration workflow!

Please be aware that for every combination of Trigger and Use Case you must create a separate integration workflow.

To know if the integration is working do the following test: Open a Digital Business Card and click on the button Exchange contact.

Then fill out the form and click on the button Send Business Card.

Now the magic happens and the contact John Doe is going to appear in Zoho CRM a few seconds later.

Congratulations, you've successfully set up a Zoho CRM integration that works!