Zoho CRM and SharePoint Integration

Zoho CRM data can be integrated codeless with native SharePoint lists using the Layer2 Business Data List Connector. You can also connect to 100+ more supported systems and applications. In case you are looking for Online data integration, you will find the right tool here.​​​

Benefits of Zoho CRM Integration in SharePoint

Zoho CRM data integration in SharePoint has the following features and benefits:

• Very easy to setup in a few minutes: Create a SharePoint list, click "Connect to external data source" in the list settings, select the data provider, enter connection settings and data query as shown below. That's it.
• No changes in the Zoho CRM data source required: No programming, no additional tools.
• Connected list data always up-to-date: The connected Zoho CRM data query updates automatically in background (via SharePoint Timer Job), or alternatively, on-demand (Action Menu / Ribbon Button, URL, via workflow, API).
• Well-known BCS "external list" issues and limitations are completely solved: ALL list features are to you. Views, sorting and grouping, filters, calculated fields, search, managed metadata. Lookups, additional columns and attachments can be created as normal. All kind of lists can be used, e.g. contacts, tasks, calendar, or custom lists. You can take external data offline via Outlook.
• Workflows and notifications on external data change: List workflows and change notifications per RSS or email can be used to take business actions in SharePoint, when external Zoho CRM data records are changed.
• Application logging, reporting, and notifications: A SharePoint list is used to store settings and log information. SharePoint item versioning and workflows can be used to manage reporting and notifications. Direct notification per email in case of errors is supported as well.
• Highest Security, best performance, easy to maintain: SharePoint Secure Store can be used to store security relevant configuration information safely in one central place. Users are working with the SharePoint lists as an external data cache with highest security and performance. Large data sources can be synchronized.
• 100+ more external systems supported: Layer2 Data Providers included (e.g. for external SharePoint or Office 365, Exchange, Dynamics ERP/CRM, OData, XML/RSS, SOAP), vendor specific data providers can be used (e.g. SQL Server Oracle, MySQL etc.), 3rd party data providers also supported, e.g. for custom ERP/CRM, Facebook or Twitter. See here for supported systems and applications.

Zoho CRM Specific SharePoint List Configuration Settings

​In the SharePoint General List Settings click "Connect to external data source". In the BDLC list configuration form, the data source must be configured as follows to connect to Zoho CRM using the included XML Data Provider. 

Figure 1: Example connection configuration to connect a native SharePoint list to an Zoho CRM via XML data source.

Please note the following specific settings.

• Select the Layer2 Data Provider for XML to connect. The provider is part of the Layer2 Cloud Connector ADO.NET provider package and should be already installed. You will find a Layer2 Data Provider for XML specification here.
• You can use a connection string like this to connect:
  url=https://crm.zoho.com/crm/private/xml/Potentials/getRecords?authtoken=<authtoken>&scope=crmapi&version=1&newFormat=2;
• The format of the URL may change slightly based on your Zoho account. The example above is looking at a specific "Potentials" section. See the Zoho Developer Guide for more information on how the API works.
• For authentication, you will need a authorization token, which is included in the URL to the XML data end-point (noted as <authtoken> above). For how to generate this token, see the Zoho API documentation.
• You can make use of Xpath to query your data as supported by the data provider and source system. For any specification of supported queries see the provider documentation.
• Please enter an appropriate primary key (column with unique values - Title in this example), depending on query (see data preview for this).
• The data provider supports read-only, write is not supported to the XML data source.
• No programming required for setup a connection and sync.
• No need to open your local network for access from outside.

Do you have questions or issues connecting? Please contact [email protected].

Zoho CRM XML Data Provider Connection Details

​Provider:
Layer2 Data Provider for XML

Connection string sample:
url=https://crm.zoho.com/crm/private/xml/Potentials/getRecords?authtoken=<authtoken>&scope=crmapi&version=1&newFormat=2;

Select Statement sample:

SELECT
FL[@val='POTENTIALID'] as POTENTIALID,
FL[@val='SMOWNERID'] as SMOWNERID
FROM //row

You will need to use XPath to form the select statements. With Zoho, the format of the XML data may require some special selects like shown above.

For additional information, see the Zoho Developer Guide.

SharePoint Integration via Zoho CRM- Examples, Known Issues and Workarounds

​The integration of Zoho CRM via XML-related data sources in SharePoint have the following known issues and workarounds:

• As the XML data provider only supports read-only, you cannot write data to Zoho.
• Zoho has a limit on API requests per day, based on license edition, which could impact how often the Cloud Connector can run against it. Please see API Methods and Limits for more information.

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