If you're using Zoho CRM, there are five simple things you should do today. (link to YouTube Video) No coding, no consultants, just a few easy changes that will make your system cleaner and more useful.
- Organize your fieldsMost people leave all the default fields in place and just keep adding more. It turns every screen into a long, unstructured list. Break up your fields into sections like "Contact Info" or "Account Details." Drag unused fields off the layout. Delete custom ones you don’t need. This makes it easier for your team to find what they’re looking for.
- Use layout rulesThese let you hide or show fields based on values in the record. For example, if the account type is "Customer," show fields like credit terms and assigned rep. If it’s not a customer, hide those fields. This keeps the screen focused on what matters.
- Make important fields requiredI see a lot of CRMs filled with contacts that have no email, no phone, no title — just empty fields. If a field is essential, make it required. That way, users can’t skip it. Even if you allow an "Other" option, at least you’re getting something. You can always clean it up later.
- Replace free-text fields with picklistsIf users can type anything, they will. Misspellings, inconsistent terms, random abbreviations. If you can predict most of the values for a field, make it a picklist. This helps with data quality, reporting, and filtering.
- Use dependent picklistsWhen values are related, use dependency rules. For example, if one field is "Product Type" and another is "Product Name," the list of product names should depend on what type is selected. No one wants to scroll through 50 options when they’ve already narrowed it down.
These five steps are quick to set up and will make your CRM easier to use and maintain. Worth doing today.
