Ultimate Guide to Zoho

By Kelly Kilpatrick

Zoho’s Office Suite offers a virtual powerhouse of tools for business people, students, and casual users. With solutions for projects, invoicing, forms, and so much more, Zoho is truly a dynamic resource. Read on for a list of a number of different tips and resources for making this excellent asset even more useful.

Tips

Here you’ll find a variety of tips for making Zoho’s tools work better.

1. Sign in with your Yahoo! or Google ID: You don’t need to create a new account to use Zoho-just use a Yahoo! or Google account that you may already have.
2. Add an interactive poll to your blog: Using Zoho Polls, you can put an interactive poll just about anywhere.
3. Keep track of document versions and history: Zoho Writer offers the feature of document versioning and history, so you can stay on top of how your documents evolve.
4. Switch between Zoho, Open Office, and Microsoft Office: Zoho offers compatibility with most popular office suites.
5. Use VBA macros in Zoho Sheet: Zoho Sheet offers the feature of Visual Basic scripting.
6. Keep track of actions with feeds: Stay on top of your Zoho documents, collaboration, and sharing by following your Zoho feeds.
7. Integrate between a number of different tools: One of the reasons Zoho is so wonderful is its collection of different tools that can all work together, so be sure you’re taking advantage of this feature.
8. Get reminders about pending tasks: Zoho has a feature that allows you to set reminders about tasks and milestones through your home page.
9. Embed interactive spreadsheets into HTML: With Zoho Sheets, you’ll be able to put an interactive spreadsheet in an HTML webpage.
10. Work offline: You can take Zoho offline, so you can do your work even when you don’t have an Internet connection.
11. Add comments: Allow discussions and collaborations on Zoho Writer documents by using the "Add Comment" feature.
12. Add a table of contents to your documents: Using special characters, you can create a table of contents in Zoho Writer.
13. Create and export timesheets: Zoho Project makes it easy to set up timesheets and export them in a variety of ways.
14. Create a useful web form: Zoho Creator’s WYSIWYG form designer offers lots of custom fields, including a file upload feature.
15. Directly email documents within Zoho: Zoho Writer offers a feature that allows you to email to different service providers like Yahoo!, Gmail, and MSN.
16. Efficiently track time: With the timesheet feature, tracking time in Zoho Projects is as easy as clicking on a clock.
17. Give a remote presentation: Zoho Show offers the option to give presentations in real-time using the Remote feature.
18. Offer trouble ticket support: Zoho CRM supports a web to case feature that you can embed into your website.
19. View tasks by dependency: The Dependency View feature on Zoho Projects makes it easy to sort your tasks by start date and S.No.
20. Integrate Zoho with your Central Document Repository: Using Zoho’s Remote API, you can automatically upload documents to your intranet’s central repository.
21. Create customized web links in Writer: You can add web links to Writer documents that can go to web pages, email messages, and more.
22. Be a power searcher: You can search your Zoho projects based on tags, file extensions, and more. Additionally, you can see image previews, thumbnails, and list views.
23. Use templates: Zoho Writer offers a variety of different pre loaded templates for job seekers, students, business people, and other users.
24. Convert files into .docx: Using Zoho, you can convert a variety of files into the new Word 2007 .docx format.
25. Customize email encoding: Zoho Projects has the option to change email encoding as well as time formats.
26. Create permalinked documents: Upload your documents to Zoho Viewer, and your document will be published at a web page address that can be shared, linked, and embedded. The feature also allows you to track how many times the document has been viewed.
27. Use task list templates: Zoho Projects has task list templates, so you can save time by reusing them for serveral different projects.
28. Embed objects in Writer: In Zoho Writer, you can embed slideshows, videos, spreadsheets, and more.
29. Back up your Google Docs on your local machine: Zoho offers a feature that will let you bring all of your Google Docs into Zoho, and subsequently mass export them into your local computer.
30. Monitor your used disk space: Zoho Projects makes it easy to find out exactly how much disk space you’re using for different projects.

Tools

Make use of these tools to make your Zoho experience even more productive and useful.

31. Plug-In for MS Office: With this plugin, you’ll be able to save your Office documents to Zoho, and vice versa.
32. Zoho QuickRead: Zoho QuickRead makes it easy to open documents and other files in Zoho while in your Firefox browser.
33. Huddle: Use this web based collaboration app to share your Zoho documents in a really organized and useful way.
34. iZoho: Get Zoho on your iPhone using Zoho Mobile.
35. Zoho Notebook Helper: Using this Firefox extension, you can aggregate content from the web and store it in your Zoho Notebook.
36. Open IT Online: The Open IT Online Firefox add on will allow you to open Zoho documents within your browser.
37. File Den: File Den integrates with Zoho, so you’ll be able to edit your documents within your File Den account.
38. Zoho Creator Mobile: Access your database apps from your mobile phone with this tool.
39. Zoho CRM Plugin for MS Outlook: Use this plugin with Outlook, and you’ll be able to integrate your email system with Zoho’s CRM tool.
40. Approver: You can embed a Zoho Show presentation into Approver.com documents.
41. G.ho.st: With this online operating system, you can use Zoho tools within the system, as well as get 3GB of free storage for your files.
42. Google Indic Transliteration: With this translation tool, you can translate text in Zoho within your Firefox browser.
43. Zoodle: Manage your Oodle real estate feed in Zoho Creator with this tool.
44. myDataBus: On myDataBus, you can edit documents within the system using Zoho.
45. Zoho Mobile: Use this mobile edition of Zoho on your Windows Mobile device.
46. Flixn: Use Flixn with Zoho to get audio and video recording capabilities in Zoho tools.
47. Kearen: Kearen makes it easy to use Zoho Sheet as data for their Dashboard application.
48. Zoho for Facebook: Use this Facebook app to have access to your Zoho files within Facebook.
49. EchoSign: Create your contracts, proposals, and other important documents in Zoho Writer, and get them digitally approved using EchoSign.
50. DigitalBucket: This online storage system makes it easy for you to open, edit, and save Zoho documents within their application.
51. OmniDrive: Using the Zoho API, OmniDrive offers integration with Zoho files.
52. Zoho QuickRead for Internet Explorer: If you’d like to be able to open Zoho files within Internet Explorer, be sure to download this extension.
53. Box.net: Through the OpenBox service on Box.net, you’ll be able to use Zoho files within the Box.net system.
54. Zoho Storage API: Use Zoho’s Storage API to manipulate data in different Zoho services.
55. Zoho Remote API: Using Zoho’s Remote API, you’ll be able to use Zoho services within third party applications.
56. RunMyProcess: RunMyProcess offers Zoho integration for easy workflow and functionality.
57. BubblesHQ: BubblesHQ will take your browser-based Zoho tools and make them perform more like a desktop application.
58. eyeOS: This online desktop system easily integrates with the Zoho suite of tools.
59. SteekR: Using SteekR, you can edit Zoho Writer documents and save them to your SteekR drive.
60. Zoho Docs: If you’ve found that you have a hard time keeping track of all of your Zoho files, get them organized in Zoho Docs.
61. Entrepreneur Assist: These tools from Entrepreneur are powered by Zoho and will work with the tools in the Zoho suite.
62. Syncplicity: Syncplicity allows you to synchronize your Zoho documents between your desktop and their web application.

Resources

These are excellent resources for finding tips, tricks, and even more resources relating to Zoho tools.

63. Zoho Forums: Zoho has an active forum for tips, tricks, and more related to the Zoho suite.
64. Keyboard shortcuts available in Zoho Writer: This resource offers a list of keyboard shortcuts that you can use to make your work in Zoho Writer easier.
65. Zoho Wiki Tips & Tricks: This wiki explains embedding, removing links, and more.
66. Zoho Blogs: On Zoho’s blogs, you’ll find lots of helpful information for using their tools.
67. Zoho Small Business Tips & Tricks: Here you’ll find a few hints for making Zoho Small Business work better.

Tutorials

These tutorials offer detailed explanations of how you can make use of Zoho’s many features.

68. Sharing Options in Zoho: Follow this tutorial to find out how to share options through Zoho.
69. Zoho Writer Goes Offline-Video Tutorial: Here you’ll learn how to access and edit your Zoho Writer documents offline.
70. Export/Backup Options in Zoho: Learn how to back up and export your Zoho Office data in a variety of different tools with this resource.
71. Provide Remote Assistance with Zoho Meeting: Using Zoho Meeting, you can troubleshoot a problem remotely.
72. Project and CRM workaround: Here you’ll learn how to use a workaround for Project Management & CRM.
73. Zoho Writer Tutorial: This tutorial will explain the important features of Zoho Writer.
74. How to make a custom quotation: Here you’ll learn a variety of tricks for customizing Zoho CRM quotations.
75. Setting up Task Dependency: This tutorial offers directions for setting up task dependency in Zoho Small Business.
76. How to print envelope labels from Zoho CRM: Find out how to take advantage of Zoho CRM’s ability to print directly from the Contacts view.
77. Managing Leads by Product Report: This Zoho CRM tutorial will explain organization based on product reports.
78. Zoho Projects: Change Logo and Powered By Logo: Better brand your Zoho Projects workspace by adding your own logo.
79. Cloning or duplicating an invoice: This guide offers a way to duplicate invoices easily.
80. Shortcut to add user to an Organization: Follow this quick tutorial to find out how to quickly add a user to an organization in Zoho Projects.
81. Managing Dashboard Folders: This tutorial will explain how to manage dashboard folders with access privileges.
82. Tutorial: How to create a password dialog: Password protect the editing of records in Zoho Creator using this simple method.
83. Zoho Business Tutorial: This video explains some of the most important points of Zoho Business.
84. How to add your company logo in print layouts: You can embed your logo in printable views of quotes and other documents using the detail in this guide.
85. How to schedule leads: Learn about scheduling leads for follow up with this useful guide.
86. Zoho Wiki Tutorial: This presentaton offers a good explanation for using Zoho Wiki.
87. Insert Custom Stylesheets in Writer Document: With this tutorial, you’ll learn how to add CSS to your documents.
88. How to customize Zoho Wiki’s navigation bar and sidebar: This tutorial explains how to change Zoho Wiki’s CSS to customize your wiki’s bars.
89. Zoho CRM Home Page Customization: This video explains how you can customize your Zoho CRM home page.
90. Linking to other Zoho products from the wiki: This tutorial discusses embedding Zoho elements into Zoho Wiki.
91. Can Projects be Re-Arranged?: Learn how to reorder your Zoho Projects with this tutorial.
92. Tutorial: How to create a password dialog: This tutorial will show you how to password protect editing of records in Zoho Creator.

Articles

These articles provide insightful thoughts about making use of Zoho tools.

93. Sharing PowerPoint Presenatations on the Web: Can Zoho Show Take on Slideshare?: Check out this guide to learn about some of the good and bad features of Zoho Show.
94. Uses of Zoho Creator: This article explains how you can put Zoho Creator to work for you.
95. Zoho Writer’s New Features Trump Other Online Word Processors: Find out why Zoho Writer is a superior tool in this article.
96. Archiving a Project: Here you’ll learn how to archive a project for long term preservation and future reference.
97. How Zoho Creator Can Help My On and Offline Business: Read this article to find out how you can put Zoho to work for your business.
98. Zoho People: Manage Your Company’s HR Needs from the Web: This article explains the appeal behind one of Zoho’s newest tools, Zoho People.
99. Creativity in Communication: This article explains how you can use Zoho CRM to better communicate with your customers.
100. Zoho Notebook vs OneNote and Google Notebook: Find out how Zoho Notebook stacks up against the competition with this guide.