Fuji Business Software Inc. - BLOGFuji Business Software Inc. - BLOGhttps://www.fujibiz.com/blogsWed, 22 Apr 2026 08:38:27 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[How to Create Invoices Only for Shipped Items in Zoho Inventory]]>https://www.fujibiz.com/blogs/post/how-to-create-invoices-only-for-shipped-items-in-zoho-inventory

The Problem: Invoices Don’t Always Match Actual Shipments

By default, Zoho Inventory generates invoices directly from Sales Orders.

While this works in simple cases, many businesses face a common issue:

Invoices are created for all ordered items — not just the items that have been shipped.

This becomes a serious problem in real-world operations, especially when:

  • Partial shipments are common
  • Orders are fulfilled in multiple packages
  • Billing must reflect actual shipped quantities
  • Warehouse and accounting processes are separated

👉 In short:
Your invoice does not reflect reality.

Why This Happens

Zoho Inventory is designed around a Sales Order → Invoice workflow.

However, actual operations often follow:

👉 Sales Order → Package → Shipment → Invoice

The missing link is that:

Invoices are not natively tied to Packages.

So even if you carefully manage shipments using Packages,
the invoice still pulls all items from the Sales Order.

Real-World Impact

This limitation can cause:

  • Overbilling customers
  • Manual corrections in invoices
  • Confusion between warehouse and accounting teams
  • Increased operational errors

For businesses handling logistics, wholesale, or distribution,
this becomes a daily friction point.

The Solution: Invoice Only Packaged (Shipped) Items

To solve this, we developed a custom extension that:

✅ Retrieves only packaged items
✅ Matches quantities based on shipment
✅ Generates invoices based on actual fulfillment

How It Works (High-Level)

Instead of relying on the default flow, the extension:

  1. Retrieves Package data via API
  2. Extracts shipped item quantities
  3. Maps them to the corresponding Sales Order
  4. Creates an Invoice with only shipped items

👉 This ensures:

Invoice = What was actually shipped

Before vs After

Default Behavior

  • Invoice includes all Sales Order items
  • Ignores shipment status

With Custom Extension

  • Invoice includes only packaged items
  • Matches real shipment quantities

Use Cases

This approach is especially useful for:

  • Wholesale businesses
  • Distribution companies
  • Warehousing operations
  • Companies with partial fulfillment workflows

Why Not Just Use a Marketplace Extension?

There are similar extensions available in the Zoho Marketplace.

However, in many cases:

  • Business workflows differ
  • Custom fields are required
  • Approval flows need to be integrated
  • Edge cases (partial shipments, returns, etc.) must be handled

👉 That’s where customization becomes essential.

When You Should Consider This

You should consider this solution if:

  • You frequently ship orders in multiple batches
  • Your invoices must strictly match shipped quantities
  • Your team is manually adjusting invoices
  • You want to eliminate operational errors

Final Thoughts

Zoho Inventory is a powerful platform, but like any system,
it doesn’t cover every real-world scenario out of the box.

The good news is:

With the right customization, you can align the system with your actual operations.

 Need Help?

If you’re facing similar challenges,
we can help customize Zoho Inventory to match your workflow.

Feel free to reach out 👇
👉 https://www.fujibiz.com/contact

]]>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:06:02 -0700<![CDATA[Zoho vs kintone: Which Platform Is Right for Your Business Operations?]]>https://www.fujibiz.com/blogs/post/zoho-vs-kintone-which-platform-is-right-for-your-business-operations

When businesses look to improve their operations, two platforms often come up: Zoho and kintone.

Both are powerful tools — but they serve different purposes depending on how your business operates.

As someone who works with both platforms (Zoho and kintone), I’ve seen where each one works best in real-world scenarios.

This article will help you understand the difference — not from a marketing perspective, but from actual implementation experience.

What is Zoho?

Zoho is a comprehensive business suite that includes applications like CRM, Inventory, Books, and Creator.

It is designed to cover a wide range of business functions out of the box.

Best for:

• Companies that want an integrated system (CRM + Inventory + Accounting)

• Businesses looking for a cost-effective all-in-one solution

• Organizations that want to standardize operations quickly

However, customization is often required to fully match business workflows.

What is kintone?

kintone is a flexible low-code platform that allows you to build custom business applications from scratch.

Instead of forcing your business into a predefined structure, kintone lets you design the system around your workflow.

Best for:

• Companies with unique or complex processes

• Teams that need highly customized workflows

• Organizations that want flexibility over structure

However, it requires proper design and implementation to be effective.

Key Differences

Zoho and kintone are not competitors in the traditional sense — they approach business systems differently.

Zoho:

• Structured applications

• Faster initial setup

• Strong in standard business functions

kintone:

• Fully customizable

• Flexible workflows

• Strong in process-driven operations

Which One Should You Choose?

The answer depends on your business.

Choose Zoho if:

• You want an all-in-one business system

• Your processes are relatively standard

• You want faster deployment

Choose kintone if:

• Your operations are unique or evolving

• You need custom workflows

• You want full flexibility

The Real Answer: It’s About Implementation

In many cases, the platform itself is not the biggest factor.

What matters is:

• How well the system is designed

• Whether it matches your actual operations

• How effectively it is implemented

I’ve worked on both Zoho and kintone projects, and one thing is always true:

A well-designed system works.

A poorly implemented one does not — regardless of the platform.

How I Help

I work with both Zoho and kintone to design and implement systems based on real business needs.

Instead of pushing a single platform, I focus on:

• Understanding your operations

• Identifying inefficiencies

• Designing the right system

• Implementing practical solutions

Let’s Talk

If you’re considering Zoho or kintone — or already using one but not getting the results you expected — I’d be happy to help.

Sometimes a small change in system design can make a big difference.

]]>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:41:23 -0700<![CDATA[Fix Stock Visibility Issues in Zoho Inventory Picklists (Custom Extension Solution)]]>https://www.fujibiz.com/blogs/post/zoho-inventory-extension-to-display-stock-on-hand-in-picklist-integrate-zoho-inventory-with

1. Problem

Many Zoho Inventory users run into this problem:

  • You can’t see stock levels when creating picklists
  • Warehouse operations slow down due to manual checks
  • Picking errors increase because stock visibility is limited


This limitation is especially critical for businesses with:

  • High order volume
  • Multiple warehouse locations
  • Fast-moving inventory


2. Solution

In this article, I’ll show how to solve this by displaying Stock on Hand directly in picklists using a custom Zoho Inventory extension.

To solve this, I built a custom extension that:

  • Displays Stock on Hand directly inside picklists

  • Eliminates the need to switch screens

  • Helps warehouse teams make faster and more accurate decisions

3. How it works

(Technical overview for those interested in implementation)

Use Case

When creating a picklist from a sales order in Zoho Inventory, all line items are listed in the picklist regardless of item's stock value. This default behavior sometimes confuses the picker who is assigned to pick up items according to the picklist when the items are out of stock.

This will be solved if the stock on hand value is displayed for line items in the picklist because the picker knows wether the items are in stock in advance and efficiently pick up items without wasting their time.

Prerequisites

Creating ZOHO Inventory Extension

In order to develop an extension using ZOHO Sigma.

First, go to ZOHO developer site (https://developer.zoho.com) and sign in. 

Then select "Sigma"  and click "Start Building" button as shown below screenshot.

Click "New Extension" button to create an extension.

Add the extension name, and type a description of the extension.

Select ZOHO Inventory icon in service section.

Check the agreement statement.

Then, click "Create" button.

ZOHO Inventory Developer Portal is displayed.

Creating connections

In order to access ZOHO Inventory data, you need first to create an connection for ZOHO Inventory integration. 

Follow below steps:

  1. Click "Build" tab.
  2. Select "Connections" from left-side menu.
  3. Click "New Connection" button.

Type "Inventory" in the search box on the top left.

Then, click "Zoho Inventory" as a default service. 

Configure the connection details.

1. Enter "Connection Name".
2. Select following Scopes:
  • ZohoInventory.picklists.UPDATE
  • ZohoInventory.picklists.READ
  • ZohoInventory.items.READ
    3. Click ""                                   

    Click "Connect".

    Click "Connect"  for ZOHO Flow access.

    Click "Accept" to allow an access.

    The connection to ZOHO Inventory is created.

    Creating a custom field

    In order to display "stock on hand" value for line items in a Picklist, a custom fields need to be created first.

    To create a custom field, follow these steps:

    1.  Select "Preference" from Menu.
    2. Select "Items" module from Submenu.
    3. Click "+New Custom Field".


    Configure the custom field:

    1. Enter "Label Name".
    2. Select "Decimal" as "Data Type".
    3. Enter "Help Text" if necessary.
    4. Enter "0" as "Default Value".
    5. Select "Yes" for "Show when creating transactions".
    6. Select "Picklist" for "Includes in modules".
    7. Select "Yes" for "Show in ALL PDFs".
    8. Click "Save" to create the custom field.

    "Stock on Hand" custom field is created in Items module.

    Creating Workflow Actions

    In order to display the stock on hand value, a custom function needs to be created.

    To create custom functions, follow below steps:
    1. Select "Workflow Actions" from left menu.
    2. Select "Custom Functions" from submenu.
    3. Click "+ New Function" button.

     Developing a custom function to get stock on hand values from items

    Follow below steps to create a custom function.

    1. Enter "Function Name".
    2. Enter "Description".
    3. Select "Picklist" module.
    4. Click "Proceed".

    Refer to the below sample code to write deluge scripts in the editor and click "Save" button.

    Creating Workflow Rules

    Now that the connection for ZOHO Inventory integration is established and workflow action is created, next step is to create an automation workflow rule.


        Workflow Rule condition: 

      • Execute when a picklist is created or edited.
      • Execute the workflow when Any field is updated.

        

        Criterion 1:  Execute for all the picklist.


        Immediate Action: Execute a custom function to get stock on an value for the line items and set the value in a custom field of item module.


    1. Select "Workflow Rules" menu.
    2. Click "+ New Workflow Rule" button.

    Follow below steps to configure Workflow Rule:

    1. Enter "Workflow Rule Name".
    2. Enter "Description".
    3. Select "Picklist" module.
    4. Click "Next".
    Configure Workflow Execution Rule:
    1. Select "Event Based".
    2. Select "When picklist is created or edited".
    3. Select "Any field is updated".
    4. Select "Edited each time". 
    5. Click "Next".

    Configure Criteria:

    Click "New Criteria".

    1. Select "No" to execute for all the picklist.
    2. Click "Done"

    Configure immediate actions:

    Click "Immediate actions".

    1. Select Type, "Custom Functions".
    2. Select the custom function created above.
    3. Click ""Associate".


    The workflow associated with picklist module is created.

    Testing the extension

    In order to test the extension, you can use the sandbox.

    1. Click "Test Your Extension" link on the top left corner.
    2. The sandbox ZOHO Inventory app opens in the separate window. 

    You need to enable "Picklists" module in the settings first.

    Click the gear icon on the top right corner.

    Click "General" menu under "Preferences"

    1. Make sure to check "Picklists" module.
    2. Click "Save".

    Close the setting page and click "Sales Orders" menu.

    Click "+New" on the top right corner.

    Create new Sales Order:
    1. Make sure to select inventory items in "Item Table".
    2. Click "Save as Draft".

    Click "Mark as Confirmed".

    Nest, create a picklist from the sales order just created.

    Click "Create" -> "Picklist".

    Make sure you see "Stock on Hand" field is displayed in item details.

    Click "Generate picklist".

    Refresh the browser after a while. It takes a while to execute the custom function.

    "Stock on hand" value is populated for line items. 

    The value is updated when a picklist is created or edited.

    Publishing the extension

    1. Select "Publish" tab.
    2. Click "Publish" button.
    1. Select "Version".
    2. Typer "Rerease Notes".
    3. Click "Publish"

    You can install the extension with the Private Installation URL.

    Note: You can only install he extension for the same Zoho Inventory account you develop the extension. You need a private review to install it for your client Zoho account.

    4. Result / Impact

    With this extension:

    • Picking time is reduced

    • Errors decrease

    • Operations become more efficient

    This is a small customization, but it has a big impact on daily operations.

    Try This Extension

    This solution is already available on Zoho Marketplace:

    👉Display Stock on Hand in Picklist for Zoho Inventory

    You can install it and start improving your picklist workflow immediately.

    Need Help with Zoho Inventory Customization?

    If you’re using Zoho Inventory but running into limitations like this, I can help.

    I specialize in building custom solutions using Zoho Creator and Zoho APIs to improve real-world operations.

    Reach Us
    ]]>    Thu, 13 Feb 2025 12:28:16 -0800    <![CDATA[Why You Need Custom Extensions in Zoho Inventory (And How to Build One)]]>https://www.fujibiz.com/blogs/post/creating-zoho-inventory-extension

    1. Problem

    Many businesses using Zoho Inventory eventually run into limitations:

    • Standard features don’t fully match their workflow

    • Manual workarounds are required

    • Integration with other systems is limited

    While Zoho Inventory is powerful, it’s not always enough out of the box.

    2. Solution

    One way to overcome these limitations is by using custom extensions.

    Zoho Inventory extensions allow you to:

    • Customize workflows

    • Add missing functionality

    • Integrate with external systems

    In this article, I’ll walk through how extensions work and how to build one.

    3. How it works

    (Technical overview for developers and advanced users)

    Use Case

    By connecting ZOHO Inventory with ZOHO Creator, you can further develop custom functionalities that the standard Inventory app cannot implement by itself.

    In this demo, I want to demonstrate 2 scenarios:

    1. When a sales order is created and issued in ZOHO Inventory, the order record is synchronized to the sales module in the ZOHO Creator app.
    2. When a purchase order is received in ZOHO Inventory, the order record is synchronized to the purchase order module in  the ZOHO Creator app.

    Prerequisites

    Install Inventory Management App

    I will use pre-built application in ZOHO Creator in order to integrate with ZOHO Inventory.

    I picked the Inventory Management application.


    After sign-in, click "Create Solution" button on the top right corner.

    Select "Inventory Management" app and click "install" button.

      Then, click "Pick" button in "Create from Gallery" box.

      Type "inventory" in the search box located on the top right corner.

      Select "Inventory Management" app and click "install" button.

      Selected application will be installed shortly.

      Creating ZOHO Inventory Extension

      Now that we have installed Inventory Management app in ZOHO Creator, we are ready to develop an extension using ZOHO Sigma.


      Go to ZOHO developer site (https://developer.zoho.com) and sign in. 

      Then select "Sigma"  and click "Start Building" button as shown below screenshot.

      Click "New Extension" button to create an extension.

      Add the extension name, and type a description of the extension.

      Select ZOHO Inventory icon in service section.

      Check the agreement statement.

      Then, click "Create" button.

      ZOHO Inventory Developer Portal will be displayed.

      Creating connections

      In order to access ZOHO Creator app, you need first to create an connection for ZOHO Creator. 

      Follow below steps:

      1. Click "Build" tab.
      2. Select "Connections" from left-side menu.
      3. Click "New Connection" button.

      Type "Creator" in the search box on the top left.

      Then, click "Zoho Creator" as a default service. 

      Configure the connection details.

      1. Enter "Connection Name".
      2. Turn this "Off"
      3. Select following Scopes:
    1. ZohoCreator.form.CREATE
    2. ZohoCreator.report.CREATE
    3. ZohoCreator.report.DELETE
    4. ZohoCreator.report.READ
    5. ZohoCreator.report.UPDATE

      6. Click "Connect".

      Click "Connect"  for ZOHO Flow access.

      Click "Accept" to allow an access.

      The connection to ZOHO Creator is created.

      Creating Workflow Rules

      Now that the connection between ZOHO Inventory and ZOHO Creator is established, next step is to create an automation rule.

      I will create 2 rules to trigger custom actions.

      Rule 1: When a Sales Order is created and issued.

      Rule 2: When Purchase Order is created and received.


      1. Select "Workflow Rules" menu.
      2. Click "+ New Workflow Rule" button.

      Follow below steps to configure Workflow Rule 1. (Refer to below screenshot.)

      1. Enter "Workflow Rule Name".
      2. Select "Sales Order" Module.
      3. Select "Event Based".
      4. Select "Created or Edited"
      5. Select "Any field is updated".
      1. Configure the trigger to select  "Status",  "is" and "Open".
      2. Select "Just Once".
      3. Configure the actions. (For now, just select "in-app Notification" and create a in-app notification with a message. )*
      4. Click "Save"  to create a Workflow rule.

      *This will be replaced by a custom action we will create later. 

      Follow below steps to configure Workflow Rule 2. (Refer to below screenshot.)

      1. Enter "Workflow Rule Name".
      2. Select "Purchase order" Module.
      3. Select "Event Based".
      4. Select "Created or Edited"
      5. Select "Any field is updated".
      1. Configure the trigger by selecting  "Purchase Receive Status",  "is" , "Received", "OR",  "Purchase Receive Status",  "is" and "Partially Received".
      2. Select "Just Once".
      3. Configure the actions. (For now, just select "in-app Notification" and create a in-app notification with a message. )*
      4. Click "Save"  to create a Workflow rule.

      *This will be replaced by a custom action we will create later. 

      Creating Workflow Actions

      As workflow actions, I will develop the following custom functions:

      1. Creating a sales order in Inventory Management app in ZOHO Creator when a sales order is created in ZOHO Inventory.
      2. Creating a purchase order in Inventory Management app in ZOHO Creator when a purchase order is created and received.

      To create custom functions, follow below steps:
      1. Select "Workflow Actions" from left menu.
      2. Select "Custom Functions" from submenu.
      3. Click "+ New Function" button.

       Developing a custom function to synchronize a sales order

      Follow below steps to create a custom function.

      1. Type "Function Name".
      2. Select "Sales Order" module.
      3. Check "Global Fields" to allow use of global fields.

      Refer to the below sample code to write deluge scripts in the editor and click "Save" button.

       Developing a custom function to synchronize a purchase order

      Follow below steps to create a custom function.

      1. Type "Function Name".
      2. Select "Purchase Order" module.
      3. Check "Global Fields" to allow use of global fields.

      Refer to the below sample code to write deluge scripts in the editor and click "Save" button.

      Updating Workflow Rules

      Now that custom functions are created, we need to update actions in workflow rules.

      1. Select "Workflow Rules" menu.
      2. Click workflow name, "Sales Order Created".
      1. Scroll down to "4. Action" setting.
      2. Select  "Custom Function"  as "Type" 
      3. Select the custom function, "create_sales_order_in_inventory_management",  you just created for the sales order module.
      4. Click "Save" button to apply the change.

      Next, click Workflow name, "Purchase Order Created".

      1. Scroll down to "4. Action" setting.
      2. Select  "Custom Function"  as "Type" 
      3. Select the custom function, "create_purchase_order_in_inventory_management",  you just created for the sales order module.
      4. Click "Save" button to apply the change.

      Configuring Global Fields

      When connecting ZOHO Creator app from ZOHO Inventory extension, we need to configure the API endpoint in deluge scripts.

      We need to specify "Space" name and "App Name" as a part of the endpoint URL.

      However, those vales are depends on user's account for which the extension will be installed.

      To solve this, we can use global fields to hold those values and paas them to custom functions as parameters.

      Follow below steps to set up "Global Fields".


      1. Select "Configure" tab.
      2. Select "Global Fields" Menu.
      3. Click "+ New Field" button.
      1. Type field "Name".
      2. Type "Description".
      3. Select "Text Box (Single Line)" as Data Type.
      4. Type your account's space name.
      5. Select "Read Only".
      6. Click "Save".

      You can find the "space name" and "app name" in the creator app URL.

      Follow the same steps to configure the global field for "app name".

      To get global field values in deluge, refer to the below scripts.

      You need the "placeholder" name to retrieve values in the script.

      Testing the extension

      In order to test the extension, you can use the sandbox.

      1. Click "Test Your Extension" link on the top left corner.
      2. The sandbox ZOHO Inventory app opens in the separate window. 

      You need to add, at least, an organization, a warehouse, and a product.

      Those records must match between ZOHO Inventory and ZOHO Creator app.

      1. Create new sales order.
      2. Click "Save as Draft".

      Click "Mark as Confirmed".

      1. Open Inventory Management app in ZOHO Creator.
      2. Confirm new sales order is created in Sales Details module.

      Next, test for a purchase order.

      1. Create new purchase order.
      2. Click "Save as Draft".

      Click "Receive" button.

      Click "Save as Received".

      1. Open Inventory Management app in ZOHO Creator.
      2. Confirm new purchase order is created in Purchase Details module.

      Publishing the extension

      1. Select "Publish" tab.
      2. Click "Publish" button.

      4. Business Impact

      Custom extensions can significantly improve operations:

      • Reduce manual work

      • Improve data accuracy

      • Adapt Zoho to your exact workflow

      Instead of changing your business to fit the system, you can adapt the system to your business.

      Need a Custom Zoho Inventory Extension?

      If you’re hitting limitations with Zoho Inventory, I can help.

      As a Zoho Creator Certified Developer, I build custom extensions tailored to your business.

      Contact me here
      ]]>      Tue, 20 Feb 2024 16:14:56 -0800