Overview
The Zoho Books integration connects DeskDay with Zoho Books to synchronize invoices, payments, and customer information.
Once connected:
New invoices created in DeskDay can sync to Zoho Books.
Payment status updates from Zoho Books can sync back to DeskDay.
Customers, tax rates, service categories, and products can be mapped between both systems.
Before you begin
Make sure:
You have access to the Zoho Books organization you want to connect.
You can authorize third-party applications in Zoho Books.
Required customers, tax rates, service categories, and products are configured in DeskDay.
You have permission to manage integrations in DeskDay.
Connect Zoho Books
Open Control Center.
Go to Integrations & API.
Locate Zoho Books.
Click Connect.
Select the region where your Zoho Books account is hosted:
United States
Europe
Australia
Click Connect.
Authorize DeskDay in Zoho Books
You are redirected to Zoho to authorize the integration.
Review the access requested by DeskDay, which includes access required to work with:
Customers and vendors
Settings and preferences
Invoices
Customer payments
Select the authorization checkbox and click Accept.
After authorization, DeskDay opens the Zoho Books setup flow.
Complete the integration setup
The Zoho Books integration uses five setup steps:
Customer mapping
Tax mapping
Service category mapping
Product mapping
Payment updates
Step 1: Customer mapping
Customer mapping links Zoho Books contacts with the corresponding DeskDay customers.
This helps keep invoices and payments associated with the correct customer.
Review each Zoho Books contact.
Open the corresponding DeskDay customer dropdown.
Select the matching DeskDay customer.
Repeat for the required customers.
Continue to the next step.
Make sure the correct customers are selected before continuing.
Step 2: Tax mapping
Tax mapping connects Zoho Books tax rates with the corresponding DeskDay tax rates.
This ensures invoice line items use the correct tax configuration.
Review each Zoho Books tax rate.
Select the corresponding DeskDay tax rate.
Repeat for the required tax rates.
Continue to the next step.
For example, a 5% Zoho Books tax rate should be mapped to the 5% tax rate configured in DeskDay only.
Step 3: Service category mapping
Service category mapping determines which Zoho Books item is used for different types of DeskDay billing.
Map each DeskDay service category to the appropriate Zoho Books item.
Available categories can include:
Tickets
Projects
Activities
Contracts
Ad hoc
Expenses
Unmapped products
To configure the mapping:
Review each DeskDay service category.
Select the appropriate Zoho Books item.
Repeat for all applicable categories.
Continue to the next step.
This mapping determines which Zoho Books item is used when invoice lines originate from these DeskDay billing categories.
Step 4: Product mapping
Product mapping connects Zoho Books items with their corresponding DeskDay products.
Review each Zoho Books item.
Select the corresponding DeskDay product.
Repeat for the products you want to map.
Continue to the next step.
This keeps product-based invoice items aligned between DeskDay and Zoho Books.
Step 5: Payment updates
The final step configures how DeskDay receives payment updates from Zoho Books.
DeskDay provides:
A unique Webhook URL
A unique Webhook secret
Do not share the webhook secret outside the required Zoho Books configuration.
Create the webhook in Zoho Books
In Zoho Books, go to Settings > Automation > Workflow Actions > Webhooks.
Click New Webhook.
Set the module to Customer Payment.
Paste the Webhook URL provided by DeskDay.
Set the method to POST.
Select I want to secure this webhook.
Paste the Webhook secret provided by DeskDay.
Keep the body as Default Payload.
Save the webhook.
Create the payment workflow rule
After creating the webhook:
Go to Settings > Automation > Workflow Rules.
Click New Workflow Rule.
Select Customer Payment as the module.
Configure the rule for Created or Edited.
Select Any field is updated.
Configure it to run Edited each time.
Add a additional criteria.
Set add criteria for this workflow rule as "No"
Under Immediate Actions, add an action of type Webhooks.
Select the webhook you created.
Save the workflow rule.
You can then choose:
Done — Complete the integration using webhook-based payment updates.
Skip — check every 15 minutes instead — Skip webhook setup and let DeskDay periodically check Zoho Books for payment updates.
Zoho Books can now send customer payment updates to DeskDay when the workflow is triggered.
Complete payment setup
After configuring the webhook and workflow rule, return to DeskDay.
The page displays the Last payment update received status so you can confirm whether DeskDay has received a payment update.
Complete the integration
After finishing the five setup steps, DeskDay confirms that the Zoho Books integration is connected.
The confirmation indicates that:
New invoices created in DeskDay can sync to Zoho Books.
Payment status updates can sync back to DeskDay.
Click Go to integrations to return to the integrations page.
How invoice synchronization works
Once the integration is connected, eligible invoices created in DeskDay can be synchronized to Zoho Books using the mappings configured during setup.
Before synchronizing an invoice, make sure:
The customer is mapped correctly.
The required tax rates are mapped.
Service categories are mapped.
Products used on the invoice are mapped where applicable.
How payment updates work
When a payment is recorded or updated in Zoho Books, DeskDay can receive the payment status through the configured webhook.
If webhook setup was skipped, DeskDay checks for payment updates every 15 minutes instead.
This keeps payment status in DeskDay aligned with the corresponding Zoho Books invoice.
Important notes
Zoho Books region must be selected before connecting.
Currently supported regions are the United States, Europe, and Australia.
Customer mapping connects Zoho Books contacts to DeskDay customers.
Tax mapping helps keep tax calculations aligned.
Service category mapping determines which Zoho Books items are used for DeskDay billing categories.
Product mapping connects Zoho Books items with DeskDay products.
Payment updates can use either a Zoho Books webhook or the 15-minute periodic check.
The Webhook URL and Webhook secret are generated for your DeskDay integration and should be copied exactly as shown.
Review mappings carefully before completing setup.
Troubleshooting
Zoho Books does not connect
Confirm that:
The correct Zoho Books region was selected.
Your Zoho account has access to the required organization.
The DeskDay authorization request was accepted.
You have permission to manage integrations in DeskDay.
A customer is missing during mapping
Confirm that the customer exists in DeskDay before completing the customer mapping.
A tax rate cannot be mapped
Confirm that the corresponding tax rate has been created in DeskDay.
A service category has no appropriate Zoho Books item
Create or identify the appropriate item in Zoho Books, then return to the mapping step.
A product cannot be mapped
Confirm that the corresponding product exists in DeskDay and that the required item is available in Zoho Books.
Payment updates are not reaching DeskDay
Confirm that:
The webhook uses the URL provided by DeskDay.
The method is set to POST.
The webhook security option is enabled.
The correct webhook secret is configured.
The webhook body uses Default Payload.
The workflow module is Customer Payment.
The webhook is added under Immediate Actions in the workflow rule.
For assistance, contact DeskDay Support at [email protected].