Zoho CRM Live WhatsApp Chat View
Zoho CRM Live WhatsApp Chat View helps you see and manage WhatsApp messages directly inside Zoho CRM using TimelinesAI.
Currently, the Live WhatsApp Chat view is only supported in the Leads and Contacts modules within Zoho CRM. To use it, you must also be on the Enterprise or Ultimate editions of Zoho CRM.
✅ Pre-Requisites
✅ How Does It Work?
✅ Features in the Zoho CRM Live WhatsApp Chat View
✅ How to Install Live WhatsApp Chat View in Zoho CRM
✅ How to Start a New Chat If It Doesn't Exist?
✅ Sending A Template From The View
✅ Adding Attachments in a Chat
✅ Sending Emojis to a Chat
✅ Message Sent, Received, and Seen Signs
✅ Viewing Reactions in Live WhatsApp Chat View
✅ Deleted Message in Live WhatsApp Chat View
✅ Download A Received Document
Let’s get started 🚀
Active TimelinesAI Account: You must have an active TimelinesAI account to integrate with Zoho CRM and WhatsApp.
Connected Zoho Organization: Zoho Ogranization must be connected to TimelinesAI at https://app.timelines.ai/integrations/zoho_crm/ by your Zoho organization owner/administrator. Note: The Live WhatsApp Chat view loads within a widget inside Zoho CRM. As per Zoho's guidelines, widgets are only available on their Enterprise and Ultimate editions. Please ensure you're using a supported edition for your Zoho Organization.
Individual Connections for Zoho CRM Users: An individual connection is required for each additional Zoho CRM user to access the chat view. This connection is established by each additional user at https://app.timelines.ai/integrations/zoho_crm/
Connected WhatsApp Account/s: You’ll need to authenticate at least one WhatsApp number within TimelinesAI for chat functionality.
Phone Number: Zoho records ( Leads and Contacts) must have a non-empty phone number field.
The TimelinesAI Live WhatsApp Chat View integration lets you manage WhatsApp chats directly from Lead/Contact details page at Zoho.
On Live WhatsApp chat or Open WhatsApp Chat/s button clicks system looks for lead's/contact's phone number/s and then finds the WhatsApp chats that match those numbers from TimelinesAI.
The chats will be shown directly inside the view. You can read WhatsApp messages within Zoho CRM. You can also reply to messages, including using message templates, adding attachments, and sending emojis. If no matching chats were found, you will be able to start a new chat.
All messages are sent and received in real-time. This means the conversation stays up-to-date and seamless, and you never have to leave Zoho CRM to manage the chat.
Live WhatsApp Chat view requires TimelinesAI Extension to be installed within Zoho CRM. To install the extension:
Login to TimelinesAI as account owner or administrator.
Login to Zoho as Zoho organization owner or administrator in the same browser
Open https://app.timelines.ai/integrations/zoho_crm/ and click "Connect Zoho Organization"
After the connection is established, click "Install Extension". We recommend installing it for all users so others don’t have to do it themselves later, which could cause issues if they don’t have the right permissions at Zoho.
Each additional Zoho Organization user who wants to use the Live WhatsApp chat, must also establish their own individual TimelinesAI Zoho connection in addition to organization connection. To make the Live WhatsApp Chat view accessable to other users in your Zoho ogranization:
As TimelinesAI workspace owner or administrator invite your Zoho organization users to TimelinesAI first. You can invite at https://app.timelines.ai/team/
When invited user joins via the invitation link, they must open https://app.timelines.ai/integrations/zoho_crm/ and use Connect My Zoho button to connect their personal Zoho account with TimelinesAI
After establishing the connection, users will need to install the Live WhatsApp Chat extension—unless it was already installed for all Zoho users by the organization owner or administrator.
When the extension is installed:
Open a lead at Zoho CRM
"Live WhatsApp Chat" button will appear at the top right corner
Additionally, the "Live WhatsApp Chat" custom related list widget will be visible when you scroll down the lead details page. Clicking either button will open the TimelinesAI Live Chat view
Live Message Synchronization: Messages sent or received in WhatsApp are displayed in real-time within the view.
Internal Notes Synchronization: Notes added to a chat via the TimelinesAI Shared Inbox interface appear instantly in the live chat view.
Multiple Conversations in a Single View: Access and manage multiple WhatsApp conversations within the same item view.
Chat on Behalf of Any Team Member: Send messages as any member of your team directly from Zoho CRM.
Image Previews and File Downloads: Preview images and download files shared in the conversation.
Message Delivery Status: See delivery and read status for each message.
Send Attachments: Share any type of file directly through the chat view.
Send Emojis: Use emojis in your messages to keep conversations engaging and friendly.
Send Templates: Send message templates, perfect for automating notifications and updates.
Start a New Chat: You can initiate a new WhatsApp conversation directly from Zoho CRM, even if no prior chat exists.
You can view multiple conversations in the same chat window. This happens in the following cases:
If Zoho contact has multiple phone numbers in their profile, TimelinesAI will look for all matching WhatsApp chats. Any chats found will be shown together in one view.
If you have multiple WhatsApp accounts connected to TimelinesAI, such as one for support and another for sales, all chats with the same contact will appear in one view. This helps teams stay informed, regardless of which account or agent started the conversation.
Sometimes, Zoho Lead/Contact may not have an existing conversation in WhatsApp. In such cases, the Live WhatsApp Chat View allows to initiate a new chat directly from Zoho CRM. This feature is especially useful for reaching out to new clients, following up on inquiries, or proactively engaging with leads/contacts.
Currently the TimelinesAI Integration does not support Group Chats display within the Live Chat View in Zoho CRM.
Sometimes, you need to send the same message to many people, like reminders or updates. It can take a lot of time if you have to type it out each time. That’s where sending message templates from TImelinesAI view comes in.
Create template/s at https://app.timelines.ai/templates . Use "I will not use variables" as a variable source . Watch this short demonstration on how to create templates in TimelinesAI.
Add desired template text. Even if no variables seem available, the Live Chat view in Zoho CRM supports two basic variables: {phone} and {name}
{name} - automatically parsed as the contact’s name (as seen in TimelinesAI Shared Inbox).
{phone} - automatically parsed as the contact’s phone number.
Open Live WhatsApp Chat view at Zoho and type / in the message composer box. The list of available templates will appear. Select the desired template
Template content will be inserted into the message composer. Variables (if any) will be replaced by actual values.
Edit the message text ( if you would like to) and press the send icon to send the message in WhatsApp
Access the contact’s details page to which you want to send the attachment, click on the “TImelinesAI Live WhatsApp Chat” option, and click on the attachments icon. Then click on the send icon to send your attachments.
Through this demonstration, you will learn to add and send attachments in a chat.
Access the contact’s details page to which you want to send the emojis, click on the “TImelinesAI Live WhatsApp Chat” option, and click on the attachments icon. Then click on the send icon to send your emoticons.
Through this demonstration, you will learn to send emojis to a chat.
When you send a message, a single tick means the message has been sent and a double tick means the recipient has received the message. When the tick turns blue, it means the recipient has read the message.
In the Live WhatsApp Chat View, you can see any reactions added to messages. This makes it easy to understand the conversation and follow interactions more clearly.
When you receive a message, it will appear on the WhatsApp Chat View. This makes it easy to view and manage all conversations in one place.
In the Live WhatsApp Chat View, deleted messages still appear with a Deleted by Sender note and a timestamp. This helps you track all interactions, even if a message is removed.
You can easily download any received documents, images, videos, or other files directly from the chat. Simply click on the Download (⬇️) icon next to the attachment to save it to your device.
Currently, the Live WhatsApp Chat view is only supported in the Leads and Contacts modules within Zoho CRM. To use it, you must also be on the Enterprise or Ultimate editions of Zoho CRM.
✅ Pre-Requisites
✅ How Does It Work?
✅ Features in the Zoho CRM Live WhatsApp Chat View
✅ How to Install Live WhatsApp Chat View in Zoho CRM
✅ How to Start a New Chat If It Doesn't Exist?
✅ Sending A Template From The View
✅ Adding Attachments in a Chat
✅ Sending Emojis to a Chat
✅ Message Sent, Received, and Seen Signs
✅ Viewing Reactions in Live WhatsApp Chat View
✅ Deleted Message in Live WhatsApp Chat View
✅ Download A Received Document
Let’s get started 🚀
Pre-Requisites
Active TimelinesAI Account: You must have an active TimelinesAI account to integrate with Zoho CRM and WhatsApp.
Connected Zoho Organization: Zoho Ogranization must be connected to TimelinesAI at https://app.timelines.ai/integrations/zoho_crm/ by your Zoho organization owner/administrator. Note: The Live WhatsApp Chat view loads within a widget inside Zoho CRM. As per Zoho's guidelines, widgets are only available on their Enterprise and Ultimate editions. Please ensure you're using a supported edition for your Zoho Organization.
Individual Connections for Zoho CRM Users: An individual connection is required for each additional Zoho CRM user to access the chat view. This connection is established by each additional user at https://app.timelines.ai/integrations/zoho_crm/
Connected WhatsApp Account/s: You’ll need to authenticate at least one WhatsApp number within TimelinesAI for chat functionality.
Phone Number: Zoho records ( Leads and Contacts) must have a non-empty phone number field.
How Does It Work?
The TimelinesAI Live WhatsApp Chat View integration lets you manage WhatsApp chats directly from Lead/Contact details page at Zoho.
On Live WhatsApp chat or Open WhatsApp Chat/s button clicks system looks for lead's/contact's phone number/s and then finds the WhatsApp chats that match those numbers from TimelinesAI.
The chats will be shown directly inside the view. You can read WhatsApp messages within Zoho CRM. You can also reply to messages, including using message templates, adding attachments, and sending emojis. If no matching chats were found, you will be able to start a new chat.
All messages are sent and received in real-time. This means the conversation stays up-to-date and seamless, and you never have to leave Zoho CRM to manage the chat.
How to Install Live WhatsApp Chat View in Zoho CRM
Live WhatsApp Chat view requires TimelinesAI Extension to be installed within Zoho CRM. To install the extension:
Login to TimelinesAI as account owner or administrator.
Login to Zoho as Zoho organization owner or administrator in the same browser
Open https://app.timelines.ai/integrations/zoho_crm/ and click "Connect Zoho Organization"
After the connection is established, click "Install Extension". We recommend installing it for all users so others don’t have to do it themselves later, which could cause issues if they don’t have the right permissions at Zoho.
Each additional Zoho Organization user who wants to use the Live WhatsApp chat, must also establish their own individual TimelinesAI Zoho connection in addition to organization connection. To make the Live WhatsApp Chat view accessable to other users in your Zoho ogranization:
As TimelinesAI workspace owner or administrator invite your Zoho organization users to TimelinesAI first. You can invite at https://app.timelines.ai/team/
When invited user joins via the invitation link, they must open https://app.timelines.ai/integrations/zoho_crm/ and use Connect My Zoho button to connect their personal Zoho account with TimelinesAI
After establishing the connection, users will need to install the Live WhatsApp Chat extension—unless it was already installed for all Zoho users by the organization owner or administrator.
When the extension is installed:
Open a lead at Zoho CRM
"Live WhatsApp Chat" button will appear at the top right corner
Additionally, the "Live WhatsApp Chat" custom related list widget will be visible when you scroll down the lead details page. Clicking either button will open the TimelinesAI Live Chat view
Features in the Zoho CRM Live WhatsApp Chat View
Live Message Synchronization: Messages sent or received in WhatsApp are displayed in real-time within the view.
Internal Notes Synchronization: Notes added to a chat via the TimelinesAI Shared Inbox interface appear instantly in the live chat view.
Multiple Conversations in a Single View: Access and manage multiple WhatsApp conversations within the same item view.
Chat on Behalf of Any Team Member: Send messages as any member of your team directly from Zoho CRM.
Image Previews and File Downloads: Preview images and download files shared in the conversation.
Message Delivery Status: See delivery and read status for each message.
Send Attachments: Share any type of file directly through the chat view.
Send Emojis: Use emojis in your messages to keep conversations engaging and friendly.
Send Templates: Send message templates, perfect for automating notifications and updates.
Start a New Chat: You can initiate a new WhatsApp conversation directly from Zoho CRM, even if no prior chat exists.
Multiple Conversations in the Same View
You can view multiple conversations in the same chat window. This happens in the following cases:
If Zoho contact has multiple phone numbers in their profile, TimelinesAI will look for all matching WhatsApp chats. Any chats found will be shown together in one view.
If you have multiple WhatsApp accounts connected to TimelinesAI, such as one for support and another for sales, all chats with the same contact will appear in one view. This helps teams stay informed, regardless of which account or agent started the conversation.
Starting a New Chat If It Doesn't Exist
Sometimes, Zoho Lead/Contact may not have an existing conversation in WhatsApp. In such cases, the Live WhatsApp Chat View allows to initiate a new chat directly from Zoho CRM. This feature is especially useful for reaching out to new clients, following up on inquiries, or proactively engaging with leads/contacts.
Loading the view for WhatsApp Group Chats
Currently the TimelinesAI Integration does not support Group Chats display within the Live Chat View in Zoho CRM.
Sending A Template From The View
Sometimes, you need to send the same message to many people, like reminders or updates. It can take a lot of time if you have to type it out each time. That’s where sending message templates from TImelinesAI view comes in.
Create template/s at https://app.timelines.ai/templates . Use "I will not use variables" as a variable source . Watch this short demonstration on how to create templates in TimelinesAI.
Add desired template text. Even if no variables seem available, the Live Chat view in Zoho CRM supports two basic variables: {phone} and {name}
{name} - automatically parsed as the contact’s name (as seen in TimelinesAI Shared Inbox).
{phone} - automatically parsed as the contact’s phone number.
Open Live WhatsApp Chat view at Zoho and type / in the message composer box. The list of available templates will appear. Select the desired template
Template content will be inserted into the message composer. Variables (if any) will be replaced by actual values.
Edit the message text ( if you would like to) and press the send icon to send the message in WhatsApp
Adding Attachments in a Chat
Access the contact’s details page to which you want to send the attachment, click on the “TImelinesAI Live WhatsApp Chat” option, and click on the attachments icon. Then click on the send icon to send your attachments.
Through this demonstration, you will learn to add and send attachments in a chat.
Sending Emojis to a Chat
Access the contact’s details page to which you want to send the emojis, click on the “TImelinesAI Live WhatsApp Chat” option, and click on the attachments icon. Then click on the send icon to send your emoticons.
Through this demonstration, you will learn to send emojis to a chat.
Message Sent, Received, and Seen Signs
When you send a message, a single tick means the message has been sent and a double tick means the recipient has received the message. When the tick turns blue, it means the recipient has read the message.
Viewing Reactions in Live WhatsApp Chat View
In the Live WhatsApp Chat View, you can see any reactions added to messages. This makes it easy to understand the conversation and follow interactions more clearly.
Message Received in the WhatsApp Chat View
When you receive a message, it will appear on the WhatsApp Chat View. This makes it easy to view and manage all conversations in one place.
Deleted Message in Live WhatsApp Chat View
In the Live WhatsApp Chat View, deleted messages still appear with a Deleted by Sender note and a timestamp. This helps you track all interactions, even if a message is removed.
Download a Received Attachment
You can easily download any received documents, images, videos, or other files directly from the chat. Simply click on the Download (⬇️) icon next to the attachment to save it to your device.
Updated on: 30/04/2025
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