What are Accounts in Zoho CRM? 2 simple and quick ways to create Accounts

1. What is an account?

“Accounts” is simply the plural form of “account,” referring to companies or departments within a company that you conduct business transactions with. For B2B (Business-to-Business) enterprises, accounts play a crucial role in tracking important customer information.

In Zoho CRM, an account can be linked to one or more contacts, making it easier to track and manage information about business partners. For example, you may have an account representing the sales department of Company X while storing details of two different contacts from that department.

2. How to create a new account in Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM offers multiple ways to enter data into the Accounts module, including:

• Manually entering data into the account details form: You can manually fill in account information based on data collected from external sources. This is the simplest method and is ideal when you need to verify or control each detail.
• Converting a lead into an account: When a lead is qualified to move to the next stage in the sales process, you may consider converting it into an account. When converting a lead, Zoho CRM automatically creates related records such as Contact, Account, and Deal.

Below, we will guide you through two ways to create an account in Zoho CRM.

3. Creating an account manually

To create a new account, follow these steps:

1. Click on Accounts in the top menu of Zoho CRM → Select Create Account to continue.

When creating an account in Zoho CRM, ensure you fill in the following required fields:

• Account Owner: The person responsible for managing this account in Zoho CRM. By default, the creator of the account is assigned as the owner, but this can be changed.
• Account Name: The name of the account you want to create.

After entering the information, click Save (top right) to store the account details.

• Click Save and New to create another account.
• Click Cancel to discard the entry.

Creating an account is straightforward, requiring only the account name. However, it is advisable to add detailed information such as email, phone number, address, website, and more. You can even include an avatar or rating to assess the potential of the account. These details help effectively manage and track accounts within Zoho CRM.

4. Converting a lead into an account

To convert a lead into an account, follow these steps:

1. Click on Leads → Select the lead you want to convert.
2. Hover over the three-dot icon (to the left of the checkbox) → Click Convert.

Zoho CRM will automatically extract the information and create:

• An account, based on the lead’s company name.
• A new contact, based on the lead’s name.

Finally, click Convert to complete the process.

Note: Once a lead is converted into an account, the action cannot be undone, so proceed carefully.

5. Navigating the account page

When you click on an account in the Accounts module, Zoho CRM displays the account details page, where you can edit information.

Key features of the account page:

1. Switch between two views:
   • Overview: Displays comprehensive account details, including all relevant business information.
   • Timeline: Shows a history of actions performed on the account over the past six months (e.g., name changes, email updates).
2. Displays common business card information such as email and phone number.
3. Suggests the best time to contact the customer.
4. Allows you to send an email directly to the account.
5. Enables quick edits to essential account details.
6. Provides additional options such as copying, sharing, or printing the account information.
7. Offers navigation tools to quickly access related sections within the account’s details.
8. Functions as a reminder tool, displaying upcoming tasks related to the account (e.g., a call on Thursday, a meeting on Friday).
9. Displays detailed customer information, which can be collapsed to save space.
10. Shows notes related to the account, such as location details (e.g., near a supermarket) or customer preferences for better relationship management.

6. Conclusion

Overall, the Accounts module helps businesses efficiently manage and synchronize customer data. Hopefully, this guide has helped you understand accounts in Zoho CRM and how to work with them effectively.