How to Add Custom Labels And Tags in Zoho CRM

Bywsadmin

A “tag” or “label” is a lightweight, flexible metadata tool you can apply to records (leads, contacts, accounts, deals, etc.) to:

  • Organize or categorize records non‑hierarchically
  • Filter and search by those tags
  • Create custom views or reports based on tag membership
  • Mark states, priorities, campaigns, themes, or other cross‑cutting dimensions

Zoho CRM supports tags natively (often thought of as “labels”) and allows custom tagging of records, with color coding, module‑level tag management, and automation. However, tags have limits and quirks, and many power users combine tagging with custom fields, workflows, Deluge scripting, or cross‑module syncing to get a more robust “labeling” system.

Part I: Native tagging in Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM provides built‑in support for tags. Here’s how to use them in day‑to‑day operations.

1. Where tags exist (module context)

  • Tags are module‑specific. That is, tags you apply in the Leads module are distinct from tags in Contacts, Deals, Cases, etc.
  • You manage tags in each module separately (create, edit, delete).
  • Profiles (user permissions) matter: only users with “module customization” or tag management permissions can create or manage tags. 

2. Adding tags to a record (single record)

To tag a specific record:

  1. Open the module (e.g. Leads, Contacts, Deals).
  2. Click on a record to open its detail view.
  3. Locate the Add Tags section or a “Tags” field (often near the top or in a header area).
  4. Enter tag names (existing or new) and save.
  5. The tag(s) will appear on the record’s detail page, in list view, Kanban view, etc.

You can click a tag name on a record to see all other records that share that tag.

3. Tagging multiple (bulk) records

You can add or remove tags in bulk on multiple records:

  1. In the module list view, select multiple records (checkbox).
  2. Use the Tags dropdown or “Add Tags” option.
  3. You’ll be shown suggestions of existing tags.
  4. Choose to add tags (append) or replace tags (overwrite) depending on behavior.
  5. Click Save.

4. Importing records with tags

If you import a CSV or spreadsheet into Zoho CRM, you can map a column to the Tag field:

  • The import-mapping interface allows mapping tags from the file to Zoho’s tag attribute.
  • For existing records, you can append (add new tags to existing ones) or replace (overwrite existing tags) depending on your choice.
  • If a tag in the import file doesn’t exist, it can be created during import.

5. Tagging via web forms

If you have a web form (e.g. to capture leads), Zoho CRM lets you specify default tags that will be applied when records are created through that form. 

6. Automation: Adding tags via workflows or blueprint transitions

You can automate tagging:

  • Workflow rules: In a workflow’s instant actions, one of the actions can be “Add Tag(s)” to a record when criteria are met.
  • Blueprint transitions: In Zoho’s Blueprint (process automation) you can set tag addition operations in specific transition steps.
  • You can also choose whether tags append or override existing ones.

7. Tag color coding

Each tag can have a color associated with it:

  • When you create or edit a tag, you can choose one of a predefined set of colors (background color) for that tag.
  • That color is reflected when tags are displayed (on record pages, list views, etc.) to give visual distinction. 
  • If you rename a tag to match another existing tag, Zoho will allow you to merge the tags.

8. Filtering, views & reports with tags

Once tags are in place, you can leverage them to organize and query data:

  • Custom views: In a module, define a custom view whose filter criteria include “Tag is X / Tag contains Y.” 
  • Advanced filters: From within a module’s list view, use the filter pane to filter by Tags. 
  • Global search: Enter a tag name into the CRM’s global search bar; records that have that tag will be surfaced. 
  • Reports: When creating reports, you can include “Tag” as a column, and filter by tag in report criteria.
  • Carryover tags during record conversion: For example, when converting a Lead to a Contact/Account/Deal, Zoho can carry over the tags, making sure that continuation of context. 

9. Managing tags (edit, delete, merge)

To manage tags within a module:

  1. Open the module (e.g. Leads).
  2. In the list view, click the Actions dropdown (or similar) and select Manage Tags. 
  3. You’ll see all tags in that module. You can:
    • Add New Tag
    • Edit a tag name or color
    • Delete a tag (if you delete, it is removed from all records)
    • Merge tags: If you rename a tag to an existing tag name, CRM prompts “Tag already exists – do you want to merge?” and will unify them across records. 

Be cautious when deleting or merging tags, because it affects historical tagging across many records.

Part II: Advanced strategies & custom labeling techniques

Native tagging is powerful, but often you’ll want richer “labels” or cross-module propagation. Here are advanced techniques to build a robust labeling system.

1. Custom functions / Deluge scripting for dynamic tagging

You can use Deluge (Zoho’s scripting language) to implement logic-driven tagging. Use this for:

  • Tag propagation (syncing tags across related modules)
  • Tag generation based on custom fields
  • Setting conditional tags when certain fields are updated

Example use case: You want whenever an Account is flagged “VIP,” all associated Contacts and Deals automatically receive a “VIP” tag.

  • Create a workflow in Accounts module triggered on change of a “VIP status” checkbox field.
  • The workflow’s instant action calls a custom Deluge function.
  • The function fetches all related contacts, deals, etc., and issues add_tags API calls to add “VIP” tags to them.
  • You can also remove the tag if unflagged.

Zoho provides examples of syncing tags from an account to related module records with custom functions. Another example: from account checkbox fields, derive tag names and push those as tags to related contacts. Writing these functions requires permissions: manage extensibility, custom functions, developers, etc.

2. Using the Zoho CRM API to add labels/tags

If you’re integrating from external systems or custom code:

  • Use Add Tags API endpoint:
    • POST /crm/v2/{module_api_name}/{record_id}/actions/add_tags?tag_names={tag1},{tag2}
    • Or POST /crm/v2/{module_api_name}/actions/add_tags for multiple records.
  • The API also supports over_write parameter to replace existing tags.
  • In your API calls, you can set tag IDs or names and (optionally) color codes.
  • Use “Get Tags” API to consult available tags and their IDs.

This method allows external systems (ERP, website, integrations) to push tags programmatically into CRM records.

3. Combining tags with custom fields for “labels”

Tags are great for flexible categories, but sometimes you want a “strong label” (single-valued classification) in addition to tags. You can combine tags with custom picklist or multi-select fields:

  • Create a custom picklist or multi-select picklist called “Primary Label” or “Category Tag.”
  • Use that field to store your main classification (e.g. Project Type, Priority, Region).
  • Use automations or workflows to keep this field in sync with tags. For example, when a tag is added, set the picklist field accordingly (or vice versa).
  • This hybrid method gives you both structured categorization (via a field) and flexible tagging (via tags).

4. Tag propagation across modules

Because tags are module-specific, they don’t automatically carry over across related modules. But often you want consistency:

  • Use workflows + Deluge functions to propagate or synchronize tags. For example, when a Deal is tagged “High Value,” propagate that tag to the associated Contact or Account.
  • Similarly, you can ensure that if a Contact gets a tag through some action, its parent Account inherits the same tag.
  • Zoho’s “Auto Sync Tags Across Modules” solution is an example of this approach. Zoho

5. Tag limits and constraints

Be aware of limits:

  • Each record has a maximum number of tags allowed (depending on your Zoho edition). For example, some editions allow up to 5 tags per record, others 10.
  • Each module has a limit on how many distinct tags you can define. IOVOX
  • If your account is at tag capacity, new tags intermittently may not show (e.g. from connected integrations).

Always check your edition’s limits and plan your tagging strategy accordingly.

Part III: Best practices, design decisions, and pitfalls

When implementing custom labels/tags in Zoho CRM, follow these best practices and watch out for pitfalls.

Best practices

  1. Design a controlled taxonomy
    • Start with a manageable number of tags (20–50) and avoid sprawl
    • Use naming conventions (prefixes, categories)
    • Assign colors thoughtfully (e.g. red = urgent, blue = client type)
  2. Use consistent tagging workflows
    • Automate where possible (via workflows or functions)
    • Avoid manual tagging drift (users creating inconsistent tags)
    • Periodically audit and merge redundant tags
  3. Tag early in the workflow
    • When a record is created, apply tags via default mapping, web forms, or workflow rules
    • Propagate tags through conversions (lead → contact → deal)
  4. Combine with structured fields
    • Use tags for flexible dimension, and picklist/custom fields for core labels
    • Keep tag + field in synchronization via workflows if needed
  5. Use tags for filtering, segmentation & reporting
    • Leverage tags in custom views, reports, dashboards
    • Use global search and filters to find records by tag
    • Track tag usage trends (which tags are most used)
  6. Clean up periodically
    • Merge tags that are duplicates
    • Delete unused tags
    • Review tag colors & naming

Pitfalls & caveats

  • Module-boundness: Tags in one module do not automatically apply in another (unless you build propagation).
  • Tag limits: Hitting per-record or per-module limits can block your tagging strategy.
  • Over-tagging: Too many tags per record can reduce clarity; treat tags as focused, meaningful labels.
  • Deleting tags: Removing a tag deletes it from all records — use caution.
  • Mismatched tag styles: If users freely create tags, you’ll end up with aliases, misspellings, and inconsistency.
  • Performance concerns: Very large numbers of tags or automation-heavy functions can affect performance.
  • Integration mismatch: External systems (e.g. marketing tools, ERP) may not always respect or sync tags.

Example: Build a “Priority + Campaign” label system using tags + automation

Suppose you want a labeling system in your CRM that covers:

  • Priority level: High, Medium, Low
  • Campaign source: Webinar, Email Blast, Tradeshow, Referral

You want each Lead, Contact, or Deal to have tags like Priority:High and Campaign:Webinar.

Step-by-step:

  1. Manage tags per module
    • In Leads, create tags: Priority:High, Priority:Medium, Priority:Low, Campaign:Webinar, Campaign:EmailBlast, etc.
    • Do the same in Contacts, Deals modules (match tag sets).
  2. Tag on record creation/import
    • For web forms, set default tags (e.g. if form source = webinar, include Campaign:Webinar)
    • For imports, map a column to “Tag” field so that campaign tag is applied on import
  3. Apply priority tag via workflow
    • Create a picklist field “Priority Level” (High, Medium, Low)
    • Build a workflow on record creation/edit:
      • When Priority Level = High → add tag Priority:High
      • Optionally, remove or overwrite Priority:Medium or Priority:Low tags
  4. Propagation / sync (optional)
    • If a Lead is converted to Contact + Deal, carry over tags (Zoho supports carryover).
    • Use Deluge function or workflow to sync tags across modules if needed.
  5. Use tag filtering & views
    • Create custom views like “High Priority Webinar Leads” (filter: Tag contains Priority:High AND Tag contains Campaign:Webinar)
    • In Deals, report by tags to see which priority/campaign combos are most effective
  6. Audit & merge
    • Periodically check for inconsistent tags (e.g. “Priority – High” vs Priority:High)
    • Merge duplicates, clean up unused tags

This hybrid system gives you robust “labels” across dimensions, in a way that’s manageable.

Zoho CRM offers native support for tags (labels) — you can add tags to records, color-code them, bulk-apply them, manage them module-wise, use them in workflows/blueprint, and filter/report on them.