What is Canvas?

Canvas is a design garage built into Zoho CRM, where customers can reimagine the user interface of their Zoho CRM on a blank canvas.

Previously, Canvas enabled users to customize only the list view of various modules in Zoho CRM. And with this huge update, we're bringing Canvas customization for the detail view of records as well. Now, customers can give their Zoho CRM a complete redesign, to one that suits their needs and preferences.

Design is subjective and therefore, Canvas aims to help customers use the plethora of formatting options available, to create a masterpiece. Here's an example of a standard contact page reimagined with the new Canvas builder.

Impressive, right?

How does Canvas work?

Zoho CRM has raised the bar for customization offered in a CRM software. With Canvas, customers can reimagine the look and feel of their data like never before.

On the detail page of a Contact, click to create a new Canvas view. Now, all the fields, related lists, buttons, and other components, are retained on the left side panel, with the data intact. And a blank canvas appears on the right center, where you can add the components back, while also adding your design flair to it. Canvas is where data meets design.

Zoho CRM is the best customizable CRM in the market right now, for two reasons: the what and the how.

1) It's effortlessly simple to use 

You don't have to be a programmer or a designer to use Canvas; you just need a good taste. Just drag and drop components onto the screen, click for formatting options, and that's it! – Users can create a brand new screen with just a few mouse clicks. Not a single line of code to write.

2) It's highly customizable

Canvas offers a plethora of customization features which let's you reimagine every little detail on the screen. In brief, you can use different colors, try different data arrangements, modify text, add border, shadow, radius, padding, margins, insert background images and more. No other CRM offers such breadth of customization.

How does Canvas help?

Canvas enables customers to build a CRM that they prefer, period. One of the biggest challenges that businesses are tackling right now, is enforcing CRM adoption, and much of it has to do with the complexity of the user interface and the industry verticals.

Every CRM software looks the same; rows of data on a white background with one contrasting color at the top and the sides. It's just vanilla. And with Canvas, Zoho CRM is offering all the ingredients to help our customers find their flavor. Here's the why:
 

1) For a cleaner, usable CRM interface .

Salespeople spend a significant portion of their working hours with Zoho CRM. It only makes sense to give them a CRM that they don't hate to use. With Canvas, customers can build a CRM that's pleasant to work with, is easy to navigate, is not overloaded with information, is easy to sort and search, and more. This increases their productivity.

2) For your industry, truly yours.

Every industry is different, and every business is unique. Every CRM vendors' vertical solutions can never get offer something perfect; it all comes down to individual preferences. Canvas helps customers design a version of CRM that represents their industry and work culture, and meets their standards and requirements.

Canvas is unique proposition that Zoho CRM has to offer, which none of the competitors have. This is the new benchmark for CRM customization, and we're excited to share the news with you. What are your thoughts?

Whats Next?

Zoho is also working on several enhancements for Canvas, most notably:

1) Gallery - Preset templates for customers to work with.

2) Conditional styling - Dynamic styling based on a set criteria.

3) Copy customization - Replicate Canvas view (without data) between accounts.