This article addresses the most frequently asked questions about managing deals in Zoho CRM, covering expected revenue calculations, stage and probability configuration, deal views, contact associations, API data retrieval, and filter options.
If you're on an older version of Zoho CRM, your Deals module might still be called "Potentials." We’re often asked if this name can be changed to "Opportunities" - and the answer is a resounding yes. It’s a fast, simple adjustment.
The Expected Revenue field is a calculated field and cannot be edited directly. Zoho CRM computes it automatically based on the deal's Amount and the probability percentage associated with its current Stage. To influence the Expected Revenue figure, you need to adjust the Stage and Probability mapping rather than the field itself.
You can modify the stage names, probability percentages, forecast types, and forecast categories from the CRM setup area. There are two ways to reach the mapping configuration:
Via Setup:
Via the Deals layout: Open the Deals module layout, click the Settings icon, and select Stage-Probability Mapping.
The default All Deals view includes deals at every stage. To create a view that shows only deals still in progress, set a filter criterion of Stage doesn't contain Closed Won when creating the new list view, then click Save. You can set this view as your default for a more focused daily pipeline overview. For further guidance, refer to the Managing List View documentation.
Expected Revenue is derived automatically from two values: the deal Amount and the probability percentage linked to the deal's current Stage. You cannot enter a value directly into this field. If you need the Expected Revenue to reflect different figures, adjust the probability assigned to the relevant stage within the Stage-Probability Mapping configuration.
No. The Stage History section is not customisable. Zoho CRM records and displays stage changes in chronological order automatically, and this behaviour cannot be altered.
No. Zoho CRM does not provide a direct conversion from a deal to a contact. The conversion flow works in the other direction: when a Lead is converted, it creates a Contact, an Account, and a Deal simultaneously. If you need a contact associated with an existing deal, you should link one manually rather than attempting a conversion.
By default, a deal has a single Contact Name field. To link additional contacts, you can add lookup fields pointing to the Contacts module:
As of the time of writing, retrieving Notes data linked to a deal through the CRM API is not available as a direct endpoint. Zoho has indicated this is on the product roadmap for a future release. You may want to verify the current state of this capability against the latest Zoho CRM API documentation, as availability may have changed.
In Zoho CRM's Advanced Filters, an "OPEN" deal refers to a deal that is still being actively pursued and has not yet reached a final outcome. This classification comes directly from the Deal Category assigned to each stage within the Stage-Probability Mapping.
Each stage is assigned a Deal Category when you configure the mapping: stages such as Negotiation or Proposal are typically categorised as Open, whilst stages representing final outcomes are categorised as Closed (Won or Lost). You control which stages fall into each category, and those assignments determine which records appear when you filter by OPEN, WON, or LOST in the Advanced Filters panel.