Key CRM Terminologies
Introduction
Understanding the key terms in Zoho CRM is essential for effectively managing your customer relationships and streamlining your sales process. Whether you’re just getting started or want to train your team, this glossary breaks down the most commonly used terms in Zoho CRM — in a simple, jargon-free way tailored for UK small businesses.
Core Zoho CRM Components
What is a Lead in Zoho CRM?
Leads are potential customers — individuals or businesses who’ve shown interest but haven’t been qualified yet. They might come from marketing campaigns, website forms, or in-person events.
Once a lead is engaged and qualified, it’s converted into an Account, Contact, and Deal in your CRM.
What is an Account?
An Account represents a business or organization you deal with. In B2B scenarios, it helps group all contacts, deals, and interactions under one company name.
Multiple Contacts can be associated with one Account.
Who is a Contact?
Contacts are individuals within a company you communicate with — they could be decision-makers, assistants, or specialists.
They’re often created from Leads or imported directly into the CRM.
What is a Deal (Opportunity)?
A Deal represents a potential sale or business opportunity.
Deals move through different sales stages like Prospecting, Negotiation, and Closing.
Once a lead shows buying interest, it becomes a Deal.
Sales & Marketing Features
What are Sales Forecasts?
Forecasts help predict future revenue and performance based on current deals and targets.
They offer data-driven insights to improve sales strategies.
What is a Campaign in Zoho CRM?
A Campaign is a marketing initiative — like email marketing, events, or ads.
It allows you to track cost, ROI, and which contacts engaged with it.
Product & Vendor Management
What is a Price Book?
Price Books allow you to set different pricing for products, based on customer type or agreement.
It includes unit prices, list prices, and discount ranges.
Who is a Vendor?
A Vendor is a supplier you buy products or services from.
Zoho CRM lets you track vendor details, making it easier to manage procurement.
Sales Documents
What is a Quote?
A Quote is a formal offer sent to a customer that outlines prices, products, and terms.
You can convert a Quote into a Sales Order or Invoice with a click.
What is a Sales Order?
A Sales Order confirms the sale after a customer accepts your Quote.
It’s the bridge between agreement and delivery.
What is a Purchase Order?
Purchase Orders are formal requests you send to vendors for buying goods or services.
Zoho CRM lets you auto-generate these when stock levels run low.
What is an Invoice?
An Invoice is a bill issued to your customer after a product/service is delivered.
It includes payment details, due date, and taxes.
Zoho CRM Data Structures
What is a Module in Zoho CRM?
A Module is a category of information — like Leads, Contacts, or Deals.
Each module groups similar data and functionality together.
👉 Zoho CRM has default modules (e.g., Contacts) and custom modules you can create.
What is a Record?
A Record is an individual data entry in a module.
Example: Each lead in the Leads module is a separate record.
Navigating Zoho CRM Interface
Home Tab Overview
The Home tab is your dashboard.
You’ll see key data across modules like upcoming tasks, revenue targets, or lead status.
You can fully customise this dashboard to show what matters to you most.
What is a Module View?
This is where you view lists of records inside a module.
- List View –Simple table layout
- Kanban View – Visual sales stage layout
- Canvas View – Fully customised card layout
Includes features like mass actions, filters, and autoresponders.
What is a Record View?
Clicking a record opens the Record View, where you see:
- Detailed information
- Timeline and GDPR settings
- Related activities (emails, tasks)
- Quick actions (edit, convert, email)
What is the Setup Page?
You can configure your CRM from the Setup icon (top-right corner).
Under Setup, you’ll find:
- General Settings
- Users & Permissions
- Customisation
- Automation
- Marketplace Integrations
- Developer Tools
Start with General Settings to enter company and user info.
Tips for Small Business CRM Users
- Use Leads to filter out unqualified contacts before adding them to your pipeline.
- Link every Contact to an Account for better organisation.
- Use Price Books if you have tiered pricing or discounts.
- Regularly check Forecasts to avoid end-of-quarter surprises.
- Automate emails and follow-ups for Campaigns to save time.
