Zoho is #5 in Top 10 Business Management software

Positions in ratings

#5 in Top 10 Business Management software

Alternatives

The best alternatives to Zoho are: Google Workspace, QuickBooks, Odoo, Microsoft 365, ONLYOFFICE, Kissflow, Bitrix24

Latest news about Zoho

2020. New and improved Zoho Workplace adds Dashboard view


Zoho has introduced an enhanced version of Workplace, a comprehensive set of productivity, communication, and collaboration tools. Workplace goes beyond being a mere collection of applications; it serves as a fully integrated and unified workspace that seamlessly integrates with other business applications. This integration ensures that the context is preserved and a continuous workflow is maintained. The latest addition to the integrated Zoho Workplace is the Dashboard view, which organizes and presents recent and crucial work items such as emails, calendar schedules, important documents, reminders, and more. Workplace not only simplifies the process of switching between apps but also ensures that the context is maintained, enabling a seamless transition from one app to another. For instance, an email attachment received in Mail can be edited using Writer and then uploaded to WorkDrive, while the email thread can be continued in Cliq as a group conversation. Additionally, an event can be created from this conversation, and a meeting can be launched directly from the event's calendar entry.

2020. All new Zoho Writer adds collaboration analytics and templates flow


Zoho has unveiled the latest version of its online text processor, Zoho Writer 6, which introduces a new collaboration analytics tool called Engagement Insights. This powerful tool provides users with comprehensive and valuable information about how their collaborators interact with their documents. Particularly in the context of legal documents such as proposals, Engagement Insights offers insights into which sections are deemed crucial or confusing by clients. Additionally, Zoho Writer 6 aims to streamline the document creation process, reducing the need for manual editing, copy/pasting, and content duplication when generating contracts, proposals, letters, and customized marketing materials. This enhancement is facilitated through the new Prepare Template flow, enabling users to configure document templates for workflow automation. These templates can then be connected to data sources, such as Zoho CRM or third-party applications, using native Zoho integrations, Deluge Custom Functions, or REST APIs.


2018. Zoho gets virtual assistant and analytics upgrades



Zoho has introduced several enhancements to its all-in-one cloud app suite, Zoho One, including new analytics capabilities and expanded access to its Zia AI assistant. Initially available exclusively in Zoho's CRM tool, Zia provided sales representatives with data-driven suggestions. Now, Zia's functionality has been extended to all Zoho One apps, enabling users to access contextual information from various sources. For example, Zia can extract data from Zoho CRM and Zoho Desk, the service desk tool, to provide users with insights such as the number of customers in the sales pipeline who have an open support ticket. Customers can now ask Zia questions that span multiple apps and receive responses that may involve Zia's collaboration with multiple Zoho One apps behind the scenes to provide the answer.


2018. Zoho opened a platform for developers



Zoho has introduced the Zoho Office Platform, a new solution that enables seamless integration, connectivity, and development of applications using Zoho's high-quality office editors. This platform offers a range of straightforward and easy-to-integrate APIs, allowing developers to incorporate a built-in document editor into their applications. With this capability, users can create, access, and edit documents directly within their web applications. This is particularly advantageous for businesses that require comprehensive office editors for in-app document management while building web applications. By utilizing Zoho's Open APIs, you can connect your applications to the Zoho Office Suite, empowering your users to create, open, edit, convert, publish, and manage Zoho Office documents directly within your app. To get started, refer to our comprehensive Sheet and Writer API documentation.


2017. Zoho launched Operating System for Business



Zoho has recently unveiled its most extensive market launch to date - Zoho One. This comprehensive offering comprises a wide range of applications that function harmoniously to manage an entire business in the cloud. With over 35 web applications available (including CRM, Books, Mail, Docs, Projects, Invoice, Campaigns, and more) and an equivalent number of mobile apps, Zoho One ensures seamless operation through a single sign-on system, centralized administration, and provisioning. Essentially, it serves as a complete operating system for businesses of all kinds. While each individual application outperforms competing alternatives, their collective impact is even more significant. Zoho One pricing starts at €35 per employee on a month-to-month basis, providing excellent value for businesses.


2017. Zoho offers free online office for 25 users



Zoho, the reigning champion in developing SaaS services tailored for small businesses, has created an extensive range of offerings that can be overwhelming to navigate. To simplify and enhance the user experience, Zoho now presents a bundled package comprising their nine most popular services, collectively known as Zoho Workplace. This comprehensive suite includes Zoho Mail for email management, Zoho Writer as a text editor, Zoho Sheet for spreadsheets, Zoho Show for presentations (complete with the interactive audience engagement tool, Zoho Showtime), Zoho Docs for cloud storage, Zoho Chat as an intranet messenger, Zoho Sites for website building, and Zoho Connect as an internal social network. The most exciting part is that all of these services are available free of charge for up to 25 users. Furthermore, by inviting other companies to join the platform, you can unlock an additional 25 free user accounts. This remarkable offer sets Zoho Workplace apart, particularly when compared to competitors like Office 365 and G Suite, which lack a free version altogether.


2013. Zoho CEO: Salesforce acquires, acquires, acquires, while we build, build, build



Yesterday, Salesforce agreed to pay $2.5 billion for ExactTarget, and of course, Zoho chief, Sridhar Vembu, could not silently pass this event. Five years ago Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff tried to buy Zoho, and being refused, banned them on Force.com platform. So Sridhar loves to troll Mark, and yesterday he was on a roll. Here are the most interesting quotes from his speech: ***


2012. Zoho to close a number of services



Unbelievable: SaaS-provider Zoho, renowned for its aspiration to secure a spot in the Guinness Book of Records for the sheer number of services created, is currently streamlining its portfolio. By the end of the year, six Zoho products will be discontinued. Here's the rundown: 1. Zoho Challenge - a tool designed for testing job candidates. 2. Zoho CommentBox - a social customer support application (see our review).Apparently, the company has realized they already have a similar service in place. 3.Zoho Planner - an online organizer, perhaps aimed at enticing users to opt for Zoho Projects. 4. Zoho Plugin for Office - an add-on enabling collaborative editing of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents.


2011. Zoho launched online accounting service Zoho Books

Zoho has recently addressed a notable gap in its suite of online applications for small businesses by introducing the online accounting service Zoho Books. With this addition, Zoho now offers a comprehensive set of tools tailored to meet the needs of small businesses. Zoho Books facilitates the management of financial transactions, bank accounts, invoice creation and delivery, as well as receipt of payments through PayPal or credit cards. It also enables revenue and expense planning. The integration of Zoho Books with Zoho CRM, Email, and spreadsheets enhances its suitability for accountants and other staff members. Existing users of Zoho Invoice will be provided with a straightforward upgrade path to Zoho Books. Unlike other Zoho products, Zoho Books does not offer a free version, instead providing a 30-day trial. This decision is understandable considering that most small companies typically have only one accountant, and offering a free single-user version would not be practical. The service is priced at $24 per month for a single account, with an additional cost of $5 per month for each additional user.


2010. Google offers to login via SMS, Zoho - via OneLogin, Apple - via facial recognition



Today, Google has significantly improved Google Apps security by implementing two-factor authentication. If an account administrator activates this feature, users after entering Google Apps login / password will need to enter a secret code that will be sent to them via SMS, or generated by mobile application or dictated via phone call. Thus, even if somebody steals your Google login and password - he won't be able to use them without your phone. Such security scheme is used in many online banking and online payment systems. At the moment the new feature is available in Google Apps Premiere Edition. Soon it will appear in free Google Apps accounts, as well as in personal GMail-accounts. ***


2010. Zoho Search - unified search for online office

We have grown accustomed to Zoho consistently staying one step ahead of Google Apps. However, today's Zoho update brings a feature that particularly challenges Google. It is Zoho, not the search giant, that takes the lead in implementing unified search within the online office suite. With Zoho Search, users can now index data from Zoho Mail, Docs, Writer, Sheet, Show, Notebook, Discussions, and Contacts, enabling them to find contextual results across all these sources. The search results can be filtered by application or date range. Furthermore, found emails and documents can be accessed directly on the search portal, eliminating the need to open the corresponding service. Additionally, various actions, such as replying to an email, can be performed directly within the search results. Currently, Zoho Search operates as a separate service, featuring an interface reminiscent of google.com. However, the universal search box will soon be integrated into all the suite apps.


2010. Social Layer in Zoho? Facebook.



Perhaps the main purpose of all enterprise social tools that are now widely deployed in business applications, is to create a Team environment at work. When employees know more about each other, they are more interested in working together and achieving common goals. And where can you find out more about a person? Most likely, in the external social network (like Facebook), he (or she) would express himself better than in the intranet profile. So, why not use Facebook as an internal social network? Today it has become especially easy for Zoho users. Zoho has added support for Facebook Connect and enabled logging in their applications using Facebook account. ***


2010. Zoho goes SMB 2.0



Zoho's Chief Evangelist, Raju Vegesna, in a brief interview to CloudAve shared his vision of Zoho strategy and the nearest plans of this SaaS provider. Of course, the most interesting is how Raju sees Zoho in future on the market where it competes with Google, Microsoft and Salesforce. In his opinion, Zoho will remain an independent company and will become the leading provider for small business. He even suggeted the term SMB 2.0 (opposed to Enterprise 2.0). The clear positioning Zoho on small business will enable them to compete with IT giants, that are primarily targeting large clients. After all, affordable price, suitable functionality and positive feedback from other users matter more for small business than the big vendor name. That's why Zoho, instead of spending millions on advertising, sales army and partner network, invests all the resources to the software development. ***


2009. Zoho unites with VMWare



All we know Zoho, as a provider of SaaS applications. But  it appears that they also supply all these services as an in-house solution for large enterprises (more than 10000 users). I.e. Zoho Suite can be installed in the corporate data center behind the firewall. Besides the hight security level this solution enables enterprise IT easily integrate Zoho Apps with other business applications. But the price tag is too high. And even not because of Zoho Suite costs, but because an enterprise needs to create a copy of Zoho cloud infrastructure (at least one server per one service). ***


2009. Zoho uses Google Apps to promote Zoho Suite



Zoho, the web-based software suite, is launching sign-in integration with Google Apps, letting users login to Zoho using their Google Apps credentials. From now users can input their Google Apps ***


2009. Zoho takes MS Access online

Zoho today has rolled out plug-in that allows to provide access from Zoho Creator to Microsoft Access. Zoho Creator is web-based platform that lets you ***


2009. Zoho enhanced mobile access

Zoho has introduced a new service called Zoho Mobile, which enables users to access Zoho applications on Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Symbian mobile devices. Most of the Zoho applications are available on Zoho Mobile, albeit with some limitations. For instance, documents can only be viewed as plain text and are not editable. Users can compose emails using Zoho Mail, and Zoho has expressed plans to enhance both the feature functionality and application portfolio of Zoho Mobile in the future. It is encouraging to witness the expansion of Zoho applications into the mobile realm, supporting multiple popular platforms. The user interfaces of the applications in Zoho Mobile are sleek and consistently executed. However, it is hoped that a comprehensive set of editing and interactive features, as seen in Zoho's standard web-based applications, will be added to the mix in due course.


2009. Zoho unveils Gadgets for 6 office apps

Zoho has expanded the accessibility of its six online office applications, namely Zoho Docs, Mail, Calendar, Tasks, Contacts, and Planner, by introducing Zoho Gadgets. These gadgets can now be integrated into various platforms like iGoogle, Gmail, Facebook, or any other site that supports the OpenSocial standard. This allows users to enjoy the benefits of both Zoho and Google's online apps seamlessly. For instance, users can have a Zoho calendar integrated into their Gmail inbox, providing convenient alerts for upcoming meetings. This integration simplifies the transition between Zoho and other online office applications, which is a strategic move by Zoho considering their primary competitor is Google.


2009. Zoho supports single login for all apps

Zoho has recently introduced single sign-on support for Zoho CRM, enabling users to seamlessly access all of Zoho's services without the need for repeated authentication when transitioning between applications. This integration marks the completion of Zoho's web applications lineup, as Zoho CRM becomes the latest addition to offer single sign-on functionality.


2008. Zoho to Salesforce: Let us onto Force.com

After the election, Barack Obama and John McCain are expected to move on, but the CEOs of Zoho and Salesforce.com may not be ready to bury the hatchet just yet. Sridhar Vembu, CEO of AdventNet, the parent company of Zoho, has publicly accused Salesforce of trying to prevent customers from migrating to Zoho CRM. Earlier this year, Vembu shared details of negotiations with Salesforce to integrate Zoho with AppExchange, but the joint development was halted before the product launch. Vembu claims that Benioff repeatedly attempted to acquire Zoho, but they rejected the offer due to the lack of cultural fit and incompatible business models. According to Vembu, Salesforce has since tried to block customer migrations to Zoho CRM by falsely claiming data restrictions until contract durations are over. Vembu asserts that Salesforce's actions contradict their claims of platform openness. Salesforce has yet to comment on the matter.


2008. Zoho Launches Its Application Marketplace

Zoho, a rising player in the software-as-a-service market, has established its presence alongside industry giants. Originally starting as a basic online version of Word, the three-year-old online application suite now boasts 1.2 million registered users and 500,000 monthly logins. It directly competes with Google in office productivity, offering 18 applications and 4 utilities. In a move to rival Salesforce's AppExchange, Zoho has launched its own marketplace for third-party applications, allowing developers to create and distribute apps through Zoho Creator. Over 100,000 applications have been built on the Creator platform, and while they are not automatically moved to the marketplace, developers have the option to do so and monetize their apps. Zoho's bold approach in taking on larger competitors is paying off, as demonstrated by General Electric's choice of Zoho over Google at the Office 2.0 conference, with their 400,000 desktops contributing to the growing user base.


2008. Zoho to Launch App Store for Database Creator

Zoho recently announced that its Creator service, a platform for building database applications, will undergo scheduled maintenance before unveiling an application store for Creator users on September 29. This announcement was made at the Web 2.0 Expo, which concludes today. Unlike the traditional approach of taking a percentage of application sales revenue, Zoho plans to provide developers with 100% of the sales revenue while generating income from charges to developers hosting large instances of the apps with Zoho. Smaller users will be able to run the apps for free on Google's servers. With its Ajax-based environment, Creator offers the resources to create custom CRM solutions and private file organization utilities. Zoho's introduction of the application store further solidifies its reputation as an innovative provider of web-based software. This move is expected to increase the popularity of Creator, as it provides a platform for third-party developers to showcase and sell their products, including databases that were not originally intended for commercial distribution. Zoho's entry into this market niche is unique, and the wide range of options available within Creator suggests that it may attract significant traffic in the database market.


2008. Zoho launches document sharing service

Zoho has expanded its range of productivity applications with the addition of Zoho Share, a simple yet effective tool for sharing various types of documents including word processing files, spreadsheets, PDFs, and slide shows. The online application supports popular document formats, though it currently does not support Office 2007 file formats such as .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. Zoho Share generates embeddable viewers for all shared files and allows users to comment on them, similar to other sharing platforms. During my review of the pre-release beta version, I encountered some limitations such as issues with uploading files and the absence of a way to create limited shares, as all files were public. However, it was easy to assign desired licensing options, ranging from All Rights Reserved to Public Domain. Another drawback was the lack of zoom controls for viewing documents, particularly with PDFs that required extensive horizontal scrolling. Nevertheless, full-screen viewing of presentations was available, which improved the experience. Zoho Share competes with similar platforms like Scribd, Docstoc, and SlideShare, which are often referred to as "YouTubes for documents." While this feature has become commonplace, the strength lies in the community aspect. Zoho Share's integration with the suite of Zoho productivity apps makes it a logical choice for sharing within that ecosystem, with the added benefit of being able to share other document types as well.


2008. Online Office Suites: Zoho Adds Macro Recording

Zoho's online office suite is steadily becoming a strong contender against Microsoft Office. Recently, Zoho introduced support for Visual Basic compatible macros in its spreadsheet application, enabling easy importing of existing spreadsheets with macros. However, writing macros was previously limited to manual coding in a text editor. Today, Zoho has launched a user-friendly macro record and playback function, similar to what offline office suites offer. While Zoho offers consumer-oriented products, the company has been focusing primarily on delivering features for businesses. This is evident in recent additions like Projects, CRM, and Invoice. Macros, too, cater more to business users. Google Docs, Zoho's main competitor, offers a comparable feature set (excluding macro recording), but its product suite is limited to documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Adobe recently entered the online office market in June, and it's likely that Microsoft is also developing a similar product. For now, Microsoft follows a 'Software+Services' approach, utilizing the internet primarily for document storage and limited file viewing capabilities. Although current online office suites still fall slightly short in terms of features compared to traditional suites like Microsoft Office or OpenOffice, the continuous addition of features and products is making them increasingly competitive. They are approaching a point where their feature set can satisfy the majority of customers.


2008. NetSuite, Zoho post app suite gains

Today, two on-demand business software companies announced increased adoption of their suites. NetSuite revealed a 43 percent growth in revenue for the second quarter of 2008, reaching $36.6 million. The company also acquired new customers for its ERP and CRM suites, including Intuitive Surgical, Nestle UK, and Wasserman Media Group. These companies chose NetSuite's web-based applications for their various business needs. On the other hand, Zoho, a provider of business software-as-a-service for small and midsize companies, celebrated reaching 1 million sign-ups for its services. Out of those, approximately 300,000 to 350,000 users continue to log in monthly. Raju Vegesna, representative of Zoho, believes that their adoption rate is roughly one-third of that of Google Apps, excluding individual or personal use of Google Docs. These success stories, combined with Salesforce.com's strong performance, continue to challenge traditional software distribution models relied upon by Microsoft and other established software companies.


2008. Zoho No Longer Requires Accounts. Sign In With Your Yahoo Or Google ID

Zoho, the office productivity suite, has made it easier for users to access their services by removing the requirement to create a separate account. Now, users can simply log in to any Zoho product using their Google or Yahoo accounts through the respective authentication APIs. While Zoho plans to adopt OpenID for authentication in the near future, they have chosen to integrate directly with the most requested third-party platforms, such as Google and Yahoo, to meet users' immediate needs. Additionally, based on user requests, Zoho may consider integrating with other third parties like Microsoft and Facebook in the future. The main objective, according to Zoho evangelist Raju Vegesna, is to make it as hassle-free as possible for users to try Zoho's apps. Vegesna highlights that a significant number of users who try both Zoho and Google end up preferring Zoho. By enabling users to access Zoho with just a few clicks and start creating and editing documents, this streamlined approach is likely to benefit Zoho.


2008. Zoho launches full HR app: Zoho People

Zoho has expanded its suite of business applications with the addition of Zoho People, a comprehensive web-based human resources system. While I'm not an HR professional, I was impressed by a quick overview of the software. Like all HR systems, it functions as a relational database for managing people, jobs, and departments, with robust access control. Zoho People also includes a self-service module that allows employees and managers to update certain records without involving HR. The software incorporates web 2.0 features, such as the ability to generate embeddable HTML code for a table of job openings that can be placed on a company website or blog. Zoho People addresses the recruitment process by offering a complete workflow system for managing resumes and candidates, involving all stakeholders. Once a candidate is hired, the application creates a checklist of tasks that need to be completed by various employees, such as providing a computer or assigning an office. While Zoho People handles salary tracking and compliance with legal regulations, it does not provide payroll functionality or legal advice. Additionally, it includes features for managing employee travel approvals and expenses. While I have concerns about the rapid release of multiple applications by Zoho, I believe Zoho People is a welcome addition for existing users of the Zoho suite and could sway companies looking for a productivity suite towards Zoho over competitors like Google. Zoho is addressing a significant need in the market by offering affordable HR software, as pricing for Zoho People is expected to be around $50 per month for HR administrators and $50 per year for employee access, although the final pricing is yet to be confirmed.


2007. Zoho adds database to online suite

Zoho has unveiled its latest addition to the online suite of office productivity apps: Zoho DB, a comprehensive online database tool. This impressive application caters to users familiar with databases like Access, offering features such as the creation of complex relational databases composed of multiple tables and the ability to query data using visual query builders or SQL queries. For those accustomed to using spreadsheets as databases, the transition to Zoho DB may be challenging, although the tool allows users to begin with a single spreadsheet-like table and gradually incorporate database features. While Zoho DB is entirely web-based, its standout feature lies in providing every report, graph, or table view with a unique URL and embed code, allowing for seamless integration into websites for real-time data collection and display. However, during testing, a few limitations were encountered, such as the inability to directly import Excel files and the lack of integration between Zoho DB and Zoho Creator, a similar app for building data input forms. Despite these minor setbacks, Zoho's continuous innovation in the online office productivity space sets it apart from competitors like Microsoft and Google.


2007. Zoho launches Business Edition

During the Office 2.0 Conference, Zoho has announced the introduction of its new paid business edition for their web applications suite. The business edition will offer companies various features such as user administration, company branding, domain mapping (similar to Google Apps for My Domain), backup services, pooled storage, and telephone support. The product is set to launch in October at a cost of approximately $40 per year per user. Zoho's free version, Zoho Personal, will still be available but certain applications like Zoho CRM will only be accessible through the Business edition. Additionally, some applications will have limitations, such as Zoho Meeting in the personal edition, which will only allow up to five meetings per month. This strategic move by Zoho aims to generate revenue from its comprehensive suite of applications, with businesses being more likely to pay for such services. While it may take time for Zoho to earn the trust of businesses to utilize their mission-critical office applications, their strong application suite presents a genuine business opportunity. Furthermore, Zoho plans to release a suite tailored for the education market later this year. Zoho's CEO, Sridhar Vembu, will participate in a panel discussion on new business platforms during the conference.


2007. iZoho - Office Apps for your iPhone

iZoho is the iPhone-specific mobile version of the Zoho Suite, tailored for optimal use on the device. While Zoho is already accessible on the iPhone, iZoho offers a streamlined and simplified experience. Currently, users can access and edit documents, view spreadsheets and presentations, and create new documents. Although iZoho is currently limited to the iPhone, there are plans to expand access to Zoho Applications on other mobile devices in the future. Further development of iZoho will also bring new features. It is recommended to try out iZoho on an iPhone, as Zoho itself hasn't had the opportunity to test it extensively.


2007. Increased productivity care of Box.net and Zoho

If you prefer working exclusively in an online environment and rely on web-based tools for storage and document editing across multiple computers, you'll be interested to know about recent developments from Box.net and Zoho that can greatly enhance your productivity and reduce the need for desktop-based office suites. Zoho's API allows other companies to leverage their web-based productivity suite, opening up possibilities for integration. In January, Zoho also partnered with Omnidrive, an online storage service, enabling users to directly open their documents in Zoho's online applications with a simple click, eliminating the need for downloads. Box.net has now joined in by utilizing the Zoho API, offering its users the option to "Edit Document" on a text file directly within their Box.net storage accounts. When selected, a Zoho text editor opens in a new tab or window. While initially there may be some delay in connecting to the Zoho text editor when clicking on a .doc file, once logged in and in editing mode, the process works smoothly. Personally, I am considering using Box.net more extensively in the future. It begs the question: How long until Google releases its own online storage system? All the necessary components seem to be in place, just waiting for Google's entry into the arena.


2006. Zoho unveils MS Office plug-in

Zoho wasted no time in filling the void left by Microsoft's new Office software and its absence of an online version or a quick migration option for desktop files to an online folder. Now, by simply downloading a free plug-in for Office, users can have easy-to-use buttons within Word and Excel that save their work to Zoho's servers. These buttons appear in the Add-Ins tab on the Office 2007 Ribbon toolbar. When users are away from their desks, they can log into Zoho from a browser and edit Office documents using Zoho Write or Sheet. Zoho files can also be opened within Word and Excel, although there is currently no support for Microsoft's DOCX and XLSX files, nor any integration between PowerPoint and Zoho Show. This smart move by Zoho is likely to attract more customers, especially Office users who want the portability of their work without the hassle of enterprise servers. This is just the beginning of a wave of third-party add-ins from various web services for the new Microsoft Office, as the Add-Ins tab in the new Office interface allows for easy access to embedded tools from other vendors. Additionally, Zoho announced today that it is providing desktop shortcuts for its software through the Desktopize service, allowing users to edit files by double-clicking on their Zoho Write, Sheet, and Show icons without needing a browser.


2006. Zoho Virtual Office: here come the suites

Zoho Virtual Office, a suite of integrated hosted productivity applications, was launched as a beta service on Wednesday, offering both on-demand and on-premise versions. Also known as Zoho X, the suite combines Zoho's existing online applications with a web-based email messaging service. Targeting both personal users and businesses, Zoho Virtual Office offers a free version with limited functionality and 1GB of storage space for individuals, while businesses can opt for the hosted edition at $9.95 per user per month or the on-premise version at $295/year for 25 users. The suite includes applications for email, calendars, and document creation, positioning it as a collaboration suite. This release follows a trend in the industry towards offering comprehensive productivity suites rather than standalone applications. In a similar move, Google also launched Google Docs & Spreadsheets, combining its previously independent spreadsheet and document-creation services. Zoho Virtual Office emphasizes integration through a single sign-in service introduced last week, enabling users to access multiple applications, including Zoho Writer, Zoho Sheet, Zoho Show, Zoho Planner, Zoho Creator, and Zoho Chat, with a single set of credentials.


2006. Zoho single sign-on: it's nice, but what we really need is...

TZoho has recently introduced a single sign-on (SSO) feature, allowing users to integrate all their separate Zoho applications into a single account. With SSO, users can merge multiple Zoho accounts, using different email IDs, and seamlessly navigate between different applications without the need to sign in separately each time. While this update has gained attention in Web 2.0 blogs, it may not have a significant impact on end users because Zoho's file organization currently remains app-based rather than file-based. However, Zoho architect Raju Vegesna has mentioned that file-based organization is in the pipeline, which will address this limitation and align with the file-based organization we are accustomed to on PCs and Macs. On the other hand, ThinkFree's online suite successfully implements a unified account page displaying all files created across their suite of applications. Google, however, still lacks this integration between its apps, as Writely cannot access data from Google Spreadsheets and vice versa. This issue will be explored further during a panel discussion at the upcoming Office 2.0 Conference, where I will be providing live updates on my blog.