Create a contact and a deal in Zoho CRM (2026)

6 min read

What you’ll have at the end

Before you start

Steps

1. 1. Sign in to Zoho CRM

   On a computer, go to zoho.com/crm and sign in. If you don't have an account yet, the sign-up page at zoho.com/crm/signup.html starts the free trial. Please come back to this guide once you're in.

2. 2. Open the Contacts module

   Click Contacts in the sidebar, or in the tabs along the top.

3. 3. Click New Contact

   Click New Contact. Zoho opens the Create Contact page.

4. 4. Enter the contact's name

   Type the contact's Last Name. Zoho's help says this field is mandatory. You can also add a First Name.

5. 5. Add their email or phone, if you have them

   If you have them, enter the contact's Email and Phone. These are optional.

6. 6. Save the contact

   Click Save. Your contact is now in the Contacts module.

7. 7. Open the Deals module

   Click Deals in the sidebar, or in the tabs along the top.

8. 8. Click New Deal

   Click New Deal. Zoho opens the Create Deal page.

9. 9. Enter the Deal Name

   Type a name for the deal in Deal Name, for example the client's company and what you're selling them. Zoho's help says this field is mandatory.

10. 10. Link the deal to your contact

    In Contact Name, open the lookup and select the contact you created in steps 3 to 6. This links the deal to that contact.

11. 11. Add an Account Name, if your form asks for one

    Zoho's help lists Account Name (the company the deal is with) as mandatory for deals. If your form marks it as required, open its lookup. If the company isn't listed, use the option in the pop-up to create a new account, enter the company name in Account Name, and click Save & Associate. Zoho's help says this saves the account and links it to the deal you're creating.

    If your form doesn't require it, you can leave it empty.

12. 12. Choose a Stage

    Open the Stage drop-down and choose the stage the deal is at now. Zoho's help says this field is mandatory. Zoho's help names some of its built-in stages: qualification, needs analysis, negotiation, closed won and closed lost. For a new deal, please choose an early stage.

13. 13. Set the Closing Date

    In Closing Date, pick the date you expect the deal to close. Zoho's help says this field is mandatory.

14. 14. Enter the Amount, if you know it

    In Amount, type the value you expect when the deal closes. This is optional.

15. 15. Save the deal

    Click Save. Your deal is now in the Deals module, linked to your contact.

16. 16. Open the Kanban view

    Go back to the Deals module. Use the module view picker and click the Kanban View icon. If a Kanban view of Deals sorted by Stage already exists, Zoho shows your deals as cards in columns, one column per stage. You can skip to step 18.

17. 17. Set up the Kanban view, if Zoho asks

    If this is the first Kanban view in Deals, Zoho shows a Kanban View Settings pop-up. Please: - type a name in Kanban View Name, such as Deals by stage - choose Stage as the field to categorise by - choose the fields to show on each card - click Save

    Zoho's help says only users with the Module Customization permission can create a Kanban view. If Zoho doesn't let you, please ask your account's administrator.

18. 18. Find your deal

    Find your deal's card in the column for the stage you chose in step 12. The card shows the fields chosen for the view, such as the deal name and the closing date. This guide ends here.

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