CRM Messaging for Zoho Bigin – User Documentation

Who this is for: a Bigin admin (install / connect) and every user who messages from contacts, lists, or automations.

CRM Messaging adds SMS and WhatsApp inside Zoho Bigin — chat and message logs on the record, bulk campaigns, a conversations inbox, workflow Send SMS / Send WhatsApp actions, Signal (bell) alerts for inbound replies, and contact sync with CRM Messaging.

What you get

v2.0 also: approved WhatsApp templates from Bigin, campaign analytics, and automatic connection-token sync (no copy-paste into topping settings for new installs).

Before you start

• A Zoho Bigin org (any data center: .com, .in, .eu, .com.au, .ca).
• A CRM Messaging account — sign up with the same email as the Bigin user who will connect.
• SMS and/or WhatsApp already working in CRM Messaging (a from-number or WhatsApp sender).

Setup

1. Install or upgrade the Bigin extension

1. Sign in to CRM Messaging as account admin.
2. Go to Integration Gateway → Zoho Bigin Integration (open the page).
3. Under Install or Upgrade Bigin Extension, pick your region from the Bigin URL (e.g. bigin.zoho.in = India).
4. Install / upgrade, then in Bigin authorize the extension.

After an upgrade: Bigin → Settings → Extensions & APIs → Installed Extensions → CRM Messaging → Version (bottom of the page) → re-authenticate Signal OAuth. Then return to CRM Messaging and click Connect / Reconnect Bigin Account.

2. Connect Bigin to CRM Messaging

1. On the same page, click Connect Bigin Account (or Reconnect if the banner says the connection expired).
2. Approve Zoho access. You should see Bigin Connected, org name, region, and a masked Connection Token (Copy / Show).

v2.0 pushes the token into the extension automatically. If chat widgets still ask for a token: Copy it, then Bigin → extension Configure / Topping settings → paste Connection Token → save.

3. Sync contacts

On the connected Bigin page:

• Sync Contacts — people with phone or email into CRM Messaging.
• Fetch Contact Lists — Bigin lists for campaigns.
• Sync Custom Views — Bigin custom views you want to message.

Re-run after large imports. Records already in CRM Messaging (or linked to another app) may show as skipped.

In Bigin, open Settings → Toppings / Marketplace → Installed → CRM Messaging. When setup is healthy, every step shows OK and you see Setup complete.

Using it in Bigin

Chat buttons & message logs

1. Open a Contact (also works where the extension added the widget, e.g. Company).
2. Click Chats.
3. The thread for that phone opens: history (message log), SMS / WhatsApp, optional call.
4. If several phone fields exist, pick Phone vs Mobile when asked.

Replies land on the same thread and in the conversations inbox. The record stays the source of truth for “who did we text.”

Bulk campaigns in Bigin

1. On the Contacts list, select the records (or open a list / custom view).
2. Start the CRM Messaging bulk / campaign action.
3. Choose SMS or WhatsApp, from-number, template or body, send.

Delivery, reads, and replies show in campaign analytics (v2.0). Use WhatsApp utility/marketing templates where Meta requires them; session messages only inside the customer-care window.

Conversations inbox

Open the CRM Messaging Conversations menu in Bigin (green button on Contacts). From there you can open Templates, Messaging Analytics, and Campaigns — and work SMS/WhatsApp threads without hunting record by record.

Automation: Send SMS and Send WhatsApp

These are Bigin workflow actions from the extension (v2.0) — not the CRM Messaging web app.

1. Bigin → Automation / Workflows → create or edit a workflow (e.g. Deal stage = Closed Won, or Contact created).
2. Add action → Send SMS or Send WhatsApp (CRM Messaging).
3. Choose module, from-number, template or message. Map merge fields (Name, Mobile, Stage, …).
4. Save and enable the workflow.

Test with one record, then check the contact’s Chats log.

To fire CRM Messaging web workflows from Bigin field changes (webhook), use How to Set Up Bigin Text Automations instead.

Signal notifications

When a customer replies, Bigin can show a bell / Signal so the owner sees it without opening CRM Messaging.

• Requires the Signal OAuth step after install/upgrade (Setup step 1).
• If bells never appear: re-authenticate Signal on the extension Version page, then Reconnect Bigin in CRM Messaging.

Keep the connection healthy

• Reconnect if you see “Connection expired” on the Bigin integration page.
• Disconnect on that page removes the CRM Messaging link; the Bigin extension stays installed until you uninstall it in Bigin.
• The Connection Token is masked on screen; Copy still puts the real value on the clipboard. Do not paste it into tickets or screenshots.

Quick troubleshooting

Need help? CRM Messaging support, or your account admin.