Infolytics SA - Blog #Zoho BooksInfolytics SA - Blog #Zoho Bookshttps://www.infolytics.co.za/blogs/tag/zoho-booksWed, 06 May 2026 03:36:49 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[From Click to Ship: How Connect-it Automated Sales and Logistics End-to-End with Zoho]]>https://www.infolytics.co.za/blogs/post/from-click-to-ship-how-connect-it-automated-sales-and-logistics-end-to-end-with-zohoConnect-it streamlined e-commerce, inventory, and support through a full Zoho One implementation. With CRM, Books, Inventory, Desk, and Mail integrated, plus WooCommerce and Bob Go, they cut errors, sped up processes, and scaled with ease.]]>
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Connect-it Zoho

Est.

1999

Location

South Africa

Industry

Manufacturing

Company Size

11 - 50

Est.

1999

Location

South Africa

Industry

Manufacturing

Company Size

11 - 50

From Click to Ship: How Connect-it Automated Sales and Logistics End-to-End with Zoho

From Click to Ship: How Connect-it Automated Sales and Logistics End-to-End with Zoho

Connect-it, a provider of modular connectors for DIY enthusiasts and manufacturers, faced mounting operational hurdles as it scaled—chief among them were inconsistent e-commerce order creation, scattered email-based support, and fragmented data across multiple systems.

To address these pain points, Connect-it engaged Infolytics to deploy a Zoho One–centered strategy, uniting Zoho Books, Zoho Inventory, Zoho CRM, Zoho Desk, Zoho Projects, and Zoho Mail into an integrated ecosystem. This overhaul ensured automatic sales-order generation regardless of payment method, seamless shipping data flow via Bob Go, and centralized help-desk ticketing.


Furthermore, Connect-it’s website forms now funnel leads directly into Zoho CRM for swift follow-up, while knowledge base and Service Level Agreement (SLA) tracking have been improving customer support efficiency. As a result, Connect-it has seen a marked reduction in manual re-work, faster response times, and greater visibility into overall operations—positioning the company for sustainable, scalable growth.

Article Read Time:

6 Mins

Executive Summary

Established in 1999 and headquartered in South Africa, Connect-it is a specialized brand providing modular connectors (fittings and brackets) in multiple sizes. The connectors allow DIY enthusiasts, large-scale retailers, and manufacturers to assemble frames, desks, racks, and other structures with minimal tooling. As the business grew, so did the complexity of fulfilling online orders, handling shipping details, and providing ongoing support to both B2B and B2C customers. 


Connect-it embarked on implementing a Zoho One-driven digital transformation strategy, integrating Zoho Books, Zoho Inventory, Zoho CRM, Zoho Desk, Zoho Projects, and Zoho Mail into a unified system.


This transformation enabled automated sales-order processing across all payment methods, seamless synchronization of shipping data with Bob Go, and a centralized help desk for streamlined customer support. Additionally, website forms now directly capture leads in Zoho CRM, ensuring timely follow-ups, while knowledge base resources and Service Level Agreement (SLA ) tracking enhance support efficiency. 


As a result, Connect-it has significantly reduced manual workload, improved response times, and gained greater operational visibility, setting the foundation for long-term scalability and growth.

Key Challenges

Despite a robust product offering, Connect-it faced growing pains:


 1. E-Commerce and Payment Integration Gaps
  • Online orders using direct bank transfer occasionally failed to create corresponding sales orders in Zoho.
  • Different payment gateways (bank transfers vs. iKhokha) introduced inconsistent data flows and manual intervention.

2. Complex Shipping and Inventory Requirements
  • Certain items lacked consistent dimension/weight data, causing shipping label errors or rejected shipments in their courier portal (Bob Go).
  • “Old stock” or miscellaneous connector items with non-standard dimensions complicated pick-and-ship processes.

3. Unstructured Customer Queries
  • Email was the primary channel for customer inquiries. Without a unified help desk, messages often went to personal inboxes, risking overlooked or delayed responses.
  • Website forms simply emailed customer data to sales@, without automatically capturing leads or follow-ups in a CRM system.

4. Fragmented Email and Collaboration
  • Multiple mail servers and addresses (some with legacy hosts, others in personal inboxes) led to inconsistent brand presence and significant overhead in routing emails to the right person.

5. Limited Visibility and Reporting

  • No centralized way to see open tickets, common support issues, or key order metrics. Staff struggled to measure resolution times or effectively share knowledge within the team.

At A Glance

Key Applications

zoho books south africa infolytics
zoho inventory south africa infolytics
zoho desk south africa infolytics
zoho crm south africa infolytics
zoho projects south africa infolytics
zoho mail south africa infolytics
  • Zoho CRM
  • Zoho Books
  • Zoho Inventory
  • Zoho Desk
  • Zoho Mail
  • Zoho Projects

Integrations

  • Zoho Inventory and Bob Go
  • Zoho Inventory and WooCommerce
  • Zoho Books and Zoho CRM
  • Zoho CRM and Zoho Desk
  • Zoho CRM and Zoho Inventory
  • Zoho Mail and Zoho CRM
  • Zoho CRM and Zoho Projects

Tech Skills Applied

  • Zoho Ecosystem Configuration
  • Deluge (Zoho Scripting Language)
  • Business Process Design
  • Third Party Integrations
  • Email Migration
  • Financial Systems Management
  • Customer Journey Mapping
zoho one south africa infolytics

5. Limited Visibility and Reporting

  • No centralized way to see open tickets, common support issues, or key order metrics. Staff struggled to measure resolution times or effectively share knowledge within the team.

The Solution

Zoho One Suite Deployment
  • Zoho Books and Zoho Inventory: Automated order-to-invoice conversion, integrated real-time stock management, and standardized dimension data.
  • Zoho CRM: Website form submissions now feed leads directly into the CRM—vital for new distributor inquiries and general consumer leads.
  • Zoho Mail: Infolytics migrated email hosting from legacy providers (such as Outlook) to Zoho, creating shared inboxes (sales@, support@) so team members could respond cohesively.
  • Zoho Projects and Task Management: Structured tasks and milestones improved the internal ability to track custom statuses (Closed, Cancelled, etc.), owners, and completion timelines.
  • Zoho Desk: Set up ticket management, SLAs for response times, and an escalation path when issues require technical input. Knowledge base articles were also planned for common queries.
  • Third Party Integrations: Seamless integrations of various Zoho One applications with WooCommerce, banks, payment gateways, website forms and Bob Go to create an omni-channel setup designed to improve overall customer experience as well as collaboration within the team. 

Positive Results

By working with Infolytics and leveraging Zoho One, Connect-it achieved the following:

1. Unified E-Commerce Order Flow
  • WooCommerce–Zoho Integration: Infolytics helped to refine the logic so every online order, regardless of payment method, generated a Sales Order in Zoho. This eliminated manual re-entry and data loss.
  • Shipping Data Standardization: With Zoho Inventory, Connect-it systematically assigned weights/dimensions to each connector SKU, reducing shipping errors and auto-syncing data to Bob Go.

2. Centralized Support and Enhanced Customer Experience
  • Unified Ticketing: All support emails go into Zoho Desk, with assigned owners, status tracking, and embedded knowledge base resources.
  • Higher Responsiveness: Clear Service Level Agreements (SLAs) reduced response times, boosting customer satisfaction and trust.

3. Consistent, Automated Order Processing
  • Zero Missed Sales Orders: Bank transfers and iKhokha payments now create sales transactions in Zoho every time, cutting hours of manual intervention.
  • Real-Time Shipping Updates: Bob Go shipping info syncs with Zoho Inventory, letting staff and customers see accurate ship-out times.

4. Better Lead Capture and Follow-Through
  • CRM Integration: Website queries instantly become leads, ensuring timely sales follow-up and improved marketing campaigns.
  • Automated Catalog Distribution: Potential distributors/customers now receive professional, consistent email communications rather than ad-hoc manual replies.
5. Greater Team Efficiency
  • Shared Mailboxes and Project Views: Eliminated confusion over who handles which email or which step in the project pipeline.
  • Robust Reporting: Connect-it leadership can run Zoho-based reports on order volume, top support issues, or open tasks—helping them prioritize continuous improvement.

6. Cost and Time Savings
  • Less Manual Re-Work: Freed staff from chasing missing orders or dimension data, letting them focus on higher-value tasks like product innovation or partner relations.
  • Fewer Support Bottlenecks: With a knowledge base in progress, staff spend less time repeatedly answering basic queries.

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]]>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 15:41:44 +0200<![CDATA[Sentinel Security Technology streamlines accounting processes and improves overall business efficiency using Zoho Books]]>https://www.infolytics.co.za/blogs/post/sentinel-security-technology-streamlines-accounting-processes-and-improves-overall-business-efficien1Sentinel Security Technology is one of the leading providers of residential, commercial, and industrial security solutions in Zimbabwe. The company is currently using Zoho Books for it's accounting needs and Zoho Workplace for email hosting as well as team collaboration.]]>
Sentinel security technology zimbabwe zoho books
Sentinel security technology zimbabwe zoho books

Est.

2011

Location

Zimbabwe

Industry

Security

Company Size

11 - 50

Est.

2011

Location

Zimbabwe

Industry

Security

Company Size

11 - 50

Sentinel Security Technology streamlines accounting processes and improves overall business efficiency using Zoho Books

Sentinel Security Technology streamlines accounting processes and improves overall business efficiency using Zoho Books

By using the advanced customization features in Zoho Books, Sentinel Security Technology successfully streamlined its finance and accounting processes which enabled them to boost team productivity, stay compliant and improve overall business efficiency.

Article Read Time:

3 Min

Executive Summary

Sentinel Security Technology is one of the leading providers of  residential, commercial, and industrial security solutions in Zimbabwe. The company is currently using Zoho Books for it's accounting needs and Zoho Workplace for email hosting as well as team collaboration. 

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) implemented a new fiscalization process known as virtual fiscalization (software-based) in January, 2024. All businesses operating in the country have to work with ZIMRA-approved suppliers of fiscal devices to ensure that all their receipts (Fiscal Tax Invoices) can be validated from the ZIMRA Fiscalization Data Management System (FDMS).

Leveraging the sophisticated customization features of Zoho Books, the company streamlined its financial processes seamlessly and swiftly adapted to altering tax regulations. Contributing significantly to Sentinel Security Technology's ability to comply with the dynamic tax environment in Zimbabwe, Zoho Books emerges as a crucial application for our client.

The Solution

1. System Cleanup:

Our Zoho Developers evaluated the existing setup and identified fields and layouts that needed to be cleaned up. Prioritization of the work that needed to be done was based on importance and impact on system functionality for both the Web and Mobile app view for Zoho Books. Tests were also done to ensure that duplicate or unnecessary fields were not linked to existing transactions (quotes, invoices, purchase orders, credit notes) or workflows before being removed. 

2. Advanced Customization of Templates:

The Zoho Developers on our team incorporated HTML coding within Zoho Books to tailor quotes, invoices and other transaction templates according to the client's requirements. In addition, they designed currency-based templates to simplify the process of selecting the appropriate template for each customer.

At A Glance

Key Applications

zoho books

Challenges

  • Process Optimisation: Streamlining processes and cleaning up the system while maintaining data intergrity and overall system functionality.
  • ZIMRA Compliance: Customizing the regulatory approved  Fiscal Tax Invoice template layout and incorporating both the client's unique requirements as well as their Fiscal Services Provider.
zoho books implementation case study

Tobias Nhambure ~ Founding Director, Sentinel Security Technology

"Very patient, very professional and provide really good support with constant and timeous communication. Highly recommended as a Zoho Partner".

Results

  • Enhanced Operational Efficiency: By implementing customized templates and refining the accounting process, Sentinel Security Technology streamlined its invoicing system, resulting in improved operational efficiency. 
  • Compliance with Local Regulations:The new templates successfully fulfilled all ZIMRA standards, safeguarding our client against potential legal consequences. The HTML coded templates created for Sentinel Security Technology are adaptable for future regulatory needs, enabling easy customization to comply with any upcoming standards set by local authorities with minimal effort.

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    We help businesses grow

    Infolytics is a Zoho Premium Partner and Registered Zoho Creator Partner. We offer expert Zoho assistance and help businesses of all sizes grow and reach their full potential during their journey of discovery, selection, implementation, training, and ongoing success with the Zoho suite of Web and Mobile Apps. 

    What's new in Zoho Books?

    Check out all the features and latest developments in Zoho Books. 

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    ]]>    Mon, 26 Aug 2024 13:16:15 +0200    <![CDATA[How Easy Gas Dot Com used Zoho Books to stay ZIMRA compliant and streamline its financial operations.]]>https://www.infolytics.co.za/blogs/post/easy-gas-dot-com-pvt-ltd-case-studyBy taking advantage of Zoho Books's advanced customization capabilities, Easygas Dot Com was able to streamline its financial operations and easily adapt to the changing tax regulations in Zimbabwe.]]>
    How Easy Gas Dot Com used Zoho Books to stay ZIMRA compliant and streamline its financial operations.
    How Easy Gas Dot Com used Zoho Books to stay ZIMRA compliant and streamline its financial operations.

    Est.

    2005

    Location

    Zimbabwe

    Industry

    Energy

    Company Size

    11 - 50

    Est.

    2005

    Location

    Zimbabwe

    Industry

    Energy

    Company Size

    11 - 50

    How Easy Gas Dot Com used Zoho Books to stay ZIMRA compliant and streamline its financial operations.

    How Easy Gas Dot Com used Zoho Books to stay ZIMRA compliant and streamline its financial operations.

    Learn how Easygas Dot Com managed to use Zoho Books to quickly adapt to local regulatory changes in Zimbabwe and be able to maintain transparency, compliance, accuracy, and efficiency in their financial operations. 

    Article Read Time:

    3 Min

    Executive Summary

    Easygas Dot Com is a leading supplier and distributor of affordable, clean and high quality Liquefield Petroleum Gas (LPG) and other related products.  The company has been using Zoho since 2022 and managed to successfully utilize Zoho Books to ensure compliance with the new regulations announced by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) in August, 2023.

    The new fiscalization process known as virtual fiscalization (software-based) came into full effect in January, 2024.  All businesses were advised to work with ZIMRA-approved suppliers of fiscal devices to ensure that all their receipts (Fiscal Tax Invoices) could be validated from the ZIMRA Fiscalization Data Management System (FDMS) using QR codes or authentication codes for use when claiming VAT input tax.

    By taking advantage of Zoho Books's advanced customization capabilities, the company was able to streamline its financial operations and easily adapt to the changing tax regulations.  Zoho Books has proven to be a valuable asset in helping Easygas Dot Com navigate and adhere to the evolving tax landscape in Zimbabwe.

    The Solution

    1. HTML Coding:

    Our Zoho Developers used HTML coding in Zoho Books to customize the transaction templates needed by the client. Currency based templates were also developed to make it easier for our client to use the right template for each of their customers.

    Using HTML coding as the core of the implementation strategy immediately enabled Easygas Dot Com to adhere to the new template layout requirements whilst maintaining their brand identity. 

    2.  Custom Field Creation:

    The implementation process also required the creation of additional custom fields to allow the client to capture all the data that was needed during the new software-based fiscalisation process. 

    3. UATs and Approvals:

    Since the Fiscal Tax Invoice template was at the core of the implementation, our Zoho Developers prioritised it and ensured that it was first approved by our client's Fiscal Services provider before working on all the other templates. Once it was tested and approved, developing the rest of the template formats was much faster enabling the team to stay within the project timelines. Using this approach also ensured that a consistent layout was maintained across the board. 

    4. Process Optimization:

    Templates were assigned to customers based on the currency that they use, improving team productivity. Our Zoho Consultants also conducted additional research on the new local regulation and how it affected current internal processes to ensure that our client would remain compliant in other areas whilst using Zoho Books. 

    At A Glance

    Key Applications

    zoho books
    zoho books

    Challenges

    • Template Optimization: Implementing the regulatory approved  Fiscal Tax Invoice template layout using Zoho Books’ standard template formats was not possible.
    • Multi-Currency Operations: Different and unique versions of the templates based on the multiple currencies our client uses would have to be developed.
    • Fiscal Services Provider Approval: Each template would have to be tested and approved by our client's Fiscal Services Provider which requires regular back and forth possibly affecting profject timelines.
    • Strict Timeline: The project had to be completed within the specified timeline in order for the client to stay compliant.
    • Process Optimisation: Adjusting internal processes and procedures to meet the new regulatory tax requirments.
    zoho books implementation case study

    Odwell Rupondo ~ Easygas Dot Com

    "We were completely impressed with Infolytic's professionalism and customer service. Their staff is not only friendly but also highly skilled. They helped us customize our templates, reports, and our system as a whole to work as per our specifications. Their knowledge of  the Zoho Books package is top-notch".

    Results

    • Regulatory Compliance: The new templates met all ZIMRA requirements, protecting our client from any legal penalties. The HTML coded templates that were developed for Easygas Dot Com can be further customised to meet any future regulatory requirements, and with minimal effort, adhere to standards set by local authorities.
    • Personalisation: HTML coding allows for a high level of customization, enabling our client to tailor their invoice templates to reflect their brand identity and create a unique, professional appearance.
    • Operational Efficiency: The customized templates and adjustments in the accounting proccess streamlined the overall invoicing process, enhancing operational efficiency for EasyGas Dot Com. Once customized, HTML invoice templates can be saved and reused, saving time and effort on template creation while maintaining a professional and consistent appearance for all other template layouts.

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    Start Your Smart Accounting Journey Today

    BECOME A CLIENT
    BOOK A FREE LIVE DEMO

    Start Your Smart Accounting Journey Today

    BECOME A CLIENT
    BOOK A FREE DEMO

    We help businesses grow

    Infolytics is a Zoho Premium Partner and Registered Zoho Creator Partner. We offer expert Zoho assistance and help businesses of all sizes grow and reach their full potential during their journey of discovery, selection, implementation, training, and ongoing success with the Zoho suite of Web and Mobile Apps. 

    What's new in Zoho Books?

    Check out all the features and latest developments in Zoho Books. 

    LEARN MORE
    LEARN MORE

    Our Locations

    South Africa
    Uganda
    Zimbabwe
    ]]>    Thu, 27 Jun 2024 11:50:00 +0200