Setting up Connected Apps

How Can I...

 Creating a Connected App

To create a connected app

  1. In the Zoho Developer console homepage, click Extensions for Zoho CRM.
  2. Click Edit below the extension for which your app will be created.
  3. Click Connected App in the left pane of the Extension Details page.
  4. Click Create Connected App.
  5. Provide a name and description for the app.
  6. Provide a Contact Email and Contact Number.
  7. Click Create.
  8. The connected application will be created and you will be redirected to the Connected App Details page where you can configure SAML and OAuth Settings.

 Configure SAML settings

Once you have created your connected app, you must configure the following SAML settings to allow single sign-on:

  • Configure SP details - Performed by the developer
  • Configure IdP details - Performed by the end user

Configuring SP settings

For single sign-on to work effectively, the developer has to configure the Service Provider parameters in the connected app. Parameters include Entity ID, ACS URL, Subject type, and Name ID format. Refer to the SAML documentation of the SP to get these details.

To configure SP settings

  1. On the Connected Apps  page, click Configure SAML corresponding to the application for which you want to provide SSO.
  2. Provide the Entity ID and ACS URL.
  3. Select a Subject type and Name ID format from the drop-down list.
  4. Click Save and then click OK.

Note

  • Certain services will have different Start URLs and ACS URLs for each user. In such cases, provide a dynamic value for the URL. This will enable the user to configure the URL according to their user account. The "$" symbol indicates the presence of a dynamic variable and will allow the user to configure URL. Without the "$" symbol, the system will not recognize the value as a dynamic variable and hence the user will not be able to configure the URL thereby making the extension ineffective.

Example:
The ACS URL of Zendesk is https://accountname.zendesk.com/access/saml where the account name is the Zendesk subdomain which is unique to a particular user. In this case enter the ACS URL as https://${accountname}.zendesk.com/access/saml

Configuring IdP settings

Once the SP details are configured in the developer console, the extension can be published and listed in the marketplace. The user who installs this extension will have to configure the IdP settings on the SP side to complete the integration.

To Configure the IdP settings in the SP

  1. Click Settings Icon [] , then select Setup.
  2. Under API, Apps & Integrations, click Extensions and select Installed Extensions tab.
  3. Click Configure corresponding to the connected app extension.
  4. Copy the IdP information and paste wherever it is asked in the SP.

 

 Initiating Single Sign-On

The single sign-on for the connected apps can either be initiated by the IdP or SP. In either case the end user is responsible for setting it up.

  Service Provider initiated SSO

The sign-on can be initiated from the Service Provider's end. The process is explained in this workflow chart . The user must configure single sign-on in the web application by following the steps provided by the app.

 Identity Provider initiated SSO

Certain services, such as Marketo, support IdP initiated SSO only. In this case, the user must initiate the sign-on from Zoho CRM by following these steps:

  1. Click Settings Icon [] , then select Setup.
  2. Under API, Apps & Integrations, click Extensions and select Installed Extensions tab.
  3. Click Configure corresponding to the connected app extension.
  4. Click the Application Name in the Connected Applications section.
    This will redirect the user to the application's login page, where the user can sign in using their Zoho CRM credentials.

Note

Developers should include a section about configuring the IdP settings and initiating single sign-on in the help documentation they provide along with their extension. Without this information, the user will not be able to configure their extension properly.

 Editing a Connected App

To edit a connected app

  1. In the Zoho Developer console homepage, click Extensions for Zoho CRM.
  2. Click Edit below the extension in which the connected app to be edited.
  3. Click Connected App in the left pane of the Extension Details page.
  4. In the Connected App Details page, click the Edit icon [] corresponding to the connected app that has to be modified.
  5. Modify the necessary values and click Save.

 Deleting a Connected App

To delete a connected app

  1. In the Zoho Developer console homepage, click Extensions for Zoho CRM.
  2. Click Edit below the extension in which the connected app has to be created.
  3. Click Connected App in the left pane of the Extension Details page.
  4. In the Connected App Details page, click the Delete icon [] corresponding to the connected app that has to be deleted.
  5. Read the alert in the pop-up and click OK.