FAQs
Is Bigin included in the Zoho One plan?
Yes. Bigin is included in the Zoho One suite. If you are a Zoho One subscriber, you can use Bigin without a separate subscription by launching it from your Zoho One admin panel. There is no restriction on running both Bigin and Zoho CRM together under Zoho One. For details on which Bigin features are available under your Zoho One license, contact sales@bigin.com or your Zoho One account manager.
Which Bigin plan supports multi-user calling / built-in telephony?
Built-in telephony with call recording is available on all paid plans: Express, Premier, and Bigin 360. The Free plan does not include team telephony features. For exact call limits per user and per plan, check bigin.com/pricing.html.
Are custom buttons and webhooks available on all plans?
Webhooks in Bigin can be configured via workflow rules and are available on paid plans (Express and above). Custom buttons are not a standard in-app setting in Bigin — they are built through the Bigin Developer Console as part of creating Toppings (extensions), where they can invoke Deluge functions, URLs, or widgets. Anyone with developer access to a paid Bigin account can create them. For exact plan-level webhook limits, see bigin.com/pricing.html
Integrations & Connectivity
Can Bigin integrate with Tally Prime (including Silver 7.0)?
Bigin does not have a direct, built-in integration with Tally or Tally Prime. These are separate platforms with different data architectures. However, there are practical ways to connect them depending on your workflow needs.
The most common approach is to use Zapier or Zoho Flow as a bridge. For example, when a deal is won in Bigin, an automation can push customer and deal data to a Google Sheet or webhook that Tally can import.
If your primary goal is to see accounting status inside Bigin (e.g., whether an invoice was paid), consider integrating Bigin with Zoho Books or Zoho Invoice instead. Both have native Bigin integrations and provide accounting functionality that syncs directly with your pipeline records.
How do I integrate Fantastical and Cardhop with Bigin?
Bigin does not have direct integrations with Fantastical or Cardhop. However, both apps sync with whatever calendar and contacts accounts you connect to them, typically Google or Microsoft 365.
Since Bigin integrates with Google Workspace (Calendar and Contacts) and Microsoft Outlook, the practical approach is to sync Bigin with your Google or Outlook account, then ensure Fantastical and Cardhop are connected to that same account. Your Bigin activities and contacts will flow through the shared Google/Outlook layer.
To set up the Bigin side: go to Settings > Toppings, connect your Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 account, and enable calendar and contacts sync. Any calendaring or contacts app reading from that same account will reflect your Bigin data.
Does Bigin have macros?
No. Bigin does not have a "macros" feature. (Zoho CRM has macros, which combine multiple manual actions like sending an email, creating a task, and updating a field into a single click. Bigin keeps things simpler and skips this.)
For automating multi-step actions in Bigin, use Workflows. Workflows trigger automatically when a record is created or updated, when it meets specific conditions, or based on date/time. A single workflow can send emails, update fields, create tasks, change record owners, add tags, create records in other modules, and call webhooks.
For developers who need a manual "click this button to run several actions" experience, the Bigin Developer Console supports Custom Buttons in Toppings that can invoke Deluge functions, URLs, or widgets. This is a developer-side extension, not a standard in-app setting.
Can I add more priority levels to Tasks beyond High and Normal?
Bigin's built-in Task priority field comes with preset values (High and Normal) and does not support adding custom priority levels to it. You cannot edit the options in the standard priority dropdown.
As a workaround, create a custom picklist field called "Task Urgency" or "Priority Level" with your own values (e.g., Critical, High, Medium, Low, None).
You can set up workflow automation rules based on your custom picklist values, such as auto-assigning Critical tasks to a specific user or sending a notification.
Migration & Account Management
When I migrate from Zoho CRM to Bigin, will I still see each contact's email history?
When you migrate from Zoho CRM to Bigin, the migration tool transfers core data: contacts, companies, deals/pipeline records, notes, tasks, and events. However, email history (actual email threads associated with each contact) is not explicitly listed as migrated data.
You should not assume your full Zoho CRM email history will appear in each contact's timeline after migration. The migration focuses on structured record data rather than communication logs.
Before migrating, export important email records from Zoho CRM for archival. After migration, once you connect your email account to Bigin, all new email interactions will be tracked going forward.
How do I reactivate a Bigin-only account previously part of Zoho One?
First, log in to accounts.zoho.com with the email from your original Zoho One account. Check if your organisation still exists and whether Bigin appears in your available apps. If accessible, navigate to Bigin's subscription page and purchase a standalone plan. If locked, contact Bigin support at support@bigin.com or use the live chat on bigin.com.
In case your Zoho One account is active, and you still need to use Bigin as a standalone product, please drop an email to support@zohoone.com.
Bigin Telephony: Complete Setup Guide, Costs & Providers
Bigin offers two telephony paths: built-in telephony and third-party provider integration via PhoneBridge. Both are available on all Paid plans (Express, Premier, Bigin 360). The Free plan includes a built-in phone line for basic calling.
Built-in telephony is powered by Zoho's telephony infrastructure (Twilio backend). It supports click-to-call from any phone number field in Bigin, incoming call pop-ups showing the caller's contact details, call recording, automated voice response (IVR), call routing, and automatic call logging under the Activities > All Calls module. To set it up: go to Settings > Channels > Phone, purchase phone numbers, and assign them to your users.
Call costs for built-in telephony are separate from your Bigin subscription. You pay for phone number rental (varies by country and number type) and per-minute call charges. These are billed through Zoho's telephony billing, not your Bigin plan. Check zoho.com/telephony/pricing.html for current rates.
For advanced features, integrate Bigin with Zoho Voice. Zoho Voice adds IVR menus, call queues, call whispering, barging, three-way calling, and more detailed call analytics. Zoho Voice offers a Zoho-friendly Enterprise Telephony plan at $49/month for 1 admin + 10 free telephony agents. To set up: install Zoho Voice from the PhoneBridge marketplace in Bigin, import your Bigin users as telephony agents in Zoho Voice, and purchase and assign numbers in Zoho Voice's Call Config page.
For call transcription, Bigin's built-in telephony and Zoho Voice now support call transcription using Zia AI, available as an add-on or usage-based feature. To get transcription, use a third-party telephony provider from the PhoneBridge marketplace that includes AI transcription, such as Ringover, Aircall, or CloudTalk. These providers can transcribe, summarise, and analyze calls, and sync the data back to Bigin contact records.
Note for India-based users: Zoho Voice is currently available on US and EU data centres only. If your Zoho account is on the IN data centre, you can use Telephony's built-in phone system and later port numbers to Zoho Voice when it becomes available. Zoho Voice has limited availability for India-based users due to telecom regulations, especially for domestic calling.
Setting Up SSO with Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) for Bigin
Bigin uses Zoho's central identity platform for authentication, so SSO is configured at the Zoho organization level in the Zoho Admin Panel (admin.zoho.com), not inside Bigin itself. Once SAML SSO is enabled for your Zoho organization, it applies to all Zoho apps your users access, including Bigin, Zoho CRM, Projects, and others.
No Bigin-side configuration is required. Bigin inherits whatever SSO setup you configure at the Zoho org level.
High-level approach with Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD):
In your Microsoft Entra admin centre, add a Zoho enterprise application and configure SAML.
In the Zoho Admin Panel, enable SAML authentication and connect it to your Entra application using the metadata from Entra.
Ensure user email addresses match between Entra ID and Zoho.
Test with a single user before rolling out to your team.
Prerequisites: Admin access to both your Microsoft Entra ID tenant and your Zoho organisation (admin.zoho.com).
For the exact step-by-step setup, including the correct endpoints for your Zoho data centre (US, EU, IN, etc.) and current screenshots, refer to Zoho's official SSO documentation at help.zoho.com or contact support@zohoaccounts.com.
Connecting Meta (Facebook & Instagram) with Bigin
There are three ways to connect Meta platforms (Facebook and Instagram) with Bigin, depending on what you need: lead capture from ads, website visitor engagement, or social messaging.
Path 1: Facebook Lead Ads via LeadChain. This is the most common use case. LeadChain is a third-party integration available in the Bigin marketplace that connects your Facebook Lead Ads forms to Bigin. When someone fills out a lead ad on Facebook or Instagram, the lead is automatically created as a contact or pipeline record in Bigin. LeadChain has its own subscription tiers with lead volume limits (the free tier may cap at 50 leads/month). These limits are set by LeadChain, not by Bigin. Upgrading your Bigin plan does not increase LeadChain's limits.
Path 2: Zapier or Zoho Flow as an alternative to LeadChain. If you hit LeadChain's limits or prefer not to use it, both Zapier and Zoho Flow support "Facebook Lead Ads" as a trigger. You can create an automation that captures new leads from your Facebook ad account and creates records in Bigin. Zapier's free plan allows 100 tasks/month; Zoho Flow may be included in your Zoho bundle.
Path 3: WhatsApp Chat Widget (for website engagement via Meta's WhatsApp). Bigin's built-in WhatsApp integration lets you embed a WhatsApp chat button on your website. Conversations are tracked inside Bigin. This uses Meta's WhatsApp Business API under the hood.
What is NOT currently available: Native integration with Facebook Messenger or Instagram DMs inside Bigin. If you need to manage Messenger/Instagram conversations alongside your CRM data, pair Bigin with Zoho SalesIQ (for website chat that can complement social channels) or use Zapier to create Bigin contacts when new Messenger conversations start.
WhatsApp Business + Bigin: Setup, Features & Messaging Costs
WhatsApp Business integration in Bigin is available on Express, Premier, and Bigin 360 editions. It allows your team to send and receive WhatsApp messages from within Bigin contact and pipeline records, keeping all conversations centralised alongside your CRM data.
Setup: Go to Settings > Channels > Messages in your Bigin account. You will need a verified Meta Business account and phone number that is not already registered with WhatsApp. Follow the on-screen steps to connect your WhatsApp Business account to Bigin. Once connected, "Messages" module will be added to your Bigin account, and a WhatsApp icon appears on contact records, using which you can initiate or respond to conversations directly.
Features: Respond to text messages, share images and documents via WhatsApp directly from Bigin. Use pre-approved WhatsApp message templates for outbound marketing and utility messages. Receive and respond to incoming customer messages in real time. You can also embed a WhatsApp Chat Widget on your website so visitors can start a WhatsApp conversation that is automatically tracked in Bigin.
Messaging costs: Bigin does not charge per message. WhatsApp message pricing is set by Meta. Costs are calculated per 24-hour conversation window and vary by type, including marketing, utility, and service conversations.
Important: Service conversations are user-initiated (when the customer messages first) and may be free or priced differently depending on Meta's current policies. Marketing, utility, and authentication conversations are charged from the first message. Rates also vary by country. Check business.whatsapp.com/products/platform-pricing for the latest country-specific rates.
Using Zoho SalesIQ as a Live Chat Widget with Bigin
Bigin does not include a built-in live chat or chatbot for websites. The recommended solution is Zoho SalesIQ, which offers live chat, AI chatbots (Zobot), website visitor tracking, and messaging channel support, with a native integration to Bigin.
What the integration does:
Automatically converts website visitors into records in Bigin, so you can schedule follow-ups, send emails, make calls, and track customer journeys from there.
Every new SalesIQ chat creates a note in the corresponding Bigin record containing the visit ID, time of initiation, chat subject, and the team member who handled it.
Full chat transcripts are saved in the contact's Files tab in Bigin for future reference.
The SalesIQ operator chat window shows Bigin context during conversations: company name, pipeline stage, contact owner, and missed chat status. Operators can add a new contact to Bigin in one click from the chat window.
Chatbot capabilities (Zobot): Codeless drag-and-drop builder, prebuilt templates, multilingual support, and AI options including Answer Bot (knowledge base) and ChatGPT integration. Bots can also be deployed on WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, and other channels.
Getting started: Sign up for Zoho SalesIQ, add the tracking code to your website, then connect Bigin from SalesIQ's integration settings. For pricing and plan details, refer visitors to salesiq.zoho.com.
What you pay for WhatsApp in Bigin
Q: Does Bigin charge extra for WhatsApp?
A: No. The WhatsApp channel is included in the Express plan ($7/user/month billed annually) and every higher plan. Bigin does not add anything to WhatsApp conversations.
Q: So where do the WhatsApp charges come from?
A: From Meta. WhatsApp pricing is set by Meta and is based on conversations, where a conversation is a 24-hour messaging window. Customer-initiated conversations are free. Business-initiated ones are charged based on type (marketing, utility, and so on) and the country you are messaging.
Q: What do I need to get started with WhatsApp on Bigin?
A: You need a Facebook Business account, a phone number that is not already registered on WhatsApp, and a Bigin Express plan or higher.
Q: Can I use my existing WhatsApp number?
A: No. This is a Meta restriction and applies to every platform, not just Bigin. Most businesses use a separate number for this integration.
Q: How do I estimate my WhatsApp costs?
A: Bigin provides a WhatsApp pricing calculator that helps you estimate Meta's charges based on your region and expected volume.
Q: Simple takeaway on WhatsApp cost?
A: Bigin adds no extra cost for the WhatsApp feature. Meta charges for certain conversations. Setup requires a separate number and a Facebook Business account.
Bigin Plans and Pricing
Q: What do I get on the Free plan?
A: The Free plan is $0 and limited to a single user. You get 1 pipeline, 500 records, 3 automations, contacts, products, and activities management, built-in phone, 1 booking page, developer APIs, integrations with Zapier, Zoho Desk, Zoho Campaigns, and Zoho Forms, and the mobile apps.
Q: What does the Express plan include?
A: Express is $7/user/month billed annually. You get everything in Free plus 3 team pipelines, 50,000 records, 30 automations, Email and WhatsApp integration, mass emails, customizable dashboards, 10 custom fields per module, and integrations with QuickBooks, Zoho Books, Zoho Sign, Mailchimp, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, lead ads from TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, and payment links.
Q: What does the Premier plan add?
A: Premier is $12/user/month billed annually. You get everything in Express plus 5 team pipelines, 100,000 records, 50 advanced automations, 1 booking page (up to 100 with add-on), advanced field types like lookup, formula, and user fields, stage transition rules, multiple currencies, target meter dashboards, 25 custom fields per module, duplicate cleanup, and data enrichment.
Q: What is Bigin 360?
A: Bigin 360 is $18/user/month billed annually and is currently marked 'Most Popular' on the pricing page. You get everything in Premier plus 15 team pipelines, 1 million records, 100 advanced automations, 50 custom fields per module, Email-In pre-installed with 5 aliases, File Cabinet pre-installed with 5 GB storage, 1000 mass emails per day, and 100 booking pages.
Q: Which plan do I need for the most-asked features?
A: WhatsApp comes in from Express onwards. Calling is available on all plans, with credits varying by plan. Multiple pipelines start at Express. Advanced automation with scheduled rules starts at Premier. Lookup and formula fields are available in Premier. Email-In and File Cabinet are only available in Bigin 360.
Integrations
Q: What are Bigin's native integrations?
A: Bigin has native integrations built by Zoho with Zapier, Mailchimp, Zoom, Constant Contact, Shopify, Qualtrics, Zoho Books, Zoho Invoice, Zoho Meeting, Zoho Sign, Zoho Desk, Zoho Campaigns, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 (Outlook and Teams), QuickBooks, X (Twitter), and Lead Ads from Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. The full list is at bigin.com/integrations/.
Q: Does Bigin integrate with WordPress?
A: Yes, in two ways. You can embed a Bigin Form directly on your WordPress site so submissions flow straight into Bigin (see our guide on embedding Bigin Forms in website builders like WordPress and Wix). Or you can use Zapier to connect your existing WordPress form plugin like Contact Form 7, WPForms, Elementor, or Gravity Forms to Bigin. Bigin does not have a dedicated WordPress plugin because these two options cover most use cases.
Q: Does Bigin integrate with GoHighLevel (GHL)?
A: Yes, through Zapier. GoHighLevel's Zapier app is listed as "LeadConnector." Search for LeadConnector on Zapier, connect it with Bigin, and you can trigger Bigin record creation from GHL events or the other way around.
Q: Does Bigin integrate with AWeber?
A: Yes, through Zapier. There is no direct connector, but both apps support Zapier. You can set up flows like "new Bigin contact adds an AWeber subscriber" or the reverse.
Q: Does Bigin integrate with Dux-Soup?
A: Yes, through Zapier or Pabbly Connect. Both platforms support Dux-Soup and Bigin. Pabbly Connect also offers pre-built templates for Dux-Soup to Bigin workflows.
Q: Does Bigin integrate with V1CE?
A: Yes, through Zapier. V1CE does not have a direct Bigin connector but connects to thousands of apps through Zapier. Set V1CE as the trigger and Bigin as the action to push card-tap data into Bigin.
Q: My tool isn't a native integration. Can I still connect it to Bigin?
A: Yes. You have three options. Use a no-code automation platform like Zapier, Zoho Flow, or Pabbly Connect. Use Bigin's open APIs and Developer Platform for custom integrations built by developers, partners, or your own team. Or use Bigin Forms, which can be embedded on any website or landing page to capture data directly.
Q: Will Bigin build a native integration with a specific app I use?
A: Bigin focuses native integrations on apps used broadly by our customer base. For other tools, we recommend Zapier, Zoho Flow, or Pabbly Connect for no-code connections, or our Developer Platform for custom builds.
Industry Templates
Q: What pipeline templates does Bigin offer out of the box?
A: Bigin has 22 industry templates ready to apply: Real Estate, Facility Maintenance, Interior Design, Software Consulting, Freelancers, Legal, Insurance, Startup Fundraising, Bank Loan Processing, School Admission, Education/Training, Used Car Sales, Automobile Sales, Automobile Service, Car Accessories, Nonprofits Donations, Patient Referral Management, Patient Management System, Dry Cleaning, Jewellery, Photography, and Telecommunications. Each comes with pre-built modules, fields, and pipeline stages tailored to that industry. You can browse them all at bigin.com/templates/.
Q: I'm in real estate. Where do I start?
A: Use the Real Estate template. It's already set up for property listings, client tracking, and deal stages from inquiry to closing. See bigin.com/templates/real-estate.html.
Q: I'm in insurance. Where do I start?
A: Use the Insurance template. It ships with stages for inquiries, plans, and payment, along with fields for policy details. See bigin.com/templates/insurance.html.
Q: Is there a template for debt collection?
A: Bigin does not ship a dedicated debt collection template. Your closest starting points are the Customer Support template for ticket-based tracking or the Refund Processing template for payment workflow. You can then rename stages to something like Account Assigned, Initial Contact, Payment Plan, Negotiation, and Resolved or Escalated.
Q: I run a tailoring or custom-order business. What should I use?
A: Start with the Order Fulfillment template at bigin.com/templates/order-fulfillment.html. It tracks the full cycle from order received to delivery and fits custom-production work well. Add custom fields for garment type, fabric, and fitting dates.
Q: What team templates are available?
A: There are 18 team templates: Sales Pipeline, Customer Onboarding, Customer Testimonials, Order Fulfillment, Website Launch, Press Release, Event Sponsorship, Startup Fundraising, Customer Support, Refund Processing, Content Planner, Employee Onboarding, Product Roadmap, IT Requests, Issue Tracker, Marketing Campaign Management, Project Tracker, and Reimbursement Claims.
KPI and KRA Tracking
Q: What operational metrics can I track with Bigin dashboards?
A: Bigin tracks pipeline and activity metrics, including records created, moved, or closed per user, stage-wise conversion rates, time spent in each stage, activities such as calls, tasks, emails, and meetings, along with deal values and win rates.
Q: Which plans get dashboards?
A: Standard dashboards are available across all plans. Customizable dashboards and KPIs start from the Express plan. Target meters come in on higher plans.
Q: Can operations teams use these dashboards too?
A: Yes. The same metrics adapt well to operational use cases. A debt collection team, for example, can treat "Payment Received" as a success metric, measure resolution time through stage duration, and track agent productivity through daily activity volume.
Q: Can I run formal performance reviews and KRAs in Bigin?
A: Bigin helps you monitor work and outcomes through pipelines, but it is not built for formal performance management like KRAs, appraisals, or employee scorecards. For that, teams typically use Zoho People alongside Bigin. This lets you connect operational tracking with structured performance management. Zoho People is a standalone product with separate pricing from Bigin.
Bigin with Zoho One
Q: Is Bigin included in Zoho One?
A: Yes, Bigin is fully included in Zoho One. If you are a Zoho One subscriber, you get Bigin 360, the top tier, at no extra cost. You launch it directly from your Zoho One admin panel. There is no separate purchase and no add-on fee.
Q: Which Bigin tier do Zoho One users get?
A: Bigin 360, the highest tier. You get the full feature set and full limits: 15 pipelines, 1 million records, and every capability available in Bigin 360. There is no stripped-down version bundled into Zoho One.
Q: What does full access actually mean?
A: Bigin is one of 45+ apps in the Zoho One suite, included under the single Zoho One per-employee price. For Zoho One customers, this means no additional per-user Bigin fee, full Bigin 360 feature limits, and the same product, updates, and support as standalone Bigin 360 customers.
Q: Can I still buy Bigin add-ons separately under Zoho One?
A: Partially. Zoho One supports some of the most commonly purchased Bigin add-ons inside the bundle, but not all of them. Since Zoho One bundles 45+ apps, it is not feasible to support every add-on across every bundled product. If you need a specific Bigin add-on, check your Zoho One admin panel or reach out to your Zoho account manager to confirm whether it is available under your subscription or needs a separate purchase.
Q: How do I start using Bigin with Zoho One?
A: Log in to your Zoho One admin panel, find Bigin in the app list, and click to launch. First-time setup walks you through pipeline creation. If your team is new to Bigin, grab a ready-made template from bigin.com/templates so you don't start from a blank canvas.
What Bigin is and what it isn't
Q: What exactly is Bigin designed for?
A: Bigin is a pipeline-centric CRM built for small businesses to track deals, manage contacts, handle customer communication across email, phone, and WhatsApp, and automate follow-ups.
Q: Can Bigin replace my HR, accounting, or marketing automation tool?
A: Bigin focuses on managing customer relationships and pipeline visibility. It is designed to work alongside other business functions rather than replace them. For HR, accounting, project management, and marketing automation, Bigin integrates with tools like Zoho People, Zoho Books, Zoho Projects, and Zoho Campaigns. This lets you connect your full workflow across systems while keeping Bigin as the central place to manage customer interactions.
Calling Credits and Built-in Telephony
Q. Does Bigin's built-in phone system come with free monthly calling credits?
A. No. Bigin's public documentation does not state any monthly free credit allocation per plan. Calling credits are purchased separately through Zoho Telephony as a pay-as-you-go add-on. If your plan includes any free credits, they are not advertised on the pricing page or feature availability page.
Q. Which Bigin plans include built-in telephony?
A. All of them. Free, Express, Premier, and Bigin 360 all include built-in telephony, so you can make and receive calls inside Bigin with automatic call logging and recording.
Q. How do I start making calls from Bigin?
A. Go to Setup, then Phone, then Buy a Number. Pick your country and number type, complete the purchase, and load credits to pay for outbound minutes. Inbound calls to your purchased number are typically free or low-cost depending on country.
Q. How much do Bigin calls cost?
A. Number rental and call charges are pay-as-you-go. Rates vary by the country your number belongs to, the type of call, and the receiver's country. You purchase credits as an add-on and minutes are deducted as you call.
Q. Can I use my existing phone provider instead of Bigin's built-in telephony?
A. Yes. Bigin supports 100+ third-party telephony providers via the PhoneBridge marketplace at no additional Bigin cost. Common picks include Twilio, RingCentral, Aircall, Dialpad, Exotel, JustCall, Ringover, and MyOperator. You pay the third-party provider directly.
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Telephony Provider Directory
Q. How do I integrate calling into Bigin?
A. You have three options: built-in telephony, a third-party provider via PhoneBridge, or Zoho Voice (Zoho's own VoIP). All three are supported on every paid plan. The Free plan supports built-in calling and PhoneBridge marketplace integrations.
Q. Where do I find the list of telephony providers that work with Bigin?
A. Go to Setup, then Telephony inside Bigin, or browse the Bigin Marketplace. Confirmed PhoneBridge integrations include Twilio, RingCentral, Aircall, Dialpad, Exotel, JustCall, Ringover, MyOperator, CloudTalk, Ozonetel, Knowlarity, 8x8, and Amazon Connect.
Q. Can I integrate Google Voice with Bigin?
A. No. Google Voice does not have a native PhoneBridge integration with Bigin, and there is no documented connector in the Bigin marketplace.
Q. Can I integrate Quo phone with Bigin?
A. There is no native Bigin or Zoho integration listed for Quo. You can connect Bigin and Quo via Zapier to power AI-driven automation.
Q. Can I integrate Exotel with Bigin?
A. Yes, via PhoneBridge. Exotel is a confirmed PhoneBridge marketplace integration and works for outbound and inbound calling at scale.
Q. Can I integrate Dialpad with Bigin?
A. Yes, via PhoneBridge. Dialpad has a native Zoho integration and connects to Bigin through the PhoneBridge marketplace.
Q. Can I use Twilio SMS with Bigin?
A. Twilio's voice integration with Bigin is supported via PhoneBridge. Bigin does not have a native two-way Twilio SMS channel, but you can integrate Twilio SMS as a messaging channel using third-party extensions, API connectors, or webhook-based automation through Zapier.
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Accounting and SaaS Integrations
Q. Which accounting tools have native Bigin integrations?
A. Zoho Books, Zoho Invoice, and QuickBooks. They are built by Zoho and offer two-way sync of contacts, products, and invoices. Zoho Books integration requires a paid Bigin plan or Zoho One.
Q. Does Bigin integrate with Xero?
A. No native integration. You can connect via Zapier, Pabbly Connect, or Zoho Flow. Common workflows include creating Xero contacts from new Bigin contacts, or creating Bigin records from new Xero invoices.
Q. Does Bigin integrate with FreshBooks?
A. No native integration. Connect via Zapier or Zoho Flow.
Q. Does Bigin integrate with Sage?
A. No native integration. Sage's marketplace is significantly smaller than Xero's. Connect via Zapier where Sage triggers exist, or build a custom Zoho Flow with the Sage API.
Q. Does Bigin integrate with QuickBooks?
A. Yes. QuickBooks is a native Bigin integration available on Express, Premier, and Bigin 360 plans.
Q. Does Bigin integrate with Lightspeed R Series?
A. No native integration. Lightspeed has a Zapier connector, so Lightspeed-to-Bigin works via Zapier. Note that Bigin is not a POS or inventory system, so Lightspeed users typically need Zoho Inventory or a dedicated POS plus Bigin for the customer-relationship layer.
Q. Does Bigin integrate with GovWin?
A. No. GovWin is a niche government contracting tool with no native Bigin integration and no Zapier connector found at the time of writing.
Q. Does Bigin integrate with Zoho Recruit?
A. There is no documented native two-way sync between Bigin and Zoho Recruit. Zoho Flow is the recommended bridge between Zoho products that don't share native integrations.
Q. Can I manage Instagram messages inside Bigin alongside WhatsApp?
A. Instagram messaging is not currently a native channel inside Bigin; WhatsApp is. The closest path is to reach out to the Bigin developer centre team and get a custom connector built.
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API and Developer-Tool Integrations
Q. Does Bigin have an API I can use to build integrations?
A. Yes. Bigin exposes a REST API. Endpoints are versioned with /bigin/v2 as the current stable version. Authentication uses OAuth 2.0. API limits scale with user license count: roughly 50,000 credits + (250 credits per user license) per day for paid plans.
Q. Which automation tool has the deepest Bigin integration?
A. Zoho Flow has a native Bigin connector with the broadest module coverage. Zapier offers 8,000+ app connections plus Bigin triggers and actions. Make (formerly Integromat) has a Bigin module set.
Q. Does n8n have a native Bigin node?
A. Not at the time of writing. To use n8n with Bigin, configure n8n's HTTP Request node against the Bigin REST API.
Q. How do I get a stage ID from a contact ID using the Bigin API?
A. Make a GET request to /bigin/v2/Pipelines/{record_id}, since the Pipelines module is where deals live in Bigin. The response includes a Stage field with the current stage ID. To traverse Contact to associated Deal to Stage, first GET the Contact's related Pipelines, then read the Stage from the resulting record.
Q. How do I poll the Bigin API for the most recently updated records?
A. Use the Modified_Time field with a sort_by parameter and a since-style filter. The API does not support arbitrary 'last minute' polling out of the box. The conventional pattern is to poll on a fixed interval, such as every 5 minutes, filter results by Modified_Time greater than your last poll timestamp, and process the diff.
Q. Does Bigin support webhooks instead of polling?
A. Yes. Bigin supports webhook notifications via Workflow Rules. You can trigger a webhook when a record is created, edited, or moved to a specific stage. Webhooks are more efficient than polling for high-frequency updates.
Q. How do I use loop blocks in Zoho Flow with Bigin?
A. Zoho Flow's loop construct iterates over arrays returned from previous steps. If a Bigin trigger returns multiple records, you wrap subsequent actions inside a loop. The loop block is documented in Zoho Flow's help center.
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UI Customization: What You Can and Cannot Hide
Q. Can I show or hide fields in Bigin?
A. Yes. Go to Setup, then Modules and Fields. You can show or hide existing fields per module. You can also add custom fields up to your plan's limit: Express 10 per module, Premier 25, Bigin 360 50.
Q. Can I add or modify task statuses in Bigin?
A. Bigin's tasks module has a fixed Status field with system-defined values: Not Started, In Progress, Completed, Deferred, and Waiting. The Tasks API confirms Status as a system field. If you need custom statuses, you can add a custom field, such as 'Sub-Status', with your own picklist values.
Q. Can I hide the Collect Payment option from Deals?
A. There is no UI toggle to hide the Collect Payment button on a per-record or per-profile basis. Payment Links is part of Bigin's payment gateway integration with Stripe, RazorPay, Paytm, and PayPal, and appears on Pipeline records when the integration is enabled. The available option is to disable or uninstall the payment gateway integration entirely under Setup, which removes the Payment Links UI for everyone in the org.
Q. How do I restrict what users can see and do in Bigin?
A. Use Roles and Profiles. Roles establish the organizational hierarchy and determine which records a user can see. Profiles define functional permissions like module-level access and specific actions such as creating or deleting records. Bigin allows fields to be set as read-only or mandatory, though field-level security is less granular than enterprise CRMs. These controls act as a security layer rather than a UI change; they prevent unauthorized users from triggering restricted features or bulk actions, even if the button still appears in the interface.
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Inventory, POS, and Order Fulfillment Scope
Q. Does Bigin have inventory management?
A. No. Bigin's Products module lets you store a product catalog (name, price, description) and associate products with deals, but it does not track stock levels, reorder points, warehouse locations, or purchase orders. If 'how many of X are left' is a question your business asks daily, Bigin alone won't answer it.
Q. Can I use Bigin as a point-of-sale system?
A. No. Bigin does not have point-of-sale features: no register interface, no receipt printing, no barcode scanning at checkout, no cash drawer integration, no offline mode. For retail or restaurant POS, look at Zoho Inventory or Zoho POS.
Q. Can I create delivery orders or manage order fulfillment in Bigin?
A. Partially. Bigin offers an Order Fulfillment template, a pre-built pipeline with stages from order received to delivered. It is useful for small operations that want to track the workflow. It is not an order management system; it does not allocate inventory, generate pick lists, or integrate with shipping carriers natively.
Q. Can I run a restaurant POS with Bigin?
A. No. Restaurant POS needs a register, kitchen display integration, table management, and payment hardware that Bigin does not provide. Look at Zoho POS or a vertical product like Toast or Square. Bigin can sit alongside the POS as the customer-relationship layer.
Q. Can I use Bigin alongside an inventory system?
A. Yes. If you sell to known customers, manage a sales pipeline, and run inventory in a separate tool, Bigin handles the customer-relationship side. Connect Bigin to Zoho Inventory via Zoho Flow, to Shopify natively, or to other inventory systems via Zapier.
Q. When is Bigin the wrong tool for my business?
A. If your primary need is tracking stock, processing transactions at a counter, or managing a warehouse, you need a different product. Zoho Inventory is the closest Zoho-ecosystem fit. For restaurants, look at Zoho POS.
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Email Automation: Email-In, Workflows, and Replies
Q. How do I create a record in Bigin from an incoming email?
A. Use the Email-In topping. Express and Premier each include 1 alias; Bigin 360 includes 5 aliases. Incoming emails to a configured alias automatically become records in a chosen pipeline. Email from existing contacts attaches to that contact; email from new senders creates a new contact.
Q. How do I automatically create a deal when an email arrives?
A. Configure Email-In to land emails in your support or inquiry pipeline, then add a Workflow Rule on that pipeline. When a record is created via Email-In and matches your criteria (subject contains certain keywords, sender domain, etc.), the workflow can automatically create a Connected Record in your sales pipeline. Bigin's Connected Records action supports this on Express and above (1 per action).
Q. Will Bigin notify me when a customer replies to an email?
A. Email Insights, available on Express and above, gives you open and click notifications on outbound emails. Inbound replies to a record are visible in the record's email tab. For real-time notifications on replies, set up Signals (broader Signals coverage is available on Premier and above) or build a workflow that fires on any record edit.
Q. How do I build a follow-up sequence that stops if the customer replies?
A. Use a workflow with scheduled actions. Schedule a follow-up email 3 days after the first email, with a condition that checks last_activity_time. If the customer replied, the timestamp updates and the scheduled action's condition fails, so it won't fire. If there's no reply, the scheduled action fires. The setup needs careful condition logic but works natively.
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Plan-Specific Feature Availability
Q. Do I get custom fields on the Bigin Free plan?
A. No. Custom fields start on Express, with 10 per module. Premier offers 25 per module. Bigin 360 offers 50 per module.
Q. What plan do I need for Zoho Books integration?
A. Express, Premier, or Bigin 360. Not available on Free.
Q. What plan do I need for Zoho Mail (IMAP) integration?
A. Express, Premier, or Bigin 360. Not available on Free.
Q. What plan do I need for WhatsApp integration?
A. Express, Premier, or Bigin 360. Not available on Free.
Q. What plan does LeadChain require?
A. Express, Premier, or Bigin 360. LeadChain covers Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and WhatsApp Lead Ads. Not available on Free.
Q. What are the daily mass email limits per Bigin plan?
A. Express: 150 emails per day per org. Premier: 300 emails per day per org. Bigin 360: 1000 emails per day per org. Not available on Free.
Q. What plan includes Email Insights?
A. Express, Premier, and Bigin 360. Not available on Free.
Q. What plan includes Lookup, Formula, and User fields?
A. Premier and Bigin 360 only. Not available on Free or Express.
Q. What plan includes Stage Transition Rules and Multi Currency?
A. Premier and Bigin 360 only.
Q. How many Email-In aliases do I get per plan?
A. Express and Premier each include 1 alias. Bigin 360 includes 5 aliases. Not available on Free.
Q. What plan includes the File Cabinet topping?
A. File Cabinet is a paid add-on with an additional monthly fee on Express and Premier. It is pre-installed with 5 GB of storage on Bigin 360. Not available on Free.
Q. Where can I see the full feature comparison across all Bigin plans?
A. bigin.com/help/feature-availability.html lists every feature against every plan with exact limits. It is the canonical source.
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Refunds and Account Recovery
Q. Can I get a refund on my Bigin subscription?
A. Yes, within the refund window. Bigin offers a 30-day refund window for monthly subscriptions and a 45-day refund window for annual subscriptions, from the date of the original transaction. Within these windows, if you're not satisfied, you can request a full refund. Your account is downgraded to the Free plan after the refund process.
Q. What happens if I want to cancel after the refund window?
A. Bigin offers prorated refunds when functionality is broken or discontinued, but not for general unused-time scenarios. For partial downgrades on annual plans (reducing licenses or editions), Bigin gives credits for unused value, applied as a subscription extension rather than a cash refund.
Q. How do I request a refund from Bigin?
A. Email sales@bigin.com with your order details. Refunds are issued to the original payment method. Bigin accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, PayPal, and bank transfer for annual subscriptions.
Q. I lost my MFA backup codes. How do I recover access to my account?
A. Bigin authentication runs through Zoho Accounts, not a Bigin-specific system. If you've lost access to your two-factor authentication codes and don't have backup codes saved, recovery goes through Zoho Accounts at accounts.zoho.com, not Bigin support. The recovery flow typically requires email verification plus identity confirmation. If you cannot complete email verification, contact Zoho support directly. Bigin support cannot bypass Zoho Account security.
Q. I'm locked out of my Bigin account right now. What do I do?
A. Go to accounts.zoho.com/signin and click 'Try alternate methods' under the password prompt. If that doesn't work, contact Zoho Accounts support. Do not share your backup codes or 2FA codes with anyone, including support staff.
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Multiple Organizations and Org Deletion
Q. What does it mean to have multiple Bigin organizations?
A. Multi-org specifically refers to a user belonging to more than one Bigin org under the same email address. This happens when you create multiple orgs by clicking +New Organization in the User Profile menu, or when a colleague adds you to their Bigin org. Creating Bigin trials with different email addresses results in technically separate orgs, but those aren't typically called multi-org accounts.
Q. Will an unused Bigin organization auto-delete?
A. Yes, eventually. Free plan orgs that are dormant for more than 120 days will be auto-deleted. You'll be notified via email a few days before deletion.
Q. How do I keep one org on Free and discontinue another?
A. You have two options: delete the unused org entirely, or stop using it (dormant Free orgs auto-delete after 120 days). Deletion is the cleaner option if you want it gone immediately.
Q. How do I delete a Bigin organization?
A. Account deletion is available from the Bigin settings menu. Bigin's documentation describes a 'Delete Bigin Organization' option. Deletion is irreversible and removes all records, pipelines, and integrations associated with that org. Export your data first if you want a backup.
Q. Will deleting Bigin affect my other Zoho services?
A. No. Deleting your Bigin account does not lock you out of other Zoho services tied to the same email. You retain access to Zoho Mail, Zoho Books, and other Zoho apps unless you separately delete the underlying Zoho account.
Q. I can't see the delete option for my org. What do I do?
A. Only the Super Admin (org owner) can delete the organization. If you're not the Super Admin, contact whoever is. If you don't know who that is, go to Setup, then Users, and look for the user whose profile name shows 'Super Admin'.
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File Cabinet: Requirements and Bulk Operations
Q. What is the File Cabinet topping in Bigin?
A. A Bigin topping that lets you exchange files with contacts via unique secure links. It's used for collecting documents from leads, sending contracts, and storing customer-specific files. Powered by Zoho WorkDrive in the backend.
Q. What plan or product do I need to use File Cabinet?
A. A Bigin paid plan: Express or Premier with the topping installed (paid add-on), or Bigin 360, which includes it pre-installed with 5 GB. The topping automatically connects to a free Zoho WorkDrive account (5 GB) if you don't already have one. You don't need a separate paid WorkDrive plan.
Q. Do I need Zoho Sign to use File Cabinet?
A. No. Zoho Sign is not a dependency. They're separate products. File Cabinet shares and collects files; Zoho Sign handles e-signatures. They work together if you want to send a document, get it signed, and store the signed copy in File Cabinet, but neither requires the other.
Q. Can I bulk send the same document to multiple contacts via File Cabinet?
A. Not as a native feature. File Cabinet's primary share model is per-customer: one cabinet per contact, with unique links. The standard workaround is to set up a Workflow Rule that automatically creates a File Cabinet for new contacts in a specific pipeline and shares a templated document. For one-time bulk sends, manual loops or Zapier/Zoho Flow batch processing are the documented paths.
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Territory Management
Q. Does Bigin have territory management?
A. No. Territory management as Zoho CRM and Salesforce define it (rule-based assignment of leads and accounts to specific reps or teams based on geography, industry, or other criteria, with hierarchical territory structures) is not a Bigin feature. It's intentionally excluded as part of Bigin's small-business positioning.
Q. What can I use instead of territory management in Bigin?
A. Three workarounds cover most small-team needs: sub-pipelines per region or team, owner-based assignment via Workflow Rules, and profile-based access controls. None replicates true territory management, but together they handle common regional routing.
Q. How do I separate deals by region in Bigin?
A. Use sub-pipelines. Bigin lets you create multiple sub-pipelines inside a Team Pipeline (Express 15, Premier 25, Bigin 360 75). Set up one sub-pipeline per region, like 'Sales, North America' or 'Sales, EMEA', and route deals there manually or via workflow.
Q. How do I auto-assign leads to specific reps based on a field value?
A. Use Workflow Rules. Create a rule that triggers when a new lead is created and the relevant field (like Country) matches a specific value, then sets the Owner to a chosen user. This is the closest functional equivalent of territory routing in Bigin.
Q. When should I move from Bigin to Zoho CRM for territory needs?
A. If your sales process has regional teams with overlapping responsibilities, hierarchical territory structures, or volume that requires automated rebalancing, you've outgrown Bigin. Zoho CRM Standard and above includes proper territory management. Bigin offers one-click migration to Zoho CRM with all data, workflows, and dashboards preserved.
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Auto-Dialer and Power-Dialer Capability
Q. Does Bigin have an auto dialer or power dialer?
A. No. Bigin's built-in telephony provides one-click calling with automatic call logging. It does not provide auto-dialer functionality (predictive, power, progressive, or preview dialer) as the contact-center industry defines it. One-click calling is a productivity feature; an auto-dialer is a campaign-pacing feature. They are different things.
Q. What's the difference between one-click calling and a power dialer?
A. One-click calling lets a rep place a single call by clicking a phone number on a contact record. A power dialer automatically calls one number at a time from a pre-built list, only connecting the agent when a live person answers, then moves to the next number. Bigin has the first; it does not have the second.
Q. How do I get auto-dialer functionality with Bigin?
A. Connect a third-party provider via PhoneBridge that supplies auto-dialer features. Common picks include RingCentral RingCX, Aircall, JustCall, CloudTalk, Convoso, Five9, and 8x8. The dialer runs in the third-party app; Bigin sees the resulting call logs.
Bigin Pricing
Q. How much does Bigin cost?
A. Please refer to bigin.com/pricing.html for current pricing. The page lets you switch between monthly and annual billing to see the rates that apply to your plan. Prices vary based on which billing cycle you choose.
AI Features in Bigin
Q. What AI features does Bigin have today?
A. Live today, Bigin offers call transcripts for recorded calls (via integrated telephony providers). Zia transcribes call recordings into searchable text inside the activity log.
Q. What AI features are available on the Bigin mobile app?
A. On-device AI assistance is live on mobile, powered by Apple Intelligence (iOS), Galaxy AI (Samsung Android), and Gemini Nano (other Android). Capabilities include AI-powered writing assistance, email drafting, real-time translations, daily summaries, and on-device suggestions for WhatsApp conversations. These run on the user's device, not on Zoho servers.
Q. Does Bigin have AI agents?
A. Yes, three prebuilt Zia Agents are now in early access: Reply Assistant (auto-responds to Email-In inquiries based on training data), Cross-sell Genie (suggests upsell and cross-sell opportunities), and Churn Analyzer (turns lost-deal patterns into insights). See bigin.com/zia-agents.html for details.
Q. Does Bigin have AI lead scoring?
A. No, not as a native feature. AI lead scoring sits in Zoho CRM Enterprise. Bigin supports manual scoring via custom fields, but it does not offer AI-driven scoring.
Q. Does Bigin have Email Intelligence like Zoho CRM?
A. No. Email Intelligence as branded in Zoho CRM (with deep email sentiment and best-time-to-contact analysis) is not available in Bigin. The closest Bigin features are Email Insights (open and click tracking) and the mobile on-device email assistance.
Q. Can Bigin take inbound calls and book appointments automatically using AI?
A. No, this is not a Bigin feature today.
Q. Does Bigin have AI-driven sales forecasting?
A. No. AI-driven forecasting is not a Bigin feature. For full forecasting, Zoho CRM Standard and above is the upgrade path.
Q. Where can I find the official information on Bigin's AI capabilities?
A. The canonical sources are bigin.com/zia-agents.html and bigin.com/articles/new-bigin-updates-and-upcoming-features.html. Both clarify what's live, what's in early access, and what's coming.
Specific App Integrations
Q. Does Bigin integrate with Apollo.io?
A. No native integration. Both Apollo and Bigin have Zapier and Make connectors, so the workaround is to build a zap: Apollo trigger (new contact, new sequence reply, etc.) connects to a Bigin action (create contact, update record, log activity). Zoho Flow can also bridge the two via its HTTP module and the Bigin native connector.
Q. Can I use AfricasTalking with Bigin?
A. AfricasTalking is not listed in the Bigin PhoneBridge marketplace at this time. The closest paths are to use a PhoneBridge provider that operates in your African region (Exotel or MyOperator), or to build a custom integration via Bigin's developer APIs that posts call events from AfricasTalking into Bigin. There is no out-of-box AfricasTalking connector.
Q. Does Bigin integrate with VacationLabs?
A. No documented Bigin integration, native or third-party. VacationLabs is a travel-booking platform. The standard path would be a custom Zapier zap if VacationLabs exposes its events to Zapier, or a webhook-to-Bigin pipeline.
Q. Does Bigin integrate with ServiceM8?
A. No native Bigin integration. ServiceM8 has Zapier support, so Zapier is the documented bridge.
Q. Can I integrate Zoho Recruit with Bigin?
A. There is no native two-way sync between Bigin and Zoho Recruit. Zoho Flow is the recommended bridge between Bigin and Zoho Recruit, since both are Zoho products without a direct connector.
Q. Does Exotel work with the Bigin mobile app?
A. Exotel is a confirmed PhoneBridge integration. Caller ID and click-to-call work through the PhoneBridge configuration. The specific "see who's calling me via mobile app" behavior depends on whether you have configured Exotel's mobile-aware features alongside Bigin; this varies by Exotel plan.
Q. What if a tool I want to use isn't listed in Bigin's integration directory or marketplace?
A. You have three workaround options: Zapier (if both apps have Zapier connectors), Zoho Flow (similar, often deeper for Zoho-to-Zoho), or a custom build using Bigin's developer APIs (REST, OAuth 2.0, webhooks via Workflow Rules).
Features Bigin Doesn't Have
Q. Does Bigin have sales forecasting?
A. Bigin offers basic pipeline tracking and target meter dashboards (Premier and Bigin 360). It does not have a dedicated Forecast module. For full forecasting with period-over-period projections, weighted pipeline math, and quota tracking, upgrade to Zoho CRM Standard or above.
Q. Can I create a supervisor-subordinate hierarchy between contacts in Bigin?
A. Bigin supports user-level role hierarchy (Setup > Users > Roles), which controls who sees which records. It does not support contact-level hierarchy where Contact A reports to Contact B inside the same Company record. Workaround: use a custom Lookup field called "Reports To" (available on Premier and Bigin 360) to link two contacts.
Q. Does Bigin support roll-up fields?
A. Roll-up fields (such as summing a value at the Company level from associated Contacts) are not natively supported. Bigin has Formula fields on Premier and Bigin 360, but they operate at the record level, not as roll-ups across associated records. Workaround: use a Zoho Flow scheduled flow to compute and write the sum to a custom field on the Company record.
Q. How do I export the stage history of deals in Bigin?
A. Stage transitions are captured in each deal's timeline, but Bigin does not currently document a one-click export of stage history to Excel or CSV. Workaround: pull Stage Transition data via the Bigin REST API and export it manually.
Q. Can I download a record's timeline to Excel from Bigin?
A. Not as a documented native export. API-based extraction via the Bigin REST API is the documented path.
Q. Does Bigin have territory management?
A. No. Workarounds: sub-pipelines per region, owner-based assignment via Workflow Rules, and profile-based access controls. For true rule-based territory assignment with hierarchical territories, Zoho CRM Standard and above is the upgrade.
Q. Can I add watermarks to invoices and quotations in Bigin?
A. Watermarks on invoices and quotations are not a documented Bigin feature. Workaround: generate the document with a watermarked template using Zoho Writer or a third-party template service, then attach to the Bigin record.
Q. Why doesn't Bigin have these features?
A. Bigin is intentionally small. Each missing feature reflects a deliberate choice to keep the product simple for small businesses. For users who need any of these features as a hard requirement, Zoho CRM is the documented upgrade path with one-click data migration.
Built-in Telephony: Coverage, Porting, and BYO
Q. Which countries does Bigin's built-in telephony support?
A. Bigin's built-in telephony is available only in specific supported countries. To check availability, go to Settings > Phone > Buy a Number and use the Country dropdown. Refer to the list shown there before confirming availability to a customer.
Q. Can I port my existing phone number to Bigin?
A. Bigin's public help documentation describes how to buy a new number through the built-in telephony but does not document a porting workflow. If you need to keep your existing business number, the documented path is to route that number through a third-party PhoneBridge provider (Twilio, RingCentral, Aircall, Exotel, or MyOperator) that supports porting, then integrate that provider with Bigin. Porting policy varies by provider and country, so check with your telephony vendor.
Q. Does Bigin support bring-your-own SIP trunk or carrier?
A. Bigin does not expose a raw SIP trunk configuration in the built-in telephony. The supported BYO model is PhoneBridge: connect your existing provider that supports SIP on its end, and PhoneBridge surfaces the call events inside Bigin.
Q. How many free calling credits does my Bigin plan include?
A. Bigin's published pricing pages and feature availability page do not state a fixed monthly free credit allocation per plan. Calling credits are purchased pay-as-you-go through Zoho Telephony. If your plan includes any complimentary credits, they are not advertised on public Bigin documentation. Check the in-app Setup > Phone area or contact sales@bigin.com for current credit allocations.
Q. Can I get UK phone numbers in Bigin?
A. Yes, Bigin's built-in telephony supports purchasing phone numbers for the United Kingdom via Settings > Phone > Buy a Number, subject to number type and availability. Always verify the available UK number types and configuration options in the Buy a Number and telephony settings screens for the specific account before confirming details.
Q. Does Bigin support IVR and call routing?
A. Yes. Bigin's built-in telephony includes IVR, call routing, and call flows. For more advanced telephony requirements, you can optionally integrate with Zoho Voice.
Q. Is using a third-party telephony provider cheaper than Bigin's built-in telephony?
A. The honest answer: built-in is the easiest path, but not always the cheapest. PhoneBridge with a regional provider is the cost-arbitrage path. Direct BYO-SIP without a PhoneBridge connector is not supported.
Why Customer Emails Show @biginsender.in
Q. Why do my customer emails show @biginsender.in?
A. By default, emails sent from Bigin go through the system sender domain @biginsender.in. To send emails from your own domain instead, complete the Email Authentication process from the Deliverability Settings in Bigin.
Q. How do I send emails from my own domain in Bigin?
A. Complete the Email Authentication process in two steps:
Step 1: Add your domain email alias (for example, sales@zylker.com) in the Organization Email settings in Bigin.
Step 2: Complete the Domain Validation process by adding the SPF and DKIM records to your domain's DNS settings.
Once authentication is complete, your emails will be sent from your own domain instead of @biginsender.in.
Q. Why do I need to go through Email Authentication?
A. Email authentication is what tells receiving mailboxes (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook) that an email genuinely came from your domain. Without it, emails sent through Bigin from your domain are likely to land in spam or be blocked, because mailboxes can't verify the sender's identity.
Q. Can you explain SPF and DKIM in simpler terms?
A. Think of it like a Company Letterhead with a Wax Seal.
The Default Way (Without Authentication): Anyone can take a blank piece of paper, write your business name at the top, sign your name, and drop it in a mailbox. Because it looks like it's from you, a scammer could easily forge your letters to trick your customers.
The Authenticated Way: Email authentication is like registering your official, counterfeit-proof Company Letterhead and Wax Seal with the global postal service.
By completing the Email Authentication process in Bigin, you're telling email providers exactly what your official letterhead looks like. When a mailbox receives an email from you@yourdomain.com sent via Bigin, it checks for your "digital wax seal" (the SPF and DKIM records). If it finds the seal, it knows the email is genuinely from you and delivers it to the Inbox. If it doesn't find the seal, it assumes a scammer is impersonating you and throws the email into Spam or blocks it entirely.
Q. Is this email authentication process unique to Bigin?
A. No. This is a universal standard followed by most popular SaaS apps that have email-sending functionality. Bigin and Zoho CRM follow the same standard.
Document Templates, Fonts, and Watermarks
Q. What does Bigin's templating model support?
A. Bigin supports merge templates for emails and basic document generation. You can insert merge fields from any module (Contacts, Pipelines, and Companies) into the template, then send or attach the rendered output.
Q. What fonts are available in Bigin merge templates?
A. Bigin's public documentation does not currently publish a list of available fonts. The standard system fonts (Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Courier, Verdana, Georgia, and similar) are typically available. Exotic or brand-specific custom fonts are not natively supported.
Q. Can I upload my own fonts in merge templates?
A. Custom font upload is not a documented Bigin feature.
Q. Can I add watermarks to invoices and quotations in Bigin?
A. Not as a documented native Bigin feature. The cleanest workaround is to design your invoice or quotation template in Zoho Writer (which does support watermarks) with merge fields, generate the document there using Bigin record data via Zoho Flow, then attach the watermarked output to the Bigin record.
Q. How do I send a fill-and-sign scope agreement from Bigin?
A. Use the native Zoho Sign integration. Create the scope agreement template in Zoho Sign, then send it for signing from inside Bigin (the Zoho Sign action is available on the Pipeline record). The signed copy attaches back to the record automatically.
Q. What if I need more advanced document templates than Bigin offers?
A. For documents that need custom fonts, watermarks, complex layouts, or precise brand control, use Zoho Writer and connect it via Zoho Flow. For e-signatures, use Zoho Sign directly inside Bigin. For invoices specifically, Zoho Books or Zoho Invoice (both natively integrated with Bigin) are the proper tools.
Pushing Data Into Bigin From External Systems
Q. Does Bigin support incoming webhooks?
A. No. There is no such thing as an "incoming webhook" in Bigin. Webhooks are generally outbound. To push data into Bigin, use the REST APIs.
Q. What's the difference between outgoing webhooks and Bigin's Notification APIs?
A. They're the same concept. Bigin's Notification APIs notify external systems whenever something changes in Bigin. The purpose of webhooks is to push events out of Bigin to other tools.
Q. How do I push data from an external system into Bigin?
A. You have two methods:
No-code: Use connectors like Zoho Flow, Zapier, or Make. These are the recommended path for non-developers.
Code: Use Bigin's REST API directly. The API is versioned at /bigin/v2/ with OAuth 2.0 authentication, and supports the standard create, read, update, and delete operations across modules.
Q. Can I use n8n with Bigin?
A. n8n does not have a dedicated Bigin node. Use n8n's HTTP Request node against the Bigin REST API to send data into Bigin.
Q. How do I sync Google Sheets data into Bigin?
A. Use Zoho Flow's Google Sheets connector with the Bigin connector to mirror sheet changes into Bigin records. Zapier with both Google Sheets and Bigin connectors is the alternative path.
Q. Can I import contacts into Bigin from a non-Bigin web form?
A. Yes. Either use Zoho Flow's HTTP trigger to receive the form POST and route it to a Bigin "create contact" action, or post directly to the Bigin REST API from your form backend.
Bigin Mobile: iOS, Android, and iPad
Q. Is there feature parity between Bigin's iOS and Android apps?
A. Yes, for the core feature set. Bigin's mobile apps for iOS and Android share the same core capabilities: viewing and editing records, pipeline navigation, calling and call logging, business card scanning, and on-device AI assistance (Apple Intelligence on iOS, Galaxy AI on Samsung devices, Gemini Nano on supported Android devices). Most help articles labeled "mobile" apply to both platforms unless otherwise specified.
Q. Can I edit pipelines on the Bigin iPad app?
A. The Bigin iPad app is available but does not include every feature that's present in the iPhone app or web app. Pipeline editing (such as rearranging stages and adding sub-pipelines) has historically been limited or unavailable on iPad. For pipeline configuration, use the Bigin web app in the iPad's browser or switch to a desktop.
Q. The setup help article only shows iOS. How do I set up Bigin on Android?
A. The Bigin Android app setup uses standard Zoho account sign-in. Go to the Android-specific Play Store listing and follow the in-app sign-in flow. If you're following an iOS-specific article that shows a QR code-based setup, the Android flow may differ.
Q. I subscribed to Bigin through Apple on iOS. How do I move my subscription to web billing?
A. If you subscribed to Bigin through Apple's in-app purchase on iOS, Apple manages the billing. Migrating that subscription to a direct Bigin subscription on the web is not a one-click transfer. The documented path: cancel the iOS in-app subscription before its renewal (from Apple's subscription settings), then start a new subscription directly from bigin.com on the web. There is no automatic transfer of plan or proration between Apple-billed and Bigin-billed subscriptions.
Q. A help article only shows iOS steps. Is the feature available on Android?
A. Treat this as a content gap, not a feature gap. The Android app generally supports the same actions, but the screenshots and exact menu paths may differ. If you encounter an iOS-only article for a feature you need on Android, flag it so an Android-equivalent version can be created.
Multi-Currency, Data Residency, and BI Access
Q. Does Bigin support multiple currencies?
A. Yes. Bigin supports multi-currency on Premier and Bigin 360. Exchange rates for conversion are fetched dynamically each time.
Q. Does Bigin lock the exchange rate per deal?
A. Yes. Bigin supports exchange rate locking. A deal created at a particular time will have its exchange rate value fixed. Any subsequent changes to the currency exchange rate will not affect the deal value.
Q. Can I choose which data center my Bigin data is stored in?
A. No. Zoho decides which data center a user's account is created in, based on the user's region. There is no direct option for users to migrate between data centers.
Q. Can I connect Power BI to Bigin?
A. There are no native Power BI connectors for Bigin. To use Power BI with Bigin data, the supported patterns are: (1) the Bigin REST API for programmatic data extraction, (2) Zoho Analytics native integration, (3) scheduled CSV exports from the Bigin UI, or (4) Zoho Flow to push Bigin record changes into a destination database that Power BI can query.
Q. Can I query Bigin like a database using SQL?
A. Yes, with the COQL API. Bigin's COQL API lets you query record details using syntax that's quite similar to SQL. This is in addition to the standard REST API for record-level access.
Q. Can I connect an LLM like Claude to Bigin?
A. Yes. Bigin has published MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers, which can be used by MCP clients to fetch data from Bigin organizations. This is the documented path for connecting LLMs to Bigin.
Bigin Integrations and Free-Plan Compatibility
Q. Which Bigin integrations work on the Free plan?
A. The native Bigin integrations available on Free are Zapier, Zoho Desk, Zoho Campaigns, Zoho Forms, Zoho Analytics, Zoho Projects, Zoho Directory, and Zoho Landing Page. This means Bigin Free can connect to these even if the other side (for example, Zoho Campaigns) is on its own free plan.
Q. Which native integrations require Bigin Express or higher?
A. The following require Express or above: Zoho Books, Zoho Invoice, Zoho Meeting, QuickBooks, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Zoom, Zoho CRM, Zoho Sites, Zoho FSM, Mailchimp, X (Twitter), and the LeadChain social ads integration. Bigin Free users cannot use these natively.
Q. Can I use Bigin Free with Zoho Campaigns Free?
A. Yes. Both sides have free plans. The Bigin pricing page confirms Zoho Campaigns is among the integrations available on Bigin Free. The Zoho Campaigns free plan has its own usage caps (subscribers, sends per month). The integration itself works at no Bigin cost; the constraint is whether your Zoho Campaigns free tier covers your sending volume.
Q. Can I use Bigin Free with Zoho Books?
A. No. The Zoho Books integration is gated to Bigin Express and above. Bigin Free does not include the native Zoho Books connector.
Q. What's the general rule for free-plan integrations?
A. Bigin's Free plan is the most restricted on integrations. Most native integrations require Bigin Express or above. Zoho-to-Zoho free-tier compatibility depends on each product's free-tier rules.
Pricing & Billing
Q. How much does Bigin Express cost?
A. Express is $7 per user per month billed annually, or $9 per user per month billed monthly. For reference, Premier is $12 annually ($15 monthly), and Bigin 360 starts at $18 per user per month billed annually ($21 monthly). For the latest pricing in your currency, see bigin.com/pricing.html.
Q. What features come with each plan (Free, Express, Premier, and Bigin 360)?
A. The most current, complete breakdown is on the feature-availability page at bigin.com/help/feature-availability.html, which switches between USD, INR, EUR, and GBP and can be downloaded as a PDF. Key limits at a glance: Records per org — Free 500, Express 50,000, Premier 100,000, Bigin 360 1 million. Team pipelines — Free 1, Express 3, Premier 5, Bigin 360 15 (including 4 default). Custom fields — Free 5 per pipeline, Express 10 per module, Premier 25 per module, Bigin 360 50 per module. Automations (workflow plus stage rules) — Free 3 per org, Express 30, Premier 50, Bigin 360 100. Multi-currency — not on Free or Express; Premier 10 plus 1 base; Bigin 360 20 plus 1 base. Custom dashboards — not on Free; Express 10, Premier 20, Bigin 360 50. Booking pages — Free 1, Express 1, Premier 1, Bigin 360 100. Email-In aliases — not on Free; Express 1, Premier 1, Bigin 360 5. AI credits per month — not on Free or Express; Premier 1,000, Bigin 360 3,000. File storage — not on Free; Express 1 GB per org plus 512 MB per user, with Premier and Bigin 360 the same. A few feature notes: WhatsApp is available on Express and above (not Free) and is a native feature with no separate subscription; the product catalog is part of the Advanced Features set, available on Premier and above; built-in telephony is available on paid plans, with calls billed per minute by the carrier on top of your subscription. For the exact plan each checkmark feature sits on, refer to the feature-availability page.
Q. If I cancel my annual plan partway through, do I get a refund?
A. Within the money-back window, yes. If you're dissatisfied within the first 30 days (monthly plans) or 45 days (annual plans) from your original transaction, Bigin gives a full refund and downgrades your account to the free plan. After that window, you can cancel at any time with no penalty, but the remaining paid term is not refunded as a matter of course. The one exception is a prorated refund if Bigin fails to resolve broken or discontinued functionality.
Q. I'm upgrading from Express to Premier mid-cycle. How is the cost difference handled?
A. The upgrade takes effect immediately, and the cost difference is handled through automated prorated billing, calculated on the number of days remaining in your active billing cycle. For exact figures before you upgrade, contact sales@bigin.com.
Q. How do I add users to an existing subscription, and how is it billed?
A. Only Express and Premier subscribers can add users (Free is single-user). Log in, go to Profile → Manage Subscription, choose your edition, and click Upgrade. On the Add-on page, set the payment period (yearly or monthly), enter the total number of user licenses, add any add-ons, then proceed and pay. Billing is per user license at your plan's rate. For exact proration when adding a seat mid-term, contact sales@bigin.com.
Q. Can a Premier-trial user switch to the Bigin 360 trial mid-trial?
A. Yes. You can switch to the higher-tier trial from your account settings without waiting for your current trial to expire:
- Log in to your Bigin account.
- Click your profile icon in the top-right corner.
- Select Manage Subscription from the dropdown.
- On the Zoho Store page, click Change Plan or Upgrade.
- Locate the Bigin 360 plan and choose to evaluate or upgrade to it.
- Confirm your selection to apply the change instantly.
If you'd like a comparison of Premier vs Bigin 360 feature limits, or help migrating your workspace, contact Bigin support.
Telephony
Q. Does Bigin's built-in phone come with free monthly calling credits?
A. No. Bigin's built-in telephony is pay-as-you-go, with no bundled free minutes on any tier (Free, Express, Premier, or Bigin 360). Calls carry a per-minute cost, so you only pay for what you use. This applies to Bigin's native telephony. Zoho Voice (a separate, more advanced option) offers one-time test credits when you first sign up, but these are trial credits, not a recurring monthly allotment.
Q. Is there a cap on the number of telephony users or agents during the Premier trial?
A. There is no trial-specific telephony user cap. Express and Premier have no user limits and are charged per user license. The 15-day trial gives you full Premier access, so it behaves like the paid plan. Two practical limits to know: with Bigin's built-in telephony, access is managed per user under Settings → Phone, with no documented maximum. If you route through Zoho Voice, its Enterprise Telephony Standard plan lets you import up to 10 Bigin agents as free telephony users per admin account — that 10-agent limit is a Zoho Voice plan limit, and it applies equally on trial and paid, not a Bigin trial restriction.
Q. Is call recording native to Bigin, or does it depend on the connected provider? Which plans include it?
A. Call recording is native to Bigin's built-in telephony and available on all plans, including Free. It records both incoming and outgoing calls, and each organization gets 1,000 minutes of free recording storage (more can be purchased). To enable it: for incoming, go to Settings → Phone → edit the number → toggle Call Recording under Incoming call routing; for outgoing, go to Settings → Phone → enable Call Recording under Outgoing Call Users. Recorded calls appear in the Activities module, and admins can view call history with call duration, recording duration, and credits charged. If you use a third-party PhoneBridge provider (for example, RingCentral or Exotel) instead of the built-in system, recording depends on that provider's feature set.
Q. Does Bigin have a native power dialer or voicemail detection?
A. No. Bigin's built-in telephony does not include a native power dialer or voicemail detection. For automated sequential dialing on high-volume outbound calling, integrate a dedicated dialer such as Zoho Voice's Power Dialer or another PhoneBridge partner. Features like answering-machine detection and voicemail drop are provided by specialized dialer solutions. For these advanced outbound capabilities, integrate Bigin with a specialized telephony provider or Zoho Voice.
Core CRM / Platform
Q. Which video/meeting providers can a Bigin booking page use? Is Google Meet supported?
A. Bigin's native Booking Pages topping generates and shares Zoho Meeting or Zoom links — those two only. Google Meet is not an option on a Bigin booking page; it's supported in Zoho Bookings, whose integrations include MS Teams, Zoom, Zoho Meeting, and Google Meet. To use Google Meet on a scheduling page, use Zoho Bookings (a separate paid product that integrates with Bigin).
Q. Can KPI dashboards or individual analytics cards be exported (PDF, image, Excel)?
A. Not from Bigin's native dashboards. They support drill-down, resizing, and sharing, but offer no export of dashboards or KPI cards. The only export within Bigin is at the record level (a module to CSV). To export a dashboard or report as PDF, image, Excel, HTML, or CSV, use the Advanced Analytics for Bigin connector (Zoho Analytics, a paid add-on).
Q. Does Bigin have native GPS check-in or geo-fencing for field reps?
A. No, Bigin has no native GPS check-in or geo-fencing. The Zoho product built for this is RouteIQ, which offers check-in/check-out, mileage and time logging, route status and deviations, and automated check-in tied to the meeting location. Note that RouteIQ is a Zoho CRM add-on and requires a Zoho CRM subscription; its compatibility with Bigin is not documented. The Zoho field product that integrates with Bigin is Zoho FSM, through a two-way sync for work orders and service operations.
Q. For the Outlook integration, what syncs to Bigin, and is it one-way or two-way?
A. The Outlook integration syncs Events, Contacts, and Emails from Outlook with Bigin. Events created in Outlook sync to Bigin's Events module.
Q. Do Outlook-sent meeting invites and emails to a known contact log as activities in Bigin?
A. If you've connected your Outlook mail account in Bigin's Email settings, any email sent to or received from a Bigin contact appears in that contact's Emails section — whether it was sent from Bigin or from Outlook.
Q. On which plans is multi-currency available, and can different currencies be used per pipeline or per record?
A. Multi-currency is available on Premier and Bigin 360 — not Express or Free. It works per record: for any module with a currency field, you select the record's currency from a dropdown, and the value shows in that currency followed by the home-currency amount in parentheses. There is no per-pipeline currency setting; currency lives at the record level.
Q. Can Bigin track the Instagram direct messages a user has sent?
A. Bigin by Zoho CRM does not natively track or log Instagram direct messages sent by a user.
Q. Does the Companies module have an auto-number or record-ID field that can link to other modules?
A. No, the Companies module has no special auto-number or record-ID field designed for linking. In Bigin, linking and identification are separate jobs. For linking, use Lookup fields: they link a record to another module. In Contacts, "Account Name" is a Lookup pointing to the Company — the native Contact-to-Company link, built in by default. For any other relationship, add your own Lookup field. Note that Lookup fields can't be created on Tasks or Events, and they sit alongside the other advanced field types, so check your edition first. For identification, there's Auto-number — a subtype of the Numerical field that produces an auto-incrementing value (for example COMP-001). It gives records a readable reference code, but does not connect them across modules. You can add it to Companies as a custom field.
Q. Do pipelines or deals have a Start Date field, or only a Closing Date?
A. Deals ship with a Closing Date field only, and it's a mandatory default. There is no native Start Date field. The documented workaround is to add a custom date field to hold the contract start date.
Q. Is there a cap on how many devices or sessions one user account can be logged in from at once?
A. Bigin runs on Zoho's account system, and Zoho Accounts sets the limit: by default, a maximum of 50 concurrent sessions per account, which an organization policy can set lower. Exceeding it blocks access until you end some active sessions.
Q. What is the scope of File Cabinet, and which plans include it?
A. File Cabinet generates unique secure links for customers to upload files, stored directly on the customer's Bigin record, with OTP-secured transfers and workflow automation to send the links. It's a customer file-collection tool, not a general document library with folders. It's a paid topping on Express and Premier, and on Bigin 360 it comes pre-installed with 5 GB of storage at no extra cost.
Q. What modules, fields, and stages does each template ship with?
A. Each Bigin template ships with tailored modules, fields, and pipeline stages, and every template has a page with a one-line description (for example, the School template is for monitoring students' admission from application to enrollment). Bigin does not publish a per-template manifest of the exact modules, fields, and stages — there are currently 22 templates. To see exactly what a given template includes, apply it in a trial org and review it.
AI / Zia
Q. Which Zia features are on which plan: call transcription, the three Zia Agents, and the mobile on-device AI?
A. Call transcription is mobile-only and device-dependent rather than plan-gated. Bigin uses Apple Intelligence to bring interactive call transcripts to iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and on iPhone and Samsung devices, system-level AI (Apple Intelligence and Galaxy AI) assists with on-device writing, summaries, and translation alongside Zia. It's available wherever the device supports it. The three Zia Agents — Reply Assistant, Churn Analyzer, and CrossSell Genie — are available on Premier and Bigin 360, currently in the US, India, and Australia data centers, with EU support planned (with BYOK). Mobile on-device AI (writing assistance, call transcripts, daily summaries, and tags) runs on Apple Intelligence and Galaxy AI and is not tied to any plan — a Free-plan user on a supported device gets the same on-device AI as a Premier user; the constraint is the device, not the subscription. On AI credits: Premier includes 1,000 per month and Bigin 360 includes 3,000; consumption varies by feature, and additional credits can be purchased.
Q. Which plans include MCP access, and can MCP enrich the contact database in bulk via an external LLM (Claude, ChatGPT)?
A. Zoho MCP Integration is listed on the Premier and Bigin 360 tiers; Express and Free do not include it. It's also included in the Premier-equivalent Bigin tier under Zoho One. By connecting Bigin to AI tools like Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, or VS Code, you can have the AI retrieve records, apply advanced filters, draft follow-ups, update deal stages, and trigger workflows from simple prompts — this is bidirectional. Because the protocol supports write-back, an external LLM can read a batch of contacts, enrich them using its own knowledge or an external data source, and write the updated fields back into Bigin. This isn't a one-click "bulk enrich all contacts" button, though — you orchestrate it through an MCP-connected AI tool with the right prompting. Separately, Bigin offers a native Data Enrichment feature that automatically enriches contact and company records from public data sources, fetching job titles, company insights, and social profiles — that's the out-of-the-box option.
Q. Can Zia answer open-ended analytical questions (average time in a stage, which segment converts best)?
A. Not natively. There is no "ask Zia a question" interface for open-ended analytics inside Bigin. The Dashboard Assistant builds charts and KPIs from prompts, but that's chart creation, not conversational analysis, so questions like "average time in a stage" or "which segment converts best" are out of scope natively. Two options do support this: Zoho Analytics (a separate paid subscription) lets you type questions and have Zia generate reports and KPI widgets with contextual narrated insights; and via MCP, an external LLM like Claude can access Bigin data securely and run complex analyses, with some setup.
Q. Can Bigin use the contact-scoring feature available in Zoho One?
A. No. Bigin does not currently include the lead/contact scoring capability available in Zoho CRM (including via Zoho One). There is no native automatic scoring model in Bigin today.
Developer Platform / API
Q. Is there an endpoint-to-scope table for the common v2 calls, and what scope covers GET /settings/sub_pipelines?
A. There is no per-endpoint scope table covering every endpoint individually; endpoints are grouped under scope categories (users, modules, settings, notifications, and so on) in the V2 API documentation. The GET /settings/sub_pipelines endpoint is not currently exposed in any of the API documentation or Postman collections. On the OAUTH_SCOPE_MISMATCH error: the scope ZohoBigin.settings.ALL covers the existing metadata APIs — GET /settings/modules, /settings/fields, /settings/layouts, /settings/custom_views, /settings/related_lists, /settings/profiles, and /settings/roles — but not GET /settings/sub_pipelines, because that endpoint is not yet available in the V2 API list.
Q. What endpoints fetch pipelines, sub-pipelines, stages, and field API names, and what's the sequence to build a create-deal payload?
A. There is no dedicated endpoint for pipeline, sub-pipeline, and stage metadata; retrieve those via the Layout Metadata API (GET /settings/layouts?module=Pipelines). Recommended sequence:
- A. Fetch field metadata — GET /settings/fields?module=Pipelines. Use it to determine API names (Deal_Name, Stage, etc.), required fields (system_mandatory), lookup fields, picklists, data types, maximum lengths, and editable/createable flags.
- B. Fetch layout metadata — GET /settings/layouts?module=Pipelines. Use it to determine the available Team Pipeline, sub-pipeline, and stages.
- C. Construct the payload using the metadata above, including the mandatory fields.
- D. Create the record — POST /Pipelines.
Q. What is the correct create-deal payload, and what triggers "Layout doesn't contain the Pipeline"?
A. Pipeline is represented as a lookup object, and Sub_Pipeline is a normal field on the Pipelines module. You can verify this by fetching field metadata (GET /settings/fields?module=Pipelines), which returns each field's data_type, api_name, and whether it is a lookup or picklist.
The API documentation indicates that Pipeline is represented as a lookup object, while Sub_Pipeline is a normal field on the Pipelines module. You can verify this by fetching field metadata:
GET /settings/fields?module=Pipelines
The response identifies each field's data_type, api_name, and whether it is a lookup or picklist.
JSON PAYLOAD:
{
"data": [
{
"Deal_Name": "Website Lead",
"Pipeline": {
"name": "Sales Pipeline"
"id": "5725767000000123001"
},
"Sub_Pipeline": "Sales Pipeline Standard",
"Stage": "Negotiation"
}
]
}
The "Layout doesn't contain the Pipeline" error usually means the values you provided don't belong together — for example, the Pipeline ID doesn't match the specified Sub_Pipeline or Stage. Make sure all three belong to the same Pipeline configuration in the org.
Q. Can you give one canonical POST example?
curl "https://www.zohoapis.com/bigin/v2/Pipelines" \
-X POST \
-H "Authorization: Zoho-oauthtoken 1000.8cb99dxxxxxxxxxxxxx9be93.9b8xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxf" \
-d "@newdeal.json"
newdeal.json
{
"data": [
{
"Owner": {
"id": "2034020000000457001"
},
"Deal_Name": "Adventure Tour Package",
"Account_Name": {
"id": "2034020000000459518"
},
"Contact_Name": {
"id": "2034020000000489033"
},
"Sub_Pipeline": "Sales Pipeline Standard",
"Stage": "Needs Analysis",
"Amount": "4000",
"Secondary_Contacts": [],
"Closing_Date": "2023-10-10",
"Tag": [
{
"name": "Adventure"
},
{
"name": "SuperCool"
}
],
"Description": "A sample pipeline record",
"Pipeline": {
"name": "Sales - Marketing",
"id": "2034020000000095023"
},
"Associated_Products": [
{
"Product": {
"name": "Amazon Rainforest Expedition",
"id": "2034020000000489203"
},
"List_Price": 2000,
"Quantity": 1,
"Discount": 0
},
{
"Product": {
"name": "African Safari Adventure",
"id": "2034020000000489200"
},
"List_Price": 1500,
"Quantity": 2,
"Discount": 10
}
]
}
]
}
Q. How do I filter for null/not-null, paginate, and sort in COQL and the Search API, and does query complexity affect cost?
A. Use COQL when you need is null / is not null, custom sorting (ORDER BY), SQL-like filtering, joins, or more expressive queries (see the COQL query documentation). Use the Search API for simpler searches by criteria, email, phone, or keyword, with standard page-based pagination. Query complexity has no impact on Bigin API credit consumption or OAuth token usage.
Q. Can custom fields be created via REST, or only through the Developer Console or Toppings?
A. Custom fields cannot be created or modified through the Bigin APIs. You can read field metadata (GET /settings/fields), but custom field creation is done through the Bigin UI, or through the Developer Console when building a Topping.
Q. Which editions expose outbound webhooks?
A. Outbound webhooks are configured as workflow actions that send HTTP requests to third-party applications when records are created, updated, or meet workflow conditions. They are not a separate REST API feature; they depend on the workflow automation available in your Bigin edition. They can also be configured via workflow rules within Topping development. (Search the Bigin FAQ page for "Webhook" for more.)
Q. Is REST API access available on all plans, including Free?
A. Yes. REST API access is available on all Bigin plans, including the Free edition.
Q. Can I revoke a specific user's API access without deactivating their account?
A. Yes. Use the OAuth revocation endpoint if you have the refresh token, or the user can revoke access to a connected app at any time from Zoho Accounts → Sessions → Connected Apps.
Q. What's the correct way to generate API credentials?
A. It depends on who will use the integration. For your own account, server-to-server integrations, scripts, or testing, use a Self Client. For applications used by other Bigin customers, use the standard OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code Grant.
Q. Can non-admin users access the API console and create connected apps?
A. Yes. A non-admin user can access the Zoho API Console and create OAuth clients (connected apps) with their own Zoho account. It is not admin-only.
Integrations
Q. How do I find out whether a particular tool integrates with Bigin?
A. Work through these in order. First, check the Bigin Marketplace at marketplace.bigin.com — Bigin integrates with 185+ tools there, most of them telephony providers via PhoneBridge. If your tool is listed, it's a direct native integration: install and go. If it's not, check Zapier (bigin connects with 9,000+ apps; both Bigin and the target app need to be Zapier-listed; multi-step zaps need a paid Zapier plan). Next is Make (formerly Integromat), which supports Bigin with 52 triggers and is better suited to more complex, branching workflows. Then Pabbly Connect, which connects Bigin with 1,000+ apps and is cost-effective for high-volume automations since it charges per connection rather than per task. Then Zoho Flow, Zoho's own no-code automation layer, is best when the workflow involves other Zoho products (Zoho Books, Zoho Desk, Zoho Projects) because it understands Zoho's data models. Finally, for anything with no presence on those platforms, or automation that's too complex or high-volume for middleware, Bigin's developer APIs can connect it with custom development. In short: check the Marketplace first, then Zapier; if neither has your tool, Make, Pabbly Connect, and Zoho Flow cover most remaining cases; and the API can bridge anything else.
Q. Do sevdesk, QuoteWerks, Nimble CRM, Proton Mail, D-Tools, OpenPhone, eFax, Pabbly Connect, or Xero integrate with Bigin?
A. None of these has a native Bigin integration in the Marketplace today. Recommended paths: sevdesk — Zoho Flow, Zapier, Make, or the API; QuoteWerks — Zapier or a custom API; Nimble CRM — Zoho Flow, Zapier, or the API; Proton Mail — IMAP/SMTP for email sync where applicable, otherwise a custom integration; D-Tools — the API or an integration platform; OpenPhone — PhoneBridge if supported in the future, otherwise the API or an integration platform; eFax — the API or an integration platform; Xero — Zoho Flow, Zapier, Make, or the API. Pabbly Connect is a special case: it's not a native integration but an automation platform that can itself connect Bigin with many third-party apps.
Plans & Comparisons
Q. Is there a side-by-side comparison of Bigin and Zoho CRM?
A. Yes. You can compare Bigin and Zoho CRM editions at bigin.com/compare-zohocrm-editions.html.
Q. Does Bigin have a referral or affiliate program, and where do I sign up?
A. Yes. Details on the affiliate partner program, including how to sign up, are at bigin.com/partners/affiliate-partner-program.html.
Support & Account
Q. I'm having trouble logging in, getting OTPs, or signing up. Where do I go?
A. First, check the Zoho status page for any ongoing authentication or account-related incidents. If there's no known outage, contact Zoho Accounts support for login, OTP, account access, or sign-up issues. For Bigin product issues after you've successfully logged in, contact Bigin support from within the product or through the official support channels.
Q. Can I choose my data region at signup, and what is the data-residency and backup policy?
A. Yes. During signup, you choose your country/region (preselected by IP, but you can change it), and that choice determines the Zoho data center where your account is hosted. Your data stays within the selected data center, and Zoho does not share account data across data centers by default. Organizations and users must belong to the same data center — a user in one region cannot simply join an organization hosted in another. If you later need to move to another data center, Zoho supports a formal migration process for eligible accounts. Both the primary and secondary (disaster-recovery) locations for a data center are within the same region, so your data stays in the selected geographic region. Zoho runs full backups weekly and incremental backups daily; backup data is stored in the same location, encrypted at rest, with a 3-month retention period, and is restored and validated weekly. On request, Zoho can restore a specific customer's data from backup. For EU customers specifically, EU-region sign-ups are hosted in the EU data center: zoho.com/blog/general/zoho-data-centers-in-europe.html.
Languages & Company
Q. What interface languages does Bigin support?
A. The Bigin native app supports 28 languages: Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English (UK), English (US), French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese. Ukrainian is not currently supported; among Eastern European and Slavic options, the choices are Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Polish, and Russian. One important nuance: selecting a language translates the interface — the Settings page, record-tab names (Info, Timeline, Notes, Files, Related), the Save/Cancel/Delete buttons, and system field values like created and modified times. Field names, module names, notes, and field values stay in the language chosen when the account was created. To change that deeper layer, set the language in the web app at bigin.com → Settings → Users and Control → user profile → Edit → Locale information → choose the language → Save. (See the help article "Set the Preferred Language.")
Q. Where are Zoho's and Bigin's offices?
A. Zoho is headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, with its US headquarters in Austin, Texas, and offices in 80 countries.
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