Migrate from Inspection Files to Zoho CRM

Inspection Files inspections become a Zoho CRM custom module named Inspections. We create the module via Zoho's Modules API, map inspection title, date, status, and template name to custom fields on the Inspections module. The module API name defaults to Inspections_CF or similar per Zoho naming conventions.

Inspection File findings map to Zoho Tasks linked to the parent Inspection record via a lookup field (Inspection_ID__c). Finding severity (Critical, Major, Minor) maps to a custom picklist field Finding_Severity__c on the Task. Finding status maps to Zoho Task Status with value-mapping applied per severity tier.

Inspection File assets and locations map directly to Zoho CRM Accounts. The Account Name field holds the asset or location name. We preserve the asset ID as Source_System_ID__c for traceability. Address, city, state, and country map to Zoho Account address fields. GPS coordinates (latitude/longitude) require custom decimal fields on the Account since Zoho Accounts have no native coordinate fields.

Inspection Files asset hierarchies (parent asset to child asset) map to Zoho Account.ParentAccountId relationships. The parent account must be migrated first to ensure lookup resolution during child migration; circular references are detected and flagged before migration begins to prevent infinite loops. This preserves the site-level to sub-location drill-down that field teams rely on for navigating complex asset structures in Zoho's hierarchical Account view.

Inspection File inspector records map to Zoho CRM Users by email match. The inspector's name, email, phone, and role transfer to Zoho User fields. Inspection File admin and viewer roles map to Zoho Profiles and custom permission sets — read-only inspectors get Team User licenses in Zoho rather than full CRM seats.

Inspection File photos and supporting documents migrate as Zoho Attachments linked to the parent Inspection record. Zoho's Attachment API accepts files up to 25 MB per file; larger files are chunked or linked by URL reference. EXIF metadata and photo timestamps are preserved in a custom datetime field but are not parsed into structured Zoho fields.

Inspection File templates define checklist items, required fields, and scoring rubrics. Zoho CRM has no native template concept for custom modules. Template structure migrates as a pre-configured custom field layout on the Inspections module; the template name is stored as a read-only field for reference. Template-level scoring requires Zoho Creator if granularity is critical.

Scheduled or recurring inspections in Inspection Files have no direct Zoho CRM equivalent. Scheduled inspections map to Zoho Events (with start/end datetime) or recurring Tasks linked to the Account. Scheduling logic and recurrence rules must be rebuilt using Zoho Workflow Rules or Zoho Creator scripts.

Inspection File change logs and audit history (who modified a finding, when) migrate as Zoho Notes attached to the Inspection record, with timestamps and user attribution preserved as Note metadata. Zoho's native Audit Log feature (Enterprise and above) supplements this by tracking field-level changes post-migration.

Inspection Files device integrations such as sensors, IoT data feeds, and meter readings do not have a direct equivalent in Zoho CRM. These integrations require custom Zoho Creator applications to recreate the data collection logic or third-party IoT connector platforms post-migration. We document the existing integration endpoints and data formats as part of the rebuild roadmap to guide the development team.

Inspection Files custom inspection properties (rating scores, regulatory codes, compliance flags) migrate as custom fields on the Inspections custom module. We create each custom field via the Zoho CRM Fields API with the appropriate data type (text, number, picklist, date, checkbox) matching the source field definition.

When Inspection Files stores the client or customer associated with an inspection, that maps to a Zoho CRM Account. The Account is linked to the Inspection record via a lookup field (Client_ID__c). If the Inspection File stores multiple clients per inspection, additional Account-Inpection junction records are created.