When a sales rep takes a call on RingCentral and that call does not appear in Zoho CRM, the activity record for that contact is incomplete. The rep remembers it. The manager reviewing pipeline health does not see it. The colleague who picks up the account next quarter has no record of what was discussed. The RingCentral + Zoho CRM integration solves this by making every call — inbound or outbound — a logged CRM activity without any manual entry. This guide covers both integration options: the standard RingCentral Marketplace extension and the ABR Voice SMS Extension, which adds SMS capability and a more complete call logging experience. For the full messaging extensions context, see the Zoho CRM messaging extensions guide.
What the Integration Does
| Capability | Without Integration | With RingCentral + Zoho CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Call logging | Rep manually creates an activity after each call | Call is logged automatically on the contact record — duration, outcome, rep name |
| Inbound call identification | Rep does not know who is calling until they answer | Screen pop shows the caller’s CRM record before the call connects |
| Call recording | Recording sits in RingCentral, disconnected from CRM | Recording link appears on the CRM activity record for that call |
| SMS from CRM | Rep opens RingCentral separately to send a text | SMS sent from within the CRM contact record and logged as an activity |
| Post-call workflow | Rep manually creates follow-up task after hanging up | Workflow rule creates follow-up task when call outcome is logged |
Option 1: RingCentral Marketplace Extension (Standard)
Zoho Marketplace includes a pre-built RingCentral extension that provides the core call logging functionality. It is free to install and works with most RingCentral plans.
Installation
- In Zoho CRM: Settings → Marketplace → search “RingCentral” → Install the Zoho CRM for RingCentral extension.
- After installation, each user connects their individual RingCentral account: go to Setup → My Account → RingCentral → Connect Account.
- Grant the required permissions — Zoho CRM requests access to make calls, read call logs and read SMS via the RingCentral API.
What It Provides
- A click-to-dial button on contact and lead phone number fields — click the number in Zoho CRM to initiate a RingCentral call.
- Automatic call logging: duration, timestamp and the Zoho CRM user who made/received the call appear as a logged activity when the call ends.
- Inbound call screen pop: when a call comes in from a number that matches a CRM contact, the contact record opens automatically.
Limitations of the Standard Extension
The standard Marketplace extension covers call logging but does not add SMS capability to Zoho CRM. Call recording links do not appear on CRM activity records — recordings remain in the RingCentral portal. Call outcome fields (disposition codes) require manual entry after each call.
Option 2: ABR Voice SMS Extension (Recommended for SMS + Advanced Logging)
ABR’s Voice SMS Extension builds on the RingCentral connection to add native SMS capability and a more complete activity record for each call.
What the ABR Extension Adds
- SMS from Zoho CRM: send and receive text messages from any contact, lead, account or deal record using your RingCentral number. Replies are captured and logged alongside calls in the same activity timeline.
- Call recording link on activity records: the recording from each RingCentral call appears directly on the CRM activity, so managers can review calls without logging into RingCentral separately.
- Call outcome logging: disposition codes (Connected, Voicemail, No Answer, etc.) are logged on the activity record from within the CRM interface — no post-call manual entry in RingCentral.
- Mass SMS from CRM views: select multiple lead or contact records and send an SMS to all of them using a template — used for appointment reminders, follow-up sequences and campaign outreach.
- RingCentral Cliq notification: incoming messages and missed calls can push notifications to Zoho Cliq, keeping reps aware without monitoring two applications.
The ABR extension requires an active RingCentral account with a plan that includes SMS capability. For full features, setup steps and pricing, see the ABR Voice SMS Extension page.
*ℹ️ The ABR Voice SMS Extension and the standard Marketplace extension cannot be installed simultaneously on the same Zoho CRM organisation. Install one. If you need SMS capability, install the ABR extension — it includes everything the standard extension provides plus SMS.*
Which Option to Choose
| Your Requirement | Recommended Option |
|---|---|
| Call logging only — no SMS needed | Standard Marketplace extension (free) |
| SMS from Zoho CRM using RingCentral number | ABR Voice SMS Extension |
| Call recording links on CRM activity records | ABR Voice SMS Extension |
| Mass SMS to lead or contact lists | ABR Voice SMS Extension |
| Disposition codes logged from CRM interface | ABR Voice SMS Extension |
Setup Requirements
- RingCentral account: any paid RingCentral plan. For SMS, the plan must include SMS/MMS (most paid plans do).
- 10DLC registration (US): if sending SMS to US numbers, your RingCentral number requires 10DLC campaign registration. This is a carrier-level requirement for all business SMS in the US. Registration takes 2–4 weeks. ABR walks clients through this process during setup.
- Zoho CRM plan: Standard or above. The ABR extension is available on all paid Zoho CRM plans.
- User permissions: Zoho CRM admin access to install the extension and connect the RingCentral API.
Post-Setup: Workflow Rules to Enable
Once the integration is live, three workflow rules add the most value with minimal configuration:
For the full messaging extensions catalogue including SMS-only options without a RingCentral requirement, see the Zoho CRM messaging extensions guide.
| Workflow | Trigger | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Missed call follow-up | Activity logged with outcome = No Answer or Missed | Create task: “Call back {{Name}}” due in 2 hours, assigned to call owner |
| Post-call SMS | Activity logged with outcome = Connected, duration 60 seconds | Send SMS template: “Thanks for your time, {{First Name}}. Following up with [next step] shortly.” |
| Voicemail notification | Activity logged with outcome = Voicemail | Send SMS template: “Hi {{First Name}}, I left you a voicemail — reply here if easier.” |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the RingCentral + Zoho CRM integration require the ABR extension?
No — the standard Zoho Marketplace RingCentral extension handles basic call logging at no extra cost. The ABR Voice SMS Extension is needed if you want SMS from Zoho CRM or call recording links on activity records. See ABR Voice SMS Extension →
Are calls automatically logged in Zoho CRM with RingCentral?
Yes — both the standard Marketplace extension and ABR’s Voice SMS Extension automatically log each call as a Zoho CRM activity on the associated contact or lead record, including duration and timestamp.
Do I need a RingCentral account to use the ABR Voice SMS Extension?
Yes — an active RingCentral account with SMS capability is required. The ABR extension connects your existing RingCentral number to Zoho CRM. ABR advises on plan requirements during setup.
Can I use the standard Marketplace extension and ABR’s extension at the same time?
No — the two extensions conflict and cannot be installed simultaneously. The standard extension must be uninstalled before installing the ABR Voice SMS Extension.
Can ABR set up the RingCentral + Zoho CRM integration?
Yes — ABR installs and configures both integration options. Book a free consultation →
