Zoho revamps Zoho One’s UI to focus on work, not apps

Zoho is revamping the user interface for its flagship suite, Zoho One, moving from an app-based model to a unified, context-aware system in which users can easily access any of the 50-plus apps included in the suite.

Of course, the company’s AI assistant, Zia, features prominently, providing contextual intelligence across the suite.

The new UI is now organized into focus areas known as Spaces. The “Personal” Space includes apps specific to the individual, including personal productivity software. “Organization” includes tools for company-wide communication, such as Forums, Town Hall, Ideas, and more. There are also function-specific spaces for areas such as HR, grouped by Department. All of these Spaces can be customized to suit employees’ needs, and are accessed from the top toolbar.

The Spaces toolbar includes a centralized search function, powered by Zia, from which users can access any information across the company that they’re authorized to view, and the new Action Panel allows them to build a view of their day, including scheduled meetings, incomplete tasks, emails, or whatever else they choose, regardless of the app they’re currently using.

Within Spaces, apps can be organized into Boards where users can, for example, track tasks from any of their apps, or access all apps’ notes in a single view.

A new app, Vani, provides an all-in-one, visual-first intelligent virtual space where users can brainstorm, plan, and innovate together.

Like one application

Zoho One also supports integrations with third-party products. For example, said Raju Vegesna, Zoho chief evangelist, if a company uses Gmail, it can be added to a Board alongside the native apps. “The idea here is, instead of users going to the application, the application is coming [to them]; context is the key,” he said. “That’s an experience part where we are trying to make Zoho One look like one application, although at the back end it’s about 50 applications. It’s an ongoing work in progress.”

Zoho says most customer organizations use around 22 of those applications, which include everything required to manage a business, including a CRM, an HR management system, sales and marketing modules, a helpdesk ticket manager, finance and payroll, and security and authentication.

The company boasts more than 75,000 customers globally, ranging from SMBs to enterprises such as telecommunications giant Telus.

Not just for SMBs

Thomas Randall, research lead at Info-Tech Research Group, approves of the new approach. “Zoho One’s new unified experience is a necessary and overdue evolution,” he said. “Historically, Zoho’s breadth of applications has been both a strength and a challenge, often leaving users navigating a sprawling catalogue. The introduction of a cohesive workspace where workflows guide users instead of application silos is a meaningful shift. Zoho’s new approach of tailoring solutions based on user intent reflects a more customer-centric design.”

And although Zoho is more prominent in the small and medium business realm, Randall said that Info-Tech is seeing mid- to large-sized enterprises shortlisting the company, especially for CRM. “Zoho’s large investment in fully owning its data infrastructure and flexible deployments operationally simplifies many organizations’ complex requirements,” he said. “Larger enterprises should also take a serious look at Zoho applications for business operations and CRM. The combination of affordability, unified experience, and expanding AI capabilities makes Zoho One a viable platform for those seeking integration and operational simplicity.”