What is a Zoho certified consultant, and how do I check one?

A Zoho certified consultant is a person who has passed one of Zoho's own proctored certification exams, run through its Zoho Spark platform. The certification belongs to the individual, not the firm. To check one, ask for the certificate and its unique ID, confirm the product and issue date, and check the firm separately in Zoho's partner directory.

Zoho runs its training and certification programme under the name Zoho Spark. Spark's certification page describes a Zoho certification as proof of technical know-how in one or more Zoho products, and talks about joining a network of "Zoho Certified Consultants". Exams are product specific, such as Zoho CRM or Zoho Creator, so a person can be certified in one app and not in others.

To get a Zoho certificate, you register on Zoho Spark, buy an exam credit and sit the exam online. Zoho's FAQ says exams are watched by a proctor over video call, you must show photo ID, and questions mix multiple choice, scenarios and practical tasks. Exams run from about 60 minutes to a full day for task-based tests. If you fail, you wait 14 days and pay for another attempt.

Watch for a common mix-up. Zoho's paid classroom and virtual training courses give a participation certificate, and Zoho's own FAQ says these courses do not certify anyone as an administrator or consultant. Only passing a certification exam does. Zoho also says certificates are valid for two years from the issue date, so an old certificate may have lapsed.

A certified consultant and a Zoho partner are different things. Certification is earned by a person. Partner status is an agreement between Zoho and a company, which then appears in Zoho's public partner directory at zoho.com/partners. A good firm usually has both: a partner listing and staff who hold current certifications in the apps you plan to use.

To check a consultant, ask for the certificate itself. Zoho says each certificate and badge carries a unique identifier. Confirm the name, the product, and that the issue date is within two years. Then look up the firm in Zoho's partner directory and ask who will actually do your work. Flowpeak is a registered Zoho partner whose consultants hold Zoho certifications, and we share those details on request.

Written by Flowpeak, a Zoho implementation partner. Zoho pricing and features change, so confirm current details on the official Zoho site. Free checklists | Ask us a question