Zoho implementation for Solar and Renewable Energy
Zoho for solar installers and renewable energy companies: leads, site surveys, quotes, installation projects and service.
Business process workflow
How solar and renewable energy work flows in Zoho
Take solar leads through survey, quote, installation and after-sales service.
Common problems we fix
- Site surveys and quotes are slow
- Installation progress is not visible
- Service contracts are forgotten
The process, step by step
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Entity diagram: the data behind solar and renewable energy in Zoho
Each box is a record type, coloured by the Zoho app that holds it, with its key fields. Lines show how records connect, so a customer, an order and an invoice stay linked instead of being retyped. We refine this model with you during discovery.
- Zoho CRM
- Zoho Projects
- Zoho FSM
- Zoho Inventory
Read the relationships as text
- Customer awards Project (1:N)
- Project starts with Site Survey (1:N)
- Project needs Bill of Materials (1:N)
- Project executed in Installation (1:N)
- Customer signs Service Contract (1:N)
Department by department
How every department of a solar and renewable energy business works in Zoho
A renewable energy producer develops sites, oversees construction, runs plants, bills offtakers and services project debt. In Zoho each plant links its PPA, land, assets, generation and invoices, so leadership sees the whole portfolio from one set of records.
How the departments hand work to each other
Each arrow is a handover. Because every team works on the same Zoho records, the next department picks up the work without re-entering it.
- 1Business Development and Offtake to Project Development: Signed PPA with capacity, location and commissioning date
- 2Business Development and Offtake to Energy Billing and Settlement: PPA tariff, escalation and billing terms
- 3Project Development to Construction Management: Ready-to-build project file with land, permits and grid approval
- 4Project Development to Finance and Accounts: Land payments and development cost
- 5Construction Management to Asset Operations and Maintenance: Commissioned plant with asset list, drawings and warranties
- 6Construction Management to Finance and Accounts: Certified EPC milestone claims
- 7Asset Operations and Maintenance to Energy Billing and Settlement: Monthly generation and meter readings
- 8Asset Operations and Maintenance to Procurement and Spares: Spare parts needed for repairs
- 9Energy Billing and Settlement to Finance and Accounts: Issued invoices and certificate sales
- 10Procurement and Spares to Finance and Accounts: Goods receipts and vendor bills
- 11Procurement and Spares to Asset Operations and Maintenance: Spares available by site
- 12Finance and Accounts to Management and Reporting: Plant results and covenant status
- 13HR and Payroll to Finance and Accounts: Payroll summary by project entity
- 14HR and Payroll to Asset Operations and Maintenance: Certified technicians by site
- 15Management and Reporting to Business Development and Offtake: Target markets and capacity goals
- 16Management and Reporting to Asset Operations and Maintenance: Priority fixes for underperforming plants
Each department in detail
Open a department to see its workflow, its own entity diagram, who does the work, what needs approval, the reports it watches and what it hands over.
Business Development and OfftakeSigns power purchase agreements with corporate and utility buyers and keeps the pipeline of new capacity full.
Workflow
- 1
Track offtaker prospects
Corporate buyers, utilities and tender opportunities are logged in CRM with load, tariff expectation and region.
- 2
Model the offer
A tariff and term proposal is built from expected generation, project cost and target return.
- 3
Negotiate the PPA
Term sheets, tariff, escalation, deemed generation and penalty clauses are tracked through drafts.
- 4
Sign and register the contract
The signed PPA with capacity, tariff and start date becomes the base for billing.
- 5
Report bids and wins
Tender bids, tariffs quoted and results are recorded to sharpen the next bid.
Zoho Forms
Zoho Contracts
Zoho AnalyticsEntity diagram: Business Development and Offtake
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho CRM
- Zoho Creator
- Zoho Contracts
Read the relationships as text
- Offtaker has PPA Opportunity (1:N)
- PPA Opportunity priced by Tariff Model (1:1)
- PPA Opportunity signed as PPA (1:1)
Who does the work
- BD manager
- Commercial analyst
- Head of BD
Approvals and controls
- Tariffs below the board-approved floor need the CEO
- PPA clause changes from the standard need legal and the CFO
Reports they watch
- Pipeline MW by stage
- Tender win rate and tariff gap
- PPAs due for renewal
Hands over to
- Project Development: Signed PPA with capacity, location and commissioning date
- Energy Billing and Settlement: PPA tariff, escalation and billing terms
Project DevelopmentSecures land, permits and grid connection so each project is ready to build.
Workflow
- 1
Screen sites
Candidate sites are logged with irradiation or wind data, land status and distance to the substation.
- 2
Acquire or lease land
Land parcels, owners, lease terms and title checks are tracked parcel by parcel.
- 3
Get permits and approvals
Environmental, land use and building approvals are tracked with authority, status and expiry.
- 4
Secure grid connection
Connection applications, studies and agreements with the grid operator are tracked to approval.
- 5
Declare ready to build
A gate review confirms land, permits, grid and finance before construction starts.
Zoho WorkDriveEntity diagram: Project Development
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Creator
Read the relationships as text
- Site made up of Land Parcel (1:N)
- Site needs Permit (1:N)
- Site connects through Grid Application (1:1)
Who does the work
- Development manager
- Land officer
- Permitting specialist
Approvals and controls
- Land lease terms outside the standard need the head of development
- The ready-to-build gate needs development, finance and engineering sign-off
Reports they watch
- Projects by development stage
- Permits pending and expiring
- Land acquired versus required
Hands over to
- Construction Management: Ready-to-build project file with land, permits and grid approval
- Finance and Accounts: Land payments and development cost
Construction ManagementOversees the EPC contractor so the plant is built on time, on budget and to specification.
Workflow
- 1
Set up the project plan
Milestones for civil work, module or turbine erection, electrical works and commissioning are planned.
- 2
Monitor EPC progress
Weekly progress reports, photos and curve versus plan are recorded from site.
- 3
Inspect quality
Owner's engineers inspect key works and log observations the EPC contractor must close.
- 4
Certify milestone payments
EPC milestone claims are checked against completed works before finance pays.
- 5
Commission and hand over
Commissioning tests, grid synchronisation and punch list closure are recorded before handover to O&M.
Entity diagram: Construction Management
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Projects
- Zoho Creator
Read the relationships as text
- Build Milestone tracked in Progress Report (1:N)
- Progress Report raises Site Observation (1:N)
- Build Milestone closed by Punch Item (1:N)
Who does the work
- Project manager
- Owner's engineer
- Construction head
Approvals and controls
- EPC milestone payments need the project manager and construction head
- Changes to the approved design need engineering approval
Reports they watch
- Progress S-curve by project
- Open observations and punch items
- Milestone payments due
Hands over to
- Asset Operations and Maintenance: Commissioned plant with asset list, drawings and warranties
- Finance and Accounts: Certified EPC milestone claims
Asset Operations and MaintenanceKeeps every operating plant generating at its best and fixes faults fast.
Workflow
- 1
Monitor generation daily
Generation and availability from the plant monitoring system are brought into Zoho each day.
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Raise fault tickets
Inverter trips, string faults and turbine alarms become tickets with priority and assigned technician.
- 3
Run preventive maintenance
Module cleaning, thermography, inverter servicing and substation checks are scheduled and logged.
- 4
Record HSE checks
Permits to work, isolation records and safety observations are captured on site.
- 5
Claim warranties
Failed equipment under warranty is logged and claimed with the manufacturer.
Zoho FlowEntity diagram: Asset Operations and Maintenance
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Creator
- Zoho Desk
Read the relationships as text
- Plant Asset records Generation Log (1:N)
- Plant Asset raises Fault Ticket (1:N)
- Plant Asset maintained by PM Task (1:N)
- Fault Ticket may lead to Warranty Claim (1:N)
Who does the work
- Site technician
- O&M engineer
- Asset manager
Approvals and controls
- Planned shutdowns need the asset manager and a note to the offtaker
- Work on live equipment needs an approved permit to work
Reports they watch
- Performance ratio and availability by plant
- Open faults and lost generation
- Preventive maintenance completion
Hands over to
- Energy Billing and Settlement: Monthly generation and meter readings
- Procurement and Spares: Spare parts needed for repairs
Energy Billing and SettlementBills offtakers for energy delivered and tracks certificates and grid settlements.
Workflow
- 1
Collect meter readings
Joint meter readings for each plant and offtaker are recorded with photos at month end.
- 2
Calculate the energy bill
Units delivered are priced at the PPA tariff with escalation and any deemed generation.
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- 4
Track certificates
Renewable energy certificates or guarantees of origin are logged by plant, period and sale.
- 5
Resolve billing disputes
Offtaker queries on units or tariff are logged and resolved with meter data attached.
Entity diagram: Energy Billing and Settlement
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Creator
- Zoho Books
Read the relationships as text
- Meter Reading priced in Energy Bill (1:N)
- Energy Bill billed as Invoice (1:1)
- Meter Reading earns Certificate (1:N)
Who does the work
- Billing executive
- Commercial manager
Approvals and controls
- Bill corrections after issue need the commercial manager
Reports they watch
- Units billed versus generated
- Bills outstanding by offtaker
- Certificates issued and sold
Hands over to
- Finance and Accounts: Issued invoices and certificate sales
Procurement and SparesBuys spares, services and consumables for operating plants and keeps spare stock at each site.
Workflow
- 1
Plan critical spares
Each plant has a list of critical spares with minimum stock, such as inverter cards and fuses.
- 2
Raise requests and orders
Spares requests from O&M become POs with approved vendors.
- 3
Receive at plant stores
Spares are received at site stores with serial numbers recorded.
- 4
Issue and return
Spares issued to tickets and faulty parts returned for repair are tracked by serial.
Entity diagram: Procurement and Spares
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Inventory
Read the relationships as text
- Purchase Order replenishes Spare Part (N:N)
- Spare Part tracked as Serial Record (1:N)
Who does the work
- Procurement executive
- Site storekeeper
Approvals and controls
- POs above the set value need the asset manager and finance
Reports they watch
- Critical spares below minimum
- Open POs by plant
- Repair turnaround for returned parts
Hands over to
- Finance and Accounts: Goods receipts and vendor bills
- Asset Operations and Maintenance: Spares available by site
Finance and AccountsCollects energy revenue, pays EPC and O&M costs, services project loans and reports by plant.
Workflow
- 1
Collect energy receivables
Offtaker payments are matched to invoices, and late payment charges applied where the PPA allows.
- 2
Pay project costs
EPC milestones, land payments and O&M bills are paid after approval and booked to the right project.
- 3
Track project finance
Loan drawdowns, repayments and covenant tests are tracked by project.
- 4
Account for assets
Plant assets are capitalised at commissioning and depreciated in Zoho Books.
- 5
Report by plant
Revenue, O&M cost and cash flow are reported for each plant or project entity.
Entity diagram: Finance and Accounts
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Books
- Zoho Creator
Read the relationships as text
- Project Cost capitalised as Fixed Asset (1:N)
- Loan Tracker funds Project Cost (1:N)
- Receipt services Loan Tracker (N:N)
Who does the work
- Accountant
- Treasury manager
- CFO
Approvals and controls
- Payments above a set amount need two approvers
- Loan drawdowns need the CFO
Reports they watch
- Receivables by offtaker
- Cash flow and debt service by project
- Plant-level P&L
Hands over to
- Management and Reporting: Plant results and covenant status
HR and PayrollHires and pays development, site and office teams, and keeps technician safety certificates current.
Workflow
- 1
Hire for sites and office
Openings for technicians, engineers and analysts are tracked from posting to joining.
- 2
Certify technicians
Electrical licences, working at height and first aid certificates are tracked with expiry.
- 3
Roster plant staff
Shift and on-call rosters for remote plants are planned in advance.
- 4
Run payroll
Salary, site allowances and on-call pay go through Zoho Payroll where it is available, or your local provider.
Zoho Recruit
Zoho People
Zoho Learn
Zoho Shifts
Zoho PayrollEntity diagram: HR and Payroll
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho People
- Zoho Learn
- Zoho Shifts
- Zoho Payroll
Read the relationships as text
- Employee holds Certification (1:N)
- Employee assigned to Roster (N:N)
- Employee paid by Payslip (1:N)
Who does the work
- HR executive
- HR manager
Approvals and controls
- Technicians with expired safety certificates cannot be rostered to live work
Reports they watch
- Headcount by site
- Certificates expiring in 60 days
- Overtime and on-call cost
Hands over to
- Finance and Accounts: Payroll summary by project entity
- Asset Operations and Maintenance: Certified technicians by site
Management and ReportingGives leadership one view of the portfolio, generation, revenue and the development pipeline.
Workflow
- 1
Combine portfolio data
Zoho Analytics pulls CRM, Creator plant data, Projects and Books into one model.
- 2
Monthly portfolio review
Generation against forecast, availability, revenue and cost are reviewed plant by plant.
- 3
Pipeline review
Projects by development stage and expected commissioning dates are reviewed with BD.
- 4
Act on exceptions
Alerts for underperforming plants, permit expiry and overdue offtakers go to leadership.
Zoho CliqEntity diagram: Management and Reporting
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Analytics
- Zoho Flow
Read the relationships as text
- Dashboard shows Portfolio KPI (N:N)
- Portfolio KPI triggers Alert (1:N)
Who does the work
- CEO
- CFO
Approvals and controls
- Annual generation and revenue budgets are approved by the board
Reports they watch
- Generation versus forecast by plant
- Pipeline MW by stage
- Revenue, cash and debt service
Hands over to
- Business Development and Offtake: Target markets and capacity goals
- Asset Operations and Maintenance: Priority fixes for underperforming plants
What to expect when you start
A typical plan for a focused project of one to three apps. Larger scope or messy data takes longer; we confirm the timeline after discovery.
Week 1 to 2
Map and agree
We walk through your solar and renewable energy process from "Lead" to "Service and AMC", list the records and fields you really need, and agree the scope.
Week 3 to 4
Build the core
We configure Zoho CRM and Zoho SalesIQ with your stages, roles, approvals and templates.
Week 5 to 6
Connect and migrate
We clean and import your data, connect email, payments or other tools, and build the reports you will use every week.
Week 7 to 8
Test and go live
Your team tests with real cases, we train each role, and we cut over with a checklist.
Mistakes to avoid
- Copying the old spreadsheet column for column. Keep only the fields that help someone decide or act.
- Leaving out exceptions such as returns, changes and cancellations. Model them early so the team does not work around the system.
- No owner per stage. Name one person for "Lead" and one for "Service and AMC".
- Going live without checking reports against numbers you already trust.
A good first win
Start with the problem that hurts most: Site surveys and quotes are slow. Fixing one visible problem in the first month builds trust and adoption for everything after it.
What you can measure
- Lead-to-install time
- Quote conversion
- AMC renewal rate
Zoho apps in this workflow
Zoho CRM
Zoho SalesIQ
Zoho Bookings
Zoho Creator
Zoho Sign
Zoho Projects
Zoho Inventory
Zoho Books
Zoho Desk
Zoho FSMWe deliver remotely for India, the UAE, the Middle East, the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia and Europe.
Questions about Zoho for solar and renewable energy
Which Zoho apps suit solar and renewable energy businesses?
A typical solar and renewable energy setup uses Zoho CRM, Zoho SalesIQ, Zoho Bookings, Zoho Creator, Zoho Sign, Zoho Projects, Zoho Inventory, Zoho Books, Zoho Desk, Zoho FSM. We confirm the exact apps after mapping your own process in a discovery call.
How does the business process flow in Zoho for solar and renewable energy?
1. Lead; 2. Site survey; 3. Quote and contract; 4. Installation project; 5. Billing; 6. Service and AMC.
Which departments does a Zoho setup for solar and renewable energy cover?
A full setup covers Business Development and Offtake, Project Development, Construction Management, Asset Operations and Maintenance, Energy Billing and Settlement, Procurement and Spares, Finance and Accounts, HR and Payroll, Management and Reporting. Each department works in its own Zoho screens, but they share the same customer, order and finance records, so work moves from one team to the next without being retyped.
Zoho apps we set up for solar and renewable energy
- Zoho CRM
- Zoho Creator
- Zoho Inventory
- Zoho Books
Not sure which apps fit your business? Book a free 30-minute call or see all Zoho products we implement
Zoho services for solar and renewable energy
All Zoho services →- Zoho implementationZoho CRM live within 2 weeks, fixed price agreed in writing
- Zoho support100-hour support packs, first reply within 1 hour
- Zoho consultingChoose the right apps and plan before you build
- Data migration to ZohoMove from Salesforce, HubSpot, Tally, QuickBooks or spreadsheets
- Zoho integration servicesConnect Zoho to payments, ads, telephony, e-commerce and more
- Zoho auditA scored review of your current Zoho setup
More industries we build Zoho workflows for
Zoho adapts to almost any business that has leads, orders, projects, people and money to track. A few examples are below; the industries page lists all 179 with a typical process flow and the Zoho apps behind each.
- Construction and ContractingControl tenders, project costs, subcontractors, site materials and progress billing from one system.
- Wholesale and DistributionRun orders, stock across warehouses, credit limits and collections for dealers and retailers.
- Food and BeverageTrack outlet and central kitchen stock, recipes, suppliers and daily sales with branch-wise accounts.
- Fitness and WellnessConvert enquiries into members, manage bookings and recurring fees, and keep members engaged.
- Staffing and RecruitmentManage client job orders, candidate pipelines, placements and invoicing in one flow.
- Travel and TourismTurn enquiries into itineraries, bookings and payments with supplier and customer tracking.
- Telecom and ISPsRun activation, installation, support and recurring billing for subscribers and enterprise accounts.
- Media and AdvertisingManage clients, briefs, campaign projects, approvals and retainer billing for agencies and media firms.
- Import and Export TradingHandle enquiries, proforma invoices, shipments, documentation and multi-currency accounting.