Zoho Books SnelStart integration: how Friesland IT runs sales, service and invoicing in one process
A customer orders a new router. It is purchased, delivered, installed by an engineer and then falls under a service contract. Every step creates work, and at the end everything has to be invoiced. At Friesland IT, that whole journey now runs through one connected Zoho landscape, with a Zoho Books SnelStart integration as the final piece.
The challenge
Friesland IT worked with a large number of separate tools. Some of them would no longer be supported in the near future. Waiting was not an option.
On top of that, recording all activities involved a lot of manual work. Sales, implementation, service and invoicing were separate worlds. Data was copied from one system to the next, with every chance of errors and forgotten invoices.
6
Zoho apps in one continuous process: CRM, Desk, Assist, Inventory, FSM and Books.
1 year
About one year for the full process implementation, including the integration with SnelStart.
3
Types of invoices (hardware, service work and subscriptions) through one integration with SnelStart.
Instant
Every new invoice goes to SnelStart straight away, without overnight synchronisation.
From quote to work order to invoice, in one continuous line
Mobile XL is a Dutch partner for digital transformation. We help SMEs in the Netherlands and Flanders with Zoho, process automation and low-code solutions. At Friesland IT we didn't tackle just one process, but the complete chain from sales to invoicing.
In this customer story you can read how we went about it. You'll see which Zoho apps we used, how they work together and how the SnelStart integration makes sure invoices reach the accounts without manual work.
About Friesland IT: IT for SMEs and beyond
Friesland IT is an IT service provider from Dronrijp. The company supplies IT to SMEs, but also to shipping, the energy transition, campsites, primary education and retail.
Its services are broad. Friesland IT provides system management, including Microsoft 365, online security and backups. The company also supplies print and scan solutions, telephony and business internet.
You can see that variety in the administration. Hardware is supplied and installed, service contracts and subscriptions are running, and engineers carry out work on site. All of those activities eventually have to be recorded and invoiced correctly.
Project background: a full process implementation
This was an end-to-end project of about one year. Mobile XL took care of the entire process implementation, including the integration with SnelStart. We used six Zoho apps for it: Zoho CRM, Zoho Desk, Zoho Assist, Zoho Inventory, Zoho FSM and Zoho Books.
The project grew along the way. We started with the sales process and the integration with SnelStart. It soon became clear that support and warehouse management were closely connected to it. Those processes were added, as was the planning and execution of the engineers' work.
Separate tools and a lot of manual work
Objectives: a scope that grew
The original objective was clear: manage the sales process more easily and connect it to SnelStart. During the project it became clear that support and warehouse management are inseparably linked to it. The engineers' work belonged to it as well.
| Area | Objective |
|---|---|
| Sales | Manage sales orders centrally in Zoho CRM, with insight into the status including purchasing |
| Purchasing and warehouse | Manage purchasing and serial numbers in Zoho Inventory |
| Support | Link tickets to installed equipment and service contracts |
| Field service | Plan work orders and distribute them across engineers and their calendars |
| Invoicing | One-off and recurring invoices automatically via Zoho Books to SnelStart |
That expansion was quite a challenge. The end result is much stronger, though: one continuous process instead of separate islands.
The solution: six Zoho apps working together
Each Zoho app has a clear role in the process. Together they form a chain in which data is entered once and then flows on automatically.
The solution was designed and built entirely by Mobile XL. The Zoho team was not involved in its delivery.
How the process works, from sale to SnelStart
The process follows the customer journey. Each step builds on the previous one, so nobody has to enter data again. This is what a typical delivery with installation and a service contract looks like.
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Record the sales order
A salesperson records the sales order in Zoho CRM, possibly including a service contract.
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Register the service contract
The service contract is registered automatically in Zoho CRM and Zoho Desk.
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Purchase the hardware
The required hardware is purchased through Zoho Inventory. In Zoho CRM you can see the status of that purchase.
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Record the serial numbers
On delivery, Zoho Inventory registers the serial numbers. Every device becomes an asset in Zoho CRM and Zoho Desk.
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Schedule the work order
Zoho Desk and Zoho CRM drive Zoho FSM, where the work order is scheduled with an engineer.
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Feedback becomes an invoice
The engineer completes the work and gives feedback. That feedback automatically becomes an invoice in Zoho Books.
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Recurring invoices
Besides one-off invoices, Zoho Books also creates the recurring invoices for subscriptions.
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Straight on to SnelStart
The integration platform passes every invoice straight on to SnelStart.
Third-party integration: the SnelStart integration
SnelStart is the only external application in this project. The Zoho Books SnelStart integration runs through the integration platform built by Mobile XL. The platform runs on Zoho Catalyst. As a result, security, hosting and GDPR safeguards fall within Zoho's infrastructure.
For the connection with SnelStart we use SnelStart's official API. The relation details go along with the invoices, so the debtor is always correct in the administration. The products are synchronised, so every invoice line in SnelStart is built correctly.
Real time and with instant error alerts
No overnight synchronisation is needed. Every new invoice goes to SnelStart straight away. Does something go wrong, for example because of missing data? Then Friesland IT and Mobile XL are notified immediately. We analyse straight away what is going on, and a fix is usually available within a few minutes.
Results of the Zoho Books SnelStart integration
After a year, Friesland IT works with one connected Zoho landscape instead of a collection of separate tools. These are the main outcomes.
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One continuous process
Sales, purchasing, warehouse, support, field service and invoicing run in one continuous process.
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Old tools replaced
Tools that would soon no longer be supported have been replaced.
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Every device an asset
Every installed device is an asset with a serial number, visible in Zoho CRM and Zoho Desk.
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Contracts available at once
Service contracts are recorded automatically and are immediately available to support.
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Work order becomes invoice
Work orders are scheduled in Zoho FSM and the feedback automatically becomes an invoice.
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To SnelStart without manual work
One-off, service and recurring invoices go to SnelStart through Zoho Books without manual work.
What this means for Friesland IT's operations
The biggest gain is that manual administrative work has disappeared. Information is recorded once and then flows on to the next step. That saves time in sales, support, planning and administration.
The quality of the service has gone up as well. A support employee immediately sees which device a customer has and which contract applies to it. An engineer gets a work order with the right information. And the customer gets a correct invoice, without forgotten work.
Finally, Friesland IT is ready for the future. The company no longer depends on tools that are disappearing. The Zoho platform grows along with it, and we can easily add new services or processes to the existing Zoho integration.
Want to connect Zoho Books to SnelStart too?
Do you work with Zoho while your bookkeeper does everything in SnelStart? Then you don't have to choose. With a good accounting integration, each system does what it is good at. Mobile XL helps you from process analysis to go-live, from a single integration to complete process automation.
Frequently asked questions about the Zoho Books SnelStart integration
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Yes. Mobile XL connects Zoho Books to SnelStart through its own integration platform on Zoho Catalyst. That platform uses SnelStart's official API to transfer relations, products and invoices.
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At Friesland IT, the invoices go to SnelStart together with the relation details. The products are synchronised as well, so every invoice line is built correctly. Which data you include is agreed per project.
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Every new invoice goes to SnelStart straight away. A scheduled synchronisation outside office hours is not needed.
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Zoho is strong in sales, service and invoicing. SnelStart is often the trusted environment of the bookkeeper. With an integration, everyone works in the system that suits their role.
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During configuration we record which VAT codes and general ledger accounts in Zoho Books correspond to which codes in SnelStart. The integration platform applies that mapping to every invoice.
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Yes. SnelStart remains the financial administration. Your bookkeeper works there as usual, only now the invoices arrive automatically.
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Then you and Mobile XL are notified straight away. We analyse immediately what went wrong. A fix is usually available within a few minutes.
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Yes. Zoho Books creates the recurring invoices for subscriptions automatically. The integration platform then passes them straight on to SnelStart, just like one-off invoices and service invoices.
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The integration platform runs on Zoho Catalyst. As a result, hosting, security and GDPR safeguards fall within Zoho's infrastructure. The connection with SnelStart runs through the official API.
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The principle is the same: Zoho Books supplies the invoices and the accounting package processes them. The difference lies in the API and in the way each package sets up relations, items and ledgers. Our integration platform supports both.