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ShelfMerch for Zoho People — User Guide

Connect Zoho People, sync employees, and manage onboarding recipients in ShelfMerch.

1. Introduction

This guide is for company administrators who use the ShelfMerch Web Tab inside Zoho People (or ShelfMerch directly) to connect Zoho People and import employees. Synced contacts can be used as recipients for onboarding kits, rewards, and corporate gifts.

2. Requirements

  • Active Zoho People account
  • ShelfMerch company account
  • Company administrator permission in ShelfMerch
  • Permission to access and import employee information from Zoho People

3. Signing in to ShelfMerch

When you open ShelfMerch from Zoho People and you are not signed in, ShelfMerch opens a secure popup for ShelfMerch sign-in. Complete sign-in in the popup, then return to the Web Tab. If the popup is blocked, allow popups for ShelfMerch and try again.

4. Connecting Zoho People

  1. Open ShelfMerch from the Zoho People Web Tab.
  2. Sign in to ShelfMerch if prompted.
  3. Click Connect Zoho People.
  4. Review the requested Zoho permissions (employee forms read and organisation read).
  5. Select the approval checkbox in Zoho’s consent screen.
  6. Click Accept.
  7. Wait until ShelfMerch shows a Connected status with organisation details when available.

5. Syncing employees

  1. Open the ShelfMerch Web Tab.
  2. Confirm the status shows Connected.
  3. Click Sync Employees.
  4. Wait for the success message summarising fetched, created, updated, skipped, and failed counts.
  5. Open ShelfMerch Contacts to view imported employees.

6. Information synchronized

Based on the current ShelfMerch sync implementation, the integration may synchronize:

  • Employee name (first name, last name, and display name when available)
  • Work email address
  • Employee ID
  • Zoho record ID
  • Relevant employment fields: department, designation, work location, date of joining, and employment status
  • Organisation identifiers (organisation ID and name when returned by Zoho)
The current Zoho People sync does not import work phone numbers. Phone numbers may appear on ShelfMerch contacts only if entered or imported through other ShelfMerch features.

7. Duplicate prevention

ShelfMerch matches existing contacts using the Zoho record ID within your company workspace. If needed, matching can also use work email. Existing contacts are updated instead of creating repeated duplicates when identifiers match.

8. Disconnecting Zoho People

  • Disconnect stops future syncing and clears stored Zoho OAuth tokens for your organisation.
  • Previously imported contacts are not automatically deleted.
  • You may remove applicable contacts in ShelfMerch, or request deletion via support@shelfmerch.com.

9. Common errors

Sign-in popup blocked

Allow popups for shelfmerch.io in your browser, then click Sign in again.

Authorisation not completed

Complete the Zoho consent screen before the window times out. If it expired, click Connect Zoho People again.

Missing permissions

Use a Zoho account that can grant the requested People permissions, or ask your Zoho admin to approve the connection.

Employee sync returned zero records

Confirm employees exist in Zoho People forms accessible to the connected account, then sync again. Records missing required identifiers may be skipped.

Token expired or reconnect required

Click Reconnect or Connect Zoho People again and complete OAuth consent.

Sync failed temporarily

Wait a moment and retry. If it continues, contact support with the approximate time and any on-screen error message.

10. Contact support

support@shelfmerch.com

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