# Set up Lead or Contact Creation for Zoho CRM

Once Cloud Voice is connected to Zoho CRM (Customer Relationship Management, the system that stores your customer records), you can have unrecognized phone numbers turned into CRM records without leaving the phone system. When a user takes a call from, or dials out to, a number that isn't already in the CRM, Cloud Voice can create a new lead or contact for it. Capturing these numbers as they come in keeps your CRM database current and helps make sure no caller detail slips through the cracks.

## Before you begin

Finish setting up the Zoho CRM integration first.

## Configure record creation

1. Sign in to the Cloud Voice management portal and open **Integrations > CRM**.
2. On the CRM integration page, enable **Create New Contact**.
3. Open the **Create Contact or Lead** drop-down and choose which record type Cloud Voice should generate:

   ![Create Contact or Lead drop-down showing the Contacts and Leads options](/images/pbx/creat-lead-or-contact.png)

   - **Contacts**: file the unknown number as a Contact.
   - **Leads**: file the unknown number as a Lead.
4. Under **Create Method**, decide how records get added:
   - To let Cloud Voice generate records on its own for specific call types:
   1. Choose **Automatically**.
   2. In the **Call Type** drop-down, pick which calls trigger a new record:

        ![Call Type drop-down with Inbound and Outbound selections](/images/pbx/select-in-or-out-to-create-new-contact.png)

        - **Inbound**: an incoming call from an unknown number that doesn't match any existing Contact, Lead, or Account in the CRM.
        - **Outbound**: an outgoing call to an unknown number that doesn't match any existing Contact, Lead, or Account in the CRM.

     :::caution
     With **Automatically** selected, Cloud Voice creates a record for every qualifying call to or from an unknown number, including wrong numbers and spam calls. Review the CRM regularly so these entries don't clutter your database, or choose **Manually** if you want a person to decide which callers get saved.
     :::
   - To let the extension users tied to the integration add records themselves while on a call, choose **Manually**.
5. Click **Save**.

## Result

- With automatic creation turned on, a new lead or contact appears in Zoho CRM whenever a qualifying call reaches or comes from an unknown number.

  :::note
  Auto-generated records are named with the prefix `Automatic New Contact` followed by the phone number.
  :::

  ![A lead created automatically in Zoho CRM from an unknown number](/images/pbx/auto-create-new-contact.png)

- With manual creation turned on, the associated extension users can add an unknown number to the CRM as a lead or contact during the call.

  ![Adding an unknown caller to the CRM as a new record during a call](/images/pbx/manually-create-crm-contact.png)

:::note
If [Contact Synchronization](/pbx/integrations/zoho/set-up-contact-synchronization-with-zoho-crm/) is switched on, each newly created lead or contact is also synced into the corresponding Cloud Voice phonebook.
:::