# Set up Lead or Contact Creation for Zoho CRM

Once Zoho CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is connected to Cloud Voice, you can have calls involving unknown numbers turn into new CRM records. Records can be added automatically as calls happen, or created by extension users while they are on a call. Either way, contact details are captured as you work, so your CRM database grows without manual data entry.

## Before you begin

Make sure the Zoho CRM integration is already set up and active.

## Configure record creation

1. Sign in to the PBX (Private Branch Exchange) web portal, then 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(s) to create:

   ![Drop-down for choosing whether unknown numbers become contacts or leads](/images/pbx/creat-lead-or-contact.png)

   - **Contacts**: Store the unknown number as a Contact.
   - **Leads**: Store the unknown number as a Lead.
4. In the **Create Method** section, decide how records are added:
   - To let Cloud Voice create records on its own for certain call directions:
   1. Select **Automatically**.
   2. Open the **Call Type** drop-down and choose which calls trigger record creation:

        ![Call type selector for inbound and outbound automatic record creation](/images/pbx/select-in-or-out-to-create-new-contact.png)

        - **Inbound**: A call arrives from a number that does not match any existing Contact, Lead, or Account in the CRM.
        - **Outbound**: A call goes out to a number that does not match any existing Contact, Lead, or Account in the CRM.
   - To let the assigned extension users add records themselves during a call, select **Manually**.

   :::tip
   Pick **Automatically** when you want every unknown caller captured with no staff effort. Pick **Manually** when you want extension users to decide which numbers are worth keeping, which helps keep unwanted numbers out of the CRM.
   :::
5. Click **Save**.

## What happens next

- With automatic creation enabled, a new lead or contact appears in Zoho CRM whenever a call is placed to, or received from, an unknown number.

  :::note
  Automatically created records are named with the prefix `Automatic New Contact` followed by the phone number.
  :::

  ![A newly auto-created record in Zoho CRM named with the automatic prefix and number](/images/pbx/auto-create-new-contact.png)

- With manual creation enabled, the assigned extension users can add an unknown number to the CRM as a new lead or contact while they are on the call.

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

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