Zoho adds iPad support with suite upgrade

Online applications firm Zoho has announced several improvements to four of its core tools designed to help workers in smaller firms improve productivity.

The updates, which cover Zoho's CRM, Docs, Mail and Recruit tools, include support for the iPad, and closer integration between tools to help employees work across the firm's range of applications.

The CRM tool now integrates with Zoho's Support and Projects tools to help companies better manage customer support tickets and ongoing projects, and provides the ability to back up the email accounts of deactivated users for future reference.

Apple iPad users can now access Zoho's Docs tool, adding the tablet to the list of devices that can run the application, as well as optimising the iPhone 4 with an improved display.

Zoho Mail, meanwhile, provides an optimised web interface for Android, BlackBerry and iPhone devices, and now has integrated calendar, tasks, notes and contacts, as well as the ability to synchronise with desktop client email systems.

IT managers can also define policies for staff, including sub-group policies, and set up customised email addresses.

Finally, Zoho's Recruit tool now has the ability to directly populate candidate details from CVs using RChilli integration, and can create pre-bundled reports that show job openings, potential candidates and interviews.

Zoho 'evangelist' Raju Vegesna claimed that the updates add a far greater breadth of capabilities to the suite to allow workers to access the tools they need.

"Zoho users have come to expect our online suite of collaboration, business and productivity applications to be deep as well as broad," he said.

"Providing deep, rich functionality means paying attention to, and acting on, users' feedback as well as market trends. As a result, we are constantly adding new features and integrations that push the limits of working online for our four million-plus users."