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Custom Field Mapping: A Complete Guide

January 6, 2025 10 min read Technical Guide

What You'll Learn:

  • Map complex Zoho custom fields to Todoist attributes
  • Preserve data integrity during synchronization
  • Handle different field types and formats
  • Create conditional mapping rules
  • Troubleshoot common mapping issues

Custom fields are the lifeblood of tailored project management workflows. They capture the unique data that makes your business tick—from client codes to budget tracking, from compliance checkboxes to custom statuses. But when you're syncing between Zoho Projects' robust custom field system and Todoist's flexible labeling approach, how do you ensure nothing gets lost in translation? This comprehensive guide will show you exactly how to master custom field mapping with 1ClickSync.

Understanding Both Platforms' Field Systems

Before diving into mapping strategies, it's crucial to understand how each platform handles custom data:

Zoho Projects Zoho Projects Custom Fields

  • • Text Fields: Single/multi-line text
  • • Numeric: Integer, decimal, currency
  • • Date/Time: Date, datetime fields
  • • Selection: Dropdown, radio, checkbox
  • • User Fields: User picker
  • • Formula: Calculated fields
  • • File: Document attachments

Todoist Todoist Data Options

  • • Labels: Multiple tags per task
  • • Priority: P1-P4 levels
  • • Due Dates: Date and time
  • • Descriptions: Rich text notes
  • • Comments: Discussion threads
  • • Sections: Task grouping
  • • Projects: Hierarchical organization

Basic Field Mapping Strategies

Common Mapping Patterns

1. Direct Field Mapping

When fields have similar purposes and data types:

Zoho: Task.DueDate → Todoist: Task.due.date

Zoho: Task.Priority → Todoist: Task.priority

Zoho: Task.AssignedTo → Todoist: Task.assignee_id

2. Field-to-Label Mapping

Converting Zoho custom fields to Todoist labels:

Zoho: ClientCode="ABC123" → Todoist: labels=["client:ABC123"]

Zoho: Department="Marketing" → Todoist: labels=["dept:marketing"]

Zoho: Budget="$5000" → Todoist: labels=["budget:5000"]

3. Concatenated Description Mapping

Combining multiple fields into task descriptions:

Zoho: Multiple custom fields →

Todoist: description = """

Client: ABC Corp

Budget: $5,000

Phase: Development

Risk Level: Medium

"""

Leveraging the Zoho Ecosystem for Enhanced Field Mapping

While Zoho Projects provides robust custom fields, integrating with other Zoho apps can supercharge your field mapping capabilities:

Zoho Creator

Zoho Creator for Complex Forms

Build sophisticated custom forms that feed data into Zoho Projects, then sync to Todoist:

  • • Multi-step approval workflows
  • • Dynamic field calculations
  • • Advanced validation rules
  • • Custom business logic
Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM Integration

Pull customer data directly into your project tasks:

  • • Client contact information
  • • Deal values and stages
  • • Account priorities
  • • Sales pipeline data
Zoho Flow

Zoho Flow Automation

Create automated workflows between Zoho apps:

  • • Trigger-based field updates
  • • Cross-app data synchronization
  • • Conditional field mapping
  • • Multi-step automations
Zoho Analytics

Zoho Analytics Insights

Track field usage and sync performance:

  • • Field utilization reports
  • • Sync success metrics
  • • Data quality analysis
  • • Performance dashboards

Pro Tip: Consider Zoho One for access to all 45+ Zoho applications with unified data management and seamless integrations.

Advanced Mapping Techniques

Conditional Mapping Rules

Create sophisticated mapping logic based on field values: 

IF Zoho.CustomField.ProjectType = "Client" THEN
  Todoist.labels.add("client-project")
  Todoist.priority = P2
ELSE IF Zoho.CustomField.ProjectType = "Internal" THEN
  Todoist.labels.add("internal")
  Todoist.priority = P3
END IF

Formula Field Translation

Convert Zoho calculated fields into Todoist-compatible formats:

Zoho Formula: Days Until Deadline = DueDate - Today()

1ClickSync Translation:

  • • If result ≤ 3: Add label "urgent"
  • • If result ≤ 7: Add label "this-week"
  • • If result > 7: Add label "upcoming"

Multi-Value Field Handling

Map multi-select fields to multiple Todoist labels:

Zoho: Skills Required = ["Python", "React", "AWS"]

Todoist: labels = ["skill:python", "skill:react", "skill:aws"]

Reference Field Mapping

Handle fields that reference other entities:

Zoho: Related Milestone = "Q1 Launch"

1ClickSync Actions:

  • • Create section in Todoist: "Q1 Launch"
  • • Add label: "milestone:q1-launch"
  • • Set due date from milestone date

Configuring Field Mappings in 1ClickSync

Step-by-Step Configuration Guide

1

Access Field Mapping Settings

Navigate to Settings → Sync Configuration → Custom Field Mapping

Field Mapping Interface
2

Select Source Field

Choose the Zoho custom field from the dropdown list

3

Choose Mapping Type

Select how the field should be mapped to Todoist

4

Configure Transformation Rules

Set up any data transformation or formatting rules

5

Test and Validate

Run a test sync to verify mapping works correctly

Real-World Mapping Scenarios

Scenario 1: Client Project Management

Zoho Fields:

  • • Client Name (Text)
  • • Project Code (Text)
  • • Billable (Checkbox)
  • • Hourly Rate (Currency)
  • • Contact Email (Email)

Todoist Mapping:

  • • Label: "client:[name]"
  • • Label: "project:[code]"
  • • Label: "billable" (if true)
  • • Description: "Rate: $[rate]/hr"
  • • Comment: "Contact: [email]"

Scenario 2: Software Development

Zoho Fields:

  • • Story Points (Number)
  • • Sprint (Dropdown)
  • • Component (Multi-select)
  • • Tech Stack (Tags)
  • • PR Link (URL)

Todoist Mapping:

  • • Label: "sp:[points]"
  • • Section: [Sprint Name]
  • • Labels: "comp:[each]"
  • • Labels: "tech:[each]"
  • • Description: Include PR link

Scenario 3: Marketing Campaigns

Zoho Fields:

  • • Campaign Name (Text)
  • • Channel (Dropdown)
  • • Budget (Currency)
  • • Target Audience (Text)
  • • KPIs (Multi-line)

Todoist Mapping:

  • • Label: "campaign:[name]"
  • • Label: "channel:[channel]"
  • • Label: "budget:[range]"
  • • Label: "audience:[segment]"
  • • Description: KPI details

Troubleshooting Common Mapping Issues

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: Field values not syncing

Symptoms: Custom field data missing in Todoist

Solution: Check field permissions in Zoho, ensure field is included in API response, verify mapping configuration is saved and active.

Issue: Special characters causing sync errors

Symptoms: Sync fails for tasks with certain field values

Solution: Enable character sanitization in mapping rules, use URL encoding for label values, escape special characters in descriptions.

Issue: Label limit exceeded

Symptoms: Some labels not appearing in Todoist

Solution: Todoist has a limit of 20 labels per task. Prioritize most important fields, combine related fields, use description for overflow data.

Issue: Date format mismatches

Symptoms: Dates showing incorrectly or not at all

Solution: Configure date format transformation in mapping rules, check timezone settings, use ISO 8601 format for consistency.

Field Mapping Best Practices

Pro Tips for Optimal Field Mapping

  1. 1. Start Simple: Begin with essential fields and gradually add complex mappings
  2. 2. Use Consistent Naming: Establish naming conventions for labels (e.g., always use lowercase, hyphens instead of spaces)
  3. 3. Document Your Mappings: Maintain a reference sheet of all field mappings for team training
  4. 4. Test with Edge Cases: Try extreme values, empty fields, and special characters during testing
  5. 5. Monitor Sync Logs: Regularly review logs to catch mapping issues early
  6. 6. Version Your Configurations: Save mapping configurations before major changes
  7. 7. Consider Performance: Complex mappings can slow sync—optimize for efficiency

Advanced Mapping Strategies

Power User Techniques

Dynamic Label Generation

Create labels based on field combinations:

IF Budget > 10000 AND Priority = "High"

THEN Label = "vip-project"

Field Compression

Encode multiple values efficiently:

Status(Open) + Priority(High) + Type(Bug)

= Label: "OHB" (with legend in project)

Bidirectional Mapping

Sync changes back to Zoho:

Todoist label change → Update Zoho field

Label "status:complete" → Status = "Done"

AI-Assisted Mapping

Let AI suggest optimal mappings:

1ClickSync analyzes field usage patterns

and recommends best mapping strategies

Migrating Existing Data

Initial Data Migration Checklist

Master Your Custom Field Mappings

Start syncing your custom fields perfectly between Zoho Projects and Todoist. No data loss, no manual work.

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The 1ClickSync Technical Team

Experts in data synchronization and field mapping

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