Connect Zoho People to Entra ID

ezOnboard uses an OAuth client registered in the Zoho API console. Its tokens use the authorizing user’s permissions. Sign in with a company-managed Zoho People account that has the Admin role.

Open the Zoho API console for your data center. Add a client and choose Self Client. Copy the ID and secret from the Client Secret tab and store them securely.

On Generate Code, enter the scopes below, select the longest expiry and set the description to ezOnboard. Zoho requires ZOHOPEOPLE.employee.ALL because it has no read-only employee scope. ezOnboard only reads data.

Wait until step 5 to generate the code. It works once and expires within minutes. Paste it immediately with the client ID and secret to obtain a refresh token, which lasts until revoked. Note your data center from the console’s address, such as zoho.com, zoho.eu or zoho.in.

The agent runs as a Windows service on your server with Windows Server 2019 or later. No domain join is required. It connects to Zoho People, ezOnboard and Microsoft Graph over outbound HTTPS. No inbound firewall rules are needed.

Download the signed MSI and enrollment bundle from the portal. Save the install code. The portal shows it only once. Run the MSI and enter the code. The agent uses a local virtual account by default, with no password to manage. The installer checks outbound access and the clock before making changes. Domain and LDAP checks show “not needed”.

Add a Microsoft 365 connection in the portal. Choose the Directory and Licenses capabilities, then continue to Microsoft. Sign in as a Global Administrator and grant consent. The portal shows which capabilities have access. You can grant missing permissions later.

ezOnboard uses application permissions, not an administrator account or password. Revoke consent in Entra ID to remove its access. Each tenant connects to one organization.

In the portal, add Zoho People as an HR source using the client ID, client secret and authorization code. Your credentials are encrypted with your organization’s key and sent to your agent. The agent reads Zoho People from your network. Nobody at ezOnboard can read the credentials.

Choose a field to match people across both systems, usually work email or employee ID. The agent checks Zoho People every five minutes and catches up on any missed changes.

Choose which Zoho People fields update each directory attribute. Start with the defaults below, add custom fields or combine values. For example, build a display name from first and last names, format a job title or look up an office address by site.

Blank Zoho People fields leave directory values unchanged unless you configure the mapping to clear them.

Rules define who gets an account, which administrative unit it belongs to, how it’s named and which groups it joins. They also control offboarding. Use Zoho People fields, such as department and site, to make those choices.

Our implementation team helps you write the rules. With approvals enabled, your team must approve each rule change before the agent uses it.

Run a dry run for your whole workforce. The agent matches Zoho People records to existing accounts by employee ID, then work email, and previews changes without applying them. If two accounts match one person, that action stops for review.

Review the planned changes and the rules behind them in the portal. Adjust your rules and repeat the dry run until the results match your expectations.

Turn off dry run to apply changes. If a run would disable or move more accounts than your safety limits allow, it stops and alerts your team before making changes. We review the first runs with you.

HR continues working in Zoho People. Your rules handle new accounts, updates and offboarding on schedule. Get alerts by email, in the portal or by webhook when a run stops, the HR feed stops updating or the agent stops reporting. An inactive feed never triggers offboarding.