Create a Module for vtiger CRM: Easy Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a custom module for Vtiger CRM involves several steps. Here’s a guide to help you create a module in Vtiger CRM:

Step 1: Set Up Environment

1. Install Vtiger CRM: Make sure you have Vtiger CRM installed and running on your server.
2. Access the Vtiger Directory: Navigate to the Vtiger directory on your server. Typically, this would be something like /var/www/vtigercrm or similar.

Step 2: Create Module Directory

1. Navigate to Modules Directory: Go to modules directory in your Vtiger installation directory.

   cd /path/to/vtigercrm/modules

2. Create a New Directory for Your Module: Name the directory according to your module name.

   mkdir CustomModule
   cd CustomModule

Step 3: Create Module Files

1. Create Manifest File: This file contains metadata about your module.

• manifest.xml

   <?xml version="1.0"?>
   <module>
       <name>CustomModule</name>
       <type>entity</type>
       <version>1.0</version>
       <label>Custom Module</label>
       <parent>Tools</parent>
       <description>Custom module for Vtiger CRM</description>
       <dependencies>
           <dependency vtiger_version="7.0"/>
       </dependencies>
       <tables>
           <table name="vtiger_custommodule"/>
           <table name="vtiger_custommodulecf"/>
       </tables>
       <fields>
           <!-- Define fields here -->
       </fields>
       <blocks>
           <!-- Define blocks here -->
       </blocks>
       <actions>
           <!-- Define actions here -->
       </actions>
   </module>

2. Create PHP Files: These files handle the backend logic for your module.

• CustomModule.php

   <?php
   include_once 'modules/Vtiger/CRMEntity.php';

   class CustomModule extends CRMEntity {
       public $table_name = 'vtiger_custommodule';
       public $table_index = 'custommoduleid';

       public $customFieldTable = ['vtiger_custommodulecf', 'custommoduleid'];

       public $tab_name = ['vtiger_crmentity', 'vtiger_custommodule', 'vtiger_custommodulecf'];

       public $tab_name_index = [
           'vtiger_crmentity' => 'crmid',
           'vtiger_custommodule' => 'custommoduleid',
           'vtiger_custommodulecf' => 'custommoduleid'
       ];

       public $list_fields = [
           'Custom Field' => ['custommodule', 'customfield'],
       ];

       public $list_fields_name = [
           'Custom Field' => 'customfield',
       ];

       public $search_fields = [
           'Custom Field' => ['custommodule', 'customfield'],
       ];

       public $search_fields_name = [
           'Custom Field' => 'customfield',
       ];

       public $popup_fields = ['customfield'];

       public $def_basicsearch_col = 'customfield';

       public $def_detailview_recname = 'customfield';

       public $mandatory_fields = ['customfield'];

       public $default_order_by = 'customfield';
       public $default_sort_order = 'ASC';
   }
   ?>

Step 4: Register Module

1. Create Language File: This file contains translations for your module labels.

• languages/en_us/CustomModule.php

   <?php
   $languageStrings = [
       'CustomModule' => 'Custom Module',
   ];

   $jsLanguageStrings = [];
   ?>

2. Create Database Schema: Define the schema for your module.

• SQL schema file (e.g., schema.sql)

   CREATE TABLE `vtiger_custommodule` (
       `custommoduleid` INT NOT NULL,
       `customfield` VARCHAR(255) DEFAULT NULL,
       PRIMARY KEY (`custommoduleid`)
   );

   CREATE TABLE `vtiger_custommodulecf` (
       `custommoduleid` INT NOT NULL,
       PRIMARY KEY (`custommoduleid`)
   );

Step 5: Install Module

1. Upload and Install Module: Use the Vtiger CRM Module Manager to upload and install your module.

• Go to Vtiger CRM and navigate to Settings > Module Management > Module Import.
• Upload your module zip file which includes all the created files.
• Follow the prompts to install the module.

Step 6: Test Module

1. Verify Module Installation: Ensure that your module appears in the CRM and that all functionalities work as expected.
2. Debug Any Issues: Check the Vtiger CRM logs and your server logs for any errors and debug as necessary.

This is a basic example to get you started. Depending on your module’s complexity, you might need to add more files and configurations, such as handlers for events, workflows, or additional UI components.

Conclusion

Developing a custom module, especially for vTiger CRM, consists of a complete series of propely-described steps, basically from establishing your atmosphere to testing all modules simply after installation. By properly following this whole guide, you can easily improve the working of your CRM to get better outcomes. For all those who are constantly looking for high-performance and complete scalability, especially for their vTiger CRM, then discovering the best Vtiger hosting solutions is mainly suggested.