Best Practices to Engineer Good Prompts for Zoho MCP Cliq Tools

Your prompt in the Zoho MCP client directly impacts how accurately the AI performs actions in Zoho Cliq. Clear, context-rich prompts reduce the need for multiple back-and-forth requests and ensure the right action is executed the first time.

Guidelines for Writing Effective Prompts with Cliq Tools:

  • Identify the Cliq module you want to use (e.g., Channels, Direct Messages, Chats, Events, Reminders, etc.).
  • Provide all required fields with accurate names, email addresses, or unique identifiers.
  • State your desired action explicitly; be direct about what you want to accomplish
  • Include the time, date, and participants when creating events or reminders.
  • Specify any conditions or constraints if applicable (e.g., "only if not already scheduled").
  • Use a clear and declarative intent instead of vague instructions.

Example Prompt Cookbook - Using Zoho Cliq tools in MCP Clients

Cliq ModuleTools UsedSample Prompt
Channels

Post message in a channel,

Pin a message

Post an update in the #engineering channel: "Sprint 24 starts today. All PRs must be merged by Friday." Pin this message.
RemindersSet a reminder in any chatSet  a reminder in the channel #Marketing titled "Submit campaign creatives" on August 10th at 5PM , IST timezone.
Files & AttachmentsShare files in a chatShare file RoadMap-2025.pdf to @ScottFisher with the message - "Please review ASAP. Thanks in Advance"

Troubleshooting

Authentication Issues

  • Verify OAuth credentials: Ensure that your MCP client uses valid OAuth credentials for Zoho Cliq.
  • Check token expiration: Refresh or regenerate tokens if they have expired.
  • Confirm permission scope: Ensure the OAuth token includes the necessary admin or module-level scopes (e.g., ZohoCliq.Channels.Read , ZohoCliq.Channels.Write).
  • Re-authenticate if Needed: If you’ve updated permissions or scopes, re-run the authentication flow.

Admin Scope and Access Level Problems

  • Check user role: Verify that the authenticated user has the appropriate role in Zoho Cliq (Admin or member with permissions for the action).
  • Validate scope coverage: If using multiple modules (e.g., Channels + Events), ensure that the token includes all required scopes.
  • Perform API restriction checks: Some API actions require organisation-level admin permissions.