Connecting HubSpot and Salesforce keeps marketing and sales data aligned so your teams work from the same truth. The native integration supports two-way syncs, field mapping, activity sync, and selective sync rules, but it needs careful planning (mapping, deduplication, API planning) to avoid common pitfalls. Read on for how it works, what to sync, setup steps, troubleshooting, and proven best practices.
Why integrate HubSpot and Salesforce?
Most businesses use HubSpot for marketing automation and Salesforce for complex sales processes. When those systems don’t talk, you get:
Duplicate or missing records
Broken lead handoffs and lost revenue
Disconnected analytics and reports
Integrating them creates a single operational flow: marketing captures and qualifies leads in HubSpot, and qualified leads flow into Salesforce so sales can close them, while both teams see the same history and activity. The native integration is built to support that two-way flow and reduce manual data work.
What actually syncs between HubSpot and Salesforce?
The native integration lets you choose which objects and fields to sync and in which direction:
Contacts (HubSpot) ↔ Contacts (Salesforce)
Companies (HubSpot) ↔ Accounts (Salesforce)
Deals (HubSpot) ↔ Opportunities (Salesforce)
Activities / Tasks / Engagements (calls, emails, notes, configurable)
Custom object fields can be mapped but require careful planning
You can control per-field sync behavior (two-way, HubSpot→Salesforce, Salesforce→HubSpot, or no sync) so that master data remains controlled. Activity and task syncing are supported and can be toggled on or off.
How often does the sync happen?
By default, HubSpot and Salesforce check for updates and push changes roughly every 15 minutes. There are also event-based triggers that can cause immediate syncs for certain actions, but the 15-minute polling window is the typical cadence for most systems. High-volume environments and API limits can affect timing and behavior. Plan your expectations around this cadence and don’t assume instantaneous replication for all record types.
Key setup steps (practical, step-by-step)
Here’s a concise but practical setup checklist that works for most teams:
1. Prep: audit and clean your data
Export a sample of HubSpot contacts/companies and Salesforce leads/accounts.
Standardize fields (date formats, picklist values) and remove obvious duplicates.
Decide which system will be the master of record for key properties (e.g., contact owner).
This reduces errors during the first full sync.
2. Install the integration (HubSpot Marketplace)
In HubSpot: Settings → Integrations → Connected Apps → Install Salesforce connector.
Use an admin account in Salesforce with API permissions.
Follow the official installer and grant the required permissions.
3. Map fields deliberately
Create a mapping spreadsheet: HubSpot property → Salesforce field → sync direction → data format
Align picklists and dropdowns before mapping (e.g., industry lists).
Map only fields you need, unnecessary mappings increase sync complexity and API usage.
4. Configure sync rules & direction
For each object/field choose: two-way, HubSpot→Salesforce, Salesforce→HubSpot, or none.
For lifecycle stages, consider a one-way push to Salesforce (HubSpot → Salesforce) to avoid overwriting sales processes.
5. Set owner and assignment rules
Decide how owner assignment will work across systems. A common approach: HubSpot assigns an owner during MQL conversion and that owner maps to a Salesforce owner during the handoff.
6. Test on a sandbox or a small segment
Do not flip the integration live across your entire database immediately. Start with a small inclusion list (e.g., a single region or a test campaign).
7. Monitor initial syncs & errors
Use HubSpot’s integration dashboard to review sync errors, logs, and API call counts. Fix mapping or validation errors as they appear.
Best practices for mapping, deduplication and governance
Standardize data before you sync
Create canonical field names and values (e.g., Country, Lead Source). Where picklists exist in Salesforce, create identical picklists in HubSpot.
Map only what matters
Every mapped field costs maintenance and potential sync errors. Focus on the 10–15 fields that drive pipeline and reporting (name, email, phone, owner, lifecycle stage, lead source, opportunity value, close date).
Use custom “master” flags for dedupe logic
If records exist in both systems, create a “Master Record” property to tag which system controls particular fields; this helps when running dedup workflows. Third-party dedupe tools often make this far easier.
Plan for API limits and sync volume
High volumes of updates create more API calls and potential throttling. Use batching strategies and avoid syncing noisy system fields that change often (last viewed, activity counters).
Keep audit & change logs
Use a change log field or integration audit to record when and why certain fields were updated by the sync. This helps troubleshooting and governance.
Common integration problems and how to fix them
1. Duplicate records after sync
Fix: Identify the deduping key (email for contacts, company domain for companies) and run a dedupe process in HubSpot Salesforce integration. Use a custom master field to keep the winning record and re-tag children. Consider a dedupe tool (Insyncle, ZoomInfo cleanup, etc.).
2. Field mismatch / picklist errors
Fix: Ensure picklist values match exactly. For dates or numbers, confirm the format is identical. If HubSpot tries to push an invalid picklist value to Salesforce, the sync will fail for that record.
3. Sync errors due to validation rules
Fix: Review Salesforce validation rules (required fields, format) that could block incoming records. Either relax validation for integration users, or populate required fields via default mappings.
4. Slow updates / perceived delays
Fix: Remember the ~15-minute default polling. For mission-critical events, design processes that flag the receiving team inside Salesforce (e.g., create a task or use a webhook flow) to act immediately.
5. API limits & throttling
Fix: Monitor Salesforce API usage. Batch non-urgent updates and minimize high-frequency property updates. If needed, upgrade API capacity or introduce middleware that reduces call volume.
6. Ownership mismatch or lost leads
Fix: Define a single ownership rule. If HubSpot owner should become Salesforce owner, make that mapping explicit and test owner assignment flows. Use workflows to reassign if the owner field is empty post-sync.
(Several of these problems are commonly documented by integration experts and HubSpot community threads; see troubleshooting guides and best-practice articles for detailed scripts).
Advanced topics: custom objects, activity sync & reporting
Custom objects
HubSpot supports custom objects and you can map them to Salesforce custom objects, but this increases complexity. Map only critical custom objects, and design their relationships (parent/child) carefully. Use test records to confirm relationship syncs properly.
Activity and task syncing
If you want engagement history (emails, calls, notes) visible in both systems, enable activity sync and limit which activity types to push to avoid noise. Activity sync is bidirectional and can be turned on/off.
Reporting & attribution
Decide where multi-touch attribution lives. Many orgs prefer marketing attribution in HubSpot but pipeline and revenue reports in Salesforce. Use consistent deal/opportunity IDs or create a reporting dataset that pulls from both platforms to get accurate marketing-to-revenue reporting.
Tools and middleware when to use them
The native integration serves common use cases. But if you need advanced logic, heavy transformations, or scale, consider middleware:
Integration platforms (MuleSoft, Workato, Zapier, Make) for custom workflows.
iPaaS and ETL (Talend, Stitch) for high-volume data loads and transformations.
Dedup & data quality tools (Insycle, ZoomInfo cleaning tools).
Many teams start with the native connector and add middleware later when scaling.
Measurement: KPIs to monitor post-integration
Track these to prove the integration’s ROI and health:
Sync error rate (targets: <1% after stabilization)
Number of duplicate records created (trend down over time)
Lead response time (should drop after automation)
MQL → SQL conversion (should improve with a clean handoff)
Sales velocity / time to close (should decrease if pipeline visibility improved)
Salesforce API usage (keep within limits, monitor spikes)
Number of integration failures per day (trend to zero)
A simple governance policy template
“All HubSpot ↔ Salesforce mappings must be documented in the integration mapping spreadsheet. Any new field added to Salesforce that will sync to HubSpot requires: (1) approval from Sales Ops, (2) a mapped equivalent property in HubSpot, and (3) a test sync in the sandbox environment. Ownership of records will be the source-of-truth defined per account region and enforced by scheduled deduplication audits.”
Conclusion
Salesforce HubSpot Integration isn’t just a technical upgrade, it’s a growth multiplier. When marketing and sales finally operate on the same data, businesses see faster lead handoffs, cleaner pipelines, higher conversion rates, and clearer revenue attribution. But successful integration isn’t about flipping on the connector; it’s about thoughtful planning, smart field mapping, consistent data governance, and monitoring sync health over time.
If you follow the best practices in this guide, you’ll have a scalable HubSpot Salesforce integration that supports your team today and grows with your business for years to come.
Book a free integration consultation with Mountainise and let’s make your CRM ecosystem work exactly the way it should.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the HubSpot–Salesforce integration two-way?
A: Yes the integration supports two-way syncs and you can control direction per field. But be deliberate about master records to avoid overwrites.
Q: Can I sync custom objects between systems?
A: Yes, but mapping and relationship syncing adds complexity. Test carefully in a sandbox and only map what you need.
Q: How quickly will data appear in Salesforce after it’s created in HubSpot?
A: HubSpot typically polls and syncs about every 15 minutes; certain triggers can cause immediate syncs, but don’t expect instant, real-time parity for every record.
A: Common causes: mismatched picklist values, validation rules in Salesforce, missing required fields, or API throttling. Use the integration dashboard to inspect the specific error message.
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