Your HubSpot CRM is set up, workflows are humming along, and data flows smoothly. But then your business data outgrows the default CRM objects—contacts, companies, deals, and tickets. For businesses managing unique subscription models, complex service requests, or specific product details, those standard objects don’t cut it. Here’s where custom objects transform the game. HubSpot’s custom objects allow businesses to create specialized data structures that capture exactly what they need, unlocking a new level of tracking and reporting.
However, custom objects are only powerful if you know how to transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot effectively. This capability is vital for collecting tailored data directly from customers and guiding it precisely to where it’s needed in your CRM. With well-set-up custom objects, you can streamline operations like customer onboarding, product registrations, etc.
In this blog, I’ll walk you through the steps to transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot. From initial setup and field mapping to utilizing HubSpot’s Forms API, automating entries with workflows, handling bulk imports, and enhancing data flow with query string auto-population, you’ll have a comprehensive guide to optimizing custom object data transfer.
Top Reasons to Transfer Form Data to Custom Objects in HubSpot
Incorporating form data directly into custom objects in HubSpot provides businesses with the flexibility and precision necessary for specialized tracking. Here’s why this approach works effectively:
1. Customized Data Storage
Custom objects let businesses store data that doesn’t fit within HubSpot’s standard CRM categories. The ability to transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot lets companies capture essential details like product specifications or event registrations, organizing data just how teams need it.
2. Streamlined Tracking and Reporting
Reporting becomes easier and more insightful when form data flows directly to custom objects. Businesses transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot to track subscription renewals or manage customer support cases. This setup improves visibility and allows teams to generate detailed reports tailored to unique business needs.
3. Automation and Efficiency
For efficient record management, businesses transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot, automating the entry process for improved accuracy and organization.
4. Flexible Applications Across Industries
Custom objects are widely useful across industries, from real estate to education to retail. For example, real estate companies transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot to manage property listings, while educational institutions track course enrollments. This adaptability makes transferring form data to custom objects in HubSpot a practical solution across various fields.
An Introduction to Custom Objects in HubSpot
Custom objects expand HubSpot’s standard capabilities, enabling companies to build data models customized to specific needs. Unlike standard objects, custom objects support complex data tracking, delivering detailed reporting and personalized engagement.
For instance, a B2B company uses custom objects to track ‘Projects’ or ‘Subscriptions,’ which capture details like phase, budget, or deliverable deadlines, all linked to standard objects such as contacts and deals. This approach is essential for managing intricate datasets that don’t fit HubSpot’s default object types.
Setting Up Your Custom Object in HubSpot
Custom objects in HubSpot offer your business a customized data structure that perfectly matches specific needs. Let’s look at the essential steps below to set up a clear and organized data flow:
1. Access the HubSpot’s Settings > Objects > Custom Objects area to initiate setup.
2. Define the custom object’s singular and plural names (e.g., “Subscription” and “Subscriptions”) and add a description if needed to clarify its purpose for team members.
3. Choose a Primary Display Property (like “Subscription ID” or “Project Code”) to help HubSpot uniquely identify each record in this object, which is crucial when you transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot.
4. Set up Associations to link the custom object with other HubSpot objects, such as contacts, companies, deals, or tickets. This step allows you to streamline reporting and tracking across your CRM.
5. Add Custom Properties for specific data points (e.g., “Subscription Status,” “Renewal Date,” or “Project Deadline”), ensuring that the custom object can capture all relevant information.
6. Specify any Required Properties to ensure that essential data is consistently captured for each record when transferring form data to custom objects in HubSpot.
7. Select Searchable and Indexed Properties to make data retrieval easier within HubSpot, especially for larger datasets where quick access to records is valuable.
8. Run a test of the setup to ensure that all properties, associations, and identifiers work as intended, adjusting configurations as necessary based on team feedback.
Following these steps ensures that when you transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot, your data stays structured, accessible, and fully optimized for reporting.
Map and Capture Form Data in HubSpot
HubSpot forms provide a solid framework for capturing standard data, but mapping this data to custom objects has certain limitations. Here’s what to keep in mind:
1. Establish Primary and Secondary Properties: When you define properties, set up both primary and secondary properties in the custom object to simplify data searches and associations. This helps ensure accurate mapping when you transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot, especially if multiple fields are involved.
2. Test and Validate Field Mapping: Run tests to ensure each field correctly maps to the custom object before rolling out the form. Testing reduces the chance of errors and ensures data accuracy, particularly for reporting fields.
3. Use Required Fields for Essential Data: Consider making fields required in both the form and the custom object for critical data points. This step guarantees that essential information is always captured, enhancing data consistency.
4. Enable Automated Workflows: Set up HubSpot workflows to automate mapping or update actions between form submissions and custom objects. This option supports smooth data transfer, especially for custom fields that do not natively map.
5. Customize Error Notifications: If a form field fails to map properly, customize error or validation messages. These messages help users adjust submissions and ensure data maps accurately to the custom object.
Use the HubSpot Forms API to Capture Data for Custom Objects
HubSpot’s Forms API allows direct integration between forms and custom objects, automatically transferring submission data to streamline CRM workflows. Here’s a comprehensive guide to implementing it effectively:
1. Set Up the API and Secure the Key: Start by accessing HubSpot’s developer documentation to generate an API key. Store this key securely in a protected environment to safeguard data during transfers. Integrate the API key into the form’s backend code, enabling it to interact with HubSpot.
2. Define Submission and Field Mapping Rules: Specify which form fields will map to custom object properties, ensuring each form field’s data type (e.g., text, date, or number) aligns correctly with the corresponding custom object property. This setup prevents mapping errors, especially with complex data types like dates or enumerations.
3. Configure Real-Time Data Transfer: The API is configured to automatically send each form submission to create or update records in the custom object. For example, a subscription-based company can use this setup so that each form submission generates a new “Subscription” record instantly, saving time and enhancing data accuracy.
4. Establish Error Handling and Logging: Add error-handling measures to capture and log instances where form submissions fail to map correctly. These logs help in tracking issues, allowing teams to resolve errors proactively.
5. Run Test Submissions: Before full deployment, test submissions to confirm that all data flows seamlessly from forms to custom objects and that each field correctly maps as expected. Testing ensures that the setup performs reliably and as intended.
6. Monitor API Usage and Performance: Regularly check HubSpot’s API usage limits and monitor performance, particularly if handling a high volume of form submissions. This monitoring helps prevent slowdowns or disruptions in data flow.
Automate Custom Object Record Creation with Workflows
For those with HubSpot’s Professional or Enterprise packages, workflows provide an automation option for creating custom object records directly from form submissions:
1. Create a New Workflow: Go to Automation > Workflows in HubSpot, then select a trigger based on form submissions. This trigger will start the process whenever a form is completed.
2. Set Actions to Create Custom Object Records: Within the workflow, select the action “Create a Record” and specify the type of custom object you’re working with, such as “Projects” or “Subscriptions.” This setup ensures that a new custom object record is created automatically whenever data is captured.
3. Map Form Fields to Object Properties: To keep data accurate and useful, map each form field to the corresponding properties within the custom object. This mapping allows data to transfer accurately from the form fields into the properties of your custom object, ensuring nothing essential is missed.
Example: A property management company uses HubSpot to track rental properties. When they transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot, a workflow automatically creates a new “Property” record for each submission, capturing crucial details like property type, location, and rental status. This setup saves time, reduces manual entry, and ensures data is stored exactly where needed.
Bulk Data Import for Custom Objects Using CSV Files
HubSpot’s bulk import feature supports streamlined data transfer to custom objects when managing large datasets. With the help of a CSV file, you can easily transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot, automating the setup for larger volumes of data. Here’s a step-by-step approach to get started:
1. Prepare the CSV File: Structure each column in the CSV to match the properties of your custom object. This includes setting up fields like “contract number” or “client name” and adding unique identifiers for any associated objects (e.g., contacts or companies) for seamless data relationships.
2. Upload the File: Navigate to Settings > Import in HubSpot. Select “Import” and choose the custom object type relevant to your data (such as “Contracts” or “Products”) to initiate the process.
3. Map Columns to Properties: As you upload, HubSpot will prompt you to map each CSV column to its corresponding custom object property. This mapping ensures each data point is transferred accurately and keeps the records consistent across your CRM.
Following these steps for bulk import simplifies data management, helping businesses maintain structured, accessible, and actionable records across their CRM.
Enhance Data Collection with Auto-Populated Fields Using Query Strings
HubSpot supports pre-filling form fields with query strings, offering a simple way to streamline submissions and improve data accuracy. Here’s how to implement it for optimal data collection and accuracy when you transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot:
1. Generate a Query String: Create a URL query string with specific field names and values. For example, add ?firstname=John&email=john@example.com to your URL to auto-populate the “First Name” and “Email” fields. This setup reduces manual entry and keeps data consistent for each submission.
2. Incorporate Dynamic Personalization: On HubSpot-hosted pages, use personalization tokens to dynamically populate fields with known user data, further streamlining the entry process. This method ensures that as you transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot, fields automatically fill with the correct information, saving time and improving accuracy.
3. Combine with Auto-Fill for Specific Use Cases: For instance, a company inviting existing customers to register for an event can include a pre-populated query string in the email link. When a customer clicks the link, fields like name, email, or company auto-fill based on previously captured data, simplifying registration and ensuring accurate entries in the custom object.
These steps ensure that as you transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot, data collection remains efficient and reliable, minimizing entry errors and enhancing the user experience.
Implement Best Practices for Smooth Data Transfer
Implementing a few best practices ensures a seamless and reliable process when you transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot. These steps help maintain data integrity, optimize CRM functionality, and avoid common pitfalls:
1. Define Unique Identifiers: Assign each custom object a unique identifier (such as an “Order ID” or “Subscription Number”) to prevent duplicate entries and simplify data tracking. This identifier is critical when you transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot, as it creates a clear reference for each record.
2. Consistent Data Mapping: Ensure each form field consistently maps to the appropriate custom object property. Proper mapping prevents data loss and ensures that every form submission aligns accurately with custom object fields. This consistency is particularly important for maintaining clean data across the CRM.
3. Regular Testing of Workflows and APIs: Frequently test workflows and API integrations that facilitate data transfers. Testing helps verify that data flows accurately and resolves any issues proactively, enhancing reliability when you transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot.
4. Set Up Error-Handling Mechanisms: Incorporate error-handling methods in workflows and API setups to catch any mapping issues or failed data transfers. Logging errors and setting up alerts allow teams to address issues immediately, maintaining data accuracy.
5. Enable Routine Data Audits: Regularly review custom object records to check for duplicates, data inconsistencies, or mapping errors. Routine audits help catch and resolve issues early, ensuring data remains accurate and up-to-date.
Why Settle for Basic When You Can Power Up with Custom Object Data in HubSpot?
Transfer form data to custom objects in HubSpot and turn everyday form submissions into strategic assets that fuel your business. Custom objects let you capture, organize, and use specialized data—think event registrations, inventory tracking, and detailed customer profiles—all within the CRM. Utilizing HubSpot’s Forms API, workflows, and bulk CSV imports, this setup enables real-time data organization and allows your team to manage and act on information without missing a beat. Using custom objects also transforms your HubSpot environment into a robust data powerhouse.
The transfer of form data to custom objects in HubSpot redefines how your team aligns data with business objectives, giving complete flexibility to create a CRM that does more than store information—it actively drives your strategy forward.
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