Sync HubSpot Contacts with Salesforce Leads and Contacts

HubSpot only uses one object to represent people in the database, while Salesforce uses two—Leads and Contacts. When HubSpot and Salesforce are integrated, Salesforce Leads and Contacts sync with HubSpot Contacts. 

Challenges Syncing HubSpot Contacts with Salesforce Leads and Contacts

The sync between HubSpot Contacts and Salesforce Leads can create challenges. Here are the core misalignments when syncing HubSpot Contacts with Salesforce:

• HubSpot does not allow for multiple records with the same email address, and Salesforce does. Duplicate rules for Leads and Contacts are customizable by the administrator in Salesforce. HubSpot duplicate rules are a standard part of the software and cannot be manipulated by the administrator. 
• HubSpot can create Leads or Contacts in Salesforce, but not both. The sync setting for HubSpot Contacts in the integration allows the administrator to choose HubSpot to create new Leads or Contacts in Salesforce. Sometimes, the administrator would like to choose to make a Contact in Salesforce rather than a Lead. For example, if a new Contact at a Company that’s an existing customer submits a HubSpot form, they will be created as a Lead in Salesforce even though they would be better categorized as a Contact. Unfortunately, the native integration can only accommodate one object for creation. 

Here is a scenario that outlines how these limitations impact operations:

• Use Case: We must create a new Lead in Salesforce for each new form submission in HubSpot.
• Challenge: HubSpot Contacts sync with Salesforce Leads and Contacts. Whichever Lead or Contact with the same email address is updated most recently will sync from Salesforce to HubSpot. Because a HubSpot Contact already exists in HubSpot and is syncing with an existing Salesforce record, a new Lead record will not be created in Salesforce.
• Solution: Migrate to an Opportunity-based approach to inquiry management and stop using the Lead object. 

How to Sync HubSpot Contacts with Salesforce Leads and Contacts

First, install the HubSpot Salesforce integration and configure the integration settings. Then, create fields on the Lead and Contact object in Salesforce. Then, add these field mappings to the integration. 

Create Fields on the Lead and Contact in Salesforce

The Field Label and the API Name are two elements of Salesforce field creation. 

The Field Label is the name given to a field in Salesforce when it’s created that end users will see when they use the platform. This means that, unless you’re an administrator or an integrated system, the Field Label is the name you will use when referencing this field.

The API Name is the name that Salesforce templates, formulas, and integrations will reference. The API Name allows other systems to communicate with Salesforce easily. 

Why does this matter? HubSpot Contact properties sync with all fields on the Lead and Contact objects in Salesforce. HubSpot properties do not differentiate between Lead and Contact fields when looking to Salesforce for the matching field. 

If fields on the Lead and Contact in Salesforce have the same API name, they will sync with one HubSpot property. When creating fields on the Lead and Contact to sync with HubSpot, ensure that the API name on both fields is the same.

Map Salesforce Lead and Contact Fields to HubSpot Properties

To add a new field to the integration, navigate to Connected Apps > Integrations > Salesforce. Under the Contacts tab, open Contact property mappings. Click Add new field mapping. 

On the left, select the HubSpot property to add to the integration. Then, select the corresponding Salesforce field on the right. If the Salesforce Lead and Contact fields have the same API name, you will only see one option for the field name in Salesforce. If not, you will see multiple options. To fix this, update the API name on the Lead and Contact in Salesforce to match.

In conclusion, integrating HubSpot and Salesforce can present challenges when syncing Contacts and Leads. HubSpot's limitation of allowing only one record with the same email address clashes with Salesforce's ability to have multiple records. Additionally, the native integration only allows for either Leads or Contacts to be created in Salesforce, not both. To overcome these limitations, consider migrating to an Opportunity-based approach to inquiry management.

For a more detailed breakdown of the HubSpot Salesforce integration, enroll in the HubSpot Salesforce integration course.