Ensuring UTF-8 encoding in Hubspot-Zapier-Webhook-CRM workflow

Other Questions HubSpot
1

I’m having trouble with my Zapier automation. When I create deals in Hubspot, it triggers a Zap that sends data to my webhook in JSON format. But there’s a snag: the data isn’t in UTF-8 encoding.

I’ve tried using the Zapier formatter, but it only works for plain text and not my entire setup. This is causing issues when the data reaches my CRM.

Has anyone run into this before? I’m not sure how to force UTF-8 encoding throughout the whole process. Any tips or tricks would be super helpful!

I’m pretty new to working with these tools, so a step-by-step guide would be amazing if anyone has the time. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

2

I’ve dealt with similar encoding issues in my Zapier workflows, and it can be frustrating. One solution that worked for me was to add a ‘Code’ step in Zapier right after the Hubspot trigger. In this step, you can use JavaScript to ensure all your data is properly encoded before it moves on to the webhook.

Here’s a quick snippet I used:

const utf8Encode = (obj) => {
  return JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(obj, (key, value) =>
    typeof value === 'string' ? unescape(encodeURIComponent(value)) : value
  ));
};

output = utf8Encode(inputData);

This function recursively goes through your data and encodes any strings to UTF-8. Just make sure to set the output of this step as the input for your webhook action.

It’s not the most elegant solution, but it’s worked reliably for me across various Hubspot-Zapier integrations. Hope this helps!

3

hey there! i’ve run into this before. have you tried using a middleware like express.js? it can handle UTF-8 encoding automatically. just add app.use(express.json()) to your server setup. it’s pretty straightforward and might save you some headache. good luck with your workflow!

4

I encountered a similar issue in my Hubspot-Zapier-Webhook setup. What worked for me was implementing a custom HTTP request instead of using Zapier’s built-in webhook action. This approach gives you more control over the encoding.

In Zapier, add an ‘HTTP Request’ step after your Hubspot trigger. Set the method to POST and the URL to your webhook endpoint. In the ‘Data’ field, use Zapier’s built-in functions to properly encode your data:

{
  'deal_name': '{{encodeURIComponent(deal_name)}}',
  'amount': '{{amount}}',
  'stage': '{{encodeURIComponent(stage)}}'
}

Also, set the ‘Headers’ to include ‘Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8’. This explicitly tells the receiving end to expect UTF-8 encoded JSON.

This method has been reliable for me across various CRM integrations. It requires a bit more setup but ensures proper encoding throughout the process.