Inconsistent results with HubSpot's Contact Batch Update API

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1

I’m having trouble with the HubSpot Batch API for updating contact properties. I’m using a batch size of 50 contacts, but I’m seeing weird results. Some properties update fine, while others don’t change at all.

I know HubSpot doesn’t update the “update date” if the new value is the same as the old one. But in my case, the new values are different, so they should update. Still, some updates aren’t happening.

Here’s a simplified version of my code:

function updateContactBatch($batchData) {
    $updates = [];
    foreach ($batchData as $data) {
        $contact = findContact($data['email']);
        if (!$contact) continue;

        $updates[] = new ContactUpdate([
            'id' => $contact->getId(),
            'properties' => [
                'field_1' => $data['value_1'],
                'field_2' => $data['value_2'],
                'field_3' => $data['value_3'],
                'field_4' => $data['value_4'],
                'field_5' => $data['value_5'],
            ]
        ]);
        pause(1);
    }

    if ($updates) {
        $batchUpdate = new BatchUpdate(['updates' => $updates]);
        pause(40);
        sendBatchUpdate($batchUpdate);
    }
}

Any ideas why some updates aren’t working? Thanks for any help!

2

hey emparker, ran into similar issues. maybe test with smaller batches like 10-15 contacts. also, verify that typos aren’t messing up hubspot field names. hope this helps!

3

I’ve dealt with this exact problem before, and it was frustrating. What finally worked for me was implementing a more robust error handling and logging system. I started capturing the response for each individual contact update within the batch, not just the overall batch response.

This revealed that some updates were silently failing due to data quality issues - things like unexpected characters in certain fields or values exceeding max lengths. HubSpot doesn’t always return clear errors for these.

I’d suggest modifying your code to log the before and after values for each property, along with the API response for each contact. This granular approach helped me pinpoint which specific updates were problematic and why.

Also, consider adding a retry mechanism for failed updates. Sometimes transient issues can cause sporadic failures that resolve on a second attempt. This combination of detailed logging and selective retries significantly improved my success rate with batch updates.

4

yo, ive had this issue too. its super annoying. have u checked if all ur properties have write permissions? sometimes hubspot’s weird about that. also, try adding some error logging to see whats actually failing. good luck man!

5

I’ve encountered similar inconsistencies with HubSpot’s Batch API. One potential issue could be rate limiting. Even with your pauses, HubSpot might be throttling requests. Try implementing exponential backoff and retry logic for failed updates.

Another factor to consider is property validation. Some fields might have specific formatting requirements or character limits that cause silent failures if not met. Double-check your data against HubSpot’s property definitions.

Lastly, enable detailed logging for your API calls. This can provide valuable insights into which specific updates are failing and why. With this information, you can better troubleshoot and potentially identify patterns in the failing updates.