I’m working on transferring all our customer information from our current CRM platform over to HubSpot. We’ve already organized our data files and cleaned up most of the messy records.
The part where I’m getting confused is the actual process of moving everything over. What’s the best way to handle this kind of data transfer? Are there any specific steps I should follow or common mistakes I should avoid?
I’ve heard there are different methods like CSV imports or using APIs, but I’m not sure which approach would work better for our situation. Any guidance from people who have done this before would be really helpful. Thanks!
I did a similar migration six months back - the API route definitely saved me time. CSV imports look easy but you’ll hit walls with complex relationships and custom fields that won’t map right. HubSpot’s API docs are solid once you get the hang of them. Wish someone told me to backup everything first before starting. Also, plan for duplicate detection - even clean data can have contacts that look different but are actually the same person. Took way longer than I thought, so give yourself extra time for weird field formatting problems.
Been through this twice with different companies - hybrid approach wins every time. I start with CSV imports for basic contact stuff since it’s simple, then switch to API for the messy parts like deal histories and custom objects. Don’t try moving everything at once. Do it in phases: contacts first, then companies, deals, and activities last. You’ll catch mapping problems early instead of screwing up your whole dataset. Test your workflows and automations with the migrated data before flipping the switch. I skipped that step once and sent duplicate welcome emails to every customer we had.
csv import can be super helpful! just double check your field mappings or you might end up with a mess like I did also, start with a few records to test it out before doing the whole thing. good luck!
also, start with a few records to test it out before doing the whole thing. good luck!