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HubSpot Data Harmony: Matching Customer Names Between HubSpot and Excel

HubSpot Data Harmony: Matching Customer Names Between HubSpot and Excel

Keeping your customer data consistent across different systems is crucial, especially when dealing with order processing and CRM. In a recent HubSpot Community discussion, a user sought advice on verifying the spelling of customer names between HubSpot and an Excel-based order form. Let's dive into the problem and explore potential solutions.

The Challenge: Ensuring Data Accuracy Between HubSpot and Excel

The original poster described a scenario where franchisees create customer profiles in HubSpot and then submit parts lists via an Excel file. The goal was to find a way to ensure that the customer name spelling matches in both locations. This is a common issue, as manual data entry is prone to errors.

Proposed Solution: Leveraging HubSpot Data Hub and Custom Code

One respondent suggested a solution involving HubSpot's Data Hub and custom code actions. Here's a breakdown of the approach:

  1. Data Hub Requirement: This solution relies on having HubSpot Data Hub, which provides advanced data integration and automation capabilities.
  2. Object Identification: The first step is to determine how the customer data is structured within HubSpot. Are customers represented as Companies, or are they stored as Custom Objects? Understanding the data structure is essential for linking the records.
  3. Unique Identifier: A crucial element is having a unique identifier that links the HubSpot record to the corresponding entry in the Excel file. This could be an account ID or, potentially, the company domain. However, using the company domain might lead to inaccuracies if companies use different brands under the same domain.
  4. Custom Code Action: The core of the solution involves creating a custom code action within HubSpot. This action would perform the following steps:
    • Look up the customer name in both the HubSpot record and the data from the Excel file (presumably imported or accessible via an integration).
    • Compare the two names.
    • Return a value (e.g., True/False) indicating whether the names match.
  5. VLookup Analogy: The respondent likened this process to a VLookup function in Excel, but implemented within HubSpot.

Alternative Considerations

The respondent also acknowledged that the specific solution would depend on how the data is stored and structured. If the data resides in different objects or systems, the approach might need to be adjusted accordingly.

Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing the Solution (Conceptual)

While the exact implementation depends on your specific HubSpot setup and data structure, here's a general outline:

  1. Set up Data Hub: Ensure you have HubSpot Data Hub and are familiar with its features.
  2. Identify Key Fields: Determine the fields in HubSpot and your Excel data that you will use for matching (customer name, unique identifier).
  3. Create a Custom Object (If Needed): If your Excel data represents a different type of entity, consider creating a custom object in HubSpot to store it.
  4. Develop the Custom Code Action: Write the code that retrieves the customer names from both sources and compares them. You'll likely need to use the HubSpot API to access the data. 
    // Example (Conceptual) JavaScript code for a custom action
const hubspot = require('@hubspot/api-client');

exports.main = async (event) => {
  const hsClient = new hubspot.Client({
    apiKey: event.secrets.HUBSPOT_API_KEY
  });

  const companyId = event.inputFields['companyId'];
  const excelCustomerName = event.inputFields['excelCustomerName'];

  const company = await hsClient.crm.companies.basicApi.getById(companyId, ["name"]);

  if (company.properties.name === excelCustomerName) {
    return { results: { matches: true } };
  } else {
    return { results: { matches: false } };
  }
};
  5. Test and Deploy: Thoroughly test the custom code action to ensure it works correctly.
  6. Automate the Process: Integrate the custom code action into a HubSpot workflow to automatically validate customer names whenever a new Excel file is processed.

ESHOPMAN Team Comment

This is a classic data integration challenge that many businesses face. The proposed solution using HubSpot Data Hub and custom code is a solid approach, especially for complex scenarios. However, for simpler cases, exploring native HubSpot workflows with data formatting and validation steps might be sufficient. We at ESHOPMAN always recommend starting with the simplest solution and scaling up only when necessary to avoid over-engineering.

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