topic Re: Offline sources in Tips, Tricks & Best Practices

Offline sources

KOlmstead — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:10:14 GMT

My web developers import contacts from our external CMS into HubSpot weekly, but the contacts are all marked as offline sources.

Is there a way to revert them to their original source?

Re: Offline sources

karstenkoehler — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:12:13 GMT

Hi @KOlmstead,

What do you mean by "revert them to their original source"? The first source that HubSpot has logged for these contacts is offline, there isn't anything earlier that you could revert them to.

In any case, yes, the source properties can be edited, see here: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/contacts/update-and-filter-contacts-using-source-properties#manually-update-a-contact-s-original-or-latest-source-value

Best regards!

Re: Offline sources

franksteiner79 — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:53:06 GMT

Hi @KOlmstead

Just adding to @karstenkoehler's point - what is your CMS? Do you have the HubSpot tracking code installed? And have you considered replacing existing forms on your website with HubSpot forms?

An import will always set a contact's original source as offline source if the contact does not already exist in HubSpot.

In an ideal world you would move away from exporting and importing contacts, install the HubSpot tracking code and do one of the following:

1. Allow non-HubSpot form submissions.

2. Replace existing forms on your website with HubSpot forms.

3. Use the forms API to pass form submissions directly into HubSpot.

I hope that helps.

Frank