One thing I’ve learned after working with HubSpot for a while is that a workflow can keep running perfectly… and still need a redesign.
I know it sounds a little strange. If it’s working, why change it?
But here’s what I’ve seen happen.
A workflow gets built to solve one problem. Then, a few months later, another requirement comes along, so someone adds another branch. Then another team needs something different. Then another automation gets connected to it.
Before long, the workflow is doing far more than it was ever meant to do.
It still works.
It’s just become much harder to understand and maintain.
Whenever I’m reviewing a HubSpot portal, there are a few things that immediately tell me a workflow might need another look.
1. It has more exceptions than the main process.
I’ve opened workflows where the “If/Then” branches seem to go on forever.
One branch handles one product.
Another handles one region.
Another exists because someone needed a one-off exception six months ago.
Individually, every decision probably made sense.
Together, they make the workflow much harder to follow. When I see that happening, I usually ask myself one question:
“Am I automating the process or every exception?”
Sometimes simplifying the business process is easier than adding another branch.
2. Nobody remembers why something is there.
This, I feel, is the most common of them all.
You open a workflow and see delays, property updates, internal notifications, lifecycle changes, and owner assignments.
Everything works…but nobody can explain why one delay is three days instead of five, or why a particular notification gets sent.
That’s usually a sign the workflow has grown over time without being reviewed.
3. Making one small change feels risky.
This is something I always consider a red flag.
If everyone is nervous about editing a workflow because they’re worried something else might stop working, it’s probably become too complicated.
I’ve found that smaller workflows are usually much easier to manage than one giant workflow trying to do everything.
4. You’re seeing things happen twice.
Duplicate tasks. Duplicate emails. Contacts enrolling again when they shouldn’t. Deals being assigned to the wrong owner.
In times like these, I start by checking the enrollment criteria and re-enrollment settings. It’s surprising how often the answer is there.
5. It only makes sense to the person who built it.
This might be the biggest warning sign of all.
A workflow should not need a guided tour every time someone new joins the team. If there is only one person who understands how it works, it’s going to become difficult to maintain as your business grows.
That’s usually when I start thinking about simplifying it.
The checklist I always use
Whenever I review a workflow, I ask myself a few simple questions.
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Is this workflow solving one clear problem?
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Are the enrollment triggers still right?
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Does every If/Then branch still need to be there?
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Are the delays still serving a purpose?
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Could this be split into two simpler workflows?
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Would someone else understand this workflow without me explaining it?
If I answer “no” to more than one or two of those, I know it’s time for a cleanup.
One thing I’ve come to appreciate about HubSpot is that building workflows is easy.
Keeping them simple as your business grows is the hard part.
For me, the best workflows aren’t the biggest or the smartest, but the ones that someone else can open six months from now, understand in a few minutes, and update hitch-free.
