How do you simplify workflows and properties in HubSpot?

Smart CRM & Sales Hub Tips, Tricks & Best Practices
, , ,
1

The Biggest Change I’ve Made in HubSpot Wasn’t a Workflow. It Was Saying “No.”

When I first started building in HubSpot, I found it hard to say no.

A team wanted another property, sure.

  • Someone asked for another report; why not?

  • A workflow could solve a small problem; let’s build it.

Every request seemed reasonable on its own, and to be fair, most of them were. The issue wasn’t the individual requests. It was what happened after months of saying yes to all of them.

The CRM became harder to understand; sales wasn’t always sure which property to update, marketing had multiple reports showing similar numbers, and operations spent more time maintaining automations than improving them.

Nothing was broken; there was just too much. That was when I realized something. Part of managing HubSpot isn’t just building; it’s deciding what not to build.

Now, when someone asks for a new property or workflow, rather than thinking about whether HubSpot can do it, I ask, “Will this still make sense a year from now?”

If the request fills a genuine gap, improves a process, or removes repetitive work, the workflow will be made. However, if the request only solves a short-term problem but adds long-term complexity, I have now learnt to say no.

I’ve found that every new workflow, property, or report creates something else to manage.

  • Someone has to understand it.

  • Someone has to update it when the business changes.

  • Someone has to explain it to the next person who joins the team.

That’s why I’ve become much more comfortable saying, “Let’s simplify what we already have first.”

Interestingly, those conversations usually lead to a better solution. Sometimes we discover an existing property can be reused; sometimes a workflow only needs a small adjustment instead of a complete rebuild; sometimes the problem isn’t HubSpot at all; it’s the process behind it.

For me, that has been one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned.

Building in HubSpot isn’t just about adding new things; it’s also about protecting the simplicity of the system you’ve already built. Because a CRM that’s easy to understand is far more valuable than one that’s packed with features nobody remembers creating.

I’m curious how others approach this.

Have you ever looked back at a HubSpot portal and realized the best improvement wasn’t adding something new; it was simplifying what was already there?

3

Hi @WebGuruz_Tech and Happy Thursday! :hugs:

This is such a thoughtful take, thanks for sharing your approach with the HubSpot Community!

To add to the conversation, I’d like to share these resources that can be useful:

I’d love to hear from our Top Experts: Hi @EugeneAtKiwi, @CarolinaDeMares and @danmoyle, did you find value in streamlining or even removing features rather than always building new ones?

To the Community, let’s hear your stories and tips!

Thanks so much and enjoy the day! :sun:
Bérangère

4

@WebGuruz_Tech such a great example of how we mature in our CRM management and admin. Thinking strategically, looking ahead a year and asking ‘why’ for example, rather than tactically and just doing the exact task is an important shift for HubSpot admins. It’s what came for me as I moved into consultant roles, too.

It’s especially important, in my opinion, to ask ‘why’ often. Coupling that with, ‘tell me more,’ is an earmark of a curious person. I’m glad you’ve shared this and have tried to spark conversation around it.

I’m also a big fan of keeping things simple. And now we’re seeing that AI agents prefer that as well. For my clients, I try to build the foundation of simplicity and template usage, so they can go more custom later. As you mention, a CRM that’s easy to understand (and use) of much more valuable than fancy features dying on the vine.

5

@WebGuruz_Tech This is super insightful and makes perfect sense!

I usually start by working with the client to map out the expected HubSpot behavior across their different business processes. Once we’ve aligned on the requirements and everything is documented and approved, we move forward with customizing and building the necessary CRM assets.

If additional requests come up later, we document those as well and follow a formal change request process. We also limit who can submit requests by defining specific stakeholder roles within the client’s organization. This helps keep the implementation organized, prevents scope creep, and ensures changes are properly reviewed before they’re made.

Thanks for the tag @Berangere :slight_smile: