HubSpot Ideas

PlyWood

Custom Object branching for Contact based Workflows

Currently Contact based workflows can't use properties on related Custom Objects in branches. Being able to do so would be incredibly useful to simplify automation and to avoid unnecessiarily duplicating properties & data across objects.

 

This functionality also already exists for Company based workflows, which while helpful (and appreciated) results in an inconsistent and frustrating experience.

 

company_workflow_branching.pngcontact_workflow_branching.png

12 Replies
APetro
Member

Thanks for adding this idea! We desperately need this as well. We finally got all of our custom objects created and data imported from our current mangement system, only to find out that nearly everything we need to use HubSpot for is impossible since we have custom objects. In order for HubSpot to work AT ALL for us, we need to the capability to reference properties from multiple objects (including custom objects) both for email personalization fields as well as for workflow automation triggers. If only I could upvote multiple times!

PlyWood
Participant

The workaround I've come up with for now relies on the Custom code workflow action from Operations Hub, but I wanted to share it in case it helps someone else.

 

Simply put, as part of your workflow you can traverse the object relationships to return data that is then usable by the "Simple Branch" action. Returning data, rather than using the code action to handle everything helps enable users in the system who may not be comfortable with Javascript and should reduce the time commitment from your developers or more technical users.

 

use_simple_branch.pngsample_branching.png

MBundle
Member

Crazy that this doesn't exist already. Essentially currently giving us the option to target workflows based on custom objects, but then not refine them at all. A must have going forwards, surely.

SJenkinson
Member

It is frustrating and counter-intuitive that this isn't a feature already. Please add this in ASAP. It's completely crippling my ability to create streamlined automations for our team.

aaberni
Participant

I completely agree this should be a feature.

I'm modeling a user-asset relationship by creating a custom object (asset) with a many-to many association (many contacts can use many assets). 

I need to trigger workflow for example to alert contacts whenever one of the assets they are associated with becomes unavailable. This already seem pretty basic  but there are endless use cases. 

Will this be available at some point?

GEiselt
Contributor

+1 for this and I can't believe this isn't complained about more in the community (maybe there's a more upvoted idea?) Why is the contact object the only object in HubSpot that can't utilize associated custom object properties in workflow triggers or actions? Incredibly frustrating.

laurabren
Contributor

Hello! Please add this capability....When I encounter problems like this, I can't help but think that custom objects still seem to be in a pseudo-beta state. While they can certainly do lots of things standard objects can do, it only shines a brighter spotlight on the pieces that are inexplicably still absent. We're holding off on adopting them at all until they are actually useable, and not being able to use them in contact-based branches is a perfect example of these gaps.

MKamel4
Member

yes i would strongly vote to this idea - this would be efficient instead of creating many workflows with different base types 

so it would great to have one workflow that integrates content and custom object all together

OBulava
Member

That would be a key feature for our marketing workflows, please implement!

IAndryushin
Member

Please implement, it is a great feature for marketing workflows.

Gabry
Member

I'm very much struggling without this functionality. There are many use cases for this in our org.

SteveHTM
Top Contributor | Partner

Very inconsistent of HubSpot not to offer the same trigger/branching options for contact workflows that exist in other types. In general, I'm very impressed with the way custom objects integrate and extend other system features and functions, but this is a notable miss!