Last activity Date on Custom Objects

[TM-OML]

Hi, I've seen this posted a few times and people submitting ideas, however given that the functionality doesn't exist currently, I'm wondering how other people are working around there not being a native last activitydate on Hubspot custom objects?

I have a number of custom objects in use, and one that is planned really does need that last updated date to support a business process. I can't see a workflow trigger to write the date into a field upon an activity having been carried out in the custom object like a call or an email, so that doesn't seem to be a usable workaround.

In short, I need that last activity date functionality to be achieved somehow in my new custom object - I'm open to any ideas as to how to achieve it!

How are people handling this in the real world?

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

@TM-OML adding to @trevordjones' reply, you could use a sync property that syncs the last activity date of the most recently updated associated record into the custom object: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/properties/create-sync-properties

[ITSV]

I'm going to add our voice here as well. Using a sync field for a corresponding contact is not an ideal solution, specifically because a contact might be associated with multiple custom objects, and we only want to see communications logs/activity that is associated with that specific custom object record.

It feels like it should be simple. It's basically: "Show the last activity date of logs that are associated with this custom object"

[trevordjones · Accepted solution]

Hi Again @TM-OML - 

Receiving calls and emails and participating in meetings are what HubSpot would call "Superpowers" of the Contact object, meaning that is the object that you interact with - a person/contact.  All activities on the Company or Deal record are Inherited from the contacts they are associated with.

If you do not have contacts associated with those objects, perhaps you should if they are related?  These associations can be created in bulk using an import or a workflow.

[TM-OML]

Ah, interesting. Thank you Trevor, how far does that flow? They are associated but not directly.

So we have the contact, then the master object which is directly associated with the contact, and these new custom objects I'm talking about are secondary objects that are associated with the master object. So, ultimately associated with the contact but not directly. 

It's not strictly relevant for the secondary object to be directly associated with the contact, as really they only relate to the master object, but if it's the only way to do it then we'll find a way somehow to make it work.

[trevordjones]

Hi @TM-OML - Sorry I missed your reply here.  The associations would need to be direct.  In other words to see Contact interactions on a Company timeline, the Contact must be directly connected to the Company.

[trevordjones]

Hi @TM-OML - 

Do you have contacts associated to these custom objects?  Since HubSpot records most activity in relation to contacts, I would typically default to wrting your workflows on the Contact object and setting date properties on the associated custom object.

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

@TM-OML adding to @trevordjones' reply, you could use a sync property that syncs the last activity date of the most recently updated associated record into the custom object: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/properties/create-sync-properties

[TM-OML]

Hi, thank you, this will certainly help. However, there may be other entries in the contact record that do not relate to the work the custom object relates to. I'd really like to be able to track that last activity, such as a note on the custom object, not a note on the contact record.... any thoughts or is this really as good as I can achieve?

Tom