Unlock Deal Cloning in HubSpot: Easy workaround with two short workflows

[Adriane]

We recently encountered a scenario where automatic deal cloning was necessary, but since cloning deals still isn't possible in HubSpot, we embarked on a journey of tinkering and innovation, determined to find a way to clone deals directly within HubSpot….and we did it! We've actually uncovered a workaround for cloning deals in HubSpot: what you'll only need are two short deal workflows and a custom deal property.

That’s the way how it’s done:

1. Firstly, let's tackle setting up the property. Essentially, it needs to mimic HubSpot's default 'Deal Stage' property. Since direct cloning isn't feasible, manual replication is required. Ensure to match the field type (Radio Select) and configure identical values. We'll dub this property 'Auxiliary Deal Stage', and its purpose will become clear shortly.

2. Moving on to the second step: crafting the deal cloning workflow. Set your trigger to capture the deals you wish to clone (e.g., when multiple products are sold). Opt for 'Create Record' as your action, with the 'Type of record to create' being 'Deal'.

At this juncture, it seems like a straightforward 1:1 deal clone is feasible. Theoretically, all deal property values from the original deal can be copied into the new one under 'Add more properties'.

However, the hiccup lies with the 'Deal Pipeline and stage', a mandatory field necessitating manual selection. Given its variability from deal to deal, we find ourselves in a quandary because branch logic couldn’t help us either.

3. Enter the auxiliary property we created in the first step. To circumvent this issue, we take a slight yet effective detour: populating the mandatory 'Deal Pipeline and stage' field with an extra transitional phase, then opting for our auxiliary property through 'Add more properties' to copy the value from 'Deal Stage' into it:

Clone a Deal in HubSpot

4. Now, to ensure the cloned deal's 'Deal Stage' also receives the correct value, we must establish a second deal workflow triggered by 'Auxiliary Deal Stage is known'.

This additional workflow step is essential because the first workflow cannot perform further actions on the deal clone; it would always reference the originally captured deal. Conversely, the second workflow exclusively captures deal clones due to the presence of the 'Auxiliary Deal Stage' property, unique to the clone.

5. Finally, a last workflow step is needed to finalize the cloning process: copying the value from 'Auxiliary Deal Phase' into 'Deal Pipeline and stage'. Only then will the cloned deal appear in the correct pipeline and stage:

Set the correct deal phase in HubSpot deal clones

…and you’re done 😊 It may sound complicated to set up but in fact is quite easy and fully automatic and you don't need further apps. 

So what do you think about this workaround? 

[JRivette]

How do the line items of the original deal get copied across to the new deal please? I am trying to set this up but not quite understanding the notes

Regards,

Justin

[JohnMaret]

Justin, hello!

I've built a simple app that does exactly what you're requesting. Let me know if you'd like to test-drive it. It's an MVP, and I'm currently looking for folks to test the functionality before listing it in the app marketplace.

Best

[Adriane]

Hi Justin,

I'm afraid you can't copy line items from one deal to another yet, but there are solutions, see here. I hope it helps!

Best regards

Adriane

[JRivette]

Hi,

I am not sure why everyone is saying this cant be done. I have been able to do this using the current tools in the create record of a workflow and just selecting to associate the line items. It works perfectly with no additional software or complicated workflows.

[Adriane]

Hey, I think there might be a slight misunderstanding here, and I'd like to clarify the difference between two scenarios:

Creating a new record and associating line items:
As you've described, this can indeed be done using the current tools in the workflow's create record action, allowing you to associate line items. This process works well for creating new deals from scratch.

Cloning an existing record with its line items:
The issue being discussed is specifically about cloning an entire existing deal, including all its associated line items. This scenario is different because it involves duplicating an existing record with all its related data, which can vary significantly from deal to deal.

The challenge arises when users want to replicate an entire deal structure, including custom line items, without manually recreating each element. This is where a cloning feature becomes valuable, as it saves time and ensures accuracy in reproducing complex deal structures.

If I've misunderstood your point, please feel free to clarify. It's possible we're looking at different aspects of the same process, and I'm always open to learning more about how others are solving these challenges.

[Jnix284]

Nice workaround @Adriane, thanks for sharing this! Is this possible with Sales Pro only, or does it also require an Ops Hub subscription?

[Adriane]

Hi @Jnix284 , thanks for your feedback, I'm glad you like the workaround. We tested it with Marketing and/or Sales Pro accounts so you don't need an additional Operations Hub subscription 🙂 

Best regards

Adriane

[Jnix284]

Awesome, thank you for confirming @Adriane 🙌

[noahmckeon]

Great workaround! I might also suggest Clone Attack by hapily...

[MiaSrebrnjak]

Love this, thanks for sharing @Adriane! 

Mia, Community team