HubSpot Ideas

adolusncd

Automatically log incoming/unsolicited emails from existing Contacts

Apparently the only way to log inbound emails initiated by a Contact (i.e. emails that aren't a reply to a logged outbound email) is to forward the email to hubspotID@forward.hubspot.com. This is using Gmail integration.

 

Can you not tell when an inbound email is from an email address matching a Contact? And if so, can't you just log the email against the Contact?  Our old CRM did this automatically. Using the Forwarding address is clunky and easy to forget to do.

 

There is an existing idea that complains the outlook sidekick plugin WAS automatically adding Contacts (https://community.hubspot.com/t5/HubSpot-Ideas/Only-log-emails-to-EXISTING-CRM-contacts/idi-p/188027) but it was adding everyone and they wanted it to stop. 

 

This confused me as Hubspot Support said "...unless the contact is replying to an email that you sent them (that was logged) it will not be logged unless you use the forwarding address". She also said this by design otherwise EVERY email I get would end up in the database as a new contact. (Just as the other poster complained.) I don't see whay that has to be the case.  

 

I woud like to automatically log all inbound emails of existing contacts.  And for emails from someone not in the database, I'd like a prompt to add them as a Contact.  Ideally I'd like to setup in advance how to deal with emails from unknown senders.

21 Replies
benjaminjcharlt
Participant

There are dozens of people asking for this or something like it, dating back years. Does anybody here know why it hasn't been implemented? Forwarding is very counter-intuitive for new users and very easy to forget even for experienced users.

Willirob
Participant | Diamond Partner

Completely agree here. All previous CRMs auto added any reply (or sent email) to existing contacts within the CRM. 

 

Even with the gmail extension/plugin, your only option is to automatically add all emails by creating records for contacts that don't exist. On a pay per contact model, this get's expensive quickly for contacts that aren't always oppotunities. 

 

bump bump bump bump bump!

KJLUNDE
Contributor

Is this still not resolved?  Every major CRM provider uses a checkbox system to link emails to CRM.  Incoming email?  Just click a button to log it to the corresponding Contact in your CRM.  Outgoing email?  Just check the box next to each Contact, Company, and Deal that you want the email connected to in CRM.  

 

I'm told that the Outlook/Gmail Add-In updates might help to alleviate some of this, but I'm not holding my breath since I haven't heard any ETA on the Outlook version in a very long time.

 

In general, Hubspot is lightyears behind its competition regarding functionality between email and CRM.  Please update!

jfran99
Participant

This. When I create a contact I've been conversing with for a while through my G-Suite email, it would be great to automatically log all those prior emails.

 

This also applies to situations where a third-party integration creates a Hubspot contact after an email conversation has already started.

 

Using forwarding creates extra hassle with deleting my signature, forwarding headers, and the "Fwd:" from the subject line. It also incorrectly logs incoming emails as outbound. 

MKrech
Member

I am also in complete agreement.  I actually detailed the issue in a note prior to finding this "Idea" and my expecations were exactly as @adolusncd specified above:

"I woud like to automatically log all inbound emails of existing contacts.  And for emails from someone not in the database, I'd like a prompt to add them as a Contact.  Ideally I'd like to setup in advance how to deal with emails from unknown senders."

The only thing I would add is that all existing emails be added retroactively for an email that is added as a contact.

JosieCpoz
Member

Any updates on this functionality Hubspot??

I'm very surprised there is not a checkbox system to link emails to existing contact records.  The forwarding system is counter-intuitive and flawed.

RLong8
HubSpot Employee

+1 on this for sure!

LKelsey
Member

We're currently working on implementing Hubspot, and I could not believe that Hubspot does not have the function to log initial incoming emails. This is a fundamental feature. We switched from an old and clunky CRM, and even it had this feature. Hubspot, please prioritise this on your development list!!

TsaysCA
Participant

Hard to believe this is STILL an issue, as is the Outlook plugin's inability to track email clicks and opens. These two items cause wasted time and unnecessary workarounds, which is especially frustrating when every other CRM has this solved. 

JonTemplin
Participant

100% in agreement with this. I'm shocked that this isn't something that HubSpot supports. Part of the appeal of HubSpot is that it should allow our sales team to spend all their time in one place (HubSpot) rather than having to use multiple different tools. But not having this means that our team still has to spend a fair bit of time in their own inbox, and then manually link their replies to contacts using the bcc, which is incredibly easy to forget.

 

 

isaac_abraham
Member

Agreed. Especially for all my team, they often don't remember to forward inbound emails to HS - it's just a pain and extra work to do. HS should really just see every email that comes in and automatically add to HS if it's an existing contact - 99.9999% of the time this is exactly the behaviour that you want.

AMcHale
Member

I agree with this as well! I wonder why HubSpot still has not figured out a solution for this and I hope they take some action soon.

If we can't get them to automatically log, then the minimum should be to have an easy button or checkbox we can click in the HubSpot email extension to log an email.

JRogers74
Participant

I agree. We are transitioning to Hubspot from a fairly basic CRM.

It logs all incoming emails that have existing contact details but also gives the option to assign or create a new contact if required.

All from the Outlook add in.

It seems strange that any new email thread even from an existing contact is not logged.

Please Hubspot - this is a basic requirement of a good CRM.

RReiffer
Contributor

I agree that this is a VERY basic function that even Keap had!  Any update on this?

FAshe
Member

Yes.  Why not have a button to do this!

rduksa
Member

Talking to support about this last week and was told it was due to international laws about privacy. Germany & Ireland were mentioned specifically. Even if that's the case, it should be a region available feature. The Inbox Channel for shared email is phenomenally better than Outlook and I'm sure most of us would like to work within 1 system.

 

Hubspot "focuses" on automation. Having to forward emails is not automated. For a new startup who doesn't have a customer base, this current way likely works fine, since all customers are newly connected from logged emails. The problem is it doesn't seem focused on Maintaining Relationships with existing customers for businesses who have been around or for reps who have existing clients.

 

You can physically use the "shared" inbox system as a personal email. It works, I did it when testing Hubspot. The big problem is you lose access to all of the Sales Professional tools doing this. It's very unfortunate as I'd like access to them while also making my growing teams ability to maintain relationships as easy as possible using 1 platform with the great tools Hubspot has.

MJenkins5
Member

the user should be able to select "automatically log all emails" to a contact or Deal that's in the funnel (or anywhere else in Hubspot).  

JDeLuise
HubSpot Employee

@MJenkins5 Does this work for new inbound emails as well? I have a client trying to make this happen.

rduksa
Member

@JDeLuise no it does not. I beleive @MJenkins5 was saying we should have the ability to do that. I get their "reason" but it's a feature that works in other CRM. It works without, but it can be a bit clunky for sure.

ABowk
Member

This is crucial. Without this, we are having serious problems and could be a deal breaker in terms of us using Hubspot.

 

As a very basic example...

 

Staff1 sends an email through Hubspot to Customer.

Customer replies saying they are interested in deal but need to wait.

So far, both emails are logged.

Customer starts new email and says they want to go ahead with the deal.

This is not logged and is the confirmation which is crucial to the deal.

 

I realise that Staff1 could forward that email to Hubspot but it is a manual process that can easily be forgotten.

 

When Staff2 looks at Hubspot, they see no confirmation about the above deal. The Customer could have added important caveats etc to the confirmation. Accounts when chasing for payment and looking at Hubspot do not see this.

 

There is also the issue of staff members purposely not forwarding complaint emails etc.

 

Please get this sorted, it is a basic requirement for CRM.

 

There should be additional options to:

- Log all emails from existing contacts

- Offer to create new contact for new emails

- Scan previous emails for existing contacts

 

Thank you