This pre-migration checklist explains what to fix before moving your CRM data into HubSpot: how to audit your records, remove duplicates, map fields, preserve relationships and validate everything before you switch systems.
TL;DR
- Audit your current CRM first: record counts, used fields, duplicates and broken associations.
- Remove duplicates and archive stale records before anything moves.
- Map every object, field and pipeline to its HubSpot equivalent and document the decisions.
- Rebuild critical workflows and integrations before go-live, not after.
- Run a test migration on a sample and validate counts, associations and owners.
Why CRM migrations break
Most migration problems are not caused by the migration tool. They come from data that was messy long before anyone touched it: duplicates, empty fields, inconsistent formats and missing associations. Every bad record you migrate becomes a bad record in HubSpot.
1. Audit what you actually have
Export record counts for every object: contacts, companies, deals, tickets, activities and custom objects. Note which fields are used, which are empty and which duplicate each other.
2. Clean up and remove duplicates
Merge duplicate contacts and companies, archive records that no longer matter, and standardise formats for phone numbers, countries and dates.
- Merge duplicates while keeping their associations and activity history.
- Standardise picklist values before mapping them.
- Archive records with no activity in the last few years.
3. Map fields, objects and pipelines
Decide where every source field lands in HubSpot, which properties need to be created, and how your sales stages translate into deal pipelines.
Salesforce to HubSpot concept mapping
| Salesforce | HubSpot | What to review |
|---|---|---|
| Leads | Contacts | Lifecycle stage and lead status mapping |
| Accounts | Companies | Parent/child hierarchy and domain matching |
| Contacts | Contacts | Company associations and owners |
| Opportunities | Deals | Pipeline, stages and amount fields |
| Cases | Tickets | Ticket pipeline and status mapping |
| Custom objects | Custom objects | Schema, properties and associations |
| Activities | Engagements | Calls, emails, meetings and notes history |
4. Rebuild workflows and integrations
List the automations you rely on today, such as assignment rules, lead scoring and notifications, so they can be rebuilt in HubSpot before go-live instead of being discovered missing afterwards.
5. Run a test migration
Move a representative sample first. Compare record counts, spot-check associations and owners, and have a few users test their daily work before running the full migration.
Common migration mistakes to avoid
- Migrating everything by default instead of only the data you need.
- Skipping association checks between contacts, companies and deals.
- Forgetting owners, lifecycle stages and consent fields.
- Going live without a rollback or validation plan.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a CRM migration to HubSpot take?
Small, clean databases can move in days. Larger migrations with custom objects, integrations and history usually take several weeks, most of it spent on preparation and validation.
Should I clean my data before or after migrating?
Before. Cleaning in the source system is faster and prevents duplicates and bad formats from spreading into HubSpot.
How do I validate a Salesforce to HubSpot migration?
Compare record counts per object, spot-check associations, owners and key properties, and have users test real workflows before switching over.
With a checklist like this in place, your team can go live with confidence instead of discovering data problems in production.
