How to Prepare Your Data for Import

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Why Data Preparation Matters

Clean, well-organized data is the foundation of a successful HubSpot implementation. Taking time to prepare your data upfront will:

Prevent duplicate records in HubSpot
Ensure your reports and dashboards are accurate
Save time during implementation
Help your team adopt HubSpot faster

⚠️ Important: Let Us Know About System Deadlines

If you're switching from another system (CRM, marketing platform, etc.), please tell us as soon as possible:

When does your current subscription expire?
Are there any contract end dates we need to work around?
When will you lose access to your old system?

Why this matters: We need to plan for both a test migration and potentially a delta migration before you lose access to your current system.

What is a Delta Migration?

When migrating data, we typically follow this process:

Initial Migration: We import your data into HubSpot during implementation
Delta Migration: A second import that captures any new or updated records created between the initial migration and your go-live date

For example, if we import your contacts in Week 2 but your team continues using your old CRM until Week 6, any new contacts added during Weeks 3-6 would be missed. A delta migration ensures we capture those records before you fully transition to HubSpot.

If your old system subscription is expiring soon, let us know immediately so we can prioritize your data export and plan the migration timeline accordingly.

⚠️ Critical: Final Data Backup

On the last day of your old system subscription, we strongly recommend exporting all data from your old system as a backup. Even if the migration is complete, having a full backup ensures you have access to historical data if needed in the future. Once your subscription expires, you may permanently lose access to this data.

Your Data Preparation Checklist

Step 1: Identify Your Data Sources

Make a list of all the systems where your data currently lives:

Current CRM (Salesforce, Zoho, Pipedrive, etc.)
Spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets)
Email marketing tools (Mailchimp, Constant Contact, etc.)
Other business systems

For each source, note:

What type of data it contains (contacts, companies, deals, etc.)
Approximately how many records
Who has access to export the data
Subscription expiration date or contract end date

Step 2: Export Your Data

Export your data from each source system into a spreadsheet format:

Accepted file types: .csv, .xlsx, or .xls
One sheet per file (no multiple tabs)
Include a header row with column names

Tips for exporting:

Export all fields you want to bring into HubSpot
Include unique identifiers (email addresses for contacts, domain names for companies)
Note any fields that contain dates, currencies, or multi-select values
If your subscription is expiring soon, export your data immediately as a backup

Step 3: Review and Clean Your Data

Before we import your data, it needs to be cleaned. Data cleanup is your responsibility unless otherwise agreed in your project scope.

What to look for:

Duplicates

Are there multiple records for the same person or company?
Remove or merge duplicates before import

Missing or Invalid Data

Are there contacts without email addresses?
Are there invalid email formats (e.g., missing @ symbol)?
Are phone numbers formatted consistently?

Outdated Records

Do you have contacts who haven't engaged in years?
Are there companies you no longer do business with?
Consider archiving or removing old data rather than importing it

Formatting Inconsistencies

Are dates in the same format throughout?
Are phone numbers formatted consistently?
Are country names spelled the same way?

Pro tip: This is a great opportunity to clean house. You don't have to import everything—only bring over data that's accurate and relevant to your business today.

Step 4: Attend the Property Mapping Workshop

We'll schedule a dedicated workshop to map your data fields to HubSpot properties. During this session, we'll:

Review your data files together
Match your fields to HubSpot properties
Identify any custom properties we need to create
Discuss formatting requirements
Plan migration timeline (including delta migration if needed)
Answer your questions

Please come prepared with:

Sample exports from your data sources
A list of fields you want to import
Questions about how your data should be organized in HubSpot
Any system deadlines or subscription expiration dates

Step 5: Deliver Your Clean Data Files

After the property mapping workshop, you'll deliver your final, cleaned data files to us. Ensure your files meet these requirements:

File Requirements:

File format: .csv, .xlsx, or .xls
Single sheet only (no multiple tabs)
Header row with column names
File size: up to 512MB

Formatting Requirements:

Dates: Use number format, not text
Currency: Use decimals (e.g., 123.45)
Multiple values: Separate with semicolons (e.g., value1; value2)
Blank cells: Leave empty (don't use "N/A" or "null")

Required Unique Identifiers:

Contacts: Email address
Companies: Company domain name (e.g., acme.com)
Deals: Deal name + associated company or contact

Step 6: Review and Approve Test Import

Before we import all your data, we'll run a test import with a small subset of records (10-20%). This allows us to:

Verify data lands in the correct fields
Check that records are associated correctly
Catch any formatting issues

You'll need to review and approve the test import before we proceed with the full import.

Step 7: Delta Migration (If Needed)

If your team continues using your old system after the initial migration, we'll schedule a delta migration to capture:

New records created since the initial import
Updated records that have changed since the initial import

To prepare for a delta migration:

Note the date of the initial migration
Export only records created or modified after that date
Deliver the delta file to us before your old system access expires

Step 8: Final Backup Before Subscription Ends

On the last day of your old system subscription, export a complete backup of all your data. This should include:

All contacts and companies
All deals and opportunities
All activities (emails, calls, meetings, notes)
All tickets or support history
Any other data you may need to reference in the future

Store this backup securely. Even after a successful migration, you may need to reference historical data that wasn't imported into HubSpot. Once your subscription expires, this data may be permanently inaccessible.

Timeline

Task	Owner	When
Share system deadlines and subscription expiration dates	You	Immediately
Export data from source systems	You	Before Property Mapping Workshop
Property Mapping Workshop	ThinkFuel + You	During Enable Phase
Clean data per requirements	You	After Property Mapping Workshop
Deliver clean data files	You	Before Align Phase
Test import	ThinkFuel	During Align Phase
Review and approve test import	You	During Align Phase
Full import	ThinkFuel	After your approval
Delta migration (if needed)	ThinkFuel + You	Before old system access expires
Final backup export	You	Last day of old system subscription

Common Questions

How long does data cleanup take? It depends on the size and quality of your data. Plan for at least 1-2 weeks to properly clean your data. The more time you invest in cleanup, the better your HubSpot experience will be.
What if I don't have time to clean my data? Data cleanup can be added to your project scope for an additional cost. Talk to your Strategist if you'd like us to handle this for you.
Can I import data after the project is complete? Yes! Once you're trained on HubSpot, you can import data anytime using HubSpot's import tool.
What happens to my old system after migration? We recommend keeping access to your old system for a period of time after migration in case you need to reference historical data. If that's not possible due to subscription expiration, make sure to export a full backup before you lose access.
What if my old system subscription is expiring soon? Let us know immediately! We'll prioritize your data export and adjust the migration timeline to ensure we capture all your data before you lose access. You may also need to plan for a delta migration closer to your go-live date.
Do I always need a delta migration? Not always. If your team stops using the old system immediately after the initial migration, a delta migration isn't needed. However, if your team continues working in the old system during implementation, a delta migration ensures no data is lost.
Why do I need a final backup if the data is already in HubSpot? Not all data may be imported into HubSpot. Historical activities, attachments, or certain custom data may not transfer. A final backup ensures you have a complete record of your old system data for future reference.

Resources

HubSpot Import File Setup Guide: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/import-and-export/set-up-your-import-file
HubSpot Sample Import Files: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/import-and-export/sample-import-files
Understand the import tool
Create topics for SEO strategy
Use AI engine optimization

Questions?

Reach out to your ThinkFuel Strategist if you have any questions about preparing your data. We're here to help!