TUTORIAL 19 · MIGRATION
How to Switch From HubSpot to CrmLeaf
Move your contacts, companies, and deals over, then pick up everything HubSpot doesn't cover once a deal is won - inspection, BOQ, milestones, and inventory.
CrmLeaf TeamUpdated July 20262-3 weeks, phasedSales Ops & Admins
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STEP 1 OF 8
Export Your HubSpot Data
Why it matters: HubSpot's export tool is straightforward, but knowing exactly which objects to pull avoids a second trip back for data you missed.
- In HubSpot, go to Contacts → Export and export all contacts as CSV
- Go to Companies → Export and export all companies
- Go to Deals → Export, including deal stage, amount, and owner
WHAT YOU SEE WHEN DONEThree CSV files - Contacts, Companies, Deals - each opened and spot-checked.
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STEP 2 OF 8
Map HubSpot Objects to CrmLeaf
Why it matters: HubSpot's object model doesn't map one-to-one onto a solar workflow - getting this right avoids losing the inspection and proposal detail HubSpot never had a field for.
- Contact → Lead / Contact
- Company → Company / Client (post-sale)
- Deal → Deal (with added Inspection & Proposal stages)
- Deal stage "Closed Won" → Deal Won → new Client + Project created
WHAT YOU SEE WHEN DONEA mapping table confirming where every HubSpot field will land in CrmLeaf.
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STEP 3 OF 8
Import Contacts, Companies & Deals
Why it matters: Importing in this order - contacts before deals - avoidsCrmLeaf creating placeholder contacts with missing details.
- Go to CRM → Import and upload your Contacts CSV first
- Import Companies next
- Import Deals last, so they link to the contacts and companies already in the system
WHAT YOU SEE WHEN DONEEvery imported deal shows the correct linked contact and company, not a blank field.
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STEP 4 OF 8
Rebuild Your Deal Pipeline
Why it matters: This is the step that actually closes HubSpot's biggest gap for a solar business - a pipeline that reflects inspection and proposal as real, trackable stages.
- Go to CRM → Deals → Pipeline Settings
- Recreate your stages, adding Site Visit Scheduled, Inspection Completed, and Proposal Sent if HubSpot never had them
- Re-assign each imported deal to its correct current stage
WHAT YOU SEE WHEN DONEEvery imported deal sits in a stage that reflects its actual solar-specific status.
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STEP 5 OF 8
Decide What to Do With Marketing Sequences
Why it matters: HubSpot's marketing automation is genuinely strong - deciding this deliberately avoids losing sequences you still need.
- Option A: Keep a HubSpot Marketing Hub subscription for email sequences and landing pages, while running sales and delivery in CrmLeaf
- Option B: Rebuild simpler sequences using CrmLeaf's Email Integration and manual follow-up tasks, if your sequences are lightweight
Note: Don't cancel HubSpot entirely until you've confirmed which option fits - reactivating a cancelled Marketing Hub can mean rebuilding sequences from scratch.
WHAT YOU SEE WHEN DONEA clear decision recorded on whether HubSpot Marketing Hub stays active alongside CrmLeaf.
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STEP 6 OF 8
Connect Email Integration
Why it matters: This replaces HubSpot's email logging - without it, threads stop being tracked the moment you switch.
- Go to Settings → Integrations → Email
- Connect Gmail or Outlook for each rep
- Confirm a test email logs correctly to a Contact or Deal
WHAT YOU SEE WHEN DONEA test email thread appears on the correct Deal timeline in CrmLeaf.
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STEP 7 OF 8
Run a Short Parallel Period
Why it matters: A defined two-week window gives your team a safety net without letting the migration drag indefinitely.
- Keep HubSpot active but stop entering new deals into it
- Work exclusively in CrmLeaf for two weeks
- Confirm no rep has reverted to logging activity in HubSpot out of habit
WHAT YOU SEE WHEN DONETwo full weeks of new deal activity exist only in CrmLeaf.
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STEP 8 OF 8
Decommission HubSpot
Why it matters: Downgrading rather than fully cancelling preserves historical data access if you later need to reference an old deal.
- Export a final backup of all HubSpot data as an archive
- Downgrade to HubSpot's free tier if you want to retain read-only access, or cancel fully if not needed
- Remove HubSpot-related integrations no longer in use
WHAT YOU SEE WHEN DONEYour team works exclusively in CrmLeaf, with a HubSpot data backup archived.
You've completed this tutorial
You're fully switched over. Next: make sure your first proposal out of CrmLeaf looks great.
Next: Solar Proposal CreationContinue learning
Keep going with the next tutorials in the Solar CRM series.