By now, you probably know about HubSpot's newest solution, Operations Hub. One core feature of Operations Hub is Data Sync, the evolution of HubSpot's PieSync offering. Data Sync provides a bidirectional sync of contact and company data from HubSpot's most used and requested integrations, such as MailChimp, Zendesk, and Microsoft Dynamics. Data Sync integrations are considered out-of-the-box integrations because they allow users to get up and running fast by mapping standard fields.
While an out-of-the-box solution from Data Sync will work well for some companies, others may require a custom solution, or one that involves something customized, such as sync logic, field mappings, or another piece of development. We provide both out-of-the-box integrations from our sub-brand, SyncSmart and custom solutions from the Lynton team. If you’re curious for more detail on CRM integrations as a whole and the difference between your choices, continue reading.
What is a HubSpot Integration?
An integration combines your CRM system – NetSuite, Dynamics, Sales, Classy, or something else – with your HubSpot portal, allowing them to function together seamlessly. Integrating these two systems ensures changes in one system automatically sync to the other, and vice versa.
What Does an Out-of-the-Box Integration Look Like?
As noted, any integration, whether standard or customized, merges the rich data of your CRM system with the power of HubSpot. Standard, or out-of-the-box, integrations are generally the connection of non-customized HubSpot portals to a non-customized mainstream CRM system. You can purchase them by connecting to Operations Hub Data Sync or through other third-party vendors, like SyncSmart and other companies.
They come with standard field mappings of general information (or “fields”) like name, email, contact, address, or phone number. For example, in a standard Dynamics integration, you would sync HubSpot Companies to Dynamics Accounts and vice versa, so both information populates in each system – without making duplicates or overwriting your data.
For a more in-depth look at what standard field mappings look like, consider the typical mappings you’d find in a HubSpot Classy integration:
- Classy Supporters to HubSpot Contacts
- Classy Transactions to HubSpot Deals
- Classy Recurring Donation Plans to HubSpot Deals
- HubSpot Contacts to Classy Supporters
- HubSpot Deals to Classy Transactions
- HubSpot Deals to Classy Recurring Donation Plans
Another critical aspect of an out-of-box integration revolves around a company’s sync requirement – or what it takes to get information passing through each system. Most often, in out-of-the-box situations, integrations run alongside HubSpot’s native sync. That is definitely true for Data Sync apps. If you have complex sync requirements, you can have something custom built.
What Does a Custom Integration Solution Look Like?
A custom HubSpot integration also involves the syncing of data from HubSpot to a CRM system. It can be a well-known CRM system like Salesforce or a proprietary platform used by a company. No matter what, these integrations involve standard field mappings but usually go a step further with custom mappings as well, or, essentially, any custom development your company may need.
What exactly is a custom field mapping? You may have fields in your HubSpot portal that are not standard and do not exist in a typical CRM system. An example of this might be a field titled, “What is the best method to contact you?” on a HubSpot form. Mapping this field back to your CRM system can provide useful information to your sales and marketing dashboard. This is a prime example of custom field mapping, and in a more custom integration, you could create a custom field mapping to sync a custom field from HubSpot to your CRM, and vice-versa.
Custom integration solutions can also use SQL or CSV tables to help automate tasks based on information within HubSpot. For instance, you could use SQL to manipulate data to automate a weekly, bi-weekly, or twice-a-week newsletter within HubSpot.
At Lynton, we abide by our rule: “If it has an API, we can integrate it.”
How Long Do Integrations Take?
The length of an integration project depends on whether it is standard or custom. Typically, each follows these timelines:
- A standard integration, meaning one that doesn’t involve any custom field mappings or similar customization, can get up and running quickly, especially if you're using SyncSmart or Data Sync. Please note: sometimes they can take a little longer as well, anywhere from 30 to 60 days.
- A custom integration may take longer in the building, testing, and launching steps. However, our integration team at Lynton sees an average custom HubSpot integration take 90 days to complete. If your CRM is highly-customized, needing even more custom field mappings or custom sync logics, it may take even longer. For example, if your sync requirements are involved, they may be replaced with a fully custom solution.
What Are Some Similarities of an Out-of-the-Box Integration and Custom Solution?
Both integration offerings will leave you with a solution that combines both systems to increase the effectiveness of your sales and marketing teams. When using Lynton for custom integration solution, you will benefit from:
- Our managed service
- Delivery, set-up, and support from a dedicated, expert HubSpot team
- Records scanning every 2-3 minutes to ensure they’re up to date
- Support from multiple Cloud or on-premise integration platforms
- A hassle-free, user-friendly experience
You'll also receive a secure integration crafted by HubSpot experts that works seamlessly when working with SyncSmart.
How Do I Know What to Pick?
Choosing between an out-of-the-box integration or custom solution depends mostly on what your organization needs to help the business grow. If you don’t use any custom entities and need to get up and running quickly, you may opt for a standard offering. For those who need custom work done or already have a highly customized CRM system, you should go for a custom solution. Ultimately, it will be up to you and your team but we're happy to go into any further details so you can make the best possible choice for your company! Just reach out here.
