Mastering Custom Properties in Hubspot CRM

Custom properties in Hubspot let you capture, organize, and report on the unique data points that matter most to your business. By tailoring your CRM fields, you can track deeper customer insights, improve segmentation, and create reporting that actually matches your process instead of forcing your team to adapt to generic fields.

This how-to guide walks through what custom properties are, when to create them, and how to use them strategically in your CRM.

What Are Custom Properties in Hubspot CRM?

In the Hubspot CRM, a property is a field that stores information about records such as contacts, companies, deals, and tickets. Default properties ship with every account, but many businesses need additional fields that reflect their own terminology, lifecycle, and internal processes.

Custom properties are user-defined fields you create to capture that data. They work alongside default properties and can be included in forms, views, lists, automation, and reports.

Key Benefits of Custom Properties

• Capture data that default CRM fields do not cover.
• Align CRM data with your sales, marketing, and service processes.
• Segment records more accurately for campaigns and outreach.
• Improve reporting with metrics that reflect your real customer journeys.
• Standardize data entry with dropdowns, checkboxes, and other field types.

Planning Hubspot Custom Properties Before You Build

Before creating any fields, it is important to step back and design your data structure. That planning will keep your Hubspot account clean, prevent duplicate fields, and make long‑term reporting easier.

Questions to Ask Before Creating a Property

• What business question will this property help answer?
• Which object does this data belong to: contact, company, deal, or ticket?
• How will this property be populated: manually, via forms, imports, or integrations?
• Who will use this field, and where will they see it (records, reports, lists)?
• Is there an existing default or custom field that already captures this information?

Only create a custom property when it serves an ongoing use case. Avoid building one‑off fields for temporary campaigns unless you have an archive or cleanup plan.

Choosing the Right Field Type

Selecting the correct field type is critical for data quality. In the Hubspot CRM, common types include:

• Single-line text: Free text for short entries such as codes or short notes.
• Dropdown select: Standardized choices that keep data consistent.
• Multiple checkboxes: When more than one option can be true.
• Number: Quantitative values for amounts or counts.
• Date picker: Dates for events, renewals, or milestones.
• Calculation and rollup types (where available): For advanced reporting scenarios.

When possible, use dropdowns or checkboxes instead of free text. Standardized values make segmentation and reporting much more reliable.

How to Create Custom Properties in Hubspot

The following steps outline how to add a new property inside your CRM settings. The labels in your portal may vary slightly based on edition and updates, but the flow remains the same.

Step-by-Step: Creating a New Property

1. Go to CRM settings. From your portal, open Settings and locate the area where you manage properties.
2. Select the object. Choose whether you are building a property for contacts, companies, deals, or tickets.
3. Start a new property. Click the option to create a new field or property.
4. Name the property. Provide a clear internal name and label. Use language your team already uses, and avoid abbreviations that may confuse new users.
5. Add a description. Document when and how this property should be used to encourage consistent data entry.
6. Pick the field type. Select text, dropdown, checkboxes, number, date, or other supported types based on your earlier planning.
7. Define options (if needed). For dropdowns or checkboxes, create options that reflect your real scenarios while staying concise.
8. Set availability. Choose the teams or users that should see or edit this field if your portal uses restricted views.
9. Save the property. Once saved, it becomes part of your CRM schema and can be used across tools that reference properties.

Using Hubspot Custom Properties Across the CRM

After creating new fields, the next step is to make them available where your teams work every day. Proper deployment ensures adoption and data accuracy.

Adding Custom Properties to Record Views

Adjust your record layouts so that relevant fields appear in the main view. That way, sales, marketing, and service teams can see and update the new property without hunting for it.

• Open any contact, company, deal, or ticket record.
• Edit the sidebar or record layout.
• Search for your custom property by name.
• Drag it into the appropriate section for quick visibility.

Collecting Data with Forms and Imports

To populate new fields at scale, use the property in these areas:

• Forms: Add the property to forms so visitors or customers can submit data directly into the CRM.
• Imports: Map spreadsheet columns to your custom property when uploading existing data.
• Integrations: Where supported, map fields from external systems into your new property.

Segmenting and Reporting with Custom Fields

Once populated, custom properties become powerful levers for segmentation and reporting.

• Build lists filtered by your property values for targeted campaigns.
• Filter dashboards and reports to analyze performance by custom criteria.
• Use property‑based enrollment in workflows to automate follow‑up actions.

Governance and Best Practices for Hubspot Properties

Strong governance will keep your custom properties useful over time and avoid a cluttered database.

Standardizing Naming Conventions

Consistent naming makes it easier for teams to find and understand fields. Consider:

• Prefixes that group properties by function or team.
• Clear labels that match the language used in your organization.
• Short, readable names that make sense in reports and filters.

Documenting Property Usage

Maintain documentation that covers:

• What each custom property stores.
• Who owns the field and can request changes.
• Where the property is referenced (forms, workflows, reports).

This documentation is especially important as teams grow or new admins join your portal.

Auditing and Cleaning Up Fields

Over time, some properties become obsolete. Plan recurring audits to:

• Identify unused custom fields.
• Consolidate overlapping or duplicate properties.
• Archive properties that no longer support current processes.

Cleaning up unused fields improves data hygiene and makes it easier for users to find the right property quickly.

Examples of Helpful Custom Properties

Every business will define unique fields, but common examples include:

• Product interest: Which product line or solution a contact cares about.
• Customer segment: Industry, plan level, or account type.
• Renewal details: Contract renewal date or renewal owner.
• Implementation status: Stages of onboarding or setup progress.
• Success metrics: Customer goals that guide account strategy.

When designed thoughtfully, these properties provide a consistent view of the customer journey from lead to long‑term client.

Next Steps for Optimizing Your CRM Setup

Set aside time to review your current fields, identify gaps, and design a streamlined custom property framework. Involve sales, marketing, and service stakeholders so the final set of fields truly supports day‑to‑day work.

To go deeper into how custom fields work in context, you can review the original resource at this guide to custom properties in the Hubspot CRM.

If you need specialized help planning fields, integrations, or broader CRM architecture, a dedicated consulting partner can accelerate setup. For tailored CRM and data strategy support, visit Consultevo to explore advisory and implementation services.

With a thoughtful approach to custom properties, your CRM can evolve into a reliable, flexible system of record that supports accurate reporting, targeted engagement, and long‑term growth.

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