How to Use Hubspot Contact-Based Workflow Actions in Other Workflow Types

Hubspot makes it possible to reuse your most common contact-based workflow actions in other workflow types so you can centralize logic, reduce maintenance, and keep your automation consistent across your CRM.

This guide shows you step by step how to configure, trigger, and monitor these shared actions so your team can streamline complex processes without rebuilding the same sequences in every workflow.

What Are Shared Contact-Based Actions in Hubspot?

In supported workflow types, you can now drop in a special action called Use contact-based actions. Instead of recreating a series of actions, you reference an existing contact-based workflow and run a specific branch of that workflow when the action is triggered.

This feature is ideal when you need to:

• Apply the same business logic across multiple workflow types.
• Standardize lifecycle or lead management processes.
• Reduce duplication and ongoing maintenance effort.
• Keep reporting and changes centralized in one contact-based workflow.

Key Requirements for Using Hubspot Contact-Based Actions

Before you can use the Use contact-based actions feature, your setup in Hubspot must meet several requirements.

Hubspot workflow type eligibility

You can only add the Use contact-based actions action in certain workflow types that support referencing contact workflows. If the action is not available in the action menu, that workflow type does not support it yet.

Required permissions and access

Your user must have sufficient permissions to:

• View and edit automation workflows.
• Access the contact-based workflow you want to reference.

If you cannot see the contact-based workflow in the selection list, verify that your permissions and team visibility settings in Hubspot allow access to that workflow.

Supported contact-based workflows

Only specific contact-based workflows can be used as sources for shared actions. In general, the contact-based workflow must:

• Be active or ready to be activated.
• Contain the dedicated branch you plan to trigger from other workflow types.
• Use actions that are compatible when invoked from another workflow.

Workflows that rely on unsupported actions, or that do not contain a valid branch for shared use, will not appear for selection.

How to Configure a Contact-Based Workflow for Reuse in Hubspot

Start by designing or modifying a contact-based workflow that will act as the single source of truth for your shared actions.

1. Build or choose the base contact workflow

1. In your Hubspot account, navigate to Automation > Workflows.
2. Create a new Contact-based workflow or open an existing one that you want to reuse.
3. Ensure the enrollment triggers and any core logic match the process you want to standardize.

2. Add a dedicated branch for external triggering

To make the workflow reusable, you typically configure a specific branch (or set of branches) that will run when called from another workflow.

1. Create clear If/Then branches or action groups that represent the shared logic.
2. Label actions and notes so teams can easily identify which branch is intended for reuse.
3. Avoid adding enrollment conditions inside this branch; enrollment is handled by the calling workflow.

3. Validate actions for cross-workflow use

Review the actions in your reusable branch and confirm that they are supported when triggered from other workflow types. For example:

• Property updates, internal notifications, and task creation are typically safe.
• Make sure any dependencies (lists, properties, teams) are available across your portal.
• Minimize assumptions about timing or previous steps in other workflows.

Once the reusable branch is ready, turn the contact-based workflow on or prepare it for activation once testing is done.

How to Use Hubspot Contact-Based Actions in Other Workflow Types

After preparing your base workflow, you can call its reusable branch from another supported workflow type using the Use contact-based actions action.

1. Open or create the target workflow

1. Go to Automation > Workflows in Hubspot.
2. Create or open a supported workflow type (for example, a deal-based or company-based workflow, depending on what is available in your account).
3. Configure its enrollment triggers as you normally would for that workflow type.

2. Add the “Use contact-based actions” step

1. In the workflow editor, click the + icon where you want to insert the shared logic.
2. Search for and select Use contact-based actions.
3. In the configuration panel, choose the contact-based workflow you prepared earlier.

If you do not see the workflow you need, double-check permissions and confirm that the workflow is a contact-based workflow that supports shared actions.

3. Configure how the contact is identified

Because non-contact workflows may be centered on other objects (deals, companies, tickets, etc.), Hubspot must know which contact should be processed when the action runs. Typical patterns include:

• Using an associated contact record (for example, primary contact on a deal).
• Mapping a property like email address to find the correct contact.
• Ensuring each enrolled object has at least one associated contact before this step.

Set up the mapping in the action configuration so the correct contact enters the contact-based workflow branch.

4. Choose the branch or options to run

If your contact-based workflow contains multiple branches designed for reuse, the action may allow you to select which sequence to trigger or which configuration options to apply.

Clearly document in your team playbook which branches correspond to which use cases so users of the target workflow can choose correctly.

5. Save, test, and activate

1. Save the action configuration and review the entire workflow for logical accuracy.
2. Use test records to simulate enrollment and confirm the correct contact is processed.
3. Check that the contact-based workflow logs show the contact entering the right branch.
4. Once validated, turn the workflow on.

Best Practices for Managing Hubspot Shared Workflow Actions

To keep your automation maintainable and reliable, follow these best practices when using shared contact-based actions in Hubspot.

Standardize naming and documentation

• Use descriptive names for contact-based workflows that will be reused.
• Add internal notes to explain which branches are safe for external calls.
• Maintain a central document listing all workflows that reference each shared workflow.

Limit complexity in the base workflow

Because many workflows may rely on the same shared actions, try to keep the base contact-based workflow lean and clearly structured:

• Avoid deeply nested branches unless absolutely necessary.
• Group reusable actions into logical sections.
• Use comments or notes to mark non-reusable experimental branches.

Monitor performance and troubleshooting

When something goes wrong in a calling workflow, it often surfaces as unexpected behavior in the contact-based workflow. To troubleshoot efficiently:

• Check the workflow history for both the target workflow and the contact-based workflow.
• Filter logs by a specific record to see how it moved between workflows.
• Confirm that object-to-contact mapping is still accurate after any schema changes.

Where to Learn More About Hubspot Workflow Features

For the most detailed, up-to-date instructions straight from the platform, review the official Hubspot knowledge base article on using contact-based workflow actions in other workflow types here: official documentation.

If you need strategic help planning scalable automation, CRM structure, or integrations, you can also explore consulting resources such as Consultevo for broader CRM and marketing operations guidance.

By centralizing your core logic in a single contact-based workflow and then invoking it with the Use contact-based actions feature, you turn Hubspot into a more modular, maintainable automation system that grows with your processes instead of slowing them down.