Agency Migration Guide
Nutshell to HubSpot Migration
What actually transfers, what quietly does not, and what has to be rebuilt by hand.
We mapped Nutshell against HubSpot feature by feature: 40 features, 3 synced objects, 7 documented traps and 34 items that have to be rebuilt. The whole map is on this page, ungated.
The PDF is the same reference, formatted to send to a client.
Get The Guide And The Calculator
The full Nutshell to HubSpot reference as a branded PDF you can send straight to a client, plus the Excel calculator we scope these migrations with: every one of the 40 features as a row, enter your counts, get hours.
Three files: the guide as a PDF, the same guide unbranded in Markdown for your AI tool, and the full Excel effort calculator.
Nutshell to HubSpot is a medium migration, typically 3-5 weeks. Of 40 features we mapped, 36 carry across as they are and 4 land with something lost. The work is not moving records: it is the 34 items nothing moves for you.
Migration Scorecard
- Migration complexity
- Medium
- Typical timeline
- 3-5 weeks
- Recommended method
- Sync then migrate
- Native sync
- Data sync, two way
- Smart transfer
- Not supported
- HubSpot subscription
- HubSpot Free (basic sync); Data Hub Starter+ for custom field mappings
Feature parity across 40 capabilities
- Maps directly: 36 (90%)
- Maps partially: 4 (10%)
- No equivalent: 0 (0%)
3
Objects synced natively
7
Limitations and traps
34
Manual rebuild items
2
Source editions covered
Where this comes from: Our own research corpus, verified 2026-07-31, behind every number on this page.
The Three Objects That Sync Natively
What the connector moves for you, and which way each one flows.
People
Two wayBecomes Contact
Default matching by email address. Custom fields sync only if mapped during setup (requires Data Hub Starter+).
Companies
Two wayBecomes Company
Default matching by company name or domain. Association mappings link people to their companies.
Leads
Two wayBecomes Deals
Listed as a shared object on the app's HubSpot marketplace listing (read 2026-07-31). HubSpot publishes 7 default field mappings for it.
Seven Things the Sync Does Not Tell You
Each one is documented, and each one has ended a migration in a bad week.
No Lead/deal Sync via Native Data Sync
Nutshell Leads (equivalent to deals/opportunities) are not synced via the native HubSpot Data Sync integration. The sync is limited to People and Companies.
Workaround: Export leads from Nutshell as CSV (available from the reporting tab or list view) and import into HubSpot as deals. Third-party migration services can automate this.
Activities and Notes May Not Export Cleanly
Nutshell stores activity history (calls, emails, meetings, notes) tied to leads and contacts. The standard CSV export focuses on people, companies, and leads: activity history export is limited.
Workaround: Use the Nutshell API to extract activities with full timestamps and associations. Import into HubSpot via the Engagements API.
Email Marketing Campaign History Does Not Sync
Nutshell has built-in email marketing with broadcasts, drip campaigns, and A/B testing. Campaign performance data (opens, clicks, conversions) and email history do not transfer to HubSpot.
Workaround: Export campaign performance reports from Nutshell for archival. Rebuild email campaigns in HubSpot Marketing Hub from scratch.
Landing Pages and Forms Do Not Transfer
Nutshell's built-in landing page builder and form builder content cannot be migrated to HubSpot.
Workaround: Recreate landing pages and forms in HubSpot. Take screenshots or export HTML of existing Nutshell landing pages for reference.
Dropdown and Multi-select Field Sync Limitations
HubSpot Data Sync has known limitations with dropdown, radio select, and checkbox property types. These may only sync one-way as text values.
Workaround: Verify field type mappings after initial sync. Create compatible properties in HubSpot if needed.
Tags and Lead Sources Require Manual Mapping
Nutshell automatically captures channel and source data on leads. These source attributions and tags do not have default mappings in the Data Sync.
Workaround: Map source fields to HubSpot Original Source or custom properties. Export tagged records and recreate as HubSpot lists or contact properties.
Limited Custom Object Sync Support
Custom objects beyond contacts and companies have limited support in the HubSpot Data Sync. Nutshell's custom data structures may not map cleanly.
Workaround: Use HubSpot custom objects (Enterprise tier) or custom properties to replicate Nutshell's custom data structures.
The 34 Items That Get Rebuilt by Hand
This is the list that separates a quote that holds from one that does not.
Data And Objects
Leads and Deals
Nutshell's sales records, held outside any native connector.
HubSpot: Deals
Export by CSV and import as deals. Build pipelines and stages first or everything lands in the default stage.
Activity History
Calls, emails, meetings and notes logged against records.
HubSpot: Activities on the record timeline
Use the API rather than the CSV export if the history needs to stay attributed and dated rather than pasted as text.
Tags and Source Attribution
Tags plus the lead source and channel data behind Nutshell's attribution.
HubSpot: Properties and lists
Source data drives reporting, so map it to real properties rather than free-text tags or attribution reporting cannot be rebuilt.
Email Marketing Lists and Engagement
Subscriber lists and send history from Nutshell's marketing side.
HubSpot: Lists, with no import path for engagement
Lists move, engagement does not. Bring the suppression list across before the first send from HubSpot.
Landing Page Content and Form Definitions
Nutshell's hosted pages and the forms on them.
HubSpot: Landing pages and forms
Rebuilt page by page. Redirect any URL linked from ads or printed material.
File Attachments
Files attached to Nutshell records.
HubSpot: Attachments on records
A second API pass after the records land.
SMS History and Templates
Text conversations and saved text templates.
HubSpot: A marketplace SMS app, with history as notes
Decide where SMS lives after the migration before scoping the history, because the answer determines whether the history is useful at all.
Automation
Pipeline Triggers and Auto-assignment
Rules firing on stage change and routing records to owners.
HubSpot: Workflows and rotation actions
Rebuilt rule by rule after pipelines, properties and users exist.
Email Drip Campaigns
Automated marketing email sequences.
HubSpot: Workflows with delay steps
Decide per campaign whether it is a marketing send or a sales sequence, because they are different tools with different consent rules.
SMS Drip and Broadcast Automation
Automated and one-to-many text sends.
HubSpot: Whichever SMS app is chosen, driven by workflows
Follows the SMS decision above. Consent records move with the numbers.
Lead Assignment and Distribution Rules
Rules routing new leads across reps.
HubSpot: Workflow rotation actions
Test distribution with real records rather than trusting the configuration.
Follow-up Task Automation
Automatic task creation after an activity or stage change.
HubSpot: Workflow task actions
Rebuild the trigger as well as the task. Due-date offsets are what gets lost.
Reporting
Pipeline Reports and Forecasting
Forward-looking sales reporting.
HubSpot: Deal reports and forecasting
Configuration first: amount, close date and stage probability set deliberately.
Sales Activity Reports
Per-rep and per-team activity reporting.
HubSpot: Activity reports
Owner must resolve to a real HubSpot user or everything attributes to nobody.
Email Marketing Performance Reports
Open, click and conversion reporting on marketing sends.
HubSpot: Marketing email analytics
Historical sends do not transfer, so reporting restarts. Export a final set before the account closes.
A/B Test Results and Campaign Analytics
Split-test outcomes and campaign-level reporting.
HubSpot: Marketing email A/B testing and campaign reporting
Historical results are lost with the send history. Write down any standing conclusions before cutover.
Lead Source Attribution Reports
Reporting on where leads come from.
HubSpot: Attribution and source reporting
Depends entirely on the source data mapping above landing cleanly. Sequence it after that.
Custom Report Configurations
Saved report definitions.
HubSpot: Custom reports
Rebuild from the question each answers rather than the layout.
Sales And Marketing Config
Lead Pipelines and Custom Stages
Nutshell's pipelines and the stages within them.
HubSpot: Deal pipelines and stages
Build first. Everything downstream depends on it.
Custom Fields
Custom fields on people, companies and leads.
HubSpot: Custom properties
Map type as well as name, or a text field holding dates makes downstream filtering impossible.
Email Templates and Saved Messages
Reusable message templates used by reps.
HubSpot: Email templates and snippets
Rebuilt by hand, with token names changing.
Email Marketing Campaigns
Broadcasts and drip sequences from Nutshell's marketing side.
HubSpot: Marketing email and workflows
This is a marketing tool inside the CRM, so it is a second migration behind the first. Templates, lists, automations and suppression all move.
Landing Pages and Embedded Forms
Hosted pages and the forms embedded on the website.
HubSpot: Landing pages and forms
Swap every embed at cutover or leads keep arriving in the old system.
Meeting Scheduler Configuration
Nutshell's booking links and availability rules.
HubSpot: The meetings tool
Set up per user. Old booking links stop working, so replace them anywhere they are published.
Lead Scoring and Qualification Rules
How Nutshell ranks and qualifies leads.
HubSpot: Score properties
Built from scratch. The old weights are a hypothesis, not a specification.
Users And Permissions
User Accounts and Roles
Logins and their access levels.
HubSpot: Users and permission sets
Created before the import so record ownership resolves.
Team Definitions
How users are grouped.
HubSpot: Teams
Map intent rather than structure.
Visibility and Access Controls
Restrictions such as who may export data.
HubSpot: Permission sets and record access settings
Export restriction is a specific permission worth checking by name, since it is often the one control a client actually cares about.
Territory and Assignment Rules
Rules assigning records by territory.
HubSpot: Properties plus workflow-based assignment
No territory object in HubSpot. Design the property before the rules.
Integrations
Mailbox and Calendar Sync
Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 connection.
HubSpot: Connected inbox and calendar integration
Per user, not once for the account. Connect before cutover so logging is continuous.
Native App Integrations
Intercom, Slack and other connectors joined to Nutshell.
HubSpot: App Marketplace integrations
Reconnected individually, checking field mapping on each.
Zapier Automations
Zaps connecting Nutshell to other tools.
HubSpot: Updated Zapier scenarios or native workflows
Each needs editing on both sides. Some are better replaced by a native workflow.
Accounting Connections
QuickBooks or Xero connections surfacing invoice data.
HubSpot: App Marketplace accounting integrations
Check what the HubSpot connector actually syncs. Connectors for the same package rarely surface the same fields.
Website Visitor Tracking
Nutshell's on-site tracking script.
HubSpot: The HubSpot tracking code
Swap the script at cutover. Historical visitor data does not come across, so behavioural reporting restarts.
The Sequence
Sync First, Then Migrate
Order is the content here. These are a dependency chain, and running them out of order is a documented way these migrations fail.
- 1
Audit Nutshell Data
inventory people, companies, leads, activities, email campaigns, landing pages, custom fields, and pipelines
- 2
Set up HubSpot Data Sync to Sync People and Companies Bidirectionally
Set up HubSpot Data Sync to sync people and companies bidirectionally
- 3
Verify and Customize Field Mappings (requires Data Hub Starter+ for Custom Mappings)
Verify and customize field mappings (requires Data Hub Starter+ for custom mappings)
- 4
Allow Initial Sync to Complete; Validate Data Quality
Allow initial sync to complete; validate data quality
- 5
Export Leads From Nutshell (via Reporting Tab or Full Account Export ZIP) and Import Into HubSpot as Deals
Export leads from Nutshell (via reporting tab or full account export ZIP) and import into HubSpot as deals
- 6
Use Nutshell API to Extract Activities, Notes, and Email History; Import via HubSpot Engagements API
Use Nutshell API to extract activities, notes, and email history; import via HubSpot Engagements API
- 7
Archive Email Marketing Campaign Data and Performance Metrics From Nutshell
Archive email marketing campaign data and performance metrics from Nutshell
- 8
Rebuild Email Campaigns, Drip Sequences, and Landing Pages in HubSpot Marketing Hub
Rebuild email campaigns, drip sequences, and landing pages in HubSpot Marketing Hub
- 9
Rebuild Pipelines, Automation Rules, and Reports in HubSpot
Rebuild pipelines, automation rules, and reports in HubSpot
- 10
Recreate Forms and Meeting Scheduler in HubSpot
Recreate forms and meeting scheduler in HubSpot
- 11
Update Website Tracking Code From Nutshell to HubSpot Tracking Script
Update website tracking code from Nutshell to HubSpot tracking script
- 12
Disconnect Nutshell Data Sync Once Migration Is Validated
Disconnect Nutshell Data Sync once migration is validated
Typically 3-5 weeks end to end, depending on how much of the source configuration is actually in use.
Effort Estimator
How Big Is This Migration?
A handful of questions, no email required. The ranges come from the research above: every feature we mapped carries an effort figure, and this adds up the ones that apply to you.
Estimated Effort
Answer a couple of questions and an hours range appears here.
Built from our research on 40 Nutshell features. It is a range, not a quote.
A planning range, not a quote. It is delivery effort only, with no project management line and no agency markup, so add your own. What moves it most in practice is data quality.
What Goes Wrong Most Often
The failures that show up again and again, in roughly the order they bite.
Nutshell Has Built-in Email Marketing (a Differentiator Vs. Many CRMs)
migrating to HubSpot means rebuilding all email campaigns, templates, and drip sequences in HubSpot Marketing Hub
Landing Pages Built in Nutshell Must Be Recreated in HubSpot Content Hub or Marketing Hub
no content migration path exists
SMS/text Messaging Capabilities in Nutshell May Require HubSpot's SMS Add-on or a Third-party SMS Tool
SMS/text messaging capabilities in Nutshell may require HubSpot's SMS add-on or a third-party SMS tool
Nutshell's AI-powered Meeting Transcription History Will Not Transfer
Nutshell's AI-powered meeting transcription history will not transfer
Export Visibility May Be Restricted by Admin Settings
ensure export permissions are enabled before starting
Lead Source/channel Tracking in Nutshell Is Automatic; HubSpot Has Its Own Attribution Model That May Map Differently
Lead source/channel tracking in Nutshell is automatic; HubSpot has its own attribution model that may map differently
Questions
Nutshell To HubSpot, Answered
Yes. Data sync, two way, covering 3 objects. What it does not do is rebuild configuration: that is the 34 items below.
Typically 3-5 weeks. Complexity is driven by automation and reporting depth, not by record count: the connector moves records, so a large database is not by itself a long project.
Of 40 features we mapped, 36 (90%) carry across directly and 4 (10%) map partially, meaning something is lost or reshaped. 0 have no HubSpot equivalent at any tier.
34 items have to be rebuilt by hand, and 7 documented limitations are not surfaced by the connector at all. The full list of both is on this page.
HubSpot Free (basic sync); Data Hub Starter+ for custom field mappings
Only in one direction. The sync is not bidirectional here, so a parallel period means picking a system of record and accepting drift in the other.
Ready to get started?
Let's do something great together.
Augment your agency's marketing team's bench with our end-to-end inbound and digital solutions and find out why we're "The HubSpot Agency for HubSpot Agencies."
Fill out this form, and someone from our Solutions team will be in touch with you soon!