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Understanding Upserts in HubSpot

What is an Upsert? An upsert operation allows you to both insert new records and update existing ones in a single action.Why can’t we use HubSpot Record IDs? HubSpot’s native Record IDs are read-only fields. This means:
  • ✅ You can use them to update existing records
  • ❌ You cannot use them to insert new records (because new records don’t have Record IDs yet)
The Solution: To enable upserts, we need to create a custom unique identifier field in HubSpot that can handle both new and existing records.
Supported Objects: Upserts are available for the following HubSpot objects:CRM Objects: Contacts, Companies, Deals, Leads, TicketsCommerce Objects: Products, Quotes, Line Items, Carts, Discounts, Fees, Invoices, Orders, TaxesEngagement Objects: Calls, Emails, Meetings, Notes, Tasks, Communications, Postal Mails

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Part 1: Setup in HubSpot

Why are we doing this? We need to create a custom unique identifier field in HubSpot that works for both new and existing records, since the built-in Record ID cannot be used for inserts.
1

Click Settings in HubSpot

Click the Settings button that’s on the navigation bar.
HubSpot Settings
2

Navigate to Properties

Scroll down the Settings sidebar menu on the left and click on Properties
Properties Menu
3

Create a new property

Select the Object in which you want to create this new field in then click on the orange colored button on the right called Create property
Create Property
4

Fill in property details

Fill in the details of the field.
Property Details
5

Set field type to Number

Choose Number as the field type.
Field Type
6

Make the field unique

Important: Make sure to check the “Unique value” option (as shown in the image). This ensures each record has a distinct identifier. Click the orange Create button on the top right.
Unique Value Option
Why make it unique? This field will be used to identify records. Making it unique prevents duplicate records and ensures accurate upserts.

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Part 2: Setup and Upsert in Superjoin

What are we doing now? We’ll prepare your Google Sheets with the custom unique identifier, validate it with HubSpot, and then perform upserts.
1

Create the unique identifier field in Google Sheets

In your Google Sheet, create a new column with the same name as the HubSpot field you just created.
Create Column in Google Sheets
The column name must match exactly with your HubSpot property name for proper mapping.
2

Populate the field with unique values

Now you need to fill this column with unique values:

For existing records

Copy the HubSpot Record IDs into this new field

For new records

Use any unique numbers (e.g., 10001, 10002, etc.)
Populate Unique Values
⚠️ Every value in this column must be unique. Duplicates will cause upsert failures.
Don’t have Record IDs? If you don’t have Record IDs for existing records, check out the FAQ: What if I don’t have Record IDs? below to learn how to import them from HubSpot first.
3

Choose Update action

Why this step? Before HubSpot allows upserts using your custom field, it needs to see the field populated with data at least once. We’ll do a one-time update to validate it.Choose the Update action and click Next.
Choose Update Action
4

Map fields including custom ID

Map all the fields to their respective HubSpot fields, including your new custom unique identifier field. Click Save and then click Export.
Map Fields
5

Select entire sheet to update

Select the Entire Sheet option, then click Next and update the data.
Select Entire Sheet
6

Validation complete

What happened? Your existing records were updated with the custom unique identifier values. New records were skipped (since the Update action can’t insert new data).Your custom field is now validated and ready for upserts! ✅
Validation Results
This validation step only needs to be done once. After this, you can perform upserts freely.
7

Choose Upsert action

Now the magic happens! You can update existing records AND insert new records in a single operation.Choose the Upsert action and click Next.
Choose Upsert Action
8

Map fields for upsert

Map your fields carefully:
  • ✅ Do include: Your custom unique identifier field and all data fields you want to sync
  • ❌ Don’t include: HubSpot Record ID field or any Superjoin-generated metadata fields (like sync timestamps)
Click Save and then click Export.
Map Upsert Fields
9

Select rows to upsert

Select the entire sheet or specific rows you want to upsert, then click Next and run the upsert.
Select Rows
10

Upsert complete!

🎉 Success! Your data has been upserted to HubSpot.What just happened:
  • Existing records (matched by your custom unique ID) were updated
  • New records were inserted into HubSpot
  • All in one seamless operation!
Upsert Success
This completes the process of using Superjoin to upsert data from Google Sheets to HubSpot.
Below are the steps to automate this process.
11

Automate the process

Now you’ll see a card called Automatic Exports. Click on the Create Schedule button.
Automatic Exports
12

Create a schedule

Configure the frequency in which you want this upsert process to repeat.
Schedule Configuration

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Summary

You’ve successfully set up upserts from Google Sheets to HubSpot! Here’s what you accomplished:
  1. ✅ Created a custom unique identifier field in HubSpot (since Record IDs are read-only)
  2. ✅ Populated your Google Sheets with unique values
  3. ✅ Validated the field with an initial update
  4. ✅ Enabled seamless upserts that can insert new records and update existing ones
Now you can modify data in Google Sheets and push all changes to HubSpot in one operation!

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Frequently Asked Questions

No, you cannot use multiple primary keys for upsert operations.HubSpot requires a single unique identifier to match and upsert records. Here’s why:
  • How upserts work: When you perform an upsert, HubSpot looks at the unique identifier field to determine if a record already exists. If it finds a match, it updates that record; if not, it creates a new one.
  • Why only one: Having multiple primary keys would create ambiguity. For example, if Record ID matches but your custom ID doesn’t, HubSpot wouldn’t know whether to update the existing record or create a new one.
  • Record ID limitation: Remember that HubSpot Record IDs cannot be used as the primary key for upserts because they are read-only and don’t exist for new records yet.
Best practice: Use your custom unique identifier field (the one you created in this guide) as the single source of truth for all upsert operations.
This error means HubSpot doesn’t have a validated unique identifier field to use for matching records during upsert operations.Quick fix - follow these steps:
  1. Create a custom unique field in HubSpot:
    • Go to Settings → Properties in HubSpot
    • Create a new Number field with the “Unique value” option enabled
  2. Add the field to Google Sheets:
    • Create a column with the same name as your HubSpot field
    • Fill it with unique values (use Record IDs for existing records, unique numbers for new records)
  3. Validate the field:
    • Run a one-time Update operation (not upsert) to push the unique values to HubSpot
    • This validates the field and populates existing records with your custom IDs
  4. Now try upsert again:
    • Select the Upsert action
    • Map your custom unique identifier field
    • Your upserts will now work!
Tip: Make sure you’ve completed the validation step (step 3). Without it, HubSpot won’t recognize your custom field as valid for upsert operations.
HubSpot Record IDs are read-only fields, which creates a fundamental limitation for upsert operations.Here’s the problem:For existing records:
  • ✅ Record IDs work perfectly for updates
  • Every existing record already has a Record ID assigned by HubSpot
For new records:
  • ❌ Record IDs don’t exist yet - they’re only assigned after a record is created
  • You can’t provide a Record ID when inserting a new record
  • This makes Record IDs incompatible with the “insert” part of “upsert”
What is an upsert?
  • An upsert combines insert (create new records) + update (modify existing records) in one operation
  • It needs a unique identifier that works for both scenarios
The solution:
  • Create a custom unique identifier field that you control
  • For existing records: populate it with Record IDs or other unique values
  • For new records: assign unique numbers (e.g., 10001, 10002, etc.)
  • This field works for both inserts and updates, enabling true upsert functionality
In summary: Record IDs are perfect for updates only, but upserts need a field that can handle both new and existing records - which is why you need a custom unique identifier.
If you don’t already have HubSpot Record IDs in your Google Sheet, you’ll need to import them first. Record IDs are required for existing records to properly identify and update them during upserts.Solution: Import data from HubSpot firstUse Superjoin to import your existing HubSpot records into Google Sheets, which will automatically pull the Record IDs along with your data:
  1. Import your HubSpot data:
    • Use Superjoin’s import feature to pull data from HubSpot
    • Make sure to include the Record ID field in your import
    • This will create a sheet with all your existing records and their HubSpot Record IDs
  2. Populate your custom unique field:
    • Copy the Record IDs from the imported data
    • Paste them into your custom unique identifier field
    • For any new records you want to add, use unique numbers (e.g., 10001, 10002, etc.)
  3. Continue with the upsert process:
    • Follow the validation and upsert steps from this guide
    • Your existing records will be matched using the Record IDs you imported
Why is this necessary?
  • Existing records: Need their original HubSpot Record IDs so the system can match and update them correctly
  • New records: Can use any unique numbers since they don’t exist in HubSpot yet
  • Without Record IDs: You risk creating duplicate records instead of updating existing ones
Need help importing? Check out our complete guide on importing data from HubSpot to learn how to pull your existing records with their Record IDs.
Hope this guide helped you export your data from Google Sheets to HubSpot using Superjoin.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team. Thank you!