Set up automatic formatting for property rules

You can configure automatic formatting rules for custom single-line or multi-line text properties along with some default HubSpot properties. This will allow your team to avoid entering incorrect data. The formatting rules will apply to manual updates in the CRM and the import tool. For example, you can configure the HubSpot default Postal code property to only accept numbers. This means entering 070078ABC will only display 070078.

Please note: automatic formatting is not currently enforced on data entered via the HubSpot mobile app, forms, or workflows.

Manage automatic formatting rules

As a Super Admin or user with Edit property settings permissions, you can set up format requirements. In addition to custom single-line or multi-line text properties you can setup automatic formatting for the following default HubSpot properties:

• Company properties: Street Address, Street Address 2, Annual Revenue, City, Country/Region, Country/Region Code, Employee range, Company name, State/Region, or Postal Code.
• Contact properties: Street Address, Annual Revenue, City, Company Name, Country/Region, Email, First Name, Industry, Job Title, Last Name, Message, Salutation, State/Region, or Postal Code.
• Deal properties: Closed Lost Reason, Closed Won Reason, Deal Name, Next step.
• Listings properties (if activated): Address 1, Address 2, City, Name, Neighborhood, State/Province.
• Services properties (if activated): Description, Name.
• Ticket properties: Ticket name.

To set up property validation rules:

• In your HubSpot account, click the settings settings icon in the top navigation bar.
• In the left sidebar menu, navigate to Properties.
• Click the Select an object dropdown menu, then select [Object] properties to create or edit a property for that object.
• To add validation rules to an existing property, click the property's name, then click the Rules tab in the right panel.
• To create a new property with validation rules, in the upper right, click Create property.
  • Enter the property's details, then click the Field type tab.
  • For the field type, select Single-line text or Multi-line text, then click the Rules tab.
• Select a validation rule option. The options available for automatic formatting are:
  • Allow numbers only
  • Don’t allow special characters ($, %, etc.)
• Toggle the Automatically remove disallowed characters switch on.
• In the upper right, click Save.

Please note: toggling on a rule does not impact existing property values.

Use automatic formatting in the CRM

After you set up formatting rules, you can manually edit property values in the CRM to see the effect. You can edit a record from an index page or on a record.

To edit a record on an index page:

• Navigate to an [object] index page.
• In table view, click a property in the row of the record you want to edit.
• Type to edit a value for the property.
• You can continue to click and edit additional properties in the table, if desired. Your changes will be autosaved.

To edit an individual record:

• Navigate to an [object] index page.
• Click on the name of a record.
• In the left panel, navigate to the property and type to edit. Learn more about editing a record’s property value.
• Click Save.

Use automatic formatting in the import tool

When you import records using properties with formatting rules toggled on, the import tool will automatically clean the data. For example, your import spreadsheet contains values such as 070078ABC in the Postal code column. You map the fields during the import and finish. Once the import is complete, you will see values such as 070078 in the CRM.