CRM migration

Migrate from Simply CRM to HubSpot

Field-level mapping, validation, and rollback between Simply CRM and HubSpot. We move data and schema; workflows are rebuilt natively in HubSpot.

Simply CRM logo

Simply CRM

Source

HubSpot

Destination

HubSpot logo

Compatibility

100%

13 of 13

objects map 1:1 between Simply CRM and HubSpot.

Complexity

BStandard

Timeline

48–72 hours

Rollback included Accuracy guarantee Field-level validation

Overview

What this migration involves

Simply CRM is built on the SugarCRM Professional engine and stores records in a traditional relational model — contacts linked to accounts, deals with stage pick-lists and probability values, and activities logged as separate objects with owner IDs and timestamps. The platform supports custom fields and has a documented REST API for export, though review evidence shows that export output sometimes diverges from what records display inside the application — a discrepancy teams need to account for before migration begins. HubSpot uses a flat properties-bag model for contacts and companies, a separate deals object with configurable pipelines and stage values, and an engagement model for calls, emails, and meetings. HubSpot has no native Lead object; Simply CRM leads route to HubSpot contacts with a lifecycle_stage property that captures progression state. The migration carries contacts, companies, deals, notes, tasks, and custom field data into HubSpot's schema. Simply CRM workflows, automation rules, and assignment logic do not transfer — those must be rebuilt in HubSpot workflows. FlitStack AI sequences the migration to resolve foreign-key dependencies (companies first, then contacts, then deals), runs a sample migration with field-level diff, and captures a delta window during cutover so any in-flight changes in Simply CRM are reflected in HubSpot at go-live.

Field-level fidelity

Every standard and custom field arrives verified.

Schema-aware mapping

AI proposes the map; you confirm before any record moves.

Relationships preserved

Parent–child, lookups, and ownership stay linked.

Full activity history

Calls, emails, meetings — with original timestamps.

Attachments & notes

Documents, uploads, and inline notes move with the record.

Why teams make this switch

Two sides of the same decision

Leaving

Simply CRM logo

Simply CRM

What's pushing teams away

  • At least one user reported significant discrepancies between on-screen record data and exported CSV data, creating billing disputes with vendors — a data integrity concern during routine export operations.
  • Users coming from more feature-rich CRMs have reported that the platform lacks the depth of customization options available in competitors, causing them to outgrow the tool.
  • Sync issues attributed to server traffic and response delays have been noted as a source of friction, particularly during high-activity periods.
  • Some users have flagged that document and presentation tracking is either unavailable or insufficient for their workflow needs, requiring workarounds.

Choosing

HubSpot logo

HubSpot

What's pulling them in

  • Lowest barrier to entry of any major CRM — the free tier with unlimited contacts lets teams validate fit before committing to a paid plan, according to G2 and Capterra reviewers.
  • Native integration between the CRM and sales engagement tools (sequences, email tracking, dialer) means no separate sync configuration, a theme across G2 Sales Hub reviews.
  • Pipeline visualization, deal tracking, and automated workflows are consistently praised as intuitive and easy to set up without developer involvement.
  • Strong onboarding for new team members — reviewers on Capterra and G2 highlight how quickly new reps become productive without formal training.
  • The HubSpot platform ecosystem (Marketing, Sales, Service, CMS hubs) allows growing companies to consolidate tools without building new integrations.

Object mapping

How Simply CRM objects map to HubSpot

Each row shows how a Simply CRM object lands in HubSpot, including any object-level transformations, lookup resolution, or schema-design dependencies.

Typical mapping — final map is confirmed during the sample migration step.

Simply CRM

Contact

maps to

HubSpot

Contact

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM contacts map directly to HubSpot contacts. The contact's primary account link resolves to HubSpot's primary company association. Emails, names, phone numbers, job titles, and addresses transfer as HubSpot properties. Owner assignment resolves by email match against HubSpot users.

Simply CRM

Lead

maps to

HubSpot

Contact

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM leads have no direct HubSpot equivalent because HubSpot consolidates leads and contacts into one object. Lead records migrate as HubSpot contacts with a lifecycle_stage property value of 'lead'. Lead status (New, Assigned, Converted) is preserved as a custom property.

Simply CRM

Account

maps to

HubSpot

Company

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM accounts map to HubSpot companies. Company name, domain, industry, employee count, and annual revenue transfer as matching HubSpot company properties. Parent-account hierarchies in Simply CRM map to HubSpot's parent company field if configured. If a parent-account hierarchy exists, the top-level account becomes the primary HubSpot company, and child accounts are linked via the parent‑company association to preserve organizational context.

Simply CRM

Deal

maps to

HubSpot

Deal

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM deals migrate to HubSpot deals with deal name, amount, close date, and stage. Stage values are mapped value-by-value to the corresponding HubSpot pipeline stage name. Probability percentages are stored as a custom field since HubSpot stage probabilities are not exposed as importable properties.

Simply CRM

Pipeline

maps to

HubSpot

Deal Pipeline

1:1
Fully supported

If Simply CRM uses multiple pipelines (via custom modules or separate modules), each pipeline becomes a separate HubSpot deal pipeline. HubSpot allows multiple pipelines with independent stage sets. The migration plan specifies the pipeline name and stage list before the import runs.

Simply CRM

Call

maps to

HubSpot

Engagement (Call)

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM logged calls transfer as HubSpot call engagement records on the associated contact timeline. Duration, call date, direction (inbound/outbound), and disposition notes migrate as engagement metadata properties. Owner and original timestamp are preserved. Call recordings, if stored in Simply CRM, are downloaded and attached to the HubSpot call engagement as a file link, allowing users to playback directly from the contact record.

Simply CRM

Email

maps to

HubSpot

Engagement (Email)

1:1
Fully supported

Logged emails in Simply CRM migrate as HubSpot email engagements on the contact timeline. Subject line, body content, timestamp, and associated contact links are preserved. Attachments are downloaded and re-uploaded to HubSpot file storage. Email headers, including the sender and recipient addresses, are captured in HubSpot's engagement metadata to maintain full context for future reference and reporting.

Simply CRM

Meeting

maps to

HubSpot

Engagement (Meeting)

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM meetings (with subject, start/end time, location, and attendees) migrate as HubSpot meeting engagements on the contact timeline. Original meeting start/end timestamps and the meeting title are preserved. Attendee contact links are rebuilt in HubSpot. If a meeting includes external guests without a HubSpot contact record, FlitStack AI creates a placeholder contact to link the meeting, ensuring the engagement timeline remains complete.

Simply CRM

Note

maps to

HubSpot

Note

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM notes transfer as HubSpot contact or company notes with the original body text, author (matched by email to HubSpot user), and creation timestamp. Rich-text formatting is preserved where Simply CRM stores it as HTML. If a note references other records, such as linked deals or tasks, FlitStack AI maps those associations to HubSpot's note-to-record links, maintaining relational integrity across the migrated dataset.

Simply CRM

Task

maps to

HubSpot

Task

1:1
Fully supported

Open and completed tasks in Simply CRM migrate as HubSpot tasks with subject, due date, status, priority, and associated contact link. Completed tasks are marked done in HubSpot. Uncompleted tasks retain their open status. If a task's assigned user does not have a HubSpot owner record, FlitStack AI flags the task for owner mapping and allows your team to assign a fallback owner before the migration runs.

Simply CRM

Custom Field (Contact)

maps to

HubSpot

Contact Property

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM custom fields on contacts are read from the API and created as HubSpot contact properties before import. Property type is inferred from Simply CRM's field type (text, number, date, picklist). Pick-list custom fields use HubSpot option maps. If a picklist contains values not present in HubSpot's default set, FlitStack AI creates a custom option list and maps each legacy value to the new options, preserving the original data semantics.

Simply CRM

Custom Field (Deal)

maps to

HubSpot

Deal Property

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM custom fields on deals are created as HubSpot deal properties before migration. Number and currency fields transfer directly. Text fields become string properties. Date fields use HubSpot date property type. If a custom field stores a multi-select picklist, FlitStack AI creates a HubSpot checkbox or multi-checkbox property and maps each selected value, ensuring no data loss during the import.

Simply CRM

Document/Attachment

maps to

HubSpot

HubSpot File

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM document attachments associated with contacts, accounts, or deals are downloaded, then uploaded to HubSpot Files. They are linked back to the associated contact or deal record via HubSpot's file-to-record association model. File metadata such as the original upload date, file size, and author information is preserved as HubSpot file properties, enabling accurate recordkeeping and searchability within the platform.

Gotchas + challenges

What specifically takes care here

Platform-specific issues from each side, plus the pair-specific challenges that don't show up on either platform's page on its own.

Simply CRM logo

Simply CRM gotchas

Medium

SugarCRM Professional edition gates certain modules

High

Export discrepancies between screen records and CSV output

Medium

Custom field schema varies per installation

Medium

Workflow automations do not survive migration

HubSpot logo

HubSpot gotchas

High

Marketing Contacts billing model is migration-critical

High

Feature tier gating is not visible until onboarding

Medium

Mandatory onboarding fees inflate year-one cost

Medium

HubSpot CSV importer cannot migrate engagements or attachments

Medium

Custom objects require Enterprise and a pre-existing schema

Pair-specific challenges

  • Export output discrepancy — records display differently than exported data

    Simply CRM review evidence shows that exported records sometimes do not match what displays inside the application. This creates a migration risk: bulk exports used as the migration source may contain stale or inconsistent field values. FlitStack AI mitigates this by pulling data directly from the Simply CRM REST API rather than relying on CSV exports, verifying field counts and values against API responses, and cross-checking a sample of records against their in-app state before committing the migration dataset.

  • Lead-to-contact model requires lifecycle_stage assignment logic

    Simply CRM separates leads and contacts into distinct objects with a manual convert workflow. HubSpot has no separate Lead object — all records land as Contacts with a lifecycle_stage property tracking their state. FlitStack AI routes Simply CRM leads to HubSpot contacts with lifecycle_stage set based on the source lead status: 'Converted' leads become 'customer', 'Assigned' or 'In Progress' leads become 'salesqualifiedlead', and 'New' leads default to 'lead'. The original lead status is preserved as a custom property for audit continuity.

  • Multiple pipelines require pre-migration HubSpot pipeline configuration

    Simply CRM setups that use more than one pipeline — whether through separate modules or custom configurations — require corresponding HubSpot deal pipelines to be created before the migration runs. HubSpot's pipeline and stage configuration is a destination-side setup step. FlitStack AI delivers a pipeline-mapping specification as part of the migration plan so your HubSpot admin can pre-create the pipeline structure and stage names before data lands. This pre‑creation step ensures that deal records map directly to existing pipeline stages, preventing import errors and preserving probability calculations across all records.

  • Activity associations require contact records to exist first

    Simply CRM logs calls, emails, and meetings with a related-to field pointing to a contact or account. HubSpot engagements must attach to a contact record that already exists in HubSpot. If Simply CRM activities reference contacts that are not in the migration dataset (excluded by filter or absent from the API response), FlitStack AI flags the orphaned activities and surfaces them in the field-level diff report for your team to decide whether to include those contacts in the migration.

  • Owner resolution by email — unmatched users need a fallback

    Simply CRM's assigned_user_id on contacts, accounts, and deals resolves to HubSpot owners by matching the Simply CRM user email against HubSpot user email addresses. Simply CRM users who do not have a corresponding HubSpot user are flagged before migration. FlitStack AI does not assign records to unresolved owners — instead, the migration plan lists unmatched users so your team can either create HubSpot accounts for them or assign their records to a designated fallback owner.

Migration approach

Six steps for a successful Simply CRM to HubSpot data migration

  1. Audit Simply CRM data via API

    FlitStack AI connects to your Simply CRM instance via the REST API and pulls a full inventory of records: contact count, account count, deal count, activity volumes, and custom field metadata. This inventory determines the migration scope and identifies any records with null required fields, missing owner assignments, or unusual data patterns that need attention before the migration plan is written.

  2. Create HubSpot properties and pipelines

    Before any data moves, FlitStack AI creates the HubSpot contact properties, deal properties, and deal pipelines needed to receive Simply CRM data. Custom fields from Simply CRM are created as HubSpot properties with inferred types. Multi-pipeline Simply CRM setups result in multiple HubSpot pipelines configured with the correct stage names and probability values specified in the mapping plan. Each property is labeled according to the original Simply CRM field name for straightforward identification, and any picklist fields are populated with the appropriate option set before the migration dataset is loaded.

  3. Migrate accounts, then contacts, then deals, then activities

    The migration follows a dependency order to preserve relationships: companies first (HubSpot companies must exist before contacts can link to them), contacts second (HubSpot contacts must exist before engagements can attach to them), deals third (deals link to companies), and activities last. Simply CRM leads are processed in the contacts phase with lifecycle_stage assignment applied. FlitStack AI generates a sequencing report before the run so your team can verify the order.

  4. Run sample migration with field-level diff

    A representative slice — typically 200–500 records covering contacts, accounts, deals, and several activity types — migrates first. FlitStack AI generates a field-level diff report comparing source values against destination values for every mapped field. Your team reviews the diff to confirm lifecycle_stage assignment, pipeline-to-stage mapping, owner resolution, and custom field population before the full migration is approved. The diff also flags any records with missing required fields, duplicate email addresses, or unresolved owners, giving your team a clear checklist to address before proceeding.

  5. Execute full migration with delta-pickup window

    The full migration runs against HubSpot production. A delta-pickup window (typically 24–48 hours) captures any records created or modified in Simply CRM during the cutover period. All operations are logged in the audit trail. If reconciliation fails — a record count mismatch, missing associations, or duplicate detection — FlitStack AI provides a one-click rollback plan that reverts the HubSpot environment to its pre-migration state while your team resolves the issue.

Platform deep dives

Context on both ends of the pair

Simply CRM logo

Simply CRM

Source

Strengths

  • Built on SugarCRM Professional with decades of stability behind the data model
  • Per-user monthly pricing from $12 with a 14-day free trial and no credit card required
  • Responsive customer support cited frequently across user reviews
  • Intuitive interface designed to reduce CRM complexity and improve adoption rates
  • Contact management, sales pipeline, and reporting available without additional modules

Weaknesses

  • Limited documented API surface beyond basic REST endpoints — bulk export requires careful planning
  • Data export discrepancies reported by at least one user, raising data integrity questions
  • Fewer native integrations compared to HubSpot, Salesforce, or Zoho
  • Limited advanced customization — teams with complex data models may outgrow the platform
  • Sync reliability concerns under heavy server load have been documented in reviews
HubSpot logo

HubSpot

Destination

Strengths

  • Genuinely useful free CRM tier with no seat limit on contact records.
  • All-in-one sales engagement layer (sequences, email tracking, calling, dialer) embedded natively in the CRM, eliminating a separate integration.
  • Intuitive interface and fast onboarding for individual reps, per G2 and Capterra reviews.
  • Workflow automation triggers across contacts, deals, and tickets with a visual builder.
  • API coverage for all standard objects including custom objects at Enterprise tier.

Weaknesses

  • Pricing model is contact-based at the marketing layer — importing all records as marketing contacts can multiply the monthly bill by 4×.
  • Feature tier cliffs are frequent surprises: sequences, calling, advanced reporting, and quoting are all gated, often requiring plan upgrades mid-implementation.
  • Mandatory onboarding fees at Professional ($1,500) and Enterprise ($3,500) are not prominently disclosed on the pricing page.
  • API rate limits are restrictive for bulk migration — burst limits of 100-200 req/10sec and search endpoint limits of 4 req/sec require careful job queuing.
  • Custom objects, additional pipelines, and advanced forecasting are Enterprise-only, making cost projections difficult for growing teams.

Complexity grading

How hard is this migration?

Standard CRM migration. 2 of 8 objects need a mapping; the rest are 1:1.

B

Overall complexity

Standard migration

Derived from compatibility, mapping clarity, API constraints, and data volume across Simply CRM and HubSpot.

  • Object compatibility

    B

    2 of 8 objects need a mapping; the rest are 1:1.

  • Field mapping clarity

    C

    Field mapping is derived from defaults — final spec confirmed during the sample migration.

  • Timeline complexity

    B

    8-object category — typical timelines run 2–7 days end-to-end.

  • API constraints

    B

    Simply CRM: Not publicly documented.

  • Data volume sensitivity

    B

    Simply CRM doesn't expose a bulk API — REST + parallelization used for high-volume runs.

Estimator

Estimate your Simply CRM to HubSpot migration cost

Rule-based pricing — no per-record fees, no manual quotes. Migrations over 2M records are scoped individually.

Step 1

What are you migrating?

Pick a category, then your source and destination platforms.

Category

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Simply CRM to HubSpot data migrations

Answers to the questions buyers ask most during Simply CRM to HubSpot migration scoping. Not seeing yours? Book a call.

Can't find your answer?

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Book a free 30 minute consultation

Most Simply CRM to HubSpot migrations complete in 48–72 hours for under 50,000 total records. Larger datasets with 200,000+ records or Simply CRM setups that include multiple pipelines and many custom fields extend the timeline to 7–14 days. The process begins with a scoping audit, proceeds through a sample migration with a field-level diff, then runs the full import, and ends with a delta-pickup window that captures any last‑minute changes before go‑live.

Adjacent paths

Related migrations to explore

Ready when you are

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