How to create deal follow-up tasks automatically in HubSpot
To create deal follow-up tasks automatically, build a deal-based workflow in your CRM. It starts when a deal reaches a stage, or when nothing happens on the deal for a set time. It then uses a "Create task" action to give the deal owner a task with a due date. The steps below are for HubSpot. Creating tasks with workflows needs a Professional or Enterprise subscription, according to HubSpot's task guide.
Other CRMs have the same idea under other names. Zoho calls them workflow rules with a task action. The steps below carry over.
Why this is worth doing
Most deals end without a clear answer. A study of about 2.5 million sales calls found that 40 to 60% of deals end with no decision (Matt Dixon and Ted McKenna, The JOLT Effect, 2022). The deal just goes quiet.
We think you should follow up every deal until you get a clear yes or no. About 6 touches is normal, and 3 is too few. A task that appears on its own makes that happen without anyone having to remember.
Step 1: Write the rules before you open the CRM
Start with a short list. One row per moment that needs a follow-up.
| When this happens | The task | Due |
|---|---|---|
| A deal is created | Contact the prospect | 1 day |
| Deal moves to "Proposal sent" | Follow up on the proposal | 2 days |
| Deal moves to "Negotiation" | Check where they are | 3 days |
| Deal has no activity | Reach out again | 5 days |
| Close date is coming | Confirm the deal status | 3 days before |
Treat these due dates as a starting point. Change them to fit how long your sales cycle takes.
Step 2: Build the stage workflow
- Go to Automation, then Workflows. Click Create workflow, then From scratch.
- Choose Deal-based.
- Set the enrollment trigger: the deal stage is "Proposal sent". Add a filter so only open deals enroll.
- Add a Delay action. HubSpot has a "Set amount of time" delay, in days, hours and minutes. Set it to 2 days.
- Add a branch to check the deal is still in that stage. If the deal moved on, end the workflow there. This stops a task asking about a proposal that was already signed.
- Add the Create task action. Name it with the deal, ask for the next step, and assign it to the deal owner. Use the data panel to put the deal name in the title.
- Turn the workflow on.
Make one workflow per stage, or one workflow with branches for each stage. Pick the way your team can read it a year from now.
Step 3: Turn on re-enrollment
By default, HubSpot enrolls a record in a workflow only the first time it meets the trigger. A deal that moves back to "Proposal sent" a second time gets no new task.
Open the Settings tab in the workflow and switch Re-enroll on. Choose the trigger that should enroll the deal again. A record that is still in the workflow cannot enroll again until it finishes, so keep the delays short.
Step 4: Catch the quiet deals
A stage workflow does nothing for a deal that sits still. For those, build a second workflow that starts from a date.
- Use the deal's last activity date, or a date property, as the trigger. HubSpot can delay a record until a date or date-time in a property.
- Create a task for the owner: "No activity on this deal. Contact them."
- Add a second step a few days later. If the deal is still open and still quiet, send the task to the owner's manager.
Step 5: Keep the task list short
Too many tasks and your reps stop reading them. Check these every month.
- How many tasks does each rep have overdue?
- Which task type do reps skip most? Cut it or move the due date.
- Do tasks show the deal name, so the rep knows what to do without opening the deal?
HubSpot lets you add a task to a queue and set a reminder email to the task owner. Use a queue for each type of follow-up if your team has a lot of them.
What to test first
Turn on one workflow, for the stage where you lose the most deals. Run it for two weeks. Count how many tasks were done on time. Then add the next one.
If you also need new leads to get an owner at once, read how to set up lead routing in HubSpot.
FAQ
Do I need a paid HubSpot plan to create tasks automatically?
Yes. HubSpot says creating tasks with workflows requires a Professional or Enterprise subscription.
Why did my deal not get a second task when it moved back a stage?
Workflows enroll a record only the first time it meets the trigger. Turn on Re-enroll in the workflow Settings tab to fix that.
How many follow-up tasks should one deal get?
We think about 6 touches is normal before you get a clear yes or no. Three is too few. Set tasks at the moments that matter and stop when the buyer answers.
Can I do this in a CRM that is not HubSpot?
Yes. Most CRMs let you start a workflow when a deal changes and add a task action. Zoho CRM has workflow rules with a task action, for example.