HubSpot workflow cleanup checklist

Why workflow cleanups go wrong

A portal that is a year or two old often has 150 workflows, half of them off, a dozen named "Copy of…", and three that set lifecycle stage in different ways. The obvious move is to delete what looks unused. The risk is that "unused" workflows are often load-bearing: one that is off may still be the one a list depends on, and one with no recent enrollments may be the only thing that fires at renewal time.

A good cleanup is less about deleting and more about deciding who controls what. Before you add or remove automation, you want to be able to answer a few questions:

• If two workflows update the same property, which one should control it?
• Can someone explain why a record enrolled in each workflow?
• Does every lead end up with an owner and a next action?
• Do pipeline stages have clear entry and exit criteria that the automation actually enforces?
• When you replace an old workflow, which dependencies need checking before you switch it off?

The checklist below works through those questions in order.

Your options compared

HubSpot sources: Manage your unused workflows, Monitor your workflow health, Troubleshoot common workflow errors, Remove unused assets with account cleanup.

The checklist

Work through it in this order. Don't delete anything until you reach step 9.

1. Inventory every workflow

• [ ] Export or list every workflow: name, ID, object type, on/off, folder, creator, and last updated.
• [ ] Add the trigger, the properties each workflow writes, its dependencies (lists, forms, other workflows), and an owner. A one-line purpose per workflow is enough.
• [ ] Note the workflow count, but don't treat it as a health score.

2. Stale workflows

• [ ] List workflows that are on but haven't enrolled anyone or executed actions in 90 days or more. HubSpot's Unused tab shows workflows that are off or haven't executed actions in the last 90 days. It doesn't count a workflow as unused if a list or another workflow references it.
• [ ] For each one, decide: seasonal or event-driven (keep and document), replaced (archive after step 8), or forgotten (turn off).

3. Empty workflows

• [ ] Find workflows with no actions, or only a delay. They're usually abandoned drafts or "Copy of" duplicates.
• [ ] Check whether anything references them before you delete them (see step 8).

4. Standalone (orphaned) workflows

• [ ] Find workflows with no inbound or outbound connections to other workflows, lists, or shared properties.
• [ ] Standalone isn't bad in itself (a form follow-up often stands alone). Flag the ones that are off and have no owner.

5. Missing or broken triggers

• [ ] Find workflows with no enrollment trigger, or triggers that point at a deleted list, form, or property value.
• [ ] Open Review automation issues on the workflows dashboard to see workflows where enrolled records hit errors. Mark each issue Fixed, Ignored, or Deferred once you've dealt with it, and add a note (Troubleshoot common workflow errors).

6. Duplicate property writes

• [ ] For each key property (lifecycle stage, lead status, contact owner, deal stage, lead source), list every workflow that writes it.
• [ ] Where two or more workflows set the same property, often to the same value, choose one owner. Remove the write from the others, or merge the workflows.
• [ ] In HubSpot, a property's usage list shows which workflows use the property, not which ones write it, so open each workflow and check its edit-record actions. You can filter the workflows dashboard by action type to narrow the list (Organize and manage your workflows).

7. Circular enrollment

• [ ] Look for loops: workflow A sets a property that enrolls the record in workflow B, which sets a property or uses Go to workflow to enroll it back into A.
• [ ] Check re-enrollment settings on both sides, then break the loop by giving one workflow ownership of the property or tightening triggers.

8. Dependencies before you switch anything off

• [ ] For every workflow on your "turn off" or "delete" list, check what it feeds: lists that filter on properties it writes, workflows that enroll on those properties, and workflows that send records into it.
• [ ] In HubSpot, the workflow editor's Connections tab shows the assets a workflow uses and the lists or workflows that reference it (View workflow connections).
• [ ] Turn workflows off before you delete them, and wait at least one business cycle. Deleted workflows can be restored within 90 days (Manage your unused workflows).

9. Retire, merge, or fix

• [ ] Retire: turn off, move to an "Archive" folder, then delete after the waiting period.
• [ ] Merge: combine near-duplicates into one workflow with branches.
• [ ] Fix: repair triggers, remove duplicate writes, and add the missing owner assignment.
• [ ] Revision history (View > Revision History in the editor) lets you revert most workflow changes if a fix goes wrong (View and revert changes to your workflow).

10. Naming and folders

• [ ] Agree on one naming convention, for example Team | Purpose | Object | Detail ("SALES | Routing | Contact | Demo request"). HubSpot's own best-practice material suggests including team or region, purpose, persona, and journey stage.
• [ ] Add a short description to every workflow. HubSpot's workflow search matches names and descriptions.
• [ ] Create folders by purpose or team (Lead routing, Nurture, Data management, Archive) and move workflows in bulk. Enterprise accounts can also use the Workflow Filing Agent to suggest folders for unfiled workflows (Use Filing Agents to organize unfiled content and assets).
• [ ] Rename or remove "Copy of…" workflows.

11. Keep it clean

• [ ] Record the owner of each key property in the property description.
• [ ] Agree a rule for new workflows: name, description, folder, and owner before it's turned on.
• [ ] Re-check every quarter. On Enterprise, HubSpot's Account Cleanup can delete workflows that are turned off and haven't been edited for a period you choose (Remove unused assets with account cleanup).

How to run the cleanup with HubCreate, step by step

1. Connect the client portal over HubSpot OAuth from HubSpot Accounts. (Docs: HubSpot Accounts)
2. Run a Workflow Map from Tools > Workflow Maps. HubCreate scans every workflow and lays them on object-type lanes with their inbound and outbound links. (Docs: What is a workflow map?)
3. Start from the report's key findings. Findings are grouped by severity, with example workflows and a recommended action for each: broken enrollments, empty, stale, standalone, duplicate property writes, missing triggers, circular dependencies, inactive workflows, and possible name duplicates. (Docs: Workflow map report)
4. Isolate conflicts by property. Open the property filter, pick lifecycle stage or owner, and apply. The map keeps only the workflows that write or enroll on that property, so duplicate writes and shared enrollment stand out. Use No Connections in the toolbar to list standalone workflows. (Docs: Navigating the workflow map)
5. Check dependencies before you change anything. Click a card to see its inbound and outbound connections and findings, then use Gather Workflows to pull its neighbors in close. Open in HubSpot takes you to the workflow to make the change. (Docs: Workflow drawer)
6. Agree the plan with the client. Share the public report (no login needed) and add partner comments with your recommendations.
7. Re-scan when you're done. Re-scanning keeps the same map and report URLs. The health score is the share of workflows with no warning or critical flags, so the client can see the before and after.

Where HubCreate fits

HubSpot's Unused tab, Health tab, and automation issues surface workflows that are idle or erroring, and we'd use them in every cleanup. What they don't show is how workflows depend on each other across the portal, which matters most when you decide what is safe to switch off. A Workflow Map fills that gap.

If you also want the rest of the portal reviewed (data quality, lifecycle, each hub), run a Portal Audit alongside the map. Portal Audits are on the Pro (10 per month) and Enterprise (unlimited) plans. Workflow Maps are included on every plan, from Basic at $500/month. See Pricing.

Related guides: How to map and document HubSpot workflows · HubSpot portal audit checklist · How to monitor HubSpot portal health after handover

FAQ

How do I find unused workflows in HubSpot?

Open Automation > Workflows and click the Unused tab. It lists workflows that are turned off or haven't executed any actions in the last 90 days, and it leaves out workflows referenced by a list or another workflow. The Health tab also reports unused workflows over time.

Is it safe to delete HubSpot workflows that are turned off?

Not always. Check first whether a list, another workflow, or a property it writes is still relied on. Turn workflows off and wait before deleting. HubSpot lets you restore deleted workflows within 90 days.

What is a circular workflow in HubSpot?

A loop in which one workflow's action enrolls a record in a second workflow, directly or by setting a property, and the second workflow sends the record back into the first. Loops cause repeated enrollments and property values that flip back and forth.

How do I find workflows that write the same property?

In HubSpot, a property's usage list shows which workflows use it, but you have to open each one to see whether it writes the property. HubCreate Workflow Maps flag duplicate property writes and let you filter the map to the workflows that write or enroll on a chosen property.

What is a good naming convention for HubSpot workflows?

Use a fixed order such as team, purpose, object, and detail, for example "SALES | Routing | Contact | Demo request". Add a one-line description to every workflow and file it in a folder by purpose or team.

How often should a HubSpot portal's workflows be cleaned up?

Do a full cleanup when you inherit a portal or before a major change, then a lighter review every quarter. Re-scanning a workflow map after each change shows whether new issues have appeared.