Routing replies with a workflow
When to use this guide: Use this guide when configuring or validating CRM integration behavior.
Once you have successfully connected OutboundSync to your HubSpot portal, you may want to set up lead routing inside of HubSpot.
Creating enrollment triggers
Section titled “Creating enrollment triggers”How to trigger a workflow
Section titled “How to trigger a workflow”Access your HubSpot portal and go to Workflows. In the following example, we will route all replies. However you can also route based on other criteria, such as:
- Sequence Number
- Campaign Name
- Campaign ID
These would allow you to route leads under more specific circumstances, like across a geographic territory, industry vertical, or type of campaign to include omnichannel outreach.
- Create a contact-based workflow: We’re going to create a contact-based workflow to route the newly created contacts to the right person in your HubSpot account.
- Click set up triggers and select filter criteria: Now, we need to trigger or initiate the workflow. Go to set up the triggers and select When filter criteria is met.
- Select or search for OutboundSync triggers: Search for OutboundSync (or scroll down to integration filters).
- Select or search for Reply Properties: Select or search for the OutboundSync. Typically the most useful workflow action uses the Email Reply Properties option, and you could select or search for Occurred.
- In this case, Select Is known (this means any time a reply occurs, we will trigger this workflow).
- Close editor and save enrollment trigger: Now that we have this trigger defined, we need to close the editor and save it so it’s applied.
Consider re-enrollment: You can have contacts be re-enrolled on subsequent triggers of the workflow itself. This may be useful for subsequent replies. It would not be as useful for workflows that apply to a contact once, like assigning a contact after an email is sent and assigned. See How to re-enroll contacts in workflows and Choose one enrollment trigger below.
Choose one enrollment trigger
Section titled “Choose one enrollment trigger”Pick one enrollment event for a reply-routing workflow. Do not OR Email Reply and Lead Category Updated as dual enrollment criteria.
A single reply typically produces both an Email Reply event and a Lead Category Updated event in OutboundSync. If HubSpot enrolls on either event, the contact can run through the same workflow twice for one reply.
| Pattern | Enrollment (integration / app event) | Re-enrollment | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| A — First reply | OutboundSync: Email Reply | Usually off (one-shot owner assignment or notifications) | Default Supered-style reply routing |
| B — Category changes | OutboundSync: Lead Category Updated | On | The sequencer misclassifies a lead, reps retag it manually, or you want every category change to re-run routing |
How to set Pattern A or B in HubSpot: Prefer the workflow enrollment trigger Integration event occurs (OutboundSync app events). Choose OutboundSync: Email Reply or OutboundSync: Lead Category Updated — not both. Older Supered workflows may still enroll via Email Reply Properties → Occurred → Is known (the steps above). That property-filter path is fine for Pattern A; the same rule applies — enroll on one event family only.
Enrollment is not branching. After enrollment, you can still branch on OutboundSync: Lead Category Updates properties → Lead Category ID (see Route by lead category). That branch filter is not an enrollment trigger. Do not use Lead Category ID as the enrollment event.
Sync order vs HubSpot enrollment: OutboundSync still processes EMAIL_REPLY before LEAD_CATEGORY_UPDATED when both are queued for the same lead — see Email reply vs. lead category updated events. The “choose one” rule is about HubSpot double-enrollment, not about changing that sync order. Keep the 1–5 minute Delay before category branching when you enroll on Email Reply.
Determining routing criteria
Section titled “Determining routing criteria”Once you have set your initial workflow filters, the next step is to determine what happens next. See some examples below.
Route by lead category
Section titled “Route by lead category”Establishing the use case
Section titled “Establishing the use case”One of the challenges with using a scaled approach to outbound is that you will generate more replies, including ones you may want to disregard like Out of Office emails. In HubSpot, OutboundSync solves this filtering problem with workflows.
Before we begin, sometimes there is a lag between when lead category or status is applied, and when it flows through from your Sales Engagement Platform into HubSpot. We advise using a Delay action between 1-5 minutes.
Setting the filter criteria
Next, we’re going to want to add a “Branch” filter. To do this, go to OutboundSync to fetch your Lead Category IDs .
Now, select the second option “Based on matching filter criteria” and then name your first branch.
Add a filter to that same branch by clicking on ” + Add filter ” and scrolling down until you locate “OutboundSync” . Choose the filter “OutboundSync: Lead Category Updates properties” and then choose the value “Lead Category ID” from the list.
Change the filter to “is equal to any of” and create branches for each of the unique branches (e.g. Interested, Out of Office, Not Interested).
Defining routing actions
Section titled “Defining routing actions”Now, define any subsequent steps in the workflow.
Here are a few ideas:
- Send an internal email notification: Use an email notification to let your reps know that a reply was received. You can use the custom contact properties to provide additional context to the rep.
- Send to Slack: You can send to Slack via a channel or a direct message. Make sure that the Slack app is installed from the HubSpot App Marketplace. Then add a new action, look for Slack, and configure the notification as you see fit.
- Create a task: You could create a trailing task for a sales rep to ensure the email was followed up on. To enable this, add an action in the workflow to create a task and assign it to the Contact Owner.
Route by sending account
Section titled “Route by sending account”Establishing the use case
Section titled “Establishing the use case”One of the challenges with using a multi-domain, multi-account approach is ensuring that the right leads go to the right person. In HubSpot, OutboundSync solves this mapping problem with workflows.
Let’s say our aim is to direct leads to the appropriate sales representatives based on the initial sending account in our Sales Engagement Platform.
Setting the filter criteria
After applying your filters, you can create a branch in your workflow to further customize the routing of leads. In the example provided, the branch filters are as follows:
If an OutboundSync email is sent and the sender's email contains the name of the representative (e.g. john@, doe@, johndoe@).
OR
If the first OutboundSync email sent has the "From Name" on the email matching the name of the representative. (e.g. John Doe)
Once these criteria are met, you can proceed to assign the lead to the appropriate sales representative using the “Set property value” filter within the branch.
Simply select the sales rep who should be assigned to that lead.
Defining routing actions
Section titled “Defining routing actions”Once the criteria are met, the next step is to assign the lead to the appropriate sales representative using a “Set property value” filter.
Within your branch, choose the sales rep who should be assigned to that lead.
Update lead source on reply
Section titled “Update lead source on reply”When you re-warm existing HubSpot contacts through a sequencer campaign, you may want to stamp Lead source or a custom attribution field when they reply — for example, Instantly.
Use the same Email Reply enrollment trigger above, then add a Set property value action on the property your team uses for attribution.
If you already branch on lead category, add this on your positive-reply branch (for example, Interested) instead of building a separate workflow.
Do not use Last update source for this. That OutboundSync property updates on every synced event, not only replies, and is not the recommended method for source identification. If your source uses Update Only, the contact’s original Record source stays unchanged — this workflow action is the right place to stamp campaign attribution.
