Marketing Sales and Service Blog | Bluleadz Inbound Agency

Blog | A Cin7 to HubSpot Integration Guide

Written by Jeff Previte | 5/20/24 2:12 PM

Unlock the full potential of your business operations by seamlessly integrating Cin7 with HubSpot. This guide walks you through every step of the process.

 

 

Exploring the Features and Benefits of Cin7

Cin7 is a cloud-based inventory management solution that allows businesses to manage their sales channels, inventory, point of sale, and supply chain in one unified platform. With features such as real-time stock visibility, automated order processes, and detailed reporting, Cin7 helps streamline operations and reduce manual tasks.

The benefits of Cin7 include improved inventory accuracy, better supply chain management, and enhanced sales and customer service through timely and accurate order fulfillment.

By leveraging Cin7's robust integrations, businesses can connect to e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, and third-party logistics providers, making it a versatile tool for managing a complex retail and wholesale operation.

The platform's scalability also means it can grow with the business, accommodating increased volume and complexity without sacrificing performance.

Understanding the Advantages of Integrating Cin7 with HubSpot

Integrating Cin7 with HubSpot provides a powerful combination for businesses looking to align their sales and inventory management. HubSpot's CRM capabilities enable teams to maintain detailed customer data, manage marketing campaigns, and track sales activities.

By connecting Cin7 to HubSpot, businesses can ensure that customer information and sales data are synchronized, leading to more personalized customer interactions and streamlined order processing.

The integration allows for the seamless transfer of data between systems, reducing the likelihood of errors and saving time on data entry. With a unified view of customers and inventory, teams can work more efficiently, and management can make better-informed decisions based on comprehensive data analytics.

This synergy between front-end sales and back-end logistics is crucial for delivering a consistent and efficient customer experience.

Preparing Your HubSpot and Cin7 Accounts for Integration

Before initiating the integration process, it's crucial to ensure that both your HubSpot and Cin7 accounts are properly set up and ready to communicate with each other. Start by verifying that you have administrative access to both platforms. Cleanse your data in both systems to prevent any discrepancies post-integration. This includes deduplicating contacts, ensuring product codes match, and updating inventory levels.

Additionally, establish clear mapping for data fields to ensure the correct information is shared between Cin7 and HubSpot. Decide which data points are essential for synchronization, such as customer details, product information, and order history. Setting up these parameters beforehand will lead to a smoother integration process and more effective data management post-integration.

Executing the HubSpot and Cin7 Integration

The integration between Cin7 and HubSpot can be an involved process, as you'll need to follow different steps depending on the integration method you use. To connect Cin7 using an API, you'll need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Generate an API Key in Cin7

To generate an API key in Cin7 Omni:

  • Log into Cin7 Omni as an administrator
  • Open "Settings" from the user menu
  • Under "Integrations & API", select "API v1"
  • Note your API Username
  • Select "Add New API Connection"
  • Give your connection a name—preferably something short and descriptive like "HubSpot API"
  • Note your API Key for HubSpot
    • Copy/pasting the key into an "integration" document may help
  • Select "Back to setup" and continue to the next step in HubSpot

Step 2: Set up a Private App Authentication Token or Use OAuth

HubSpot has deprecated the HubSpot API Keys tool. Now, to authenticate a HubSpot integration like Cin7, you'll need to use a private app access token or use OAuth. To create a new private app:

  • Go to "Integrations" under the "Account Setup" heading in the "Settings" menu (gear icon)
  • Click on the "Private Apps" option from the dropdown menu
  • Click on the "Create a private app" button
  • Configure the details of your app, such as the app's name and descripton
  • Hover over the placeholder logo and click the "Upload icon" option to upload a square image to serve as the logo for your app
  • Click the "Scopes" tab
  • Select the scopes to authorize based on the APIs that your integration will use
  • Select the read or write checkboxes next to the matching scopes
  • When finished, click "Create app"
    • Note: You can edit your app scope and other details after you create your app
  • Review your app's information and click "Continue creating"
  • Go to the "Details" tab of your app and click "Show token" to see the authorization token

To use OAuth:

  • Create an app per the instructions above
  • Locate the app's client ID and client secret in the "Auth" page of the app's settings
  • Using the client ID, client secret, query parameters, and scopes, build an authorization URL

Step 3: Set Up HubSpot Permissions in Cin7

In your Cin7 API connections list, there should be a listing for HubSpot. To set up HubSpot permission in Cin7:

  • Click on the HubSpot connection
  • Select "Permissions" and enable:
    • Contacts: create, read, update, and delete
    • Product categories: read
    • Products: read
    • Users: read
  • Select "Save"

Step 4a: Install the HubSpot Integration App from Cin7

To install Cin7's integration with HubSpot:

  • Go to the Cin7 App Store
  • Go to the "Sales & Marketing" tab
  • Select "HubSpot"
  • Select "Help and Support"
  • Click on "Install app"

Step 4b: Install the Cin7 Integration from HubSpot

Install the appropriate HubSpot app for the Cin7 Omni or Cin7 Core data sync. To do this:

  • Open the HubSpot App Marketplace (the shop icon in the main HubSpot nav)
  • Type Cin7 into the search bar
  • Click on the appropriate Cin7 app (Omni or Core)
  • Click on the "Install App" button in the upper right of the screen
  • Follow the installation wizard's instructions

Step 5: Create Custom Mappings in HubSpot

After installing the integration app:

  • Go to "settings" in HubSpot
  • Expand the "Integrations" dropdown under the "Account Setup" header in the left nav menu
  • Click on "Connected Apps"
  • Select Cin7 from the list
  • Click on "[Object name] sync"
  • In the "Configure" tab, click on "+add a mapping"
  • Select the appropriate options from the dowpdowns

Step 6: Test and Review

Test the integration thoroughly to ensure that data flows accurately and in real-time before going live. It's important to monitor the integration for the first few weeks to quickly address any issues that may arise.

Quick Tips to Optimize Your Cin7 and HubSpot Integration for Maximum Efficiency

After successfully executing the integration, continuous optimization is key to maintaining efficiency. Regularly review the data flow and check for any discrepancies or bottlenecks that could be slowing down processes.

Keep an eye on the evolving features of both Cin7 and HubSpot, as updates may offer new opportunities for enhanced integration.

Consider leveraging advanced features like workflow automation in HubSpot to further streamline operations based on the data received from Cin7.

For example, set up automated email campaigns triggered by inventory levels or customer purchase history. By constantly refining the integration, you can ensure that your business is making the most of both platforms to achieve operational excellence and superior customer satisfaction.

Need Help Managing Your HubSpot Integrations?

Reach out to the experts at Bluleadz for more information and advice about integrating your other tools into your HubSpot platform.