TL;DR
- By default, a HubSpot merge gives the merged record a new record ID.
- By default, HubSpot removes both merged records from their active workflows.
- Activities and associations from every merged record move to the record that survives.
- HubSpot caps associations per record and blocks records with 250 or more past merges.
- Dedupely merges HubSpot Contacts, Companies, Deals, Leads, Tickets and Custom Objects with rules you preview.
A merge is the one step in a HubSpot cleanup that changes records. Before you run one, you want to know what the merged record will look like and what changes around it.
Dedupely merges through HubSpot's own API, so some of what happens is HubSpot's behavior and some is yours to decide. The record ID, workflows and merge limits come from HubSpot. Which values win, which sets merge and what gets held back come from your settings in Dedupely.
In this post, you'll see what happens to each part of a record when you merge in Dedupely for HubSpot. For HubSpot's own duplicate tools on each plan, see our guide to HubSpot deduplication on free vs. paid plans.
Which HubSpot records Dedupely merges
Dedupely syncs and merges HubSpot Contacts, Companies, Deals, Leads, Tickets and Custom Objects. It works on every HubSpot plan, including the Free version.
A merge always combines records of the same object. A lead and a contact for the same person won't merge, and neither will a company and a deal. Dedupely finds duplicates within each object you turn on, and records from other objects stay out of the match.
Connecting HubSpot needs a Super Admin, or a user with the Merge records permission and Edit permission on the object. Syncing only reads your data. Nothing merges until you start a merge.
Which values the merged record keeps
Every merge keeps one record and decides which value survives in each field. In Dedupely, that comes from one of two places.
Without Merge Rules: HubSpot decides
If you haven't set Merge Rules, Dedupely uses HubSpot's own merge logic. You don't need custom rules to start merging. Here's what HubSpot keeps, as of October 2026.
| Part of the record | What HubSpot keeps |
|---|---|
| Property values | The primary record's values; the other record fills properties that are empty on the primary |
| Contact email | The primary email stays primary; the other is added as an additional email |
| Company domain | The other domain becomes a secondary domain |
| Lifecycle stage | The stage furthest along |
| Create date | The oldest record's create date |
| Property history | Combined from both records |
As of October 2026, from HubSpot's Knowledge Base: Merge records.
With Merge Rules: you decide
Merge Rules let you choose the record that survives. It can be the oldest, the newest, the last updated, the one with the most field data, or a custom choice. Then you set rules field by field, like keeping the owner of the most recent record or the most advanced lifecycle stage.
Blank fields never overwrite existing data. Rules only work on fields that aren't read-only in HubSpot, and changing a rule never changes past merges. Our post on merging CRM records without losing data covers how to choose these rules.
The merged record gets a new record ID
By default, HubSpot gives a merged record a brand-new record ID, and neither original ID is kept. The old IDs redirect to the merged record, and HubSpot lists them in a Merged IDs property. This happens whatever tool starts the merge.
HubSpot also has an opt-in public beta, Primary ID Preservation for Merged Records. Portals enrolled in it keep the primary record's ID instead. Dedupely follows HubSpot's native behavior, so a Dedupely merge keeps the primary's ID only in a portal that's in the beta.
As of October 2026, from HubSpot's Knowledge Base: Merge records.
Inside HubSpot, the redirect keeps links working. Outside HubSpot, any tool that stores HubSpot IDs still points to the old ones. That can be a billing system, a data warehouse, a spreadsheet or a custom integration.
We cover the ID change in more depth in a new ID is created every time you merge in HubSpot.
Merged records leave active workflows
By default, HubSpot unenrolls both records from active workflows when they merge. In portals in the Primary ID Preservation beta, the primary record stays enrolled and only the other record is unenrolled. The merged record also doesn't enroll in new workflows from merge changes, unless the workflow allows enrollment from merges.
As of October 2026, from HubSpot's Knowledge Base: Merge records.
So a contact halfway through a nurture sequence stops there after the merge. Before a large merge, check which workflows matter for the records in it, and decide which merged records to re-enroll.
Activities and associations move to the surviving record
Notes, calls, tasks and the rest of the timeline move to the merged record. So do associations, like the companies, deals and contacts linked to each record. Dedupely keeps them, except where HubSpot's API doesn't allow them to move.
HubSpot sets two limits that can stop a merge:
- Associations: a merge can fail if the merged record would hold more associations than HubSpot allows.
- Past merges: records with a combined total of 250 or more merges can't be merged again.
As of October 2026, from HubSpot's Knowledge Base: Merge records.
Merge choices for HubSpot's limits
Dedupely lets you decide in advance what happens when a set hits one of these limits. You set this in the Safety Settings, with Merge choices for each case.
| When a set has | Your options |
|---|---|
| Too many associations to move | Always ask, merge and keep the associations that fit, or skip |
| Too many past merges in the same record | Always ask, merge by copying the data over, or skip |
Merging automatically on a schedule skips any set whose choice is "Always ask", so those sets wait for a person.
HubSpot records synced with Salesforce
When HubSpot syncs with Salesforce, a merge on one side affects the other. HubSpot's merge page says only the primary contact keeps syncing, and the other contact's Salesforce record stops syncing.
As of October 2026, from HubSpot's Knowledge Base: Merge records.
Dedupely detects an active HubSpot–Salesforce integration and merges the duplicates in both CRMs in one action. Both CRMs must be connected to Dedupely and linked.
If the other CRM isn't connected, the merge is blocked. Dedupely stops anything that could break the sync unless you tell it to move forward.
Our post on merging duplicates with the HubSpot–Salesforce sync on covers this case.
What you can see before and after a merge
Before a set merges, Dedupely shows the winning values in bold in the results. The Preview Merge panel shows the full merged record. If one preview looks wrong, fix the rule, since the same rule decides every merge after it.
After the merge, Merge History records it with the original records, the winning values and a link to the merged record in HubSpot. You can export it as a CSV with the original values and record IDs of every merged record.
Merges can't be undone. They happen directly in HubSpot, and most CRMs can't undo a merge either. Most merges can be undone for 30 days from Merge History, but not HubSpot leads, company merges in a portal synced with Salesforce, or merges made in HubSpot and Salesforce at once. Treat every merge as permanent. When undo doesn't apply, restore the values from the Merge History CSV and reject the false match. See how to undo a merge.
Our playbook on what to do if you merged the wrong records walks through it.
How Dedupely helps you control what a HubSpot merge does
In Dedupely, you build duplicate searches for each HubSpot object and set rules for which value wins. You choose in advance what happens when a set hits HubSpot's association or merge limits, and you preview each merge before it runs. Then you can bulk merge the sets you're sure of and send unclear sets to review.
Know what changes before you merge
Most surprises after a HubSpot merge come from HubSpot's own behavior. That means the new record ID, the workflows records leave and the merge limits. None of that is hidden, but it's easy to miss when you're focused on finding duplicates.
The rest is your choice. Which record survives, which values win and which sets wait for a person are all decided before the merge. Once you've seen the preview, the merge confirms a result you already expect.
Frequently asked questions
Does merging in HubSpot change the record ID?
Yes, by default. HubSpot gives the merged record a new record ID, and the old IDs redirect to it and are listed in a Merged IDs property. Portals in HubSpot's opt-in Primary ID Preservation beta keep the primary record's ID instead. Either way, the result is the same whatever tool starts the merge.
What happens to workflows when you merge HubSpot contacts?
By default, both records are removed from active workflows. In portals in HubSpot's Primary ID Preservation beta, the primary record stays enrolled. Merge changes don't enroll the record in new workflows unless the workflow allows it. Check which workflows matter before a large merge and decide which records to re-enroll.
Does a HubSpot merge keep both email addresses?
Yes. The primary record's email stays primary, and the other email is added to the merged contact as an additional email address. For companies, the other domain becomes a secondary domain, and activities and associations from both records also move to the merged record.
Why would a HubSpot merge fail?
Usually because of HubSpot's limits: a merge can fail if the merged record would hold more associations than HubSpot allows. Records with 250 or more combined past merges can't be merged again. A loop in parent and child company links can also stop a company merge.
Can you undo a merge in HubSpot?
No, HubSpot doesn't support unmerging records. HubSpot's own merge can't be undone, but a Dedupely merge can, for 30 days, from Merge History. HubSpot leads, company merges in a portal synced with Salesforce and merges made in HubSpot and Salesforce at once are the exceptions. Undo is for records that weren't duplicates, so treat every merge as permanent and keep the original values before a large merge. See how to undo a merge.
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