To create a HubSpot workflow, go to Automation > Workflows, click Create workflow and choose From scratch, With AI or From template, then set your enrolment triggers, add actions and switch it on from Review and publish. You need Edit permissions for workflows, or Super Admin, to build one, and Publish permissions to turn it on.
Here's the catch. By default, a record only enrols in a workflow the first time it meets the triggers. If you expect a contact to go through again every time they fill in a form, you have to switch on re-enrolment. Even then, a record that's still working through the workflow can't re-enrol until it has completed it.
Three ways to start a workflow
| Option | How it works, as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| From scratch | Pick your enrolment triggers and the object type yourself: manual enrolment, a set frequency, or specific triggers |
| With AI | Describe it to Breeze Assistant, which builds the triggers and actions; HubSpot suggests a When this happens, then do this prompt |
| From template | Choose from the template library, filtered by Hub plan or objective, with a Compatible with my plan only switch |
The number of workflows you can create depends on your subscriptions, and some object types, such as quote or contract based workflows, need specific subscription types. HubSpot also notes that some features need HubSpot Credits and some need seats. Templates show an Overview with any prerequisites, plus the author and install count, before you click Use template.
How to build a workflow, step by step
- Go to Automation > Workflows (under More if you see it), click Create workflow and choose how to start.
- Click the Trigger enrollment box and set your enrolment triggers in the left panel, or choose manual enrolment instead.
- On the Settings tab, switch on Re-enroll if you need it and choose the re-enrolment triggers, then set your unenrolment criteria.
- Click the + plus icon, choose an action, fill in the details and click Save.
- On bigger builds, open the minimap from Show minimap panel to jump around and spot actions flagged in yellow.
- Check Settings for execution, notification and metric options.
- Click Review and publish, choose whether to enrol existing records, then click Turn on workflow.
Enrolment triggers and re-enrolment
Enrolment triggers are the criteria that pull records in automatically. For example, you can enrol every contact who submitted a specific form, send them a marketing email and assign them to a user. Workflows can also act on associated records, such as updating an enrolled contact's associated company.
Re-enrolment is the setting most people misread. Turning it on doesn't enrol records over and over. A record can only re-enrol once it has completed the workflow and then meets the re-enrolment triggers again, or is enrolled by hand. Re-enrolment settings only apply after that first pass.
Adding actions
Actions are what the workflow does: send a marketing email, create a task, assign a record and so on. You can add them by hand or have AI generate them, and clone or move them once they're in. For some actions, such as Create task, the data panel lets you insert variables from different object sources, and you can reference a record created earlier in the same workflow, like sending an internal notification about a deal it just made.
Two things will stop you turning a workflow on. Any action you saved without filling in its details must be completed first. And locked actions are tied to your subscription, so they need an upgrade before you can use them.
The turn-on decision that changes everything
When you click Review and publish, HubSpot asks whether to enrol records that already meet the triggers. Choose Yes and every existing match goes in straight away. Choose No and only records that meet the triggers after you turn it on are enrolled. That's the difference between emailing your whole database today and only emailing new sign-ups.
The number of existing contacts shown on the review page is an estimate. On Marketing Hub Starter, Professional or Enterprise, contact-based workflows offer See all contacts in lists, which saves a static list with the exact count. For scheduled workflows, records you chose not to enrol at activation can still be enrolled the next time the schedule runs, if they still meet the criteria. And if you leave the name or description blank, AI writes one for you.
To go a step further, try my HubSpot Forms breakdown.
What HubSpot keeps, and what you can undo
| Data | How long HubSpot keeps it |
|---|---|
| Workflow action logs, including object ID, event type and action type | 90 days |
| Workflow enrolment history | 6 months |
| Historical enrolment data used for workflow-based filters | 2 years and more |
You can undo or redo changes made in the previous 30 days, one at a time, from the icons in the top left of the editor. Some changes, such as custom code actions, can't be undone.
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Another page that helps here: HubSpot Chatbot.
My verdict on HubSpot workflows
I'd start from a template with Compatible with my plan only switched on, so you're not building around an action you can't use. Decide on re-enrolment before you publish, and think hard before choosing to enrol existing records. If you want ready-made ideas to build from, here are my workflow recipes, and here's what the Marketing Hub editions include.
Workflows are where HubSpot starts doing the work for you. I run AI training and workshops for teams, and help businesses with AI enablement, AI automation and GEO, which is about getting your business seen and cited in AI answers. Most of that work is with SaaS marketing teams and small businesses. Here's how we can work together.
Frequently asked questions
Who can create a HubSpot workflow?
Users with Edit permissions for workflows or Super Admin permissions can create workflows. To publish them, users need Publish permissions for workflows.
Can a contact go through a HubSpot workflow twice?
Only if re-enrolment is turned on. By default, records only enrol the first time they meet the enrollment triggers, and they can't re-enrol until they've completed the workflow.
Can I build a HubSpot workflow with AI?
Yes. Click Create workflow, select With AI and enter a prompt in Breeze Assistant, which generates the enrollment triggers and actions.
Will a new HubSpot workflow enrol existing contacts?
Only if you choose Yes, enroll existing records which meet the trigger criteria as of now when you turn it on. Otherwise only records that meet the triggers afterwards are enrolled.
How long does HubSpot keep workflow history?
Action log data for 90 days, enrollment history for 6 months, and historical enrollment data for 2 years and more for workflow-based filters.
