How to import event leads into HubSpot or Salesforce

Why CSV is the right starting point

After a conference or trade show, exhibitors and organizers need lead data in a CRM for follow-up sequences, pipeline tracking, and handoff to sales. Badgetrac captures leads when exhibitors scan attendee QR badges, add qualification tags (hot, qualified, cold), and write conversation notes — all synced to the cloud when connectivity returns.

The fastest reliable workflow today is a CSV export from Badgetrac followed by a CRM import. This works with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, and most other systems that accept spreadsheet uploads. You keep full control over which fields land where, and you can filter or deduplicate in Excel or Google Sheets before importing if needed.

Native OAuth integrations with HubSpot and Salesforce are on our roadmap, but not available yet. Until then, CSV is the officially supported method and takes most teams under fifteen minutes per event.

Step 1: Export leads from Badgetrac

Exhibitors can export their own scan data; organizers with appropriate access can export broader attendee lists. For post-event CRM import of exhibitor-captured leads, use the exhibitor export path.

From the sponsor dashboard (exhibitors)

1. Sign in and open the exhibitor dashboard for your event.
2. Click Export CSV in Quick actions (or use the export button in the header).
3. Save the downloaded file — it includes First Name, Last Name, Company, Job Title, Cell Phone, Email, Lead Status, Scanned At, and Note.

Via API (organizers / integrations)

Authenticated requests to /api/export-notes?event_id=YOUR_EVENT_ID return the same lead columns for the logged-in sponsor account. Use this if you are building a custom script; for most teams the dashboard export is simpler.

Review the CSV before import: remove test scans, fix obvious typos in company names, and optionally split hot leads into a separate file for priority outreach. See our guide on event lead scanning for how qualification tags work during the show.

Step 2: Import into HubSpot

HubSpot’s contact import wizard handles Badgetrac CSV files cleanly when you map columns explicitly.

1. In HubSpot, go to Contacts → Import.
2. Choose File from computer and upload your Badgetrac CSV.
3. Select One file and One object (Contacts).
4. On the column mapping screen, match fields:
   • First Name → First name
   • Last Name → Last name
   • Email → Email (use as unique identifier if prompted)
   • Company → Company name
   • Job Title → Job title
   • Note → a custom property such as “Event lead note” or paste into Description
   • Lead Status → custom property or Lifecycle stage (optional)
5. Complete the import and spot-check a few records for correct mapping.

Tip: Create a HubSpot list filtered by import date or a “Lead source = Badgetrac” property so your sales team can work the batch without mixing it with inbound marketing leads.

Step 3: Import into Salesforce

Salesforce offers several import paths. For event leads that are not yet customers, importing as Leads is usually correct.

1. Open Setup → search for Data Import Wizard (or use Leads → Import, depending on your edition).
2. Choose Leads as the object and upload the CSV.
3. Map columns:
   • First Name → First Name
   • Last Name → Last Name
   • Email → Email
   • Company → Company
   • Job Title → Title
   • Note → Description (or a custom text field)
4. Set Lead Source to something like “Trade Show” or “Badgetrac” for reporting.
5. Run the import and review the success log for duplicates or validation errors.

If your org converts Leads to Contacts automatically, confirm your workflow rules won’t trigger prematurely on bulk imports. Some teams import to a staging object first; CSV still works — you just adjust the target object in the wizard.

Column reference

Badgetrac exhibitor exports use these headers consistently:

What Badgetrac does not do (yet)

There is no one-click HubSpot or Salesforce sync, no Zapier webhook, and no automatic deduplication against your existing CRM records. Those features would reduce manual steps; until they ship, plan on a CSV export after each event. If you need help validating your column mapping for a specific CRM edition, contact us — we are happy to review a sample file.

For the full onsite workflow — check-in, badge printing, and scanning — see how it works and our trade show use case.