Case Study: Transforming Reporting Visibility Through a Custom Lead Source Framework

Project Overview

A B2B financial lending company needed a clear and reliable way to track lead source data across multiple systems. Their revenue teams worked across HubSpot, Salesforce, Apollo, Dialpad, Orum, and several offline channels. Because each platform captured information differently, meaningful lead attribution and HubSpot reporting lacked consistency and accuracy.

The Process Pro Consulting team implemented a custom lead source framework that unified their data, improved attribution, and dramatically strengthened HubSpot reporting across the entire revenue engine.

Challenges

The client struggled to understand where leads were coming from because every system recorded lead source differently. As a result, HubSpot reporting was unreliable, and their lead attribution model lacked consistency.

Fragmented Lead Source Tracking

• HubSpot, Salesforce, and Apollo showed conflicting lead source values
• Sales tools did not pass structured source information
• Offline activities and manual uploads were not captured with accuracy

Unstructured List Uploads

• Purchased lists and event imports did not follow a unified lead source format
• Offline leads could not be categorized for attribution or reporting

Incomplete Lead Attribution

• Form submissions, outbound sequences, enrichment tools, and call activity lacked context
• Leads converted in Salesforce were not tied back to the original or recent lead source data

Misaligned Fields Across Systems

• Source fields lacked standard definitions
• Misalignment caused inaccurate HubSpot reporting and incomplete funnel visibility

Project Goals

The client partnered with Process Pro Consulting to achieve the following outcomes:

• A unified definition of lead source across all systems
• Clear and accurate lead attribution from first touch to revenue
• A standardized list import and offline tracking process
• More consistent and trustworthy HubSpot reporting
• A scalable framework that could support future growth

The Solution

Lead Source and Attribution Audit

Process Pro reviewed existing source properties in HubSpot, Salesforce, and Apollo to identify inconsistencies, gaps, and integration issues. This analysis informed a new, scalable lead source framework.

Custom Lead Source Framework

Because the client relied heavily on offline and integrated channels, the Pros developed a custom framework that included:

• Custom First Lead Source with drill-down layers
• Custom Recent Lead Source with drill-down layers
• A unified structure combining UTM parameters, HubSpot defaults, and custom source definitions

This framework ensured accurate attribution regardless of where a contact originated.

UTM Structure and URL Builder

To strengthen digital attribution, Process Pro created a standardized UTM format and a URL builder template. This gave the marketing team a consistent way to create tracking links and improved HubSpot reporting accuracy.

Standardized List Import Process

A new import template provided clear instructions on how to map lead source fields for purchased lists, events, conferences, and other offline activities. This brought consistency to previously manual and error-prone uploads.

HubSpot and Salesforce Alignment

The Process Pro team collaborated with sales leadership and the Salesforce admin to synchronize field definitions and integration behavior. A major issue emerged when Salesforce repeatedly overwrote HubSpot’s Latest Source value. Removing this mapping eliminated errors and allowed the new custom fields to serve as the primary source of truth.

Automation Buildout

Workflows were built to:

• Stamp First Lead Source at contact creation
• Update Recent Lead Source when new activity occurs
• Capture Deal Source at the moment an opportunity is created

These workflows protected source accuracy and prevented overwriting.

Historical Data Backfill

Many older contacts did not fit the new structure. The Pros created a process for categorizing and backfilling source data across historical records to ensure consistency across the system.

HubSpot Reporting Dashboard

Our team created a new reporting dashboard that displayed:

• First Lead Source performance
• Recent Lead Source trends
• Attribution insights
• Online versus offline activity
• Deal source influence

This provided clear and trusted HubSpot reporting that improved decision-making.

The Results

The client now has a unified and reliable lead source framework that significantly improved attribution and strengthened HubSpot reporting.

Key outcomes

• A single source of truth for all lead source data
• Accurate attribution from first touch to closed revenue
• More reliable HubSpot reporting for leadership
• Clear insights that inform monthly campaign and budget decisions
• A scalable framework that continues to support RevOps maturity

How the team uses it today

Marketing and sales leaders regularly review lead source and attribution trends to determine:

• Where to invest paid media
• Which outbound efforts to expand
• Which channels create the strongest pipeline

The lead source framework has become central to their overall revenue planning.

Project Impact

The custom lead source framework significantly elevated the client’s RevOps maturity. It improved data quality, enhanced cross-system alignment, strengthened attribution, and created a dependable foundation for HubSpot reporting. Both sales and marketing now share consistent information that supports accurate forecasting and strategic execution.