Auto-archive stale HubSpot deals using Make

Prerequisites

Why Make?

Make works for auto-archiving if your team already uses it, though the lack of a built-in wait equivalent means you'll need two separate scenarios instead of one. A Data Store tracks which deals have been warned and when, connecting the warn and close phases. The visual builder makes it easy to adjust thresholds and add filters.

How it works

• Scenario 1 (daily): Searches for stale deals, sends Slack warnings to deal owners, records warned deal IDs and timestamps in a Data Store
• Scenario 2 (daily, offset by a few hours): Reads the Data Store, filters for deals warned 48+ hours ago, re-checks hs_lastmodifieddate, closes deals that are still stale, removes closed deals from the Data Store

Overview

Make doesn't have a built-in "wait 48 hours" equivalent like n8n's Wait node. Instead, you'll use two separate scenarios:

1. Scenario 1 (daily): Finds stale deals, warns owners in Slack, records the warned deals and timestamp in a Data Store
2. Scenario 2 (daily, offset by a few hours): Checks the Data Store for deals warned 48+ hours ago, verifies they're still stale, and closes them

This two-scenario pattern is the standard Make approach for delayed actions.

Scenario 1: Find and warn

Step 1: Create the warning scenario and schedule it

Create a new scenario. Set the schedule:

• Schedule type: Every day
• Time: 07:00
• Timezone: Your team's timezone

Step 2: Search for stale deals

Add an HTTP module (Make an API Call) with the HubSpot connection:

• URL: https://api.hubapi.com/crm/v3/objects/deals/search
• Method: POST
• Body:

{
  "filterGroups": [
    {
      "filters": [
        {
          "propertyName": "hs_lastmodifieddate",
          "operator": "LT",
          "value": "{{formatDate(addDays(now; -60); 'X')}}000"
        },
        {
          "propertyName": "dealstage",
          "operator": "NOT_IN",
          "values": ["closedwon", "closedlost"]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "properties": [
    "dealname", "amount", "dealstage", "hubspot_owner_id",
    "hs_lastmodifieddate"
  ],
  "sorts": [
    { "propertyName": "hs_lastmodifieddate", "direction": "ASCENDING" }
  ],
  "limit": 100
}

Step 3: Iterate over results

Add an Iterator module to loop through the results array from the search response. Each deal becomes a separate bundle.

Step 4: Check the Data Store for duplicates

Before warning, check if you've already warned about this deal (to avoid duplicate Slack messages on consecutive runs).

First, create a Data Store called "Stale Deal Warnings" with these fields:

Add a Data Store → Search Records module:

• Data store: Stale Deal Warnings
• Filter: deal_id equals {{id}} (from the Iterator)

Add a Filter module after the search:

• Condition: Number of records equals 0 (only proceed for deals not yet warned)

Step 5: Warn in Slack

Add a Slack → Create a Message module:

• Channel: #sales-pipeline
• Text:

:warning: *Stale Deal Warning*
 
*{{dealname}}* has had no activity for {{round(dateDifference(now; hs_lastmodifieddate; "d"))}} days.
 
This deal will be moved to Closed Lost in 48 hours unless someone updates it.
 
<https://app.hubspot.com/contacts/YOUR_PORTAL_ID/deal/{{id}}|View deal in HubSpot>

Step 6: Record the warning

Add a Data Store → Add/Replace a Record module:

• Data store: Stale Deal Warnings
• Key: {{id}} (the deal ID)
• deal_id: {{id}}
• deal_name: {{dealname}}
• warned_at: {{now}}
• owner_id: {{hubspot_owner_id}}

Step 7: Activate Scenario 1

Test with Run once, then toggle to Active.

Scenario 2: Close expired warnings

Step 1: Create the closing scenario

Create a second scenario. Set the schedule:

• Schedule type: Every day
• Time: 09:00 (runs 2 hours after the warning scenario, but the 48-hour check ensures timing)

Step 2: Search the Data Store for expired warnings

Add a Data Store → Search Records module:

• Data store: Stale Deal Warnings
• Filter: warned_at less than {{addHours(now; -48)}}

This returns all deals that were warned more than 48 hours ago.

Step 3: Re-check each deal in HubSpot

Add an HTTP module to fetch the deal's current state:

• URL: https://api.hubapi.com/crm/v3/objects/deals/{{deal_id}}
• Method: GET
• Query string: properties=hs_lastmodifieddate,dealstage

Step 4: Filter out deals that were updated

Add a Filter module:

• Condition: hs_lastmodifieddate is before {{addHours(now; -48)}} AND dealstage is not closedwon or closedlost

Deals that were updated during the grace period (or already closed manually) skip the close step.

Step 5: Close the deal in HubSpot

Add an HTTP module:

• URL: https://api.hubapi.com/crm/v3/objects/deals/{{deal_id}}
• Method: PATCH
• Body:

{
  "properties": {
    "dealstage": "closedlost",
    "closed_lost_reason": "Stale — auto-archived after 60 days"
  }
}

Step 6: Notify Slack

Add a Slack → Create a Message module:

• Text:

:file_cabinet: *Deal Auto-Archived*
 
*{{deal_name}}* was moved to Closed Lost after 60+ days of inactivity. No objection was received during the 48-hour grace period.

Step 7: Clean up the Data Store

Add a Data Store → Delete a Record module to remove the warning entry:

• Key: {{deal_id}}

This keeps the Data Store clean — only active warnings remain.

Step 8: Activate Scenario 2

Test with Run once, then toggle to Active.

Common questions

Why does this need two scenarios?

Make doesn't have a Wait node that pauses mid-execution. The Data Store bridges the two scenarios by tracking which deals were warned and when. Scenario 2 checks the Data Store for deals past the 48-hour grace period.

How many Make credits does this use per month?

Each run of Scenario 1 uses 3 + N credits (N = stale deals found). Scenario 2 uses 3 + M credits (M = warned deals). At typical volumes (5-10 stale deals/week), expect ~200-300 credits/month total.

Can I use a Google Sheet instead of a Data Store?

Yes, but the Data Store is simpler for key-value lookups. If you prefer Google Sheets, add a row when warning and remove it when closing. The Data Store is included on all plans and doesn't require a separate connection.

Cost

• Free plan: Scenario 1 uses ~3-5 credits per stale deal (iterator + data store check + Slack + data store write). Scenario 2 uses ~4-5 credits per expired warning. With 10 stale deals per week, expect ~80-100 credits/week (~400/month). Fits the free plan's 1,000 credits.
• Core plan: $29/month for 10,000 credits. Needed if you have high deal volume or add more complex logic.