How do I decide which data to sync?
When to use this guide: Use this before or during sales engagement platform webhook setup — whenever you are deciding what activity should land in HubSpot or Salesforce. It applies across Instantly, Smartlead, EmailBison, HeyReach, and other supported platforms.
Start with what you want the CRM to enable — attribution, omni-channel follow-up, a clean qualified-lead queue, or lower spend — then pick events to match. Do not start from the webhook checkboxes alone.
Most teams sync everything or hold activity until a lead is qualified. A third path exists for budget-conscious setups: replies and lead categories only, without sends.
Two controls, not one
Section titled “Two controls, not one”Before you pick a pattern, know that two separate settings are involved:
| Control | Where | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| SEP webhook event selection | Instantly, Smartlead, EmailBison, HeyReach, and so on | Which payloads leave the sequencer and arrive at OutboundSync |
| OutboundSync Approved events | Source settings in OutboundSync | Whether those payloads sync immediately, or wait under FILTERED + a Category-based filter allowlist |
Turning off Email sent (or equivalent) on the SEP reduces OutboundSync volume and cost. FILTERED only changes when activity reaches the CRM. If sends still arrive at OutboundSync, they still count toward volume — even while held.
Decision overview
Section titled “Decision overview”
| Approach | What reaches the CRM | Best when | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sync everything | Sends, opens, clicks, replies, bounces, categories, and related activity your SEP emits | Attribution, omni-channel follow-up, full activity and conversion dashboards | Higher OutboundSync send volume and CRM API usage |
| FILTERED / category allowlist | Nothing until an allowlisted category or label arrives, then the held history (including earlier sends, if the SEP sent them) | Tight CRM hygiene — reps see qualified leads, not every touch | Weaker for non-responders and unlabeled leads. Does not reduce OutboundSync spend by itself while Email sent still reaches OutboundSync |
| Budget path (atypical) | Replies and lead category / label updates only — no sent-message history | Positive-reply signal with lower OutboundSync spend | No send timeline in the CRM; non-responder completion may be unavailable on some SEPs |
Sync everything
Section titled “Sync everything”Sync the full engagement stream your platform can emit. That is the right default when the CRM is the system of record for outbound.
You get campaign attribution, omni-channel follow-up (phone, paid, or other channels keyed off CRM activity), and dashboards that show total activity and conversion — not only “interested” rows. You can also work non-responders and soft replies that are not flagged positive yet, because those people still have activity on the record.
Configure:
- On the SEP webhook, include sends plus the reply and category events you care about. On Instantly, that often means All events (required if you need campaign completed without reply).
- In OutboundSync, leave Approved events for data sync on all approved events (not FILTERED).
- Pick an OutboundSync volume tier that covers your monthly sent messages. Salesforce teams should also review How many API calls does OutboundSync use?.
FILTERED / qualified only
Section titled “FILTERED / qualified only”Use OutboundSync Approved events for data sync → FILTERED data syncs to your CRM, then set a Category-based filter allowlist (for example interested or meeting booked).
Activity for a lead is held until the SEP reports an allowlisted category. On a match, OutboundSync releases the held history for that Source, campaign, and lead — including earlier sends when those events were delivered to OutboundSync.
This is the clean-CRM pattern, not the cost-saving pattern. Category-based filters control when payloads reach the CRM. They do not replace SEP event selection. If you want held send history to release when a lead qualifies, the SEP must still send Email sent (or equivalent) into OutboundSync — and those sends still count toward volume.
Best when: you want a clean CRM focused on qualified leads and can live without day-to-day visibility into non-responders and unlabeled replies.
Configure:
- Read How category-based filters work for the hold-and-release lifecycle.
- On the SEP webhook, keep category / label events enabled so allowlist state stays accurate. Include sends if you want them in the released history.
- On the OutboundSync Source, choose FILTERED and select the categories or labels to allowlist. Some platforms require an API key for filtered sync (for example Instantly).
Budget path: replies and categories only
Section titled “Budget path: replies and categories only”An atypical but viable choice: sync replies and lead category updates only, and omit sends. OutboundSync bills by sent messages, so leaving Email sent (or equivalent) off reduces what you send into OutboundSync and what you spend.
You still see positive replies when categories or labels land. What you give up is sent-message history in the CRM — no full send timeline for attribution, and no “what did we send before they replied?” Keep category / label events on so positive replies stay distinguishable from other replies.
The main reason to pick this path is cost. It fits budget-conscious teams; it is not the default when you want rich CRM history.
Configure:
- On the SEP webhook, omit send events. Keep reply events and lead category / label events.
- Instantly example: choose specific event types (not All events), leave Email sent off, keep Reply received and lead status / custom label events on. Instantly’s
campaign_completed_for_lead_without_replyonly fires on All events, so non-responder completion is unavailable on this path — see the Instantly webhook guide. - In OutboundSync, keep Approved events on all sync unless you also want FILTERED as a second gate on which replies reach the CRM. Size the plan for lower send volume on Pricing.
Platform notes
Section titled “Platform notes”Apply the pattern above, then use your SEP’s webhook UI:
- Instantly — All events vs specific event types; non-responder completion requires All events
- Smartlead — which event types to subscribe
- EmailBison — toggle supported event types
- HeyReach — one webhook per event type; use category filters when you want subset release
OutboundSync volume is based on sent messages. Replies, opens, clicks, and category updates do not count toward volume — see Pricing. Block lists and exclusion lists control who you contact, not which event types sync — Lists, filters, and exclusions.
