A quick guide to connecting Howly, mapping workflows, and debugging automation faster.
Connecting HubSpot
When you first sign in to Howly, you will be prompted to connect your HubSpot portal. Click Connect HubSpot and you will be redirected to HubSpot's authorization screen. Log in with the HubSpot account that has access to the portal you want to visualize, then grant Howly the requested permissions.Howly uses OAuth 2.0, which means your HubSpot credentials are never stored by Howly. Access is granted through a secure token that HubSpot issues directly.Once authorized, you will be redirected back to Howly and your workflows will begin loading automatically.Syncing Data
Howly fetches your workflows from HubSpot when you first connect and caches them for your session. If you make changes in HubSpot and want to see them reflected in Howly, refresh the page, or click the refresh button. The data will sync fresh from HubSpot at the start of each new session.Howly pulls all workflows from your portal regardless of status or object type, including active workflows, inactive workflows, workflows with no actions, and archived automations that are still visible through the API.The first sync takes 10 to 15 seconds depending on workflow volume. For instances with 100 or more workflows, this can take up to 25 seconds. Watch: How to Connect & Navigate Howly | 3:47 overview video
Trust and Compatibility
* Strictly Read-Only: Howly uses OAuth 2.0 with read-only access. We cannot edit, write, or change anything in your HubSpot portal.
* Data Privacy: We access workflow metadata such as names, triggers, and connections. We do not store full contact records, list memberships, or sensitive object data.
* API Performance: Our sync engine batches API calls to respect HubSpot rate limits.
* HubSpot Tiers: Compatible with all HubSpot Professional and Enterprise portals.
* Revocable Access: You remain in full control and can revoke Howly’s access at any time.Plans and Limits
* Free Trial: New accounts start with a 7-day trial that gives access to the core workflow map, detail panel, search, filters, connections, Impact Analyzer, and Recent Changes.
* Howly Pro: After the trial period, a Pro subscription is required to continue using Howly. Pro unlocks the full feature set including the Health Checker, PDF audit report, Benchmarks, all canvas export formats, and AI export.---Workflow MapReading the Map
When your portal loads, every workflow is displayed on the canvas as a card. Cards are organized by object type, with section labels grouping Contacts, Deals, Companies, Tickets, and any custom objects.Each card shows the workflow name, its object type, and a status indicator:
* 🟢 Green dot - The workflow is active and enrolling records
* 🔴 Red dot - The workflow is inactive and not running
* 🟣 Purple dot - The workflow has connections to other workflowsCards with connections between them are linked by lines on the canvas. Watch: How to Navigate within Your Howly Workspace | 4:55 overview videoActive and Inactive Workflows
Active workflows are displayed at full opacity. Inactive workflows are displayed at reduced opacity so you can visually distinguish what is running. When you apply a filter or search, inactive workflows that match your criteria are also shown at full opacity.Connections and Connection Types
Howly automatically detects three types of relationships:
* Direct enrollment - Shown as a direct line between the two workflow cards.
* List-based connections - One workflow adds/removes records from a list used as a trigger.
* Property-based connections - One workflow sets a property value that triggers another.Search and Filters
* Search: Press the / key anywhere on the canvas to open the search overlay.
* Filters: The filter toolbar at the top of the canvas lets you narrow workflows by Status, Object type, Trigger type, and Action type.Keyboard Shortcuts
* / - Open workflow search
* Escape - Close search or overlay
* Scroll - Zoom in and out
* Click and drag (canvas) - Pan around
* Click and drag (card) - Move a workflowCanvas Lock
The lock button in the bottom toolbar prevents workflow cards from being accidentally dragged. The lock state persists between sessions.Position Auto-Save
The position of every workflow card is automatically saved. If you want to reset all positions back to the default grid, use the Reset layout option.---Workflow Detail PanelOpening the Detail Panel
Click any workflow card to open the detail panel on the right. The panel shows the full contents: name, status, object type, enrollment count, and modification date.Triggers
The Triggers section shows what causes enrollment. Howly formats these into plain language:
* Contact property equals a specific value
* Contact is a member of a named list
* A form was submittedActions
The Actions section shows every step the workflow performs, in order. This includes:
* Property updates, Email sends, Delays, Branching conditions, and Enrollments.Upstream and Downstream Connections
* Upstream: Shows workflows that feed records into the current one.
* Downstream: Shows workflows that this one feeds records into.
* Green - 70% or above. Portal is in good shape.
* Amber - 50 to 69%. Issues worth addressing.
* Red - Below 50%. Significant structural problems.Warnings:
* Stale Workflows - Not modified in over 6 months.
* Orphan Workflows - Active workflow with no connections.
* Empty Workflows - Workflow configured with no actions.Informational:
* Inactive Workflows - Currently turned off.
* Possible Duplicates - Similar names that may indicate redundancy.---Advanced FeaturesPDF Audit Report (Pro)
Click Export report in the Health Checker to generate a PDF document including the health score, issue breakdown, and benchmarks.Benchmarks (Pro)
Compares your portal's metrics against real data from similar-sized HubSpot portals (Small, Medium, Large, Enterprise).Impact Analyzer
Scans every workflow to build a map of every HubSpot property referenced (triggers, branches, actions).
Watch: Using the Impact Analyzer in Howly | 5:08 overview videoRecent Changes
Shows every workflow modified in the last 30 days. Groups are labeled Today, Yesterday, and by calendar date.---Exports* PDF Canvas Export: Captures the current state of your workflow canvas for high-level presentations.
* PNG Canvas Export: Capture visible view for embedding in slides.
* LucidChart Export: Exports your map as a .bpmn file for import into LucidChart.AI Analyzer
Click AI Export to package your portal's workflow data into a structured text document copied to your clipboard.
Watch: How to Audit HubSpot Workflows in Minutes Using AI | 4:22 overview video