Automatic Phone Number Formatting: Save standardized formats directly to contact records

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Overview

Clean Dial's Formatted Phone Number saves formatted phone numbers directly to your HubSpot contact records when contacts flow through formatting workflow actions. Instead of just displaying formatted numbers temporarily, the system creates persistent, standardized phone number properties that your team can use for campaigns, integrations, and reporting.

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How It Works

When contacts pass through a Clean Dial formatting workflow action:

1. Original number preserved - Your existing Phone Number property remains unchanged
2. Format applied - The number is formatted according to your selected style
3. New property created - A formatted version is saved to a new contact property
4. Property naming - The new property follows the pattern "Phone Number ([format style])"

This creates a permanent, standardized phone number format alongside your original data.

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Available Format Styles

E.164 Format

• Example: +14155552671
• Use case: API integrations, international systems
• Property name: Phone Number (E.164)

International Format

• Example: +1 415-555-2671
• Use case: Display purposes, international calling
• Property name: Phone Number (International)

National Format

• Example: (415) 555-2671
• Use case: Domestic campaigns, local display
• Property name: Phone Number (National)

Digits Only

• Example: 14155552671
• Use case: SMS platforms, certain integrations
• Property name: Phone Number (Digits Only)

RFC3966

• Example: tel:+1-415-555-2671
• Use case: Web applications, click-to-call functionality
• Property name: Phone Number (RFC3966)

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Setting Up Formatting Workflows

Creating a Formatting Action

1. Navigate to Workflows in your HubSpot account
2. Create a new workflow or edit an existing one
3. Add a Clean Dial formatting action
4. Select your desired format style from the dropdown
5. Configure enrollment criteria (new contacts, specific lists, etc.)

Enrollment Triggers

• New contacts added to your database
• Contacts added to specific lists
• Phone number property updates
• Lifecycle stage changes
• Custom contact property criteria

Action Configuration

Choose one format style per action (multiple format actions can be used in the same workflow).

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Viewing Formatted Properties

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Contact Record Display

1. Navigate to any contact record
2. Go to the Contact Information section
3. Look for "Phone Number ([format style])" properties
4. Add these properties to your contact record layout if not visible

List and View Creation

• Create contact views filtered by formatted phone number properties
• Use formatted numbers in list membership criteria
• Export contacts with specific format requirements

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Use Cases

SMS Campaign Preparation - use "Phone Number (Digits Only)" format for SMS platforms that require numbers without formatting characters.

International Calling Lists - export contacts with "Phone Number (International)" format for global sales teams or calling platforms.

API Integrations - use "Phone Number (E.164)" format for system integrations that require standardized international formatting.

Click-to-Call Implementation - utilize "Phone Number (RFC3966)" format for web applications and click-to-call functionality.

Display Consistency - apply "Phone Number (National)" format for consistent display across internal tools and reporting.

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Technical Details

• Property Type: String
• Property Source: Clean Dial workflow actions
• Updates: Automatic when contacts flow through formatting actions
• Retroactive: Only applies to contacts processed after workflow activation
• Multiple Formats: Contacts can have multiple formatted versions simultaneously

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Best Practices

Choose the Right Format

• E.164 for technical integrations
• International for global operations
• National for domestic campaigns
• Digits Only for SMS platforms
• RFC3966 for web applications

Workflow Design

• Consider processing existing contacts through formatting workflows after setup
• Set up re-formatting triggers when phone numbers are updated

Property Management

• Add formatted properties to relevant contact views
• Include formatted numbers in contact record layouts
• Use formatted properties in reports and dashboards

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does formatting change my original phone number property?

‍A: No, your original Phone Number property remains unchanged. Formatting creates new, additional properties.

Q: Can I have multiple format styles for the same contact?

‍A: Yes, contacts can flow through multiple formatting actions to create several formatted versions.

Q: What happens if a phone number can't be formatted?

‍A: If formatting fails, the original number is preserved and no new formatted property is created for that contact.

Q: Can I customize the property names?

‍A: Property names follow the standard "Phone Number ([format style])" pattern and cannot be customized.

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