Source of truth
The single system designated as the authoritative record for a given data type. In automation, defining the source of truth prevents sync conflicts if HubSpot is the source of truth for contacts, all other systems sync FROM it, not to it.
Expert insight
Having more than one system claim to be the source of truth for the same data (the CRM and the billing system both "own" a customer's current plan) guarantees the two will eventually disagree, automation needs one explicitly designated source of truth per data field, with every other system treated as a synced copy, not an equal authority.
In a real workflow
The CRM is the source of truth for contact details, and other tools only read from it.
Common mistakes
- Two systems both claiming to be the truth.
- Manual edits in downstream systems.
Complexity level
Anyone can understand this no technical background needed.
See it in action
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Guides that cover Source of truth
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