Steps to Enable Partner Tag Groups
Partner Tag Groups are organizational tools that allow you to categorize and manage your partner tags more effectively. This powerful feature enables you to create collections of related tags that can be automatically imported from your CRM (HubSpot or Salesforce) or created manually. By organizing tags into groups, you can better understand the context and purpose of each tag, streamline tag management, and maintain synchronization with your CRM systems. This guide will walk you through how to set up and use Partner Tag Groups effectively.
1. Understanding Partner Tag Groups
Partner Tag Groups enable you to organize individual partner tags into logical collections for better management and context. Each group can be:
Automatic or Manual: Import groups from your CRM or create them manually
Named: Give each group a descriptive name that reflects its purpose
Composed of Multiple Tags: Include as many individual partner tags as needed
Key Benefits:
Partner Tag Groups provide several advantages:
Contextual Organization: Understand the function of each tag and where it fits within a broader group structure
CRM Synchronization: When using automatic import with automation enabled, tag names match your CRM exactly, enabling seamless data synchronization
Efficient Tag Creation: Create multiple related tags at once instead of one by one
Better Tag Management: Group related tags together for easier identification and maintenance
Important Note: While Partner Tag Groups help organize and create tags, the individual tags within a group are what get applied to partners. Groups serve as an organizational and creation tool, not as something directly assigned to partners.
2. Accessing Partner Tag Groups
Partner Tag Groups are managed in your account settings:
Navigation Path: Settings → General tab
From this location, you can create new Partner Tag Groups using either the automatic import method (from your CRM) or the manual creation method.
3. Creating a Partner Tag Group - Automatic Method
The automatic method allows you to import existing tag groups directly from your connected CRM system (HubSpot or Salesforce).
Step 1: Choose Method
When you initiate the creation process, you'll see two options:
Automatic: Choose the group from a list imported from your CRM and assign the tags to it
Manual: Manually create the group and its tags
Select the Automatic option and click Next.
Step 2: Select Partner Tag Group
You'll see a list of all available tag groups from your connected CRM. This screen includes:
Search Field: Type to search through available groups
Group List: Radio button selection showing:
Group name (e.g., "Target Account")
Number of tags available in each group (e.g., "3 tags available")
Create Automation Action Toggle:
At the bottom of this screen, you'll see a toggle for "Create automation action". When this toggle is turned ON:
The system creates an automation in your account
When a partner's tag from this group is updated in your system, it automatically synchronizes back to your CRM (HubSpot or Salesforce)
This ensures directional data consistency between your partner management system and your CRM
Select your desired group and click Next.
Step 3: Select Tags
After selecting a group, you'll see all available tags within that group:
Tag Group Indicator: Shows which group you selected (e.g., "Tag Group: Target Account - hs_target_account")
Search Field: Filter through available tags
Tag Selection: Checkboxes for each tag, including:
All: Select all tags at once
Individual tags (e.g., "Tier 1", "Tier 2", "Tier 3")
Select the tags you want to create in your system and click Create.
What Happens After Creation:
Once you complete the automatic import:
The selected Partner Tag Group is created in your system
All selected tags are automatically created and become available throughout your account
These tags can now be applied individually to partners
If automation was enabled, updates to these tags will sync with your CRM
Tags imported from your CRM cannot be edited directly in your system
4. Creating a Partner Tag Group - Manual Method
The manual method allows you to create custom tag groups and tags that are specific to your partner management needs and not tied to your CRM structure.
Step 1: Choose Method
When you initiate the creation process, select the Manual option and click Next.
Step 2: Name Your Tag Group
You'll see a simple form with:
Tag Group Name (Required): Enter a descriptive name for your group that reflects its purpose
Examples of effective group names:
"Regional Partners - North America"
"Content Creator Types"
"Partnership Tiers"
"Q4 Campaign Participants"
Enter your group name and click Next.
Step 3: Create Tags
On this screen, you can create all the individual tags for your group:
Tag Group Indicator: Shows the group name you just created (e.g., "Tag Group: Tag name")
Tag Name Fields: Multiple input fields to enter tag names (e.g., "Tag 1", "Tag 2", "Tag 3")
Add Tag Button: Click "+ Add tag" in the top right to add more tag fields
Delete Icons: Trash icon next to each tag field to remove unwanted tags
Enter names for all tags you want to include in this group. You can create as many tags as needed by clicking "+ Add tag" to add additional fields.
Important Note: Unlike automatic groups, manual groups and their tags can be edited after creation, giving you full flexibility to adjust your tag structure as your partner program evolves.
Click Create to finalize your Partner Tag Group.
What Happens After Creation:
Once you complete the manual creation:
The Partner Tag Group is created in your system
All tags you defined are automatically created and become available throughout your account
These tags can now be applied individually to partners
You can edit this group and its tags later if needed
Manual tags do not sync with your CRM (no automation option available)
5. Understanding Tag Availability and Application
After creating a Partner Tag Group (whether automatic or manual), it's important to understand how the tags become available for use:
Tag Creation:
All tags within a created group are automatically generated in your system
These tags immediately become available for application to partners
Applying Tags to Partners:
Partner Tag Groups themselves are not applied directly to partners
Instead, the individual tags from within groups are applied to partners
When setting up or editing a partner, you select individual tags from the available tag list
Tags from groups appear in the same tag selection interface as any other tags in your system
Tag Context:
Even though you apply tags individually, the group structure helps you understand the context and purpose of each tag
This organizational structure makes it easier to select the right tags when managing partners
6. Editing Partner Tag Groups
The ability to edit Partner Tag Groups depends on how they were created:
Automatic Groups (Imported from CRM):
Cannot be edited directly in your system
You can archive tags from the group
These groups and their tags are managed in your CRM
Any changes must be made in HubSpot or Salesforce
To update these groups, you would need to reimport them from your CRM
Manual Groups (Created in your system):
Can be fully edited after creation
You can modify the group name
You can add new tags to the group
You can archive tags from the group
Changes to manual groups give you flexibility to adapt your tag structure as your partner program grows
This distinction ensures data integrity between your system and your CRM while giving you full control over custom organizational structures you create.
7. CRM Synchronization and Automation
When you create an automatic Partner Tag Group with the "Create automation action" toggle enabled, you establish a powerful synchronization between your partner management system and your CRM.
How Synchronization Works:
When automation is active:
Tag names in your system match exactly with tag names in your CRM (HubSpot or Salesforce)
This exact naming is required for proper data synchronization
When a partner's tag is updated in your system, the change automatically syncs to your CRM
This maintains data consistency across both platforms
Benefits of CRM Synchronization:
Eliminates manual data entry between systems
Ensures your CRM always reflects current partner tagging
Maintains a single source of truth for partner categorization
Reduces errors from manual data synchronization
When to Use Automation:
When you need partner tags to flow back to your CRM for reporting
When your sales or marketing teams rely on CRM data for partner segmentation
When you want to maintain consistent partner categorization across systems
When you use CRM workflows or automations based on partner tags
When Not to Use Automation:
When tags are only for internal partner management purposes
When you want complete control over when data syncs to your CRM
When tags are temporary or campaign-specific and shouldn't persist in your CRM
8. Best Practices for Partner Tag Groups
To get the most value from Partner Tag Groups, consider these recommendations:
Organization Strategy:
Create groups that reflect natural categories in your partner program (regions, types, tiers, campaigns)
Use clear, descriptive group names that make the purpose immediately obvious
Keep groups focused on a single categorization dimension (don't mix regional and tier-based tags in one group)
Automatic vs. Manual Decision:
Use automatic groups when you need CRM synchronization and your CRM already has the tag structure
Use manual groups for internal categorization that doesn't need to sync with your CRM
Use manual groups when you need flexibility to frequently adjust tags
Tag Naming:
Use consistent naming conventions across all tags
Make tag names descriptive enough to understand without seeing the group context
Avoid abbreviations that might be unclear to team members
Maintenance:
Regularly review your manual tag groups to ensure they still serve your needs
Remove unused tags to keep your tag selection interface clean
Document the purpose of each group for team members who will use the system
9. Understanding the Full Workflow
Here's how Partner Tag Groups fit into your complete partner management workflow:
Setup Phase:
Connect your CRM (HubSpot or Salesforce) to enable automatic imports
Review your CRM's existing tag structure to understand what's available
Create automatic Partner Tag Groups for tags that need CRM synchronization
Create manual Partner Tag Groups for internal categorization needs
Partner Onboarding:
When setting up a new partner, view all available tags (from all groups)
Select appropriate individual tags based on the partner's characteristics
Tags are applied to the partner record
If tags are from automatic groups with automation enabled, they sync to your CRM
Ongoing Management:
Add or remove tags from partners as their status or characteristics change
Automated tags sync changes back to your CRM
Adjust manual tag groups as your program evolves
Create new groups as you identify new categorization needs
Reporting and Segmentation:
Use tags to segment and filter partners in reports
Leverage CRM-synced tags for cross-platform reporting
Use tag groups as a mental model for understanding partner segments
Summary
Partner Tag Groups provide a powerful way to organize and manage partner tags in your system. Whether importing automatically from your CRM or creating manual groups for internal use, this feature helps you maintain clear context for each tag, streamline tag creation, and optionally maintain synchronization with your CRM systems.
Remember that while groups provide organizational structure, individual tags are what you apply to partners. The group context helps you understand the purpose and relationships between tags, making your partner management more efficient and organized.
For automatic groups with automation enabled, maintaining exact tag name matches with your CRM ensures seamless data synchronization and a consistent view of your partner ecosystem across all platforms.
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