Custom sales forecasting dashboard widget not refreshing on deal stage changes

CRM HubSpot
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1

Built a custom forecasting widget using the CRM Extension SDK that displays pipeline projections. The widget loads correctly with initial data, but when users move deals between stages, the forecast numbers don’t update until the page is manually refreshed.

We’re listening for events but something isn’t triggering the refresh:

const ForecastWidget = () => {
  const [forecast, setForecast] = useState(null);

  useEffect(() => {
    loadForecastData();
  }, []);
};

The widget should recalculate when deal stages change but it stays static. Need help with proper event handling in the CRM Extension SDK to maintain forecast accuracy.

2

Consider implementing a polling fallback mechanism. CRM events can be unreliable during high-traffic periods or when multiple users update deals simultaneously. We poll every 30 seconds as backup while still using event listeners for immediate updates. This hybrid approach significantly improved our forecast accuracy because the widget always reflects recent changes even if an event gets missed.

3

Don’t forget to clean up event listeners when the component unmounts. Memory leaks from orphaned listeners can cause weird behavior where some updates work and others don’t. Return a cleanup function from your useEffect that unsubscribes from CRM events.

4

I’ve implemented several custom forecasting widgets and can address all three critical areas: widget event handling, proper CRM Extension SDK usage, and polling fallback strategies.

Widget Event Handling: Your current implementation only loads data on mount. The CRM Extension SDK requires explicit subscription to object changes. Here’s the corrected approach:

import { hubspot } from '@hubspot/ui-extensions';

const ForecastWidget = () => {
  const [forecast, setForecast] = useState(null);

  useEffect(() => {
    loadForecastData();

    const unsubscribe = hubspot.crm.onChange(
      ['dealstage', 'amount', 'closedate'],
      () => loadForecastData()
    );

    return () => unsubscribe();
  }, []);
};

CRM Extension SDK Best Practices: Subscribe to multiple properties that affect forecasts, not just dealstage. Amount and close date changes also impact projections. The SDK batches rapid changes to prevent excessive API calls, but you need to handle the subscription correctly.

Verify your extension’s scopes in crm-card.json:

{
  "scopes": ["crm.objects.deals.read"],
  "subscriptions": {
    "dealUpdate": ["dealstage", "amount", "closedate"]
  }
}

Polling Fallback Implementation: Events can miss during network issues or concurrent updates. Implement intelligent polling:

useEffect(() => {
  loadForecastData();

  const eventUnsubscribe = hubspot.crm.onChange(
    ['dealstage', 'amount', 'closedate'],
    handleDealUpdate
  );

  const pollInterval = setInterval(() => {
    loadForecastData();
  }, 30000);

  return () => {
    eventUnsubscribe();
    clearInterval(pollInterval);
  };
}, []);

For forecast accuracy, add optimistic updates. When users change a deal stage, immediately update the UI while the API call processes in the background. This prevents the “stale data” feeling even if the event takes a few seconds to propagate.

Implement debouncing if multiple deals change rapidly. Batch forecast recalculations to avoid performance issues:

const debouncedRefresh = debounce(loadForecastData, 500);

hubspot.crm.onChange(['dealstage'], debouncedRefresh);

Monitor the browser console during testing. The CRM Extension SDK logs helpful warnings when subscriptions fail or permissions are missing. Also test with multiple browser tabs open because some developers report event handling issues in multi-tab scenarios that require additional state synchronization.

This comprehensive approach ensures your forecast widget stays accurate regardless of how users interact with deals across the CRM.

5

We had this exact issue. The problem is that stage changes don’t automatically trigger widget refreshes in hs-2023. You need to use the hubspot.crm.onChange API to subscribe to specific property updates. Add a listener for the dealstage property and trigger your loadForecastData function when it changes.

6

Make sure you’re using the correct scope in your CRM Extension. The widget needs crm.objects.deals.read permission to subscribe to deal updates. Also check your extension’s manifest.json to verify the event subscriptions are properly declared. Missing permissions cause silent failures where events just don’t fire.

7

You’re not subscribing to CRM object updates. The CRM Extension SDK requires explicit subscription to deal property changes. Check the SDK documentation for the onCrmObjectUpdate event handler. Your useEffect only runs once on mount, so it never knows when deals change stages.