Customer success teams · HubSpot · Renewals

How do I set up a HubSpot workflow to contact low-touch customers before their contract auto-renews?

By BREME · Updated 28 October 2026

Who this is for: Customer success teams at software and tech companies with a low-touch or pooled segment, where no CSM has a standing meeting with the customer but every renewal still needs a clear, human heads-up before the invoice arrives.

Why low-touch renewals need a warning, not silence

Auto-renewal is efficient, but a renewal invoice the customer didn't expect is one of the fastest ways to turn a quiet, happy account into an annoyed one. Low-touch customers are the most exposed, because nobody is talking to them in the months before the date.

A CS leader asked exactly this in the Gainsight community: what outreach do teams do for low-touch customers leading up to auto-renewal, and do they remind customers an invoice is coming? The practical answer in that thread was to start renewals 90 days out, to make the notice come from a person so customers can ask questions, to state the invoice date and ideally the amount, and to recap the outcomes the customer achieved over the past term.

The workflow below puts that into HubSpot so it happens for every account, every time, without a CSM having to remember.

Before you build: one reliable renewal date

Everything hangs off a date property that holds the renewal date. If you use HubSpot contracts, HubSpot's help docs say the renewal date will be the date the contract ends if a renewal hasn't been finalised or a renewal quote isn't added. If you don't use contracts, create a date property such as Renewal date on the company or deal and make filling it in part of the Closed won handoff.

Also add a simple property for the segment, such as CS tier with options like Low touch and High touch, so this workflow only enrols the accounts it is meant for.

Step by step in HubSpot

Workflows need a Professional or Enterprise subscription in one of HubSpot's hubs, and you need Super Admin or workflow edit permissions.

1. Go to Automation > Workflows, click Create workflow and choose From scratch. Pick the object that holds your renewal date, such as companies or deals.
2. Set a filter enrollment trigger: CS tier is Low touch and Renewal date is known. Add a filter for Renewal date being in the future so expired accounts don't enrol.
3. Add a Delay and set the delay type to Until a date property. Choose Renewal date, select Before date and enter 90 days. Choose a custom time, such as 9am, in the account or contact time zone.
4. Select Yes, add a branch. HubSpot then gives you three branches: On the date, After the date and Date property unknown. Without a branch, HubSpot says a record whose date has already passed moves straight to the next action, which could send a 90 day email to someone renewing next week.
5. On the On the date branch, add a task for the CSM or pooled CS queue: review usage, check the billing contact is still right and note one or two outcomes to mention.
6. Add a second delay until the date property, Before date, 60 days. Then send the first email. Repeat with delays at 30 days and 7 days and the next two emails.
7. On the Date property unknown branch, create a task for someone to fill in the missing renewal date. That branch is your data quality alarm.
8. Review and publish, decide whether to enrol existing records that meet the trigger, and turn it on.

Two HubSpot details that matter

First, the delay follows the property. HubSpot's help docs say that if the date property changes, every record waiting in the delay is affected: a later date extends the wait, an earlier date shortens it, and a past date ends it immediately. That is useful when a renewal is pushed out, but it means a wrong date in the CRM sends the wrong email.

Second, the alternative is a Based on a schedule trigger set to Annually with Before date on the renewal date property. HubSpot says annual schedules only look at the day and month of the date, and the trigger can be used across all workflow object types. It suits renewals that fall on the same date every year. Monthly, weekly and daily schedules need Data Hub Professional or Enterprise.

What each touch should do

• 90 days: internal only. A person looks at the account before the customer hears anything, so a struggling account can be moved into an at-risk play instead of getting a cheerful renewal email.
• 60 days: the value recap. What the customer has done with the product this term and one suggestion to get more from it.
• 30 days: the formal notice. Renewal date, invoice date, the plan and term renewing, how to change seats or plan, and how to cancel.
• 7 days: a short final reminder with the same facts and a direct reply option.

Subject: Your year with [product] so far

Hi [first name],

I look after [company name]'s account here at [your company], and with your renewal coming up on [renewal date], I wanted to share a quick look back.

Over the last [term], your team has [outcome 1, for example: sent 1,200 invoices through the platform] and [outcome 2].

One thing that could help next year: [one specific suggestion].

If anything isn't working for you, just reply. I'd rather hear it now than at renewal.

[CSM name]
[Title] | [direct email]

Subject: Your [product] plan renews on [renewal date]

Hi [first name],

A heads-up so nothing comes as a surprise.

Your [plan name] plan for [number] users renews automatically on [renewal date] for another [term]. The invoice will be sent to [billing contact] on [invoice date].

If you'd like to change your plan or number of users, reply to this email or [how to change].
If you don't want to renew, [how to cancel and by when].

Otherwise, there's nothing you need to do.

[CSM name]

Hi [first name], just a reminder that [company name]'s [product] plan renews on [renewal date] and the invoice goes to [billing contact]. Any questions or changes, reply here and I'll sort it before then. [CSM name]

Renewal review: [company name], renews [renewal date].
[ ] Check usage trend over the last 90 days
[ ] Confirm billing contact and main contact are current
[ ] Note 2 outcomes to use in the 60 day email
[ ] Any open support tickets or complaints?
[ ] If at risk, move to the at-risk play and pause this workflow for this account