# Data Preparation

When you are in the phase of preparation of data to be inserted in HubSpot, please consider the data-format that is accepted by HubSpot itself ([official documentation](https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/api/overview)).

### Database Tables

Database tables must not contain spaces or special characters other than the underscore character ("\_").

Here some example of good and bad table names:

✅ CONTACTS\
✅ ERP\_CONTACTS\
❌ ERP CONTACTS\
❌ ERP\&CONTACTS

### Date & DateTime

In HubSpot there are 2 types to handle the time:

* **Date**: it contains just the date (day, month and year) and the time is fixed at midnight. *(Ex: 2020-02-10)*
* **DateTime:** it contains both the date and the time part. *(Ex: 2020-02-10 06:10:00)*

In order to successfully transfer date and datetime data from the database, ERP Bridge try to convert the value you have in the database to UNIX Timestamp at UTC timezone.\
Even if the software will infer most of date formats, we suggest always to use the most common and international date format (**ISO 8601**): *dd-mm-yyyy.*

If you have a date already in UNIX Timestamp format, the software will bypass the conversion and it will just push the value to HubSpot.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Be careful about the last point:** HubSpot requires the UNIX Timestamp in milliseconds format, if you will send it in seconds, it will not accept the value.
{% endhint %}

### Single Checkbox

This type of property has only 2 possible values. The only possible internal values of the property are "**true**" and "**false**" interdependently from the labels.

### Multiple Checkboxes & Selects

These types of properties are very customizable and the user can decide multiple entries with custom labels and internal values.

The important thing here is that your database value must match the **internal value** of every single option, **NOT the label**! If you will try to push an option non-present in the HubSpot property options, the request will be rejected by HubSpot and it will be logged  in logs file.