To use ClickUp, set up one Workspace for your business, create a Space for each team or client, and add Lists for projects. Tasks live inside Lists, so every task needs one. Use views such as List, Board and Calendar to see the work, and keep the structure as shallow as you can.
ClickUp can do almost anything, which is why so many people get lost in it. The key to using it well is the hierarchy: the nested levels that every task sits inside. Get that structure right on day one and ClickUp is fast and tidy. Get it wrong and you'll spend more time looking for tasks than doing them.
The ClickUp hierarchy
| Level | What it's for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Workspace | Your whole organisation | Your business |
| Space | A team, department or client | Marketing |
| Folder (optional) | A group of related Lists | Website relaunch |
| List | Where tasks live | Blog posts |
| Task | One piece of work | Write the services page |
ClickUp recommends one Workspace per organisation. Folders and Subfolders are optional. Lists are not: tasks can't exist outside a List.
How to set up ClickUp
- Create your Workspace and give it your business name.
- Add a Space for each area of work, such as Marketing, Clients and Admin.
- Inside a Space, add a List for each ongoing project or process.
- Add tasks to the List, with an assignee and a due date.
- Set up statuses for the Space, such as To do, In progress, Review and Done.
- Add views at the top of the List: Board for a Kanban, Calendar for dates.
- Invite your team to the Spaces they need.
How deep should your structure be?
ClickUp's own best-practice advice scales the structure to the size of the work:
- Small projects: one List, with each project as a task and its steps as subtasks.
- Medium projects: a List for each project.
- Large projects: a Folder for each project, with a List for each stage.
The catch most new users fall into is building every level for every project: a Folder, inside it a List, inside it one task. That's three clicks to reach one piece of work. Start shallow, and add Folders only when a Space has too many Lists to scan.
Spaces: public or private
Each Space has its own settings, including statuses and features, and can be shared with everyone in the Workspace or kept private. Use a private Space for anything sensitive, such as hiring or finance admin, and a shared Space for team work. Changing a Space's settings changes them for every List inside it, which is why it's worth deciding statuses at Space level early.
Views worth using
- List for working through tasks.
- Board to drag tasks between statuses.
- Calendar for deadlines and content dates.
- Gantt for projects with dependencies.
- Everything view to see all tasks across the Workspace.
Tips for keeping ClickUp under control
- Turn off features you don't use in Space settings, so menus stay short.
- Use templates for repeated projects, like client onboarding.
- Give every task one assignee, so ownership is clear.
- Use comments on tasks instead of email or chat, so decisions stay with the work.
- Review and archive finished Lists every month.
A first-week plan
- Day one: create the Workspace and two Spaces.
- Day two: move one live project into a List.
- Days three to five: work only from ClickUp for that project.
- End of week: add views and statuses based on what you missed.
Moving everything at once is the fastest way to give up on ClickUp. One project, set up well, shows you what structure you need.
Statuses that match how you work
Every Space comes with default statuses, but the best ones mirror the real stages your work goes through. A content team might use Idea, Drafting, Editing, Scheduled and Published. A client team might use Onboarding, Active, Waiting on client and Complete. Keep the list short, because every extra status is another column on the board view and another decision for whoever updates the task. Set them at Space level so every List inside uses the same steps and reports make sense.
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Moving from another tool
If you're coming from a spreadsheet, Trello or another project tool, ClickUp can import tasks, but don't import years of history. Bring in live projects only, check the statuses and assignees land where you expect, and leave old work archived in the previous tool for reference. A clean start makes the new structure far easier to keep tidy, and it stops old, half-finished tasks cluttering every view on day one.
Is ClickUp right for you?
ClickUp suits teams who want tasks, docs, goals and time tracking in one place, and are willing to spend a little time on setup. If you want something simpler to open and start, a lighter tool might suit you better. My full ClickUp review covers who it suits and who it overwhelms, and my roundup of whiteboard tools helps if you plan visually.
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My verdict
Start with one Workspace, a Space per team or client, and Lists for projects. Remember tasks must live in a List, keep the structure shallow, and add Folders only when a Space gets crowded. Switch off features you don't use, and move one project in before the rest. For more on keeping a team productive, see productivity tips for remote teams.
Frequently asked questions
Can ClickUp import tasks from other tools?
Yes. ClickUp can import from spreadsheets and other project tools. Bring in live projects only and check statuses afterwards.
What's the ClickUp hierarchy?
Workspace, Space, Folder (optional), List, then task.
Can a task exist outside a List in ClickUp?
No. Every task has to live in a List.
Do I need Folders in ClickUp?
No. Folders are optional. Use them only when a Space has many Lists.
How many Workspaces does a business need?
ClickUp recommends one Workspace per organisation.
Can I make a ClickUp Space private?
Yes. Each Space can be shared with everyone or kept private.
How should I organise a small project in ClickUp?
Use one List, with each project as a task and steps as subtasks.
