How to Manage CTMS Workflows in ClickUp

ClickUp can be configured to mirror key features of Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS) so clinical teams can plan, track, and report on studies in a single workspace. This how-to guide walks you step by step through structuring CTMS-style workflows using flexible project management tools.

The steps below translate common CTMS needs into practical workspace setups, views, and automations so sponsors, CROs, and sites can coordinate complex research activities with full visibility.

Step 1: Plan Your CTMS Structure in ClickUp

Before you build anything, outline how you want to represent trials, protocols, and sites. The source CTMS guide at ClickUp CTMS software blog highlights the importance of organized trial data.

Decide what each major level in your workspace will represent:

• Workspace: Organization or sponsor
• Space: Therapeutic area or program
• Folder: Individual clinical trial or study
• List: Study phases, site management, monitoring, or regulatory workstreams
• Task: Specific activities like site initiation, patient visits, or monitoring visits

Map this structure on paper first so your ClickUp setup reflects the way your team actually manages studies.

Step 2: Build a Clinical Trial Space in ClickUp

Next, create a dedicated Space to contain all CTMS-style operations.

1. Create a new Space and name it after your clinical operations group or therapeutic area.
2. Within the Space, create a Folder for each clinical trial or protocol.
3. Inside each Folder, add separate Lists such as:
   • Study Startup
   • Site Management
   • Patient Enrollment & Visits
   • Monitoring & Quality
   • Regulatory & Compliance

This structure lets you see progress by trial while still being able to drill into specific areas like enrollment or regulatory tasks.

Step 3: Configure ClickUp Custom Fields for CTMS Data

To behave more like dedicated CTMS software, configure custom fields in ClickUp to store key clinical data.

Add custom fields at the Folder or List level to capture:

• Site ID (number or text)
• Site Name
• Principal Investigator
• Country / Region
• Protocol ID
• Phase (dropdown: I, II, III, IV)
• Visit Type (screening, baseline, follow-up, closeout)
• Planned Visit Date
• Actual Visit Date
• Enrollment Status (screened, randomized, completed, withdrawn)

Custom fields turn generic tasks into structured CTMS records that you can filter, group, and report on.

Step 4: Create CTMS-Style Task Templates in ClickUp

Standardized task templates in ClickUp help you apply the same CTMS process to every trial and site.

1. Identify repeatable processes, like:
   • Site feasibility and selection
   • Site initiation visits
   • Patient visit schedules
   • Monitoring visits and reports
2. For each process, create a task template with:
   • Predefined subtasks (e.g., collect regulatory docs, confirm lab readiness)
   • Relevant custom fields already attached
   • Checklist items for quality and GCP compliance
   • Default assignees and watchers
3. Save these task templates inside your clinical trial Space so teams can reuse them across studies.

Using templates in ClickUp ensures consistent execution while still allowing local customization for each protocol.

Step 5: Set Up ClickUp Views for Study Oversight

Powerful views make CTMS-style data actionable. Configure multiple ClickUp views on each Folder and List so different stakeholders see what they need instantly.

Board View for Study Phases in ClickUp

Use Board view to visualize workflows as cards moving through stages:

• Create columns such as Startup, Ready for Enrollment, Active, On Hold, Closed.
• Group by custom fields like Site or Country to compare performance.
• Drag tasks between columns to reflect real-time status changes.

List and Table Views for CTMS Records in ClickUp

List or Table views make ClickUp behave like a structured CTMS database:

• Show key columns: Site ID, Investigator, Phase, Visit Date, Enrollment Status.
• Save filters for “Overdue visits,” “Sites not activated,” or “Patients at risk of dropout.”
• Sort by planned dates or regions to prioritize work.

Calendar and Timeline Views in ClickUp

Use date-based views to coordinate complex clinical timelines:

• Calendar view to see patient visits, monitoring visits, and milestones.
• Timeline or Gantt view to track protocol startup, enrollment windows, and database lock.
• Color-code tasks by site or phase for quick interpretation.

These views help clinical project managers balance workloads and prevent missed commitments.

Step 6: Automate Routine CTMS Tasks in ClickUp

Automations reduce manual data management and help ClickUp behave more like specialized CTMS tools.

Configure automations such as:

• Change status to “In Progress” when a task is assigned.
• Notify monitors when visit dates are approaching or overdue.
• Update a custom field when a task moves to a particular status (e.g., mark “Site Activated” when startup tasks are done).
• Create follow-up tasks automatically after a monitoring visit is closed.

Start with a small set of core automations and expand as your team identifies repeating patterns.

Step 7: Use ClickUp Docs for Protocols and Study Manuals

Centralize reference material using Docs so your CTMS-style environment includes live documentation.

Create Docs for:

• Protocol summaries and key amendments
• Investigator brochures
• Monitoring plans and visit templates
• SOPs for data entry, query handling, and safety reporting

Attach these Docs directly to relevant tasks or pin them in the trial Folder. Use comments and tracked changes to manage updates as the study evolves.

Step 8: Track CTMS Metrics with ClickUp Dashboards

Dashboards give leadership a high-level CTMS-style overview without digging into every List.

Add widgets and charts for:

• Enrollment by site and country
• Monitoring visit completion rates
• Open vs. closed protocol deviations
• Overdue tasks grouped by owner or site
• Upcoming regulatory and safety deadlines

Configure filters using your custom fields so the same Dashboard works across trials while still allowing drill-down views for a single study.

Step 9: Align Your Team and Refine the ClickUp Setup

Once your initial CTMS-style workspace is live, spend time onboarding users and refining the structure.

1. Run short training sessions focused on how ClickUp reflects existing processes.
2. Gather feedback from monitors, CRAs, and study coordinators.
3. Adjust custom fields, statuses, and templates based on how people actually work.

For advanced optimization, workflow design, or migration from legacy CTMS tools, you can partner with specialists like Consultevo to tune your setup for scale and regulatory expectations.

Next Steps: Expand Your CTMS Workflows in ClickUp

By structuring Spaces, custom fields, views, and automations around clinical trial processes, ClickUp can function as a flexible hub for CTMS-style coordination. Start with one pilot study, validate the approach with your team, then roll out a standardized model across programs and regions.

As your portfolio grows, continue building on these foundations with more detailed templates, cross-trial Dashboards, and integrated documentation so every study runs with clarity, compliance, and predictable execution.

Need Help With ClickUp?

If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your ClickUp workspace, work with ConsultEvo — trusted ClickUp Solution Partners.

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