How to Build an Approval Matrix in ClickUp

Managing reviews, sign-offs, and stakeholder input is far easier when you organize everything in ClickUp. This step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to build an approval matrix, customize it for your workflows, and automate routine steps so teams move from draft to done without chaos.

Using the ideas and templates from the official approval matrix guide on the ClickUp blog, you will learn how to turn a confusing decision process into a clear, repeatable system.

Why Use ClickUp for an Approval Matrix

An approval matrix is a structured way to document who approves what, at which stage, and with which authority. When you build it in ClickUp, you centralize all those decisions and connect them directly to tasks, documents, and projects.

Key benefits of managing approvals with ClickUp include:

• Single source of truth for responsibilities and authority
• Clear visibility into who needs to approve each task
• Automatic notifications and reminders for decision-makers
• Audit trail of comments, status changes, and attachments
• Flexible templates that fit finance, marketing, HR, IT, and operations

Plan Your Approval Matrix Before Setting Up ClickUp

Before you open ClickUp, map your decision process on paper or a whiteboard. The clearer your model, the easier it is to translate into a workspace.

Define Roles and Responsibilities

List everyone involved in the process and categorize them. Typical roles are:

• Requester: submits the item for approval
• Reviewer: checks accuracy or compliance
• Approver: has final decision authority
• Observer: needs visibility but not decision power

Then connect each role to specific approval limits or scopes, such as budget thresholds, regions, or departments.

Map Approval Levels and Conditions

Next, outline the levels of approval. For example:

1. Level 1: Team lead reviews
2. Level 2: Department head approves
3. Level 3: Finance or legal signs off

Define rules that decide when each level applies, such as cost ranges, risk ratings, or contract types. These conditions will later become fields, filters, and automations inside ClickUp.

Create a Dedicated Space in ClickUp

Now you are ready to build the structure in ClickUp. Start by creating a dedicated Space for approvals or use an existing operations or PMO Space.

1. Create a new Space and name it something like “Approvals” or “Governance”.

2. Add Folders for each major process, such as “Marketing Approvals”, “CapEx Requests”, or “Vendor Contracts”.

3. Inside each Folder, create Lists for specific approval flows like “Creative Assets”, “Purchase Requests”, or “Policy Changes”.

This hierarchy makes it easy to segment different approval matrices inside one ClickUp workspace.

Configure Custom Fields in ClickUp for Your Matrix

Custom Fields turn a simple task list into a rich approval matrix. They hold the data you need to route and filter approvals correctly.

Essential Custom Fields to Add in ClickUp

From your List view, add Custom Fields such as:

• Approval Type (Dropdown): e.g., Creative, Legal, Budget, Contract
• Amount / Value (Number or Currency): budget or contract value
• Risk Level (Dropdown): Low, Medium, High
• Required Approver (User): main decision-maker
• Backup Approver (User): alternate when primary approver is unavailable
• Due Date for Approval (Date): deadline for sign-off
• Status (Status field): Draft, In Review, Changes Requested, Approved, Rejected

These fields let you construct views and automations that mirror your real-world approval matrix inside ClickUp.

Build a Reusable Approval Matrix Template in ClickUp

Instead of rebuilding your approvals from scratch, turn your setup into a template that you can apply to any team or project.

Step 1: Create a Master Approval List

In your approvals Space, create a master List that contains:

• All relevant Custom Fields
• Common Statuses covering each review stage
• Sample tasks that illustrate the workflow
• Views for different stakeholders (managers, finance, legal, etc.)

Step 2: Add ClickUp Views for Each Role

Use multiple views to give each group a tailored perspective:

• List View: main grid showing key fields and statuses
• Board View: Kanban-style lanes by approval status
• Calendar View: items organized by approval due dates
• Table or Custom View: finance-style details like value, cost center, and approver

Filter these views so each role sees only the items that require their attention.

Step 3: Save as a ClickUp Template

Once your master List is configured:

1. Open the List settings menu in ClickUp.
2. Choose the option to save as a List template.
3. Name the template based on process type, such as “Marketing Approval Matrix” or “CapEx Approval Matrix”.
4. Include views, Custom Fields, statuses, and automations in the template scope.

This template becomes the foundation you can roll out to other teams without rebuilding the matrix each time.

Automate Approvals in ClickUp

Automations help you move items through the matrix without manual chasing and reduce delays and bottlenecks.

Common ClickUp Automations for Approvals

Set up automations like these:

• Assign on Status Change: When a task moves to “In Review”, automatically assign it to the Required Approver.
• Notify Stakeholders: When a task is “Approved” or “Rejected”, send notifications to the requester and any watchers.
• Escalate by Due Date: When the approval due date is near and the status is still “In Review”, reassign to a Backup Approver or notify a manager.
• Route by Amount: When Amount is above a threshold, change the Required Approver to a senior leader or finance user.

With thoughtful automations in ClickUp, your approval matrix runs more consistently and requires less manual intervention.

Use ClickUp Templates for Different Approval Scenarios

Different departments need different flavors of an approval matrix. Using multiple tailored templates in ClickUp allows you to standardize without forcing everyone into one rigid model.

• Marketing and Creative: Templates with fields for campaign, channel, asset type, and brand reviewer.
• Finance and Procurement: Templates with currency, vendor, budget line, and cost center fields.
• HR and Policy: Templates for policy updates, roles impacted, and legal review steps.
• IT and Security: Templates focused on risk level, system access, and compliance checks.

You can clone your master matrix template in ClickUp, then tweak fields, views, and automations to fit each use case.

Best Practices to Keep Your ClickUp Approval Matrix Healthy

Once your matrix is live, maintain it so it stays accurate and easy to use.

• Review approver lists quarterly to reflect org changes.
• Keep status names simple and intuitive for non-technical users.
• Limit Custom Fields to the data you actually use.
• Provide a brief how-to document or onboarding task for new team members.
• Monitor cycle time and approval bottlenecks with ClickUp reporting.

Use feedback from requesters and approvers to refine your templates, fields, and automations over time.

Next Steps: Optimize Your ClickUp Setup

Once you have a solid approval matrix, you can integrate it with forms, dashboards, and reporting to gain full pipeline visibility. For help designing scalable workflows and optimizing your ClickUp workspace architecture, consider working with a dedicated productivity and automation partner like Consultevo.

By combining a well-designed approval matrix with the flexibility of ClickUp, your organization can reduce risk, speed up decisions, and give every stakeholder a clear path from request to final approval.

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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