How to Use ClickUp for Exploratory Testing

ClickUp helps QA teams, product managers, and developers organize exploratory testing so they can find critical issues before release. This how-to guide walks you through setting up a complete exploratory testing workflow using workspaces, views, and templates.

Exploratory testing is a structured but flexible way to learn the product while you test it. Instead of following rigid scripts, you define charters, take notes, and explore flows in short, focused sessions. The original ClickUp blog on exploratory testing outlines the concepts; here you will learn exactly how to put them into practice.

Why Manage Exploratory Testing in ClickUp

Managing exploratory tests in ClickUp turns ad‑hoc sessions into repeatable, documented quality checks. You can plan, execute, and track test sessions in one place, giving your team a shared view of product risk.

Key benefits include:

Centralized tracking for all test charters and sessions
Faster bug reporting directly from testing tasks
Clear ownership of test areas and priorities
Standardized templates for repeatable testing sessions

Step 1: Create a Dedicated ClickUp Space for Testing

Start by creating a dedicated Space in ClickUp for quality and testing work. This keeps your exploratory testing process organized and distinct from product or engineering tasks.

Create a new Space named something like “Quality & Testing”.
Add Folders such as “Exploratory Testing”, “Regression Testing”, and “Test Planning”.
Within the “Exploratory Testing” folder, create a List for each product area or feature group.

This structure lets you quickly filter exploratory testing tasks by product module, release, or team.

Step 2: Build a ClickUp Template for Exploratory Sessions

To keep sessions consistent, build a reusable task template in ClickUp for exploratory testing. Each task will represent a single session or charter.

Design the ClickUp session task layout

Create a new task in the Exploratory Testing List and use it as your base template. Include these sections in the task description:

Objective: What you want to learn or evaluate
Scope: Features, flows, or constraints to focus on
Environment: Build version, environment URL, and test data
Risks & Assumptions: Known risky areas or product unknowns
Notes & Observations: Area for time‑stamped notes during testing

Save this task as a template so testers can spin up new sessions in seconds.

Add ClickUp custom fields for testing details

Custom fields turn a simple task into a structured exploratory test record. Add fields such as:

Session Owner (User)
Session Start Time / End Time (Date & Time)
Session Duration (Number or Calculated)
Feature Area (Dropdown)
Risk Level (Low, Medium, High)
Build / Version (Text)
Session Outcome (Pass, Issues Found, Blocked)

These custom fields make it easy to sort and filter sessions later, such as viewing all high‑risk sessions or all sessions on a specific build.

Step 3: Capture Charters and Ideas in ClickUp Docs

Use ClickUp Docs to plan your testing strategy and maintain a shared library of charters.

Create a Doc called “Exploratory Testing Charters”.
Group charters by product area, such as onboarding, billing, or search.
For each charter, document: goal, key flows, data needs, and risks.

You can then link each Doc section directly to testing tasks, or paste charter text into the session template. Docs keep your testing knowledge organized and easily discoverable for future releases.

Step 4: Plan Sessions with ClickUp Views

Different ClickUp views help you organize and schedule exploratory testing work across the team.

Board view for session status

Use a Board view grouped by Status (Planned, In Progress, Review, Completed) to see live testing progress.

Drag tasks across columns as you start and finish sessions.
Filter by Feature Area to focus on a specific module.
Use color‑coded priorities to highlight critical sessions.

Calendar view for time‑boxed sessions

Add a Calendar view to schedule time‑boxed exploratory testing sessions.

Set Start and Due dates on each session task.
Block off 60–120 minute windows for focused testing.
Balance workload by assigning sessions to multiple testers.

List view for reporting and triage

List view in ClickUp is ideal for reporting on sessions after a cycle.

Group by Risk Level to see where issues cluster.
Sort by Build / Version to review changes between releases.
Save filters as custom views for regression, smoke, or release readiness checks.

Step 5: Run Exploratory Sessions in ClickUp

With your structure in place, you are ready to execute exploratory testing. Each session follows a simple pattern.

Pick a charter: Choose a charter from your Doc and create a new task from your session template in ClickUp.
Set the timer: Time‑box the session (for example, 90 minutes) using a timer tool or ClickUp time tracking.
Explore and take notes: Use the Notes section in the task description or a linked Doc to record each observation, including timestamps, steps taken, and environment details.
Log issues immediately: When you find a problem, create a new bug task in ClickUp, link it to the session, and add screenshots or recordings.
Summarize results: At the end of the session, fill in the Session Outcome and Risk Level fields, and add a brief summary of coverage and uncovered risks.

Step 6: Report Bugs and Risks from ClickUp

Exploratory testing uncovers new defects and clarifies risks. Turn those findings into actionable work directly in ClickUp.

Create linked bug tasks

For each significant issue you find:

Create a new bug task in your engineering or product Space.
Include reproduction steps, expected vs. actual results, logs, and media.
Link the bug back to the original exploratory session task using task relationships.
Tag the bug with the same Feature Area and Build / Version.

This linkage allows developers and stakeholders to trace issues back to the exact exploratory session.

Summarize findings in ClickUp Docs

After a testing cycle or sprint, create a short summary in a Doc:

Top risks and problem areas
Patterns across multiple sessions
Open critical bugs and their status
Recommendations for future exploratory focus

Embed List or Board views directly into the Doc so stakeholders can see live data from ClickUp alongside the narrative summary.

Step 7: Improve Your Process with ClickUp Automation

Automations in ClickUp help you minimize manual work and ensure consistent practice.

When Status changes to “Completed”, automatically set Session Outcome if no bugs were linked.
When Risk Level is “High”, assign a follow‑up review task to a lead QA engineer.
When a bug is created from a session, auto‑link it to the session task.

These small automations create a robust, repeatable exploratory testing workflow that scales with your team.

Next Steps and Additional Resources

By structuring exploratory testing in ClickUp, you transform spontaneous sessions into an organized, data‑driven practice. Your team gains clearer visibility into risk, faster bug turnaround, and better release decisions.

For broader workflow and automation strategies beyond testing, you can explore expert consulting and process design resources at Consultevo.

To go deeper into the theory and techniques behind exploratory testing, review the full overview on the official ClickUp exploratory testing blog post and adapt the examples there to your own ClickUp workspace.

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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