How to Use Time Estimates in ClickUp
Time Estimates in ClickUp help you plan work, understand effort, and compare expected time against tracked time for your tasks and projects. This step-by-step guide explains how to enable, configure, and use time estimates so your team can better forecast workloads and delivery dates.
This article focuses specifically on the Time Estimates feature: where to turn it on, how to add estimates to tasks, and how to report on your data once everything is set up.
Enable Time Estimates in ClickUp
Before adding estimates to tasks, you need to enable the Time Estimates ClickApp for the relevant Workspace or Spaces.
Turn on the Time Estimates ClickApp
- Open your Workspace settings.
- Navigate to the ClickApps section.
- Locate the Time Estimates ClickApp.
- Toggle it on for the whole Workspace or for specific Spaces, depending on your needs.
Once enabled, the Time Estimate field becomes available on tasks and can be shown as a column in List view or as part of task details in other views.
Configure Time Estimates in ClickUp
After the Time Estimates ClickApp is enabled, configure its options so estimates match how your team works.
Choose estimate formats
Time estimates can typically be set in units like minutes, hours, or days. Decide which format works best for your team and use it consistently.
- Short tasks: minutes or fractional hours.
- Standard work items: whole hours.
- Large initiatives: days or a combination of days and hours.
Consistent formatting makes reporting and comparison across tasks easier to understand.
Decide where estimates are required
You can choose whether time estimates are optional or a required part of your task templates and workflows. Common approaches include:
- Requiring estimates for all tasks in a specific Space.
- Adding estimates only to tasks in certain Lists, such as sprints or billable work.
- Keeping estimates optional for exploratory or internal tasks.
Align requirements with your planning and reporting needs so team members always know when an estimate is expected.
Add Time Estimates to ClickUp tasks
Once configuration is complete, start applying estimates to individual tasks. You can add estimates from the task view or from certain List-based views.
Add an estimate from task view
- Open a task where you want to add an estimate.
- Locate the Time Estimate field or icon in the task details.
- Click the field and enter the estimated time using your chosen units.
- Save the task to apply the estimate.
This method works well for tasks that need more context, such as detailed descriptions, attachments, or checklists.
Add estimates from List view in ClickUp
You can quickly apply or edit multiple estimates from a List view. This is useful during sprint planning or when adjusting workloads.
- Open the relevant List view.
- Make sure the Time Estimate column is visible. If not, customize your columns to add it.
- Click into a cell under the Time Estimate column for any task.
- Enter or adjust the time value.
- Press Enter or click away to save the change.
Using List view allows teams to see all estimates in a single place, making it easier to balance work across assignees.
Use Advanced Time Estimates in ClickUp
Depending on your Workspace plan and configuration, you may have access to additional options that enhance how estimates are tracked and analyzed.
Assignee-based time estimates
Some setups support assigning separate estimates to different people on the same task. This is useful when multiple team members contribute different amounts of effort.
- Assign one estimate per assignee based on their portion of work.
- Use these values for more accurate capacity planning.
- Compare each assignee’s tracked time to their estimate for performance and forecasting insights.
Check your Workspace’s Time Estimates ClickApp settings to see if assignee-based estimates are available and how they are displayed in reports.
Range-based time estimates
In certain configurations, you can enter a time range rather than a single value. This is ideal when effort is uncertain.
- Set a minimum and maximum estimate to capture uncertainty.
- Use the range to plan best-case and worst-case timelines.
- Refine the estimate as more information becomes available.
Range-based estimates give teams flexibility when exact timing is not yet known but approximate expectations are needed.
Compare Estimates with Time Tracking in ClickUp
Time estimates are most powerful when compared to actual tracked time. This reveals how accurate your planning is and where you may need to adjust effort or scope.
Track time against estimated work
Make sure time tracking is enabled and in active use across your team. For each task with an estimate, team members should log time as they work.
- Enable the Time Tracking ClickApp for your Workspace or Spaces if it is not already active.
- Train team members to log time directly on tasks while they work.
- Encourage consistent logging habits to maintain reliable data.
With consistent time tracking, you can see how real work compares to planned estimates on a task-by-task or project-wide basis.
Use views and dashboards to analyze ClickUp estimates
Time estimates and tracked time can be reviewed using various views and dashboard widgets.
- List view: Show both the Time Estimate and Time Tracked columns to compare values side by side.
- Board view: Group tasks by status and display estimate data on cards to see workload by stage.
- Dashboards: Add widgets that summarize estimated vs tracked time for a Space, Folder, or List.
Over time, use these tools to identify patterns, such as types of tasks that regularly exceed estimates or teams that need more detailed planning.
Best Practices for Time Estimates in ClickUp
To get meaningful results from your estimates, follow a few simple practices that keep your data accurate and useful.
Standardize estimation methods
Agree on a consistent approach to estimation across your Workspace:
- Choose standard time units and stick to them.
- Define what qualifies as a small, medium, or large task.
- Document guidelines so new team members can estimate reliably.
Standardization makes it easier to interpret estimate data and maintain quality across teams.
Review and adjust estimates regularly
Estimation improves with continuous feedback:
- After each sprint or project, review which tasks deviated from their estimates.
- Identify reasons for consistent under- or over-estimation.
- Refine your estimation techniques and any templates you use.
These reviews help teams become more accurate over time, leading to better schedules and expectations.
More resources on ClickUp Time Estimates
To dive deeper into the specifics of time estimates, including available options and plan-based differences, you can reference the official documentation on the ClickUp Help Center:
Official Time Estimates documentation
If you want tailored help building workflows, automation, or reporting around time estimates and time tracking, consider working with a dedicated consulting partner such as Consultevo.
By enabling Time Estimates, configuring them properly, and consistently comparing them with tracked time, your team can use ClickUp to plan work more realistically, reduce surprises, and continuously improve project delivery.
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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