How to Configure Lab Resource Allocation in ClickUp

Using ClickUp, you can build a clear, scalable lab resource allocation system that tracks experiments, equipment use, and schedules in one organized workspace.

This how-to guide walks you through setting up the Laboratory Resource Allocation solution, so your team can reduce conflicts, increase utilization, and keep every experiment on track.

Understand the Laboratory Allocation Solution in ClickUp

The Laboratory Resource Allocation setup in ClickUp is built around three main spaces that mirror how real labs plan and run work.

• Projects & Experiments: A space for planning experiments, tracking tasks, and managing the overall timeline.
• Operations & Admin: A space for daily lab operations, safety, compliance, and administrative work.
• Instruments & Equipment: A space focused on resources, their availability, and booking schedules.

Each space in ClickUp contains lists, views, and custom fields tuned for lab work so you can monitor who is doing what, on which instrument, and when.

Step 1: Create the Core Spaces in ClickUp

Begin by creating three separate spaces in ClickUp that match the solution structure.

1. Create the Projects & Experiments space

   • Name the space Projects & Experiments.
   • Add lists for different research areas, programs, or study lines.
   • Use tasks to represent specific projects, experiments, or protocol runs.

2. Create the Operations & Admin space

   • Name the space Operations & Admin.
   • Create lists for safety, training, compliance, and inventory support tasks.
   • Use this space to centralize all non-experiment work that keeps the lab running smoothly.

3. Create the Instruments & Equipment space

   • Name the space Instruments & Equipment.
   • Add lists for major equipment categories such as chromatography, imaging, or sample prep.
   • Create one task per instrument, asset, or shared resource you want to track.

By structuring ClickUp this way, you separate strategic projects, daily operations, and physical resources while still keeping all data connected.

Step 2: Configure Custom Fields in ClickUp for Lab Data

Custom fields in ClickUp allow you to capture key lab and experiment metadata across your spaces.

Set custom fields for projects and experiments in ClickUp

In the Projects & Experiments space, configure fields such as:

• Experiment Type (Dropdown) – e.g., Assay, Method Development, Validation, Scale-up.
• Principal Investigator (Text or User) – who is scientifically responsible.
• Priority (Dropdown) – High, Medium, Low, or custom tiers.
• Planned Start / End Date (Date) – core timeline fields.
• Department or Line of Business (Dropdown) – to group work by unit.

Set custom fields for instruments and equipment in ClickUp

In the Instruments & Equipment space, add fields like:

• Instrument Status (Dropdown) – Available, In Use, Maintenance, Out of Service.
• Location (Text or Dropdown) – room, lab, or site.
• Owner or Steward (User) – person responsible for the asset.
• Maintenance Window (Date / Date Range) – upcoming downtime.
• Utilization Percentage (Number) – to summarize usage where needed.

These fields let your ClickUp views answer questions such as which assays are running this week, which instruments are booked, and which teams need more capacity.

Step 3: Model Schedules and Bookings in ClickUp

For resource allocation, you need to clearly see when experiments and equipment are scheduled.

Use Calendar views in ClickUp for experiment timelines

1. Open the Projects & Experiments space.
2. Create a Calendar view and map it to your planned start and end date fields.
3. Group or color tasks by Experiment Type or Principal Investigator.
4. Filter to show active or upcoming experiments only.

This helps your team quickly spot overlaps and potential conflicts before they affect lab work.

Use Calendar or Workload views in ClickUp for equipment

1. Open the Instruments & Equipment space.
2. Use a Calendar view to show each instrument task as time-blocked bookings.
3. Use Workload or similar capacity-oriented views to understand how heavily assets are used.
4. Filter by Instrument Status to hide resources in maintenance or out of service.

When you organize equipment schedules this way in ClickUp, managers and scientists can see real-time availability without separate booking tools.

Step 4: Link Experiments to Instruments in ClickUp

Connecting projects and equipment is critical for accurate lab resource allocation.

Create relationships between experiments and instruments

1. In the Projects & Experiments space, open an experiment task.
2. Add a Relation or related task link to the corresponding instrument task from the Instruments & Equipment space.
3. Optionally, create a field that tracks the instrument ID or tag for quick filtering.
4. Repeat for all experiments that rely on shared resources.

This way, any experiment in ClickUp can show which instruments it needs, and any instrument can display the active or upcoming experiments linked to it.

Use related views to monitor utilization in ClickUp

Once relationships are in place, you can:

• Open an instrument task to see all related experiments scheduled.
• Filter instruments by high utilization or many linked experiments.
• Plan new work around heavily used resources to avoid bottlenecks.

Step 5: Manage Lab Operations and Admin Workflows in ClickUp

The Operations & Admin space keeps the non-experiment side of the lab visible and trackable.

Organize lab operations tasks

• Create lists for Safety & Compliance, Training, Inventory Support, and General Admin.
• Use tasks for audits, safety checks, documentation updates, and training sessions.
• Apply due dates and assignees so responsibilities are clear.

Coordinate operations with experiments and equipment

Connect operational tasks in ClickUp to projects and instruments where relevant. Example connections include:

• Link maintenance tasks to instrument tasks to show when an asset will be offline.
• Attach safety review tasks to high-risk experiment projects.
• Relate training tasks to teams or projects that require certified users.

These links give you a unified lab view, combining operations, experiments, and resources in a single ClickUp structure.

Step 6: Build Dashboards and Reports in ClickUp

Dashboards help you analyze utilization and progress at a glance.

Key dashboard widgets to use in ClickUp

• Task Lists or Table Widgets – to show active experiments, their status, and assigned instruments.
• Calendar Widgets – to display experiment timelines and booking schedules together.
• Chart Widgets – to summarize experiments by department, instrument status, or priority.
• Number Widgets – to highlight total active experiments, available instruments, or overdue maintenance tasks.

Configure dashboards around leadership and team needs, such as weekly planning, capacity reviews, or compliance readiness checks.

Step 7: Collaborate and Automate in ClickUp

Once your structure is in place, collaboration and automation keep the lab system running efficiently.

Improve communication inside ClickUp

• Use comments on experiment tasks to discuss protocols, results, or next steps.
• @mention instrument owners when booking sensitive or high-demand equipment.
• Attach protocols, run sheets, or reports directly to relevant tasks.

Automate repetitive lab workflows

Set up automations in ClickUp to reduce manual work, for example:

• Change experiment status when dates are reached.
• Notify instrument stewards when new bookings are created.
• Create maintenance tasks automatically based on instrument status changes.

Resources and Next Steps

To see the original configuration description for this solution, review the official resource allocation page at ClickUp Laboratory Resource Allocation.

If you need advanced help designing or optimizing a scalable structure, you can consult implementation and workflow specialists such as Consultevo to align ClickUp with your lab’s processes.

By following these steps, you can turn ClickUp into a complete laboratory resource allocation hub that unifies experiments, instruments, and operations, helping your teams work more predictably and efficiently.

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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