How to Use ClickUp AI Alternatives Effectively

If you have tried Grubby and want more power, ClickUp gives you a clear path to smarter work by connecting AI directly to your projects, docs, and tasks.

This how-to guide walks you through replacing a single-purpose AI tool with a complete productivity platform so you can plan, write, and track work in one place.

All examples and ideas here are based on the alternatives to Grubby discussed in the original comparison at this ClickUp blog article.

Why Move From Grubby to ClickUp-Style Workflows

Grubby is built for quick AI responses, but most teams need a workspace that can handle planning, documentation, and execution together.

Platforms that follow the ClickUp approach bring three benefits:

• AI linked to real tasks and projects, not isolated chats
• Centralized docs, notes, and wikis instead of scattered files
• Automation and templates to keep processes consistent

Understanding these advantages will help you design a better workflow before you start switching tools.

Plan Your Move to a ClickUp-Centric Workspace

Before jumping into any alternative, map how work currently flows through your team. This makes it much easier to rebuild that system in a modern workspace.

Step 1: Audit How You Use Grubby Today

List the exact ways you rely on Grubby or a similar tool. Common patterns include:

• Drafting blog posts and social content
• Summarizing meeting notes or research
• Brainstorming ideas and outlines
• Writing email responses

This list becomes your checklist for what your new ClickUp-style environment must support.

Step 2: Decide What Should Live in ClickUp

In a modern AI-enabled workspace, you want content and tasks to live side by side. To do that, decide which items will move into the platform:

• Active projects and campaigns
• Standard operating procedures and templates
• Shared content outlines and briefs
• Recurring tasks that can be automated

Anything you reference often, or that involves multiple people, is a strong candidate to store in your new system.

Set Up a ClickUp-Inspired Structure

To work efficiently you need a simple, predictable structure. The structure used in ClickUp can be copied in any similar tool.

Create Spaces for Each Major Work Area

Start by grouping work into a few Spaces so people always know where to put things:

• Marketing
• Product
• Customer Success
• Operations

Inside each Space, you will later create Lists for campaigns, sprints, or documentation.

Build Lists That Replace Grubby Threads

Instead of scattered conversations, organize your work into Lists with clear purposes:

• Content Ideas & Research
• Blog & SEO Pipeline
• Support Macros & Help Docs
• Email & Outreach Templates

Each item in a List can hold comments, attachments, and AI-generated drafts, making it far easier to track than using isolated AI chats.

Use ClickUp AI Alternatives for Writing and Content

One of the greatest strengths of a platform like ClickUp is combining AI writing with project management. You can mirror this setup step by step.

Step 1: Centralize Ideas in a List

1. Create a List called “Content Backlog” inside your Marketing Space.
2. Add tasks for each idea: blog topic, social campaign, or landing page.
3. Use custom fields like status, priority, and target keyword.

This turns what used to be loose ideas in Grubby into structured work items.

Step 2: Use Built-In AI to Draft Content

In AI-enabled workspaces that adopt the ClickUp model, you typically get AI tools right inside tasks and docs. To make the most of them:

1. Open a task from your Content Backlog.
2. Create a doc or rich text description in the task.
3. Use AI prompts to generate:

• Titles and outlines
• Draft blog sections
• Social captions
• Email variants

Edit the AI draft directly in the task or doc so all changes stay linked to the work item.

Step 3: Build a Review Workflow

To avoid scattered feedback, create a simple workflow people can follow.

1. Add workflow statuses like “Briefing,” “Drafting,” “Review,” and “Published.”
2. Use task assignees so each item always has an owner.
3. Store review comments in the task instead of separate tools.

This structure makes your AI content process repeatable and auditable.

Use ClickUp-Style Docs for Knowledge and SOPs

Grubby is not built for long-term documentation. Platforms inspired by ClickUp use docs and wikis to store how work gets done, with AI to refine the content.

Step 1: Create a Knowledge Space

Make a dedicated Space called “Knowledge” or “Wiki.” Inside it, create Lists like:

• Onboarding Guides
• Internal Playbooks
• Product Documentation
• Sales and Support Templates

Each List can hold docs and tasks tightly connected to your processes.

Step 2: Turn Loose Notes Into Documents

Take any recurring responses you generated with Grubby and convert them into maintainable docs.

1. Create a doc for each process, such as “Responding to Feature Requests.”
2. Paste in the best versions of previous AI replies.
3. Use built-in AI to clean up tone, structure, and clarity.

Now the team has a single, trusted source of truth instead of one-off responses.

Manage Projects With ClickUp-Like Views and Automation

Modern work management platforms give you multiple views so you can switch between high-level overviews and detailed task boards.

Step 1: Use Board and List Views

Create Board and List views for your project Lists:

• Board view for status-based workflows
• List view for detailed planning and sorting
• Calendar view for deadlines and launches

These make your AI-supported work feel organized rather than reactive.

Step 2: Add Simple Automation

Most tools that echo the ClickUp approach support automation to reduce manual steps.

• Move tasks to “Review” when a draft is marked complete.
• Notify editors when a task enters “Review.”
• Auto-assign tasks when a List or type is selected.

These automations free up more time to focus on strategy, not admin work.

Optimize Your ClickUp Workflow With Expert Help

If you want guidance setting up a workspace, AI prompts, or documentation that follows the ClickUp structure, you can work with a specialist agency such as Consultevo.

They can help you design Spaces, Lists, templates, and automations so your transition from tools like Grubby is fast and low risk.

Next Steps: Put ClickUp Lessons Into Practice

Replacing a single-purpose AI tool with an integrated workspace is less about the specific software and more about how you structure work.

To put the lessons from the ClickUp ecosystem into action today:

1. Audit how you currently use AI in your daily tasks.
2. Define Spaces and Lists that mirror your real processes.
3. Centralize ideas, drafts, and feedback into one workspace.
4. Turn repeatable answers into living docs.
5. Layer on automation and AI to remove repetitive steps.

Follow these steps and you will move from isolated AI chats to a cohesive operating system for your team, inspired by how ClickUp unites tasks, docs, and automation in a single place.