See Time Estimates in ClickUp
ClickUp lets you add and view time estimates in different task views and Dashboard cards so you can understand workload, plan sprints, and report on project progress with confidence.
This how-to guide explains where time estimates appear, the conditions required for them to display, and how to work with them in views and widgets.
Understanding Time Estimates in ClickUp
Time estimates represent how long work is expected to take. In ClickUp, these estimates can be displayed as simple numeric values or as total estimated time for lists and projects.
You can use time estimates to:
- Compare planned effort against tracked time
- Assess workload for teams and individuals
- Support sprint planning and capacity decisions
- Report on project scope and complexity
Before you can see time estimates throughout your workspace, you must enable them in your settings and add estimates to tasks.
Prerequisites to See Time Estimates in ClickUp
To make sure time estimates appear correctly in your ClickUp views and Dashboards, confirm the following:
Enable the Time Estimates ClickUp feature
- Open your workspace settings.
- Locate the Time Estimates feature control in the Time Tracking or related settings area.
- Turn on the Time Estimates feature so task estimates can be stored and displayed.
If this feature is off, estimates will not be available anywhere in the workspace, including views and Dashboard cards.
Add estimates to ClickUp tasks
Next, make sure tasks actually have estimates defined:
- Open a task.
- Locate the Time Estimate field or area.
- Enter the estimated time using the supported format (for example, hours or minutes).
- Save the task.
Only tasks with an estimate will be counted in totals and visible columns.
Where You Can See Time Estimates in ClickUp Views
You can display time estimates across multiple views in ClickUp, including List, Table, and other supported task views. The exact layout depends on the view, but the same principles apply.
Show the Time Estimate column in ClickUp List views
To see estimates per task in a List-style view:
- Open the location that contains your tasks, such as a List within a Space or Folder.
- Switch to the List or Table view, depending on your preference.
- Open the column settings or column management menu.
- Find and enable the Time Estimate column.
Once enabled, each task row will show its individual estimate, and you can quickly scan, sort, or filter based on estimated effort.
Sort and filter by time estimates in ClickUp
After the Time Estimate column is visible, you can use it to analyze work:
- Sort tasks from smallest to largest estimate to identify quick wins.
- Sort from largest to smallest to highlight major work items.
- Filter tasks to show only items with an estimate, or only tasks above or below a certain threshold.
Sorting and filtering helps you prioritize work and balance your team’s workload.
View total time estimates for groups
In many ClickUp task views, tasks are grouped by status, assignee, priority, or a custom field. You can often see a total Time Estimate value for each group:
- Turn on the group totals or aggregation option in the view settings.
- Make sure Time Estimate is selected as a field to total.
This shows the sum of estimates within each group so you can compare workloads between statuses or team members.
See Time Estimates in ClickUp Dashboards
Dashboards in ClickUp provide high-level visibility into task data, including time estimates. Different widgets display estimates in different ways.
Use task list widgets to show ClickUp time estimates
A task list widget can show estimates at the task level and display totals for the selected data set.
- Open or create a Dashboard.
- Add a Task List widget.
- Choose the Spaces, Folders, or Lists that should be included.
- In the widget configuration, enable the Time Estimate field as a visible column.
- Save the widget.
The widget will now list each task with its estimate and can also display totals for the selected tasks, depending on widget options.
Show total time estimates by status or assignee in ClickUp
Other Dashboard widgets can summarize estimates by category. For example, you may use:
- Bar chart widgets to show total estimated time by status, assignee, or list.
- Pie chart widgets to display the proportion of estimated time in each workflow stage.
- Custom reporting widgets where Time Estimate is included as a metric.
When configuring these widgets, ensure that Time Estimate is selected as the value to measure so the chart or summary shows estimated time, not just task counts.
Best Practices for Managing Time Estimates in ClickUp
To get reliable insight from time estimates, follow these best practices in your ClickUp workspace:
Standardize how you estimate tasks in ClickUp
- Define a consistent unit (for example, always use hours rather than mixing hours and days).
- Agree on estimation guidelines for your team so similar tasks receive similar estimates.
- Train new team members on how to enter and update estimates in tasks.
Keep ClickUp time estimates up to date
- Update the estimate if scope changes.
- Review estimates during sprint planning or weekly reviews.
- Compare actual tracked time to estimates to refine future planning.
Troubleshoot missing time estimates in ClickUp
If you expect to see time estimates but they are not visible, check these common issues:
- Confirm the Time Estimates feature is enabled in workspace settings.
- Verify the Time Estimate column or metric is turned on in the specific view or widget.
- Make sure tasks actually have estimates set.
- Review filters in views and widgets to ensure tasks are not being hidden.
Additional Resources
For more detail on how time estimates behave and the latest interface options, refer to the official help article: See time estimates in tasks, views, and Dashboard cards.
If you want expert assistance refining your workspace setup, optimizing processes, or improving documentation around ClickUp usage, you can explore consulting support at Consultevo.
By enabling the right features, adding accurate estimates to tasks, and configuring views and Dashboards correctly, you can use ClickUp to gain clear visibility into planned effort and make better decisions about workload and timelines.
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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