How to Use ClickUp for ERP

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How to Use ClickUp for Manufacturing ERP Workflows

ClickUp can help manufacturing teams build ERP-style workflows without complex coding or heavy implementation costs. This how-to guide walks you through setting up practical processes for production, inventory, and operations using flexible project management features.

The steps below are adapted from proven manufacturing ERP practices and translated into a simple, visual system you can configure in a modern work platform.

Step 1: Plan Your Manufacturing ERP Structure in ClickUp

Before creating anything, decide how you want to organize work. A clear structure makes it easier to standardize processes, reduce errors, and improve visibility across your manufacturing operations.

Define core manufacturing areas in ClickUp

Start by mapping the main parts of your manufacturing process, similar to how traditional ERP systems divide modules.

  • Sales and demand management
  • Production planning and scheduling
  • Procurement and supplier management
  • Inventory and warehouse control
  • Quality assurance
  • Maintenance and asset tracking
  • Finance and costing (for tracking data and handoffs)

Use this list to decide which Spaces or Folders you will need in your workspace.

Create a workspace map

Document your structure before you build it. For example, you might use:

  • Space: Manufacturing Operations
  • Folders: Production, Procurement, Inventory, Quality, Maintenance
  • Lists: Individual plants, lines, or product families

A simple map keeps your ClickUp hierarchy aligned with real-world departments and production flows.

Step 2: Set Up Manufacturing Spaces and Folders in ClickUp

Once your structure is planned, create it inside the platform to mirror your ERP-like layout.

Create a Manufacturing Operations Space

  1. Create a new Space named something like Manufacturing Operations.
  2. Choose a color and icon that your team will recognize quickly.
  3. Enable key ClickUp features such as tasks, views, and custom fields for this Space.

Add functional Folders and Lists

Inside your Space, create Folders that correspond to your major processes:

  • Production Management – for orders, work orders, and schedules
  • Inventory & Materials – for stock items, locations, and counts
  • Procurement – for purchase requisitions and supplier tasks
  • Quality Control – for inspections, non-conformances, and audits
  • Maintenance – for preventive and corrective work

Within each Folder, create Lists such as individual plants, production lines, or major product categories so teams can focus on relevant tasks and data.

Step 3: Build ERP-Style Task Types and Custom Fields in ClickUp

To behave like a manufacturing ERP, your workspace needs structured task data. This is where custom fields and templates come in.

Design standard task types

Create clear task types that represent recurring records in your operation, such as:

  • Production order
  • Work order
  • Purchase order
  • Material request
  • Inspection record
  • Non-conformance report

Each type should become a reusable template so teams can create complex records quickly and consistently.

Add custom fields for ERP-grade data

For each List, add custom fields to match the data you typically track in ERP software, for example:

  • Item code / SKU
  • Batch or lot number
  • Customer order reference
  • Quantity planned vs. produced
  • Planned start and end dates
  • Machine or line assignment
  • Supplier name and lead time
  • Unit cost and total value

Using these fields, ClickUp tasks become structured records that can be filtered, grouped, and reported on like ERP entries.

Step 4: Configure Process Stages and Workflows in ClickUp

Manufacturing execution relies on predictable stages. Configure statuses and views so teams can see work moving from planning to completion.

Create production statuses

Set up a clear status workflow for production orders, such as:

  • New
  • Planned
  • Released to production
  • In progress
  • Quality check
  • Completed
  • On hold / Blocked

Apply these statuses to the relevant Lists so everyone tracks work the same way across plants and lines.

Build visual views for operations teams

Create a mix of views so supervisors and planners can manage the flow of work easily:

  • List view: For data-heavy review and filtering
  • Board view: For drag-and-drop movement between statuses
  • Gantt view: For production schedules and dependencies
  • Calendar view: For maintenance and inspections

Each view should show key custom fields and filters, allowing your team to slice data by plant, shift, product, or priority.

Step 5: Manage Inventory and Procurement with ClickUp

While this platform is not a full accounting system, it can still support day-to-day inventory and procurement workflows in a highly visual way.

Create an inventory List with structured data

  1. In your Inventory & Materials Folder, create a List called Raw Materials or Finished Goods.
  2. Use one task per item or SKU.
  3. Add custom fields such as on-hand quantity, reorder point, storage location, and preferred supplier.

Enable automatic sorting and grouping by key fields to see low stock items, fast movers, or high-value materials at a glance.

Track purchase orders and supplier performance

In your Procurement Folder, set up:

  • Task templates for purchase requisitions and purchase orders
  • Statuses like Draft, Sent, Confirmed, Shipped, Received, and Closed
  • Custom fields for supplier name, lead time, cost, and delivery date

Use dashboards to track open orders, delayed deliveries, and supplier on-time performance, giving you ERP-style oversight in a familiar interface.

Step 6: Use ClickUp Automation for Manufacturing Workflows

Automations reduce manual updates and ensure data stays accurate as work moves through the plant.

Set up key production automations

Consider automations such as:

  • Change status to Released to production when a planner approves a task.
  • Assign tasks automatically to a production team or line based on a custom field.
  • Send notifications to quality control when an order moves to Quality check.
  • Update a Completion date field when status becomes Completed.

These rules keep the system up to date with minimal manual effort from operators and supervisors.

Automate inventory and procurement signals

Use automations to:

  • Flag items where on-hand quantity falls below the reorder point.
  • Create a purchase task when stock reaches a threshold.
  • Notify buyers when a delivery is overdue based on estimated arrival dates.

These signals help your teams respond quickly, similar to alerting features in traditional manufacturing ERP tools.

Step 7: Build Dashboards and Reports in ClickUp

Dashboards turn your structured task data into real-time visibility across plants, lines, and teams.

Create executive and operations dashboards

Set up separate dashboards for leadership and shop-floor supervisors, including widgets for:

  • Open production orders by status and due date
  • Throughput per line or plant
  • Work-in-progress counts
  • Overdue maintenance tasks
  • Quality incidents and defect trends
  • Open purchase orders by supplier

Use filters to focus on a specific plant, customer, or product family when needed.

Monitor continuous improvement metrics

Track ongoing improvement work by:

  • Creating tasks for improvement projects and Kaizen events
  • Using custom fields for estimated savings or cycle-time reductions
  • Adding a dashboard section for open and completed improvement initiatives

Centralized visibility makes it easier to connect improvement work to concrete results in production and quality performance.

Step 8: Train Your Team and Refine Your ClickUp Setup

No ERP-style setup is complete without clear training and continuous refinement.

Onboard users with simple guidelines

Create short, practical documentation that explains:

  • Which Lists they should use for daily work
  • How to create and update tasks
  • Which custom fields must be filled in
  • How to use the main views and dashboards

Start with a small pilot group, gather feedback, and refine your task templates and fields before rolling out across all plants.

Improve based on real usage

Use feedback sessions and reports to adjust:

  • Status names that confuse teams
  • Custom fields that are never used
  • Automations that need extra conditions
  • Dashboards that require new metrics

Iterating in this way helps your workspace evolve into a lean, practical system that supports your manufacturing ERP goals.

Learn More About ERP Approaches and ClickUp

If you want to dive deeper into manufacturing ERP concepts and how modern tools can support them, review the detailed overview of manufacturing ERP software at this manufacturing ERP software guide. For specialized help implementing scalable systems and process design, you can also explore consulting resources at Consultevo.

By combining structured task data, automations, and dashboards, you can transform this flexible work management platform into a powerful, ERP-inspired system tailored to your manufacturing operations.

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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