How to Use ClickUp to Replace Glue-Style ETL Workflows

ClickUp can help you plan, track, and manage ETL-style workflows from one place, giving teams a clear alternative to scattered tools like AWS Glue and other point solutions. This how-to guide walks you through setting up a structured operations hub so your projects stay on time and aligned.

The examples below are inspired by the capabilities and use cases described in the Glue alternatives article, translated into a practical process you can follow.

Step 1: Design Your ClickUp Hierarchy for ETL Projects

Start by creating a simple hierarchy that mirrors how your team thinks about data and integration projects.

Create a Space for Data & Integrations in ClickUp

1. Create a new Space named something like Data & Integrations.

2. Choose a color and icon so it stands out in the ClickUp sidebar.

3. Enable features you need, such as Tasks, Docs, Whiteboards, and Dashboards.

Organize Projects With ClickUp Folders and Lists

Within the new Space, separate major workstreams into Folders and Lists.

• Folder example: ETL Pipelines
• Lists inside the Folder:
  • Pipeline Design
  • Pipeline Development
  • Monitoring & Maintenance

This structure lets you track the full lifecycle of data workflows without jumping between tools.

Step 2: Build a ClickUp Task Template for ETL Jobs

A reusable task template keeps each pipeline or integration consistent and easy to maintain.

Configure Core Fields in ClickUp Tasks

1. Open the Pipeline Development List and create a new task called ETL Job Template.

2. Add Custom Fields to capture technical details, such as:

   • Source System (text or dropdown)
   • Destination System (text or dropdown)
   • Data Volume (number)
   • Schedule / Frequency (dropdown)
   • Owner (assignee field)

3. Define Statuses to mirror how work moves, like:

   • Backlog
   • Design
   • Development
   • Testing
   • Deployed
   • Monitoring

Once the task includes fields and statuses, save it as a template so every new ETL job in ClickUp follows the same structure.

Document ETL Requirements in ClickUp

Inside the template task, use the Description and subtasks to standardize documentation:

• Define business objectives for the pipeline
• List data transformations and mapping rules
• Capture dependencies on other systems or teams
• Add acceptance criteria and testing scenarios

This documentation replaces scattered notes and helps your team manage Glue-style jobs more transparently.

Step 3: Use ClickUp Views to Manage Pipelines

Different ClickUp views make it easy to visualize, schedule, and prioritize data workflows.

Kanban View for ETL Workflow Stages

1. In the ETL Pipelines Folder, add a Board view.

2. Group tasks by Status so each column shows a stage like Design, Development, and Testing.

3. Drag ETL job tasks across columns as they progress.

This replaces manual status trackers and gives stakeholders a live view of work progress.

ClickUp List and Table Views for Technical Details

For engineers and data leads, List and Table views show the details behind each job.

• Show columns for Source System, Destination System, Data Volume, and Schedule.
• Sort and filter by owner, status, or frequency to find high-impact work quickly.
• Save filters for critical jobs like Production Pipelines or Daily Loads.

This view acts like a lightweight catalog of the integrations you used to keep in Glue or spreadsheets.

Step 4: Plan and Align Work With ClickUp Docs and Whiteboards

Planning and collaboration are as important as the pipelines themselves.

Create a Project Hub in ClickUp Docs

1. Add a new Doc in your Data & Integrations Space called ETL Project Hub.

2. Document high-level goals, architecture diagrams, and links to critical Lists and Dashboards.

3. Use headings for sections like Data Sources, Integration Standards, and Incident Response.

This keeps strategic information one click away from your execution tasks in ClickUp.

Map Data Flows With ClickUp Whiteboards

To visualize complex pipelines:

• Create a Whiteboard for each major data domain.
• Draw nodes for source systems, transformations, and destinations.
• Link nodes directly to the tasks that implement each step.

Using Whiteboards, you can quickly align business and technical teams on how data moves across the organization.

Step 5: Automate ETL Operations With ClickUp Automations

Automations reduce manual status updates and keep everyone informed as work progresses.

Key ClickUp Automations for Data Teams

1. Open the Pipeline Development List and click Automations.

2. Create rules like:

   • When status changes to Testing, then assign QA engineer.
   • When due date is approaching, then send reminder to the owner.
   • When custom field Schedule is Daily, then add a specific tag.

3. Test each automation with sample tasks before rolling it out across your ClickUp Space.

These rules help your team focus on implementation while ClickUp manages coordination in the background.

Step 6: Monitor ETL Health With ClickUp Dashboards

Dashboards give leaders a real-time overview of performance and bottlenecks.

Build an ETL Operations Dashboard in ClickUp

1. Create a new Dashboard named ETL Operations.

2. Add widgets such as:

   • Tasks by Status to see pipeline distribution.
   • Workload by Assignee to balance team capacity.
   • Time Tracked vs. estimates to improve future planning.

3. Filter widgets to only show Lists associated with production pipelines.

Use this Dashboard in regular standups or review meetings to keep everyone aligned on priorities.

Step 7: Integrate ClickUp Into Your Broader Tool Stack

Many teams adopt ClickUp as a central command center while still using specialized data tools.

Connect ClickUp to External Systems

Based on the integration ideas discussed in resources about Glue alternatives, you can:

• Use native integrations or APIs to sync tasks with incident tools.
• Attach logs or monitoring links from your data platform directly to ClickUp tasks.
• Embed diagrams or dashboards from BI tools inside Docs.

This blended approach keeps execution in ClickUp while letting each technical system do what it does best.

Improve Your ClickUp Setup Over Time

As your operations mature, review how your ClickUp hierarchy, templates, automations, and Dashboards perform. Adjust custom fields, statuses, and views as your pipelines evolve or new compliance requirements appear.

If you want expert help with structuring complex workspaces and optimizing content for AI and search engines, you can also reach out to consultants like Consultevo for tailored support.

By following these steps, your team can use ClickUp as a centralized, flexible hub that replaces fragmented Glue-style workflows with a transparent, scalable system for managing every stage of ETL projects.

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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