Time Tracking with ClickUp

If you are still tracking time in Google Sheets, switching to ClickUp can save hours every month and give your team more accurate data with less manual work.

This how-to guide walks you through moving from spreadsheet-based tracking to a streamlined, automated system using time features, timesheets, and reporting inspired by the workflow described in this original Google Sheets time tracking article.

Why Move from Google Sheets to ClickUp

Spreadsheets are flexible but quickly become hard to manage when multiple people track time, projects scale, and clients expect detailed billing.

Based on the original time tracking comparison, here are the main drawbacks of relying on Google Sheets alone:

• Manual entry leads to errors and missing hours
• Copy-paste workflows waste time every week
• Limited reporting options for clients and leadership
• No built-in connection between tasks and time entries

By contrast, ClickUp connects tasks, assignees, and time in one workspace, reducing friction and improving visibility.

Set Up Your Workspace in ClickUp

Before you import or track any time, prepare a simple structure so every entry has context.

Create a Space for Time-Tracked Work in ClickUp

1. Sign in to your workspace.
2. Create a new Space dedicated to client work, internal projects, or both.
3. Define folders that reflect your main categories, such as Clients, Products, or Internal Operations.

This foundation mirrors the way you likely organized projects in Google Sheets but adds hierarchy and permissions.

Add Lists and Tasks Ready for Time Tracking

1. Inside each folder, create Lists for individual clients, products, or initiatives.
2. Break work down into tasks that match the activities you used to log in your spreadsheet.
3. Add custom fields if needed to mirror columns from Sheets, such as billing code, department, or sprint.

When tasks are in place, every time entry will automatically attach to the right work item, unlike rows in a spreadsheet that often lose context.

Enable Time Tracking Features in ClickUp

The next step is to switch from manual spreadsheet input to built-in timers and timesheets.

Turn On Time Tracking in ClickUp

1. Open your workspace settings.
2. Navigate to the Time Tracking or ClickApps section.
3. Enable Time Tracking and any related options such as time estimates, required notes, or labels.

This ensures every task in your Space can now record time without you creating extra columns or formulas.

Customize Time Entry Settings in ClickUp

To keep your data clean and useful, configure basic policies inspired by common issues with Google Sheets time tracking:

• Require notes on each time entry for better context.
• Decide whether users can edit or delete their own past entries.
• Turn on billable vs non-billable fields if you invoice clients.

These small rules prevent the messy, inconsistent data that typically appears in shared spreadsheets.

Start Tracking Time on Tasks with ClickUp

Once your workspace and settings are ready, it is time to teach your team how to record hours directly on their tasks.

Use Task Timers in ClickUp

1. Open the task you are working on.
2. Click the time tracking icon or timer inside the task view.
3. Start the timer when you begin work and stop it when you finish.
4. Add a short description to explain what you completed.

This method replaces entering start and end times into cells and reduces the chance of forgetting to record work.

Log Manual Time Entries in ClickUp

If someone forgets to run the timer or needs to bulk add time from a previous day:

1. Open the relevant task.
2. Click the time tracking area and choose to add time manually.
3. Enter the date, duration, and an explanatory note.
4. Mark the entry as billable if needed.

Manual entries still attach to tasks, unlike retroactive updates in spreadsheets where context is easy to lose.

Replace Google Sheets with ClickUp Timesheets

Now that time is being captured on tasks, you can shift from raw spreadsheets to structured timesheets.

View Personal Timesheets in ClickUp

1. Open the Time or Timesheets view in your workspace.
2. Filter by your name, team, or specific dates.
3. Review all time entries grouped by day and task.

This layout gives the same day-by-day visibility you had in Google Sheets, but without copying data between tabs.

Review Team Time in ClickUp

Managers can quickly audit and approve time across the team:

1. Filter the timesheet view by users or teams.
2. Spot missing days or unusually low or high hours.
3. Ask for clarifications by commenting directly on the underlying tasks.

Instead of pinging people about half-filled spreadsheets, you can collaborate where the work actually lives.

Run Time Reports Inside ClickUp

One of the largest limitations of spreadsheet-based tracking is reporting. You may have used pivot tables or manual calculations. Reporting options inside this platform make the process much faster.

Create Basic Time Reports in ClickUp

1. Open the reporting or dashboard area.
2. Add a widget focused on tracked time.
3. Filter by date range, user, client, or project.
4. Save the view so you can reuse it for weekly or monthly reviews.

These reports replace spreadsheet formulas while staying connected to real tasks, which reduces reconciliation work.

Use ClickUp Data for Billing and Payroll

To use tracked time for invoicing or payroll:

• Export time data to CSV for your accounting tool.
• Group entries by client, project, or billing code.
• Share a summary dashboard with stakeholders who need visibility.

This workflow is inspired by what teams previously did through Google Sheets, but with fewer steps and less risk of errors.

Tips for a Smooth Transition to ClickUp

To move from spreadsheets to this unified workspace without disrupting your team, follow these best practices.

Import and Clean Up Legacy Sheet Data

You may want historical hours inside the new system for reporting trends.

1. Export your Google Sheets data as CSV.
2. Map columns such as date, duration, user, and task name to the fields in your workspace.
3. Create tasks that correspond to recurring activities if they do not already exist.
4. Bulk import the time data and spot-check totals.

This ensures continuity while giving you a single source of truth going forward.

Standardize Time Tracking Rules in ClickUp

Agree on simple standards so everyone tracks time the same way:

• Define when to start and stop timers.
• Set expectations for notes and descriptions.
• Clarify which tasks should capture billable hours.
• Decide how to handle breaks and non-project work.

Document these rules inside a shared task or internal knowledge base so anyone can reference them.

Get Expert Help Optimizing ClickUp

If you want support designing an efficient time tracking workflow or integrating this platform with your billing stack, specialized consultants can help.

For tailored workspace architecture, automation design, and process optimization, you can work with experts such as Consultevo, who focus on modern productivity systems.

Combined with the guidance from the original Google Sheets time tracking comparison, this approach lets you move from scattered spreadsheets to a unified, reliable time tracking system powered by ClickUp.

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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