How to Use ClickUp as a Budibase Alternative

If you want to replace Budibase with a flexible, all-in-one work hub, ClickUp gives you powerful ways to centralize tasks, docs, and workflows without complex coding.

This how-to guide walks you through using ClickUp to replicate and improve the types of solutions teams often build in Budibase, based strictly on the features and use cases described in the Budibase alternatives comparison.

Why Choose ClickUp for Internal Tools

Before you build anything, it helps to understand why teams use ClickUp instead of traditional app builders.

• Unifies tasks, docs, and databases in one place
• Replaces multiple tools like Airtable, Notion, and Asana
• Offers dozens of views for custom process design
• Includes native whiteboards, docs, forms, and dashboards

With this foundation, you can implement many of the dashboards, portals, and workflows you might otherwise create in Budibase.

Step 1: Plan Your ClickUp Workspace Structure

Start by mapping how your internal tools should be organized inside ClickUp. Think of it as designing your app architecture.

Define Spaces in ClickUp

Use Spaces to represent top-level areas of your business, such as:

• Product
• Operations
• Customer Success
• IT & Security

Each Space can hold multiple Folders and Lists that mirror different internal tools, databases, or processes.

Create Folders and Lists for Each Process

Inside each Space, break work down further:

• Folders: Group related processes, such as “User Management” or “Requests & Approvals.”
• Lists: Represent specific tools or tables, such as “Access Requests,” “Bug Intake,” or “Employee Onboarding.”

This hierarchy lets you organize your ClickUp setup into clear, app-like components.

Step 2: Model Your Data with ClickUp Custom Fields

To recreate data models you might build in Budibase, use Custom Fields in ClickUp.

Map Your Fields

For each List, identify what information you need to track. Typical fields include:

• Dropdowns for status or type
• Numbers for budgets, hours, or counts
• Text fields for IDs or reference numbers
• Relationships to link records across Lists

Custom Fields in ClickUp let you turn a simple List into a flexible database-like table.

Create Custom Fields in ClickUp

1. Open your List and click the + at the top of the columns.
2. Select the field type (Dropdown, Number, Text, etc.).
3. Name the field based on the data you store.
4. Configure options, like dropdown values or default numbers.

Repeat this for each field you need to emulate your Budibase data model.

Step 3: Design Workflows with ClickUp Views

One of the biggest advantages of ClickUp is how many ways you can visualize the same data.

Use Board View in ClickUp for Kanban Workflows

If you manage requests or tickets, create a Kanban-style flow:

1. Enable Board view for your List.
2. Map columns to your status values (New, In Progress, Done).
3. Drag and drop tasks between columns to move them through the workflow.

This recreates typical process boards you might design as part of a custom internal tool.

Use List and Table Views in ClickUp for Databases

To mimic database tables, rely on List or Table views:

• Show all Custom Fields as columns.
• Sort and filter records by priority, owner, or type.
• Save filters as custom views for different teams.

With these views, ClickUp can function like a lightweight internal database solution.

Use Calendar and Timeline Views in ClickUp

If your Budibase usage includes scheduling or planning, turn the same data into time-based views:

• Calendar view: Great for due dates, releases, and events.
• Timeline/Gantt: Perfect for roadmaps and project tracking.

These views help non-technical stakeholders understand schedules at a glance.

Step 4: Build Forms and Portals in ClickUp

Many Budibase projects revolve around front-end forms or portals. You can create similar interfaces in ClickUp.

Create ClickUp Forms for Requests

1. Open the List where you want requests to land.
2. Add a Form view.
3. Drag and drop fields to match your Custom Fields.
4. Publish the form and share the link with internal users.

Each form submission becomes a task in ClickUp, complete with all mapped fields, making it ideal for IT tickets, HR requests, or feature ideas.

Use ClickUp Docs as Internal Portals

To replace simple portals or knowledge bases:

• Create a Doc with navigation for policies, guides, and FAQs.
• Embed views from Lists (like boards or tables) directly into the Doc.
• Share the Doc with specific teams or your whole company.

This creates a central hub where people can read instructions and interact with live data from ClickUp at the same time.

Step 5: Automate Processes with ClickUp

Budibase often connects triggers and actions across data sources. ClickUp provides similar automation to reduce manual work.

Set Up ClickUp Automations

1. Open a List and click Automate.
2. Choose a template or create a custom automation.
3. Define triggers, such as status changes, field updates, or new tasks.
4. Set actions, like assigning owners, posting comments, or moving tasks.

Use automations to route new requests, escalate overdue items, or notify stakeholders when key conditions are met.

Integrate ClickUp with Other Tools

When your internal tools depend on external systems, you can connect them to ClickUp:

• Use native integrations for popular platforms.
• Leverage automation platforms to sync data between ClickUp and other apps.

This allows your ClickUp-based workflows to fit into a wider stack without custom code.

Step 6: Visualize Metrics with ClickUp Dashboards

Instead of building reporting UIs from scratch, use Dashboards in ClickUp to surface real-time information.

Create a ClickUp Dashboard

1. Go to Dashboards and create a new one.
2. Add widgets like charts, task lists, and number cards.
3. Filter widgets to show data from specific Spaces, Folders, or Lists.
4. Share the Dashboard with stakeholders.

This approach mirrors the admin panels and analytics views often built in Budibase.

Step 7: Optimize and Scale Your ClickUp Setup

Once your first workflows are running, iterate on your configuration to keep everything maintainable.

Standardize Templates in ClickUp

Create Templates for recurring structures:

• Task templates for common request types
• List templates for repeated processes across teams
• Doc templates for repeatable SOPs and runbooks

Templates let you roll out new internal tools quickly inside ClickUp without rebuilding from scratch each time.

Review Permissions and Sharing

To protect sensitive data, configure permissions carefully:

• Use folders and Lists with restricted access for HR or finance items.
• Limit who can edit automations and Dashboards.
• Share forms and Docs only with the intended audience.

This ensures your ClickUp environment stays secure as you scale.

Using Expert Help to Implement ClickUp

If you need support planning complex migrations or large-scale internal tools, consider working with a specialist. Implementation partners can help you align ClickUp with your processes, reduce redundancy, and roll out best practices faster.

For strategic consulting and implementation guidance, you can explore services from Consultevo, a consultancy that focuses on optimized, scalable work management setups.

Next Steps with ClickUp

By structuring Spaces, Lists, Custom Fields, Forms, Automations, and Dashboards thoughtfully, you can use ClickUp as a powerful Budibase alternative for requests, approvals, operations, and internal portals.

Use the comparisons and ideas from the official Budibase alternatives article to guide which workflows you recreate first, then continuously iterate until your teams can run most of their daily work directly in ClickUp.

Need Help With ClickUp?

If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your ClickUp workspace, work with ConsultEvo — trusted ClickUp Solution Partners.

Get Help

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