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ClickUp Brownfield vs Greenfield Guide

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How to Manage Brownfield vs Greenfield Projects in ClickUp

ClickUp can help you organize, plan, and deliver both brownfield and greenfield software projects with a clear and repeatable process. This how-to guide walks you through practical steps to translate the differences between these project types into a simple, workable structure in your workspace.

Using the concepts from the brownfield vs greenfield comparison, you will learn how to create spaces, lists, views, and tasks so your teams can navigate legacy constraints or build from scratch with confidence.

Understand Brownfield vs Greenfield Before Using ClickUp

Before setting up anything in ClickUp, clarify what kind of project you are running. The platform becomes most effective when you reflect the nature of the work in your structure and fields.

Brownfield software projects overview

Brownfield software efforts work on an existing system. You might be modernizing a legacy app, refactoring brittle code, or integrating new features into an established platform. There are constraints such as technical debt, regulatory rules, and user expectations.

  • Existing codebase and infrastructure already in place
  • Higher risk of unexpected side effects
  • Closer coordination with support, operations, and security
  • More emphasis on testing, regression checks, and rollback planning

Greenfield software projects overview

Greenfield projects start fresh. You design the architecture, stack, and user experience largely from scratch. This flexibility allows rapid experimentation but still requires structure and clear decisions.

  • No legacy code or infrastructure constraints at the start
  • Greater freedom in design and technology choices
  • Need for early alignment on scope, roadmap, and standards
  • Focus on prototyping, validation, and phased releases

Once you understand which mode you are in, you can configure ClickUp accordingly.

Set Up a ClickUp Space for Your Project Type

Create a dedicated Space in ClickUp for each major product or program, then differentiate brownfield and greenfield work inside that Space. This keeps high-level collaboration unified while still reflecting the nature of each initiative.

Step 1: Create the Space

  1. Open ClickUp and select Spaces from the sidebar.
  2. Click + New Space.
  3. Name it after your product or domain, such as Customer Platform or Mobile Apps.
  4. Pick a color and icon that will be easy to recognize across the workspace.
  5. Set default features you want enabled (Tasks, Docs, Whiteboards, Dashboards, and so on).

This Space will hold both brownfield and greenfield initiatives under a shared context.

Step 2: Add brownfield and greenfield Folders in ClickUp

Inside your new ClickUp Space, create two Folders to separate the project types and their workflows.

  1. Click + New Folder and name it Brownfield Projects.
  2. Create another Folder named Greenfield Projects.
  3. Assign relevant teams or individuals to each Folder so access is clear.

This simple structure lets you tune fields, views, and statuses to the specific needs of each category while keeping everything under a single product umbrella.

Build Brownfield Project Lists in ClickUp

In the brownfield Folder, design Lists and statuses to account for risk, dependencies, and regression work. ClickUp should help you surface and track the complexity of working in an existing environment.

Step 3: Create brownfield Lists

Consider creating separate Lists for the main types of brownfield work:

  • Legacy Modernization – Refactors, platform upgrades, and tech-debt reduction.
  • Maintenance & Fixes – Bug fixes, incidents, hotfixes, and patches.
  • Integrations – Interface changes with third-party systems or internal services.
  1. In your Brownfield Projects Folder, click + New List.
  2. Name the List (for example, Legacy Modernization).
  3. Define start and target end dates if you are planning a time-boxed initiative.
  4. Repeat for other brownfield categories.

Step 4: Configure brownfield statuses in ClickUp

Use ClickUp statuses to reflect the brownfield lifecycle from analysis to safe release.

  • Backlog – Known items not yet prioritized.
  • Impact Analysis – Work in investigation and scoping.
  • In Progress – Actively being implemented.
  • Under Review – Code review, architectural review, or security review.
  • Testing / Regression – Test coverage, regression, and validation.
  • Ready for Release – Approved and queued for deployment.
  • Done – Released and verified in production.

In each brownfield List, open the Statuses settings and add or rename statuses to match this flow. ClickUp allows custom statuses per List, so you can fine-tune them for different legacy systems if needed.

Step 5: Add brownfield-specific custom fields in ClickUp

Custom Fields help you capture the risk and dependency profile typical of brownfield work.

Add Custom Fields such as:

  • System Area (Dropdown) – UI, API, database, infrastructure, reporting, and so on.
  • Risk Level (Dropdown) – Low, Medium, High, Critical.
  • Regression Scope (Text or Dropdown) – Modules or flows to test.
  • Rollback Plan (Checkbox) – Indicates whether a documented rollback exists.
  1. Open any brownfield List in ClickUp.
  2. Click + Add Custom Field in the List header.
  3. Select the field type and configure options.
  4. Save and apply fields to the entire Folder if all Lists should share them.

These fields will later feed into Views and Dashboards so you can spot high-risk work items quickly.

Build Greenfield Project Lists in ClickUp

Greenfield work benefits from ClickUp views focused on discovery, experimentation, and incremental delivery. You will shape a structure that supports ideation and early validation.

Step 6: Create greenfield Lists

Within your Greenfield Projects Folder, organize Lists around stages of the new product lifecycle:

  • Discovery & Research – Problem discovery, user research, and competitive analysis.
  • Architecture & Design – Technical design, UX flows, and standards.
  • MVP Delivery – Tasks for the first release.
  • Expansion Releases – Iterative improvements after MVP.
  1. Click + New List in the greenfield Folder.
  2. Name the List (for example, Discovery & Research).
  3. Set start and due dates if relevant.

Step 7: Configure greenfield statuses in ClickUp

For greenfield flows, statuses should capture validation and decision points.

  • Ideas – Raw inputs and opportunities.
  • Selected – Items chosen for deeper exploration.
  • Designing – Being modeled, prototyped, or architected.
  • Implementing – Actively in development.
  • Validating – In testing or user validation.
  • Released – Shipped to users.
  • Archived – No longer pursued.

Set these in each greenfield List so ClickUp clearly reflects the state of new features and experiments.

Step 8: Add greenfield-specific custom fields in ClickUp

Capture early-stage decisions and learning with Custom Fields.

  • Hypothesis (Text) – What you expect to learn or improve.
  • Success Metric (Text) – KPI or outcome that defines success.
  • Validation Method (Dropdown) – User test, A/B test, beta release, internal pilot.
  • Confidence Level (Dropdown) – Low, Medium, High.

Open a greenfield List, then use + Add Custom Field to define these fields so every task contains the context needed for quick decisions.

Use ClickUp Views to Manage Both Project Types

Once your Lists and fields are established, configure ClickUp Views to give each role in your team the perspective they need.

Step 9: Create board views for brownfield and greenfield

Board views are excellent for visualizing flow and status transitions.

  1. Open a brownfield List and add a Board view.
  2. Group by Status so each column shows stages such as Impact Analysis and Testing / Regression.
  3. Add filters for Risk Level or System Area to focus standups on the most critical tasks.
  4. Repeat in greenfield Lists, grouping by Status to track items from Ideas to Released.

Step 10: Create list and timeline views in ClickUp

List and Timeline views let you plan workloads and schedules across both project modes.

  • Use a combined List view at the Folder level to see brownfield and greenfield items in one place.
  • Add columns for Assignee, Risk Level, and Confidence Level.
  • Create a Timeline view grouped by List so you can see how modernization work and new features line up over time.

Filter and save favorite views so your teams can quickly jump to what they need in ClickUp without constant reconfiguration.

Create Templates in ClickUp for Repeatable Work

Project templates help you move faster whenever a new brownfield or greenfield initiative begins. You can turn any List into a reusable blueprint.

Step 11: Build task templates for brownfield work

In a brownfield List, create a representative task that includes:

  • Checklist items for impact analysis, regression planning, and rollback steps.
  • Subtasks for code changes, reviews, and testing.
  • Custom Fields filled with example values.
  • Links to relevant documentation or architecture diagrams.
  1. Open the task in ClickUp.
  2. Use the task menu to select Save as Template.
  3. Name it (for example, Brownfield Change).
  4. Choose whether to include subtasks, assignees, and dates.

Step 12: Build task templates for greenfield work

Repeat the process for greenfield tasks, focusing more on discovery and validation.

  • Checklists for research, design, implementation, and validation steps.
  • Sections in the description for hypothesis, experiment design, and learnings.
  • Custom Fields for success metrics and confidence.

Save this as a template so each new idea or feature starts with a consistent structure in ClickUp.

Report on Outcomes with ClickUp Dashboards

Dashboards help you communicate the balance between brownfield and greenfield work, providing insight into progress and risk.

Step 13: Build a mixed dashboard in ClickUp

  1. Create a new Dashboard from the main sidebar.
  2. Add widgets for both the Brownfield Projects and Greenfield Projects Folders.
  3. Include charts that show:
  • Workload by assignee and by project type.
  • Number of high-risk brownfield items open.
  • Greenfield experiments in Validating or Released status.
  • Cycle time trends per List.

By linking data across your ClickUp structures, stakeholders can see how modernization and new development progress together.

Combine ClickUp with Expert Support

When you are ready to scale your setup or integrate process frameworks, you can pair ClickUp with specialized consulting or automation services. For example, Consultevo offers process and tooling guidance that can complement how you configure spaces, workflows, and reporting.

By mapping brownfield and greenfield concepts into Spaces, Folders, Lists, statuses, and fields, ClickUp becomes a central hub for managing legacy constraints alongside innovative new initiatives. Follow the steps in this guide, refine them with your team, and turn your environment into a repeatable system that supports both stability and growth.

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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