How to Manage Construction Projects with ClickUp

ClickUp makes it easier to manage complex construction projects by combining task management, timelines, documentation, and collaboration in one place. This how-to guide walks you through adapting ideas from Smartsheet-style construction templates into a flexible ClickUp workspace you can use every day.

The steps below are inspired by the construction templates covered in the Smartsheet guide at this ClickUp blog article on Smartsheet construction templates, and show you how to set up a practical, repeatable process for your jobs.

Plan Your Construction Workspace in ClickUp

Before you build tasks, lists, and views, map out how your construction work flows from bid to closeout. This mirrors the structure of many Smartsheet construction templates but keeps everything inside ClickUp.

Define the main project stages in ClickUp

Create a clear, repeatable structure for every job:

• Pre-construction: lead intake, estimates, bids, and contract approvals
• Planning and design: drawings, RFIs, permits, selections, and value engineering
• Procurement: material orders, vendor contracts, sub agreements
• Construction: on-site work, inspections, change orders, and progress tracking
• Closeout: punch list items, documentation, warranties, and handover

Each of these stages will become one or more Lists or Folders in ClickUp so you can reuse the structure for every project.

Match Smartsheet-style templates to ClickUp features

The Smartsheet article highlights templates like project schedules, bid trackers, and budget sheets. In ClickUp, you can mirror those with:

• Spaces and Folders for project portfolios and clients
• Lists for schedules, RFIs, and submittals
• Tasks for individual activities, deliverables, and issues
• Custom Fields to store dates, owners, costs, and locations
• Views like Gantt, Board, and Table to visualize different angles of the same data

Create a Construction Project Template in ClickUp

Building a reusable template saves time and keeps your team consistent across all jobs.

Step 1: Set up your construction Space in ClickUp

1. Create a new Space named, for example, “Construction Projects”.
2. Choose Space-level ClickApps you need, such as Custom Fields, Dependencies, and Time Tracking.
3. Set permissions so project managers, field supervisors, and subs only see what they need.

Step 2: Add Folders and Lists for each phase

Within your Space, create Folders that mirror the lifecycle of a construction project:

• Pre-Construction
  • Lists: Leads & Bids, Estimates, Contracts
• Planning & Design
  • Lists: Design Tasks, RFIs, Submittals, Permits
• Procurement
  • Lists: Vendors, Purchase Orders, Deliveries
• Construction Execution
  • Lists: Master Schedule, Site Work, Inspections, Change Orders
• Closeout
  • Lists: Punch List, Final Docs, Handover

This structure lets you translate many Smartsheet templates into living Lists in ClickUp.

Step 3: Add construction-specific Custom Fields in ClickUp

To replace spreadsheet columns from Smartsheet templates, create Custom Fields such as:

• Start Date and End Date
• Responsible Party (PM, superintendent, trade)
• Location or Area (e.g., Level 2, West Wing)
• Cost Code or Budget Line
• RFI Number or Submittal Number
• Status (e.g., Submitted, Approved, Rejected)

Apply these fields to the Lists where you will track schedules, RFIs, submittals, and budget-related work.

Build a Construction Schedule Using ClickUp

Construction schedules are one of the most important elements from Smartsheet-style templates. In ClickUp, you can turn them into dynamic Gantt and List views.

Step 4: Create tasks for schedule activities

1. Open your “Master Schedule” List.
2. Add tasks for each activity, such as “Excavation”, “Foundation Formwork”, or “Rough-In MEP”.
3. Set Start and Due Dates for each task.
4. Assign an owner and add related Custom Fields like cost code, location, and trade.

Group tasks by phase, trade, or area so your schedule remains simple to navigate.

Step 5: Use ClickUp Gantt view for dependencies

To model dependencies similar to spreadsheet templates:

1. Open the Gantt view for your schedule List.
2. Drag the ends of tasks to link them and create dependencies.
3. Adjust durations visually when field conditions change.
4. Use color-coding or filters to focus on critical trades or milestones.

This setup lets you quickly update the schedule without rewriting rows in a sheet.

Track RFIs, Submittals, and Change Orders in ClickUp

Many construction teams use dedicated Smartsheet templates for RFIs, submittals, and change orders. You can consolidate them into organized Lists inside ClickUp.

Step 6: Manage RFIs with structured fields

Create an “RFIs” List and add tasks for each request. Then:

• Add Custom Fields for RFI number, related drawing, and due date.
• Attach reference files like PDFs or markups.
• Use comments to capture discussions and decisions.
• Update status as Submitted, In Review, or Answered.

This method keeps the full RFI history in one place and links easily to schedule activities.

Step 7: Log submittals and approvals in ClickUp

For submittals, mirror your old template inside a dedicated List:

• Create a task for each submittal package.
• Track spec section, supplier, and revision.
• Attach shop drawings or product data.
• Use statuses like Submitted, Approved as Noted, and Rejected.

Project managers can quickly filter submittals by status or due date, similar to sorting columns in a spreadsheet.

Step 8: Capture change orders and impacts

To manage change orders:

• Use a dedicated “Change Orders” List in ClickUp.
• Track scope, estimated cost, approved cost, and schedule impact with Custom Fields.
• Link related tasks in the schedule so you see downstream effects.
• Store signed documents as attachments for easy reference.

Monitor On-Site Work with ClickUp Views

Construction teams need simple ways to see what is happening on site. You can use different views in ClickUp to keep crews aligned.

Step 9: Use Board view for field teams

Board view helps crews see work by status or trade:

• Create columns like To Do, In Progress, Blocked, and Complete.
• Group tasks by trade (e.g., electrical, plumbing, concrete).
• Let foremen update statuses from mobile devices.

This is easier for field teams than scrolling through a large spreadsheet.

Step 10: Generate daily or weekly reports

You can build simple reporting workflows in ClickUp:

• Create a “Daily Reports” List.
• Make one task per report with checklists for weather, manpower, and work completed.
• Attach photos and use comments to record notes.
• Filter by date or project to review progress over time.

Standardize and Reuse Your ClickUp Setup

Once you refine your construction structure, save it as a template so you do not rebuild it for every job.

Step 11: Save Folders and Lists as templates in ClickUp

1. From any Folder or List, open the menu and choose “Save as Template”.
2. Name it clearly, such as “Standard Commercial Build”.
3. Choose whether to include tasks, Custom Fields, and views.

Your team can now spin up new projects with a few clicks and stay consistent across the portfolio.

Optimize Your Construction Process with ClickUp

By translating ideas from Smartsheet construction templates into ClickUp, you gain more flexibility, better collaboration, and less duplicate data entry. You can still get the structure of sheets while taking advantage of automation, comments, and multiple views.

For deeper process design or help implementing construction workflows, you can also work with specialists such as Consultevo, who focus on optimizing modern work management systems.

Use this guide as a starting point, refine your template as you learn, and keep all your construction planning, scheduling, RFIs, submittals, and change orders organized 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.

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