How to Use ClickUp for Creative Approval Workflows

ClickUp can power a complete creative approval workflow that keeps projects organized, reviewers aligned, and assets delivered on time. This step-by-step guide shows you how to turn scattered feedback into a streamlined, trackable process your whole team can follow.

The approach below is based on the same principles used in leading creative approval platforms, adapted to the flexible tools and views available inside ClickUp.

Plan Your Creative Approval Process in ClickUp

Before you build anything, map out how work should move from idea to final delivery. A strong creative approval flow in ClickUp starts with clarity around stages, roles, and deadlines.

Define stages for your ClickUp workflow

List every step an asset moves through, from concept to sign-off. Common stages include:

• Brief submitted
• In progress / designing
• Internal review
• Client or stakeholder review
• Revisions required
• Approved
• Scheduled / delivered

These stages will later translate into custom statuses in ClickUp so every task clearly shows where it sits in the approval pipeline.

Identify decision-makers and reviewers

To avoid slow, confusing sign-offs, document who needs to review what. For each stage, define:

• Owner: the person responsible for moving the task forward
• Reviewers: the people who give feedback
• Approver: the person who gives final sign-off

Capturing these roles early lets you mirror them with assignees, watchers, and custom fields in ClickUp.

Set Up a Creative Approval Space in ClickUp

Next, build a dedicated structure inside ClickUp so every asset, request, and approval lives in one place. This central hub will be where your team collaborates and tracks progress.

Create a Space and Folders for creative work

1. Create a new Space named something like “Creative Production” or “Creative Approvals”.
2. Inside the Space, add Folders for each team or asset type, such as:
   • Design
   • Video
   • Copywriting
   • Campaigns
3. Within each Folder, create Lists that match active campaigns, clients, or channels.

This structure makes it easy to see all creative work at a glance, while still filtering down to the specific approvals you care about.

Configure ClickUp statuses for approvals

Now align your status pipeline with the stages you planned earlier. In the Space or List settings, create simple, readable statuses, for example:

• To Do
• In Design
• Ready for Internal Review
• Internal Revisions
• Ready for Client Review
• Client Revisions
• Approved
• Delivered

These ClickUp statuses give everyone immediate visibility into where an asset stands and what needs attention next.

Build Standardized Request Forms in ClickUp

Inconsistent briefs are one of the main reasons creative approval takes too long. Using forms in ClickUp helps you collect the right details every time and automatically create tasks.

Create a ClickUp form for creative briefs

1. Open the List where you want new creative requests to land.
2. Add a Form view to the List.
3. Include fields for:
   • Project name
   • Requestor contact
   • Objective and audience
   • Deliverable type and format
   • Key messages and brand guidelines
   • Due date and priority
4. Map each form field to task fields like title, description, custom fields, and due date.
5. Set default assignees or teams for incoming requests.

Once published, share the form link so stakeholders submit all new creative work through this ClickUp form instead of email or chat.

Automate task creation and routing

Use ClickUp automation to route requests to the right people without manual triage:

• When a form is submitted, assign tasks to the creative lead.
• Set an automatic status of “To Do” or “Brief Submitted”.
• Add watchers for the account manager or project manager.
• Apply tags like “Urgent” or “Campaign” based on form answers.

These automations help you start every project organized and ready for production.

Manage Creative Assets and Feedback in ClickUp

Once the work begins, ClickUp can store your assets and centralize all feedback in one task per deliverable.

Attach assets and versions to tasks

For each creative task, add the working files and exported deliverables directly to the task:

• Upload design files, video cuts, or copy docs as attachments.
• Use clear file naming for each version (v1, v2, final).
• Pin the latest version in the task description or comments.

Keeping all versions together inside ClickUp ensures reviewers always comment on the right file.

Use comments to collect and clarify feedback

Replace long email threads with focused comments:

• Mention reviewers using @mentions when their input is needed.
• Ask reviewers to keep feedback in a single comment thread per version.
• Convert important comments into subtasks or checklist items.

This structure turns vague feedback into actionable steps the creative team can quickly address.

Control the Approval Cycle in ClickUp

To keep work moving, you need a clear path from review to sign-off. A well-structured approval loop in ClickUp makes this predictable and transparent.

Use assignees and statuses to drive approvals

1. When work is ready for internal review, change the task status to “Ready for Internal Review”.
2. Reassign the task to the internal reviewer or creative director.
3. After internal comments are resolved, move the status to “Ready for Client Review”.
4. Assign or mention the client-facing owner who will share the asset.
5. When the client approves, move the status to “Approved” and then “Delivered” once it’s live.

This pattern ensures that every task has a clear owner at each stage and no one doubts whether an asset has final approval.

Track revisions and avoid version confusion

To prevent rework and missed edits, add simple revision practices inside ClickUp:

• Add a custom field such as “Revision Round” (1, 2, 3).
• Update the field each time a major change is requested.
• Summarize agreed changes in a pinned comment after each review round.
• Keep only the latest approved version marked as “Final”.

This keeps the approval history clear, especially when multiple stakeholders are involved.

Monitor Creative Workload and Performance in ClickUp

Once your process runs inside ClickUp, use views and reporting to keep projects on track and surface bottlenecks early.

Use board and list views for real-time oversight

Switch between views to understand status and capacity:

• Board view: See tasks grouped by status to monitor where work piles up.
• List view: Sort by due date or priority to spot at-risk deliverables.
• Calendar view: Visualize delivery dates across campaigns.

These ClickUp views make it easier to rebalance work and protect important deadlines.

Analyze turnaround times and approvals

Track how long tasks spend in each stage to find opportunities for improvement. For example, measure:

• Average time from brief to first draft
• Average time in client review
• Number of revision rounds per asset type

Use this data from ClickUp to adjust SLAs, educate stakeholders, or refine your review guidelines.

Optimize Your ClickUp Creative Workflow Over Time

No approval system is perfect on day one. Treat your ClickUp setup as a living workflow you refine as your team grows and projects change.

Gather feedback from your creative team

Ask producers, designers, and account leads where friction still exists. Common tweaks include:

• Simplifying statuses that are rarely used
• Adding a new status for legal or compliance review
• Refining form fields to reduce back-and-forth questions

Iterating inside ClickUp keeps the process lean without sacrificing control.

Standardize templates and best practices

Once you find a workflow that works, turn it into reusable assets:

• Create task templates for common deliverables like social ads or blog graphics.
• Document your approval rules in a task or Doc within the Space.
• Train new team members on how to submit requests, give feedback, and mark approvals.

Standardization inside ClickUp helps you onboard faster while protecting quality and brand consistency.

Resources to Improve Your ClickUp Approval Setup

To deepen your approach to creative approvals and project management, explore these resources:

• Read the original guide on creative approval tools and practices here: Creative Approval Software Guide.
• For broader consulting on workflows, automation, and implementation, visit Consultevo.

By combining structured stages, smart views, and disciplined feedback habits, you can turn ClickUp into a powerful creative approval system that delivers high-quality work with fewer delays and less chaos.

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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