How to Use ClickUp as a Simple CRM
ClickUp can be configured as a flexible CRM that tracks leads, deals, and customer activity in one workspace without buying a separate platform.
This step-by-step guide walks you through turning a workspace into a basic CRM, inspired by the workflows described in the official ClickUp CRM software examples.
Plan Your ClickUp CRM Structure
Before building anything, outline how you want ClickUp to represent your sales or client process.
Define your CRM goals in ClickUp
- Centralize lead and customer data
- Track deal stages from first contact to close
- Capture follow-ups, meetings, and notes
- Give sales and operations a shared source of truth
Decide what a “win” looks like for your team: more closed deals, faster response times, or better client handoffs.
Choose a simple ClickUp hierarchy
A straightforward CRM layout keeps your workspace easy to maintain.
- Workspace: Your company or main account
- Space: “Sales” or “CRM”
- Folder: “Pipeline” or “Customer Management”
- Lists: Leads, Opportunities, Accounts, Renewals, or Support
Using this pattern, each list holds tasks that represent individual leads, deals, or customers.
Create a ClickUp CRM Space and Lists
Next, turn the structure into a working system with spaces, folders, and lists.
Step 1: Add a dedicated ClickUp CRM space
- Create a new space and name it something clear like “CRM” or “Sales”.
- Assign team members who need access to leads and customers.
- Customize default statuses if you want basic open and closed stages from the start.
Step 2: Build lists for each CRM workflow
Within the CRM space, create lists that reflect the customer journey, similar to the CRM examples highlighted for sales, marketing, and customer success teams.
- Leads: Inbound and outbound prospects
- Opportunities: Qualified leads moving through the pipeline
- Customers / Accounts: Active and ongoing relationships
- Onboarding or Implementation: New customer setup
- Renewals / Expansion: Upsell and renew contracts
This simple layout lets you visualize how contacts move from first touch to long-term relationship.
Add Custom Fields for CRM Data in ClickUp
CRM data lives in custom fields. They turn basic tasks into structured records you can sort and filter.
Recommended ClickUp custom fields
Add custom fields to your lead or opportunity lists so each task stores consistent information.
- Deal Value (Currency): Estimated revenue for the opportunity
- Close Date (Date): Target or projected close date
- Lead Source (Dropdown): Website, referral, event, outbound, partner
- Company (Text): Organization name
- Contact Email and Phone (Text): Primary touchpoint details
- Industry (Dropdown): Category for reporting and segmentation
- Priority (Dropdown): High, medium, low based on fit or timing
These custom fields give you pipeline clarity similar to the CRM software examples without heavy admin work.
Standardize stages with ClickUp statuses
Use statuses to reflect your pipeline phases.
- New
- Contacted
- Qualified
- Proposal Sent
- Negotiation
- Closed Won
- Closed Lost
Statuses make it easy to see progress across all deals and keep the pipeline consistent.
Design CRM Views in ClickUp
Views determine how your CRM data appears. A few strategic views can mirror traditional CRM dashboards.
Kanban board view for the pipeline
Create a board view grouped by status to visualize deals moving through the pipeline. Each column represents a stage, and cards show tasks with key custom fields like deal value and close date.
Table view for ClickUp CRM reporting
Use a table view to see deals in a spreadsheet-like format.
- Show columns for deal value, source, close date, and owner
- Sort by close date to focus on near-term deals
- Filter by status to review open or at-risk opportunities
This view makes it easier to run quick pipeline reviews or export data if needed.
Calendar view for follow-ups
Add a calendar view using close dates or next activity dates. This helps sales and account managers schedule calls, demos, and renewals without missing deadlines.
Create ClickUp Tasks for Leads and Deals
Each task in your CRM lists should represent a single lead, contact, or opportunity.
Set up task templates in ClickUp
Task templates save time and enforce consistency.
- Create a new task with your standard fields filled in and subtasks defined.
- Add subtasks such as “Initial Outreach”, “Discovery Call”, “Proposal”, and “Follow-Up”.
- Save it as a task template and reuse it whenever you add a new lead.
Task templates mirror the step-by-step flows described in CRM examples while keeping your process simple to repeat.
Use relationships and attachments
To keep everything connected in ClickUp:
- Link related tasks such as deals tied to the same company or campaign.
- Attach proposals, contracts, and call recordings.
- Add comments with meeting notes for a clear history.
This transforms each task into a mini CRM record.
Automate Repetitive CRM Tasks in ClickUp
Automation keeps your CRM current without constant manual updates.
Basic ClickUp automations for CRM
Consider adding simple automation rules like:
- When a status changes to “Proposal Sent”, assign to the account owner.
- When a task moves to “Closed Won”, change the list from Opportunities to Customers.
- When a due date arrives, post a comment or notify the assignee for follow-up.
These automations echo the streamlined workflows recommended in CRM software examples for fast-moving sales teams.
Use ClickUp templates and integrations
Combine your CRM setup with:
- Task or list templates for recurring campaigns
- Email, calendar, or communication integrations for quick outreach
- Forms to capture inbound leads directly into a list
Forms are especially helpful for routing web inquiries into a dedicated leads list with standardized data.
Collaborate and Report in ClickUp
Collaboration and reporting turn your CRM from a simple database into a shared control center.
Use comments and mentions in ClickUp
To keep conversations organized:
- Use comments for updates instead of scattered emails.
- Mention teammates with @ to request support or approvals.
- Pin key information in comments so context is always visible.
Build dashboards for ClickUp CRM insights
Create a dashboard to track metrics such as:
- Number of new leads per week
- Pipeline value by stage
- Closed won deals this month
- Deals by lead source
Dashboards give managers a quick overview of performance, similar to dedicated CRM tools.
Optimize Your ClickUp CRM Over Time
Once your CRM is live, refine it gradually rather than rebuilding from scratch.
- Review which custom fields are actually used and remove clutter.
- Adjust statuses to match your real-world sales stages.
- Add new views or filters for specific teams like marketing or customer success.
- Document your process in a shared doc so onboarding new teammates is quick.
For organizations that want help optimizing work management or AI workflows around a CRM, partners like Consultevo can provide additional guidance.
By following these steps, you can configure ClickUp as a practical, easy-to-maintain CRM that supports sales, marketing, and customer success without sacrificing flexibility.
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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