How to Use the ClickUp Hierarchy Step by Step

The ClickUp hierarchy is the foundation of how work is organized, viewed, and managed in ClickUp. Understanding each level in this structure helps you set up your Workspace so teams, projects, and tasks stay clear, connected, and easy to manage.

This how-to guide walks you through the full hierarchy, from Workspace down to subtasks and nested subtasks, and shows you how to apply it to your own setup.

What Is the ClickUp Hierarchy?

The ClickUp hierarchy is a multi-level structure that keeps all of your work organized in a single place. Each level has a specific purpose, from broad company-wide settings down to the smallest actionable task.

At a high level, the hierarchy includes:

• Workspace
• Spaces
• Folders
• Lists
• Tasks
• Subtasks and nested subtasks

To see the original reference documentation, you can visit the official ClickUp Hierarchy section on the ClickUp Help Center.

Step 1: Start with Your ClickUp Workspace

The Workspace is the top level of the ClickUp hierarchy. It represents your entire organization or company account.

Use a single Workspace when you want all teams to collaborate under one roof. Multiple Workspaces are typically used only when you need completely separate business entities with different billing and administration.

How to Set Up a ClickUp Workspace

1. Sign in to your account.
2. Create or open your main Workspace.
3. Configure global settings such as members, permissions, and integrations.

Everything underneath—Spaces, Folders, Lists, and tasks—lives inside this Workspace.

Step 2: Organize Teams with ClickUp Spaces

Spaces are the second level of the ClickUp hierarchy, and they’re designed to group work by department, function, or major area of responsibility.

Common examples include:

• Marketing
• Sales
• Product
• HR
• Operations

How to Create a Space in ClickUp

1. From your Workspace sidebar, click to add a new Space.
2. Name the Space after a team or major function.
3. Choose a color and icon to make it easy to recognize.
4. Configure Space-level settings such as statuses, ClickApps, and default views.

Spaces give each team a dedicated area while still staying connected inside your single ClickUp Workspace.

Step 3: Group Projects with ClickUp Folders

Folders are an optional level in the ClickUp hierarchy that live inside Spaces. They’re best used to group related projects or initiatives.

Within a Marketing Space, for example, you might have Folders like:

• Campaigns
• Content Production
• Events

How to Use Folders Effectively

1. Open the relevant Space.
2. Create a Folder for each major project group or program.
3. Use clear, descriptive names so everyone knows what work belongs there.

Folders help you avoid clutter by separating multiple projects or work streams while still keeping them in the same Space.

Step 4: Plan Work with ClickUp Lists

Lists sit inside Folders (or directly inside Spaces if you choose not to use Folders). In the ClickUp hierarchy, Lists are where you organize and track specific sets of tasks.

Examples of Lists include:

• “Q2 Product Launch Tasks” inside a Launch Folder
• “Blog Articles” inside a Content Folder
• “Employee Onboarding” directly inside an HR Space

How to Create a List in ClickUp

1. Select the Folder or Space where the List will live.
2. Click to add a new List.
3. Name the List based on a project, workflow, or process.
4. Optionally add a description, custom fields, and default views.

Each List becomes a focused container for related tasks, making it easier to manage progress and deadlines.

Step 5: Manage Work with ClickUp Tasks

Tasks are the core actionable items in the ClickUp hierarchy. Every task represents a piece of work that needs to be completed.

Within each List, you create tasks for individual deliverables or to-dos. Tasks can include:

• Assignees
• Due dates
• Statuses
• Custom fields
• Attachments and comments

How to Create Tasks in ClickUp

1. Open the List where the task belongs.
2. Click the option to add a new task.
3. Enter a clear task name and description.
4. Assign the task, set a due date, and choose the right status.

Tasks inherit many settings from their List and Space, which keeps your ClickUp Workspace consistent and easy to navigate.

Step 6: Break Down Work with ClickUp Subtasks

Subtasks add another layer of detail beneath a task in the ClickUp hierarchy. They’re ideal when a single task has multiple steps, owners, or stages.

You can also create nested subtasks (subtasks within subtasks) if you need deeper structure for complex work.

How to Use Subtasks in ClickUp

1. Open a task that needs to be broken down.
2. Add subtasks for each major step or component.
3. Assign each subtask, set due dates, and update statuses as work progresses.

Using subtasks keeps high-level tasks clear while still tracking every detailed step inside ClickUp.

Putting the ClickUp Hierarchy Together

When you combine all levels, the full hierarchy looks like this:

• Workspace: Your entire organization.
• Spaces: Major teams or departments.
• Folders: Groups of related projects.
• Lists: Specific projects, workflows, or processes.
• Tasks: Individual pieces of work.
• Subtasks: Detailed steps under each task.

As you build out your structure in ClickUp, keep the following best practices in mind:

• Use one Workspace per business to centralize management.
• Create Spaces that mirror your real-world teams.
• Use Folders when you need to group multiple Lists under one program.
• Keep Lists focused on a project, process, or backlog.
• Create tasks and subtasks that are small enough to complete and track.

Next Steps and Further Optimization

Once your hierarchy is in place, you can enhance your ClickUp setup with views, automation, and templates tailored to each level of the hierarchy.

If you want help designing an efficient structure, automation, or reporting around your ClickUp Workspace, you can work with productivity and systems specialists such as Consultevo to refine your setup.

By following these steps and understanding how each level of the ClickUp hierarchy works together, you can create a clear, scalable system for managing all of your work in one place.

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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