How to Switch to ClickUp from Productive.io

Moving your work management from Productive.io or another platform into ClickUp can feel overwhelming, but a clear plan makes the change smooth and low-risk. This guide walks you through each step so your team is ready to work on day one.

Why Teams Move to ClickUp

Before you migrate, it helps to understand what you gain by centralizing work in ClickUp.

One workspace for tasks, documents, and goals
Flexible views for every team: List, Board, Calendar, Gantt, and more
Custom fields and statuses to match your workflows
Automations that reduce repetitive admin work
Native time tracking and integrations with key tools

The original comparison of Productive.io and competing platforms, including ClickUp, is available on the Productive.io alternatives guide. Use it as a reference if you are still evaluating options.

Plan Your Move to ClickUp

A successful switch starts with a lean migration plan. You do not need to move everything at once. Focus on what your team actually uses.

Step 1: Audit Your Current Workspace

Make a quick inventory of what you manage in Productive.io or your current tool.

Projects and clients
Tasks and recurring workflows
Custom fields, tags, and labels
Time tracking and budgets
Reports and dashboards

Flag anything that is outdated or no longer needed. Archiving this instead of migrating it will keep your new ClickUp workspace clean and easier to navigate.

Step 2: Define Your ClickUp Hierarchy

Next, map your work into the standard ClickUp hierarchy.

Workspace: your company or organization
Spaces: departments or major functions (e.g., Marketing, Product, Client Services)
Folders: client groups, product lines, or large programs
Lists: projects, sprints, or campaigns
Tasks & Subtasks: individual pieces of work

Write down a simple mapping, for example:

Each Productive.io project → one List in a functional Space
Each client group → one Folder under a Client Services Space
Recurring internal work → dedicated Lists for templates

Agree on this structure with key stakeholders before you create anything in ClickUp to reduce rework later.

Set Up Your ClickUp Workspace

Once your plan is clear, you can configure the basics. Start small, test with one team, and then scale.

Step 3: Create Spaces, Folders, and Lists

Log in to your account.
Create a Space for each major department or business unit.
Inside each Space, create Folders for client groups, product areas, or programs.
In each Folder, create project-specific Lists that match your current work.

Keep names short and consistent so it is easy for new users to navigate.

Step 4: Rebuild Custom Fields and Statuses

Your current tool likely uses custom fields and pipeline stages. Recreate those elements directly inside ClickUp.

Add Custom Fields for items like budget, priority, client, or campaign type.
Define Statuses that reflect your real workflow, such as To Do, In Progress, In Review, and Complete.
Use task types or tags to distinguish bugs, features, requests, and operations work.

Align these fields with your reporting needs so you can later filter and build dashboards.

Step 5: Import Data into ClickUp

Now you are ready to bring tasks and projects into your new workspace. Based on the source platform, you may use:

Native imports for common tools
CSV imports for custom exports
Integration platforms or APIs for more advanced setups

When importing, start with one representative project:

Export data from your old system.
Clean up outdated tasks or duplicate items.
Map columns to the corresponding fields in ClickUp.
Run a test import into a sandbox Space or List.
Confirm that task owners, due dates, and statuses look correct.

Once the test project looks good, repeat the process for your remaining active work.

Design Day-to-Day Workflows in ClickUp

After your data is in place, configure views and automation so the team can focus on execution rather than setup.

Step 6: Create Core Views for Each Team

Different teams will prefer different ways of visualizing work. In each List or Folder, create a small set of standard views.

List view for backlogs and detailed task management
Board view for Kanban-style pipelines
Calendar view for deadlines and events
Gantt view for timelines and dependencies

Pin the most important views so they are easy to find. Encourage teams to avoid creating too many custom views at first, which can confuse new users.

Step 7: Automate Repetitive Actions in ClickUp

Rebuild your recurring processes using automation rules. For example, you can:

Assign tasks automatically when a status changes.
Set due dates when a task moves into a specific column.
Add comments or checklists when a task is created from a template.
Notify stakeholders when a task is marked complete.

Start with two or three high-impact automations, validate that they behave as expected, and then expand as your team grows comfortable.

Migrate Clients, Billing, and Reporting

If you previously handled client delivery, billing, or profitability inside Productive.io, you will want to plan how to continue those processes inside or around ClickUp.

Step 8: Track Time and Effort

To maintain insight into budgets and utilization, enable time tracking on your key Spaces and Lists.

Decide which roles must log time.
Standardize time entry categories, such as billable and non-billable.
Use custom fields to tag tasks with client or contract information.

This foundation makes it easier to connect to external invoicing or accounting tools later.

Step 9: Rebuild Dashboards and Reports in ClickUp

Use dashboards to replace legacy reporting.

Identify the metrics you relied on: budget, progress, workload, and cycle times.
Create a dashboard and add widgets for task status, time tracking, and workload.
Filter dashboards by Space, Folder, or List to mirror your prior reports.

Share dashboards with management and client leads to keep everyone aligned on progress and capacity.

Train Your Team for ClickUp Adoption

The best configuration will fail if the team does not adopt it. Invest a small amount of time in onboarding and governance.

Step 10: Launch ClickUp with Clear Guidelines

Prepare a short internal playbook that covers:

Where different types of work live in the hierarchy
How to name tasks and Lists consistently
When to use comments, docs, and chat
Expectations for time tracking and status updates

Run a live walkthrough or recorded session showing how to complete daily tasks inside ClickUp so users can see the system in action.

Step 11: Iterate on Your Setup

In the first few weeks after launch, collect structured feedback.

What feels slower than the old system?
Which views or fields are confusing?
Where do tasks fall through the cracks?

Schedule a monthly review to refine automations, clean up unused Lists, and improve templates. ClickUp is highly flexible, so you can gradually tailor it to your workflows without a full rebuild.

Get Extra Help for Your ClickUp Migration

If you prefer an expert-led transition, consider working with a productivity or systems consultant who specializes in migrations. A partner can help you design a scalable structure, build automations, and train your team faster.

Resources like Consultevo offer guidance on tooling, process design, and change management so you can get value from your ClickUp workspace sooner and with less trial-and-error.

Next Steps

You now have a clear, step-by-step path to move from Productive.io or any similar platform into ClickUp. Start by mapping your structure, then import a single pilot project, refine your workflows, and roll out the new system in phases. With a focused migration plan and light training, your team can adopt the new workspace quickly and keep client delivery running smoothly throughout the transition.

Need Help With ClickUp?

If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your ClickUp workspace, work with ConsultEvo — trusted ClickUp Solution Partners.

Get Help

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