How to Use ClickUp as a NetSuite Alternative

ClickUp can help you centralize projects, financial operations, and cross-functional work that often gets scattered across NetSuite competitors and disconnected tools. This how-to guide walks you through using it as a powerful alternative so your team can plan, track, and automate processes in one place.

Based on the insights from the NetSuite competitors comparison, you will learn how to set up and run your workspace step-by-step.

Why Choose ClickUp Over NetSuite Competitors

Before diving into configuration, clarify what you want ClickUp to do for you compared with traditional ERP or project tools.

• Unify collaboration for finance, operations, and leadership
• Replace scattered spreadsheets and basic task trackers
• Get visibility into projects and revenue-impacting work
• Automate recurring tasks and approvals

With the right setup, ClickUp becomes a flexible operating system that supports both strategic planning and day-to-day execution.

Step 1: Plan Your ClickUp Workspace Structure

Start by mapping your current NetSuite or competitor-based workflows to a clear workspace layout.

Map Departments to ClickUp Spaces

Use Spaces to mirror key areas of your business. Common examples include:

• Finance & Accounting
• Sales & Revenue Operations
• Customer Success & Support
• Operations & Supply Chain
• Executive & Strategy

Each Space in ClickUp will host the projects, recurring processes, and documents for that function.

Create ClickUp Folders for Core Processes

Inside each Space, create Folders that reflect major processes often handled in NetSuite or similar platforms, such as:

• Budgeting & Forecasting
• Month-End Close
• Order-to-Cash
• Procure-to-Pay
• Audit & Compliance

Folders help your team instantly see where to manage each category of work.

Use ClickUp Lists for Projects and Workflows

Lists are where the work actually lives. For example, in a “Month-End Close” Folder you could create Lists such as:

• Close Checklist
• Reconciliations
• Reporting & Analytics

Each List will hold tasks, docs, and attachments related to that specific workflow.

Step 2: Build Finance Workflows in ClickUp

To replace or complement NetSuite competitors, you need reliable, repeatable workflows inside ClickUp for financial operations.

Design Task Statuses for Finance Work

Create custom statuses that match how your team works. Example statuses:

• Planned
• In Progress
• Waiting on Data
• Under Review
• Approved
• Completed

These statuses give you clear progress tracking across every List and ensure leadership can quickly see where items are stuck.

Use ClickUp Custom Fields for Key Financial Data

Add Custom Fields to tasks in your finance-related Lists to capture structured information, such as:

• Amount (currency)
• GL Account
• Cost Center
• Due Date (for payment or posting)
• Owner (responsible person)
• Risk Level

This transforms tasks into actionable records that replicate important fields you would track in NetSuite or other ERPs.

Create Recurring Tasks for Periodic Processes

Set recurring tasks in ClickUp for activities like:

• Monthly reconciliations
• Quarterly forecasts
• Annual budgeting milestones
• Compliance filings

Configure each recurring task with a due date pattern and checklist so your team never misses a deadline.

Step 3: Configure ClickUp Views for Visibility

Views in ClickUp help you visualize data the way your team prefers, which is crucial when replacing rigid NetSuite competitors.

Use List View for Detailed Financial Tracking

List View is ideal for:

• Sorting tasks by due date, owner, or status
• Showing Custom Fields such as amounts and cost centers
• Inline editing of values without opening each task

Create saved filters, for example “This Month’s Close Tasks” or “Open Items by Cost Center.”

Use Board View to Manage Approval Flows

Board View gives finance and operations leaders a kanban-style display of work. Typical columns can mirror your statuses:

• Planned
• In Progress
• Under Review
• Approved
• Completed

Drag-and-drop cards to move tasks through the process, making it easy to manage approvals and reviews.

Use Calendar and Gantt Views for Deadlines

Calendar View in ClickUp helps your team align on cutoff dates, reporting deadlines, and payment schedules.

Gantt View is useful when you have multi-step projects, such as ERP migrations or large audit initiatives, and you need dependencies and critical paths clearly laid out.

Step 4: Standardize Processes with ClickUp Templates

Templates are one of the most effective ways to scale ClickUp across teams while maintaining consistency.

Create Task Templates for Repeating Activities

For recurring processes, build task templates that include:

• Predefined checklists
• Standard descriptions and instructions
• Default Custom Field values
• Attached files or reference docs

Examples include “Monthly Bank Reconciliation,” “Vendor Onboarding,” or “Revenue Report Preparation.”

Create List Templates for Complex Workflows

If a process has many tasks and dependencies, convert the entire List into a template. When you run the process again, you simply apply the List template and all tasks, fields, and views are cloned into your new project in ClickUp.

Step 5: Automate Routine Work in ClickUp

Automation is essential when using ClickUp to compete with full-featured NetSuite competitors.

Set Up ClickUp Automations

Use automations to reduce manual work, for example:

• When status changes to “Under Review,” assign to your controller.
• When Custom Field “Amount” exceeds a threshold, @mention leadership.
• When a task is created in a “Payables” List, set the due date to 30 days from now.

These rules keep processes consistent and ensure the right people are notified at the right time.

Use ClickUp for Cross-Team Notifications

Leverage @mentions, comments, and watchers to keep stakeholders aligned without long email threads. For example:

• Tag Sales leaders when a large invoice is overdue.
• Notify Operations when a purchase request is approved.
• Alert Executives when key financial reports are completed.

Step 6: Report on Work and Performance in ClickUp

Visibility is a major reason teams move away from scattered NetSuite competitors. Use ClickUp reporting features to track performance.

Use Dashboards for High-Level Insights

Build Dashboards that bring together:

• Task widgets for open and overdue items
• Charts grouped by status, owner, or cost center
• Time tracking or workload widgets if relevant

This gives finance and leadership teams a single view of how projects and processes are progressing.

Use ClickUp Docs for Narratives and Policies

ClickUp Docs help capture qualitative context around financial data, including:

• Accounting policies and procedures
• Close calendar explanations
• Forecast assumptions and commentary

Link Docs directly to tasks or Lists so users can open references without leaving ClickUp.

Step 7: Roll Out ClickUp Across Your Organization

A successful transition from legacy tools and NetSuite competitors requires deliberate rollout.

Start with a Pilot Team in ClickUp

Select a team, such as Financial Planning & Analysis or Revenue Operations, and:

1. Implement the workspace structure for their processes.
2. Gather feedback on statuses, fields, and views.
3. Iterate templates and automations based on real usage.

Once the pilot runs smoothly, expand ClickUp to adjacent teams.

Document Training and Best Practices

Create an internal “How We Use ClickUp” Doc that covers:

• Which Space and List to use for each type of work
• How to name tasks and attach documents
• Expected response times and update cadences
• Approval and escalation rules

Keep this Doc updated as your processes evolve.

Get Expert Help Implementing ClickUp

If you need support designing complex workflows or migrating from NetSuite competitors, consider working with optimization and implementation specialists. For advanced help across architecture, automation, and AI-driven process design, you can consult experts at Consultevo.

By following these steps, your organization can use ClickUp to centralize projects, financial operations, and cross-functional collaboration, giving you a flexible alternative to traditional ERP-focused environments.

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

“`