How to Use ClickUp as a Redmine Alternative

ClickUp is a modern project management platform that helps teams replace limited tools like Redmine with a single, flexible workspace for tasks, docs, and collaboration. This guide walks you through how to set up ClickUp to handle your projects, issues, and workflows more efficiently.

Based on the capabilities described in the Redmine alternatives overview, you will learn how to configure spaces, manage tasks, and customize views so that your team can move away from complex, developer-only systems.

Why Switch From Redmine to ClickUp

Redmine is powerful for issue tracking, but it can feel outdated, hard to customize, and inaccessible to non-technical teammates. ClickUp offers a more intuitive experience while preserving the structure that technical teams need.

Key advantages include:

• Unified workspace for projects, tasks, docs, and whiteboards
• Highly visual views that replace rigid issue lists
• Built-in automation, templates, and reporting
• Friendly interface for both developers and business teams

The steps below show exactly how to configure your workspace so you can move your processes from Redmine into a more flexible environment.

Step 1: Plan Your ClickUp Workspace Structure

Before creating anything, decide how to organize your work. In Redmine, you may have relied on projects, subprojects, and trackers. In ClickUp, the core hierarchy is:

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

To mirror a typical Redmine setup, you can:

1. Create one Space for each major product or department.
2. Add Folders for components, modules, or client groups.
3. Create Lists for sprints, backlogs, support queues, or releases.

Document your structure decisions so team members know where to create new tasks and how to categorize work.

Step 2: Create a Project Space in ClickUp

Now you can build your first project Space in ClickUp to replace a Redmine project.

1. Open your workspace and create a new Space.

2. Name it after your main product, team, or client.

3. Choose a color and icon to make it easy to recognize.

4. Enable key ClickUp features such as:

   • Tasks
   • Docs
   • Whiteboards
   • Views like Board, Gantt, and Calendar

This Space becomes the central hub that replaces one or more of your existing Redmine projects.

Step 3: Configure ClickUp Task Types and Statuses

In Redmine, you may work with trackers such as bug, feature, and support, along with custom statuses. In ClickUp, these are handled through task types and status workflows.

Set Up Task Statuses in ClickUp

1. Open your new Space and go to Status settings.

2. Create a simple default flow like:

   • Backlog
   • In Progress
   • In Review
   • Done

3. Optional: add specific statuses for QA, blocked tasks, or code review.

Keep your first workflow simple so your team can adapt quickly. You can refine it later as your processes mature.

Use Custom Fields in ClickUp to Replace Redmine Fields

Redmine often relies on custom fields to store priority, category, or environment. You can recreate these in ClickUp with custom fields.

1. Create fields for priority, severity, component, or affected version.
2. Use dropdowns for consistent values.
3. Use text fields for details like build numbers or URLs.

Once configured at the Space or Folder level, these custom fields will be available across multiple Lists and tasks.

Step 4: Build Issue and Task Lists in ClickUp

Now that your structure and fields are ready, create Lists that map to your Redmine workflows.

Typical Lists to Create in ClickUp

• Product Backlog for new features and improvements
• Bug Tracking for defects and support tickets
• Sprints for agile development cycles
• Maintenance for routine tasks and technical debt

For each List:

1. Add views such as List, Board, and Calendar so teams can visualize work in different ways.
2. Apply your custom fields for full visibility into priority, status, and ownership.
3. Create sample tasks to demonstrate best practices to your team.

Step 5: Use ClickUp Views to Visualize Work

ClickUp offers multiple views that go far beyond the limited lists in older tools.

Key ClickUp Views to Replace Redmine Reports

• Board View to drag tasks across statuses like a Kanban board.
• Gantt View to manage dependencies, durations, and timelines.
• Calendar View to see due dates and milestones across the month or week.
• List View to manage detailed issue lists with filters and grouping.

Use filters to focus on tasks by assignee, priority, sprint, or component. Save frequently used filters as custom views for project managers or leads.

Step 6: Streamline Collaboration Inside ClickUp

Another major advantage over Redmine is how smoothly collaboration works inside ClickUp.

Use Comments and Assignments in ClickUp

• Tag teammates in comments for quick questions or code review.
• Assign comments when you need a specific action or response.
• Use threaded conversations to keep discussions organized.

Encourage your team to keep important communication inside tasks instead of outside channels, so context is preserved.

Centralize Docs and Knowledge in ClickUp

Instead of managing documentation in multiple tools, you can store it in Docs directly attached to your projects.

• Create specs and user stories next to related Lists.
• Link Docs to tasks for acceptance criteria and technical decisions.
• Use collaborative editing and comments within Docs.

This structure reduces the friction between planning, development, and documentation.

Step 7: Automate Routine Workflows in ClickUp

ClickUp includes automation features that take over many repetitive actions you may currently manage manually in Redmine.

Examples of useful automations:

• Change status when a due date is reached.
• Assign tasks automatically when a priority is set.
• Move tasks to a different List when they reach a specific status.

Start with one or two simple automations, confirm that they help your process, and then gradually add more when your team is comfortable.

Step 8: Monitor Progress and Reporting in ClickUp

To replace Redmine reports, you can use Dashboards and built-in reporting tools in ClickUp.

• Track workload by assignee or team.
• Monitor open vs. closed issues over time.
• View progress on sprints, releases, or epics.

Create dedicated Dashboards for engineering leads, product owners, or managers so each role can quickly see the metrics that matter most.

Additional Optimization Tips for ClickUp Users

To get more value from your new setup, you can follow external guidance and best practices around implementation, change management, and process design.

For expert help improving workflows, integrations, and adoption, you can consult specialists such as Consultevo, who focus on optimizing work management platforms for teams of all sizes.

Start Replacing Redmine with ClickUp Today

By planning your structure, configuring statuses and custom fields, creating focused Lists, and using powerful views, you can turn ClickUp into a complete replacement for Redmine. Your team gains a more visual, collaborative, and customizable workspace without losing the structure needed for serious issue tracking.

Follow the steps in this guide to pilot your first Space, gather feedback from your team, and then expand the configuration across additional products and departments as adoption grows.