How to Use ClickUp for Time Tracking

ClickUp helps teams replace scattered time tracking tools with a single, flexible platform for planning work, tracking hours, and improving productivity. This how-to guide walks you step by step through setting up time tracking workflows so you can move away from complex alternatives and keep everything in one place.

Based on the features highlighted in the Timely alternatives comparison, this guide focuses on practical setup, configuration, and daily use patterns that work for individuals, agencies, and internal teams.

Why Use ClickUp Instead of Separate Time Tracking Tools

Many teams start with standalone time tracking apps, then realize their work, documents, and communication live elsewhere. ClickUp brings those elements together.

Key benefits include:

• Centralized tasks, docs, and tracked time in one workspace
• Customizable time fields for different billing or project needs
• Flexible views for reviewing and reporting on time entries
• Automation opportunities that reduce manual tracking work

This guide shows you how to configure these benefits for everyday work.

Step 1: Plan Your ClickUp Time Tracking Structure

Before you start tracking, decide how you want to organize work and time.

Choose Spaces and Folders for ClickUp Projects

Think about how your time is billed or reported and mirror that structure.

• Create separate Spaces for departments or major clients.
• Use Folders inside each Space for projects, campaigns, or products.
• Group related Lists under each Folder for sprints, phases, or deliverables.

A thoughtful structure makes reporting easier later, especially when clients or managers want summaries for specific projects.

Define Task Types for Better ClickUp Time Data

Different kinds of work may need different tracking detail. Decide in advance:

• What fields you need (billable vs non-billable, rate, role)
• Which tasks require time logs and which do not
• How granular tasks should be (single large tasks vs many small tasks)

Consistent rules keep your time reports clean and easy to understand.

Step 2: Enable and Configure ClickUp Time Tracking

Next, make sure time tracking is turned on and tailored to your workflow.

Turn On Time Tracking in ClickUp

1. Open your Workspace settings.
2. Navigate to the features or ClickApps section.
3. Locate the time tracking feature and enable it.
4. Apply settings at the Space or Folder level if needed.

Once enabled, tasks will display time controls so your team can start logging hours.

Customize ClickUp Time Tracking Options

To make tracking practical and accurate, adjust the available options:

• Allow or restrict manual time entry vs live timers.
• Enable labels or notes on time entries for context.
• Decide whether users can edit past entries.
• Set permissions for who can see or change others’ time.

These settings help you balance flexibility with accountability.

Step 3: Track Time on Tasks in ClickUp

With the structure and settings ready, you can start logging time in your daily work.

Use the ClickUp Timer While You Work

1. Open the task you are working on.
2. Click the time tracking control to start a timer.
3. Work on the task until you finish or pause.
4. Stop the timer when you are done.
5. Add a description or label to the entry if needed.

Running timers directly from tasks keeps your logs tied to specific work items, which is useful for audits and client reports.

Manually Add or Edit Time in ClickUp

Sometimes you forget to run a timer or need to adjust an entry. To manage this:

1. Open the relevant task.
2. Click the time tracking section to view entries.
3. Add a new entry with date, duration, and notes, or edit an existing one.
4. Mark the entry as billable or non-billable if you track both.

Consistent notes on manual entries make it easier to understand what happened later.

Step 4: Organize Work With ClickUp Views

Once time is being tracked, you can use views to see when and where effort is spent.

Use List and Board Views for ClickUp Task Progress

To monitor workload and time in context:

• Switch to List view to see tasks with time fields in a table.
• Use Board view to drag tasks through stages while keeping an eye on logged time.
• Add columns for estimated time to compare planned vs actual.

This helps teams spot tasks that are taking longer than expected.

Create Custom ClickUp Views for Time Management

For more focused time reviews, build custom views:

• Filter tasks by assignee, client, or project.
• Group tasks by status, priority, or List.
• Show columns for total time tracked and billable amount.

Save these views so team members can quickly access them during standups or review meetings.

Step 5: Report and Analyze Time in ClickUp

Reporting turns raw entries into insights for budgets, billing, and planning.

Create ClickUp Dashboards for Time Insights

1. Open the Dashboards section in your Workspace.
2. Create a new Dashboard for time reporting.
3. Add widgets that summarize tracked time by user, List, or project.
4. Include charts that compare estimated vs actual hours.

Dashboards make it easy for managers and clients to see where time goes without digging into individual tasks.

Export or Share ClickUp Time Data

When you need to share results or run external analysis:

• Export task lists with time fields to CSV for spreadsheets.
• Filter by date range to match billing periods.
• Use views that show only billable items when preparing invoices.

This workflow supports both lightweight summaries and detailed breakdowns.

Step 6: Improve Your Process With ClickUp

Once your time tracking system is running, refine it based on patterns you see.

Identify Bottlenecks Using ClickUp Time Reports

Look for signs that indicate process issues:

• Tasks that consistently exceed estimates.
• Team members overloaded with urgent work.
• Projects with high non-billable time compared to billable time.

Use these signals to adjust priorities, staffing, or workflows.

Refine Estimates and Workflows in ClickUp

Use your historical time data to improve future planning:

1. Review completed tasks with large time variances.
2. Update task templates with more accurate default estimates.
3. Adjust checklists or subtasks to reflect real work steps.
4. Share lessons learned with your team to standardize best practices.

This continuous improvement cycle helps your Workspace become more predictable and efficient over time.

ClickUp vs Other Time Tracking Options

The Timely alternatives article explains how different tools handle automatic tracking, project management, and reporting. ClickUp stands out by combining time tracking with task management, docs, and collaboration so your team can stay in one environment instead of juggling multiple apps.

If you are currently using a standalone tracker, consider migrating your workflows into ClickUp so time, tasks, and communication live together. This can reduce context switching and make reporting far simpler.

Next Steps for Mastering ClickUp

To go further, explore advanced features such as automations, templates, and integrations that build on your time tracking setup. Many teams also benefit from expert help when designing larger workspaces.

If you want hands-on guidance designing an efficient workspace or improving your time tracking processes, you can learn more about implementation services at Consultevo.

By following the steps in this guide and adapting them to your specific workflows, you can use ClickUp not just as another time tracker but as a complete work management system that supports accurate billing, focused execution, and continuous improvement.

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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