How to Master Time Tracking With ClickUp

ClickUp makes it easy to centralize time tracking, reporting, and billing so you can move beyond juggling tools like Toggl and Timely and manage everything in one place.

This step-by-step guide walks you through setting up time tracking inside the platform, inspired by the workflows discussed in the comparison of Toggl vs Timely on the ClickUp blog.

Why Use ClickUp for Time Tracking?

Before you dive into settings, it helps to understand why using one workspace for tasks and time is more efficient than switching between standalone tools.

• Bring tasks and time into a single source of truth
• Link every time entry to meaningful work
• Generate reports without exporting data to other apps
• Reduce manual timesheet updates and guesswork

Instead of choosing between Toggl and Timely, you can configure a workflow that uses one hub for planning, tracking, and analyzing your team’s hours.

Step 1: Plan Your Time Tracking Structure in ClickUp

First, decide how you want to organize tracked time so that reports are clear and usable.

1. Define your hierarchy. Map how Spaces, Folders, and Lists translate to clients, projects, and internal work.

2. Choose what you need to report on. Think in terms of:

   • Client vs internal projects
   • Billable vs non-billable tasks
   • Teams or departments

3. Standardize naming. Agree on consistent names for projects, tasks, and tags so time entries are easy to search and filter.

Having this structure ready ensures your time data is as reliable as tools like Toggl and Timely while remaining tightly linked to your work.

Step 2: Enable Time Tracking in ClickUp

Next, turn on the native time tracking features so every task can log hours.

1. Open your Workspace settings.

2. Navigate to the features section and ensure time tracking is enabled for your Workspace.

3. Check that time tracking is active for the specific Spaces or Folders where your team will track work.

Once enabled, your tasks will display time controls so everyone can start, stop, and log entries directly where the work happens.

Step 3: Track Time on Tasks in ClickUp

With the feature active, your team can begin logging hours. This mirrors the simplicity of starting a timer in Toggl or Timely, but the data stays right on the task.

Using Timers in ClickUp

1. Open a task you are working on.

2. Click the time tracking icon to start the timer.

3. Work on your task as usual.

4. Stop the timer when you finish or switch work.

The entry is automatically attached to the task, including duration and timestamp.

Adding Manual Time Entries in ClickUp

1. Open the task where you performed work.

2. Click the time tracking area and choose to add time manually.

3. Enter the start and end time or total duration.

4. Add notes so you remember what the entry represents.

5. Save the entry.

Manual entries are useful if you forgot to start the timer or are migrating from Toggl and Timely style workflows.

Step 4: Use ClickUp to Capture Billable vs Non-Billable Time

If you bill clients for your hours, distinguishing billable work is essential.

Configure Billable Options in ClickUp

1. Open Workspace or Space settings for time tracking.

2. Enable billable time if available on your plan.

3. Set default billable rates at the Workspace, project, or user level as needed.

Mark Time Entries Correctly

• Mark client-facing work as billable.
• Mark internal tasks, training, or admin tasks as non-billable.
• Use notes so billable time can be clearly described on invoices.

This approach gives you the same clarity you might expect from Toggl or Timely, but fully integrated into your tasks.

Step 5: Organize Time Data With Custom Fields in ClickUp

To make time reports more insightful, combine native time tracking with custom fields.

1. Create custom fields such as:

   • Service type (Design, Development, Strategy)
   • Phase (Discovery, Execution, QA)
   • Priority or sprint number

2. Apply fields to the Lists where your team tracks work.

3. Train your team to fill in fields on each task before logging time.

These extra data points allow far deeper analysis than a basic timesheet from standalone systems.

Step 6: Report on Time Spent in ClickUp

Now that your team is logging hours, you can analyze the information to improve planning and resourcing.

Build Time Reports in ClickUp Views

• Use List or Table views to see tasks with total tracked time.

• Group tasks by assignee, client, or status to understand workload distribution.

• Sort by time spent to find tasks that are taking longer than expected.

Analyze Time By Filters

Apply filters for:

• Date ranges such as this week, this month, or custom periods
• Specific team members or departments
• Billable vs non-billable entries
• Clients or projects based on your hierarchy

This helps you answer questions similar to those you might explore when comparing Toggl vs Timely, but with richer context from your tasks.

Step 7: Improve Estimates and Capacity With ClickUp

Over time, historical data lets you improve project planning and resource management.

1. Compare original time estimates on tasks to the tracked time.

2. Identify recurring tasks that regularly exceed estimates.

3. Adjust your planning templates so future projects are scoped more accurately.

4. Use capacity views or workload-style dashboards to ensure no one is overloaded.

This continuous loop of estimate vs actual time is a major benefit of keeping everything within one platform instead of splitting data across separate time tracking tools.

Step 8: Integrate or Migrate From Toggl and Timely

If your team already uses Toggl or Timely, you can gradually move over while keeping records intact.

• Audit existing workflows. List which teams use which timers and why.

• Map tags and projects. Decide how existing projects and tags in external tools match your ClickUp structure.

• Run a pilot. Start with one project that logs time only in the new workspace.

• Phase out legacy tools. Once reports from the new process match what you need, retire your external timers.

This staged approach keeps reporting continuity while you move everything into a single place.

Step 9: Standardize ClickUp Time Tracking Habits

Time tracking is only as good as your team’s habits. Create simple rules so you get high-quality data.

Define Team Guidelines

• Always track time on the correct task, not a generic bucket.
• Use timers when possible to reduce guesswork.
• Add short notes for long sessions or complex work.
• Close timers when switching tasks to avoid inaccurate entries.

Review and Coach Regularly

• Review weekly reports with your team.
• Correct obvious anomalies (for example, 10-hour sessions).
• Encourage accurate, honest logging instead of chasing arbitrary targets.

These practices help your workspace deliver the same reliability that teams expect from specialized time tracking platforms.

Optimize Your Workflow Beyond ClickUp

Once your time tracking system is running smoothly, you can connect it with broader optimization or consulting services. For advanced strategy, automations, and process design, you may also explore specialized partners such as Consultevo to expand your overall workflow capabilities.

By following these steps, you can replace fragmented time tracking stacks, keep your work and hours tightly connected, and build a single, reliable hub for productivity and reporting.

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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