ClickUp: the complete guide
Main features of ClickUp
Advanced project and task management – ClickUp lets you create and organize projects, task lists, subtasks, checklists and goals visually and hierarchically. Each task can have assignees, priority, due date, attachments, comments, dependencies, and custom reminders. Drag-and-drop makes it easy to reorganize, and you can follow progress via multiple views (List, Kanban Board, Timeline, Gantt, Calendar, Mind Map, Whiteboard). No-code automations – ClickUp offers powerful no-code automations. You can set automatic actions based on triggers (e.g. status change, due date, user assignment): send notifications, create tasks, update fields, send emails or integrate with external apps. This reduces delays and minimizes repetitive manual activities in your team's workflow. Docs, Wiki and Whiteboard – ClickUp includes a collaborative document editor, perfect for project notes, company wikis, internal policies and brainstorming. Whiteboards let you map out ideas, processes or mind maps in real time, linking tasks directly into the visual flow. Email integration and communication – Manage email directly from ClickUp via Gmail, Outlook and other providers. Send/receive emails in tasks, attach threads, comment and track communications per project, making teamwork transparent between teams and clients. Advanced dashboards and reporting – Create custom dashboards with widgets to monitor workload, project progress, achieved goals, work time and team KPIs. Reports can be automated and shared—ideal for managers needing in-depth analysis without leaving the platform. Team management and permissions – Organize users into teams, roles, groups or guests with custom permissions on projects, folders, tasks or files. Assign owners, limit actions/views, invite external collaborators with controlled access. Integration with other tools – ClickUp supports native integrations with over 1,000 apps including Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Slack, Zoom, GitHub, Dropbox, Zapier and more. Data syncs bidirectionally, making ClickUp the company productivity hub—no more jumping between tools. Templates, Goals and Time Tracking – Use templates for typical projects (agile, marketing, IT, HR), set shared goals and track time spent per task for efficiency and cost analysis. Perfect for remote work or maximizing every collaborator’s productivity. In summary, ClickUp centralizes all team work—tasks, communication, documents, automations and dashboards—in one powerful, customizable platform accessible from any device.
Step-by-step guide:
Sign up and first access – Go to clickup.com, sign up with email and password or use Google login. Choose the free plan or a 14-day trial of advanced plans, follow the onboarding and immediately create your first Workspace for you or your team. Create project and activities – Within the Workspace, create Spaces, Folders, Lists and Tasks according to ClickUp’s hierarchy. Start from templates or from scratch: add main details, set deadlines, assign owners, break into subtasks/checklists. You can also import from Excel, Trello, Asana, etc. for fast migration. Customize your views – Choose the best working view (List, Board, Gantt, Timeline, Calendar, Box for workload, Mind Map, Whiteboard). Switch views anytime, filter by owner, deadline, priority, tag or status. Set up automations – Click “Automations” and pick from dozens of recipes or create your own rules, e.g.: “When a task moves to ‘Complete’, send an email to owner” or “When a deadline is near, set high priority and notify team”. Advanced automations start at Unlimited, with more in Business/Enterprise. Manage docs and communication – Create docs, wikis, FAQs and reports in ClickUp, share with the team, link notes to tasks. Use chat or comments for centralized discussions, not scattered emails. Monitoring and reporting – Build custom dashboards, add charts, workload tables, time tracking, goals. Analyze data in real time or export reports for reviews. By following these steps, you’ll have everything you need to launch projects, tasks, and automations with ClickUp. As you grow, further personalize your environment, invite users and use industry templates.Pros and cons of ClickUp
Pros
Total work centralization – Manage projects, tasks, files, communications and reports all in one environment, ending the need for multiple software tools. High customization and flexibility – Each team can configure their hierarchy, views, automations and permissions to fit any workflow, from startup to enterprise. Intuitive no-code automations – Dramatically reduce manual work with visual automations. Non-technical users can create advanced flows, tasks and notifications. Generous free features – The Free plan offers unlimited tasks and members, multiple workspaces, templates, basic automations, docs, and whiteboards—great for freelancers, startups, small businesses. Support, community and frequent updates – ClickUp offers 24/7 support, live chat, help center and a large user community (webinars, guides, templates). New features added monthly.Cons
Initial learning curve – The many options, views and automations can be overwhelming at first for users of simpler tools. It’s advised to follow onboarding/guides to avoid confusion and set up ideal flows. File/automation limits on Free plan – File space is 100MB and automations are limited. For medium/large teams, upgrade to Unlimited/Business to unlock all features. Some advanced tools in higher plans only – Workload, advanced dashboards, granular roles, priority support are Business/Enterprise only. Occasional slowness with huge data sets – Large projects, complex dashboards, or heavy integrations can slow ClickUp, especially on older devices/connections. In summary: ClickUp offers one of the most powerful, complete work management solutions, scaling from freelancers to multinationals. But it takes time for optimal customization and full features are in higher plans.Pricing and available plans
Free – Free plan: unlimited tasks/members, 100MB storage, main views (List, Board), docs, basic automations, whiteboards, limited integrations. Ideal for personal use, freelancers, microteams or testing ClickUp. Unlimited – €7/user/month (annual). Unlimited space, automations, advanced dashboards, custom permissions, guests, extended integrations, goals, time tracking. For small/medium teams needing no technical limits. Business – €12/user/month (annual). For teams/companies: advanced automations, workload, premium dashboards, granular roles, advanced integrations, time tracking, data export, custom reports, priority support. Best for growing companies with many projects/workflows. Enterprise – Price on request. Includes advanced security (SSO, SCIM), granular permissions/access control, higher automation limits, dedicated support, onboarding, advanced API and SLA. Ideal for large companies, public bodies or those requiring maximum governance and compliance. Each plan can be trialed free for 14 days. Prices may vary slightly based on promos, team size, billing method. Check the official website for updates and to pick the best plan for your business.Alternatives to ClickUp
Asana – Popular ClickUp competitor, simple project/task management, automations, timeline and integrations. Great for linear, easy-to-use tools but less flexible/customizable than ClickUp. Trello – Ideal for Kanban board task management. Visual, simple, free, but limited for those needing views, automations, advanced reports. Notion – For those wanting docs, wiki, databases and task management in a single, highly customizable workspace. Less structured for complex projects but a powerful digital work hub. Wrike – For enterprise teams: advanced views (Gantt, workload), automations, reporting, and integration with business tools. More expensive than ClickUp, but best for companies with rigid processes. Other tools – From Monday.com to Jira, Basecamp, Airtable, Smartsheet, the choice depends on needs: simplicity, automations, advanced analysis, or IT/agile focus. ClickUp remains among the most versatile for customization and value.ClickUp FAQ
Is ClickUp really free? What are the limits?
Yes, Free plan allows unlimited tasks/users, multiple workspaces, main views, but file space is 100MB and automations are few. For bigger teams or those wanting dashboards, advanced automations and more storage, use Unlimited or Business.
Can I automate processes without coding?
Absolutely. Automations are fully no-code, set via a visual interface with triggers and preset actions. Automate tasks, notifications, assignments, due dates, integrations and much more.
Does ClickUp integrate with Google, Outlook, Slack, Zoom?
Yes, ClickUp offers native and Zapier/Make integrations with all main productivity, cloud storage, video conferencing and developer tools.
Is ClickUp for freelancers, startups and big companies?
Yes, the platform is made to scale from single user to multinational. Each plan offers increasing features for any team or industry. Start free and grow without changing software.
Available in Italian and on mobile?
Yes, ClickUp is translated into Italian and offers mobile apps for iOS/Android, perfect for working and collaborating on the go, with notifications, task and project management in real time.