No matter the type of company, location, industry, or department, every manager aims to:
- Eliminate repetitive and manual tasks, especially those with consistent steps and decisions.
- Automate workflows to avoid delays in task assignment and delivery, reducing project duration and costs.
The solution to these needs? ClickUp Automations!
Automations can handle everything from reassigning tasks without checking in with team members to requesting multiple stakeholders’ approval before task completion.
Bottlenecks in processes can take many forms, but task automation helps you manage these processes and prevent productivity issues.
Whether you’re new to automation or looking to optimize your current setup in ClickUp, this guide is for you. Read on to explore examples of ClickUp Automations and discover their full potential.
Update: Did you know you can now create automations in ClickUp using plain English? ClickUp Brain’s AI capabilities make this possible! Read more in the section: Building Natural Language Automations using ClickUp Brain.
What Are Automations in ClickUp?
Automations advance a process in a step-by-step workflow, optimizing task repetition to be logically executed without manual intervention. While not every task can be automated, many repetitive decisions across tasks can be automated to determine the next steps.
Automations can save you significant time on repetitive work, as they perform automatic changes for you. This might be because:
- You lack the time.
- Automated software can be more precise.
- Automation saves substantial time on repetitive tasks.
You can automate parts of a process or the entire process, depending on task suitability for automation. Some highly manual processes might not be ideal for automation, but you can automate decision approval parts.
Automated tasks often initiate phases in a process, such as when a prospect becomes a client or when a final document is approved.
Even simple automated tasks add up over time, freeing up time for more complex tasks that require human intervention.
Benefits of Workflow Automation
Automating workflows in ClickUp boosts team productivity by building momentum for employees, increasing efficiency, and reducing headaches from process bumps. Automations ensure deliverables reach the right people at the right time.
Routine tasks are tedious, and automating them saves time and memory. ClickUp Automation features eliminate repetitive tasks, freeing you to focus on more intricate tasks.
Automated small tasks, although quick at first glance, free up time for more complex, human-dependent tasks requiring case-by-case decisions or manual work.
Team members and managers can also use Automation features to monitor processes, ensuring that steps and instructions are followed as expected.
Examples of ClickUp Automations in Action
Here are some examples of Automations you can set up in ClickUp:
- Status Changes: Configure automated workflow actions when task statuses change.
- Assignee Changes: Define actions when task assignees change.
- Priority Changes: Set actions when task priorities change.
- Due Date Arrives: Automate actions as tasks approach their due dates.
- Task Creation: Automatically associate new tasks with specific lists.
- Moved to This Location: Define actions when tasks are moved to specific locations.
Elements of Automations in ClickUp
Automations in ClickUp follow a simple recipe: “When this happens, then do this action.” They consist of Triggers, Actions, and optional Conditions.
- Triggers: Events that initiate actions, such as status changes or due dates.
- Conditions: Additional criteria to determine if the automation should proceed.
- Actions: The outcomes resulting from triggers and conditions.
Building Natural Language Automations using ClickUp Brain
ClickUp Brain enables you to build custom automations using plain English. Describe the process you want to automate, and the AI helps set up triggers, actions, and conditions.
For example, you could tell the AI: “When a Task with Open status in the Improvements list is marked as High Priority, assign it to Cristina and set a due date for 2 days from now.”
Automating Task Summaries and Updates with AI Custom Fields
AI Custom Fields, combined with Automations, allow for instant task summaries or progress updates without opening tasks. These fields include AI Summary and AI Progress Updates.
ClickUp Automation Types
ClickUp offers three types of Automations:
- Automation Templates: Pre-configured automation templates to streamline processes.
- Custom Automations: Create personalized automations by combining triggers, actions, and custom fields.
- Integration Templates: Automations integrating with external applications like Bugsnag, Calendly, Email, GitHub, Twilio, and HubSpot.
How to Setup Automations at the Space, Folder, and List Levels
ClickUp’s hierarchy structure breaks down work into actionable items:
- Workspaces: Represent your company.
- Spaces: Large units of work, like departments or teams.
- Folders: Optional containers for lists and documents.
- Lists: Divisions of tasks, such as project phases.
- Tasks: Contain subtasks and nested subtasks.
Automations can be applied at the Space, Folder, or List level, inheriting properties accordingly.
Automation Examples From ClickUp Users
Here are some real-life examples of how users leverage ClickUp Automations:
- Construction: Send RFIs to contractors and notify architects of blueprint approvals.
- Finance: Create monthly payment tasks and notify of spending thresholds.
- HR: Notify hiring managers and send engagement surveys.
- Law: Manage case information and client communications.
- Customer Support: Create GitHub issues and apply templates.
- Software Development: Create bug tasks and move them to relevant lists.
- Marketing: Assign tasks based on draft completion and send client emails.
- Product Management: Move tasks between sprints and notify stakeholders.
- Sales: Create tasks for product demos and assign leads.
- Quality Excellence: Add managers and team leaders as watchers on tasks.
Time to Get Your ClickUp Automations Going!
Now that you understand ClickUp Automations, start by exploring built-in automations, applying templates to a test project, and setting up your first custom automation. If you need further assistance or can’t find examples relevant to your industry, reach out for help.
Get in touch to start your ClickUp journey.