How to Use Custom Fields in ClickUp and Enhance Your Workflow

January 25, 2023

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Have you been using ClickUp for your team, but haven’t gotten around to fully understanding how to use custom fields? Well, in this ClickUp guide I will walk you through how to get started with incorporating custom fields to your spaces, folders, and tasks so that you can further optimize you and your team’s workflows.

How to easily start using custom fields inside ClickUp

Let’s talk about custom field basics! Read on to learn what custom fields are, where to find them, and how you can add and delete custom fields.

What is a ClickUp custom field and where to find them

A custom field is essentially a ClickApp inside ClickUp.

You can find it by going to Settings, then select ClickApps. Custom fields are the fourth Click App to the right.

Custom fields allow you to add anything for dates, phone numbers, emails, websites, check boxes, numbers, and drop downs – all of these are considered a custom field inside ClickUp. You need to enable the ClickApp and set it to what spaces you want it to be attached to.

One of the easiest way to find custom fields is actually when you’re in a space or a folder level, and then when you’re in a list view, there are columns, you can add a column by clicking the plus ( + ) sign at the right hand side. This is where you can easily create all of your different custom fields.

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How to edit custom fields inside a space, folder, or list

Now, if you want to edit custom fields inside a space, or a folder, or list, you can click on the ellipsis ( . . . ) next to them and choose Custom Fields – this will show you custom fields that are already created.

If you go into a space that has no custom fields created, you can click Custom Fields and it will bring up a bigger library of custom fields that you can add into them.

Select space
Select folder, click ellipsis, and choose custom fields
Custom fields that you can use to further enhance your workflow and data management
Creating a custom field at the folder level when there are no custom fields existing

What are the best views to use custom fields

If you want to use custom fields more efficiently, then I highly recommend using either List View or Form.

LIST VIEW

When you’re looking at custom fields in a list view, you’ll see that it will add in columns for each of the custom fields that were selected.

In this example, I have a progress bar, notes, a pending client response area, and a couple categories.

screenshot of custom field samples for Anne Leah Shick clickup workspace

How to add new custom fields on a list view:

Click the plus ( + ) sign to add a new view.
Select List.
At the left hand side, under Custom Fields, choose the ones that apply OR go ahead and create a new one using the + Add Custom Field.

Note: The List View makes it a lot easier for you to see all of the necessary data because they had been neatly categorized into columns and tasks.

FORM

The next best view to use a custom field on would be when you’re using a form.

Select Form
You can drag existing custom fields onto the form or create new custom fields

How to add new custom fields on a form:

Click the plus ( + ) sign to add a new view.
Select Form.
When the form pops up, you’ll see that you had your normal task fields that are created, and then custom fields listed underneath.
Click and drag your custom fields onto the form.
These custom forms will populate when the form is filled out and we’ll put them inside a list view with additional columns.
Here’s a pro tip, if you plan to use custom fields throughout your entire space, you want to consider adding them at a space level first, then you can add them to the individual levels of the space as needed.

How to add a custom field at different levels

Here’s how to add custom fields at different levels (e.g. space, folder, and task-levels) and where you can see them inside your ClickUp.

FOLDER LEVEL

Select the space where the folder you need is filed under.
Select the folder you want to add the custom field to.
At the right hand side of our list view, click Add a column.
Click on the plus ( + ) sign.
Select create new field.
Name the custom field appropriately (so it’s easy for you to identify them later on).
Select the type of custom field you want it to be.
Click Add Column and it will automatically show up.

screenshot Anne Leah Shick clickup step for using custom fields in clickup

SPACE LEVEL

Select the space you want to add the custom field to.
Click on create new field.
Scroll down to see existing fields.
Select the type of field you need (note: in this example, it’s a checkbox).
Double check the if you’re assigning the right custom field for that location by clicking places (you will see that the location is under the Bookkeeping Firm folder.
Click use this field.
The selected custom field will appear at the space level and will be applicable across the levels inside that space.

adding custom fields using existing fields

LIST LEVEL

Select the space where the folder you need is filed under.
Select the folder where the list you need is filed under.
Select the list you want to add a custom field to.
Two ways to add a custom field:
- Click add column and unhide the custom field.
- Click on list settings and select custom fields from there.

how to add a custom field at the list level

TASK LEVEL

Now that the custom fields are added on a space level, a folder level, and a list level. Let’s take a look at how the custom fields appear when you’re inside an actual task.

You can find the custom fields added on a space and folder level right under the description box once you select an individual task.

Now, you can add or edit fields, and even fill in additional information by clicking show empty fields.

Note: If a task doesn’t have custom fields then it means that the task wasn’t covered by the space or folder you’ve applied the custom field to.

Ex. If you added a custom field to folder A and did not apply the same on folder B, then the tasks in folder B will not reflect the custom fields that were applied on folder A.

So, if I want to add custom fields, I should go to existing fields and select some that will apply throughout my entire workspace, that way it will show up on different levels (e.g. space, folder, list, and tasks).

How to remove duplicates and unnecessary custom fields

You can right-click on a custom field and select delete.

You can also search for custom fields that you want to delete.

A prompt will appear asking if you want to proceed, you can choose between delete everywhere and remove from space.

Be warned though that if you delete a custom field on the space level, then it will also disappear from the folders, lists, and tasks from within that space. Consequently, if you select delete everywhere it will apply to your whole ClickUp.

how to delete a custom field at the space level

Note: Now, if you do end up deleting something you shouldn’t, an admin can restore it. But to save yourself from a mini heart attack, it would be best to err on the side of caution.

Side-by-side comparisons

Now, the fourth thing I want to share would be how to do a side-by-side comparison with custom fields to really enhance your ClickUp. You can do this by either grouping or sorting.

Group by

how to use custom fields to group data to enhance workflow

Create a board view for the space/folder you want to categorize.
Under group by, select custom field, and choose the field you need (in this example, I chose day of the week).
The items will be categorized based on the option you select to group it by.

Sorting

The second side-by-side comparison, I’m going to show you is in a book keeping firm folder.

When you go to this book keeping firm folder and you add some custom fields. You’ll be able to add a category for billing or reports. You can also add a column with a dropdown for pending client response, and we can even add notes, progress, and vendors if necessary.

The good thing about using custom fields here in this list view is you can sort them by reports to send from using the tag category report, which is one of your custom fields.

Conclusion:

Whew! That was a LOT to take in, but once you get the hang of using custom fields on your ClickUp it’s going to be a lot easier to get the data you need… AND it will look real professional, too!

I hope this nifty how-to will get you that much closer to your dream workflow.

Ambitious Wishes! and I’ll see you around.

P.S.

Did this walkthrough help change your opinion about ClickUp custom fields? Do you love them? Or do you hate them? Are you still struggling? I’m here to help! You can set an appointment by clicking the button below.

Quick reminder: AmbitiousVA rebranded to Anne Leah & Co., to serve a bigger purpose.

For all the links and resources Click Here.