Tasks are where you organize the actionable parts of your projects. Check out our course on how to Bring What Matters Into Focus With Task View in ClickUp University.

Tasks feature availability and limits vary by plan and user role. Learn more

What are tasks?

Tasks represent individual, actionable work items.

Every task in ClickUp has a unique identifier known as the Task ID. You can also use Custom Task IDs in each Space.

Click to copy the task ID. Click the Custom Task ID a second time to view and copy the standard task ID.

Every task needs a title. You can click on the existing title to rename a task.

ClickUp AI on tasks

To the right of the task ID, click the Ask AI button to ask questions about your task.

Or use the AI-powered Summarize, Progress update, and Find similar tasks features.

Take a look at our article Manage tasks with ClickUp AI to learn more about AI features in tasks. 

Create or import tasks

You can create tasks from scratch, ask ClickUp AI to create tasks for you, or import your work from other apps.

Date created

The date created is displayed on the upper-right of every task. Hover over the date to see who created the task and the time it was created.

Task types

To help categorize your work items, you can use Custom Task Types to differentiate your work.

For example, you can use a Milestone task type to represent the key moments in a project. Or use a bug task type to track reported issues in your software.

Click the task types dropdown to the left of the task ID to change the task type.

Task statuses

Tasks move through statuses which represent their progress from to do to complete.

To update the task status:

• Click the arrow to the right of the status name to move the task to its next status.
• Click the current status name, and from the Search Statuses modal, choose a new status.
• Quickly move the task to Done Status by clicking the Mark Complete checkbox.

You can also click Edit statuses to manage the statuses on the task's home List.

Time in status

From the status picker, you can see the time a task has spent in each status.

To customize or hide the time in status:

1. Click the current status name.
2. In the upper-right, click the ellipsis ... icon.
3. Choose to show time in status by Days, Hours, Date updated, or None.

Tasks in the Hierarchy

Tasks must live in at least one List. You can add tasks to multiple Lists.

The task statuses and Custom Fields are determined by the List where the task lives.

For tasks in multiple Lists, the status and Custom Fields are based on the task's home List.

At the top of each task, the breadcrumbs display the Space, Folder, and the home List, as well as any additional Lists.

Click the move icon to move a task to a different List, or click the plus icon to add it to another List.

Subtasks

You can create subtasks and nested subtasks to further breakdown your work items.

In the upper-left, you can expand the subtask sidebar to add and open subtasks.

Click the up and down arrows to quickly navigate between the parent task and subtasks.

Find tasks

There are several views you can use to see and update tasks based on their location. Or see all the tasks in your Workspace with an Everything view.

You can use filters to find tasks within a view.

You can search for tasks using the Command Center, or by browsing their Space, Folder, or List.

From a task, in the upper-right, click the star icon to add it to your Favorites.

Share tasks

Share and discuss your work by mentioning tasks anywhere, including Chat and Docs.

In the upper-right corner, click the Share button in the upper-right corner to open the Share this task modal. Share the task by invitation, public or private link, or share with people in your Workspace.

You can also publicly share tasks to give view-only access to anyone outside your organization.

Watchers

Stakeholders can watch tasks to follow their progress. Watchers are notified of all activity updates for the task.

At the top of the Activity section, click the bell icon to see and edit watchers.

Task layouts

You can customize how to view tasks by choosing a task layout.

There are three task layouts available for tasks:

• Default
• Full screen
• Sidebar

Need to work on something else, and come back to a task? Click the minimize task icon to send the task to the Tray.

Task sections

Every task has the same visual structure:

• Center section featuring the task title, fields, task description, and sections for details with Custom Fields and attachments, subtasks, and action items.
• Right side section featuring activity, comments, emails, relationships, and integrations.
• The subtask sidebar on the left.

You can click and drag the vertical divider to resize the subtasks sidebar and the right activity section. You can also close one or both sections to keep the task details and description in focus.

Task fields and description

Rename your task, set fields like status, assignee, priority, start and due dates, and write out the description or ask ClickUp AI to write it for you!

The available fields depend on which ClickApps are activated for your Workspace and the Space where the task lives.

View the task description in full screen mode

You can view the task description in full-screen mode.

1. Hover at the upper-right corner of the task description field and click the Full screen icon.
2. To return to the task, to the right of the task title click Exit full screen. Or in the upper-left corner, click Back to task.

Details, subtasks, and action items

Below the task description, there are three sections displayed on separate tabs.

The following table describes the options available in each section:

View details, subtasks, and action items in full screen mode

You can view the Custom Fields, attachments, subtasks, assigned comments, and checklists in full screen mode:

1. In the upper-right corner of the section, click the Full screen icon.
2. To return to the task, to the right of the task title click Exit full screen. Or in the upper-left corner, click Back to task.

Task activity and comments

While work happens on tasks, ClickUp automatically keeps track of important events and posts them chronologically to the activity section on the right of every task.

Comments and email threads started from the task also appear chronologically alongside activity.

Relationships and integrations

When you relate work to other tasks, add links to other resources, or connect your tasks with other apps using integrations, ClickUp helps keep track of these connections on the right side panel of your tasks.

Add a cover image

Give your task a splash of color or use a meaningful image, displayed as a banner across the top of the task.

Hover to the right of the task ID and click the image icon to add or upload a cover image. Once added, you can reposition, change, or remove the cover image.

Edit task settings

From the upper-right, click the ellipsis menu to edit settings for the task.

Options include:

• Copy a link to the task
• Copy the ID
• Open the task in a new tab
• Duplicate the task
• Move or add the task to a different List.
• Create, update, or apply a task template from the Template Center.
• Archive the task.
• Delete the task to send it to the Trash.

ClickUp AI task actions

Use ClickUp AI in tasks to:

• Create tasks.
• Create subtasks from a task.
• Write personal or team updates using data from tasks. 
• Write, edit, or translate task descriptions and comments.
• Ask role-specific, contextual questions about the tasks in your Workspace. 
• Reply to task comments. 
• Generate task summaries and updates.
• Use AI Custom Fields to generate task summaries and updates.
• Write or reply to an email from a task.

Take a look at our Intro to ClickUp Brain article to learn more about trying out, purchasing, and using ClickUp AI.