The key to building a strong ClickUp for your agency? Understanding the ClickUp Hierarchy so you can set yourself up for success! The ClickUp Hierarchy is an organizational structure that helps your team sort and manage tasks with ease. When used properly, this core feature can boost productivity and support collaboration.
To learn how the ClickUp Hierarchy works and how it benefits your agency, keep reading below or watch the video!
A Workspace is the top-most container in ClickUp. It typically represents your entire agency and organization. It houses all Spaces, Folders, and Lists.
Pro Tip: You only need one single Workspace for your agency. You should only create multiple Workspaces if you have separate companies or operations; say, sub-brands, franchises, or separate legal entities.
Spaces are the next largest level in ClickUp. They usually represent departments, teams, or high-level functions in your agency. Each Space has its own settings, so it can be accessible to everyone or private to its team or department.
Pro Tip: Identify your core operational areas, then break them down into Spaces.
Next up, you have Folders. Folders are collections of similar lists and projects that are housed in Spaces. This is where you’d store marketing campaigns or all of your clients. Folders are optional, but we find them really helpful in keeping things organized!
Pro Tip: Use Folders strategically to group related projects or lists under one Space for seamless navigation. For instance, create a “Marketing Campaigns” Folder in your Marketing Space or a “Client Projects” Folder in your Client Management Space. While Folders are optional, they’re a game-changer for keeping your workspace tidy and accessible as your agency grows!
Lists are collections of tasks, organized by specific workflows or projects. They can be added to Spaces or Folders.
Pro Tip: You don't need separate Lists if you want to group tasks, instead you can use one List and use a Dropdown Custom Field to do the job.
Tasks, of course, are your to-do items themselves. These are the actionable items that are part of your projects.
Pro Tip: You can either use tasks as actual tasks that are "to do" or "complete" OR you can use them as Data Points for databases like your Team Database, Sales Tracker and more!
Even smaller than Tasks are Subtasks. You’d use these to break large tasks into more manageable pieces.
Pro Tip: You can even create layers of nested Subtasks for more complex projects!
Here’s a visual representation of how the ClickUp Hierarchy works:
Or, imagine it this way. Say you’re packing luggage for a trip:
See how they nest within one another and how everything has its place? That’s the ClickUp Hierarchy!
Now that we know how the ClickUp Hierarchy looks and functions, let’s talk about how you can use it to your advantage in your agency.
When it comes to naming all of the levels in the Hierarchy, be clear and concise. Use short, intuitive names, like “Client Projects” or “Marketing Campaigns.” Set up standard naming conventions and formats for items like Lists or Tasks so that things can be found easily. Make sure your naming conventions are documented in an SOP for reference.
Imagine trying to find an item that’s formatted differently, like “Client A - Q4 2024 Campaign” and “October 2024 Marketing Campaign_Client A.” That would waste time and cause headaches!
It can be tempting, but avoid creating too many Spaces, Folders, or Lists. It can confuse team members and junk up your Workspace instead of streamlining it. (There can be too much of a good thing.)
If there’s one piece of advice we can impart on you about the ClickUp Hierarchy, it’s this: align it to your agency’s actual workflows. If it’s not, it’ll make things harder for you and your teams! The Hierarchy should support your organization and workflows, not make them more difficult. Audit your Hierarchy regularly to ensure it’s meeting your business needs.
One reason the ClickUp Hierarchy is so valuable is that it keeps workflows and projects separate according to teams, departments, or functions. Your people don’t get overwhelmed by all the information they don’t need.
That also means teams can collaborate more easily across departments, while still keeping projects and tasks organized. Tasks or dependencies can be assigned to multiple Lists or Spaces, so everyone involved can be kept in the loop.
Tags are another way to create relationships in different Lists, Spaces, or Folders. You can assign levels of priority, task types, or statuses across levels of the Hierarchy. For example, you can view all of your Tasks tagged “Urgent” no matter where they’re located in the ClickUp Hierarchy.
The ClickUp Hierarchy is a huge benefit for agencies like ours! This organizational structure improves visibility across internal teams, keeps projects on track and aligned with goals, and ensures tasks move along efficiently.
Let’s recap how you can make the most of your ClickUp Hierarchy:
With these tips, you’ll build a solid foundation for your agency’s ClickUp workspace, and maximize your efficiency and productivity.
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