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To use ClickUp Automations, open the Space, Folder, Subfolder, or List where the rule should run, choose the robot icon, and create a rule with a trigger, optional conditions, and one or more actions. Before relying on it, confirm that Automations are enabled for the Workspace, that you have permission to create the rule, and that its location and plan limits fit the workflow.
How ClickUp Automations work
An Automation is a rule built from three parts: a trigger starts it, optional conditions restrict which tasks qualify, and actions make changes when the rule runs. For example, a rule could start when a task’s status changes, apply only when a chosen condition is met, and then perform one or more configured actions. The exact trigger and action options depend on the Automation and the current Workspace configuration; ClickUp’s creation guide, trigger reference, and action reference document the available choices.
Check prerequisites and choose the right scope
A Workspace owner or admin must activate the Automation ClickApp before people can use Automations. Members, admins, and owners can create rules subject to their location permissions; some guest and view-only roles may not be able to. Check the current feature availability and limits if you cannot find the controls or create a rule.
Choose the location according to which tasks the rule should affect. A List Automation applies to tasks in that List. A Folder Automation can affect tasks in its Lists and Subfolders. Automations affect tasks beneath their location in ClickUp’s hierarchy, so a rule created higher up can have a wider reach than one created in a List. See ClickUp’s scope guidance before setting a rule at a broad level.
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Create an Automation
- Open the target location. Go to the Space, Folder, Subfolder, or List where the rule should operate, then select the robot icon.
- Start a rule. Select Create Automation. Choose a suggestion or template if it matches the workflow; choose a custom Automation when you need to specify a different rule.
- Set the scope and trigger. Select whether it should apply to tasks or subtasks and, where useful, choose a task-creation source. Pick one trigger and configure its available settings. Consult ClickUp’s trigger reference for the options shown in your Workspace.
- Add conditions if needed. Conditions are optional filters for limiting the rule to qualifying tasks. ClickUp documents conditions as available on Business plans and above; the current limits page allows up to 15 conditions in one Automation.
- Choose actions in order. Add the changes or operations you want ClickUp to perform. An Automation can have up to six actions under the published limits. Review the action reference for supported actions and their settings.
- Name and create the rule. Add a name and description if useful, then click Create.
- Check what happened. Use Automation usage tracking and the activity view to inspect action consumption and whether actions succeeded or failed.
Understand plan limits and action usage
All ClickUp plans can use Automations, but the number of active rules, monthly actions, and usage-history retention vary. The figures below are from ClickUp’s current help page, accessed October 7, 2026; check that page for changes before planning around a quota.
| Plan | Active Automations | Actions per month | Usage-history retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Forever | 5 | 100 | 1 day |
| Unlimited | 500 | 1,000 | 1 day |
| Business | Unlimited | 5,000 | 1 day |
| Business Plus | Unlimited | 25,000 | 30 days |
| Enterprise | Unlimited | 250,000 | 6 months |
ClickUp also sets structural limits of one trigger, 15 conditions, and six actions per Automation. These figures and plan details are from its Automation availability and limits page.
- When the monthly allowance resets: action limits reset on the first of each month in PST.
- What counts: an action counts when dispatched, including when it fails. An action skipped because a condition is not met consumes zero actions.
- What happens at the limit: Automations pause for the remainder of that monthly cycle after the action limit is exceeded.
These rules make conditions useful not only for precision but also for avoiding actions on tasks that should not qualify. Track usage and inspect the activity view if a rule is consuming more actions than expected; the official Automation guide covers usage and activity.
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Handle special cases before relying on a rule
- Email actions: An Automation containing a Send Email action can include only additional Send Email actions. To combine email with other action types, ClickUp advises creating separate Automations, using the same trigger or a shared field/status change to start the second rule. See the creation guide.
- Subtasks: A rule triggered by subtasks can also be triggered by nested subtasks. An action to create another subtask works only when the triggering subtask is not the lowest subtask. Moving a nested subtask can also move its top-level parent and all subtasks.
- Due dates set to Today: These trigger at 4 a.m. unless a specific time is set.
- Rules sharing a trigger: Multiple Automations with the same trigger fire at the same time. Keep rules simple and inspect activity if their combined effects are unexpected.
ClickUp documents these cases in its Automation creation guide and limits page.
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ClickUp’s integration Automation documentation lists Bugsnag, Calendly, Email, GitHub, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Gmail, HubSpot, Slack, Twilio, and Outlook Mail as supported apps. Examples include creating a task from a Google Calendar event and updating a task after a GitHub pull request is merged. To configure one, choose an integration trigger or action, or start with an app template, then set the rule’s options. Availability can depend on plan and role; consult ClickUp’s integration Automation guide.
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