---
title: ClickUp Automation Issues — Task Duplication & Visibility
type: article
created: '2026-04-05'
updated: '2026-04-05'
source_docs:
- raw/2026-03-25-asymmetric-marketing-call-132669649.md
tags:
- clickup
- project-management
- automation
- workflow
- asymmetric
layer: 2
client_source: null
industry_context: null
transferable: true
---

# ClickUp Automation Issues — Task Duplication & Visibility

## Overview

ClickUp automations at Asymmetric have been producing duplicate tasks and hiding comments when items are moved between sprints and client folders. This causes delays and missed work — in one documented case, a comment from Sebastian posted on Friday wasn't visible until Wednesday, surfacing only because the task became overdue.

This article captures the known cause, a working workaround, and the resolution path.

---

## Problem

When tasks are moved between sprint lists and client/account management folders, ClickUp's automations **copy** the task rather than simply relocating it. This results in:

- **Duplicate tasks** appearing across multiple lists (sprints, client folders, account management)
- **Hidden or delayed comments** — comments attached to one copy of a task may not appear on the duplicate, causing team members to miss updates
- **Board clutter** — boards that should be clean accumulate large numbers of spurious tasks (e.g., ~20 unexpected tasks appearing on a board overnight)

The duplication behavior appears to vary depending on *where* a task is originally created (sprint list vs. client folder vs. account management list), making the issue inconsistent and hard to predict.

---

## Root Cause

The automations configured by Pepper are triggering a **copy** action instead of a **move + link** action when tasks transition between sprint folders and client folders. The intended behavior is for a single task to appear in multiple lists simultaneously (as a shared reference), not to create independent copies.

---

## Workaround

Until the automations are fixed, use the following approach:

1. **Create the task in one canonical location** (preference: the `Projects` list, as `Account Management` is considered more of a management view).
2. After creation, **manually add the task to any other relevant lists** (e.g., `Projects`, `Account Management`, the relevant sprint) using the "Add to list" feature visible in the task detail panel (shown as a `+1` indicator when a task belongs to multiple lists).
3. **Do not create tasks in multiple places independently** — this is what triggers duplication.

> **Note:** The `Account Management` list and the `Projects` list serve different views of the same work. Tasks should live in one place and be *referenced* in others, not duplicated.

---

## Resolution Path

- **Melissa Cusumano** is following up with **Pepper** to fix the broken automations so that moving tasks between sprints and client folders links rather than copies them.
- A consultant-provided updated guide on ClickUp workflow structure was expected the same week as this meeting and may clarify the intended list hierarchy.

---

## Related Context

This issue surfaced during the [[clients/asymmetric/meetings/2026-04-05-asymmetric-marketing-call|Asymmetric Marketing Call (April 2026)]] and was discussed alongside broader campaign and website work. The ClickUp setup is managed in coordination with an external consultant (Pepper).

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## See Also

- [[clients/asymmetric/_index|Asymmetric Client Overview]]
- [[clients/asymmetric/meetings/2026-04-05-asymmetric-marketing-call|Asymmetric Marketing Call — Website Rebuild & Campaign Status]]