Hi ClickUp Team, I’m reaching out to express serious concern and confusion regarding the inability to bulk import data to update custom fields (like email addresses) without duplicating tasks/accounts in my workspace.

Let me be direct: this is a basic, essential CRM function—standard in nearly every project management and sales enablement tool on the market. The expectation is simple: if I import a file with a unique identifier that already exists in my task list, ClickUp should update the corresponding fields—not create duplicates.

Instead, I was directed to use an external tool like Zapier to compensate for a feature that should be native. That’s both inefficient and unacceptable. Why should I pay for additional tools to do what any intuitive system should handle internally?

I have personally spent days cleaning up the mess created by ClickUp’s failure to properly match tasks by a unique identifier. I attempted a mass update to correct and fill in missing emails—only to find hundreds of duplicate entries created. That forced me to manually scrub the database, cross-reference IDs, and delete redundant records. The result? Lost time, lost productivity, and growing distrust in the reliability of this platform.

Here’s what I need to know:

Why is the ability to update existing tasks via import using a unique field not available?

If this feature does exist, why isn’t it clearly documented or enabled for paid users like myself?

If it truly does not exist, how is ClickUp positioning itself as a scalable solution when it can’t support basic data hygiene at scale?

Please also remove the canned response I received from your AI assistant (“the Brain”), which falsely implies this is possible through import settings. If I have to update 1,000+ tasks manually because the system doesn’t support matching by Account ID or another custom field, it defeats the very reason I chose ClickUp.

At this point, I’m seriously considering canceling my subscription and switching to a platform that values both user efficiency and data integrity. Unless there’s a workable resolution to this issue, I will have to request a refund and transition to a tool that can support my business without wasting my time.

I’m open to hearing your solution. But I need a real answer—not a workaround, not a redirect to Zapier, and not a scripted article.

Thanks,

Janette Rosales