# clickup_task_create_with_duration
## What This Tool Does
**In simple terms**: Creates a regular ClickUp task with a **start date** AND a **due date**. You provide the start date and duration (in days), and it automatically calculates the end date for you.
**What it does NOT do**:
- ❌ Does NOT create or manipulate Gantt charts via API (ClickUp API doesn't expose Gantt chart configuration)
- ❌ Does NOT enable Gantt view (that's a UI setting in ClickUp)
- ❌ Does NOT create special "Gantt chart objects"
**What it DOES do**:
- ✅ Creates a task with `start_date` and `due_date` fields
- ✅ Calculates `due_date` automatically from `start_date` + `duration_days`
- ✅ Sets time estimate (shows as duration bar in Gantt view)
- ✅ This task will automatically appear on ClickUp's Gantt timeline view
**Bonus**: Tasks with both start and due dates automatically appear on ClickUp's Gantt chart timeline view (in the web UI).
**Analogy**: Like creating a calendar event - you tell it "starts Monday, lasts 5 days" and it calculates "ends Friday" for you.
---
## Overview
Convenience tool for creating tasks with automatic due date calculation from start date + duration.
**Category**: Project Management - Timeline Task Operations
**Rate Limit Impact**: ~2-3% of available requests (100 req/min on Free Forever plan)
---
## Use Cases
1. **Project Timeline**: Create main project task that spans entire project duration
2. **Phase Tracking**: Create phase tasks (Planning, Development, Testing, Deployment)
3. **Visual Planning**: Tasks appear as bars on ClickUp Gantt timeline view
4. **Duration Calculation**: Automatically calculates end date from start + duration
---
## Input Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|-------------|
| `list_id` | string | **Yes** | List ID where task will be created |
| `name` | string | **Yes** | Task name |
| `description` | string | No | Task description |
| `start_date` | string (ISO) | **Yes** | Task start date |
| `duration_days` | number | **Yes** | Duration in days (end date calculated automatically) |
| `estimated_hours` | number | No | Total estimated hours |
| `priority` | number (1-4) | No | Priority: 1=urgent, 2=high, 3=normal, 4=low |
---
## Success Response
```json
{
"task_id": "task-123",
"name": "Q1 Platform Development",
"start_date": "2024-03-01T00:00:00Z",
"due_date": "2024-05-30T23:59:59Z",
"duration_days": 90,
"url": "https://app.clickup.com/t/task-123",
"message": "Task \"Q1 Platform Development\" created with duration successfully"
}
```
---
## Integration Examples
### Python Example
```python
from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
# Create task with duration (auto-calculates end date)
start_date = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
duration = 90
result = await mcp_server.call_tool(
"clickup_task_create_with_duration",
{
"list_id": "901234567",
"name": "Q1 Platform Development",
"description": "Core platform features for Q1 release",
"start_date": start_date.isoformat(),
"duration_days": duration,
"estimated_hours": 720,
"priority": 2 # High priority
}
)
print(f"✅ {result['message']}")
print(f"Start: {result['start_date']}")
print(f"End: {result['due_date']}")
print(f"Duration: {result['duration_days']} days")
```
---
## Technical Implementation
**What this tool actually does behind the scenes**:
```typescript
// 1. Calculate due date from start + duration
const dueDate = new Date(startDate);
dueDate.setDate(dueDate.getDate() + durationDays);
// 2. Create a normal ClickUp task with BOTH dates
const task = await createTask({
name: "Q1 Platform Development",
start_date: startDate.getTime(), // <-- Makes it appear on Gantt
due_date: dueDate.getTime(), // <-- Makes it a timeline bar
time_estimate: estimatedHours * 3600000 // <-- Bar length in Gantt
});
// 3. That's it! ClickUp UI automatically shows this on Gantt view
```
**Why this is useful**: You don't have to manually calculate "90 days from March 1" - the tool does the date math for you.
---
## Best Practices
1. **REALISTIC DURATION**: Set achievable project duration (days)
2. **ESTIMATED HOURS**: Provide total hours - appears as bar length on Gantt
3. **START DATE**: Use actual project start date for accurate timeline
4. **SUB-TASKS**: Create sub-tasks with their own start/due dates for full timeline
5. **VIEW IN CLICKUP**: Open ClickUp's Gantt view to see the timeline visualization
---
## Common Questions
**Q: Why not just use `create_task` and set both dates manually?**
A: You can! This tool is just a convenience - it calculates the end date for you from start + duration.
**Q: Will this task appear on the Gantt timeline view?**
A: Yes! Any task with both start_date and due_date automatically appears on ClickUp's Gantt chart view in the web UI.
**Q: Can I create subtasks under this?**
A: Yes! Use `create_task` with `parent` parameter to create subtasks under this timeline task.
---
## Related Tools
- **create_task**: Create tasks manually with full control over all fields
- **clickup_project_create_milestones**: Create milestone tasks distributed across project timeline
- **clickup_project_initialize**: Initialize complete project with timeline structure
---
**Last Updated**: 2025-11-14
**Renamed from**: `clickup_project_create_gantt` (clarified purpose: duration-based task creation)
