Resolve Dropdown UUID Mapping Issues in Make.com & ClickUp with n8n

Okay, so here’s the deal with dropdowns between Make.com and ClickUp — they’re fun to use but can be a real pain when you try to automate stuff. You’d think a dropdown is just a dropdown, right? Wrong. ClickUp doesn’t just store the options as words you see. Nope, it tucks away weird strings called UUIDs instead, like secret little codes for each choice. This means when your automation tries to work with dropdowns, it’s often using those cryptic codes, not the friendly labels you actually want.

If you’re freelancing on Upwork, dealing with automation gigs, or just hacking your business tools like me, this duck-and-cover situation with UUIDs is something you gotta figure out. I’ve banged my head against this issue more times than I care to admit, so I figured I’d spill how I managed to fix it using n8n — that neat open-source automation platform you might’ve heard about.

Why Does This Dropdown UUID Thing Even Happen?

Imagine you’re asking ClickUp what’s selected in a dropdown on a task. Instead of “High Priority,” you get something like 123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426655440000. Ugh. That’s the UUID, basically a unique fingerprint for that dropdown option. ClickUp designed it this way because it helps them avoid duplicate labels, or typos slipping in, and it keeps the backend tidy.

The problem? When Make.com (or any other tool) expects a simple label but you pass it a UUID — or vice versa — it chokes. Fields don’t update, automations break, you have to jump in manually fixing stuff, and your workflow slows to a crawl. Sounds familiar?

Make also fetches those UUIDs from ClickUp, but when it comes time to push a new dropdown value back, it needs the UUID — not the text — or it rejects the change. And if you’re just copying dropdown labels, you’re in trouble.

How n8n Saves Your Sanity

Here’s what I love about n8n: It’s flexible enough to let you grab API data, mash it up in JavaScript, and glue it all together with a few clicks. I used it to build a bridge between the plain-text dropdown labels we humans want to use, and the UUIDs ClickUp insists on.

Here’s the gist of how my workflow works:

1. Grab dropdown metadata from ClickUp’s API:
   n8n talks to ClickUp and fetches the dropdown field info — that’s the list of labels paired with their UUIDs.

2. Turn that list into a lookup table:
   Using a little JavaScript in n8n’s Function node, I convert the data into an object like: { "Urgent": "UUID123", "Normal": "UUID456" }. This way, when I see the label “Urgent,” I know exactly what UUID to send.

3. Match incoming labels to UUIDs:
   When Make.com sends me data with dropdown labels, I check the lookup table and find the corresponding UUID so ClickUp gets what it expects.

4. Flip it if needed:
   Sometimes, I need to go the other way — turning UUIDs back into readable labels. My lookup table handles that too by just swapping keys and values.

No more guessing or manual fixes. Once this was set up, updating dropdowns became smooth, predictable, and it saved me a good chunk of headaches.

Why n8n, though?

• You don’t have to be a hardcore coder. If you know a bit of JavaScript, you’re set.
• It’s open source, so you can tweak and customize to your heart’s content.
• n8n plays nice with both ClickUp’s API and Make.com’s webhooks, basically sitting right in the middle like the perfect translator.
• You build it once, then reuse it for all your projects. Less work, more chill time.

A Quick Walkthrough To Try It Yourself

Alright, here’s a simple version of the workflow you can copy:

1. Set up an n8n webhook:
   This is the entry point where Make.com sends the task data. Incoming data includes dropdown labels.

2. Pull dropdown field metadata:
   Use an HTTP Request node calling GET https://api.clickup.com/api/v2/field/{field_id} with your API token. This gives you the list of dropdown options with UUIDs and labels.

3. Build your label-UUID map:
   In a Function node, parse that response into a handy JavaScript object:

   const options = items[0].json.options; // assuming API response structure
   let map = {};
   options.forEach(opt => {
     map[opt.name] = opt.id;
   });
   return [{ json: { map } }];

4. Match and replace label with UUID:
   When your incoming data has a dropdown label, just look it up:

   const map = items[0].json.map;
   const label = $input.all()[1].json.dropdownLabel; // depends on your setup
   const uuid = map[label];
   return [{ json: { uuid } }];

5. Send the update back to ClickUp:
   Another HTTP Request node does a PUT or POST on the task endpoint with the dropdown field set to the found UUID.

6. Test it out:
   Run your workflow with different dropdown labels, verify they update correctly in ClickUp.

It feels kinda magical once it works. I remember the first time I saw everything update perfectly — coffee spilled from relief, probably.

Don’t Forget — Official Docs Matter

Yeah, I know, reading ClickUp’s API docs feels like a chore, but it’s worth it. They explain how dropdown custom fields work and where UUIDs show up. If you’re tweaking or debugging, this info saves you hours.

• ClickUp API Docs – Custom Fields is your best friend here.
• Make.com’s own help center has some notes on ClickUp integration quirks.
• And n8n’s docs walk you through HTTP nodes and writing custom JavaScript.

Keeping your automation aligned with these sources keeps it solid and future-proof.

Wrapping Up

Listen, dropdown UUIDs between Make.com and ClickUp may seem like a tiny technical thing, but they can paralyze your automation if you don’t handle them right. Using n8n to build a lookup and mapping system, you gain control — no more data inconsistencies, no more manual patch-ups.

Plus, if you’re looking for automation gigs on Upwork or similar sites, this is killer know-how. Clients love reliable solutions that actually work without constant babysitting.

If you’re stuck or curious, I suggest you set up a simple workflow like what I described and poke around with it. Even if you only get halfway there, your automations will already be leaps ahead.

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So yeah, if dropdown UUIDs are driving you nuts, take a breath, grab your favorite beverage, and start with a simple n8n workflow. Before long, you’ll handle these mappings without breaking a sweat — and maybe even impress a client or two.

Good luck, and happy automating!