Confluence databases: how to maximise team efficiency
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Confluence databases: how to maximise team efficiency
Holly Aspinall
26 June 2024
4 min read
Holly Aspinall
26 June 2024
4 min read
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What is a Confluence database?
What can you use a Confluence database for?
How to create a database in Confluence
How to embed a database in a Confluence page
What can you do in a Confluence database?
Think you know databases? Confluence’s new database feature has new ways to keep up-to-date with your team, customers, and projects.
Knowledge management often involves a lot of juggling, meaning teams struggle to organise and manage their projects efficiently. Information may be stored in different files and on different platforms, increasing the risk of it getting lost or overlooked - cue panic!
But that can now be a thing of the past. Confluence databases offer a better way of storing and working with information, allowing teams to streamline their work processes, and enhancing collaboration.
But that can now be a thing of the past. Confluence databases offer a better way of storing and working with information, allowing teams to streamline their work processes, and enhancing collaboration.
What is a Confluence database?
A Confluence database is somewhere to digitally organise structured information. You might use a database to track projects, store customer information, or plan content, for example.
What can you use a Confluence database for?
Here are some of the most popular use cases for Confluence databases:
- Project Management
- Product Development
- Bug Tracking
- Inventory Management
- Customer Management
- Event Planning
In short, Confluence databases are the ideal storage method for any information that needs to be easily accessed and updated.
What field types are available in a Confluence database?
Basic
- Text - a simple text field, allowing any kind of text
- Image - only images can be entered
- Number - allows only an input of numerical data
- Date - allows users to select a date from the calendar
- Tag - add a tag, e.g. ‘Scheduled’
- User - tag (@) a user so that they’re notified of any changes
- Link - only allows URLs to be entered
Page
These fields are for page-specific data:
- Page link - link to another Confluence page
- Page status - display the status of a Confluence page (e.g. ‘Draft’)
- Page label - display the labels that are associated with a Confluence page
- Page details - display details about who a Confluence page was created by and when
Jira
These fields relate to the use of Jira, another Atlassian product. Learn more about Confluence vs Jira with our guide.
- Jira issue - link to a Jira issue
- Jira issue details - display a Jira issue with up-to-date details
Other databases
- Entry link - link to an entry within a different Confluence database
- Entry details - display the details (author, entry time) of an entry within another Confluence database
- Entry backlink - see where or how many times an entry is referenced in another Confluence database
How to create a database in Confluence
1. Navigate to the space you want the database to be a part of. Click Create from the Confluence toolbar.
2. From the dropdown menu, select Database.
You now have a database of your own to work with.
Setting up your Confluence database
When you create a new database, it will start with three columns (fields) set up for you. These are a text field, a tag field, and a user field. Don’t want to use these field types? Here’s how to change, add, and remove fields.
Change a field type
1. Click on the three dots beside the field type you want to change. Select Edit field.
2. Under Type, click your chosen field type.
3. Update the heading for your field.
Add a new field
1. Click the + icon to the right of your existing field headings.
2. Click on the field type you’d like to add.
How to embed a database in a Confluence page
Follow these steps to embed an existing database:
1. Go to your chosen Confluence page. Click Edit.
2. Navigate to where on the page you’d like the database to appear. Type the shortcut /database.
3. Select Embed database.
What can you do in a Confluence database?
Filter entries by specific values
To filter your database entries, click the Filtered entries button (it looks like three lines going from largest to smallest from top to bottom).
Using the three options, select the values you want to be shown.
To add an extra filter, click Add and follow the same steps.
Create filtered views to easily switch to
After filtering your entries by a specific value, you can save this filtered view of your database to easily come back to later.
To do this, click All entries, then select Add view. Type in the name you want for your new view, then click elsewhere on the screen to save it.
Sort fields
You can sort database fields in two different ways:
Method 1: Select the three dots next to a specific field. Then, click to sort it by ascending or descending order.
Method 2: Click the Sort by field button - it looks like an upwards arrow next to a downwards arrow. When you select a field name, it’ll automatically sort by ascending. If you click it again, it’ll sort by descending.
Hide fields
To hide fields that aren’t relevant to you right now, click the Hide fields button. Unselect the fields that you want to hide.
Search by keyword
You can easily search for entries with specific text values by typing a word into the search bar.
Change the layout of your database
As well as tables, databases can also be laid out as cards or boards. To switch to a different layout, select the Table layout button, then click which of the three layouts you’d like.
Lock or copy your database structure
Locking your database structure prevents users from accidental changes or deletions to keep data safe, and the presentation standardised.
To do this, click on the three dots that are shown in the right corner above your database.
Then toggle to lock structure. It should look like this:
You might want to copy your database structure to use for other Confluence databases. To do this, again click the three dots above your database, then click Copy structure.
You’ll get a pop-up where you can type in a name for your database copy, and choose the Confluence space you’d like to send the copy to.
You’ll get a pop-up where you can type in a name for your database copy, and choose the Confluence space you’d like to send the copy to.
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Written by
Holly Aspinall
Content Marketing Manager
As an experienced Content Marketing Manager, Holly is dedicated to writing valuable, accessible guides that help users understand their tools better and get more out of their workday.
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