Confluence databases: new feature
If you are also a fan of Confluence and were missing a slightly more structured way to track and structure the content of your pages, you’re going to like this. Atlassian has introduced a new content type called Databases. This addition has come about thanks to Atlassian’s recent acquisition of Orderly Database. This allows us to incorporate databases natively into Confluence.
What is Confluence databases?
The new Confluence databases are structured pivot tables that help teams connect and organize information from different sources: Jira tasks, Confluence pages in different spaces, owner users, due dates, statuses…. In this way users can reference an individual cell, a row or a complete table anywhere else in Confluence with real-time synchronization.
This makes it easier for the team to be always connected, with information updated in real time and automatically. This reduces the risk of having outdated information to work on.
Last year we were given access to its first version, and now that we have tested it, we can tell you what we like most about this new feature that is in beta for all users.
Dynamic content
Unlike traditional static tables, these new tables have dynamic fields where you can assign a teammate, access a Confluence page or assign a status and reference items from anywhere in Confluence. Any changes to any of the table items are automatically updated.
Use cases
If you want to create a project plan and collect all the tasks to be performed, the dates of each of them, the users involved… databases will help you build a plan as grounded as possible, with all the information accessible to the team.
If for example you want to set up a strategy for your Marketing team and keep track of all the campaigns in progress, creating a database will help you monitor the results of the campaigns, the actions to be taken, have the different channels organized and be able to prioritize the new advertising campaigns.
It can also be extremely useful if you work within a Human Resources team. It can also be extremely useful if you work in a Human Resources team, both to follow up new candidates and to organize the information of internal personnel and detect new profiles to be hired.
Benefits of using Confluence databases
In summary, by using the new Confluence databases you will be able to obtain the following benefits:
- Connecting and organizing information:
- Make it fast and easy for teams to store and retrieve data.
- Get a holistic view of Jira tasks, Confluence pages, owners, due dates and status in a single database.
- To be up to date:
- Real-time synchronization ensures that all team members always see the same and most up-to-date information.
- Changes made to a database are immediately reflected in all pages of that same database. Manual updates are not necessary.
- Show the data your way:
- Splits data using custom filtering and sorting options.
- Display databases as tables, cards or dashboards.
Conclusion
With the new databases, you will be able to create connections between all the content and information in Confluence, making it more efficient and productive for everyone involved. It’s a new way to organize content and information and seems to greatly simplify the way it is handled in Confluence throughout the day, making tedious work simpler.
For now they are only available in their Beta version. So you can activate them in your Confluence Cloud instance (if you are a product admin) and test them. For now they are free and the final price is not yet known.
If you are used to traditional tables, don’t worry, you can still use them and they are complementary. There will be times when it makes more sense to continue using them to display information quickly or to create charts and graphs.
This functionality is added to the list of many others presented during the last months, such as Confluence Whiteboards. This makes Confluence one of the most competent products on the market for any type of equipment.
