Actions in Confluence automation

Automation is an admin feature available in Confluence Premium and Enterprise.

Rules always end with an action component. Actions are what you want the rule to do, that is, what you want to happen if it executes successfully.

When a Confluence automation rule runs successfully, that is, it performs one or more actions as intended, it counts as an execution. Usage is important to monitor if your plan is limited to a certain number of rule executions per month.

Confluence Enterprise has an unlimited number of executions.

Confluence Premium is limited each month to a pooled sum that’s equivalent to 1,000 rule executions for every user.

Learn more by reading the Usage section of What is Confluence automation?

Each action accepts specific smart values, which are noted below each entry.

Smart values are dynamic variables that can make your rule more flexible. Each smart value is constructed using a specific syntax called dot notation inside double mustache brackets. It's written as a hierarchy, starting with a top-level object and followed by properties of that object, {{object.property.subProperty}}. Notice that multiword properties use camelCase capitalization.

Confluence actions

These actions are specific to automation for Confluence and can be used to organize and manage content in a single space (Space automation) or across multiple spaces at once (Global automation).

Pages and blogs

Archive page

This action removes a standalone page from the content tree and stores it in the archive.

Exception: A space’s overview page (the page people land on when navigating to a space) is always excluded from this action since it’s the root page of the content tree.

 

Change page owner

This action transfers page ownership to the person you specify.

When this rule runs, it is transfering ownership on your behalf — as the admin who created the rule.

 

Change page status

This action changes a page’s content status to a status you specify (for example, “ready for review”).

Content statuses are specific to each space. So, if you’re in Global Automation, the action can’t provide status selections until you set and save the rule’s Scope (in rule details) to a specific space or spaces. Once the scope is saved, both Suggested and Custom statuses will surface as options.

Smart value:

  • {{priorContentStatus}}

In order to use this action, content statuses must be enabled. Space admins can control them in Space Settings > Manage space.

 

Copy page

This action publishes a copy of an existing page in a designated location. The rule's trigger often defines the page that gets copied. (So, for example, if the trigger is “when a page is edited”, the edited page is the page that gets copied.)

Select (or type) which space to publish the copies in and, if you’d like, a parent page for them to nest under. You also have the option to update the default page title.

When a page is copied, its labels and view/edit restrictions are copied as well, unless you uncheck the boxes. Comments (both page and inline) and attachments, however, can’t be copied.

Smart values:

  • {{page}}

  • {{content}}

The title of each page copy must be unique. The default adds a date variable smart value – so that the page title is always modified by the Month/Day/Year it is published.

If you remove the smart values that make the title unique, a sequential number will be added to the title each time this action publishes a copy.

Delete page

This action deletes a page, sending it to the trash.

“Page” in this context is a distinct content type from “blog”.

Smart values:

  • {{content}}

  • {{page}}

This action disables the currently active public link for a page or blocks users from creating a new public link.

Move page

This action moves a page, and any nested pages it may have, to another space you specify.

Select (or type) which space to move the page to. You also have the option to designate a page from the selected space as the parent of the page or nested group that is moving.

Smart values:

  • {{content}}

  • {{page}}

  • {{space}}

Publish new page

This action publishes a new page in a designated location.

Select (or type) which space to publish new pages in and a parent page for them to nest under. You have the option to update the default page title and/or add a page template. (Without a template, the published page will be a blank page with a title.)

Smart values:

  • {{content}}

  • {{page}}

The title of each published page must be unique. A sequential number will be added to the end of the title each time this action publishes a page.

Alternatively, you can use a smart value to make each title unique. For example, you could add a date variable so that the page title is always modified by the date and time it is published:

Meeting minutes {{now}}

Restrict page

This action changes a page's view and edit permissions.

Select the permission you’d like to apply from the dropdown. If applicable, you’ll be prompted to enter the names of specific people and/or groups.

Delete blog

This action deletes a blog post, sending it to the trash.

Add comment

This action adds a page comment to the bottom of a page or blog post, as defined by the trigger.

Type your comment in the text field.

Smart values:

  • {{comment}}

  • {{content}}

  • {{space}}

  • {{page}} *

  • {{blogpost}} *

*- The presence of these smart values is dependent on whether the comment is added to a page or blog post.

Add label

This action adds one or more labels to a page or blog post, as defined by the trigger.

Select (or type) which labels to add.

Smart values:

  • {{page}} *

  • {{blogpost}} *

  • {{content}}

*- The presence of these smart values is dependent on whether the comment is added to a page or blog post.

Remove label

This action removes one or more labels from a page or blog post, as defined by the trigger.

Select (or type) which labels to remove.

Smart values:

  • {{page}} *

  • {{blogpost}} *

  • {{content}}

*- The presence of these smart values is dependent on whether the comment is added to a page or blog post.

Manage watchers

This action adds or removes specific people or groups as watchers on a page or blog post, as defined by the trigger.

Select (or type) which watchers to add or which ones to remove.

Smart values:

  • {{page}} *

  • {{blogpost}} *

  • {{content}}

*- The presence of these smart values is dependent on whether the comment is added to a page or blog post.

Spaces

(Global automation only)

Add space permission

This action gives the specific people and/or groups you specify permission to create, archive, or delete spaces, pages, certain page components, or blogs.

Select (or type) the names of people or groups the action will give permission to. This action will, by default, give them permission to add (create) pages — but you can select different options in each dropdown.

Smart value:

  • {{space}}

Archive space

This action removes a space from the Space Directory without fully deleting it, and stores it in a list of Archived Spaces.

Smart value:

  • {{space}}

Assign space access

Assign one or more guest users to a space or remove one or more guest users from their currently assigned space.

This action prevents anyone from accessing a public link for any page in the space.

Atlassian Intelligence (AI)

AI-based actions can take information you pass to them to create summaries or action items using Atlassian Intelligence features.

Generate AI Summary

This action generates an AI-based summary from text you pass to it. This summary is stored in the {{generatedAISummary}} smart value for the duration of the rule execution.

Smart value:

  • {{generatedAISummary}}

This action is intended to summarize text. If you would like to summarize Confluence pages or blogposts, use the {{page.aiSummary}} or {{blogpost.aiSummary}} smart value.

If your admin disables AI, any rules with this action will fail.

The consistency and accuracy of AI-based decisions may vary.

Generate AI Action Items

This action generates an AI-based list of action items from text you pass to it. These action items are stored in the {{generatedAIActionItems}} smart value for the duration of the rule execution.

Smart value:

  • {{generatedAIActionItems}}

This action is intended to generate from text. If you would like to input Confluence pages or blogposts, use the {{page.aiActionItems}} or {{blogpost.aiActionItems}} smart value.

If your admin disables AI, any rules with this action will fail.

The consistency and accuracy of AI-based decisions may vary.

Jira actions

These actions allow you to connect Confluence automation and Jira Software, so that a rule triggered in Confluence can make something happen in Jira.

Jira actions are available in both space and global automation.

Jira actions require a connection. Connecting your automation rule to yourJira Software instance is kind of like when you give a social media app permission to access your photos.

You’ll be prompted to connect them when you select a Jira action in the rule builder.

Example of the prompt you will see in-product which reads, "Connect Jira to Atlassian Automation".

Issues in Jira Software

Create issue in Jira

This action creates a new issue in a Jira Software project.

For example, you could create a rule that says when a page is published in a particular Confluence space, create a task to review it in a corresponding Jira project.

In order to configure a Jira action, you have to connect your automation rule to Jira. You’ll be prompted to do this each time you select a Jira action in the rule builder.

To configure the Jira issue component:

  1. Select the Jira project you’d like the rule to add an issue to.

  2. Select the type of issue (epic, bug, task, etc) to create.

  3. Type a Summary in the text field to name the issue.

    1. (When the rules runs, a Summary ID number will automatically be added to keep the name unique.)

  4. (Optional) Enter a default description in the text field.

  5. (Optional) Choose other fields to set (or remove) as defaults.

Different default fields may be shown or required depending on the type of issue you select.

Not all fields are currently supported. Select More options to display additional fields for advanced field editing.

When the issue is viewed in Jira, the person who created the rule will be listed as the Reporter.

Transition issue in Jira

This action changes the status of a Jira issue.

You can use the Destination status dropdown to choose a status or choose a source issue to copy in this transition, for example:

  • Copy from issue: copies the status from related issues or an issue on a branch rule.

  • Copy from parent: for use with sub-tasks; copies the status from a parent.

  • Copy from Epic: copies the status from the issue's associated epic.

  • Same status (loop): for use when a transition exists from the current status back to itself; this can be used together with a screen to gather more data from user. For example, an Escalate transition.

You can also select More options to display additional fields for advanced field editing.

Edit issue in Jira

This action adds content to a field in a Jira issue. This could be used to add a note to the Description field or change the assignee. Use the dropdown menu to choose the fields to edit. Edit actions are set up, by default, to send email notifications.

You can also select More options to display additional fields for advanced field editing.

Incidents in Jira Service Management

Create incident in Jira Service Management

This action creates an incident ticket in Jira Service Management. You must select a request type and a service project.

This action, when set up with a manual trigger, would let a user create an incident ticket while viewing Confluence content.

Use smart values to include information from the page directly to the incident ticket.

General actions

If you’ve used automation for Jira, you’ll recognize some of the same general actions. You’ll configure them in the same way, but they won’t currently function across products. This is on our roadmap.

Notifications

Send email

This action sends an automated email message to designated recipients.

To configure the email component:

  1. Enter one or more recipients in the To: field.

  2. Select Cc or Bcc to add additional fields and recipients as needed.

  3. Type your Subject line and message content in the text fields.

  4. Select More options to edit sender information.

The Reply to: field is limited to one email address. If more than one address is added, replies will only be sent to the first one in the list.

There are limits around how many emails this action can send.

Learn more about Automation service limits.

Send Microsoft Teams message

This action sends a Microsoft Teams message to a channel.

To configure the Microsoft Teams component:

  1. Create an incoming webhook for Microsoft Teams

  2. Paste the URL in the appropriate field.

  3. Type your automated message title and content in the text fields.

  4. (Optional) Select More options to add an image to the message.

Learn more about using automation with Microsoft Teams.

Send Slack message

This action sends a Slack message to a channel or individual.

To configure the Slack component:

  1. Create an incoming webhook for Slack

  2. Paste the URL in the appropriate field.

  3. Type your automated message in the text field.

  4. (Optional) Uncheck Sender if you don’t want the message to come from you.

  5. (Optional) Enter a new channel or user to override the webhook default.

Learn more about using automation with Slack.

Send Twilio (SMS) message

This action sends an SMS message using the Twilio service.

This action is useful for service teams that rely on SMS for on-call scenarios.

Twilio messaging rates will apply. See Twilio’s SMS pricing page for more information.

Enter your Twilio account information in the appropriate fields, including a valid Twilio phone number. Add one or more recipients in the To: field. Type your automated message in the text field.

Send web request

This action sends an outgoing web request to notify another system when a rule is run. You can set this action to return response data that can then be used in a subsequent action.

You can leave the web request body as Empty or enter a custom data format.

Advanced

Create variable

Define your own smart value, which can be used in other actions and conditions in the same rule. The smart value you define can consist of other smart values, as well as math functions.

Log action

This action logs a value to the audit log.

The log action is useful when debugging rules.

 

Additional Help