Branches in Confluence automation

Branches are optional components that expand the execution of your rule. When a branch is added, the rule no longer executes in a linear fashion, but instead expands to multiple paths (with the potential to perform multiple actions).

After you add a branch, you’ll always be prompted to add a condition or an action next. (You can’t add another branch because branches don’t nest.)

The condition and/or action you add will only apply to this branch of the rule chain.

Confluence branches

In Confluence automation, a branch is always some form of “For each” [object].

A For each ____ branch applies the condition and/or action that follows it, for each object that meets the criteria you set.

For example, you can apply the same action for each task (the object) that is due in 3 days (the criteria you set).

For each page

A For each page branch applies the same condition and/or action on up to 150 pages that meet the criteria you set.

The criteria you can set includes:

• Author: Who originally published the page.

• Date published: When the page was originally published.

• Date updated: When the page was most recently edited.

For each page will default to the Author criteria module. Select the X to remove it. Select Add more criteria to add different (or additional) criteria including the date published (created) or updated (edited).

Smart values:

• {{content}}

• {{page}}

• {{isBranch}}

For each inactive page

A For each inactive page branch executes a condition or action on 150 pages that align with the criteria you select. An inactive page is any page that has not been viewed in the specified time period. The view history includes updates and comments made to the page.

The criteria you can set includes:

• The past number of days, weeks, or months.

Smart values:

• {{content}}

• {{page}}

• {{isBranch}}

• {{inactivePages}}

For each task

Tasks are action items that may or may not have been assigned to a person or team by mentioning them.

A For each task branch applies the same condition and/or action on up to 150 tasks that meet the criteria you set.

The criteria you can set includes:

• Assignee: Who the task is assigned to.

• Due date: When the due date is (and whether it has passed).

• Status: Whether the status of the task is complete or incomplete.

For each task will default to the Status criteria module. Select the X to remove it. Select Add more criteria to add different (or additional) criteria including Assignee or Due date.

Smart values:

• {{task}}

• {{isBranch}}

• {{page}} *

• {{blogpost}} *

• {{content}}

• {{space}}

*- The presence of these smart values is dependent on whether it is a branch for a page or blog post.

For each CQL result (related entities)

CQL stands for Confluence Querying Language and, like JQL and IQL in Jira, can be used to conduct advanced searches in Confluence.

A For each related entities branch applies the same condition or action on up to 150 of the same object as defined by your query.

This is a way to create a custom “For each” branch using the object you want.

Smart values:

• {{isBranch}}

• {{cqlResult}}

• {{page}} *

• {{blogpost}} *

• {{content}} *

• {{comment}} *

• {{attachment}} *

• {{space}} *

*- The presence of these smart values is dependent on whether the branch is from a page, blog post, comment, attachment, or space.

Create custom queries

A simple query in CQL (also known as a 'clause') consists of a field, followed by an operator, followed by one or more values or functions.

For example, the following simple query will find all content in the "TEST" space. It uses the Space field, the EQUALS operator, and a text value term ("Test".) CQL terms are not case sensitive.

You can join two or more clauses with keywords (like OR, AND) to form a more complex CQL query.

Below are some examples of common CQL queries to provide contextual starting points for different objects. To learn more about how to construct your own queries, see Advanced searching using CQL.

Query examples (by object type)

For each page…

• …that contains the same term (or phrase) in the title

  1 title ~ "meeting minutes"

• …that uses the same Confluence macro

  1 type = Page AND macro = cqlnavigation

   

For each blog post…

• …that was created in the last month

  1 type = blogpost AND created > startOfMonth("-1M") AND created < startOfMonth()

   

For each comment…

• …that you (as a specific user) wrote in the past week

  1 type = comment AND creator = currentUser() AND created > startOfDay("-1w") order by created desc

   

For each attachment…

• …that contains the same term (or phrase) in its name

  1 type = Attachment AND title ~ "screenshot"

• …that’s a PDF containing a certain term (or phrase)

  1 type = attachment AND title ~ "pdf" AND text ~ "confluence"

   

Jira branches

These branches allow you to connect Confluence automation and Jira Software, so that a rule triggered in Confluence can apply conditions and actions to existing Jira issues.

Jira branches are available in both space and global automation.

For each JQL result (related issues)

JQL stands for Jira Querying Language, and like CQL in Confluence, it can be used to conduct advanced searches in Jira.

A For each related issues branch applies the same condition or action on up to 1000 issues as defined by your query. This is a way to create a custom Jira issue branch using any criteria you want.

Read more about how to construct JQL queries.

General branches

Confluence doesn’t have any general branch components.

A general branch is a branch that can be used in automation rules that work across all Atlassian products.