Create automation flows in Confluence
Flows allow you to automate actions in your system based on criteria you define.
Automation flows are made up of three steps: triggers that kick off the flow, conditions that refine the flow, and actions that perform tasks in your site.
Navigate to automation
To create a flow, administrators will first need to navigate to Confluence automation in the location where the flow will function:
Site admins and Confluence admins can create and enable flows that function across Confluence in Global automation.
Space admins can create and enable flows for individual spaces in Space automation.
While you may not think of yourself as an administrator, if you have a personal space you’re an admin of your space!
To navigate to Global automation:
Only site admins and Confluence admins can view Global automation.
Select the wheel icon () in the top-right corner to open Confluence administration.
Find Admin tools in the left-hand navigation.
Select Automation.
To navigate to space automation (space admins):
Only space admins can view Space automation.
Go to the space where you’d like to create a flow.
From the sidebar, select Automation.
Select Flows from the Automation card.
To access space Automation from a page (space admins):
Go to a space where you're an admin.
Open a page in view mode.
On the top right toolbar, select the lightning bolt icon or press a.
If you don’t see Automation in Confluence administration or Space settings, this might be why:
You're on the Space Overview page, a whiteboard, or a database. The automation icon appears only on pages in view mode.
You’re not an admin of the space you’re in (for Space automation).
You’re not a site admin or Confluence admin (for Global automation).
Your team has Cloud Standard or Cloud Free – automation is a premium feature in Confluence.
Once you’re in Global automation or Space automation, there are two ways to create flows:
Create a flow with Rovo
Start with a template
Create a flow from scratch
Create a flow with Rovo
To create a flow with Rovo:
Select Create with Rovo in the top right of automation.
Describe the flow you’d like to create, including a trigger and action. You can also use one of the examples provided by selecting Show me an example.
Select Preview flow to see how the flow works.
Optionally, rename the flow and configure the flow details.
Use the flow summary on the left to make edits:
Select each step in the flow chain to view and configure it.
Select Add step to add more conditions, branches, or actions.
Select Flow details to change the name and default functionality settings (like Owner and Actor).
When your flow is complete, select the Turn it on button (at the top) to save and enable it.
More on creating flows with Rovo in Confluence
Create a flow from a template
A flow template functions similarly to a page template: It provides a starting point with appropriate steps pre-selected and arranged in the flow chain on the left.
To create a flow from a template:
Select the Create flow button in the top-right of automation. A dropdown will appear.
Select Use a template.
Select a flow template.
Optionally, rename the flow and configure the flow details.
Use the flow summary on the left to make edits:
Select each step in the flow chain to view and configure it.
Select Add step to add more conditions, branches, or actions.
Select Flow details to change the name and default functionality settings (like Owner and Actor).
When your flow is complete, select the Turn it on button (at the top) to save and enable it.
The flow chain contains the instructions for the flow. Once your flow is enabled, steps will run in the order they appear from top to bottom.
Drag and drop to reorder them. Hover and select the X to remove them.
Although the feature allows you to add steps in any order, they won’t necessarily work in any order.
After you enable your flow, confirm that it runs successfully by viewing Status in the automation audit log.
After you turn on your flow, you’ll see a green toggle switch turned ON, indicating that the flow is enabled. You can toggle the switch off to disable the flow at any time. Alternatively, select Return to flow to go back to the automation Flows tab. The name of your new flow will appear in the flows table, in alphabetical order. Find the row with your flow's name and toggle the Enabled switch to off. If you add a new step after enabling, you’ll need to select Update to apply any new changes to the flow.
Create a flow from scratch
The flow builder lets you build a new flow from scratch (instead of using a template from the Library). It guides you through adding and configuring steps, starting with a triggering event. Each step you save will appear in a flow chain on the left.
To create a flow from scratch:
Select the Create flow button in the top-right of automation. A dropdown will appear.
Select Create from scratch.
Select a trigger.
Optionally, add conditions to your trigger. Edit it (if needed) and select Next.
Select the step type (condition, branch, or action) you’d like to add next.
Note: You must add an action to complete the flow.
Continue adding steps until your flow is complete.
Select Flow details to change any of the following default functionality settings:
Name: Give your flow a name.
Description: Add a description to your flow.
Scope: Select which spaces the flow can run in.
Owner: Determine who will receive the emails about the flow.
Actor: The user the flow uses when it runs (example: Actor created the page).
Notify on error: Select how often the owner should be notified when the flow fails.
Select the Turn on flow button to save and enable your flow.
The flow chain contains the instructions for the flow. Once your flow is enabled, the steps will run in the order they appear from top to bottom.
Drag and drop to reorder the steps, and hover over the trash can () to delete them.
Although the feature lets you add steps in any order, they may not work in that order.
After enabling your flow, confirm it runs successfully by viewing Status in the automation audit log.
After you turn on your flow, you’ll see a green toggle switch turned ON, indicating that the flow is enabled. You can toggle the switch off to disable the flow at any time. Alternatively, select Return to flow to go back to the automation Flows tab. The name of your new flow will appear in the flows table, in alphabetical order. Find the row with your flow's name and toggle the Enabled switch to off. If you add a new step after enabling, you’ll need to select Update to apply any new changes to the flow.
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