How to gather external data in Confluence (and why you should do it)
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How to gather external data in Confluence (and why you should do it)
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How to gather external data:
• 1: Change global permissions
• 2: Create a dedicated space
• 3: Create your form
• 4: Share it with external users
Why gather external data in Confluence?
Use cases and examples
TLDR
Discover how you can use Forms for Confluence to gather data from people who don’t have access to Confluence, and all the reasons why you should
Your team might be brilliant, but you don’t always have all the answers internally. Whether you need insights from clients, partners, or other departments, it is essential to make it easy for non-Confluence users to contribute. Not only can you gather external user feedback directly in Confluence, but it's also a handy, secure way to store details and visualise form data right where your team works.
How to gather external data using Confluence
To start gathering data, you'll need a form and survey tool like Forms for Confluence. It's free for up to 10 users - follow our guide to start creating Confluence forms today.
This guide specifically follows the steps for gathering data using Forms for Confluence.
Step 1. Change your global permissions
1. Click Settings in the top right of the navigation bar. This will load a new page.
2. In the left-hand bar, under Security, select Global Permissions to change who can access your content.
3. Select the Anonymous Access tab, then click Edit. Select Use Confluence” to give outside users access to your Space (don’t worry, we’ll restrict exactly what they can see in the next steps).
4. Click Save.
Step 2: Create a new space for external users
2. Click the three dots next to your space name in the left-hand sidebar, then select Space settings from the dropdown menu
3. Select the Space Access tab and click Anonymous Access. Then click Edit Permissions and tick the relevant checkboxes to control what anonymous users can do.
4. Press Save all.
Step 3. Create your form
Now that your space is accessible, you need a way to capture that data.
- Create a page in your new space.
- Type ‘/forms’ and select the Forms for Confluence macro.
- Design your form by adding fields (like text boxes, dropdowns, or star ratings) or select a pre-made template.
- Configure your settings, including the email address to which responses should be sent.
- Click Save to insert the form macro, then Publish your page.
Need a more detailed walkthrough? Check out our guide to creating forms.
Step 4: Share your page with external users
Your secure environment is set up, and your form is live. It’s time to share it.
- Navigate to the published page containing your form.
- Click the Copy link icon in the upper right corner of your page.
- Paste and share the link with anyone you need feedback from
You’re now ready to start collecting external user data!
Note: Anyone with the link can access the form and fill it out without creating an Atlassian account or signing in. Responses appear in your internal reports as usual, but will be marked as “Anonymous”.
Why gather external data in Confluence?
There are many reasons for wanting to hear from people outside of your company:
- Build a strong relationship: Let customers know that their opinions are valued by offering them a dedicated space to share their thoughts.
- Centralise your data: Gathering external user feedback in the same place your team already works means accessing it is faster and easier. Plus, it’s kept securely in one central area rather than scattered across emails.
- Act on feedback faster: By using Forms for Confluence, you can visualise new feedback instantly as it arrives. This allows you to make positive changes to your product or service right away.
Use cases for gathering external data
Aside from general user feedback, here are a few more ways to use external forms to improve your workflow for gathering external data and why it's a fantastic method for aiding and improving your workplace:
- Market Research: Find out what customers love about what you do, and what they want to see next.
- Event Registration: Allow external users to register easily for events, workshops, and webinars.
- Job Applications: Collect applicant data in forms to streamline your recruitment process.
- Product Beta Testing: Invite specific users to beta test new features and submit bug reports directly to your engineering team.
Using Forms for Confluence to gather data from people who don’t have access to Confluence not only helps you connect better with stakeholders but also makes your workflow quicker, more efficient, and more secure. With so many possibilities, all you need to do is decide where to start.
TLDR
- Forms for Confluence lets you gather external feedback from your Confluence Cloud site.
- To get started, you need to:
- Change global permissions so anonymous users can use Confluence
- Create a dedicated space that allows anonymous access
- Build a form, survey, or poll to gather feedback
- Share the page your form is embedded on using a link
- Gathering external data in Confluence reduces your reliance on third-party tools and keeps your data securely stored in a central place.
- Use forms and surveys to gather external data such as market research, product feedback, and event registrations from customers and clients.
Streamline your external data collection with a 30-day free trial of Forms for Confluence.
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