Best practices for setting permissions and controlling access
This post will guide you through best practices for setting permissions and controlling access, particularly useful for organizations that share content with both internal and external teams.
1. Understanding Confluence’s Permission Levels
Confluence has a hierarchy of permissions that apply at different levels:
- Global Permissions – Control overall access to your Confluence site, such as viewing, creating spaces, or administering the entire site.
- Space Permissions – Specific to individual spaces, defining who can view, add, or edit content within each space.
- Page Restrictions – Applied to individual pages within a space to allow or restrict access.
These levels helps you tailor access precisely, ensuring a balance between collaboration and security.
2. Configuring Global Permissions Wisely
Global permissions define who can access the entire Confluence site. Here's how to manage these effectively:
- Limit Site Access to Necessary Users – Only grant site-wide access to users who need it. Avoid giving this access to external users or clients unless absolutely necessary.
- Create User Groups for Efficient Management – Organize users into groups using grouper groups, like "employees," "faculties," and "students."
Assigning permissions to groups rather than individual users simplifies access control, particularly as users join or leave. - Control Anonymous Access Carefully – If you enable anonymous access for a space or page, anyone on the internet can view it. For publicly available resources, like documentation or knowledge bases, anonymous access can be useful. However, be cautious and avoid enabling it for sensitive information.
3. Setting Space Permissions for Different Teams and Audiences
Space permissions help you manage access at the project or department level. You can set up separate spaces for departments.
- Define Access for Internal Teams – Grant view, add, and edit permissions based on the team's needs.
- Manage Client or Partner Access – When sharing spaces with external stakeholders, like clients, ensure they only have access to what they need. For example, create a "Client Project" space and restrict permissions so that clients can view content without editing.
- Assign Permissions Using User Groups – Add clients and partners to designated groups (e.g., "Client A Group") and apply permissions at the group level, so you can easily add or remove client access as needed.
4. Using Page Restrictions for Fine-Grained Control
Page restrictions allow you to control access at the individual page level within a space, providing flexibility in collaborative spaces. You can set page restrictions as:
- View Restrictions – Limit who can see the page. Ideal for sensitive content that only certain team members need.
- Edit Restrictions – Allow only specific users or groups to edit a page. Useful for pages that need to be visible to a broader audience but should only be edited by a few.
When using page restrictions, be mindful of over-restricting, as it can lead to collaboration barriers. It’s often better to restrict top-level pages and allow viewing or editing permissions to cascade down to subpages.
5. Best Practices for Managing External Access in Confluence
When working with external partners, clients, or vendors, ensure their access is controlled and secure:
- Create a Separate Space for Each Client – For clients with unique requirements, create separate spaces to avoid content crossover. Use space permissions to control their access while keeping each client’s content private.
- Use Custom Page Restrictions for Sensitive Information – On a page containing sensitive project details, limit access to internal team members only. For example, a project roadmap shared with a client might need restricted sections containing financial or timeline information.
- Enable Watchers and Notifications – To keep external users informed, encourage them to "watch" key pages. However, limit access to their necessary documents to avoid unnecessary exposure.
6. Practical Tips for Managing Access Efficiently
Managing permissions can become complex as Confluence usage grows. Here are tips to keep it manageable:
- Review Permissions Regularly – Regularly audit permissions in each space to ensure they align with current project requirements. Removing inactive users, especially external ones, helps maintain security.
- Implement Naming Conventions for Groups – Use clear naming conventions like "Internal-Marketing" or "Client-Project Name" for user groups, making it easier to manage permissions for various audiences.
- Educate Users on Permissions – Help your team understand the basics of permissions, like when to use page restrictions or request access to new spaces, promoting a culture of security and collaboration.
By applying these best practices, Confluence admins can ensure that the right people have the right access, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access or accidental changes. Managing permissions thoughtfully not only secures sensitive content but also enables smooth collaboration across diverse teams and external partners.
Stay tuned for more useful Atlassian best practices every Friday!