How to work with Epics, Themes and Initiatives in Confluence (NOT Jira) ?
Asked by CR8.IT.2019:

I have tried to understand how to work with Epics, Themes and Initiatives in Confluence, but I have only found information about how to create Epics in Jira and assign Issues to Epics there.

But I would very much like to be able to structure User Stories in Confluence, by using Epics, Themes and Initiatives.

Is this possible?

If it is, how do I do it?

You could say I would to do some Structured Requirements Management in Confluence and only Confluence, I do Not wish to involve Jira.

Best Regards,

Christian


Answers:
author: Diego
body: Hello there!  
Long story short, W++*e Can Not Do Jira Work By Using Only Confluence*++ . Confluence is a *Collaboration Tool* , intended to create content and manage it internally. Meanwhile, Jira aims at M*anaging Projects And Structuring Work* .  
Each application complements the other. For everything to work in tandem we need to ++*Integrate Confluence And Jira*++ to work together through AppLinks. You can check more about this integration here:

***++[Use Jira Applications And Confluence Together](https://confluence.atlassian.com/doc/use-jira-applications-and-confluence-together-427623543.html)++***

You could, however, create Jira issues within the Confluence interface. These are the steps you could follow Christian:
> 1. *Highlight some text on your page and choose the Create Jira issue icon that appears above the highlighted text.*
> 2. *Enter your server (if you have multiple Jira sites connected to Confluence), project, issue type and description.*
> 3. *Your highlighted text will populate the issue summary automatically.*
> 4. *Choose Create.*

We still N++*eed To Have Both Jira And Confluence Connected*++. You can take a deeper look on what Confluence can do here:

***++[Confluence Features and Functions](https://confluence.atlassian.com/confeval/confluence-evaluator-resources/confluence-features-functions)++***

There are some other posts and pages that you might find interesting:

***++[Linking a Confluence page to an Epic](https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirasoftwareserver/linking-a-confluence-page-to-an-epic-938845415.html)++***   
[***++Link Jira issues to Confluence pages automatically++***](https://www.atlassian.com/blog/confluence/link-jira-issues-to-confluence-pages-automatically)

Let us hear from you Christian! Looking forward to your reply.

comments: author: CR8.IT.2019
body: Hi Diego,

Hmm... What I "hear" is that if we use Confluence as a tool to work with User Stories, then we are (more or less) doing something wrong, since you can not do any real or structured Requirements Management in Confluence.

And you can't use Epics, Initiatives or Themes in Confluence to structure your User Stories in Confluence alone.

My understanding and take on what seems to be possible, even with Jira, is that ones options to structure Requirements (User Stories) are extremely limited.

To me, it seems as if you can only do anything useful, with Issues.

I may be putting quite a sharp point (and spin) on your reply, but I am perplexed as to why it is not possible to do more, structure-wise, in Confluence alone and in regards to User Stories.

I think this limits the usability of Confluence as tool to handle and work with complex projects (solutions).

Please prove me wrong, by showing me how it is possible to structure User Stories in Confluence alone!

Best Regards,

Christian


author: Diego
body: Hello again Christian!  
The definition of User Stories I have taken in consideration can be seen in this post:

* ***++[Project Management - User Stories](https://www.atlassian.com/agile/project-management/user-stories)++***

You could take a look there and check if we are referencing the same thing. I would hate to give you information that does not apply to what you are striving for.

<br />

If we are talking about the same objective currently, I can guide you to use one of our *++Page Templates From Confluence.++* You can check a little bit more about templates for Cloud and Server here:

* **++*[Blueprints and user created templates - Confluence Cloud](https://confluence.atlassian.com/confcloud/blueprints-and-user-created-templates-724764985.html)*++**
* [**++*Page templates - Confluence Server*++**](https://confluence.atlassian.com/doc/page-templates-296093785.html)

There is a chance that you need to use our *Product Requirements Template* to organize the content you created:

* ***++[Product requirements blueprint](https://confluence.atlassian.com/doc/product-requirements-blueprint-329975392.html)++***
* [***++How to document product requirements in Confluence++***](https://confluence.atlassian.com/doc/blog/2015/08/how-to-document-product-requirements-in-confluence)

Strictly speaking, there is no wrong way of using Confluence. It all depends on your business needs. However, not everything is available from within a single application. Creation of issues, sprints, user stories and a lot more is handled by Jira. Confluence can then gather those items and structure them in a way that ++*Makes Them Shareable And Can Constitute Documentation*++ for reference, for example.

You can surely ++*Create Spaces For Different Projects*++, for example. Where each page deals with a different aspect of said project and then links with different Jira issues in your Jira instance, effectively documenting everything and summarizing information. Here is a little more information on Confluence:

* ***++[Confluence - Spaces](https://confluence.atlassian.com/doc/spaces-139459.html)++***
* ***++[Organize your work in spaces - Confluence 101](https://www.atlassian.com/collaboration/confluence-organize-work-in-spaces)++***
* [***++Create content with pages - Confluence 101++***](https://www.atlassian.com/collaboration/confluence-create-content-with-pages)

Putting it simply, Confluence was devised as a documentation tool for the tracking of issues and bugs done in Jira. But both of them can work separately and have many other features within.

*Confluence can document the action done in Jira (Issue tracking, for example) and make it easy for users to share and collaborate within Confluence itself.*

Let me know if this clears things up Christian! Looking forward to your reply.


author: CR8.IT.2019
body: Hi Again,

Yes, I am now a very happy camper!

Now both tools make sense to me :-)

Best Regards,

Christian


author: Diego
body: Christian, glad to know that I was able to clarify our tools for you! If you need anything else, let the Community know.


Tags: new-to-confluence