How should I configure a space so I can share pages on a case-by-case basis?
Asked by Phoenix Zerin:

I'd like to create a personal space in Confluence, but I'd like to use it similarly to how I use Google Drive. The space should be private, so that only I can see/access it, but I would like to be able to share any page with specific users.

For example, I might have a proposal for a new product or feature in this space. I don't want to share it with the rest of the company, but I might grant view/edit permissions to the product manager to get their input and/or edit the page collaboratively.

How do I configure my space so that:

* **By default,** everything in the space is private. Users can't see what pages are in my space, and they can't access any of the pages even with a direct URL.
  * Preferably, this is a set-and-forget setting (i.e., I don't have to remember to restrict page permissions each time I create a new page).
  * Bonus points: the space doesn't even appear in the Space Directory
* I can set permissions for individual pages in this space so that specific individuals can access them.


Answers:
author: Hermance NDounga
body: Hi Phoenix,

First, you probably know that in Confluence you can have a "Personal Space", but as you want to share it sometimes, it would be better to create a regular space.

I think the easiest way for you to do it would be to actually open your space to everyone, but restrict the homepage for you.

In that way, you don't need to think about it. You just creates pages under the homepage. that's it.

Once you want to share a page with someone, you go in "Space Tools \> Reorder pages" and you move the page you want to share on the top of your homepage, so the page doesn't inherit from the restriction anymore. Then you can create new restrictions on this page and just share the link of this page. What is also nice it's that the person won't access to the tree view and won't be able to browse other pages, especially the ones that you share with

Then you can create new restrictions on this orphan page and just share the link of this page. What is also nice it's that the person won't have access to the tree view and won't be able to browse other pages, especially the ones that you share with other people as they won't even appear in the tree view (as they will be orphean).

But for sure with that setting, your space will appear in the space directory.

I was thinking about the other way around but if you restrict your \*space\* to you only, even orphans pages won't be accessible, so I guess this solution is not possible.

I hope it helps!

comments: author: Phoenix Zerin
body: Thanks Hermance! I tested this with another Confluence user, and I was able to confirm that the new user was only able to access the specific page that I shared.


author: Mike Hastie
body: This is awesome. I'm new to confluence. I notice that when using this method I can't access the pages above the homepage - the page becomes orphaned. Either in pages link in sidebar or in page tree in homepage (this makes sense since macro only shows sub pages). I've found a macro to include page tree for all pages in a space. This might work. How have you got around the issue of linking to pages above home page?

comments: author: Mike Hastie
body: actually just solved this. Used @none in page tree macro parameters (root folder)


author: Hermance NDounga
body: Good catch Mike. The principle of the solution I described upthere was especially to not link to the pages that are orphaned, so it worked for Phoenix but in your use case, the solution you found it great


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