Exploring The Properties Portal
The Properties Portal is where teams create and manage reusable property groups for structured page data in Confluence. In the new design, most users first discover Properties from apps in left side navigation bar, but the Portal is where the structure itself is created: groups, categories, and fields.
Properties now begins inline on the page, not by inserting a macro. Open any Confluence page, click the byline item on the right edge, then use the panel to add an existing property group or open the portal to create a new one.
- 1 How users get to the portal
- 2 Understanding the portal layout
- 3 Navigating the left panel: Property Groups
- 3.1 What you do here
- 3.2 How labels work
- 4 Navigating the canvas
- 5 Navigating the field palette
- 5.1 Text
- 5.2 Select
- 5.3 Multiselect
- 5.4 Date
- 5.5 People
- 5.6 Confluence Page
- 5.7 Email
- 5.8 URL
- 5.9 Phone
- 5.10 Number
- 6 Using the portal together with the page-level Properties modal
- 7 Common navigation patterns
- 8 Best practices for navigating the portal efficiently
- 9 Troubleshooting and quick answers
How users get to the portal
Start from clicking the Properties app in left side navigation bar.
For most day-to-day Confluence work, the recommended starting point is the page itself:
Open a Confluence page.
Click the property byline under the title of the page.
Open the Properties modal.
Choose Add property group if you want to attach an existing group to the page.
Choose Go to Properties Portal if you need to create or manage the structure of a group.
Think of the page-level modal as the place to use properties, and the portal as the place to design them.
Understanding the portal layout
The portal uses a three-panel layout so users can navigate, build, and configure property groups without leaving the same workspace.
Panel | Location | Purpose | Typical actions |
|---|---|---|---|
Property Groups | Left | Shows all existing property groups and helps users browse, select, and organise them. | Create a group, switch between groups, place groups under a category, review what already exists. |
Canvas | Middle | Main working area for building the selected property group. | Add fields, review field order, configure group structure, confirm the group is ready to use. |
Field Palette | Right | Lists all available field types that can be added to a property group. | Choose a field type, add it to the canvas, select the right data format for future use. |
This separation makes the experience easier to scan: navigation on the left, configuration in the middle, field selection on the right.
Navigating the left panel: Property Groups
The left panel is your navigation area for property groups. It helps you answer three basic questions: what already exists, what should I edit, and where should this new group live?
What you do here
Browse existing groups to avoid creating duplicates.
Select a group to load it into the canvas.
Create a new group when no existing structure fits the page data you need.
Organise groups into labels so similar structures are easier to find later.
How labels work
Labels are created during property group creation. If a user types a value into the Label field, that value becomes the category name and the new property group is saved under it. If the user leaves that field empty, the group remains standalone.
Labels help with discovery and consistency, but they are optional. If your team only needs a few simple groups, standalone groups may be enough.
Navigating the canvas
The canvas is the central workspace where the selected property group is assembled. Once a group is opened, the canvas becomes the place where users define what information the group will capture.
What users do on the canvas
Build the group structure by adding fields.
Configure each field after adding it.
Review the full layout to make sure the group is understandable.
Validate usability before attaching the group to pages.
Every field added to the canvas requires some configuration. The exact settings depend on the field type, but the goal is always the same: make the property group clear enough that page contributors know what to enter.
What to check while working in the canvas
Are the field names easy to understand?
Are the chosen field types appropriate for the data?
Will people filling this out know the expected format?
Does the group capture only the information that matters?
A strong property group is usually focused. Start with the smallest useful set of fields, then expand only when teams consistently need more structure.
Navigating the field palette
The field palette on the right contains the available field types that users can add to the selected property group. Choosing the right field type matters because it affects data quality, reporting, and how easy the property group will be to maintain later. Following field types are available:
Text
Select
Multiselect
Date
People
Confluence Page
URL
Phone
Number
When a field is added, the user is prompted to complete the required setup for that field type before the field is considered complete.
If you know the data will later appear in a report, prefer structured fields like Select, Date, People, and Number over broad free-text whenever possible.
Using the portal together with the page-level Properties modal
The portal and the page-level Properties panel support different tasks. Understanding when to use each one makes the experience much smoother.
Task | Best place to do it | Why |
|---|---|---|
Create or redesign a property group | Properties Portal | The portal is built for structuring groups, fields, and labels. |
Attach an existing group to a page | Byline Properties | This is the fastest way to use a group in context. |
Update field values on a page | Byline Properties | Values can be edited directly without leaving the page. |
Review the field structure itself | Properties Portal | The portal shows the full group definition and field setup. |
Check who changed a value | Byline Properties | The changelog is available at the field level from the panel. |
Common navigation patterns
Create and use a new group
Page → Go to Properties app → Create group → Add fields → Return to page → Attach group
Reuse an existing group
Page → Property byline item → Properties panel → Add property group → Select existing group
Edit values only
Page → Property byline item → Click a field value → Update and save
Display property data in the page body
Use the Display Property Groups macro only after a property group already exists and is attached or available. The macro is for showing property data inline in page content, not for creating the group structure.
Do not treat the macro as the starting point for setting up Properties in the new design. The recommended starting point is the inline page experience through the property handle and Properties panel.
Best practices for navigating the portal efficiently
Start from the page when possible so the workflow stays tied to the content you are documenting.
Check for existing groups first before creating a new one.
Use categories intentionally if your workspace has many groups or multiple teams.
Choose structured field types when reporting or filtering will matter later.
Keep groups focused so contributors are more likely to complete them correctly.