Create whiteboards in Confluence

15 min
Beginner

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to:

  • Create a whiteboard in Confluence
  • Browse and select whiteboard templates
  • Move around within a whiteboard
  • Use whiteboard tools

What are whiteboards?

Confluence whiteboards are a visually interactive and collaborative tool. You can use whiteboards to capture free-flowing thoughts and ideas, then easily organize and transform them into actionable steps.
Whiteboards in Confluence allow teams to collaborate, build, and visualize things together in real-time using tools like sticky notes, text, lines, shapes, and stamps.
👇 This is a whiteboard in Confluence.
A whiteboard in Confluence with sticky notes, emoji, video thumbnails, and annotations demonstrates the collaboration and communication options.
👇 Click the tabs below to see examples of how teams can use whiteboards.
Brainstorm ideas.
A Confluence whiteboard showing sticky notes and annotations that could be used to facilitate a brainstorm session.

Create whiteboards

You can create a Confluence whiteboard using either the Create button or the content section of the sidebar.
👇 Watch the video below to learn how to create a whiteboard using both methods.

Use whiteboard templates

When you create a whiteboard, you can start from a blank whiteboard or a template. Whiteboard templates are pre-populated with content and tips to get you into your activity faster. Confluence has over 30 templates for you to choose from.
To use a template on a new whiteboard:
  1. Create a whiteboard from the Create button or the sidebar.
  2. Browse the available Templates.
  3. Hover over the template you want to use and click Use template.
👇See how to add a template to a new whiteboard.
To add a template to an existing whiteboard:
  1. From an existing whiteboard, in the toolbar, select Template.
  2. Browse the available Templates.
  3. Hover over the template you want to use and click Use template.
👇See how to add a template to an existing whiteboard.
To find a template that suits your needs, try these tips:
  • Type in the search box to find a template that fits your requirements
  • Select the use cases to filter quickly

Use whiteboard tools

All whiteboards have a lined grid background and multiple toolbars around the border. Clicking on any object on the whiteboard will also bring up a floating toolbar above it to edit or annotate that specific object.
👇The layout of a Confluence whiteboard.
Confluence whiteboard with labels explaining the whiteboard toolbars. Toolbars allow a user to edits and annotate objects, add shapes and sticky notes to the whiteboard, and add whiteboard templates.
The toolbar at the bottom of your whiteboard is where you’ll access all of your whiteboard-specific tools as well as the whiteboard navigation tools.
👇Click the numbered icons below to explore the whiteboards toolbar.
Labeled graphic of a confluence whiteboard. The toolbar at the bottom of the screen is highlighted with lines pointing to each tool in the toolbar.

Create a Jira work item from a whiteboard object

Whiteboarding activities can generate great ideas and action items that you don’t want to lose track of. You can select one or more sticky notes, shapes, or text boxes and turn them into a Jira work item without ever leaving the whiteboard!
To create a Jira work item from a whiteboard object:
  1. Select the objects you want to turn into a Jira work item.
  2. Select Create Jira work item from the floating toolbar above the object.
  3. Add all the relevant information to the pop-up window on the right side of your whiteboard, then click Create.

Move around in a whiteboard

You can pan, zoom, and move around your whiteboard using the cursor tool and the hand tool. You’ll select your navigation tools from the whiteboard toolbar at the bottom of the whiteboard.
To select and move objects using the cursor tool:
  1. Click on the Cursor icon from the toolbar at the bottom of your screen.
  2. Click an item in the whiteboard to select it.
  3. Click and drag the item to move it.
👇Here’s how to use the cursor tool.
To pan and zoom using the hand tool:
  1. Select the Hand icon from the toolbar at the bottom of your screen.
  2. Click and drag your mouse or use two fingers on your trackpad to pan around the whiteboard.
  3. Scroll your mouse wheel or pinch your trackpad to zoom in and out.
👇Here’s how to use the hand tool.

Try it yourself

Open Confluence and follow along.
👇 Click the tabs below to follow the instructions to practice what you’ve learned
From your desired parent page, click Create and select Whiteboard.
How was this lesson?