How do I provide a KB article index to JSD users?

[Scott Eade]

It seems the only way a JSD user can find an article is by randomly searching for words - is there a way I can publish the index of articles to a JSD user?

Similarly, there are macros such as Labels Index, Page Index, Page Tree, etc. that when rendered to JSD users (in KB articles) display the Confluence rather than the JSD KB links - these then pushing the user over to the Atlassian ID login page when the user is, and should only be, a JSD user.

Additionally, how can I link from one JSD KB article to another when the links presented when I edit and view content as a Confluence user are different to those presented to JSD portal users?

I suspect all three of these are the same thing and I don't see why they should not be possible. But how?

TIA.

[Angélica Luz]

Hi Scott,

I added your questions and my answers below:

It seems the only way a JSD user can find an article is by randomly searching for words - is there a way I can publish the index of articles to a JSD user?

- There is no option to add an index of the articles. To make the search more restricted, you can add labels.

Similarly, there are macros such as Labels Index, Page Index, Page Tree, etc. that when rendered to JSD users (in KB articles) display the Confluence rather than the JSD KB links - these then pushing the user over to the Atlassian ID login page when the user is, and should only be, a JSD user.

- This is happening because internal users have Atlassian account, so they will be able to see JSD articles directly in Confluence, even if they don't have a license.
Customers do not have Atlassian account, so they can see articles in the customer portal only.

Additionally, how can I link from one JSD KB article to another when the links presented

- You can link a space on each JSD project, so if this link is on the same space and you add a link to this article on another article when the customer click they will be able to see the article in the customer portal.

when I edit and view content as a Confluence user are different to those presented to JSD portal users?

- Yes, when a licensed user sees and edits a Confluence article is very different from what customers see because customers are restricted to only see the text and tables of an article, for example.

I suspect all three of these are the same thing and I don't see why they should not be possible. But how?

- Can you please give us more details about the option that is not possible in Jira?

Hope this clarifies.

Regards,
Angélica

[Scott Eade]

Hi Angélica, thanks for your reply.

What I want is some way for a JSD customer to access a list of all available articles in the JSD KB. Anything I would ordinarily do for a licensed Confluence user does not target these JSD customers and so cannot be used. So I want to know if there is a special page or macro that is in fact rendered for JSD customers. It seems reasonable to me that a JSD customer would want such a thing, but I cannot see a way of achieving it.

Thanks, Scott

[Angélica Luz]

Hi Scott,

It's not possible to add a page only with this information in the customer portal. You can create a page on the Confluence space that is linked to your service desk and add all the links and then provide the link on the announcement banner, but anyway, the customer won't be able to access this page because it will redirect to Confluence.

I believe that the best option, in this case, is to convert your customers to Atlassian account, so they can access the specific space linked to SD directly in Confluence and see all articles. Also, they won't count as a license. They won't be able to edit or see any other space, but using this option you can add the link of the space in the announcement banner of the portal and they can click and see all necessary articles.

In the article below you can find the steps to convert your customers and how they will see Confluence pages:

- How can I make my users and customers see Confluence pages without a license?

Hope this helps!
If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Regards,
Angélica

[Scott Eade]

I guess it is good that there is a way, but this seems like it might have other consequences. The Confluence view looks a lot like an internal user (e.g. "Space settings"). If converting these users is a thing then why doesn't it just happen? What if the customer already has an Atlassian account.

This should be easy.

Thanks,

Scott

[Angélica Luz]

Hi Scott,

They will see Confluence as a user, but as they don't have a license or any other permission, they won't be able to do anything, they will just see the articles.

- If converting these users is a thing then why doesn't it just happen?

This is a choice that an administrator has if they want to see the customers separately or with the other users.
I gave you this option because you would like to provide an index to your customers and it's not possible to make this on the customer portal, unless you use the workaround to convert and let them check the articles on Confluence and not in the portal.

Regards,
Angélica