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Differences between Comala Document Management and Comala Document Management Cloud

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Hosted app (server and data center) and cloud differences

This page compares the features and functionality between the hosted app (server and data center) and cloud versions of Comala Document Management.

Workflows - management and application | Workflows - editing workflows | Workflow states | Content reviews - approvals and reviewers | Tasks | Workflow triggers | Workflow parameters | Reporting | Notifications | View navigation | Compliance requirements | FAQ Cloud Capabilities

Workflows - management and application

 ✅ – Available | ⛔ – Unavailable | ⚠ – Partially available

Applying workflows

Description

Server/Data Center

Cloud

Page workflow

A user can apply a workflow template to an individual page or blog post.

✅

✅

 Page workflow feature summary

A copy of a workflow template in the space Page Workflows Templates Dashboard can be added as a page workflow to a page or blog post in the space.

Any workflow added and enabled in a space Page Workflows Templates Dashboard can be added as a page workflow.

Only an enabled workflow in the dashboard can be added as a copy to the page.

Copy of the workflow applied to a page can be edited on the page.

 Page workflow feature summary

A copy of a workflow template in the space settings document management dashboard can be added as a page workflow to a page or blog post in the space.

Any workflow added to a space document management dashboard can be added as a page workflow.

The workflow does not need to be active (enabled) in the dashboard to be added to a page.

Copy of the workflow applied to a page cannot be edited on the page. Only the original workflow template is editable in the space settings document management dashboard.

Space workflow

Application of a workflow by a space administrator to all the individual pages and blog posts in a space

✅

✅

 Space workflow feature summary

The space document management dashboard is populated with workflow templates added or created by the space administrator. Workflows can be added to the space from a global workflow dashboard.

By default, each space dashboard has no workflows added as space workflows for use in the space.

Multiple workflows can be active (enabled) in the dashboard, and the application of active workflows is determined by

  • workflow scope (global or space)

  • hierarchy in the dashboard

  • workflow content label filter

 Space workflow feature summary

The space document management dashboard is populated with three workflows bundled on app installation and custom workflows added to or created in the space by the space administrator.

By default, the three workflows installed with the app are added to each space document management dashboard.

Only one workflow can be active in the dashboard. Enabling a different workflow automatically disables the active workflow.

  • all workflows are space scope workflows

  • no workflow content filter

Space workflow application by content label filter

Application of a space workflow based on the Confluence content label

✅

⛔

 Application of space workflow feature summary

One or more space workflows can be enabled in the space dashboard. Only one workflow is applied to each page or blog post, and the application is determined by workflow scope; workflow hierarchy in the dashboard; and any use of a content label filter.

The application of each workflow can be filtered

  • using a content label filter

  • using the content type (page or blog post)

 Application of space workflow feature summary

There is no workflow content label filter.

One space workflow can be active in the space dashboard. Making another workflow active disables the existing active workflow.

The active workflow application cannot be filtered. The active workflow is applied to all pages and blog posts.

Global workflows

Global administrator management of workflow templates in Confluence cloud.

✅

⛔

 Global workflows feature summary

Workflow templates available in the instance are managed in the Global Workflows Templates dashboard.

Workflows enabled in the global dashboard can be

  • added to a space by the space administrator

  • automatically added to the page workflows templates dashboard in each space

A global workflow can be set as a space category workflow. This workflow is applied automatically in a new space created with the set category label.

 Global workflows feature summary

There is no global workflow feature.

The three workflows bundled with the app are automatically available in all the spaces in the Confluence site on the installation of the app.

Custom workflows

Ability to create custom workflows to meet organizational, team, and project needs.

✅

✅

 Custom workflows feature summary

A custom workflow can be created by

  • a user on a page

  • a space administrator in the space document management dashboard

  • a global administrator in the global workflow templates dashboard

A workflow template can be saved and shared using workflow builder:

  • a custom page workflow template to

    • the space document management dashboard

    • the global workflow templates dashboard

  • a custom space workflow template to

    • the global workflow templates dashboard

Requires appropriate administrator permission.

 Custom workflows feature summary

A custom workflow is created by the space administrator in the space document management dashboard.

A custom workflow template can be copied and pasted from one space to another using the JSON code editor in each space.

A server workflow can be translated to a cloud-compatible code template using the Workflow Translator for Cloud tool in the server app. The translated code can be copied and pasted into the code editor in a cloud space.

Workflows - editing workflows

 ✅ – Available | ⛔ – Unavailable | ⚠ – Partially available

Creating and editing workflows

Description

Server/Data Center

Cloud

Workflow builder visual editor

Visual workflow editing tool

✅

✅

 VIsual Editor feature summary

Workflow builder visual editor for a workflow is available from the

  • global workflows dashboard for global workflows (global scope workflows)

  • space tools document management dashboard for space workflows (space scope workflows)

  • page when a copy of a workflow is added as a page workflow

Workflow builder includes Workflow Translator for Cloud (if enabled in the app global configuration)

 Visual Editor feature summary

Workflow builder visual editor for a workflow is available in

  • the space settings document management dashboard

Only a space administrator can edit a workflow.

Workflow markup editor

Workflow template source editor

✅

Markup Editor

✅

Code Editor

 Markup Editor feture summary

Workflow templates are stored as markup language.

The workflow template markup editor is available for a workflow in the

  • global workflows dashboard for global workflows (global scope workflows)

  • space tools document management dashboard for space workflows (space scope workflows)

  • page workflows template dashboard (space scope workflows)

  • page when a copy of a workflow is added as a page workflow

 Code Editor feature summary

Workflow templates are stored as JSON code.

The workflow template code editor is available for a workflow in the space settings document management dashboard.

Only a space administrator can edit a workflow.

Workflow import

Import a workflow

✅

✅

 Workflow import options

Workflow templates can be imported

  • from the linked Workflows Exchange repository to the global workflows dashboard or a space document management dashboard using the Import Workflow option

  • as a markup from another Confluence instance as a global workflow; a space workflow or a page workflow using the markup editor

The administrator using Import Workflow option must be a member of the Workflow Importers group set in the global configuration

In a space, the workflow template can be saved and shared using workflow builder:

  • a page workflow template to

    • the space document management dashboard

    • the global workflow templates dashboard

  • a space workflow template to

    • the global workflow templates dashboard

Requires appropriate administrator permission.

 Workflow import options

Workflow templates can be imported as a JSON code from another space or Confluence site using the code editor as a space workflow.

There is no linked workflow repository.

 Workflow repository option

Workflow templates can be imported from the Workflows Exchange repository to the global workflows dashboard or a space document management dashboard using the Import Workflow option

Workflow states

 ✅ – Available | ⛔ – Unavailable | ⚠ – Partially available

States

Description

Server/Data Center

Cloud

Add States

✅

✅

Modify State Names

✅

✅

Modify State Colours

Use colors to indicate important states

✅

✅

Add Due Dates

Add due dates in any state

✅

✅

Expiration dates

Modify Due Dates

Change existing due dates

✅

✅

Initialize States

Transition all pages for the associated workflow into a specific state in that workflow

✅

✅

Content reviews - approvals and reviewers

 ✅ – Available | ⛔ – Unavailable | ⚠ – Partially available

Approvals and reviewers

Description

Server/Data Center

Cloud

Approvals

One or more approvals can be added to a workflow state

✅

✅

Minimum reviewers

Set the number of users who must review an approval to complete the approval

✅

✅

Limit users who can be assigned

Limit the users who can be manually assigned to an approval using the workflow popup to

  • one or more individual users

  • users who are members of one or more user groups

✅

✅

Manual assignment of reviewers

Assignment of one or more reviewers to an approval using the workflow popup on the page

✅

✅

Preassignment of reviewers

Assignment of reviewers to the approval by the workflow on the workflow transition to the state containing the approval

✅

✅

Limit assigners

Limit the user(s) and/or group(s) that can manually assign users to the approval

✅

⛔

 Limit assigners feature summary

Limit the users that can assign reviewers by editing the workflow approval.

A page editor can assign a reviewer if the approval is assignable

 Limit assigners

Limiting users who can assign users to each approval is not a feature available in the cloud app.

Page editors can assign a reviewer if the approval is assignable.

Custom approval buttons

Customize the displayed names for the approval buttons in the workflow popup for each approval

✅

✅

Approval e-signatures

Reviewer identity authentication to activate an approval and undertake an approval

✅

(warning)

 E-signature feature summary

An approval can be configured to require user authentication using one of

  • Confluence username

  • Confluence username + Confluence password

  • third-party app authentication token

 E-signature feature summary

Cloud support for e-signature for user authentication to activate an approval is limited to OTP authentication using a third-party app.

Tasks

 ✅ – Available | ⛔ – Unavailable | ⚠ – Partially available

Tasks

Description

Server/Data Center

Cloud

Workflow tasks

Add, assign, and complete workflow tasks

✅

⛔

 Workflow tasks feature summary

Add workflow tasks to a page manually or by the workflow on the transition to a workflow state

Manage task assignment and completion using the tasks popup on a page

Undertake a workflow state transition based on the completion of tasks

 Workflow tasks

Workflow tasks are not a supported feature in the Cloud app.

Workflow triggers

 ✅ – Available | ⛔ – Unavailable | ⚠ – Partially available

Workflow triggers

Description

Server/Data Center

Cloud

Workflow triggers

Add workflow flexibility by adding one or more workflow trigger macros, each listening for a workflow event and setting one or more actions.

✅

✅

 Workflow trigger feature summary

Workflow triggers are created in markup.

The workflow trigger markup is copied and pasted to a workflow using either

  • workflow builder

  • markup editor

The summary of a trigger added to a workflow is shown as a Rule in the workflow builder.

 Workflow trigger feature summary

Workflow triggers are created in JSON code.

The JSON workflow trigger code is copied and pasted to a workflow using either

  • visual editor

  • code editor

The cloud app has a different range of workflow trigger elements

Workflow parameters

 ✅ – Available | ⛔ – Unavailable | ⚠ – Partially available

Workflow parameters

Description

Server/Data Center

Cloud

Add workflow parameters

Add custom workflow parameters, whose values are editable and are referenced from an applied workflow

✅

✅

 Workflow parameters feature summary

One or more workflow parameters can be added to a workflow. The parameter is added with one of the following data types

  • string

  • duration

  • user

  • group

  • list

 Workflow parameters feature summary

One or more workflow parameters can be added to a workflow. The parameter is added with one of the following data types

  • string

  • duration

  • user

  • group

  • list

Space parameters

Workflow parameters managed by the space administrator for the space

✅

✅

 Workflow space parameters feature summary

All workflow parameter types (if a default value is defined in the workflow) are

  • added to the space parameters dashboard

  • the parameter in the dashboard is an editable value and is used by an applied workflow in the space

 Workflow parameters feature summary

Only workflow parameters with a data value type of duration; user; and group are editable in the space.

Parameter values are editable for the active workflow in the space document management dashboard.

Workflow trigger use of workflow parameters

Use of workflow parameter as a value reference for workflow trigger actions

✅

⚠

 Workflow trigger use of workflow parameters

Workflow parameters, other value references, and metadata are compatible with most trigger action macros and event conditions.

 Workflow trigger use of workflow parameters

Limited use of value references including workflow parameters in trigger action macros

No usage in event conditions.

Reporting

 ✅ – Available | ⛔ – Unavailable | ⚠ – Partially available

Reporting

Description

Server/Data Center

Cloud

In-app reporting tools

In-app tools to report on workflow actions and events

✅

✅

 In-app report tools summary

Document activity (page activity in server) report for each page.

Document report for a space.

My Document Actions Report includes (pending approvals and tasks) in each user profile.

My Read Confirmations report (pending read confirmations) in a user profile.

Space Tasks Report in space tools.

 In-app report tools summary

Document activity report for each page.

Document Report (space-wide report) includes a filter for checking My pending approvals

Read confirmations available in a separate app Comala Read Confirmations.

Tasks are not supported in the cloud.

REST API

REST API

✅

Document Activity REST API from Comala Document Management v7 Data Center to integrate with existing business information tools.

Other APIs, including JAVA API.

⛔

No public API for Comala Document Management app.

Report macros

Reporting page macros to add to the content

  • document activity report macro or page activity report macro

  • document states report macro

  • document approvals macro

  • document stats report macro

✅

  • data center app includes new document activity-based reporting macros

  • server app includes page activity-based reporting macros

✅

The document stats report macro is not available in the cloud.

  • cloud report macros include differences in the available filters and display configuration

Notifications

 ✅ – Available | ⛔ – Unavailable | ⚠ – Partially available

Notifications

Description

Server/Data Center

Cloud

Email notifications

✅

✅

Workbox notifications

User notifications in user profile

✅

⛔

Confluence Cloud does not provide an API for notifications.

Custom notifications

Email, page messages, etc.

✅

set-message macro in a workflow trigger displays an on-page message panel (info, warning, note) and is persistent until removed

✅

set-message macro in a workflow trigger displays a page message dialog box.

View navigation

 ✅ – Available | ⛔ – Unavailable | ⚠ – Partially available

Draft and published documents

Description

Server/Data Center

Cloud

Draft and published views

Users navigate between the work-in-progress version and the last approved version of a page

  • final state

  • draft states

View approved byline added to draft states to support the user in navigating to the last approved version. This is the version created on the transition to the final state in the workflow

✅

✅

Draft state view restriction

Default workflow visibility: content in a draft work-in-progress state is not visible to users with only Confluence view permission for the page. View-only users are directed to the last approved version if available.

✅

⛔

The workflow does not differentiate user access between the work-in-progress versions and the last approved version of the page. User permissions for a page are managed by using the Confluence user permissions.

In server, data center, and the cloud, permission management can be implemented using a Comala workflow and the Comala Publishing app to publish pages to a separate space with anonymous user permissions.

Compliance requirements

 ✅ – Available | ⛔ – Unavailable | ⚠ – Partially available

Macros

Description

Server/Data Center

Cloud

Approval e-signatures

Reviewer identity authentication to activate an approval and undertake an approval

✅

Each approval is configured to require authentication using username, username + Confluence password, or third-party app authentication token

Global administrators can configure requirements for e-signature as Confluence authentication or third-party tokens for the instance.

(warning)

Cloud support for e-signature is limited to OTP authentication using a third-party app

Global administrators can require users to reset the authentication token. They can change the expiry date or remove the token.

Confluence audit logging

✅

Full audit trail of key events (e.g., changes to configuration, templates, parameters, etc.) in the Confluence Audit Log.

⛔

FAQ Cloud Capabilities

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