Is the data within a confluence database searchable?

[Alexander Demerson]

Hello,

I created a database within confluence using the insert database and populated it with data.

My question is how is the data within the database searchable?

I don't seem to be able to find it with the search feature 

[Manoj Gangwar · Accepted solution]

Hi @Alexander Demerson 

In Confluence, the data within a database created using the "Insert Database" macro isn't indexed in the same way that page content is. This means it may not be searchable using the standard search feature.

[Alexander Demerson]

@Manoj Gangwar  thanks. Is there a way I can be able to search for info? I was hoping that within the advanced search and selecting databases I would be able to query the info with the database macro but this doesn't seem to be the case..

[Manoj Gangwar]

Unfortunately, the default Confluence search, even with advanced search options like CQL, doesn't directly index content inside the database macro. The database macro is treated as a block of embedded content, meaning its data isn't parsed and indexed for search purposes in the same way that text is.

You may check some third party plugins. 

[Alexander Demerson]

@Manoj Gangwar Thanks! That's a shame as the database macro is great for having a single point of info like ip's etc and then the embedded macro is great to incorporate in other pages that only need to reference a specific portion of that database, there fore the change in the database will be updated in all other pages which are using the embedded portion..  so it's unfortunate that I can't query the data within.. thanks again for the reply

[Dave Ehle]

Will this feature ever be added?   I hope Atlassian understands this is arguably one of the most important aspects of using a shared database.  The content needs to be searchable!!!

[Eugene Niemand]

I just wrote the below message to my team, and before posting I thought let me check if this actually the case before making myself look like a fool — this should not even have crossed my mind as the below is what I would have expected from Confluence. Very glad I did not post it and will just keep our data in SharePoint as there is no point moving to Confluence. 🤦‍♂️

Has anyone used Confluence Databases? I never used them before but thought that the Interface Catalogue is a prime candidate to try it. Although the content is great, but when searching for info on Confluence its obviously not discoverable because its embedded in a spreadsheet in SharePoint. I imported it into a confluence Database and it seems quite good as you can place some controls on columns, like using tags for domains, systems etc (it did this automatically btw) and the when we search for info on confluence at least this info is now indexed and discoverable

[Dave Ehle]

I posted another similar topic asking for this feature to be added:

Search Content in Database - Show Stopper

[Claire Townend]

Wow, that is unbelievable. Was hoping to use the database feature, but no point in moving forward without search. How can the database not be searchable? What use is the data if it can't be found?

[Dave Ehle]

Hi @Claire Townend , agree.... please like my other post.  Hoping to get more people asking for this feature enhancement.  It is a MUST HAVE; otherwise what is the point of using database objects???