Contents:

1. Overview

To migrate from a hosted instance, use the Atlassian Confluence Cloud Migration Assistant (CCMA) to transfer spaces, users, and groups. It includes a migration pathway for Comala Document Management workflow-related data and your hosted app space workflows.

However, there are differences between the features and functionalities of the hosted and cloud versions of Comala Document Management. You can check the differences here.

The supported migration pathway for Comala Document Management migrates:

• Current workflow state and state-related data, such as expiration date, approvers, and approvers' status

• Space workflows, including linked global workflows in a space (migrated as space workflows), taking into account labeled workflows

• Workflow parameter values defined at the space level

• Document metadata and page parameter values (if you export the page metadata before the migration)

• Full workflow events and activity history (as an auditable record, but not accessible by the Comala workflow in the cloud)

After the migration, the workflow state is automatically applied when the workflow is activated in each space. User and user group references (within any macro) are automatically replaced with the corresponding cloud IDs, preserving workflow functionality.

2. Pre-requisites

Before you review the Confluence Cloud platform features and the apps needed in the cloud, ensure the following:

Install the latest app versions

You must update your Confluence Data Center instance with the latest Comala Document Management for Data Center app versions and the Atlassian Confluence Cloud Migration Assistant (CCMA).

Review app functionality in the Cloud

You can review the product comparison for our cloud and data center apps. We also recommend installing and exploring our app in Confluence Cloud.

When migrating to Confluence Cloud, existing space workflows are migrated, but the functionality of some features can differ in the cloud.

Before migration, in your data center app, you can use the Workflow Translator for Cloud tool to convert each hosted app workflow to a cloud-compatible workflow template and add it to Confluence Cloud to review workflow functionality.

See: Moving your workflows to the Cloud

In some cases, when you have multiple workflows, you might consider undertaking a test migration and exploring your migrated space workflows in Confluence Cloud.

3. Pre-migration assessment

You can review your current usage of Comala Document Management in your hosted instance to check your workflow usage.

Go to Confluence Global Administration > Comala Document Management > Workflow Usage to generate the following reports as downloadable CSV files:

• Space Workflows Report

• Page Workflows Report

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Hosted Confluence global administration - Workflow Usage screen

Space workflows are migrated to the cloud. Page workflows are not migrated, but before migration, they can be consolidated as a labeled space workflow.

4. Pre-migration steps

Before starting a migration, ensure that you have installed and are using the latest version of the Comala Document Management app in both your hosted data center instance and your cloud site.

You should then complete the following to prepare your instance:

4.1 Set up your Confluence Cloud site

You must create a Confluence Cloud site and install Comala Document Management for Cloud and any other apps you need in the cloud. You must have administrator permission for the site when creating and running a migration.

4.2 Remove page restrictions

Restricted pages in your hosted instance can block migration of Comala workflow data. You can then remove these page restrictions before the migration, either

• Remove all restrictions from pages within each space, or

• Delete only the restrictions for pages with an applied workflow, then restore them in the cloud

You can find all the pages with restrictions by:

• Running the Page Restrictions Report in the hosted app’s Workflow Usage screen, or

• Using an SQL query

4.3 Convert page workflows to space workflows

Page workflows are not migrated to the cloud. If required, you can consolidate these as space workflows in two ways:

• Manually in each space - More info here

• Scripted - Bulk consolidation using a script

In both cases, each page workflow is consolidated as a label space workflow.

4.4 Export metadata

Page and blog post metadata can be preserved and included in your migration. Before migration, you can export the metadata to ensure that key metadata for each page is stored as JSON Content Properties, which are included in a migrated page.

This can be done by either:

• Manually - Run the Export Metadata utility in each hosted Confluence space by going to Space tools > Export Metadata

• Scripted - Undertake a bulk preservation of the metadata on each page by running a script

The exported metadata includes:
✅ Metadata from the Comala Metadata app (only from the “metadata” macro)
✅ Metadata set using the set-metadata workflow trigger action
✅ Page-level Workflow Parameters

Once migrated, these metadata values can be accessed in Confluence Cloud using the new document metadata macro in the Comala app in the cloud. Any existing get-metadata macros used in hosted data center pages included in a migration function correctly in migrated Cloud pages.

5. Production migration

We recommend migrating a production instance in several smaller groups of spaces, instead of all at once. This makes it easier to review results and fix any issues.

During migration:

• Space workflows are translated automatically

• Linked global workflows in a space become space workflows

• Hardcoded users are mapped to their Cloud user IDs

• The current workflow state of each page is preserved

• Full workflow history is migrated with each page

The migrated workflow history is accessed in the cloud using the View Historical Activity option in the document report on each page.

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This migrated historical workflow activity is viewable for audit purposes and is not accessible by the applied Comala workflow, and does not merge with the document activity.

For migrated workflows, you can also view the original hosted app workflow template markup using the Migrated workflow view in the visual editor.

5.1 Migration process steps

• Step 1 - Assess and prepare your migration in the Confluence Cloud Migration Assistant

• Step 2 - Migrate your data using the Confluence Cloud Migration Assistant

• Step 3 - Post-migration

5.2 Atlassian EAP Cloud-first migration

Atlassian is rolling out an EAP for creating migrations from the Data Center to the Cloud for your cloud organization. You must apply to opt into this Atlassian EAP. It lets you create migrations from your cloud organization and is currently designed for organizations with fewer than 10,000 users.

• Atlassian Migration Program | Join the EAP

5.3 Migration of complex instances

Some things can increase the complexity of your migration, and you might need some help planning. For example, if the migration involves

• Large amounts of data or users

• Several products and apps

The Atlassian Migration Guide includes a range of resources and guides.

If you have any questions or require assistance, contact Appfire support.

6. Resources

• Product comparison

• What is migrated?

• Migrating document metadata

• Support and troubleshooting for migration