Get Requirements Reviewed With Confluence Inline Comments (Add and Resolve)
Review a requirements page in Confluence with inline comments: select the exact words, ask the question, and resolve the thread once it is answered. Shown on a real requirements table.
Step by step
Why inline comments
- Review with comments. Before requirements are signed off, people review them. Inline comments let a reviewer point at the exact words on the page, instead of sending you a long email.
Ask a question
- Edit. Open the requirements page and click Edit.
- Select the words. A reviewer thinks one priority in the requirements table is wrong. Click in that priority's cell. Press Home to move to the start of the cell. Then press Shift+End to select to the end of the cell. This selects the word Should.
- Add the comment. A small toolbar appears next to the selection. Click Comment. Type a clear question and give the reason: Should this be a Must? Discount codes are in the launch email. Click Add to post the comment.
- Update. Click Update to save the page.
Answer and resolve
- Read the thread. On the saved page, the word Should is now highlighted. Everyone can see there is an open question about it. As the page author, click the highlighted word to open the comment. The question shows: Should this be a Must? You can reply in the box below it, or fix the requirement first.
- Resolve it. Once the question is answered, click Resolve. The highlight goes away, and the thread is kept with the page. To see every comment on the page, both open and resolved, click View all comments.
Recap
- Select, ask, resolve. Select the exact words, click Comment, and ask a clear question with a reason. When it is answered, resolve it. Sign off only when no comments are open.
Common mistakes
- Selecting a whole row or paragraph. The highlight then covers too much, and the author can't tell which part you mean. Select only the words in question, like the single priority Should.
- A comment with no reason. A comment that just says "Wrong?" starts a long back-and-forth. Ask the question and say why, like: Should this be a Must? Discount codes are in the launch email.
- Resolving before the question is answered. Resolving removes the highlight, so other reviewers no longer see the question. Reply or fix the requirement first, then click Resolve.
- Signing off with comments still open. Click View all comments before sign-off and check that every thread is resolved. An open thread means a requirement is still in doubt.
When a business analyst uses this
Before a sign-off meeting, a business analyst shares the requirements page and asks stakeholders to leave inline comments on any requirement they question, such as a priority or an acceptance criterion. On the day, they check View all comments and only take the page to sign-off once no threads are open.
Questions people ask
How do I add an inline comment in Confluence?
Select the exact words on the page, click Comment on the small toolbar that appears, type your question and click Add. In this lesson the comment is added while editing, so click Update to save the page.
What happens when you resolve an inline comment in Confluence?
The highlight disappears from the page, but the thread is not deleted. You can still find it by clicking View all comments, which shows both open and resolved comments.
Can you reply to an inline comment in Confluence?
Yes. Click the highlighted words to open the comment, then type your reply in the box below the question.
