Summary
To migrate your data from Notion to Confluence effectively, you need to export your workspace as an HTML file and upload it using the native Confluence importer.
Key steps:
- Export your Notion workspace as an HTML file with subpages included.
- Prepare your Confluence destination space and ensure you have admin permissions.
- Upload the zipped file into the Confluence importer and map your users.
How Notion to Confluence Migration Works
As we are currently doing a Notion to Confluence migration, we want to share our findings about the underlying architecture.
This migration process is essentially a data translation project.
Notion relies on a block based JSON architecture.
Confluence operates on a macro driven XML page structure.
Because of this architectural difference, the native migration method works best for text heavy pages without complex relational databases.
For a deeper explanation of these platform differences, refer to the complete migration guide.
Step by Step Tutorial: Migrate Notion to Confluence
Step 1: Export Your Notion Workspace
Navigate to:
Settings and Members → Settings → Export Content
Notion allows export in three formats:
- HTML
- Markdown
HTML is strongly recommended because it preserves the page hierarchy, which is necessary for successful migration.
Step 2: Prepare Your Confluence Space
Log into Confluence and navigate to:
Spaces → Import from other tools → Notion
Before starting the import process:
- Ensure you have admin permissions
- Create or select the destination space
- Verify your attachment size limits
Step 3: Upload the Exported ZIP File
Upload the ZIP file generated by Notion.
You can either:
- Upload the entire workspace, or
- Upload specific sections or page groups
The importer will automatically process the files and begin converting pages.
Step 4: Map Users and Permissions
During the import process, Confluence will ask you to map Notion users to existing Confluence accounts.
This step ensures:
- Proper page authorship attribution
- Correct permissions and ownership
Without mapping, pages may default to an anonymous user ID.
Step 5: Run the Migration
Once configuration is complete:
- Start the import process
- Confluence will run the migration in the background
- You will receive an email notification when the import finishes
What Migrates Successfully
| Notion Element | Migration Result |
|---|---|
| Text blocks | Migrate perfectly |
| Headings | Preserved |
| Images | Preserved |
| Nested pages | Preserved |
What Does Not Migrate Perfectly
| Notion Feature | Result in Confluence |
|---|---|
| Relational databases | Converted to static tables |
| Rollups | Lost |
| Formulas | Lost |
| Inline comments | Removed |
Common Migration Issues
During routine migrations, several technical limitations appear frequently.
Large export files
The importer often times out when the ZIP file exceeds 1GB.
Missing attachments
Attachments may fail if the export payload is not segmented properly.
Database flattening
Complex relational databases become static tables, losing dynamic relationships.
Alternative Migration Approaches
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Native importer | Simple to use | Limited database support |
| API migration | Highly flexible | Requires engineering resources |
| iPaaS tools | Useful for automation | Limited hierarchy handling |
| Managed migration | Handles complex relational data | Requires external provider |
For enterprise scale migrations with relational data reconstruction or compliance needs, organizations often work with a managed migration provider such as ClonePartner to reduce migration risk.
Post Migration Validation Checklist
After completing the migration, perform these checks:
- Verify page hierarchy and nested structures
- Rebuild relational databases using macros
- Fix internal links and navigation paths
- Validate user permissions and access control
FAQ
Can Confluence import Notion databases?
No. The native importer converts databases into static HTML tables.
Why do relations break during migration?
Relations break because Notion uses JSON relational arrays, which cannot directly translate into Confluence XML macros without custom transformation.
How long does migration take?
Migration typically runs at approximately 1 hour per 500 standard pages, with additional manual work required for complex databases.
What file format should I export?
Always export your workspace in HTML format with subpages included to preserve the page structure.
What happens to comments?
The native importer removes Notion inline comments during the migration process.