Glossary
This glossary provides definitions for key terms and concepts used throughout the User Management & License Optimizer documentation.
A
API Key
The authentication credential that allows User Management & License Optimizer to access your Atlassian Organization data. Organization Admins generate this key at admin.atlassian.com, and it expires after a set period requiring renewal.
Atlassian Account
A user's single digital identity that works across all Atlassian products. An email address identifies each account and can be either managed (controlled by the organization) or unmanaged (controlled by the individual).
Automated Tasks
Scheduled operations in User Management & License Optimizer that automatically execute bulk actions based on saved filters. Tasks can run daily, weekly, or at custom intervals to maintain consistent user management.
B
Basic User (Compass)
A non-billable user type in Compass with limited catalog consumer capabilities. Organizations can have unlimited basic users.
Billable User
Any user who consumes a paid license for an Atlassian product. The count of billable users determines licensing costs and affects User Management & License Optimizer license limits.
Bulk Operations
The ability to perform actions on multiple users simultaneously in User Management & License Optimizer, such as removing app access, suspending accounts, or modifying group memberships.
C
Centralized User Management
The modern Atlassian Cloud experience where all sites within an organization share the same user base, managed from admin.atlassian.com.
Contributor (Jira Product Discovery)
A free user role in Jira Product Discovery with read-only access by default. Users with Jira Software or JSM access automatically become JPD contributors.
Creator (Jira Product Discovery)
A paid user role in Jira Product Discovery with full functionality including the ability to create and manage discovery projects.
Customer (Jira Service Management)
A portal-only user who can submit and view service requests without consuming a Jira license. Customers can be internal (employees) or external (clients/vendors).
D
Default Groups
Automatically created groups when apps are added to sites (e.g., jira-software-users-sitename). These groups cannot be deleted but can be renamed or have their default status changed.
Domain Verification
The process of proving ownership of an email domain (like @company.com) to convert unmanaged accounts to managed accounts, providing enhanced control over user lifecycle.
F
Filter (Saved Filter)
A reusable set of criteria in the User Browser that identifies specific users based on attributes like activity status, product access, or group membership. Filters form the foundation of automated tasks.
Forge SQL
The MySQL-compliant distributed database technology used by User Management & License Optimizer to maintain a synchronized mirror of your user data for reliable bulk operations.
G
Grace Period
The time allowed after exceeding license limits before features are disabled. Standard Edition provides 30 days, Advanced Edition provides 60 days.
Group
A collection of users that simplifies permission management. Groups can be product-specific, site-specific, or organization-wide. Atlassian Cloud does not support nested groups.
Guest (Confluence)
An external user with access to specific Confluence spaces only. Guests have limited permissions and are typically used for vendors or partners.
I
Identity Provider (IdP)
An external system (like Okta, Azure AD, or Google Workspace) that manages user identities and can automatically provision users to Atlassian Cloud via SCIM.
Inactive User
A user who hasn't logged in for a specified period. The inactivity threshold is configurable in User Management & License Optimizer settings (3 days to 6 months).
J
Just-In-Time (JIT) Provisioning
Automatic user account creation during first SAML SSO login, eliminating the need for manual pre-provisioning.
L
License Multiplier
The factor applied to your Jira site's user count to determine how many users you can manage. Standard Edition uses 2x multiplier, Advanced Edition uses 5x multiplier.
M
Managed Account
An Atlassian account controlled by an organization through verified domain ownership, allowing enhanced lifecycle management and security controls.
Multi-Site
The capability to manage users across multiple Atlassian sites within a single organization from one User Management & License Optimizer installation.
O
Organization
The highest administrative container in Atlassian Cloud, representing your company or department. Accessible through admin.atlassian.com.
Organization Admin
The highest permission level in Atlassian Cloud with complete control over users, groups, apps, and security policies across the entire organization.
P
Product Access Groups
Groups that control access to specific Atlassian products (e.g., jira-software-users). Adding users to these groups grants product licenses.
Product Admin (App Admin)
An administrator for a specific Atlassian product (Jira, Confluence, etc.) who can configure product-level settings but normally cannot access organization-wide settings.
S
Site
A connected instance within your organization containing Atlassian apps. Each site has its own URL (e.g., yoursite.atlassian.net) and can host multiple products.
Site Admin
An administrator for a specific Atlassian site who can manage apps and settings for that site only, without organization-wide access.
Stakeholder (Jira Service Management)
A user role with visibility into incidents and service requests. Free on Premium/Enterprise plans, billable on other plans.
Suspend User
Temporarily disable a user account across all Atlassian services while preserving data and settings. Requires manual reactivation.
Sync (Synchronization)
The process of updating User Management & License Optimizer's database with the latest user data from Atlassian Cloud. Can be scheduled, manual, or triggered by operations.
U
Unmanaged Account
An Atlassian account individually controlled by the user, not managed by an organization.
User Access Admin
A role that manages user accounts and app access across the organization. Must have Jira access to use User Management & License Optimizer.
User Browser
The central interface in User Management & License Optimizer for viewing, searching, filtering, and selecting users across your organization.
User Management & License Optimizer
The Atlassian Marketplace app that provides centralized user management, bulk operations, automated tasks, and license optimization across multiple Atlassian Cloud sites.
W
Webhook
An HTTP callback that sends notifications to external systems when specific events occur in User Management & License Optimizer, enabling integration with Atlassian Automation.