How to Hide a Section in Confluence

Confluence is a fantastic tool for managing content and collaboration, but it can sometimes be a bit tricky to navigate, especially when it comes to customizing your pages. One common task is hiding sections that aren't relevant to everyone or might need to be displayed only under certain conditions. Whether you're trying to streamline your page or keep things tidy, understanding how to hide a section in Confluence can be incredibly useful. Let's break down this process and explore some practical ways to do it.

Why Hide Sections in Confluence?

Before we get into the mechanics, let's talk about why you might want to hide sections in Confluence. Imagine you're working on a project with a diverse team. Not everyone needs to see every detail all the time. By hiding certain sections, you can tailor the information for different audiences, making the content more digestible and relevant.

Here are a few reasons why hiding sections might be practical:

• Streamlining Information: Too much information can overwhelm users. Hiding sections can help keep content focused and concise.
• Role-Based Visibility: Some information might only be relevant to certain team members. You can hide sections that aren't applicable to everyone, ensuring that each user sees only what's necessary for their role.
• Conditional Content: Sometimes, content is only relevant under specific conditions or timeframes. Hiding sections allows you to control when and how this information is displayed.

Now that we have a good grasp of why you might want to hide sections, let's dive into the how-to part.

Using the Expand Macro

The Expand macro is one of the simplest ways to hide sections in Confluence. It allows you to collapse sections of your page, which users can then expand if they want more information. This doesn't technically "hide" the content, but it certainly keeps it out of sight until someone decides they need it.

Here's how you can use the Expand macro:

1. Navigate to the page where you want to hide a section.
2. Click on the edit button to open the editor.
3. Place your cursor where you want to add the Expand macro.
4. Type /expand or select Insert more content > Other macros > Expand.
5. In the Expand macro, you can enter a title for the expandable section. This title will be visible to users.
6. Below the title, add the content you want to hide. This content will be hidden until the user clicks on the title to expand it.
7. Once you've added your content, click Publish to save your changes.

Ta-da! You've just added an expandable section. Users will now see a clickable title that expands to reveal the hidden content. This is a great way to declutter pages while still providing access to necessary information.

Using the Page Properties Macro

If you're dealing with content that only needs to be visible to specific users, the Page Properties macro might be more suitable. This allows you to hide sections based on user permissions.

Here's how you can set it up:

1. Edit your page where you want to hide content.
2. Insert the Page Properties macro by typing /page properties or by selecting Insert more content > Other macros > Page Properties.
3. Within the macro, define your properties and values. For example, you can set a property like "Access Level" and assign it a value like "Admin Only."
4. Next, you'll need to add the Page Properties Report macro on another page to control visibility based on these properties. You can set this up by typing /page properties report.
5. The report macro allows you to filter pages based on the properties you've set, ensuring that only users with the appropriate permissions will see the hidden content.

This method is excellent for situations where content needs to be hidden from users who don't have the necessary permissions. It does require a bit more setup but is powerful for role-based content management.

Hiding Sections with CSS

For those who are a bit more tech-savvy, using CSS to hide sections in Confluence can be a real game-changer. This method requires some basic knowledge of CSS and the use of space stylesheets.

Here's a quick guide:

1. Go to the Space Tools panel in the bottom left corner of your Confluence space.

2. Select Look and Feel > Stylesheet to access the CSS editor.

3. Add your CSS rules to target specific sections of your page. For instance, if you want to hide a section with a specific class or ID, you can add a rule like:

   #my-section {
       display: none'
   }
   

Keep in mind that applying CSS changes will affect all pages in the space, so be cautious and test thoroughly.

Using CSS gives you fine-grained control over what gets hidden, but it's not for the faint of heart. If you're not comfortable with CSS, it might be best to stick with macros.

Utilizing User Macros

If you have administrative privileges in Confluence, you can create custom user macros to hide sections. User macros allow you to create reusable components that can encapsulate functionality like hiding content.

Here's a basic way to set up a user macro:

1. Navigate to Confluence Administration > Custom HTML.
2. Click on Add to create a new user macro.
3. Give your macro a name and a description.
4. In the Macro Code section, enter the HTML and logic required to hide content. This might involve JavaScript to toggle visibility.
5. Save your macro and use it on your pages by typing /your-macro-name.

User macros provide a flexible way to tailor content visibility, but they require some programming knowledge. They're fantastic for creating custom solutions that can be reused across multiple pages.

Control Content with Permissions

Another method for hiding sections in Confluence is by leveraging permissions. While this doesn't hide a specific section on a page, it can restrict access to entire pages based on user roles or groups.

Here's how to adjust permissions:

1. Go to the page you want to restrict.
2. Click on the Restrict button (usually found under the page tools menu).
3. Set the permissions for who can view or edit the page. You can specify individual users or entire groups.
4. Save your changes.

This approach ensures that only the right eyes see the content. It's less about hiding sections and more about controlling access, but it's an effective way to manage who sees what.

Combining Methods for Greater Flexibility

Sometimes, a single method isn't enough. You might find that combining several approaches gives you the flexibility you need. For example, you could use the Expand macro for less sensitive information and CSS for sections that need to stay hidden until specific actions are taken.

Consider a scenario where you have a project dashboard. You could use the Expand macro for detailed project phases, CSS to hide sections that are still in draft form, and user macros for content that needs conditional visibility. Combining these methods can make your Confluence pages dynamic and adaptable.

Staying Organized with Templates

To make your life easier, consider creating templates that incorporate hidden sections. This way, you don't have to recreate the wheel each time you need to hide something. Templates can save you time and keep your pages consistent.

Here's how to create a template:

1. Navigate to your space and select Space Tools > Content Tools > Templates.
2. Click Add New Template.
3. Design your template, incorporating expand macros, CSS, or any other hiding methods you prefer.
4. Save your template.

Next time you need to create a page with hidden sections, you can simply use your template. This approach is ideal for teams with recurring documentation needs.

Experimenting with Different Approaches

Not every method will work for every situation, so don't be afraid to experiment. You might find that a combination of expand macros and permissions works best for one team, while another team prefers using CSS and user macros. The beauty of Confluence is its flexibility and adaptability to various needs.

As you experiment, pay attention to user feedback. Understanding how your team interacts with the hidden sections can provide valuable insights into what works and what doesn't. Adjust your approach as needed to ensure optimal functionality and user experience.

Final Thoughts

Hiding sections in Confluence can streamline your content and make it more engaging for your audience. Whether you're using macros, CSS, or permission settings, there are plenty of ways to achieve the desired outcome. Interestingly enough, we at Spell offer a similar ease of use with AI-powered document editing, making your writing tasks not only quicker but also more efficient. Try different approaches and see what suits your needs best. Happy documenting!