Docs and support
How to set up Sift
Everything you can type into the Sift macro settings, in plain words, with an example for each one.
Quick start
- 1Type /sift on a page
Confluence shows the Sift macro. Insert it.
- 2Put your table inside
Paste a table into the macro, or make a new one.
- 3Name the columns
Open the macro settings. Under Button filters type the columns you want, for example
Status; Owner. Save.
Want to see it first? The demo runs in your browser. If you have an Atlassian login you can also open the real Confluence page.
Settings
All of these are in the macro settings panel. Column names must match the table header exactly.
| Setting | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Button filters | Columns that get buttons. One column per line, or separate with ; | Status; Owner |
| Show only some values | Only the values you list get a button, in that order. The rest sit behind an Other button. | Owner = Emma Johnson, Liam Carter |
| All except | Every value except the ones you list. | Owner != Lucas Silva |
| Dropdown filters | Columns that get a dropdown instead of buttons. Good for long lists. | Team, Vendor |
| Colour rules | Colour cells by value. One column per line. First matching rule wins. | Status: Blocked=red, Done=greenCost: >10000=red |
| Colour what | The matching cell only, or the whole row. | Cell or Row |
| Presets | A named set of filters that becomes one button. One per line. | Not done = Status != Done |
| Default selection | What is selected when the page opens. Readers can clear it. | Status = Blocked |
| Remember each viewer | Sift remembers what each person clicked and shows it again next time. | On or off |
| Me button | On columns with @mentions, a Me button shows the rows that mention the reader. | On or off |
| Cells with more than one value | Split a cell like "Security, Compliance" into two values. | Tags=, |
| Cell text | How much of a long cell to show. Hover to read the rest. | Everything, one line, first 60 or first 120 characters |
| Single-select columns | Clicking a value swaps to it instead of adding it. | Owner |
| Button order | Alphabetical, or by how many rows each value has. | A to Z or by count |
| Buttons before "+N more" | How many buttons to show before the rest collapse. | 8 |
| Dropdown above N values | A button column with more values than this becomes a dropdown on its own. | 25 |
| Ignore first N rows | For tables with a title row above the real header. | 1 |
| Hide a value for everyone | Page editors see a small ✕ next to each button. Hidden values are listed underneath and can be restored. | Click the ✕ |
Colours
A colour rule is Column: value=colour. Put several on one line with commas. You can compare numbers with >, >=, <, <= and !=. Use ~ for "contains" and * for "anything else".
Example: Status: Blocked=red, In progress=orange, Done=green, *=gray
Sift Pro
Everything in the free version stays free. Pro adds these.
| Setting | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sort | Click a column header. Once for ascending, again for descending, a third time to clear. Numbers and dates sort as such. Empty cells stay last. | No setting needed |
| Click a cell to filter | Click any cell to see only rows with that value, even on columns without buttons. A chip appears; click it to remove the filter. | No setting needed |
| Totals row | One line per total, computed on the rows you can see. | Cost = sumTask = count |
| Table height | The table scrolls inside a fixed height. The header and totals stay in place. | 300, 450 or 600 px |
| Export | Export CSV of what is on screen, or Copy for Excel. | Buttons under the table |
Limits
- •Vertically merged cells cannot be filtered. Sift shows a warning and leaves the table as it is.
- •Tables made by other macros, such as Jira Issues or Page Properties Report, are not visible to Sift. Use Sift Board for those.
- •Confluence Cloud only. Data Center is not supported.
Get help
Email aravind3@gmail.com. You get a reply within two working days. Bugs, ideas and questions are all welcome.
Also useful: the demo, the Confluence page, privacy and terms.