3 ways to add numbered headings to Confluence pages
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3 ways to add numbered headings to Confluence pages
Holly Aspinall
2nd May, 2023
Holly Aspinall
2nd May, 2023
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Route 1: Manually number Confluence headings
How to manually number headings
Route 2: Automatically number Confluence headings
2.1. Standalone solution - Numbered Headings macro
2.2. All-in-one styling - Content Formatting Macros
Improve the structure and navigation of your Confluence pages today! Discover three approaches to numbering headings - and which one is right for you.
Headings are an essential part of any well-structured Confluence page. But when you have too many headings on a page, your content can be hard to follow.
Numbered headings help you to divide relevant information into clearly-labelled sections, making your Confluence pages more accessible and easier for users to navigate. Though Confluence doesn't have a built-in tool to number headings automatically, there are other ways to add them to your pages.
Let's explore three ways to number Confluence headings — and why each approach might be right for you.
1. Numbering headings manually in Confluence
While manually numbering your headings is achievable, it can be fiddly and time-consuming. It's your main option if you don't want to extend Confluence's features with an add-on from the Atlassian Marketplace.
✍️ Tip: Keeping track of your headings as you go can be tricky. To reduce the likelihood of missing a heading, we suggest you list your headings and subheadings on a separate document before you start.
Manually numbering headings on a Confluence page
How to manually add numbered headings in Confluence
To keep these instructions clear, we've called main headings top-level headings. Headings that sit below the top-level headings are called subheadings.
1. Open your Confluence page. Select the edit button ✏️ in the toolbar.
2. Scroll to your first top-level heading. Type your first number before the name of the heading, followed by a space.
3. Add the correct numbers to any subheadings in the section. The gif below can help you work out which part of the number you should change.
Your heading level will affect the part of the number to change
4. Repeat the process for every section, starting every top-level heading with a new number.
5. When you're done, select Publish in the top-right corner.
Drawbacks of manually numbered headings
The biggest downside to manually numbering headings is the time and effort it takes to set up and maintain. It's also hard to keep track of the numbering scheme, especially if you have many headings and subheadings.
Because these numbers won't automatically update when a new section gets added, moved or deleted, headings might end up in the wrong order or even without a number. If you collaborate with others on Confluence pages, manually numbered headings can become difficult to maintain.
This approach could be right for you if:
- You only need to structure a few Confluence pages
- Your content doesn't have many headings or subheadings
- You're the sole contributor
- Your content isn't likely to be updated when you've finished writing it
However, you might want a different solution if you're collaborating on content, have pages with many headings, or want the peace of mind that you won't need to keep an eye on the pages.
2. Automatically number your headings with Confluence add-ons
Want to put your time and energy towards more meaningful work? Luckily, some Confluence macros automatically keep your heading numbering up to date. You'll never need to double-check headings when your page content changes.
Whether you want a standalone macro or something more comprehensive, we've got you covered.
🚨 Note: These macros are both for Confluence for Cloud. If you're a Server/Data Center user, you can use the CSS Style Sheet macro in Content Formatting Macros for Confluence to automatically number headings for you. Check out this tutorial to find out more. 🚨
The Numbered Headings macro makes structuring pages a breeze
Try Numbered Headings for free today and see how much time you save 👇
2.1. Standalone solution - Numbered Headings macro
The Numbered Headings macro is a simple but powerful tool. This handy little macro adds a convenient button to your Confluence page toolbar, so you can convert your pages without adding separate macros to the content.
Every Confluence page is different, and the Numbered Headings macro lets you choose from several number formats (such as Roman and Latin) to fit your needs.
Is Numbered Headings right for you?
Numbered Headings is ideal if you want a simple but effective tool that takes the hard work out of numbering your headings.
Numbered Headings gives you several number formats to choose from
Benefits:
- Automatically numbers your headings at the click of a button
- No need to add any macros to your content
- Customise your page's look by choosing the number format
- Easily update your numbering when you add, remove or rearrange content
How to use Numbered Headings in Confluence
- Install Numbered Headings for Confluence (you can try it free for 30 days!)
- Create your page as you would normally
- Set your different heading levels using the Heading Styles dropdown menu (this should be to the right of the undo and redo buttons)
- Publish your page
- Select the Numbered Headings icon from the Edit menu (the little icon with numbers and lines)
- On the pop-up, toggle Numbered Headings. Choose a suitable number format
- Click Save
- Refresh your page to see your new Numbered Headings!
Watch the gif below to see how it's done 👇
Try Numbered Headings for free today and see how much time you save 👇
However, this macro might not be the best choice if you plan to invest in other macros to bring structure and style to your Confluence pages.
Why? Because you can save yourself time, effort, and money by investing in an all-in-one collection of macros - Numbered Headings included! Read on to learn more...
2.2. All-in-one styling: Content Formatting Macros for Confluence
Content Formatting Macros for Confluence is a suite of add-ons that enhance the look and feel of your pages. Automatically numbering your headings is just the beginning of what you can do with this macro bundle.
You can use Numbered Headings alongside other Content Formatting Macros
Content Formatting Macros vs Numbered Headings - the main difference
Numbered Headings is just one of many included macros that make your content more accessible. With Content Formatting Macros, Numbered Headings works just like the standalone version with an easy-access button in the toolbar.
Content Formatting Macros offer new and exciting ways to make your pages more engaging and readable. These include a range of visual add-ons such as cards, buttons, and backgrounds, plus other ways to organise your content and give it more context.
Whether you're styling a knowledge base or adding structure to documentation, you can use Numbered Headings with any of the included macros to make Confluence pages that users love.
Features:
- An all-in-one bundle of macros to structure and style your Confluence pages
- Macros thoughtfully designed to work together
- Includes Numbered Headings plus many other tools, such as Background, Tabs, Tooltip, and Buttons macros - learn more about the included macros
Is Content Formatting Macros for Confluence right for you?
Content Formatting Macros for Confluence give you the power to structure and style your Confluence pages.
You should consider this add-on if:
You should consider this add-on if:
- You want to add more company branding to your Confluence pages
- You'd prefer to invest in a bundle instead of many separate macros to save money
- You want to make your content more engaging and accessible
In a nutshell: If your Confluence pages need more structure and style than Numbered Headings alone can provide, Content Formatting Macros are for you.
Ready to make your content more user-friendly?
Get Numbered Headings and a host of other macros with Content Formatting Macros for Confluence Cloud. Try free today!
The Bottom Line
Though manually numbering your headings is possible, a Confluence macro will save you time and energy that you can put towards more meaningful work.
If you're still unsure which option is right for you, why not try Content Formatting Macros for free? You'll get 30 days of unlimited access to the entire macro suite (including Numbered Headings), so you can decide which tool best meets your needs.
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Written by
Holly Aspinall
Content Marketing Manager
Holly is dedicated to writing valuable, accessible guides that help users understand their tools better. She champions products that help modern workers do more with Confluence, monday.com, and beyond.
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