How To create a dropdown menu in my table in Confluence
Asked by Darien Curry:

Hey all,

I have been trying to create a simple drop down menu in Confluence almost similar to how you can create one in excel or Google docs. For example in the table you will see "Animal" and the drop down you can select between Penguin, Giraffe, Elephant. I have been trying to figure out how to do this but I need help.


Answers:
author: Stiltsoft support
body: Hi [@Darien Curry](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5424877) ,

It is not possible natively but there are 3rd party apps that provide such functionality.

For example, if to talk about apps that are developed by our company, you may take the [Table Filter, Charts \& Spreadsheets](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/27447/table-filter-charts-spreadsheets-for-confluence?hosting=cloud&tab=overview&utm_source=atl_community&utm_medium=answer&utm_campaign=table-filter-traffic-sources&utm_vendorID=1216111) app and its [Table Spreadsheet](https://docs.stiltsoft.com/tfac/cloud/how-to-use-table-spreadsheet-macro-83100938.html?utm_source=atl_community&utm_medium=answer&utm_campaign=table-filter-traffic-sources&utm_vendorID=1216111) macro.

This macro provides all the basic Excel-like functionality (dropdowns, filters, cell formulas, conditional formatting, etc.) and you'll be able to edit your tables both from the page view and page edit mode.

And you may also choose the [Handy Macros for Confluence](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1214971/handy-macros-for-confluence-formatting-and-interactive-ui?hosting=cloud&tab=overview&utm_source=atl_community&utm_medium=answer&utm_campaign=handy-macros-traffic-sources&utm_vendorID=1216111) app: its [Handy Status](https://docs.stiltsoft.com/hmfc/cloud/handy-status?utm_source=atl_community&utm_medium=answer&utm_campaign=handy-macros-traffic-sources&utm_vendorID=1216111) macro will also do the trick with dropdowns within native tables.


author: Darien Curry
body: This is helpful but will I be able to use this macro in the page mode instead of template mode. I want to my entire team to be able to edit the page and not just the template in my account.

comments: author: Alessandro Cristiano
body: Hi [@Darien Curry](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5424877)

Alessandro from Ricksoft here, thank you for posting! ?

I believe that [Excel-like Tables for Confluece](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1225075/excel-like-tables-for-confluence-spreadsheet-and-chart?hosting=cloud&tab=overview) will help you to achieve what you want, by using the very same features as you would in Excel or Google Sheets.

Our app will allow you to add a gadget to your page with a full featured spreadsheet app, including drop-downs:  
![Screenshot 2024-02-08 at 12.57.32.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/305222iD21A6439BA1E9E2F/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screenshot 2024-02-08 at 12.57.32.png")

You can also add the gadget to a template, so whenever a new page is created, the spreadsheet will be already there for you.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,  
Alessandro C.


author: Darien Curry
body: Hey [@Alessandro Cristiano](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5318928) I would love to use this. I'm trying to download it and use it now.


author: Alessandro Cristiano
body: Glad to hear it, [@Darien Curry](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5424877) !

Should you need any help or have any questions, just send a reply, we at Ricksoft will be happy to help you out. ?

Cheers,

Alessandro C.


author: Michael Yaroshefsky - Visor for Jira
body: Hi [@Darien Curry](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5424877)  

Welcome to the Atlassian Community.  

If you're an admin, you can try creating a global template. From there, create a list then add a variable to the list. Here's a screenshot to make it easier for you to see how to do this:

![Screenshot 2024-02-07 at 4.58.58 PM.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/305084i88A6446A56C556A1/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screenshot 2024-02-07 at 4.58.58 PM.png").   

This support article from Atlassian might also help you <https://support.atlassian.com/confluence-cloud/docs/create-a-global-template/>  

Let us know if this help,  

Michael

comments: author: Darien Curry
body: Yeah this works for templates perfectly. But I've been trying to put drop downs in a table on the Confluence page. But it's looking like the table spreadsheet is the only option. But is there any other option to do this without using the table spreadsheet.


author: Kevin Jewett
body: Hello [@Michael Yaroshefsky - Visor for Jira](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/3743959) ,

Will/should the variable-list functionality work on non-global templates? I am not an admin but can create my own templates in my personal space. I've tried to get the variable-list to work as a drop down with no luck.

My configuration is below, but when I launch the template, there is nothing in the field where the variable macro is located.

![Capture.PNG](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/336366i77284354A5F446B9/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Capture.PNG")


author: Jason Meloche
body: [@Kevin Jewett](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5547103)

When you first select the template it gives an overview of the template as a whole before you start filling in the template. At the top it displays this   
![Screenshot 2024-08-30 111931.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/344842iAAB85DD19F945061/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screenshot 2024-08-30 111931.png")

Scroll down to your variable in the template here first before clicking "Create". You'll see the variables are selectable now. Then when you click "Create" it will fill in the selected variable and populate it in the page.   

Not real ideal to be honest but it works I guess. Hope this helps


author: Oki__PolarisOffice_
body: [@Darien Curry](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5424877)

If you need to add an exel file and edit it in a Confluence page, Polaris spreadsheet can be a good option.

Our app, Polaris spreadsheet allows you to embed an existing excel files in a confluence page and directly edit it.  
It offers full editing capabilities for excel files and provides an advanced view mode that allows you to use filters, scroll, and find. Please check the details.  
A month's free trial is available now!

[Atlassian Marketplace](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1223556/polaris-spreadsheet-for-confluence?hosting=cloud&tab=overview)


Tags: cloud

confluence-cloud

filter

table

table-filter-and-charts

table-filter-charts-spreadsheets

table-spreadsheet