Must have Confluence tools?
Asked by Kyra Seipel:

My company is moving from a Product/Dev only implementation of Confluence to a company wide use. We're exploring all the different tools and integrations that are available and were curious what everyone had as their "must have" tools and integrations. What are the add-ons that you just can't live without?


Answers:
author: Kate Pawlak _Appsvio_
body: If you want to save your time and make pages consistent, I recommend you to try our app [Content Template Macro foro Confluence](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1222146/content-template-macro-for-confluence?hosting=cloud&tab=overview). It allows you to create templates for repetitive information (such as boxes with warnings / notes, footer with contact details etc). Confluenece users can use them as a macro. If you need to modify something (for example: you need to change a contact number to Jira administrator), you have to change it only in one place (not clicking on every page to edit and change it manually). What is also worth to mention, this app supports HTML :)

At our company, we mostly use this app creating the documentation. For example, we templated warnings about permissions and info boxes about support :)


author: Mike Rathwell
body: Hi there [@Kyra Seipel](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/3867099) !

Welcome to the wide world of using the best documentation and Collaboration tool possible!

Before I get to the things I add to my system (and note; I am hosted... not cloud so some of my tools may not be available but there likely will be an analog for it) *make sure you don't fall into the SharePoint model of usage with Confluence.*SharePoint doesn't do stuff. As such it almost always gets used as an extra clumsy file server. Confluence, conversely, is easy and pleasant to create content in so do that rather than attach files. The key plugins I'll cite ARE based around creating content and not merely attaching files from somewhere else. This isn't where Confluence shines.

For the humans that come up with "I can share this O365/G-Suite document the same way", the answer is... yes... ish. With O365/G-Suite, you have to *explicitly* share content, where with Confluence, once content is in a given spot, it is *implicitly* shared with all that can view that spot. This greatly reduces the number of information silos.

My list of things include (with some of these free in the Server edition):

* [Navitabs](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/28632/navitabs-tabs-for-confluence?hosting=server&tab=overview)
* [Bob Swift Advanced Tables](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/197/advanced-tables-for-confluence?hosting=server&tab=overview)
* [PlantUML plugin](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/41025/plantuml-for-confluence?hosting=server&tab=overview)
* [Confluence Source editor](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1210722/confluence-source-editor?hosting=server&tab=overview) (can often save the day on a borked page)
* [Countdown Timer](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1211116/countdown-timer?hosting=server&tab=overview)
* [Multiexcerpt](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/169/multiexcerpt?hosting=server&tab=overview)
* [No Email Storm](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/42684/no-email-storm?hosting=server&tab=overview)
* [Spectrum Formatting Macros](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1212124/spectrum-formatting-macros?hosting=server&tab=overview)
* [Table Filter and Charts](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/27447/table-filter-and-charts-for-confluence?hosting=server&tab=overview)

I have rather more in here than that but those would be a good start for some serious content *creation*. It comes down to, if you can edit in the traditionals, it is easier and nicer with Confluence AND do take the time to get quick with the keyboard shortcuts. They are logical and easier to use than those in O365 or G-Suite and make it MUCH faster to make good docs.

comments: author: Kyra Seipel
body: [@Mike Rathwell](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/853367) Wow! Thank you for taking the time for such a detailed response! I'll take a look at all of those!


author: repi
body: Hallo [@Kyra Seipel](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/3867099)

Here are my apps installed in a purely privately used confluence:  

<br />

![apps.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/94966i2AF8876A0EB21B50/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "apps.png")

... and the self-created user macros:

![user_macros.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/94968iBFDF4EE037EA2D42/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "user_macros.png")


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