How can I create a Confluence table that has vertical headings using the JIRA Issue/Filter macro?
Asked by Lynne Easterbrook:

Our group uses Confluence pages to create test documentation. We create tables using the JIRA Issue/Filter macro to pull JIRA issues into Confluence. We need to have the table column headings in Confluence run vertically versus horizontally.


Answers:
author: Lynne Easterbrook
body: Hi Shannon,

The developers suggested checking out an add-in application called "Table Filters and Charts." I contacted the developers of that application and learned that it cannot reorient a Confluence macro-created table at this time.

I hope if more users need this feature that Confluence will consider develping a way to make it happen.

Thank you again for your suggestions and support!

Lynne

comments: author: Shannon S
body: No worries, Lynne! Thank you for your response and take care!

Kind Regards,  
Shannon


author: Shannon S
body: Hi Lynne,

In Confluence, you should be able to select a heading row:

![Screen Shot 2017-08-14 at 1.08.30 PM.jpg](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/4595i22FB54ED5FDEF54F/image-dimensions/490x217?v=v2 "Screen Shot 2017-08-14 at 1.08.30 PM.jpg")You would find this option after creating the table. Are my examples what you're attempting to do?

Kind Regards,  
Shannon

comments: author: Lynne Easterbrook
body: Hi Shannon,

Thank you for taking the time to paste in a screen shot. Unfortunately, the header row feature in Confluence only works for tables created directly in Confluence. We are using the JIRA Issues/Filter macro to enter JIRA tickets in a tabular format in a Confuence page. The header row buttons do not work for those tables.

I tried pasting a Word table into a Confluence page but the header row feature would not change it, either.

I will write to the developers to see if they know if this can be done or not.

Best wishes!

Lynne


author: Shannon S
body: Lynne,

Sorry about that! I've created a feature request here:

* [CONFSERVER-53202](https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/CONFSERVER-53202)

When you write to the developers, if they let you know a way to modify it directly in the code, please feel free to post your answer here and on the feature request, so if other users would like the same feature, they can see how to work around the issue.

Thank you!

Kind Regards,  
Shannon


author: Shannon S
body: Hi Lynne,

Are you referring to the look of the headings [on this example](https://superuser.com/questions/741451/how-do-i-create-vertical-table-headings-in-confuence)? In that article, it explains how you can create a user macro in confluence with vertical headings. You could try placing your JIRA Issues macro inside a user macro like that or alter the CSS completely, and you may be able to get the result you require.

Let us know if you have any trouble.

Kind Regards,  
Shannon

comments: author: Lynne Easterbrook
body: Hi Shannon,

Thanks! That example shows how to align the words inside the column heading.

Instead, we need to "flip" the table structure so that the column headings run vertically down the page instead of across, so that the populated table cells below each heading appear to the right of the heading column, not below it.

Like this:

Heading -\> Populated cell

Heading -\> Populated cell

Heading -\> Populated cell

Instead of this:

Heading

Populated cell

I sure hope someone has figured this out because it is taking us a lot of extra time to do it manually after we export from Confluence to MS Word. We use Scroll office for the export, and we still have to copy the exported table, put it in MS Excel to transpose (flip) the orientation, then embed the Excel file in the Word document in order to use the table as a test script.

Thanks again,

Lynne