Confluence tabs are among the many macros you can use to better structure the layouts of your pages. But when should I use them? When should I opt for a different macros? And how to get started?
If you are asking yourself these questions, then this article is for you. We are going to see when (and when not) to use Confluence tabs, tips to use them effectively, and how to get started.
When (and when not) to Use Confluence Tabs
Confluence tabs are more than just a neat way to tidy up your pages—they’re a strategic macro designed to enhance navigation and the overall user experience. Here’s when you should consider using them:
Use tabs when…
Information Overload:
This is the most common use case for tabs. You have a long and quite complex piece of content that can be divided into distinct sections. This is when to use tabs. They help break down large chunks of information into digestible sections.
Example: A product page that needs to display user manuals, FAQs, and support contact details can benefit from organizing these sections into tabs.
Multiple Related Topics:
You have a parent Confluence page with several subtopics that belong together but deserve their own spotlight. Here the common mistake is to simply use headings and subheadings. The problem? SCROLLING. You don’t want your readers to endlessly scroll long content to find the subtopics they are looking for. Use tabs to create horizontal or vertical tabs (depending on the content length). This way your readers can easily grasp the bigger picture and quickly access information.
Example: We use this extensively in our marketing pages to separate campaign strategies, analytics, and creative assets all within the same page.
Step-by-Step Processes:
Think employee onboarding, project management, and any similar content template where processes are key. You want to display steps and help your users immediately navigate through them. For such complex procedures with distinct stages, Confluence tabs can represent each step clearly.
Example: A project management page can use tabs to outline the phases of a project, from initiation to closure. The same can be applied for employee onboarding, for example, with each tab representing a specific timeframe (first day, week, month, and so on).
Comparing Options:
This use case holds true for both internal (and especially customer facing pages). When you’re showcasing different products, plans, or ideas side by side, Confluence tabs make for easy comparison.
Example: A software landing page might have tabs for different pricing plans, each with its own set of features and benefits.
Frequently Accessed Information:
Understanding your user content preferences is key when designing your Confluence pages. You always want the layout to put key and often accessed information front and center. If users often need to jump to specific sections, then you can leverage Confluence tabs to make those sections easily accessible.
Example: An HR or onboarding template could include tabs to separate policies, benefits, and forms for quick access.
Different User Roles:
Confluence pages can target a variety of users. When your page caters to various audience types (e.g., beginners vs. advanced users, business vs tech users), Confluence tabs can segregate content appropriately. This helps each user group quickly find the information they need without unnecessary scrolling.
Example: A training page might have tabs for beginner, intermediate, and advanced tutorials.
Don’t use tabs when…
Although it is important to know when to use tabs, it is also equally important to knwo when to use them and opt for other macros. Here’s when you might want to think twice:
Minimal & Short Content:
If your page is short and concise, Confluence tabs might overcomplicate things. And you don’t want that. A single, well-organized section might do the job. You can use headings and subheadings to organize content, or other macros such as panels and expanders.
Check out this dedicated Atlassian community post to learn more about expanders
Linear Flow of Information:
For content that flows best when read from start to finish, Confluence tabs could disrupt the natural progression by giving users control of which parts to access or skip. Think of an onboarding plan, documentation or a report that builds on each previous section. What can I use instead? In some popular Confluence templates, you can simply use headings, bullet points, and even tables.
Critical Information:
This is similar in a way to the above point. Think of a critical document: a new release documentation or latest company update. That is critical information that you want your users to read. Don’t hide such content behind a Confluence tab. For this you can use plain text with minimal formatting and styling options (which is not highly recommended). Or you can opt for more dedicated macros, in this case, panels. Panels are great for critical information as they are highly customizable in terms of style and colors allowing you to indicate what the content is about. For example, you can customize panels for warning messages, information, and much more.
Choosing Between Horizontal and Vertical Confluence Tabs
Now that you have an idea on when (and when not) to use Confluence tabs, let’s dive more into the specific. A question that most of our customers ask is when should I use horizontal or vertical tabs. Both have their strengths and ideal use cases.
Use Horizontal Confluence Tabs When…
You Have a Limited Number of Tabs:
Horizontal tabs are best when you have a small to moderate number of tabs (typically 2-7). This layout works well because it keeps all the tabs visible at the top of the page without overwhelming the user.
Showcasing Important Navigation Sections:
This holds true especially for customer facing Confluence pages. If your tabs represent high-level categories or sections, horizontal placement keeps them prominent and easily accessible.
Maintaining Consistent Page Width:
When your content is best viewed within a consistent page width, horizontal tabs ensure the content remains centered and avoids unnecessary scrolling.
Use Vertical Confluence Tabs When…
Working with Many Tabs or Sections:
Vertical tabs are ideal when you have a large number of tabs or sections that need to be accessible at once. This layout allows for more tabs without crowding the interface.
Including Detailed Subsections:
If your content is divided into detailed subsections that users might need to explore thoroughly, vertical tabs keep everything organized and within reach.
Using Tabs as a Sidebar Functionality:
If your tabs serve as a sidebar to navigate between different sections of a page, vertical tabs naturally fit this design pattern.
Best Practices to Work with Confluence Tabs
Mastering Confluence tabs requires knowing when to use them, and also understanding a couple of best practices to use them effectively.
Keep your tabs clear:
This is pretty much straightforward. Use concise, descriptive tab names rather than generic ones. This will allow your readers to quickly understand the topic within each tab.
Keep your tabs simple:
Do we have too much content? Let’s put it all within tabs. This is obviously an absolute no no. This will replace an overwhelming Confluence page with even more overwhelming tabs.
Try to keep the amount of content relatively even across Confluence tabs. This makes your page look well-organized and easy to navigate. If the content within each tab becomes long and you need to scroll to navigate through it, you might want to consider creating a child page.
Maintain Consistency across your Confluence space & site:
If you use a certain tab structure and style on one page, stick to it across similar pages. For example, if you’ ve been using horizontal tabs along with a specific design for a given use case such as onboarding. Don’t switch to vertical and change the color on another page. This consistency helps users know what to expect within each page and facilitate navigation.
Don’t overuse tabs
Don’t make tabs become a problem by overusing them. More often than not, we see Confluence pages with horizontal tabs at the of the page, vertical ones in the middle, all while filled with long content. Don’t do that. Know when to use tabs, when to use other macros, and keep in mind that frequency is key.
Avoid Breaking Page Flow
Confluence tabs should enhance, not hinder, the flow of information. Don’t use Confluence tabs to break up content that’s better read as a continuous narrative. Instead know where to place them depending on your content nature and flow.
Confluence tabs are designed to help you better organize and structure your content, making it more engaging to your teams. But as is the case with all Confluence macros, you need to know when to use them, which type to use, and of course, follow a couple of best practices to get started.
All the screenshots included in this post are made with our very own Tabs macros from Content Formatting Toolkit Cloud. If you like what you see, then make sure to give the app a try here.
