Confluence - Edit template and automatically edit all pages using this template

[Remco van der Werf]

Hi,

I created a template using a Page Properties macro filled with a table.

For every customer a page is created from this template and the table in the Page Properties Macro is filled with customer specific information.

On a general page i will use the Page Properties Report to create an overview of all customers and their customer-specific information.

Is there a way (possibly other than using templates, ideas are welcome) where I can edit the table in the template's page properties macro and this way automatically update this table on all pages using this template?

I have been looking at the excerpt macro as well but if you include a table in the excerpt you can not edit the table in the excerpt per page where it is used.

Any suggestions/ideas how to solve this?

Thank you in advance!

Kind regards,

Remco

[Ted Mahsun [ServiceRocket] · Accepted solution]

Like @_Fabian A. Lopez suggested, try taking a look at the Live Templates macro from the Scaffolding app. It allows you to create living templates from a global template, a space template, or even a normal page. You only need to edit once, and the rest of the pages which are using the Live Template macro will follow.

(disclaimer: I'm a tech writer at ServiceRocket, which makes Scaffolding, but I do believe it can help you.) 

[Sean Cooney]

This doesn't work because Live Templates break all the other macros. 

eg if you have a page properties table inside a live template, you can't access it in a page properties report.

[Davin Studer · Accepted solution]

There is not a way to do this with anything built-in. We've achieved something very similar to what you are asking using ConfiForms.

[_Fabian A. Lopez]

I agree with @Davin Studer and keep also in mind that once the page is created from the template the direct relationship is broken, so any changes on the template will apply only to new pages generated.

You will need a way to extend the basic functionality of you template to make it alive. I used to use Living Template that is part of the Scaffolding Forms & Templates

[Remco van der Werf]

Thank you for reply.

I will look into the Scaffolding Forms & Templates plugin.

[Jonathan Creech]

@Davin Studer, would mind explaining how to accomplish what he is describing with ConfiForms? My company has the ConfiForms add-in already and I have not been able to figure out how to use it for project program management yet. I am currently using the page properties macro and report to track one project per page, but anytime we change something about the form, my life stops to update all 50+ pages.

[Davin Studer]

@Jonathan Creech It's pretty involved and would be hard to convey over this medium. My LinkedIn profile is linked on the social tab of my Atlassian Community profile. Feel free to send me an invite and we can set up somethings where I can walk you though what we have created.