Incognito mode
Keep editor-only helper data out of the normal reader view.
COLUMNS
Mark a column as Incognito in the Columns tab. Confirmed page editors see its contents; readers without edit permission do not.
It is useful for editorial IDs, check fields, and working notes. It is not encryption or access control, and it does not replace Confluence permissions.
Mark a column as Incognito
Turn on Incognito from the icon next to the Header field for the column you want to restrict to page editors.
Open Columns
Edit the macro and switch to the Columns tab.
Expand the column settings
Click the column whose values should be visible only to page editors.
Turn on the Incognito icon
Under Column details, click the Incognito icon at the end of the Header field. The column is marked Incognito mode on; save or publish the page when you are done.
A simple example
A Revenue Operations team publishes a pipeline table for a wider audience.
- Before
- The table shows internal deal IDs alongside customer name, stage, and owner.
- After
- The team marks Deal ID as Incognito. Editors keep their working context while readers see only the business information they need.
Incognito Mode
Incognito mode lets you mark a column so its content is only shown in the normal table view to users who have permission to edit the Confluence page.
COLUMNS
Quick guide
- Edit the table macro or import dialog.
- Open the column you want to protect from the standard reader view.
- Enable Incognito mode for that column.
- Review the incognito indicator in the column settings.
- Click Save to apply the configuration.
How it works
When Incognito mode is enabled on a column, Simple Tables checks whether the current user can edit the page. Users with edit permission can see the column content. Users without edit permission do not see that content in the regular table view.
- The setting is applied per column.
- An incognito badge appears in the column configuration when the mode is active.
- The column can still remain visible as a configured column for editors.
- The behavior follows page edit permissions, not a separate Simple Tables permission list.
What editors see
Editors can identify incognito columns from the badge in the column configuration and from the incognito icon shown inside the header field.
This makes it easier for editors to understand why a column behaves differently for readers and editors.
Important limitation
Incognito mode is a visibility feature, not a security boundary. It is designed to hide column content from the standard page view for users who cannot edit the page.
The content is not encrypted or removed from every browser-accessible place. A user may still be able to inspect page data through browser developer tools or other technical means.
Do not use Incognito mode for secrets, credentials, private keys, passwords, or data that must be protected by strict access control. Use Confluence permissions and appropriate data handling controls for sensitive information.
When to use it
- Internal IDs that editors need but readers do not.
- Operational notes that should stay out of the normal published view.
- Helper fields used to prepare, sort, or validate table data.
- Columns that should be available to page editors without cluttering reader-facing tables.
Revenue Operations
Acme Co - Sales Team
Context and challenge:
A sales team keeps a table of deals on a shared Confluence page. Editors need the internal deal ID to
maintain the table, but readers only need the business-facing deal information.
Solution - Incognito mode:
The team marks the Deal ID column as incognito. Page editors can still see the ID while maintaining
the table, while users without edit permission do not see that value in the normal table view.
Impact:
The published table stays cleaner for readers, while editors keep the operational fields they need for maintenance.
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