Batch Editing Documentation
Specify makes it simple to edit a batch of records directly through the Specify WorkBench interface. The Batch Editing tool is a powerful way to augment or modify existing records – potentially affecting thousands of records with just a few mouse clicks. Use Batch Editing to:
- Update fields to comply with Darwin Core standards.
- Add new information to multiple records at once.
- Standardize or correct grammatical and spelling errors.
Below is an overview of Batch Editing, including images of the interface, setup guidelines, and step-by-step instructions.
Note: All tables are supported except for:
- Tree tables (Taxon, Storage, Geography, Chronostratigraphy, Lithostratigraphy, Tectonic Unit)
- Audit Log
Interface Overview
Batch Edit and the WorkBench use the same grid editing interface. To learn about the full suite of tools available in the grid editor, please review the WorkBench documentation:
Grid Navigation
The Validate button works similarly to that in the WorkBench. In addition, Batch Edit displays cell highlights for specific actions:
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Updated Cells:
Cells with newly changed values are highlighted light blue.
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Deleted Cells:
Cells where records are deleted and dependent cells are empty are highlighted orange.
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Matched and Changed Cells:
Cells where a to-one independent record is matched to a different record than the current one are highlighted blue.
Before You Begin
Before launching a Batch Edit session, please take the following precautions:
- Make a fresh, full backup of your database.
- Ensure that you understand the relationships represented by the fields and tables you wish to change before using the Batch Editor.
- When creating queries to choose the data that will be displayed in the Batch Editor, create the query from the primary table and include fields and tables related to the specific data you wish to edit.
- After a batch edit is completed, view the updated query results to confirm that your changes did not inadvertently affect related fields and tables. Remember, once any of the updated data is edited, it cannot be rolled back.
Background Information
- The default number of records selected from a query is 5000. This can be changed in Preferences, though larger data sets will take longer to validate and commit.
- Batch Editing is available only to users with Admin, Manager, or Full Access status who have access to both the Query Builder and WorkBench tools.
- Tree-structured information can only be viewed and not edited in the Batch Edit tool.
- Relationships to a base table will be read-only and can be viewed but not edited.
- Fields that are read-only in the schema (e.g., GUID or Timestamp Created) can only be viewed.
- When you bring data into Batch Edit, you are essentially “checking it out” from the database to later validate and apply changes. If other users are editing the same records, discrepancies may occur during validation. In this case, Specify will not commit the changes and will alert you via a dialog window.
- If more than one collection resides in a single database, any changes made in shared tables will affect all collections within the same Discipline.
Useful Links:
Choosing Records to Edit
To select records for batch editing, create a query by clicking on the appropriate table in the Create Query section or use an existing one.
Note: When choosing a base table, all system tables, institution-scoped tables, and trees cannot be batch edited. In such cases, the associated button will remain disabled.
Add all the fields you want to edit or view, ensuring you include related data to determine the uniqueness of each record. Once you finish, you can save the query by clicking the Save Query button in the top right and naming your query. We recommend saving the query in case you need to perform multiple batch edits to include all the data.
Batch Editing Process
Once your query is ready, click the Batch Edit button above the query results.
If you haven’t saved the query, you’ll receive a warning and have the option to cancel and save or continue without saving.
The query results will then display in a spreadsheet format, and you can access the Batch Edit tool via the Batch Edit option in the navigation bar.
A demonstration video is available:
The Batch Edit interface resembles the WorkBench grid editor, offering functionalities such as copy, paste, sort, fill up, fill down, etc. For more details, see the Workbench documentation.
If you need to revert back to the original data during editing, click the Revert button at the top right of the screen. Once you are satisfied with your changes, click the Validate button in the top-right area of the Workspace screen.
Viewing Results
Click the Results button to see the total number of records that will be updated in each affected table. If these numbers do not match your expectations, review your edits before committing changes.
It may be helpful to load and edit a small subset of records first, then create queries on the modified records to analyze the impact on related fields and tables. Once satisfied, proceed to apply the changes to all records.
After verifying that there are no validation errors, click the Commit button.
Commit and Record Set Management
After committing a Batch Edit, the records can be saved in a new Record Set. By default, the Record Set is named BE commit of “(query name)”, but you can modify the name for clarity. If you opt not to save initially, you can always return to the Results button and click Create Record Set later.
Roll Back
If you detect any issues after committing, use the Roll Back feature. To do this, query the updated records and, if necessary, return to the Batch Edit data set to roll back the changes. This will revert all values to their state prior to the batch edit, allowing you to rebuild the data set and try again.