Modifying Fields and Templates on Multiple Entries

You can modify the field and template information applied to multiple entries (documents and folders) by opening the Fields dialog box in the folder browser with more than one entry selected. This allows you to set template and field information for multiple entries at once.

If the selected entries already have an assigned template, the template will be listed. If they have multiple, different templates assigned , the Template drop-down will list "Multiple templates assigned." Changing the template will cause all original template field information to be lost, unless both templates share the same field.

If documents have the same field with the same value assigned (including no value), the value will be displayed; if they have the same field but with different values, the field will display "Values assigned to the selected entries vary." Changing a value will save that value for all selected documents, even if that would overwrite existing values.

Adding a new, individual field will apply that field and its new value to all selected documents, but will not affect any other field or template information.

To view or modify fields associated with multiple entries

In the Laserfiche Windows client

1. Select multiple entries, either in a single folder in the folder browser or from search results. You can select multiple entries by holding down the CTRL button while you click on them.
2. Perform one of the following:
   • Open the Tasks drop-down menu and select View Metadata or View Fields.
   • Right-click and select Fields.
   • Click View Metadata or View Fields on the toolbar.
3. The Fields dialog box will open. The template assigned the entries will be listed in the Template drop-down at the top of the dialog box, with the fields in that template displayed beneath it. If the Template drop-down contains a template name or "No template assigned," all selected documents have the specified template or have no template. If the Template drop-down contains "Multiple templates assigned," the selected entries have more than one template assigned to them.
4. To set the same template on all selected entries, choose a template in the Template drop-down. s

   Warning: If one or more of the entries have already been assigned a different template, changing to a template with different fields will cause all original field information to be lost. If the two templates share one or more fields, however, the values for those shared fields will be retained.

5. If all entries have the same template, or if all documents have the same independently-assigned field, the shared fields will be displayed, and if those fields have the same value (or is empty in all selected entries), the value will be displayed as well. If more than one value is saved in a single field across multiple documents, the field will display "Values assigned to the selected entries vary."
6. To modify the value of a field, click the text box beneath the field name and type a value, or select the drop-down for a list or dynamic field and select a value from those provided. Depending on the type of field, there may be additional considerations to keep in mind:

Warning: If you make a change to a field, your value will be saved to that field for all selected documents. If one or more of the selected documents already have a value in the field, the original value will be lost.

• Field Types: You will only be able to input valid field values, based on the field's type. For instance, you would not be able to type letters in a number field, and only a date can be stored in a date field.
• Multi-Value Fields: Some fields allow multiple values. When a value is typed in a multiple-value field, another box will open beneath it to allow additional fields to be input.
• Dynamic Fields: If your template has dynamic fields, some fields may depend on other fields. For instance, a template might have dynamic fields for "State" and "City" information. In that situation, you would need to choose a value for "State" before choosing a value for "City;" if you tried to choose "City" first, the list would be blank.
• Required Fields: If a field is marked as 'required,' you will not be able to save the document without inputting a value in that field. The field name for required fields displays in red text.
• Field Formatting: Your administrators may have configured a number of date field to display in a particular way. This formatting will automatically be applied to the value you type as soon as you click away from the field. For instance, if you type the value "7.5" in a number field with the Currency format, it will automatically be formatted as "$7.50".
• Field Constraints: If a field has a constraint set on it, only values that match that constraint will be accepted. For instance, if a field constraint requires a telephone number be typed in the format 123-456-7890, you would not be able to type that phone number in as (123) 456-7890.
5. If you are working in the Metadata dialog box, click OK to save your changes. If you are working in the Metadata Pane of the document viewer, save the document to save your changes.

Related Topics

• Fields and templates
• Viewing and modifying fields and templates
• Assigning a template
• Choosing individual fields
• Removing fields and templates
• Field types, formatting, and properties
• Dynamic fields
• Disabled fields and field security
• Tips for working with fields
• Performing field and template searches
• Fields (Laserfiche Administration Guide)
• Templates (Laserfiche Administration Guide)