---
title: Edit many works at once
description: "Tick works, then change the same detail on all of them, link them to another catalogue, delete them or start one file from them."
keywords: [bulk edit, select works, tick works, link to catalogue, delete works, language, musical category, version type, writer control]
---

Tick works in the list and act on them together. Owners and editors can change the same detail on all of them, link them to another catalogue, delete them or start a file from them. With view-only access the tick boxes and buttons are not there.

## Tick the works

Above the list, the heading reads **Tick works to edit, link or delete them together** until you tick one, then it counts them. The buttons stay switched off until a work is ticked.

- Tick works one at a time, or press **Select all works on this page**. The button that begins **Select all** or **Select the first** picks works matching your filters. **Clear selection** empties it.
- Ticks stay while you search, filter or change page. They use saved versions, so save any browser edits first. A work saved since shows **Changed since selection**; tick it again.
- You can edit, link or delete 200 works at a time. Past that the screen says **Select 200 works or fewer for editing or linking.**

## Change the same detail on many works

1. Press **Edit selected works**.
2. Under **What to change**, choose **Work details**, **Writer control by identifier** or **Publisher control by identifier**.
3. For work details, choose **Which detail**: **Language**, **Musical category** or **Work version type**. Then choose the new value. The version types are **Original work** and **Modified version**, which the editor words as **Arrangement or adaptation of another work**. They are the same choice.
4. For control, choose **Match party by**: **IPI** or **Your own party reference**. Type the existing value, then choose the **New control state**. Only that party's [control](/docs/cwr/glossary#controlled) changes. Names, shares, roles, societies, territories and agreements stay as they are.
5. Press **Preview changes to** and the number of works. Nothing is saved yet. A table shows each work before and after, with lists of **Skipped works** and **Conflicted works**.
6. For control changes, tick **I confirm the reviewed control changes for these exact writers or publishers.**
7. Press **Apply to** and the number. Each changed work gets a new saved version. **Change review** takes you back without saving.

![The preview of an edit to many works, with a table showing one work's language before and after, and the button Apply to 1 work.](/docs/img/workspace/edit-many.png)

The result says how many works changed. A work edited elsewhere since you opened this is not changed, and **Review current versions** reloads it so you can try again. **Done** closes the editor. **Prepare these** starts a file from the same works.

You can also arrive here from a problem. In the catalogue panel **What is holding your works up**, a button such as **Set the language for** opens this editor with the works ticked and the detail chosen. See [Fix problems on a work](/docs/workspace/catalogue/fix-problems).

## Link, delete or prepare

- **Link.** Under **Link to catalogue** choose a catalogue, then press **Link selected works**. No copies are made. See [Several catalogues](/docs/workspace/catalogue/several-catalogues).
- **Delete.** **Delete selected works** opens **Confirm deletion**, which names the works. They leave every catalogue and stop counting towards your limit. Files you prepared or sent keep their record. See [History, undo and deleted works](/docs/workspace/catalogue/history).
- **Prepare.** **Prepare selected works** starts a file from your ticks. See [Prepare a file](/docs/workspace/files/prepare).

## If something goes wrong

- **Nothing opens, and the works are unticked.** They changed since you ticked them. Tick them again.
- **Some works could not be linked.** The screen lists them and says retrying is safe.

## Related

- [Find, filter and sort works](/docs/workspace/catalogue/find)