Multi-editing

IT Asset Management (Cloud)

Multi-editing means selecting multiple records from a list, and changing one or more properties of that group of objects to shared values. For example, you could select many assets from the list of all assets, open their properties, and link all of them to a single cost center.

Different controls are handled in slightly different ways, as described below. In general:
  • If all the selected objects already shared a common value, then that value is displayed and may be updated.
  • If none of the selected objects had a value, the control displays None (in a dimmed font), and you may add a common value.
  • If there were different values, the control displays Multiple values (in dimmed font), and you may update all these to a common value.
  • If you do not change a control that displays Multiple values, the original distinct value for each of the objects is unchanged when you save your other edits.

I can't multi-edit some records (supported objects)

Multi-editing is currently supported for the following records:
  • Applications (only for setting status)
  • Assets
  • Computers
  • Contracts
  • Licenses
  • Users.

My Open button is disabled (common types of object)

Where the object has a type property, you can only multi-edit those of the same type. For example, if you select two workstations from the asset list, you can multi-edit; but if you now add a laptop, you cannot, because your group now includes different asset types. Similarly, multi-editing of licenses is available only when you select a set of licenses of the same license type. In general, watch the Open button above the list:
  • It starts off disabled when nothing is selected in the list
  • When you select one item, it becomes enabled
  • Select a second item of the same type, it remains enabled
  • Select mixed types, and it becomes disabled again
  • Get back to multiple items of the same type, and once again it becomes enabled.

My tab disappeared (nothing to multi-edit)

When a tab of properties contains nothing that allows for multi-editing, the entire tab is suppressed in the properties during the multi-edit process. This is commonly the case, for example, with lists. The properties of a contract includes a list of assets that are linked to the contract. If you multi-edit several contracts, the Asset tab disappears, because you cannot multi-edit lists, and there is nothing else to do on that tab.

I created custom properties

If you have added custom properties to any of the supported database objects listed above, you can multi-edit those properties as well as the default properties of those objects, with the same restrictions. (The only difference is that, where your custom property contains multiple values, it just shows a blank.) For details about adding custom properties, see the chapter Adding Custom Properties in the IT Asset Management System Reference PDF, available at https://docs.flexera.com/.

Multi-editing is slower

Yes, when you save changes to 100 records, it takes 100 times as long as changing 1 record. This creates a practical limit on how many records you want to multi-edit at a time. The system is tested to around 250 records; but depending on browser choice, you may run out of URL space approaching 180 records; but from the viewpoint of waiting for the system to finish, you may prefer to limit multi-editing to something more like 10-50 records at a time.

Where are the options? (Special handling for different controls)

Text fields:
  • Depending on the values in the selected group of objects, may display Multiple values, a common value, or nothing (or their normal placeholder text). If they have an associated Search button for locating another object to name, and none of the selected group have any values, they display None.
  • Have a new X control at the right end of the text field. Click this to clear the field, setting a blank value for all selected objects.
Drop-down lists (also known as pull-downs or option lists):
  • Display as usual if none of the objects has a selection (for example, they may say Select a value).
  • Display a common value in the usual drop-down format.
  • Show plain text (not a drop-down list) of Multiple values (in a dimmed font) if the objects have selected different options. Click this text to switch back to the drop-down list and select a common value for your group of objects. (The revert control appears next to the drop-down list. Clicking it switches back to the plain text display of Multiple values, and will leave the distinct values in place if you save it like that.)

Lists of objects (multi-column tables) cannot be displayed when multi-editing.

Search fly-downs operate as normal when they populate a single value into a text field, but are suppressed when they search for members in a list.

IT Asset Management (Cloud)

Current