Apply one action to several records

Problem

Users need to update several records without opening and submitting each one individually.

Before you start

Choose a maximum batch size. Authorize every selected record independently and decide whether the operation is atomic or may partially succeed.

Submit explicit selected controls

<form ng-post="/api/tasks/archive" on-success="result = $res">
  <fieldset>
    <legend>Tasks to archive</legend>
    <label><input name="task_42" type="checkbox" /> Draft invoice</label>
    <label><input name="task_43" type="checkbox" /> Review contract</label>
  </fieldset>
  <button type="submit">Archive selected tasks</button>
  <p ng-if="result">Archived {{ result.archived }} tasks.</p>
  <ul><li ng-repeat="error in result.errors">{{ error.message }}</li></ul>
</form>

Named controls make the submitted selection inspectable in the Network panel. For dynamic lists, use the server’s documented array representation consistently.

Server contract

Return a count and per-record failures. If partial success is allowed, make the response identify exactly which records changed. If it must be atomic, perform all authorization and validation before committing any record.

Failure path

Do not report the whole batch as successful when some records failed. Preserve failed selections so the user can correct or retry them.

Apply it now

Find a repetitive list action and define its batch limit, authorization rule, transaction behavior, and response before adding selection controls.

Verify

Test no selection, the maximum size, duplicates, mixed permissions, missing records, partial failure, and a repeated submission.