Bulk update top container records?

[Victoria Fernandez]

Hi folks,

Is there a capability to update top container records in bulk using a spreadsheet? I am trying to add barcodes and update locations for 100+ top container records. I am using the Bulk Operations modules, but even then it is taking me a while. I'd like to copy the barcodes and location data from a spreadsheet and import it into ASpace, if that is even possible. 

Thanks in advance!

VICTORIA FERNANDEZ, MLS (SHE/HER)

ASSOCIATE ARCHIVIST
THE NEW SCHOOL ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

66 FIFTH AVENUE, ROOM N102
fern...@newschool.edu    T 212-229-5307

https://archives.newschool.edu/home

[Sarit Hand]

Hi Victoria,

Did you figure this out?

Without using the API, I think it might be a couple of steps to do this and it depends on what data is already set up. 

For example, 

Do you have all the locations already set up in ASpace or are you creating all new ones? When I did this, I first created all the locations using an spreadsheet, let me know if you do not know how to. I honestly do not know how to or if linking a location to top container can be done via an import job without using the API. 

Do all the Top containers already exist? I am guessing yes to top containers. If you use the bulk updater tool via the resource record, you can update all the barcodes within a single resource in spreadsheet format rather that trying to use the rapid barcode entry feature under top container manager.

It is very possible someone has a plug in for this, as well.

Cheers,

Sarit Hand

[Sarit Hand]

I thought there was somehow to do some of this is a separate report but couldn't find it until now

https://archivesspace.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ArchivesSpaceUserManual/pages/2457075717/Importing+and+Linking+Top+Containers+via+Spreadsheet

Check this out.

[Victoria Fernandez]

Hi Sarit,

Thanks for your reply! I did not figure it out. We were sending almost all of our boxes to an offsite depository, and I needed to add barcodes to individual top container records and then update all the top containers to a single location that already existed in our ASpace. 

I am not familiar with using the API. The top containers and locations already existed. The difficult part was that the top containers I was updating were across multiple collections. I did not know about the importing and linking top container spreadsheet--that might not have been what we needed for the move project, but I appreciate you sharing so that I can now make use of it!

If I knew before how to search for a span of barcodes like you emailed about earlier today, that definitely would have saved me some time! I didn't even think of that!

VICTORIA FERNANDEZ, MLS (SHE/HER)

THE NEW SCHOOL ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

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[Hand, Sarit]

Hi Victoria,

 

I am also in the middle of moving off-site and doing the same thing.

If you are updating everything to a single location, that should be fast. I am calling up by barcodes rather than collection AFTER they leave and updating all to a single location. I do find that the more records you update at once, the slower the system and occasionally can fail with overload.

 

Since our barcodes are new and I am doing the shelf reading at the same time, I am barcoding and scanning using the rapid barcode entry in top container manager. However, if your containers are already off site, that might prove difficult. I wonder if you could add the barcode font to Excel, convert your numerical barcodes to the scannable one and then use a scanner; perhaps that might go faster if it works?  Lol, trying to think of a work around.

 

Cheers

 

Sarit Hand Global Manager Corporate Archives   200 Liberty St. New York, NY 10281 T 212.621.7035   sh...@ap.org ap.org

 

 

From: Victoria Fernandez <fern...@newschool.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 4:38 PM
To: Hand, Sarit <sh...@ap.org>
Cc: Archivesspace_Users_Group <archivesspac...@lyrasislists.org>
Subject: Re: [ArchivesSpace Users Group] Re: Bulk update top container records?

 

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[Joshua D. Shaw]

Not sure if this is the case, but if you get to the high hundreds/thousands of boxes tied to a single location, you may want to check for indexer & display issues. I know this was (is?) an issue with things like subjects that are tied to numerous records. I think the symptoms are significantly longer index times and timeouts/errors in the staff interface when viewing some records. I've only seen this issues go by in the threads here, so someone who has experienced those issues may want to chime in.

jds

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From: 'Hand, Sarit' via Archivesspace_Users_Group <Archivesspac...@lyrasislists.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 4:52 PM
To: Victoria Fernandez <fern...@newschool.edu>
Cc: Archivesspace_Users_Group <archivesspac...@lyrasislists.org>
Subject: RE: [ArchivesSpace Users Group] Re: Bulk update top container records?

 

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