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How to create and edit an entity

Prerequisites​

  • Permission to create or edit entities (collaborator, editor, or admin role)

Steps​

Create an entity​

  1. Go to the Library page.
  2. Select Create entity in the footer. A side panel opens with a blank form.
  3. Select a template from the Type drop-down. Uwazi selects a default for you.
  4. Type a name in the Title field. You must enter a title.
  5. Fill in the metadata fields. An asterisk marks required fields.
  6. To attach a main document, select Add PDF under Primary Documents, then choose one or more PDF files.
  7. To attach supporting material, select Add file under Supporting files, then:
    • Select Upload from computer to choose a file of any type.
    • Select Add from web to enter a display name and a web address.
  8. Select Save. Uwazi creates the entity and opens it for viewing.

New entities stay private until you publish or share them.

Edit an entity​

warning

Changing an entity's type erases all its relationships to other entities.

  1. In the library, select the entity. The side panel opens in view mode.
  2. Select Edit.
  3. Change the title, type, or any metadata field.
  4. Add or remove primary documents and supporting files as needed.
  5. Select Save.

Add files to a saved entity​

Add files to an existing entity without opening the full edit form.

  1. Open the entity in view mode.
  2. Under Primary Documents, select Add PDF, then choose a PDF. It uploads at once and shows its progress.
  3. Under Supporting files, add a file from your computer or a web address. It uploads at once.

Create entities by uploading PDFs​

Turn many PDF files into entities in one action.

note

Each PDF becomes one entity. Uwazi sets the title to the file name and the type to the default template.

  1. Go to the Library page.
  2. Select Upload PDF(s) to create in the footer.
  3. Choose one or more PDF files. Uwazi accepts only PDF files here.
  4. Wait while the files upload one at a time. A counter shows the progress and how many files remain.

Edit a field on several entities at once​

  1. In the library, select more than one entity:
    • In card view, hold Ctrl (or Command) and select each entity. Hold Shift to select a range.
    • In table view, select the checkbox on each row.
    • Select Select all to add every entity loaded on the page.
  2. With two or more entities selected, a panel opens. It shows the count and the selected titles.
  3. Select Edit. The form shows only the fields the selected entities share.
  4. Change a field. A warning icon marks each field you change.
  5. Select Save. Uwazi writes each changed field to every selected entity, replacing the old values.

You can't change the title or attach files in this mode. You can edit up to 1000 entities at once.

Copy field values from another entity​

  1. Open an entity and select Edit.
  2. Select Copy From. The panel splits into two columns.
  3. Search for the source entity by title, then select it from the results.
  4. Review the fields Uwazi highlights. These are the fields both entities share.
  5. Select Copy Highlighted. Uwazi copies the highlighted values into your form, replacing the current values.
  6. Review the form, make any other changes, then select Save.

Uwazi doesn't copy the title, generated IDs, image fields, or media fields.

Result​

You've created or updated your entities, and they appear in the library.

See also​