# Classifying content in bulk
URL: https://www.associativetrails.com/writing/2022/09/16/classifying-content-in-bulk/
Published: 2022-09-16 · Practice · Sheet 08
Summary: The classification, tagging and metadata management of large content repositories should not be a chore

An interface for bulk classification, tagging and linking
One of the main strengths of the intranet we have built for engineering firm Eckersley O'Callaghan (https://www.associativetrails.com/work/eckersleyocallaghanintranet/) is the ability to tag, classify, and link content items to each other. This helps with the filtering and clustering of similar content, and allows quick linking to related pages.

[Image: A project record: its tags as grey buttons (Structural Glazing, Seismic, Waterproofing and more), a map of its location, and a table of deliverables, market sectors, design stages and services]

A well-tagged and classified project record
For instance, when you're looking at a particular project record, you can see the staff who worked on it, the companies who collaborated on it, news articles about it, as well as the services provided, its market sector, and location. When you've found a standard detail you want to use in your project, you can see which projects it has been used on before, which staff have used it, and read about it on the relevant wiki page.

[Image: Rows of projects with their tags; in one row a text box holds 'st' and a list suggests matching tags such as Staircase and Structural Glazing]

Adding a tag (text autocompletion) in the bulk administration interface
This really powerful functionality depends on the content being classified, tagged and linked to other relevant pages on the system. While individual pages can be edited one-by-one and the relevant metadata and linkages added, this was proving to be a lengthy and cumbersome process. We needed a quick and easy way to manage this metadata in bulk.

Our bulk administration interface displays a spreadsheet-style grid where the rows represent content items and the columns the different metadata and linkages. For instance, a project manager can quickly filter the list to see only their own projects, and then quickly assign tags, classification terms, and link staff and companies.

[Image: A 'Select Market Sector' dropdown open over a project row, listing sectors from Bridge to Leisure with Cultural highlighted]

Adding a classification term (dropdown) in the bulk administration interface
Tag autocompletion eliminates the problem of mis-spelling tags, and classification terms are be selected from dropdowns. Classifications can also be star-rated, a well-used feature in when assigning skills and competencies to staff profiles. What was once a chore is now quick and easy, and improves the system for everyone as data is better classified and linked together.

If you can think of some data that would benefit from a bulk editing interface like this one, why not get in touch to see if we can help?