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Bulk Actions/Mass Actions

Summary

Using Bulk Actions in Moodle 4.5 streamlines tasks like reorganizing, hiding, or recycling content across your courses. Here’s how to use Bulk Actions (Bulk Edit Mode) in Moodle 4.5 to efficiently manage multiple activities, resources, or sections within a course.

This Guide Will Help You to:

✅ What Bulk Actions Can & Cannot Do:

The Bulk Actions feature is great for things like:

  • Archive or repurpose content quickly by hiding/showing or duplicating multiple items.

  • Move content into a more logical structure or different sections en masse.

  • Tidy up by deleting outdated or unused items in a single operation.

  • Duplicating

  • Deleting

But it doesn't support editing specific settings like:

  • Due dates

  • Cut-off dates

  • Availability windows

🔹 How to Use Bulk Actions

  1. Navigate to your course page and turn editing on using the toggle in the top right.

  2. Click the new “Bulk actions” button located just below the Edit Mode toggle (lse.atlassian.net).

  3. Once activated, checkboxes appear next to each section, activity, and resource.

  4. Select the items you wish to edit—across sections or within a single section (lse.atlassian.net, CCA Portal).

    • Change Availability (hide/show)

    • Duplicate items

    • Move items to a different location or section

    • Delete selected items (lse.atlassian.net, CCA Portal)

    • Click an action (e.g. "Hide", "Move"), confirm if prompted, and Moodle processes the changes.

    • To exit, click the “x” or the Bulk actions button again (lse.atlassian.net).

       

      A sticky toolbar appears at the bottom (and sometimes top) of the page listing available actions:

       

✅ Bonus: Mass Actions Blockimage.png

Clarkson Moodle also uses the Mass Actions Block, It offers a more persistent interface compared to the toolbar (lse.atlassian.net, CCA Portal).

  1. Add it via the Block drawer on the right side of your Moodle page.

  2. Add a block → “Mass Actions”

  3. Use it instead to enable bulk editing, select items, and apply the same actions

🎥 See It in Action

Here’s a quick demo showing how to activate and use Bulk (Mass) Actions:

Make Bulk Changes with the Mass Actions Block in Moodle

🔸 Tips

  • Bulk edit supports multiple selections across sections—no need to edit items one by one.

  • Duplications of more than 5 items run in background tasks—Moodle notifies you once done (lse.atlassian.net, CCA Portal).

  • Sections must be duplicated individually via the three-dot menu—not through bulk mode (docs.moodle.org).

Seek Further Assistance


For additional assistance please contact, Clarkson OIT Help Desk;

Online: Get Help
Email: helpdesk@clarkson.edu
Call: 315-268-HELP (x4357)

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