Views Bulk Operations (VBO)
Views Bulk Operations (VBO) is a contributed Drupal module that adds checkboxes and actions to a View, so editors can change many items in one step.
Views Bulk Operations (VBO) is a contributed Drupal module that adds a bulk-operations field to Views. Each row gets a checkbox, a select box lists the available actions, and the chosen action runs on every ticked row. Editors use it to publish, unpublish or delete many items in one step instead of editing them one by one.
How VBO works in Drupal 11
Core already has a similar field. The BulkForm field plugin in the Views module is described as an actions-based bulk operation form element, and NodeBulkForm extends it for content. The Content administration view that comes with the Node module uses the field node_bulk_form. Core loads the action config entities that match the entity type, and in the field settings you choose between All actions, except selected and Only selected actions.
VBO adds what the project page says core's bulk form does not offer:
- batched operations with a configurable batch size, to avoid timeouts;
- a documented API for custom actions;
- action preconfiguration on the view admin page or in the view's config YAML;
- a configuration form for the end user;
- a confirmation step;
- selections that persist across all pages of a view.
After you enable the module, a global field named Views bulk operations appears in every view. According to the project page, a view that uses core's bulk form, such as the Content view, needs that field replaced with the VBO field. The README adds the setup: create a view with a page or block display, add the field, and select at least one operation. Actions from core and contributed modules can be used.
Developers write their own actions as plugins in a custom module. The submodule Actions Permissions creates a permission for every action.
Example
An editorial team keeps a view of draft articles under Structure › Views. A developer adds the Views bulk operations field and selects the actions the team needs, publishing among them. The editor ticks forty reviewed drafts, picks the publish action, confirms, and all forty go live. With the selection persisting across pages, the editor does not have to publish page by page.
Common mistakes
- Adding VBO next to the core field. On a view that already has the core bulk form, the project page says to replace that field. Two bulk columns confuse editors.
- Offering every action to every role. Without the Actions Permissions submodule, you cannot grant actions one by one. Decide which roles may run actions such as delete.
- Installing a module you do not need. For a short list with basic actions, core's bulk form is enough. Add VBO for batching, a confirmation step or selections across pages.
For marketing and content teams
VBO answers requests like "let editors unpublish all expired campaign pages at once." Tell your developer which items the list should show, which actions you need, and which roles may use them. Test with a few items first, because a bulk action changes every ticked row.