How to bulk create Records from a Linked Workflow section using a source repository.
If you have a large number of Records to create at once, you may be able to take advantage of the Bulk Create & Link functionality. This feature is especially valuable for a Controls Audit use case, however, it can be applied in other scenarios as well.
As of July 2026, you can power Bulk Create & Link with Table Reports instead of Layouts. Table Reports provide a more robust, user-friendly experience — end users can filter and search a large source list to find exactly the Records they need, and Table Reports are more performant than Layouts on large lists. We recommend using Table Reports for Bulk Create & Link going forward, and this article walks through that experience.*Configure Bulk Create & Link
A note on Layouts: Layouts are not being retired. Any existing Bulk Create & Link configuration will continue to work, and you can keep using Layouts for as long as you'd like. However, new record page capabilities are being built on Table Reports — so transitioning to Table Reports over time lets you take advantage of these improvements. See Table Reports on the Record Page: A Modern Way to Display Linked Data for the full set of Table Report–powered record page features. To configure Bulk Create & Link with a Layout, see Configure Bulk Create & Link with Layouts below.
Why Use Table Reports?
Table Reports offer several advantages over the legacy Layout approach for Bulk Create & Link:
- End-user filter and search — end users can filter and search the source list to quickly find the right Records, instead of scrolling through a long, unfiltered list.
- Pre-defined filters and sorting — the columns, filters, and sort order from the Table Report's settings are applied automatically to the source list.
- Better performance — Table Reports are more performant than Layouts on large source lists.
- Reusable configurations — leverage a Table Report you've already configured elsewhere instead of maintaining a separate Layout.
- A consistent experience — matches the rest of the Table Report–powered linked workflow surfaces on the record page.
Configure Bulk Create & Link with Table Reports
The Bulk Create and Link toggle appears in the Linked Workflow section of the Step Builder if both of the following conditions are met:
- The Workflow you are editing has a 'One to Many' or 'Many to Many' relationship with the Linked Workflow whose section you are editing. Using the Controls Audit example, our Audit Workflow has a 'One to Many' relationship with the Control Evaluation Workflow.
- The Linked Workflow has a 'Many to One' or a 'Many to Many' relationship with at least one additional Workflow. Revisiting our example, the Control Evaluation Workflow has 'Many to One' relationships with several control frameworks: NIST CSF and SOC 2.
Step 1: Enable Bulk Create and Link
In the Linked Workflow section, activate the Create Multiple Records in Bulk toggle. Once active, you can choose which source Workflow(s) to use for the new Records a user will create. For each Record that is created, it will be linked to its corresponding source Record in addition to the parent Record whose step you are editing.
Step 2: Select a Source Workflow
Click Configure Workflow to display the Select Source Workflow(s) modal. Here, check each Workflow you want to use as a source for the new Records. For each source Record a user chooses, a new Record will be created and linked to that source Record (in addition to being linked to the parent Record).
Step 3: Switch the source Workflow to Table Reports
When you select a source Workflow, click Use Table Reports instead of Layouts to power its source list with a Table Report.
Then select a Table Report from the dropdown. The Table Report determines which columns (Fields), pre-defined filters, and sorting end users see when selecting source Records.
The Table Report's primary Workflow must match the source Workflow you selected.
- Only Table Reports whose primary Workflow is the same as the source Workflow will be available for selection.
- If no eligible Table Report exists for that source Workflow, you will see a message indicating that no Table Reports are available. [CONFIRM: exact wording of the no-eligible-report message]
Note: The Workflow Summary Fields auto-generate option (available for Table Report Record Linking) is not yet supported for Bulk Create and Link. You must select an existing Table Report — see Set Summary Fields in Workflows if you'd like to prepare a report from your Summary Fields.
Step 4: Configure the source Workflow settings
Configure the remaining settings for the source Workflow. These are unchanged from the Layout experience:
- Create Step — Select in which Step of the Linked Workflow the new Records should be created.
- Default Assignee — Choose whether the linked Records inherit their assignee from the parent Record or the source Record, a user specified in a user field, or no default assignee.
- Default Due Date — Choose whether the linked Records inherit their due date from the parent Record or the source Record, or have no default due date.
Note: Search Step (Optional) has been removed — if you wish to limit the search step, we recommend applying a filter to the Table Report.
The End User Experience with Table Reports
On the Record page, end users will see the Bulk Create [Workflow] Records button in the Linked Workflow Section (for example, Bulk Create Evaluation Records), alongside the Create New [Workflow] button.
Step 1: Open the Bulk Create modal and select a Workflow
When the user clicks Bulk Create [Workflow] Records, the Create & Link [Workflow] Records modal opens. Using the Select Workflow dropdown, the user chooses which source Workflow to use for this Record. In the Controls Audit example, the user chooses which control framework they would like to test against for this particular audit.
Step 2: Filter and select source Records
Once a Workflow is selected, the user sees a list of Records from that Workflow. When the source Workflow is configured with a Table Report, this list is the Table Report itself — with the columns, sorting, and filters from the Table Report's settings applied.
Applying filters
- Table Report settings filters configured on the underlying Table Report are applied automatically.
- Header filters can also be added directly in the Bulk Create and Link modal. These work just like every other Table Report filter.
Selecting Records — one pass at a time
Important: If you change the filter, all Records you previously selected are automatically deselected. Because of this, you select and create Records one filter pass at a time:
- Apply your filter(s).
- Select the Records you want.
- Click Create And Link Records.
- To create from a different set of filtering criteria, reopen the Bulk Create modal and repeat.
You cannot select a handful of Records under one filter, change the filter, add more Records, and then create them all together. Each filter pass must be created and linked before moving on.
Note: The current maximum number of source Records that can be selected at one time is 2,000.
Step 3: Create and Link the Records
Once the user selects Create And Link Records, they will return to the Record page. It may take a few minutes for the new Records to be created, but users can continue with other work. Once the Records have been created, they will automatically appear in the Linked Workflow Section.
Considerations for Table Report Mode
- Filter changes reset your selection. Selecting Records is done one filter pass at a time — changing a filter clears any Records already selected.
- Matching Workflow required. A Table Report is only selectable if its primary Workflow matches the source Workflow. Multiple Workflows in a Table Report are supported.
- Record limit unchanged. A maximum of 2,000 source Records can be selected at one time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Bulk Create and Link still work with Layouts?
Yes. Bulk Create and Link works with Layouts today and will continue to do so. Switching a source Workflow to Table Report mode is recommended, but ultimately optional, and is a builder choice — make it when you want the filtering and search benefits.
What's the advantage of using a Table Report over a Layout?
Builders can set filters that help End Users source the correct list from the get go. Additionally, End users can further filter and search the source list to find the right Records. Finally, Table Reports are more performant on large lists of source Records than layouts.
Why do my previously selected Records disappear when I change a filter?
This is expected. Records are selected one filter pass at a time — changing the filter clears the current selection. Apply your filter, select your Records, and click Create And Link Records before applying a different filter.
Why can't I find the Table Report I want to use?
A Table Report is only available for a source Workflow if its primary Workflow matches that source Workflow. If none exists, create a Table Report whose primary Workflow is the source Workflow, or use Layout mode.
Can I auto-generate a report from my Summary Fields, like I can with Record Linking?
Not yet. Bulk Create and Link currently requires selecting an existing Table Report. The Workflow Summary Fields auto-generate option is available for Table Report Record Linking but is not yet supported here.
Do the create-time settings change when I switch to Table Reports?
No. Create Step, Default Assignee, and Default Due Date all behave exactly as they do in Layout mode, and each new Record is still linked to both the parent Record and its source Record.
Configure Bulk Create & Link with Layouts (Legacy)
The new Bulk Create and Link toggle will appear in the Linked Workflow section of the Step Builder if both of the following conditions are met:
The Workflow you are editing has a 'One to Many' or 'Many to Many' relationship with the Linked Workflow whose section you are editing. Using the Controls Audit example, our Audit workflow has a 'One to Many' relationship with the Control Evaluation workflow.
The Linked workflow has a 'Many to One' or a 'Many to Many' relationship with at least one additional Workflow. Revisiting our example, the Control Evaluation Workflow has 'Many to One' relationships with several control frameworks: NIST CSF and SOC 2.
Once you toggle Bulk Create and Link to Enabled, you will have the option to choose which Workflow(s) you would like to use as a source for the new Records a user will create. For each Record that is created, it will be linked to its corresponding source Record in addition to the parent record whose step you are editing. In our example, this means that a Control Evaluation Record will be created for each SOC 2 Control. The Evaluation will automatically be linked to both its corresponding SOC 2 Control Record and the parent Audit Record.
Please note that when an Application is copied or imported, the new Application will default Bulk Create and Link to "Disabled".
Some additional options are available when configuring each source Workflow:
Layout - Designate a layout to choose what Fields should display when selecting Records from your source Workflow.
Search Step - Search for Records only in a specific Step as your source.
Create Step - Select in which Step of the Linked Workflow Records should be created.
Default Assignee - Select if you would like the linked records to inherit their assignees from the parent Record or source Record. You can also default the assignee to be blank. In our Controls Audit example, the Evaluation assignee is inherited from the assignee of the corresponding Control record.
- Default Due Date - Select if you would like the linked Records to inherit their due dates from the parent Record or source Record. You can also default the due date to be blank.
Bulk Create and Link Records
Once Bulk Create & Link has been enabled, the end user will see a new Bulk Create Records option in the Linked Workflow Section.
Once they select that button, a new modal will open that will allow the user to select which source Workflow they would like to use for this Record. Back to our Controls Audit example, the user would choose which control framework they would like to test against for this particular audit.
They can then search and select source Records to be used when bulk creating the new Records. The auditor would select which controls from the framework they plan to test against, knowing that an evaluation Record will be created for each control.
Note: The current maximum number of source Records that can be selected at one time is 2000.
Once the user selects Create And Link Records, they will return to the Record page. It may take a few minutes for new Records to be created, but users can continue with other work. Once the Records have been created, they will automatically appear in the Linked Workflow Section.
User Access
Access to created Records will be based on the Step Permissions where the new Records are created. Users must be in a Role or Permission Set with access to the Step to view the Records.
If User Groups are enabled in the Workflow where the Records will be created, they will automatically be created with both the Default User Group for the Workflow and inherit the User Group from the Source Workflow.
Use Case Example:
The Policies Workflow is mapped to the Attestations Workflow (One to Many) which is linked to the Employees Workflow (Many to One). Both the Employees and Attestations Workflows have User Groups enabled since there is sensitive information in each Workflows.
- If Attestations are created from a Policy Record (Employees are the Source Workflow) - Attestations will inherit the Employee Record User Groups and be appropriately restricted.
- If Attestations are created from an Employee Records (Policies are the Source Workflow) - Attestations will not inherit any User Groups and the correct users may not have access.