---
title: "Batch update Box"
method: PATCH
path: "/api/v3/box:batch-update"
tags: ["Box"]
---

# Batch update Box

`PATCH /api/v3/box:batch-update`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://{tenant_name}.benchling.com`
- URL: `https://{tenant_name}.benchling.com/api/v3/box:batch-update`
- Auth: HTTP bearer

Batch update Box synchronously in one transaction. Maximum 25 items per request.

## Request body

- object
  - `items` UpdateBoxInputWithPathParams[], required
    - `archiveReason` string: Why it is being archived. Required when `archived` is `true`, and not allowed when unarchiving.
    - `archived` boolean: Set to `true` to archive or `false` to unarchive it. Archiving requires `archiveReason`.
    - `barcode` string
    - `id` string, required
    - `name` string
    - `parentStorageId` string, nullable
    - `projectId` string, nullable
    - `schemaFields` object
    - `shouldRemoveBarcodes` boolean: Whether to remove the barcodes of the box and of every container archived with it. Only allowed when archiving the box, and can't be combined with `barcode`.

## Response `200`

OK

- BoxBatchupdateResponse200
  - `items` Box[], required
    - `__typename` string
    - `archiveReason` string, nullable
    - `archived` boolean
    - `availableCapacity` integer: The number of available positions in the box.
    - `barcode` string, nullable
    - `createdAt` string, datetime, nullable
    - `emptyContainers` integer, nullable: The number of containers in the box that have no contents.
    - `id` string
    - `modifiedAt` string, datetime, nullable
    - `name` string, nullable
    - `occupiedCapacity` integer: The number of containers currently in the box.
    - `parentStorage` LocationRef
      - `__typename` string
      - `id` string, api_id
    - `project` ProjectRef
      - `__typename` string
      - `id` string, api_id
    - `schema` BoxSchemaRef
      - `__typename` string
      - `id` string, api_id
    - `totalCapacity` integer: The total capacity of the box (i.e. how many containers it can store).
    - `creator` PrincipalRef
      - `__typename` string
      - `id` string, api_id
    - `schemaFields` SchemaFieldValue[], nullable
      - `__typename` string
      - `fieldDefinition` SchemaFieldDefinitionRef
        - `__typename` string
        - `id` string, api_id
      - `id` string
      - `linkedEntityId` string, nullable
      - `value` union: Types of values that Benchling can interpret.
        - object: A type that represents a list of BenchlingValues, used for multi-value cells (e.g. alias columns).
          - `__typename` 'ArrayValue', required: Discriminator value: ArrayValue
          - `value` SingularBenchlingValue[]
            - union: A union of value types that can appear as elements within an ArrayValue. Identical to BenchlingValue but excludes ArrayValue to prevent nesting. Keep in sync with BenchlingValue.
              - …
        - object: A type that represents boolean values.
          - `__typename` 'BooleanValue', required: Discriminator value: BooleanValue
          - `value` boolean: The boolean value.
        - object: A type that represents datetime values.
          - `__typename` 'DateTimeValue', required: Discriminator value: DateTimeValue
          - `value` string, datetime: The datetime value with UTC as the timezone.
        - object: A type that represents date values.
          - `__typename` 'DateValue', required: Discriminator value: DateValue
          - `value` string, date: The date value.
        - object: A type that represents decimal value as strings.
          - `__typename` 'DecimalValue', required: Discriminator value: DecimalValue
          - `numericValue` number, double, nullable: Deprecated. The float representation of the decimal value.
          - `value` string, nullable: The decimal value in a string representation
        - object: A type that represents integer values.
          - `__typename` 'IntegerValue', required: Discriminator value: IntegerValue
          - `value` integer: The integer value.
        - object: A type that represents JSON values.
          - `__typename` 'JsonValue', required: Discriminator value: JsonValue
          - `value` union: The JSON value.
            - object
            - string[]
            - string
            - number, double
            - boolean
        - object: A type that represents a list of links to other objects.
          - `__typename` 'ObjectLinkListValue', required: Discriminator value: ObjectLinkListValue
          - `value` LinkableDomainObject[]: The list of objects that this value links to. Inaccessible objects may be returned instead if the object is not found with the current permission set.
            - union: A union representing items that can be linked to. If you have a type that can be linked to, it can only be added once it's in beta.
              - …
        - object: A type that represents links to other objects.
          - `__typename` 'ObjectLinkValue', required: Discriminator value: ObjectLinkValue
          - `value` union: A union representing items that can be linked to. If you have a type that can be linked to, it can only be added once it's in beta.
            - object: AaSequence variant
              - …
            - object: Attachment variant
              - …
            - object: Box variant
              - …
            - object: Container variant
              - …
            - object: CustomEntity variant
              - …
            - object: DnaOligo variant
              - …
            - object: DnaSequence variant
              - …
            - object: DropdownOption variant
              - …
            - object: Entry variant
              - …
            - object: Inaccessible variant
              - …
            - object: Location variant
              - …
            - object: MatrixPlate variant
              - …
            - object: Mixture variant
              - …
            - object: Molecule variant
              - …
            - object: OligoConjugate variant
              - …
            - object: OligoDuplex variant
              - …
            - object: Protein variant
              - …
            - object: Result variant
              - …
            - object: RnaOligo variant
              - …
            - object: RnaSequence variant
              - …
            - object: WellPlate variant
              - …
        - object: A type that represents text (string) values with an associated URL.
          - `__typename` string, required
          - `url` string: The URL associated with the value. Please use `TextValue` if you don't want a URL.
          - `value` string: The text value. It may or may not be an empty string.
        - object: A type that represents text (string) values.
          - `__typename` string, required
          - `value` string: The text value. It may or may not be an empty string.

## Other responses

- `400`: Bad Request
- `403`: Forbidden
- `404`: Not Found
- `409`: Conflict
- `429`: Too Many Requests
- `500`: Internal Server Error

## Changes

- **2026-11-05** `3873a10bf7b8`: 1 breaking, 1 info
  - added `subschema #1, subschema #8, subschema #9` to the `items/items/schemaFields/items/value/oneOf[subschema #1: BenchlingValue]/` response property `oneOf` list for the response status `200`
  - removed `subschema #1, subschema #8, subschema #9` from the `items/items/schemaFields/items/value/oneOf[subschema #1: BenchlingValue]/` response property `oneOf` list for the response status `200`
- **2026-11-05** `c9f087b98b8b`: 1 info
  - added the new optional request property `items/items/shouldRemoveBarcodes`

[Operation history](https://skmtc.dev/benchling/apis/benchling-api/changes/api/v3/box:batch-update/patch.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/benchling/apis/benchling-api.md) - [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/benchling/apis/benchling-api/llms.txt) - [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/benchling/apis/benchling-api/revisions/3873a10bf7b8?raw)
