Batch processing allows you to generate summaries for all your existing posts automatically. Perfect for when you’re adding WPSummarize to an established site with hundreds or thousands of posts.

Accessing Batch Processing

Navigate to WPSummarize → Batch Process in your WordPress dashboard.

Understanding Batch Processing

How It Works

1. You configure filters: Choose which posts to process
2. Set a token budget: Control maximum API costs
3. Start the process: Click “Start Batch Process”
4. Background processing: Posts are processed one by one in the background
5. Monitor progress: Watch real-time updates on the dashboard
6. Complete: All eligible posts now have summaries

Processing Speed

• Processing rate: Typically 2-3 posts per minute
• Depends on:
  • Post length (longer posts take more time)
  • AI provider and model (some are faster than others)
  • Server resources
  • API response times
• Background processing: Doesn’t interfere with your site’s performance

Batch Process Settings

Post Type Selection

Choose which post types to process

• Posts (most common)
• Pages
• Custom post types

Tip: Start with just “Posts” for your first batch. You can always run another batch for pages or custom types later.

Minimum Words

Number field: Only process posts with at least this many words

Default: 0 (no minimum)

Recommended values:

• 0: Process everything, even short posts
• 300: Skip very short posts (usually not worth summarizing)
• 500: Only process substantial content
• 1000+: Only long-form articles

Maximum Credits Usage

Number field: Stop processing after reaching this credit limit

Default: 0 (unlimited)

What are credits?

1 credit = 1 summary. This option is meant to limit your API usage in case of testing, or if you want to add summaries in stages, instead of all at once.

Process Order

Radio buttons: Choose processing order

• Newest first: Start with your most recent posts
  • Pros: Recent content often has more traffic
  • Cons: May already have high visibility
  • Best for: Active blogs where recent posts drive most traffic
• Oldest first: Start with your earliest posts
  • Pros: Improve evergreen content that still gets traffic
  • Cons: Old posts may be outdated
  • Best for: Established sites with valuable historical content

Update Modified Date

Checkbox: Update post’s “last modified” date when adding summary

• Checked: Modified date updates to current time
  • SEO benefit: Signals freshness to search engines
  • Consideration: Shows posts as “recently updated” even if main original content unchanged
• Unchecked (default): Modified date stays the same
  • Benefit: Preserve original timestamps
  • Consideration: Misses SEO freshness signal

Update Existing Summaries

Checkbox: Replace summaries that already exist

• Unchecked (default): Skip posts that already have summaries
  • Safe option: Won’t overwrite manual edits
  • Efficient: Focuses on posts without summaries
• Checked: Regenerate all summaries, even if they exist
  • Use case: Changed settings and want to update all summaries
  • Warning: Overwrites any manually edited summaries

Running a Batch Process

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Prepare

1. Review your current API usage/balance
2. Estimate costs based on post count and length
3. Consider running a small test batch first (set max tokens to 1,000)

Step 2: Configure Settings

1. Select post types to process
2. Set minimum word count (recommend 500-700)
3. Set maximum credits if desired
4. Choose processing order
5. Decide on modified date update
6. Choose whether to update existing summaries
7. Click Save Settings

Step 3: Start Process

1. Review the number of eligible posts displayed
2. Click Start Batch Process

Step 4: Monitor Progress

The batch processing screen shows:

• Progress bar: Visual representation of completion
• Posts processed: Count of completed posts
• Total posts: Total number to process (this keeps increasing until reaching final count as the process adds them to the queue)

Step 5: Completion

When finished, you’ll see:

• Success message
• Total summaries generated

Canceling a Batch Process

To stop batch processing:

1. Go to WPSummarize → Batch Process
2. Click Cancel Batch Process
3. Confirm cancellation
4. Processing stops after the current post completes
5. All summaries generated up to this point are saved

Batch Processing Strategies

Strategy 1: Test First

Recommended for first-time users

1. Set max tokens to 1,000
2. Process newest posts first
3. Minimum 500 words
4. Run and evaluate results
5. Adjust settings if needed
6. Run full batch

Strategy 2: Phased Approach

For large sites (500+ posts)

1. Phase 1: Most recent 100 posts
2. Phase 2: Next 100 posts if budget allows
3. Phase 3: Older evergreen content
4. Monitor costs and engagement after each phase

Strategy 3: Targeted Processing

For specific content types

1. Process only your most important category
2. Set minimum words to 1,000 (long-form only)
3. Update existing summaries to improve quality
4. Perfect for cornerstone content

Strategy 4: Cost-Conscious

For budget-limited situations

1. Set strict max credit limit
2. Use OpenAI or Gemini cost-effective models
3. High minimum word count (1,000+)

Troubleshooting Batch Processing

Batch Process Won’t Start

Possible causes:

• No API key configured
• Invalid API key
• No eligible posts match your filters
• Word count minimum too high
• Another batch already running

Solutions:

1. Verify API key in Settings
2. Check that you have published posts
3. Lower minimum word count
4. Cancel any existing batch process first

Batch Process Stopped Unexpectedly

Possible causes:

• Reached credit limit
• API rate limit hit
• Server timeout
• Out of API credits

Solutions:

1. Check your API provider’s dashboard for issues
2. Verify you have sufficient API credits
3. Wait a few minutes and resume (rate limits reset)
4. Increase token budget if that was the limit
5. Contact support if problem persists

Some Posts Skipped

Posts are skipped when:

• Below minimum word count
• Already have summaries (if update existing unchecked)
• Post type not selected
• Post content is empty or too short for AI
• Token budget reached before processing

Check the batch results for:

• List of skipped posts
• Reason for skipping
• Total successful vs. skipped

Summaries Are Low Quality

If batch summaries aren’t good:

1. Switch to a different AI model or provider
2. Adjust summary settings (item count, style)
3. Ensure posts have clear structure and headings
4. Enable HTML tags for formatting (Pro)
5. Run batch again with “Update existing summaries” checked

Progress Bar Stuck

If progress appears frozen:

1. Wait 2-3 minutes (some posts take longer)
2. Refresh the page to see updated status
3. Check if process is actually running (Dashboard shows recent activity)
4. Cancel and restart if truly stuck

Best Practices for Batch Processing

Before You Start

• ✅ Backup your database
• ✅ Test with a small batch first
• ✅ Check API account balance
• ✅ Review global summary settings
• ✅ Calculate estimated costs

During Processing

• ✅ Monitor progress periodically
• ✅ Check a few generated summaries for quality
• ✅ Keep an eye on token usage
• ✅ Don’t run other intensive operations

After Completion

• ✅ Review results in Dashboard
• ✅ Spot-check summaries on front-end
• ✅ Check any error messages
• ✅ Verify token costs match estimates
• ✅ Process any skipped posts if needed

Advanced Batch Scenarios

Re-processing for Better Quality

1. Upgrade to a better AI model
2. Adjust settings (more items, better formatting)
3. Check “Update existing summaries”
4. Run batch process again
5. All summaries will be regenerated with new settings

Combining with Manual Edits

1. Run batch process with “Update existing summaries” UNCHECKED
2. Manually edit important summaries
3. Run batch again for new posts only
4. Your manual edits won’t be overwritten

What’s Next?

• Best Practices – Optimize your summaries for maximum impact
• Troubleshooting – Solve common issues
• Configuration – Fine-tune your settings