diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 1b72923d..b2f70735 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
 OMERO metadata plugin
 =====================
 
-Plugin for use in the OMERO CLI.
+Plugin for use in the OMERO CLI. Provides tools for bulk
+management of annotations on objects in OMERO.
 
 Requirements
 ============
@@ -32,6 +33,116 @@ version 5.4.x of OMERO.py. When using the CLI metadata plugin, the
 `OMERO_DEV_PLUGINS` environment variable should not be set to prevent
 conflicts when importing the Python module.
 
+Usage
+=====
+
+The plugin is called from the command-line using the `omero` command::
+
+    $ bin/omero metadata <subcommand>
+
+Help for each command can be shown using the ``-h`` flag.
+Objects can be specified as arguments in the format ``Class:ID``, such
+as ``Project:123``.
+
+Bulk-annotations are HDF-based tables with the NSBULKANNOTATION
+namespace, sometimes referred to as OMERO.tables.
+
+Available subcommands are:
+
+- ``allanns``: Provide a list of all annotations linked to the given object
+- ``bulkanns``: Provide a list of the NSBULKANNOTATION tables linked to the given object
+- ``mapanns``: Provide a list of all MapAnnotations linked to the given object
+- ``measures``: Provide a list of the NSMEASUREMENT tables linked to the given object
+- ``original``: Print the original metadata in ini format
+- ``pixelsize``: Set physical pixel size
+- ``populate``: Add metadata (bulk-annotations) to an object (see below)
+- ``rois``: Manage ROIs
+- ``summary``: Provide a general summary of available metadata
+- ``testtables``: Tests whether tables can be created and initialized
+
+populate
+--------
+
+This command creates an ``OMERO.table`` (bulk annotation) from a ``CSV`` file and links 
+the table as a ``File Annotation`` to a parent container such as Screen, Plate, Project
+or Dataset. It also attempts to convert Image or Well names from the ``CSV`` into
+Image or Well IDs in the ``OMERO.table``.
+
+The ``CSV`` file can be provided as local file with ``--file path/to/file.csv``
+or as an OriginalFile in OMERO with ``--fileid 123``.
+
+If you wish to ensure that ``number`` columns are created for numerical data, this will
+allow you to make numerical queries on the table.
+Column Types are:
+
+- ``d``: ``DoubleColumn``, for floating point numbers
+- ``l``: ``LongColumn``, for integer numbers
+- ``s``: ``StringColumn``, for text
+- ``b``: ``BoolColumn``, for true/false
+- ``plate``, ``well``, ``image``, ``dataset``, ``roi`` to specify objects
+
+These can be specified in the first row of a ``CSV`` with a ``# header`` tag (see examples below).
+The ``# header`` row is optional. Default column type is ``String``.
+
+NB: Column names should not contain spaces if you want to be able to query
+by these columns.
+
+Examples:
+
+To add a table to a Project, the ``CSV`` file needs to specify ``Dataset Name``
+and ``Image Name``::
+
+    $ bin/omero metadata populate Project:1 path/to/project.csv
+
+project.csv::
+
+    # header s,s,d,l,s
+    Image Name,Dataset Name,ROI_Area,Channel_Index,Channel_Name
+    img-01.png,dataset01,0.0469,1,DAPI
+    img-02.png,dataset01,0.142,2,GFP
+    img-03.png,dataset01,0.093,3,TRITC
+    img-04.png,dataset01,0.429,4,Cy5
+
+This will create an OMERO.table linked to the Project like this:
+
+========== ============ ======== ============= ============ =====
+Image Name Dataset Name ROI_Area Channel_Index Channel_Name Image
+========== ============ ======== ============= ============ =====
+img-01.png dataset01    0.0469   1             DAPI         36638
+img-02.png dataset01    0.142    2             GFP          36639
+img-03.png dataset01    0.093    3             TRITC        36640
+img-04.png dataset01    0.429    4             Cy5          36641
+========== ============ ======== ============= ============ =====
+
+If the target is a Dataset instead of a Project, the ``Dataset Name`` column is not needed.
+
+To add a table to a Screen, the ``CSV`` file needs to specify ``Plate`` name and ``Well``.
+If a ``# header`` is specified, column types must be ``well`` and ``plate``.
+
+screen.csv::
+
+    # header well,plate,s,d,l,d
+    Well,Plate,Drug,Concentration,Cell_Count,Percent_Mitotic
+    A1,plate01,DMSO,10.1,10,25.4
+    A2,plate01,DMSO,0.1,1000,2.54
+    A3,plate01,DMSO,5.5,550,4
+    B1,plate01,DrugX,12.3,50,44.43
+
+This will create an OMERO.table linked to the Screen, with the
+``Well Name`` and ``Plate Name`` columns added and the ``Well`` and
+``Plate`` columns used for IDs:
+
+===== ====== ====== ============== =========== ================ =========== ===========
+Well  Plate  Drug   Concentration  Cell_Count  Percent_Mitotic  Well Name   Plate Name
+===== ====== ====== ============== =========== ================ =========== ===========
+9154  3855   DMSO   10.1           10          25.4             a1          plate01
+9155  3855   DMSO   0.1            1000        2.54             a2          plate01
+9156  3855   DMSO   5.5            550         4.0              a3          plate01
+9157  3855   DrugX  12.3           50          44.43            b1          plate01
+===== ====== ====== ============== =========== ================ =========== ===========
+
+If the target is a Plate instead of a Screen, the ``Plate`` column is not needed.
+
 License
 -------
 
@@ -41,4 +152,4 @@ licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) v2 or later.
 Copyright
 ---------
 
-2018, The Open Microscopy Environment
+2018-2019, The Open Microscopy Environment