Create a Single Row Variable Set within the Order Guide, then type item_option_new.list in the left nav. If this list view isn't showing the Catalog item and Variable set columns, then add them. Filter on all of the variables assigned to a Catalog item (Order Guides also appear here). You can then multi-select the Variable set cell on multiple rows and populate this with the name of the variable set. Then similarly clear the value that is in the Catalog item field on each row. While a little harder to follow than simply going into each existing variable and removing the catalog reference, then populating the variable set reference, this method with a list view configured to show up to 100 records allows you to update that many at once. Either way, all of the variables that were in an Order Guide or Catalog Item are now in a Variable set which can be added to the Order Guide and each Catalog Item. If there are some variables that are only applicable to one/some Catalog Items, create other variable sets for each derivation even if they contain only one variable, so that you don't have to re-create the variable for the Order Guide and (each) Catalog Item.
