Housekeeping
Housekeeping removes data nobody needs any more, on a schedule you set, so the database doesn't grow forever. Under Settings → Housekeeping you decide what goes and after how long.
[!NOTE] Every task that deletes data starts switched off: nothing of it is removed until you switch a task on or run it. Only Incoming emails starts switched on.
The tasks
Most tasks belong to one organization; with more than one, pick it in the list at the top right. The audit log and incoming emails tasks are for the whole installation and are shared by every organization.
| Task | Removes | Setting (default, range) |
|---|---|---|
| Submission log | Older lines of the submission log of each form and portal, keeping the newest. Cases are not affected. | Keep the newest 200 per form (20–100,000) |
| Closed cases | Cases closed for longer than the setting, with their messages, attachments and ratings. | Closed for more than 730 days (30–3,650) |
| Webhook deliveries | Finished deliveries (sent, or given up after retries) from the webhook delivery log. | Older than 30 days (1–365) |
| Automation history | The record of what automations did, on cases that are closed. | Older than 90 days (7–3,650) |
| Audit log (whole installation) | Audit log entries: sign-ins, settings and admin changes. | Older than 365 days (30–3,650) |
| Incoming emails (whole installation, on by default) | The original files of emails that came in as replies, and the record of handled ones. Emails still waiting in Email review keep their text; what was added to cases stays. | Older than 30 days (1–365) |
From closed to removed
Closed cases is marked Deletes customer data. Only cases with the status closed count, not resolved ones.
Resolved → Closed → Closed for more than the setting → Removed
Closed for more than the setting → Kept: the case is under legal hold
- Resolved cases are closed after the number of days in Close resolved cases after (days) under Settings → Installation (7 by default) or for the organization under Settings → Organization.
- The period of Closed cases counts from then.
- When the task removes cases, it also removes the contacts it left without any cases. Contacts who never had a case, for example ones an admin added ahead of time, stay, and so do accounts.
[!IMPORTANT] Cases under legal hold are never removed, with their files, automation history and incoming emails, however long ago they closed.
Problems and changes
Plugins can add tasks of their own, once per organization, listed with the rest while the plugin is on. Like the others they start switched off, and they are marked Deletes customer data. Problem Management and Change Management each add two, so the records an auditor may ask for are kept on a longer period of their own:
| Task | Removes | Setting (default, range) |
|---|---|---|
| Closed problems (Problem Management) | Problems closed for longer than the setting, with their timeline and tasks, except those the next task keeps. | Closed for more than 1,095 days (90–3,650) |
| Closed problems with sign-offs or accepted risks (Problem Management) | The evidence: problems with a signed-off root cause or a risk acceptance, with everything on them. | Closed for more than 2,555 days (365–7,300) |
| Closed changes without approvals (Change Management) | Closed and cancelled changes nobody had to approve (pre-approved standard changes, drafts), with their timeline. | Closed for more than 1,095 days (90–3,650) |
| Closed changes with approvals (Change Management) | The evidence: changes someone approved or rejected, with their approvals, versions and timeline. | Closed for more than 2,555 days (365–7,300) |
For changes the period counts from when the change closed (a cancelled one from its last update). Problems and changes under legal hold (Legal hold… on the problem or change) are never removed.
[!TIP] 2,555 days is seven years, a common period for keeping audit evidence; set it to what your auditor or your rules ask for. See compliance and audit.
Changing a setting
- Type the new number.
- Press Enter, or click outside the field.
It's saved at once, and the line below updates to show how many records the task would remove now ("1,234 to remove now", or "Nothing to remove now").
Switching a task on
Turn on the switch next to the task. For Closed cases, the desk asks you to confirm first, and says how many cases the first run will remove.
Switched-on tasks run every night, at 03:23 UTC, one after another; a task that fails doesn't stop the others. Each task shows when it last ran and how much it removed, or the error if the last run failed.
Running a task now
Run now runs the task straight away, whether it is switched on or not. You confirm first, with the number of records it will remove. It's greyed out when there is nothing to remove.
[!CAUTION] Removed data can't be restored from the desk. Keep database backups if you may need it later.
Changing a task, switching it on or off and running it are all recorded in the audit log, with the number of records removed.