CoherenceCOHERENCE

Deleting Records

Learn how to delete records, recover deleted records from Trash, and manage retention settings

Deleting Records

Coherence uses a soft delete system to protect your data from accidental loss. When you delete a record, it moves to Trash where it can be recovered for a period of time before being permanently removed.

How Deletion Works

When you delete a record in Coherence:

  1. Immediate removal from view - The record disappears from your main list, search results, and reference fields
  2. Moved to Trash - The record is stored in the module's Trash folder
  3. 30-day retention - Deleted records remain recoverable for 30 days (configurable)
  4. Automatic purging - After the retention period, records are permanently deleted

Deleted records don't count toward your record limits while in Trash.

Deleting Individual Records

From the List View

Hover over any record row to reveal the action buttons, then click the trash icon:

  1. The record is immediately removed from the list
  2. An undo notification appears for 10 seconds
  3. Click Undo to instantly restore the record
  4. If you don't undo, the record moves to Trash

From the Record Detail View

When viewing a record's details:

  1. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the header
  2. Select Delete
  3. Confirm the deletion

Bulk Deleting Records

To delete multiple records at once:

  1. Select records - Click the checkbox next to each record, or use Shift+Click to select a range
  2. Click Delete - A bulk action bar appears; click the trash icon
  3. Undo if needed - An undo notification shows the count of deleted records

Bulk delete operations can be undone within 10 seconds using the undo notification.

Accessing the Trash

Each module has its own Trash folder containing deleted records:

  1. Navigate to the module (e.g., Contacts, Deals)
  2. Open the module's menu or navigate to /module/{module-slug}/trash
  3. View all deleted records with:
    • Record name - The display name of the deleted record
    • Deleted date - When the record was deleted
    • Deleted by - Who deleted the record
    • Permanent deletion date - When the record will be automatically purged

Recovering Deleted Records

Restore Individual Records

From the Trash view:

  1. Find the record you want to restore
  2. Click the Restore button (↻ icon)
  3. The record is immediately restored to the main list

Bulk Restore

To restore multiple records:

  1. Select the records using checkboxes
  2. Click Restore in the action bar
  3. All selected records are restored

Restored records retain all their original data, including labels, types, and field values.

Permanent Deletion

If you're certain you no longer need a record, you can permanently delete it before the retention period ends:

Delete Forever

From the Trash view:

  1. Find the record
  2. Click Delete Forever (trash icon)
  3. Confirm the action in the dialog

Permanent deletion cannot be undone. Make sure you really don't need the record before confirming.

Empty Trash

To permanently delete all records in a module's Trash:

  1. Navigate to the module's Trash view
  2. Click Empty Trash
  3. Confirm the action

This permanently removes all deleted records for that module.

Retention Settings

Workspace administrators can configure how long deleted records are retained before automatic purging.

Default Retention

  • 30 days - Records remain in Trash for 30 days
  • Daily purge job - Expired records are permanently deleted daily

Configuring Retention

Contact your workspace administrator to adjust the retention period. Retention can be configured at the workspace level.

Shorter retention periods help manage storage, while longer periods provide more time to recover accidentally deleted records.

What Happens When Records Are Deleted

When a record is deleted:

  • Reference fields - Other records that reference the deleted record will show "(Deleted)" until the reference is updated
  • Child records - Child records in hierarchies are NOT automatically deleted
  • Activities & comments - Are preserved with the record and restored if the record is recovered

Search & Filters

Deleted records are excluded from:

  • Main record lists
  • Search results
  • Reference field pickers
  • Reports and dashboards
  • Automation triggers

Audit Trail

All delete operations are tracked:

  • Who deleted - The user who performed the deletion
  • When deleted - Timestamp of the deletion
  • What was deleted - Record ID and display name

This information is visible in the Trash view and can be used for compliance and audit purposes.

Best Practices

  1. Use undo for mistakes - If you accidentally delete a record, use the undo notification immediately
  2. Review Trash periodically - Check the Trash before the retention period expires
  3. Don't rely on Trash for archival - For long-term storage, consider using a status field like "Archived" instead of deletion
  4. Train your team - Ensure team members understand the soft delete system

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a permanently deleted record?

No. Once a record is permanently deleted (either manually or by the automatic purge), it cannot be recovered.

Do deleted records affect my storage quota?

Deleted records in Trash do count toward storage, but are automatically purged after the retention period.

Can I delete records I don't own?

This depends on your workspace permissions. Generally, you need edit or delete permission for the module to delete records.

How do I know who deleted a record?

The Trash view shows the "Deleted by" information for each deleted record.