Managing deletion schedules

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<p id="docs-ai-summary-content">Deletion schedules help you manage data retention by automatically removing data to comply with privacy laws and manage storage. You can set up schedules for deleting inactive users, archived tickets, attachments, bot-only conversations, and custom object records. Activate, edit, clone, deactivate, or delete schedules as needed to maintain control over your data management processes.</p>
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<div class="body">
<p class="p">Deletion schedules allow admins and <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408882153882" target="_blank">agents in custom roles</a> with permission to create data
retention policies by automatically deleting data in Zendesk. Deletion schedules help
comply with privacy laws and are beneficial when <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408835043994" target="_blank">managing data storage</a> in your account.</p>
<div class="p">There are several types of deletion schedules:<ul class="ul" id="user_delete_schedules_ADPP__ul_wsq_d2b_ndc">
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/6062884435866" target="_blank">End-user deletion schedules</a> delete
inactive end users that meet certain conditions, such as those belonging to
specific organizations or containing a specific tag on their profile.</li>
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/6388012977306" target="_blank">Ticket deletion schedules</a> delete
archived tickets after a specified period and can be configured to delete
tickets by criteria such as brand, group, and custom fields.</li>
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9783945525658" target="_blank">Attachment deletion schedules</a>
automatically delete attachments from archived tickets that meet specific
criteria, ensuring that documents are deleted once they have served their
purpose.</li>
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8499219792154" target="_blank">Deletion schedules for bot-only
conversations</a> allow you to delete conversations that take place only
between an end user and your bot.</li>
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9948798181530" target="_blank">Deletion schedules for custom object
records</a> allow you to automatically delete records that meet specific
criteria, helping you comply with data retention regulations.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">The Deletion schedules page in Admin Center provides a central place to manage deletion
schedules.</p>
<div class="p">This article covers the following topics:<ul class="ul" id="user_delete_schedules_ADPP__ul_yfd_zvt_lzb">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_egz_f4y_fdc">Accessing the Deletion schedules page</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_nlj_q4y_fdc">Activating deletion schedules</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_zzt_r4y_fdc">Editing and cloning deletion schedules</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_sbq_w3s_mdc">Deactivating and deleting deletion schedules</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_egz_f4y_fdc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Accessing the Deletion schedules page</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You'll find the Deletion schedules page in Admin Center.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To access the Deletion schedules page</strong></p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_egz_f4y_fdc__ul_b5n_fds_mdc">
<li class="li">
<span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_account_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Account</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Security &gt; Deletion schedules</strong>.</span><p class="p">The Deletion schedules page opens.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_egz_f4y_fdc__image_wds_5hs_mdc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/deletion_schedule_page.png" width="800"></p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_nlj_q4y_fdc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">Activating deletion schedules</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Deletion schedules are inactive when you initially create them. You must activate
deletion schedules for them to start deleting data.</p>
<p class="p">One deletion schedule per type can be active at a time. If you have the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/6561144266906" target="_blank">Advanced Data Privacy and Protection add-on</a>, up to 10
deletion schedules per type can be active.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To activate a deletion schedule</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_nlj_q4y_fdc__ol_otx_qc2_rzb">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_account_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Account</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Security &gt; Deletion schedules</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click the options menu icon (<img class="image" id="topic_nlj_q4y_fdc__image_yl1_md5_1tb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/uc_options_icon.png">) for the schedule, then click <strong class="ph b">Activate</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">In the confirmation dialog, select the checkboxes to confirm you understand what
data will be deleted immediately and as scheduled moving forward.<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_nlj_q4y_fdc__image_ehj_pc2_rzb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/deletion_schedule_activate.png" width="500"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Activate deletion schedule</strong>.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested1" id="topic_zzt_r4y_fdc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title4">Editing and cloning deletion schedules</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can edit and clone deletion schedules. Cloning a deletion schedule creates a copy
you can modify and use for other purposes.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To edit a deletion schedule</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_zzt_r4y_fdc__ol_ssb_lys_mdc">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_account_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Account</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Security &gt; Deletion schedules</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click the options menu icon (<img class="image" id="topic_zzt_r4y_fdc__image_tsb_lys_mdc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/uc_options_icon.png">) for the schedule, then click <strong class="ph b">Edit</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">Modify the schedule name, description, and conditions as needed.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Save</strong>.</li>
</ol>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To clone a deletion schedule</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_zzt_r4y_fdc__ol_v4x_dys_mdc">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_account_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Account</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Security &gt; Deletion schedules</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click the options menu icon (<img class="image" id="topic_zzt_r4y_fdc__image_w4x_dys_mdc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/uc_options_icon.png">) for the schedule, then click <strong class="ph b">Clone</strong>.<p class="p">A
copy of the deletion schedule is created and automatically opened for
editing.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Modify the schedule name, description, and conditions as needed.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Save</strong>.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested1" id="topic_sbq_w3s_mdc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title5">Deactivating and deleting deletion schedules</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">If you no longer need a deletion schedule, you can deactivate or delete it. </p>
<p class="p">If you want to use a deletion schedule again in the future but don't currently need
it, then deactivate it. You can reactivate it at any time. Deleting a deletion
schedule means that it's gone and can't be retrieved. Deletion schedules must be
deactivated before they can be deleted.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To deactivate a deletion schedule</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_sbq_w3s_mdc__ol_t1f_1js_mdc">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_account_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Account</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Security &gt; Deletion schedules</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click the options menu icon (<img class="image" id="topic_sbq_w3s_mdc__image_u1f_1js_mdc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/uc_options_icon.png">) for the schedule, then click
<strong class="ph b">Deactivate</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Deactivate deletion schedule</strong>.<p class="p">The status of the deletion schedule
changes to Inactive.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To delete a deletion schedule</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_sbq_w3s_mdc__ol_arl_gys_mdc">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_account_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Account</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Security &gt; Deletion schedules</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click the options menu icon (<img class="image" id="topic_sbq_w3s_mdc__image_brl_gys_mdc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/uc_options_icon.png">) for the schedule, then click <strong class="ph b">Delete</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Delete schedule</strong>.</li>
</ol>
</div>
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