Sometimes that time comes along when you just don't need a particular record anymore. There are two different ways to get rid of the offending information:
- Archiving the record
- Deleting the record
These have some crossover, and some distinct differences which we'll cover below.
Archiving records
Archiving is your go-to first step for removing information. It makes the information invisible to you, and to your filtering/exporting/searches. It can however still be accessed if you ever need to reference it again, and brought back to life if you need to reinstate it one day. Think of it like putting a file in the trash on your computer - it's gone for all intents and purposes, but you can still get at it if you need it.
How to archive a record
On each record there is a handy Archive button in the top right of the individual record.
You'll be greeted with a confirmation window...
...and a success message upon completion.
You can also archive multiple records at once using your list view. First, use the checkboxes to select the records you would like to archive.
Next, open the Actions menu (the three dots!), and click Archive.
Tip: You can use filters and views to narrow the current records in view. Using the 'Select all' checkbox at the top of the list selects only those records currently visible.
Record archived! But where do they go...?
Viewing and restoring archived records
To see the archived records of any record type, open the Views dropdown, and click Archived.
You'll now be looking at any records of this type previously archived and hidden from your database. This is the recycling bin of Beacon!
From here you can view the records, sort and filter them, etc. just like you can with live records. If you would like to restore a file, it's virtually the same process as archiving:
There's a Restore button on the individual record in the top right.
Or for multiple records from the list view you can select the record or records, open the tri-dot Action menu, and click Restore.
Archived records in related records
If another record links to one that has been archived, it will still show the information but will mark it as archived. Clicking through will take you to that archived record.
Deleting a record
It's what you'd expect - deleting removes the records completely from your database, and can't be restored or recovered.
To delete a record, it must first be archived. Once archived, use the Delete button on the record in the top right.
Or, select the records you would like to delete, open the Action menu, and then click Delete forever. Ominous!
Tip: Be careful when choosing to delete a record. Any other records which currently point to this one will lose that information.