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Archive, delete and restore a task

This article shows you how to archive or delete a task you no longer need, how to find it again, and how to bring it back.

Archive or delete?​

  • Archive files a task away. It disappears from your usual lists but is kept.
  • Delete moves a task to the trash. It can be brought back for 30 days. After that it's removed for good, together with any time logged on it.

If a task is finished but you may need it later, archive it rather than delete it.

Ask to archive or delete a task​

  1. Open the task.
  2. Click Request Archive or Request Delete.
  3. Optionally, write a reason for your manager.
  4. Click Submit Request.

The task now shows Archive Pending or Delete Pending, and your manager is notified. You get a notification when they approve or deny it. To withdraw the request, click the X next to Archive Pending or Delete Pending.

If your workspace doesn't require approval for archiving (or deleting), the task is archived (or deleted) as soon as you submit. See What needs approval.

If the task itself hasn't been approved yet (it's still Pending), you won't see these buttons. Click Cancel Request instead to withdraw it. A cancelled request is permanently deleted after 30 days.

Screenshot

A task page with the Request Archive and Request Delete buttons, and the Request Delete window with its reason box.

Before a task is deleted​

TaskFlow may stop and check with you first:

  • This task has logged time: the window shows how much time is logged and by whom. That time is removed with the task after 30 days, and it also disappears from timesheets and reports. Click Keep the task, Move the time first to open the task and move the time, or Delete anyway.
  • This is a recurring task: deleting a repeating task doesn't end the series. The schedule would just create it again. Click Stop the recurring schedule instead. See Repeating tasks.

Find archived and deleted tasks​

Archived and deleted tasks are hidden from your lists by default. To see them:

  1. Go to My Tasks & Requests (or Tasks & Approvals if you're a manager).
  2. Open the Status filter.
  3. Tick Archived, Deleted or both.

A deleted task shows how many days are left before it's removed, for example "Auto-deleted in 12 days".

Restore a deleted task​

  1. Open the deleted task.
  2. Click Request Restore.
  3. Optionally, write a reason and click Submit Request.

The task shows Restore Pending until a manager decides. If your workspace doesn't require approval for deleting, the task is restored straight away. A restored task is no longer in the trash and won't be removed after 30 days. It comes back with the status Archived. To put it back to work, restore it once more (see below).

Restore an archived task​

Open the archived task and click Request Restore (managers click Restore). Once it's approved, or straight away if your workspace doesn't require approval for archiving, the task goes back to the status it had before it was archived.

Delete a task for good​

A deleted task is removed for good after 30 days. To remove it sooner, open it and click Request Permanent Delete, then Submit Request. This always goes to a manager, whatever your workspace's settings, because it can't be undone. When it's approved, the task and any time logged on it are removed.

For managers​

On the task page, managers see Archive and Delete buttons. Confirm in the window that opens. The change applies straight away, and the requester and assignees are notified.

On a deleted task, managers see:

  • Restore, to take it out of the trash.
  • Delete Permanently, to remove it at once. This can't be undone.

When someone asks to archive, delete or restore a task, a box at the top of the task shows who asked and why, with Approve and Deny. See Approve, reject or request changes.