Archiving and Deleting Assets - Clean Up Your Inventory

Overview

UniAsset provides two ways to remove assets from active view: Archiving (reversible, preserves history) and Deleting (permanent, rare). This guide explains when to use each and how they work.

Key Concepts

Archive vs. Delete

Recommended workflow: Archive first, delete only if absolutely necessary.

Understanding Asset States

Assets progress through these states:

1. Active → Normal use
2. Damaged → Needs repair
3. Disposed → Permanently out of service (status change)
4. Archived → Hidden from active lists but preserved (action)
5. Deleted → Completely removed (rarely used)

Archiving Assets

What is Archiving?

Archiving removes assets from the main asset list while preserving all data, history, and audit trail.

When archived:

• Asset no longer appears in default asset list
• Excluded from "Total Assets" count on dashboard
• Historical data preserved (all maintenance, assignments, changes)
• Can be restored anytime
• Still appears in reports if you explicitly include archived assets

When to Archive

Good reasons to archive:

• Asset status changed to "Disposed" 30+ days ago (confirmed not needed)
• Asset sold, donated, recycled (disposal complete)
• Asset lost/stolen and insurance claim settled
• Old records cluttering active inventory

Don't archive if:

• Asset might return to service (keep status "Damaged" instead)
• Asset still under warranty (keep visible for warranty claim tracking)
• Recent disposal (wait 30-90 days in case disposal is reversed)

How to Archive (Single Asset)

1. Open asset detail page
2. Click three-dot menu → "Archive"
3. Confirmation prompt: "Are you sure? This will hide the asset from active lists."
4. Click "Archive"
5. Asset removed from main list

How to Archive (Bulk)

Clean up multiple disposed assets at once:

1. Go to Assets page
2. Filter: Status → Disposed
3. (Optional) Add filter: Last Updated → More than 90 days ago
4. Select assets to archive (checkboxes)
5. Click Bulk Actions → "Archive Selected"
6. Confirm
7. Assets hidden from active view

Viewing Archived Assets

To see archived assets:

1. Go to Assets page
2. Click "Show Archived" toggle (top right)
3. Archived assets appear in list (grayed out)
4. Click asset to view details

Or use filter:

1. Click Filters
2. Toggle "Include Archived Assets"
3. Archived assets show with icon/badge

Restoring Archived Assets

If you archived something by mistake or need to bring it back:

1. Go to Assets page
2. Enable "Show Archived" toggle
3. Find archived asset
4. Open asset detail page
5. Click three-dot menu → "Restore from Archive"
6. Asset returns to active list
7. Status remains same (e.g., still "Disposed" - update to "Active" if putting back in service)

Bulk restore:

1. Show archived assets
2. Select multiple archived assets
3. Bulk Actions → "Restore from Archive"

Deleting Assets

What is Delete?

Delete permanently removes asset from database. This is irreversible.

When deleted:

• All data lost (purchase cost, maintenance history, documents, images)
• Audit trail entries removed
• Cannot be restored
• Serial number becomes available for reuse (not recommended - confusing)

When to Delete (Rare!)

Only delete for:

• Duplicate asset created by error (keep one, delete duplicate)
• Test asset created during initial setup
• Asset created with completely wrong data (easier to delete and recreate)

Never delete for:

• Normal disposal (use Status "Disposed" + Archive instead)
• Audit compliance (must preserve records 7 years minimum)
• "Cleaning up old data" (use Archive)

How to Delete (Single Asset)

1. Open asset detail page
2. Click three-dot menu → "Delete Asset"
3. Critical confirmation prompt:

   Delete "[Asset Name]"?
   
   This action is PERMANENT and cannot be undone.
   All history, maintenance records, and audit trail will be lost.
   
   Consider using "Archive" instead to preserve history.
   
   Type the asset name to confirm deletion: ___
   

4. Type asset name exactly
5. Click "Permanently Delete"

Note: Extra confirmation step prevents accidental deletions.

Bulk Delete

Not available. UniAsset does not allow bulk deletion to prevent catastrophic data loss. Delete assets one at a time if you must.

Deleted Asset Recovery

There is no recovery. Once deleted, data is gone.

Workaround: If you have recent CSV export or database backup, contact support for recovery assistance. Not guaranteed.

Best Practices

1. Default to Archive, Not Delete

Archive is reversible. Delete is not. When in doubt, archive.

2. Wait 90 Days Before Archiving Disposed Assets

Set status to "Disposed" immediately upon disposal, but wait 90 days before archiving. Allows time for:

• Insurance claims
• Disposal paperwork
• Reversing disposal if asset found or sale falls through

3. Never Delete for Compliance Reasons

Financial audits and tax regulations often require 7-year asset record retention. Archiving meets this; deletion violates it.

4. Export Before Bulk Archive

1. Filter to assets you plan to archive
2. Export to CSV
3. Save CSV as backup
4. Then archive

5. Document Disposal in Notes Before Archiving

Before archiving disposed asset, update Notes:

Disposed 2026-01-02 via TechWaste Inc.
Certificate of Destruction: #TW-123456
Reason: End of useful life, 8 years old
Approved by: John Smith (IT Manager)

Archive Workflows

Annual Cleanup

Once per year, clean up old disposed assets:

1. Filter: Status = Disposed, Last Updated > 1 year ago
2. Review list (verify all are truly disposed)
3. Bulk archive all
4. Export list to archive folder for records

Pre-Audit Cleanup

Before financial audit:

1. Archive disposed assets (reduces clutter for auditors)
2. Export all assets (including archived) for auditor review
3. Keep archived assets accessible via toggle if auditor requests

System Migration

If migrating to different system later:

1. Export all assets (including archived)
2. Import to new system
3. Archived flag can be recreated in new system if needed

Reports and Archived Assets

Default Behavior

Most reports exclude archived assets:

• Dashboard "Total Assets" count
• Asset Value Report
• Maintenance Cost Report

Including Archived in Reports

Some reports have "Include Archived" checkbox:

1. Go to Reports
2. Select report (e.g., Asset Value Report)
3. Check "Include Archived Assets"
4. Run report
5. Archived assets included with indicator

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I unarchive an asset years later?

Yes. Archived assets can be restored anytime, even years later. All data is preserved.

Does archiving affect depreciation?

No. Archived assets continue depreciating in the background (based on purchase date). If you run a depreciation report including archived assets, they show current depreciated value.

Can Viewers archive assets?

No. Only Manager, Admin, and Owner roles can archive. Viewers are read-only.

What happens to documents/images when archiving?

They're preserved with the asset. When you restore, all documents and images return.

Can I search archived assets?

Yes, if you enable "Show Archived" toggle. Then search works on both active and archived.

If I delete an asset, can another asset use the same serial number?

Technically yes (serial becomes available), but don't do this. It creates confusion. Deleted asset history is gone, but the serial number was real. Keep serial numbers unique forever.

How much storage do archived assets use?

Minimal. Archived assets are just database rows. UniAsset has no storage limits for archived assets.

Can I mass-delete assets?

No. Bulk delete is intentionally disabled to prevent accidental data loss. Delete one at a time, or contact support for special assistance if you genuinely need to purge test data.

Related Articles

• Understanding Asset Status - Status vs. Archive
• Understanding Asset Lifecycle - Disposal phase
• Exporting Asset Data - Backup before archiving
• Asset History & Audit Trail - What's preserved in archive

Need Help?

If you accidentally deleted an asset or need help with bulk archive operations, contact support immediately.