Editing Delete contact records

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'''Navigation:''' [[Main_Page]] > [[Contacts]] > delete contact records

== How to Delete Contact Records ==

Deleting contact records is a fundamental aspect of managing your audience effectively in ActiveCampaign. This feature allows users with the appropriate permissions to remove contact records from their accounts, ensuring that the database remains clean and manageable. Understanding how to properly delete contacts is important as it also affects your reporting and segmentation strategies. With the capability to delete contacts, you can maintain a more focused and relevant marketing approach.

== Introduction ==
The ability to delete contact records in ActiveCampaign allows account users to efficiently manage their contacts by removing those that are no longer needed. This can be particularly valuable when maintaining compliance with privacy regulations such as GDPR. However, it is essential to use this feature judiciously, as deleted records can often not be recovered after a certain time frame.

== How to Access This Feature ==
To delete contacts in ActiveCampaign, you must have '''Contact Delete permissions''' granted in your account settings. You can delete individual contacts or multiple contacts at once using the Contacts Overview page. 

== Step-by-Step Instructions ==

=== Deleting a Contact from the Contact Record ===
1. Click '''Contacts''' on the left menu.
2. Navigate to the profile page of the contact you wish to delete.
3. Click the dropdown next to the '''Send a Campaign''' button at the top right.
4. Select '''Delete''' from the dropdown options.
   [[File:Delete option in the Action dropdown in a contact record.jpg|center|thumb|Delete option in the Action dropdown]]
5. A confirmation dialogue will appear. Click '''Delete''' again to confirm your action, then click '''Okay''' to exit.
   [[File:Delete button.jpg|center|thumb|Delete button confirmation]]

=== Deleting Contacts from the Contacts Overview Page ===
1. Click '''Contacts''' on the left menu to access the Contacts Overview page.
2. Identify the contact or contacts you want to delete.
3. Click the checkbox next to each contact you wish to delete.
   * Note: You can only delete as many contacts as the number of rows displayed per page. If you set the display to show 100 rows, you can delete up to 100 contacts at once.
4. Once selected, click the '''Delete''' button that appears next to the '''Edit''' button.
   [[File:Delete button on Contacts Overview page.jpg|center|thumb|Delete button on Contacts Overview]]
5. A message will prompt you to confirm that you understand the action cannot be undone. Click the checkbox to agree to this statement.
   [[File:Delete Selected Contacts modal checkmark box.jpg|center|thumb|Confirmation checkbox]]
6. Finally, click '''Delete''' to finalize the removal of selected contacts.

== Configuration Options and Settings ==
- Ensure you have the '''Contact Delete permissions''' in your user settings. This permission is crucial for utilizing the delete functionality.
- All ActiveCampaign accounts have a monthly delete limit; once reached, no further contacts can be deleted until the next billing period.

== Best Practices and Tips ==
- Before deleting contacts, verify that they are no longer needed for your marketing strategies to avoid accidental loss of valuable information.
- Regularly review your contact lists to identify and remove outdated or inactive contacts, which can help optimize your campaign effectiveness.
- Consider exporting contact data before deletion for backup purposes, should you need to reference it later.
- Adhere to GDPR regulations regarding data management, ensuring you are compliant with the rights of data erasure described in Article 17.

== Common Use Cases with Examples ==
- **Cleaning Up Inactive Contacts**: If you have a large list of contacts that have not engaged with your campaigns in six months, you can delete them to enhance your engagement metrics.
- **Managing GDPR Compliance**: Following a request under Article 17 for data erasure, you can efficiently delete any contact records as needed to comply with regulations.
- **Removing Test Accounts**: Frequently, accounts may create test contacts; deleting these will help keep your primary contact lists concise and relevant.

== Troubleshooting ==
- If you encounter issues with deleting contacts, verify that you have sufficient permissions and that you have not met your monthly deletion limit.
- Double-check that you are correctly following the steps outlined above. If still unsuccessful, consider reaching out to your account administrator for assistance.

== Related Features ==
- For more information on managing contacts, see the articles on [[Contact Lists]] and [[User Groups]].
  
== FAQ ==
=== 1. Can I recover a deleted contact record? ===
Yes, an Account Admin can restore a deleted contact for up to 30 days after deletion.

=== 2. What happens if I exceed my monthly contact delete limit? ===
Once you reach your monthly delete limit, you will not be able to delete any more contacts until the start of the next billing period.

=== 3. How can I check my contact delete permissions? ===
You can check your permissions in the settings section of your ActiveCampaign account under user roles.

=== 4. Is there a way to batch delete contacts? ===
Yes, you can select multiple contacts on the Contacts Overview page and delete them in bulk, provided you do not exceed the limit of contacts displayed on your current page.

=== 5. What should I do if I accidentally delete a contact? ===
If a contact is deleted by mistake, the account administrator can restore that contact within 30 days of deletion.

=== 6. How do I know if a contact was successfully deleted? ===
Once the deletion process is complete, you will receive a confirmation message stating that the contacts have been deleted.

=== 7. Are there any restrictions on deleting contacts? ===
Yes, deletion restrictions apply based on your account’s monthly limits and your user permissions.

By following this guide, you can effectively manage your contact records in ActiveCampaign while remaining in compliance with data management policies.
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