Keeping old, unneeded records in your Cloud AMS database can slow your system performance. This article is designed to help you delete and archive old, unwanted records.
IMPORTANT: You must determine how many years of data should remain in Cloud AMS before running the utilities outlined below (i.e., do you want to keep all data up to three years back, five years back, or longer?).
What is the difference between deleting and archiving? When records are deleted, they are gone and can no longer be accessed through forms, tables, or reports. When records are archived, they can still be accessed, but only through very limited reports.
To successfully delete members and office records, we recommend that you follow the steps in the order listed. Members and offices cannot be deleted until all history and related records have been purged. However, you can perform the steps in any order desired if your goal is simply to purge specific records and not to delete member or office records.
NOTE: Help is available for all of the programs listed below. Simply press the F1 key on your keyboard for detailed information about the program you are using.
IMPORTANT: Be sure to contact Cloud AMS Support to perform a complete backup of your data before running programs that will significantly alter your data.
To delete and/or archive old records:
- Purge Inventory Utility (Managers > Inventory > Utilities > Purge Inventory Utility) – If your association uses the Inventory manager, you can use this utility to purge inventory adjustments and purchase orders that are at least one year old.
- Purge Class Registration Utility (Education > Updates and Utilities > Purge Class Registration) – Use this utility to purge registration records for specific classes. You will need to identify which classes you want to purge registrations for prior to running this utility.
- Purge Classes Utility (Education > Updates and Utilities > Purge Classes) – Use this utility if you want to delete all class information, including all related registration records. You can select a specific class or specify all classes within a date range. Because this utility deletes both the class information and related member registration records, it is not necessary to run the Purge Class Registration Utility (step 2) if you use this utility. NOTE: Classes will not be purged if the "OK to Purge" checkbox is not selected in the Class Information Form.
- Purge Event Registration Utility (Event > Updates and Utilities > Purge Event Registration) – Use this utility to purge registration records for specific events. You will need to identify which events you want to purge registrations for prior to running this utility.
- Purge Events Utility (Event > Updates and Utilities > Purge Events) – Use this utility if you want to delete all event information, including all related registration records. You can select a specific event or specify all events within a date range. Because this utility deletes both the event information and related member registration records, it is not necessary to run the Purge Event Registration Utility (step 4) if you use this utility. NOTE: Events will not be purged if the "OK to Purge" checkbox is not selected in the Event Information Form.
- Purge Unused Events/Classes Utility (Managers > Convention > Updates and Utilities > Purge Unused Events/Classes) – Use this utility to purge event or class records that have no related registration records. NOTE: The "OK to Purge" checkbox must be selected in the related Event or Class Information Form.
- Purge Convention Registration Utility (Managers > Convention > Updates and Utilities > Purge Convention Registration) – Use this utility to purge registration records for specific conventions. You will need to identify which conventions you want to purge registrations for prior to running this utility.
- Purge Call Tracking Utility (Managers > Call Tracking > Purge Call Tracking Utility) – Use this utility to purge call tracking records that are at least six months old.
- Purge Committee Members Utility (Committee > Updates and Utilities > Purge Committee Members) – Use this utility to purge committee member records for selected associations and committees within a specified date range.
- Process Journal Entries / Purge Journal Entry Transactions (Accounting > Month End Processes > Journal Entry Programs > Process Journal Entries) – Before purging journal entry detail, make sure that all reports have been printed and that the export/import to your accounting software is complete and verified.
Starting with the oldest batches, locate qualifying batches with a status of Exported or Posted (if you don't export journal entries). After the batch has been purged, its status will change to Deleted.
It’s a good idea to purge old, unneeded batches as part of your month-end procedure. This frees up valuable disk space and makes the upgrade process run faster. - Update Invoice Billing Office Utility (Accounting > Accounting Utilities > Update Invoice Billing Office) – Run this utility to update invoices for which the billing office has changed.
- Delete Unpaid Invoices Utility (Accounting > Accounting Utilities > Delete Unpaid Invoices) – Use this program to delete cash-basis unpaid invoices for specific billing groups in your database. This utility is designed to help you remove old, unpaid dues or MLS invoices for members who are inactive or terminated. NOTE: Do not run this program if you want to retain accounting history of unpaid invoices.
TIP: Run the utility using the “Report Only” option to see the invoices that will be deleted before running the “Delete and Report” option. - Archive Receipts and Invoices Utility (Accounting > Accounting Utilities > Archive Receipts and Invoices) – Use this utility to archive old receipts and invoices in your database. The date defaults to one year ago, but you can modify this if desired. We recommend that you print the exception report so that you can investigate the reasons a receipt or invoice was not archived.
- Purge History and Changes Utility (Membership > Utilities > Member > Purge History and Changes) – Use this utility to delete old history or change records. Do not run this utility if there is any reason you might need to retain this information. Be sure that you have processed all necessary transmittals for the time period and associations that you select.
- Delete Members by Status Date Utility (Membership > Utilities > Member > Delete Members by Status Date) – Use this utility to delete members who were terminated on or before the specified status date. This program also deletes all related association records.
- Delete Offices by Status Date Utility (Membership > Utilities > Office > Delete Offices by Status Date) – Use this utility to delete offices that were terminated on or before the specified status date. This program also deletes all related association records.