Soft Deletes and Data Retention
When a user clicks 'delete', should the record vanish forever? Often the safer answer is no. A soft delete marks a record as removed without actually destroying it, which protects you from mistakes and supports your reporting and legal obligations.
This article explains the difference and how we decide which to use.
Soft vs Hard Delete
A hard delete physically removes the row. A soft delete sets a flag (such as a 'deleted at' date) so the record is hidden from normal views but still recoverable. Most business data benefits from soft deletes.
Why Soft Deletes Help
- Accidental deletions can be undone in seconds.
- Historical reports stay accurate even after records are removed.
- Audit trails remain intact for accountability.
When to Delete for Real
Retention is not unlimited. Data protection law and your own policies require some data to be genuinely erased after a period. We set retention rules so soft-deleted data is permanently purged on a defined schedule.
If you need a hand with any of this, your Progressive Robot delivery team is ready to help. Raise a ticket from the Support area of your client portal or speak to your account manager and we will guide you through the next steps.