How to Delete Form Submissions Automatically

The Auto-Delete Submissions feature in Jotform helps you manage form data more efficiently by automatically removing submissions after a set period. It offers the same functionality as the Auto-Delete Submissions app, but now directly within your account with an enhanced interface and added options. This makes it easier to streamline your workflow, reduce manual cleanup, and maintain control over how long submission data is stored.

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Setting Up Auto-Delete Submissions for Individual Forms

You can easily set up your Auto-Delete submission for individual forms in simple steps. Here’s what to do:

1. In Form Builder, in the orange navigation bar at the top of the page, click on Settings.
2. Then, click on Show More Options.

3. Next, scroll down to the Auto Delete Submissions section, and click on Enable.

4. Now, in the Auto-Delete Submissions window that opens, click on the Deletion Period Dropdown menu and select the time frame you want for your submissions to be automatically deleted.

5. Then, click on Next.

6. Now, click on Yes, Update, and you’re all set.

Setting Up Default Auto-Delete Submissions for All Forms

You can set up the auto-delete submissions feature in the Data section of your Account Settings, allowing you to set a default automatic deletion period for form submissions across all your existing forms at once. This setting will also apply to any forms you create in the future. Here’s how to do it:

1. On your Workspace page, click on your Avatar/Profile picture in the top-right corner of the screen.
2. In the Dropdown menu that comes up, click on Settings, to open your Settings page.

3. Now, in the menu on the left, click on the Data tab to open your Data Settings page.
4. Then, click on Set Deletion Period.

5. Now, in the Auto-Delete Submissions window that opens up, click on the Deletion Period dropdown menu and select the time frame you want for your submissions to be automatically deleted.

6. Then, click on Next.

7. Now, click on Yes, Update, and you’re done.

Other Auto-Delete Submissions Configuration Settings

To turn on the auto-delete submissions feature for your forms, you’ll need to set a few options. This includes choosing the deletion period for new submissions, deciding what to do with existing submissions, and whether to apply the same settings to all forms or keep custom ones for each. Be sure to review these settings so they match your data management needs and work well with your current processes.

Forms Connected to an Approval Flow

You’ll see a prompt in the Auto-Delete Submissions window when you enable the feature, letting you know it might affect your form’s approval flow. Click on Got It! at the bottom to continue, or Cancel to exit the setup.

Forms with Custom Automatic Deletion Periods

When you enable a default auto-delete setting for all forms in your Account Data Settings, you’ll be asked how to handle forms that already have custom deletion periods for their submissions.

Clicking on No, Keep will leave the custom deletion periods you’ve already set for individual forms as they are. The default deletion period will only apply to your other forms and any new ones you create after you save and update your account settings.

Clicking on Yes, Change All will apply the default deletion period to all your existing forms—even those with custom settings—as well as any new forms you create.

Forms with Existing Submissions

After you select a deletion period in the Auto-Delete Submissions window, if any of your forms have submissions older than that period, the next screen will ask you what to do with them.

Clicking on No, Keep will leave your form’s existing submissions as they are. Only new submissions that go past the set deletion period will be automatically deleted after you click Yes, Update on the next screen.

Clicking on Yes, Delete will move your old submissions (received before enabling auto-delete) to Trashed entries for 30 days after you click Yes, Update on the next screen. After that, they’ll be permanently deleted.

Disabling Auto-Delete Submissions

After setting up an automatic deletion period for an individual form in Form Builder Settings or all your forms in Account Data Settings, the Enable button next to the Auto-Delete Submissions setting changes to disable. This allows you to turn off the feature for your forms.