How to Delete Form Submissions Automatically

Jotform’s Auto-Delete Submissions feature helps you manage form data more efficiently by automatically removing submissions after a set period of time. It offers the same functionality as the Auto-Delete Submissions app, but now it’s 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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How to Auto-Delete Submissions with Jotform

Setting Up Auto-Delete Submissions for Individual Forms

You can set up Auto-Delete Submission for individual forms in a few 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 at the bottom.

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 your submissions to be automatically deleted in.

5. Then, click on Next at the bottom of the window.

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

Setting Up Default Auto-Delete Submissions for All Your Forms

You can set up theAuto-Delete Submissions feature in the Data section of your Account Settings, allowing you to set a default Auto-Delete 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 at the bottom of the window.

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! in the bottom-right corner to continue, or click on Cancel in the bottom-left corner to exit the setup.

Forms with Custom Auto-Delete Submission Periods

When you enable the default auto-delete setting for all forms in your Account’s Data Settings, you’ll be asked how to handle forms that already have custom Auto-Delete Submission periods.

Clicking on No, Keep will leave the custom Auto-Delete Submission 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 Auto-Delete Submission period to all your existing forms—even those with custom settings—as well as any new forms you create.

Forms with Existing Submissions

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

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 the Auto-Delete Submissions feature

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