# Bulk Deleting Participant Documents

Source: https://docs.astalty.com.au/guide/settings/data-management/bulk-deleting-participant-documents

> Permanently delete a Participant's deletable Documents in one background operation.

## Overview

The Account Owner can start a background operation that removes all eligible Documents from one Participant, including archived Documents. Most eligible Documents are permanently deleted. A file that came from an SMS conversation is detached from this Participant instead, so its SMS source and any other eligible record that still uses it are preserved. Other roles cannot start or view this tool.

> **Deletion Cannot Be Undone**
>
> Documents that the operation permanently deletes cannot be restored. Review the selected Participant before confirming.

## How to Bulk Delete Documents

### Open Data Management

Open [Settings > Data Management](https://app.astalty.com.au/settings/data-management), then choose bulk Participant Document deletion.

![Settings with Settings highlighted in the left-hand menu (1) and Data Management highlighted in the settings menu (2), showing the Bulk Delete Participant Documents panel with a Select a Participant drop-down and a Continue button.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/data-management-1.png)

### Select a Participant

Select one Participant and choose **Continue**. The preview counts the Documents currently in scope.

![The Bulk Delete Participant Documents panel with its permanent deletion warning highlighted, and an arrow pointing to the open Select a Participant drop-down with a Search box and a list of Participants.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/data-management-2.png)

![The Bulk Delete Participant Documents panel with a Participant chosen in Select a Participant and an arrow pointing to the Continue button.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/data-management-3.png)

### Review and Confirm

Review the Participant and count, then select **Delete All Documents** and confirm. Only one bulk deletion can process for the same Participant at a time. A second request is rejected until the first finishes.

![The Bulk Delete Documents panel with a highlighted warning that all 5 documents for the Participant will be deleted and This action cannot be undone, and an arrow pointing to the Delete All Documents button beside Cancel.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/data-management-4.png)

### Wait for Processing

The operation runs in the background. When normal processing completes, the Account Owner who started it receives a notification and can open the results. If the background job itself fails, the result is marked failed; do not assume a completion notification was sent.

## Understanding the Results

The result records the total found, number deleted, and each protected Document that was skipped. Successfully deleted Documents remain deleted even when other Documents were protected. An unexpected job failure is different from a completed operation with protected skips.

![The Bulk Delete Results panel reporting Deleted 1 of 5 documents and 4 documents could not be deleted, with each skipped document and its reason listed under Documents that could not be deleted, and a View Participant Documents button.](https://docs.astalty.com.au/assets/data-management-6-1779951805.png)

### Documents That Cannot Be Deleted

Astalty skips a Document when it is attached to a Participant Record, Signature Request or Form Submission. It can also skip an SMS-origin file when the file remains on a Case Note that cannot be changed.

An SMS-origin file can be removed from the Participant while remaining listed through another record, such as a Plan. The result explains whether a file was skipped or remains elsewhere. Remove a blocking relationship only when doing so is independently appropriate, then start a new operation for the remaining Documents. Retrying does not restore earlier deletions.