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Data retention

Sheetlabs can automatically delete unused data tables and APIs for your organisation. This helps keep your account tidy and can help with compliance requirements imposed by your organisation.

The policy is organisation-wide and can be changed by any administrators in your organisation.

Configure data retention

  1. Open Organisation settings.
  2. Select Data retention.
  3. Choose how long Sheetlabs should keep unused data tables and APIs.
  4. Click Save.

You can choose one of the following options:

Option What it means
Never Sheetlabs will not automatically delete unused data tables or APIs. This is the default.
90 days Delete unused data tables and APIs after 90 days.
180 days Delete unused data tables and APIs after 180 days.
365 days Delete unused data tables and APIs after 365 days.
720 days Delete unused data tables and APIs after 720 days.

What counts as unused

APIs and data tables are evaluated separately.

For an API, Sheetlabs uses the later of:

  • The date the API was created; and
  • The most recent request to that API.

For a data table, Sheetlabs uses the later of:

  • The date the data table was last updated; and
  • The most recent request to an API that uses the data table.

A data table will not be deleted while it still has an attached API that is active.

Warning emails

Sheetlabs sends organisation administrators a warning email 7 days before deleting unused data. The email lists each API and data table scheduled for deletion, including its last activity date and scheduled deletion date.

If you use or update an item during the warning period, Sheetlabs cancels the warning for that item and does not delete it.

To keep an API, make a request to that API. To keep a data table, update or re-import the data table, or make a request to an API that uses it. Alternatively, you can change the retention policy at any time.

Deletion

After the 7-day warning period, Sheetlabs deletes items that still meet the retention policy. Administrators receive a deletion summary email listing the APIs and data tables that were deleted.

Deleting a data table removes the stored Sheetlabs table and any associated Sheetlabs API configuration that was also eligible for deletion. External source files, such as Google Sheets, are not deleted.

If you need to use deleted data again, you will need to re-import the data table or recreate the API.

Changing or disabling the policy

You can change the retention period at any time from Organisation settings. Changing the period clears existing deletion warnings, and Sheetlabs re-evaluates unused data against the new policy.

Selecting Never disables automatic deletion for unused data. It does not restore data tables or APIs that have already been deleted.

Before enabling automatic deletion

Before enabling a retention period, we recommend that you:

  • Review old data tables and APIs that may no longer be used;
  • Export or back up any data you may need later; and
  • Check that your organisation has current administrator email addresses, because warnings and deletion summaries are sent to administrators.