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Administrator Guide
Last Updated: 2024-08-23
Delete Custom Data, Fields, or Objects

Delete Custom Data, Fields, or Objects

Security:
Custom Object Management
 domain in System functional area.
Administrators can permanently remove additional data from active custom objects and fields to:
  • Prepare a custom object for deletion.
  • Create space for new data.
  1. Delete custom object data.
    1. Access the
      Delete Custom Object Additional Data
       task.
    2. Select the
      Custom Object
      . When you want to add or modify an effective-dated custom object, you must access the object using the business process. Note that you can't delete additional data from an effective-dated custom object.
    3. (Optional) Select the
      Condition Rule
       for deleting the custom object additional data. When you leave the field blank, Workday deletes all custom object additional data.
      You can set up condition rules on the
      Create Custom Object Condition Rule
       task.
      You can't restore custom object additional data after you delete it. A background process permanently removes data for the custom object but doesn't purge it. The data remains in the audit history. You can view the
      Delete Additional Data
       event in the audit history of the primary Workday Object instance for the custom object.
  2. (Optional) Delete custom fields.
    You can delete custom fields that you no longer need or when you've reached the active custom field limit. Before you delete a custom field, verify that:
    • No integrations use the custom field.
    • There's no data in the custom object definition.
    Use one of these options to delete custom fields:
    • Access the
      Delete Custom Field
       task.
    • Remove a custom field from a custom object by accessing the
      Edit Custom Object
       task
  3. (Optional) Delete custom objects.
    Verify that no integrations are using the custom object. Deleting a custom object might break the integration. You can't restore a custom object once you delete it. You can't delete a custom object when:
    • Data exists for any of its custom fields.
    • One of its custom fields is configured as the Reference ID and data existed for any of its custom fields.
    • A calculated field, condition rule, or custom report is using any of its custom fields.
    To delete a custom object:
    1. Access the
      Delete Custom Objects
       task.
    2. You can select a custom object to delete by
      Business Object
      , such as
      Bank Account
       or
      Worker
      , or by
      State
      , such as
      Active
       or
      Draft
      .