Archiving, Reactivating, and Deleting Contacts
Archiving a Contact
Archiving is a soft delete in DonorDock. An archived contact is removed from your active contact list, but their record and information remain available in DonorDock.
This is helpful for contacts who are no longer active but whose history you still want to retain. Archiving does not require administrator permissions, so non-administrator users can archive contacts when needed.
A contact should only be archived if you no longer expect future interaction with them. Archived contacts are not included when DonorDock checks for matching contacts on new gifts submitted through giving pages or during an import. If an archived contact later makes a gift, DonorDock will create a new contact record rather than matching the gift to the archived record.
Deleting a Contact
Deleting meanwhile permanently removes the contact from DonorDock. Once a contact is deleted, the record cannot be recovered.
As a safeguard against accidental data loss:
A contact must first be Archived before it can be deleted.
Only an administrator can permanently delete a contact.
Because deletion is permanent, we recommend archiving contacts instead unless there is a specific reason the record needs to be completely removed.
Do Not Solicit and Deceased Contacts
Marking a contact as Do Not Solicit or Deceased does not automatically archive their record. If you no longer want the contact to appear as active, you will also need to archive the contact.
Contacts marked as Deceased or Do Not Solicit are automatically excluded from applicable system-generated reporting, even if their contact status remains Active.
When to Archive?
You may want to archive a contact when they are no longer considered an active contact, but you still want to retain their contact information, giving history, activities, or other information in DonorDock.
For example, you may archive:
Contacts who are no longer engaged with your organization
Former staff, volunteers, or other organizational contacts
Deceased contacts whose historical information should be retained
Duplicate records that have been merged into another contact
Contacts Archived Through a Merge
When contact records are merged, DonorDock automatically archives the record that was merged into the selected target contact.
This allows the original record to remain available for review before it is permanently deleted, if deletion is necessary.
Archiving Contacts
Archive an Individual Contact
Navigate to Contacts.
Select the contact you want to archive.
Open the contact actions menu next to Add.
Select Archive Contact.
The contact will be moved from your Active contacts to your Archived contacts.
Archive Contacts in Bulk
Navigate to Contacts.
Select the checkbox to the left of each contact you want to archive.
Select Archive in the upper-right corner of the page.
Archive Contacts by Import
You can also archive contacts in bulk through an import.
Include a Contact Status column in your import file and set the status to Archived for the contacts you want to archive. Contact Status can be set to either Active or Archived.
Reactivating Archived Contacts
If an archived contact becomes active again, you can reactivate the record without creating a new contact.
Reactivate an Individual Contact
Navigate to Contacts.
Select the Archived view.
Select the contact you want to reactivate.
Open the contact actions menu next to Add.
Select Reactivate Contact.
The contact will return to your Active contacts.
Reactivate Contacts in Bulk
Navigate to Contacts.
Select the Archived view.
Select the checkbox to the left of each contact you want to reactivate.
Select Reactivate in the upper-right corner of the page.
Reactivate Contacts by Import
You can also reactivate contacts in bulk through an import.
Include a Contact Status column in your import file and set the status to Active for the contacts you want to reactivate.
Permanently Deleting Contacts
Permanently deleting a contact removes the record from DonorDock and cannot be undone.
A contact must be Archived before it can be deleted, and only an administrator can permanently delete a contact.
Delete an Individual Contact
Navigate to the archived contact record you want to delete.
Click the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner of the contact record.
Select Delete Contact.
A confirmation message will appear. Select Yes, Delete to confirm.
The contact will be permanently deleted from DonorDock.
Delete Contacts in Bulk
Navigate to Contacts.
Select the Archived view.
Select the checkbox to the left of each contact you want to permanently delete.
Select Delete in the upper-right corner of the page.
Confirm that you want to permanently delete the selected contacts.