> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.timetracker.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Your data
> Archive, Trash, permanent delete and export in TimeTracker – how to hide finished work, recover a mistake, and take a full copy of your workspace with you.
TimeTracker has one system for retiring things and one for taking them out. Every client, project, task, tag, report and setting follows the same rules, so "where did it go" always has the same answer.
## The four states
| State | What it means | Reversible? |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Active** | Normal. Shows in lists and pickers. | – |
| **Archived** | Hidden from lists and pickers. History intact and reportable. | Yes, from **Settings → Archive** |
| **Trashed** | Deleted, but staged. Hidden everywhere. | Yes, from **Settings → Trash**, until the retention window ends |
| **Permanently deleted** | Destroyed. | **No** |
Deleting something in TimeTracker moves it to Trash. It is not destroyed at that moment. That is what makes an accidental delete – especially a bulk one – recoverable in a system that records time and money.
## Archive vs Trash
This is the distinction to hold on to.
| Archive | Trash |
| -------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| For finished work you want out of the way | For things you meant to get rid of |
| Keeps the item reachable and reportable | Hides it everywhere |
| No expiry – it stays archived forever | Purged when the retention window ends |
| Restore any time from **Settings → Archive** | Restore from **Settings → Trash** until it is purged |
Archiving a project does not touch its tasks, time entries, budgets or invoices. It only takes the project out of your day-to-day lists.
## Where to find things
| Screen | What it holds |
| -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Settings → Archive** | Every archived item in the workspace, grouped by type, with **Restore** |
| **Settings → Trash** | Every deleted item, with **Restore**, **Delete permanently**, and the retention setting |
| **Settings → Export** | The full-workspace export |
| **Settings → Danger zone** | Deleting the whole workspace |
Every entity list also carries a filter: **Active**, **Archived**, **Trash**, **All**. The wording and the placement are the same on every screen.
## What can be archived
Most things can be archived. A few are recorded transactions with their own status workflow, so they go straight to Trash instead.
| Can be archived | Trash only |
| --------------------------------------- | -------------- |
| Clients, projects, sections, tasks | Time entries |
| Tags, groups, roles | Expenses |
| Expense categories | Work schedules |
| Holidays, leave policies | |
| Reports, scheduled reports, saved views | |
## Retention
Items in the Trash are kept for **30 days** by default, then permanently deleted by a nightly sweep. You can set the window to 7, 14, 30, 60 or 90 days at **Settings → Trash**.
Anything still referenced by the financial or historical record is kept regardless. The sweep never orphans an invoice line to make a delete succeed.
## Example
Northwind Studio finishes the Bluebird Coffee **Website Redesign**.
1. Priya **archives** the project. It leaves the project list and every picker.
2. Sarah's 3 hours on "Homepage wireframes" are still there, still worth \$300, and still on the client's profitability report.
3. Six months later, Tom looks for the project. He finds it in **Settings → Archive** and restores it in one click.
Compare that with a mistake:
1. Tom deletes the wrong tag. It moves to Trash.
2. He opens **Settings → Trash**, sees "Deleted 12/06/2026 · deletes 12/07/2026", and clicks **Restore**.
3. Every task that carried the tag has it back.
## Permissions
There is no single "delete" permission. Each kind of thing uses the permission that already governs it.
| Item | Capability |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| Client | `client.manage` |
| Project, section | `project.manage` |
| Task | `task.delete` |
| Tag | `tag.manage` |
| Group | `group.manage` |
| Role | `role.manage` |
| Expense category | `expenseCategory.manage` |
| Holiday, leave policy | `leave.managePolicy` |
| Report, scheduled report | `report.manage` |
| Saved view | `report.view` |
| Work schedule | `schedule.manage` |
| Time entry | `time.edit` |
| Expense | `expense.submit` |
| Change the retention window | `workspace.updateSettings` |
| Export the workspace | `data.export` |
| Delete the workspace | `workspace.delete` (owner only) |
**Archive** and **Trash** are visible to everyone. They are recovery screens, and each one only lists actions you are allowed to take. Hiding them would recreate the exact problem they exist to solve.
## What happens next
* An archived item keeps working in reports and history.
* A trashed item disappears from everything until you restore it.
* A permanently deleted item is gone, and its confirmation modal says so.
## Common questions
No. Archiving hides. Tasks, hours, budgets and invoices are all preserved.
No. **Delete** moves an item to Trash. **Delete permanently** destroys it, and only appears for items already in the Trash.
No. Once it is purged it is gone. Set a longer window if 30 days is too short for you.
Yes. The page opens with a banner saying it is archived, and a **Restore** button.
Yes. Archiving is not deleting, and the history stays reportable.
Restoring still works. Recovery is never blocked by a switched-off app.
## Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
| ------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| "Where did my project go?" | Check the **Archived** and **Trash** filters on the list, or **Settings → Archive** |
| No **Restore** button on a row | You lack the capability for that kind of item |
| Permanent delete is refused | Something in the financial record still points at it. See [Delete permanently](/data/delete-permanently). |
| Trash is filling up | Lower the retention window at **Settings → Trash** |
## Related guides
Hide finished work without losing it.
Recover a delete, and set retention.
The irreversible step, and what blocks it.
Take a complete copy with you.
The concept behind all of it.
Who is allowed to retire what.