It is very difficult to “undo” deleting a folder from InterAction. It is not possible to simply retrieve a single folder from a backup of a database. Rescuing a deleted folder requires you to restore the entire InterAction database to a temporary location, export the contacts from the folder, recreate the folder on your production database and import the contacts. Some non-exportable data, as well as all links from the folder, are lost in this procedure.
To avoid time-consuming mistakes, the only users at your organization who should be allowed to delete folders are those data stewards or marketing users who have been trained on the implications of deleting folders. You can control this by setting the folder delete permission.
A Web Client user who has the administrator role for a working list can “delete” the working list in the Web Client. The folder is not physically deleted, but all access rights to the folder are removed so only the System Administrator user can access it.
Ideally, you should temporarily archive unwanted folders instead of deleting them. This gives you a “safety net” - if the user needs the folder restored, you can do so with no hassle. If no users request that the folder be restored within a reasonable time, you can delete the folder from the database. This also allows you to physically delete folders from the database after hours, when the impact on system performance will be minimized.
To temporarily archive an unneeded folder, simply change the owner to the System Administrator User and delete all other access rights to the folder. This effectively removes the folder from use. InterAction also provides an “Archive” folder type you can assign to archived folders to make it easy to review and delete them later.
This section includes the following procedures:
- Archive an Unneeded Folder
- Restore an Archived Folder
- Delete Old Folders from the Database
- Give Users Delete Folder Permission
Archive an Unneeded Folder
Note that you do not need to do these steps for a working list deleted using the Web Client. When a user “deletes” a working list, the Web Client removes all access rights and assigns the folder the “Archive” type automatically.
- Log in to InterAction Windows Client as the System Administrator User.
- Find and open the folder to archive.
- Choose Folder > Edit Folder.
- From the View list on the left select the Security icon.
- Choose the Folder Owner button.
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Enter the account name for the System Administrator User in the New Owner box, then choose OK.
By default, the System Administrator User account is IAADMIN.
- When prompted to confirm the change, choose Yes, then choose OK.
- In the Access Rights list, select the line for the previous owner’s access rights, then choose Delete.
- Delete all other access rights, except for the owner’s.
- From the View list on the left, select the General icon.
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Edit the Name to include the current date. This is useful when determining when to permanently delete a folder. It is also necessary since folder names must be unique – by renaming the archived folder, you make the folder name available for a new folder.
For example, when archiving the folder called “Y2K Seminar,” you could change the name to “Archived Jan., 2000 - Y2K Seminar.”
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Next to Type or Contact Type Group, select the Show All check box. This updates the drop-down list to include types from all folder classes.
Normally the Type or Contact Type Group list only includes items for the folder’s class.
- Change the Type to Administrative Folder - Archive. Note that this changes the folder to an Administrative folder, which never appears on the Web Client.
- Choose OK. The System Administrator User is now the only user with access to the folder. The folder is no longer available to any other users.
Restore an Archived Folder
Note: This procedure only restores folders “archived” using the Archive an Unneeded Folder procedure. Folders that have been physically deleted from the database cannot be easily restored.
- Log into InterAction Windows Client as the System Administrator User.
- Locate the folder to be restored in the folder list. The folder should have the Archive type, so you can browse for it in the folder list or choose Folder > Find Folder.
- Select the folder and choose Folder > Edit Folder.
- From the View list on the left, select the General icon.
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Next to Type or Contact Type Group, select the Show All check box. This updates the drop-down list to include types from all folder classes.
Normally the Type or Contact Type Group list only includes items for the folder’s class.
- Select the Type for the folder. The types are listed in the drop-down list by folder class. For example, if you were restoring a working list, you would choose Working List - <working list type>.
- Update the Name of the folder.
- From the View list on the left select the Security icon.
- Choose the Folder Owner button.
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Enter the account name for the person who should own the folder in the New Owner box, then choose OK. When prompted to confirm the change, choose Yes, then choose OK.
The folder is now be available to the new owner. Either you or the folder owner need to re-assign the previously-deleted access rights to the folder.
- Choose OK to close the dialog box.
Delete Old Folders from the Database
Because deleting folders uses database resources, you should delete folders at times when most users won’t be in the system, such as at night or on weekends.
- Log in to InterAction Windows Client as the System Administrator User.
- Either navigate to the Archive folder type in the folder list, or choose Folder > Find Folder to find the folders you want to delete.
- Delete the folder by choosing Folder > Delete Folder.
- When prompted to confirm the deletion, enter “Yes” and choose OK.
Give Users Delete Folder Permission
When delete folders permission is given to users, they are still not allowed to delete any folder in the database. They are only allowed to delete folders for which they are the Folder Administrator. Also, users must use the Windows Client to physically delete a folder; when a Web Client user “deletes” a working list, the list remains in the database, but all access rights are stripped from it.
- Log on to InterAction Administrator.
- From the main window, double-click User Account and Group Configuration.
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Choose the Permissions button to display the Permission Settings dialog box.
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Under Configuration Permissions, select the user or group that should be allowed to Delete a folder.
List Item Effect Everyone Anyone with folder administration access rights to a folder can delete it. Granting permission to everyone is not recommended. System Administrator only Only the System Administrator User can delete any folders. Specific Group Only members of the group who have folder administration access rights to a folder can delete it. If you select this option, choose a group composed of data stewards or marketing users who have been trained on the implications of deleting folders. - Choose OK.