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Automatic Archiving and Anonymization of Member Data

  • Updated

In this article, you will learn how to set up, activate, and manage the automatic archiving and anonymization of member data.

Contents

Fast lane

  1. Navigate to Settings / Studio / Privacy policy
  2. Create a new configuration or select an existing one
  3. Configure name, deletion options, and deadlines for archiving and anonymization
  4. Activate the configuration for your studio

Overview and Importance

Automatic archiving and anonymization help you manage inactive member and prospect data in compliance with the GDPR and reduce manual effort. You configure deadlines and deletion rules once – the software takes care of the rest automatically in the background.

Archiving

During archiving, selected customer records are removed from all active overviews and search functions. The data is not deleted but securely stored. Important to know:

  • App-Connect data is always irreversibly lost during archiving.
  • Photos, documents, contact, and address data can optionally be permanently deleted during archiving.
  • Archived members can be viewed and restored with the appropriate permission.

Anonymization

Anonymization is the next step after archiving. The anonymization period starts only from the archiving date – not from the contract end date. Here, all remaining personal data of the member is permanently removed. Anonymized records:

  • are permanently removed from all overviews and search functions,
  • cannot be restored,
  • contain no reference to the original person anymore.

Checks Before Archiving

Before a member is archived, the software automatically performs checks. A member is excluded from archiving if, for example:

  • there are active contracts,
  • the account balance is not settled,
  • open credits or quotas exist,
  • future bookings are pending,
  • an active dunning process is running,
  • an active check-in exists,
  • open studio tasks are present,
  • the member is registered as a payer for other customers,
  • the member is registered as a legal representative of other customers.

These checks ensure that only records with no active business relationships or open transactions are archived.

Configuration and Activation of Settings

  1. Navigate to Settings / Studio / Privacy policy 
  2. Create a new configuration or select an existing one
  3. Configure the settings for archiving and anonymization:
    • Assign a unique name to the configuration
    • Specify which data should optionally be deleted
    • Determine the deadlines for archiving and anonymization

Important:

  • Deleting App-Connect data during archiving is irreversible.
  • Configurations can be shared and activated for multiple studios.
  • Only one configuration can be active per studio at a time.

Activation for a Studio

  1. Open the overview of configurations
  2. Right-click the context menu of the desired configuration
  3. Select Manage Activation 
  4. Activate the configuration for the desired studio

Management of Archived Members

You access archived members under Members / Archived Members. In this overview, you can:

  • view all archived members,
  • search for specific members,
  • restore individual members if needed (requires appropriate permission).

To reactivate a member, select the option Restore Member in the context menu of the respective entry 

Benefits for Data Protection and Efficiency

Automatic archiving and anonymization support you in:

  • Data Minimization: Inactive data is systematically removed from the active system.
  • Right to be Forgotten: Personal data is automatically and permanently anonymized.
  • Transparency: Clear processes for data storage and deletion.
  • Data Security: Archived data is securely stored but not accessible in the active system.
  • Efficiency: Reduced manual effort in GDPR-compliant data management.
  • Flexibility: Different configurations are possible for various studios.

Frequently Asked Questions

Detailed answers to frequently asked questions about automatic archiving – for example, which deadlines are sensible, how the first automatic run proceeds, and which data is specifically deleted – can be found in the article Automatic Archiving and Anonymization – Frequently Asked Questions.

 

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