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Automatic archiving and anonymization – retention periods, first run, and data deletion rules

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In this article, you will learn how automatic archiving and anonymization works — from the retention period logic and the first automatic run through to the data deletion rules.

Contents

Fast lane

  1. Navigate to Settings / Studio / Data Protection / Archiving and Anonymization
  2. Open an existing configuration or create a new one
  3. Enter the desired retention periods for archiving and anonymization
  4. Activate the configuration for your studio

Prerequisites

The automatic archiving and anonymization feature is available for Pro, Ultimate, and Enterprise customers.

Which retention periods should I configure?

There is no universal recommendation. The software does not prescribe which retention periods for archiving and anonymization you should choose — that is your responsibility as a studio operator. Your decision should be based on two key legal frameworks:

  • GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation): It mandates the principle of data minimization. Personal data should only be retained for as long as necessary for its original purpose.
  • Tax law: Certain accounting data must comply with legally required retention periods. These periods may vary by country.

We recommend determining the appropriate retention periods in consultation with your legal or tax advisor. The software supports you with the technical implementation — legal responsibility remains with the studio.

The two periods build on each other and run sequentially:

  1. Archiving period: The period begins with the end date of the former member's last contract. Once this period has elapsed and all technical requirements are met, the member is archived.
  2. Anonymization period: The anonymization period only starts after the archiving date — not after the contract end date. This means the total time until full anonymization is the sum of both periods.

Example: If you configure an archiving period of 6 months and an anonymization period of 10 years, a former member will be archived at the earliest 6 months after the contract end — and only anonymized after a further 10 years.

Important: Anonymization is permanent and cannot be undone. Archived members can still be restored up until the point of anonymization — after that, restoration is no longer possible.

How does the first automatic run work?

As soon as you activate a configuration, the software automatically starts a daily check run. All former members whose last contract end date exceeds the configured archiving period are included — regardless of whether they left recently or a long time ago.

You do not need to perform any separate bulk operations to retrospectively process existing former members. The first run after activation automatically includes all qualifying records — including imported or migrated members. The only deciding factor is the end date of the last contract.

Note: If your studio has a large number of former members who have already exceeded the archiving period, the first run may process a larger number of records at once. This is by design and requires no manual intervention.

Before archiving, the system automatically checks whether all requirements are met. A member will not be archived if, for example, active contracts, open claims, ongoing dunning processes, or outstanding studio tasks are present. Only records where none of these conditions apply will be processed.

Which data is deleted, which is retained?

The deletion rules differ depending on the phase of the process:

During archiving:

  • App Connect data is always deleted irrevocably — regardless of your configuration. This cannot be prevented.
  • Photos, documents, contact data, and address data can optionally be deleted. Four separate toggles are available in the configuration for this purpose. If you do not activate these toggles, the data is retained until anonymization.
  • All other data — such as contract data, booking history, and check-in statistics — is retained during archiving.

During anonymization:

  • All remaining personal data is permanently and irrevocably removed.
  • Metadata such as analytics and statistics data is retained but fully anonymized. It is no longer possible to link this data to a specific person.

Summary:

Data type During archiving During anonymization
App Connect data Always deleted irrevocably –
Photos, documents, contact data, address data Optionally deletable (4 toggles) Deleted (if still present)
Contract data, booking history, etc. Retained Personal components deleted
Analytics and statistics data Retained Retained anonymously

 

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