Delete Forms

To delete a form in CommCare, you'll first need to archive it. Once a form is deleted, all associated data will be lost forever.

Please ensure you really want to delete the form. Once deleted, it's permanent and can't be recovered.

Steps to Delete a form

1. Navigate to Reports > Inspect Data > Submit History. Find the form you want to delete.

2. Before you can delete the form, you need to archive it. Click Archive this form. Once the form is successfully archived, the Delete this form button will appear.

   

3. Click the Delete this form button. This action will trigger a confirmation prompt.

4. Read the message on the prompt carefully as it explains the implications of deleting a form.

   

5. Confirm your decision to delete the form. The system will then proceed with the deletion process.

Steps to Delete a form that have opened cases

When archiving forms that have opened cases, those cases are deleted but with the possibility of reinstating them when restoring the form.

When deleting forms that have opened cases, those cases and any additional submission forms and child cases they might have are permanently deleted. You will be able to review a summary of all affected data before proceeding with the final form deletion.

1. Navigate to Reports > Inspect Data > Submit History. Find the form you want to delete.

2. Before you can delete the form, you need to archive it. Click Archive this form. Once the form is successfully archived, the Delete this form button will appear.

   

3. A pop-up will inform you that there will be additional data that will be permanently deleted along with the form. Click Continue to review what will be deleted.

   

4. Carefully read through the different sections and review the specific cases and their associated submission forms that will also be deleted as a result of deleting the case. Please note that certain forms may appear under more than one case if they belong to multiple cases. The form labeled 'Primary Form' is the form that was original targeted for deletion. (image of simple deletion with subcase + delete button at the bottom - will put in after text is finalized)

5. After review, click the button that reads Permanently Delete Form and Related Cases at the bottom of the page.

6. Another pop-up will appear to confirm your decision to permanently delete all data shown on the page for the last time. Enter the name of the case as shown in the pop-up text to continue with the deletion. Not that this is the name of the case or one of the cases that the form has opened.

   

7. After confirming your decision to delete the form, the system will then proceed with the deletion process and redirect you to the Submit History page.

Important Note:

As with archiving a form, deleting a form ensures any changes the form may have triggered to a case are undone. Here's how deleting a form will affect cases: