Delete Forms

Owned by Kai Cowger
Last updated: Apr 25, 2024 by Minha Lee
2 min read

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.

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:

  • The changes will not appear on phones until the phones sync with the server. In some circumstances, you may have clear data and resync the user.

  • If you delete a form that closes the case, it will cause the case to be reopened.

  • If the form was the only form submitted to the case (i.e. it registered/opened a new case), it will cause the case to be deleted.

  • If the form created or updated multiple cases, the main case and all subcases will be affected.

  • The metadata "date last modified" will not be affected.