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CM Box Documentation

Archive and delete content

Remove content from the live site by archiving it — a reversible action that keeps the item and its history — or permanently delete content that should not be kept at all.

Archive or delete? Archiving takes the item off the live site and hides it from the content list, but you can find it and restore it later. Deleting is permanent and removes the item and all of its versions. If you are unsure, archive.

Before you start: open the repository’s Asset Browser and find the item (see Browsing content).

Archive an item

Section titled “Archive an item”
  1. In the content list, hover over the item and tick its checkbox. You can select several items at once.
  2. In the toolbar that appears above the list, click the Archive button.
  3. The item disappears from the default list and now carries an amber Archived badge wherever it is shown. It no longer appears on the live site.

Find and restore archived content

Section titled “Find and restore archived content”

Archived items are hidden from the content list by default.

  1. Open the Filters tab in the left panel and expand the Status section.
  2. Turn on Include Archived to show archived items alongside everything else, or Show Archived Only to list nothing but archived items.
  3. To restore an item, tick its checkbox and click the Unarchive button in the toolbar (it replaces Archive when your selection is archived). The item returns to its normal status.

Archive automatically on a date

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Instead of remembering to archive by hand, you can schedule it: open the item in edit mode (see Updating content) and set the Auto Archive Date field, then save. When that date arrives, CM Box archives the item for you. This field only appears if your administrator has enabled auto-archiving for the content type.

Delete an item permanently

Section titled “Delete an item permanently”
  1. Tick the checkbox of the item (or items) to delete.
  2. Click the Delete Selection button in the toolbar.
  3. A Confirm Deletion dialog asks you to confirm. Read it carefully — deletion cannot be undone.
  4. Click Yes, I’m sure to delete, or No, cancel to back out.

Verify

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  • Archived: the item is gone from the default list but appears with the Archived badge when Include Archived is on, and its pages no longer show it on the live site.
  • Deleted: the item is gone from the list even with Include Archived on, and cannot be recovered.

Troubleshooting

Section titled “Troubleshooting”
  • You can’t find an item you archived — the archive toggles reset when you leave; open Filters → Status and turn Include Archived back on.
  • No Archive or Delete button appears — make sure at least one item’s checkbox is ticked; the toolbar actions only appear with a selection. These actions also require edit and delete permissions.
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