Bulk deletion: Overview, validation rules & planning

Bulk deletion lets you permanently remove the personal data of a group of contacts from Alto in one go, for example as part of a GDPR data cleanse.

You choose the contacts by setting up a contact match group for deletion, and Alto's validation rules automatically protect the contacts you're likely to need to keep.

Which contacts are protected from bulk deletion?

When you set up a contact group for bulk deletion, Alto applies validation rules that leave out contacts you might still need, either for your current business or for legal and regulatory reasons. Some rules always apply, and some depend on your settings. Bulk deletion uses its own rules, which aren't the same as the rules for Bulk Archive.

Rules that always apply

These rules are applied automatically, so you don't need to set anything. A contact is left out of a bulk deletion if:

• They have a current pending or accepted offer
• They have a current property for sale or to let
• They're a prospective or active tenant
• They aren't a client record, for example a supplier or solicitor

Retain records for AML regulations

Anti-money laundering (AML) regulations require you to keep certain records. The Retain records for AML regulations? setting lets you choose whether contacts involved in a property sale or let in the last 5 years are protected from bulk deletion.

• When ticked, any contact involved in a property sale or let within the last 5 years is left out of bulk deletion, so you can keep their records for AML purposes
• When not ticked, these contacts aren't protected and can be included in a bulk deletion. You won't be able to access their data later if you need it for AML purposes

To change this setting:

1. Click Tools (the cog) on the main navigation bar
2. In the dropdown menu, click Templates and admin
3. On the side menu, under System Tools, click System Administration
4. Click Group Settings
5. Tick or untick Retain records for AML regulations?
6. Click Save

Accounting Retention Period (Property Management only)

If you use Alto with Property Management enabled, contacts with accounting transactions within your Accounting Retention Period are protected, so you can keep the records HMRC may request. This setting controls the check for both individual deletion and bulk deletion.

1. Click Tools (the cog) on the main navigation bar
2. In the dropdown menu, click Templates and admin
3. On the side menu, under System Tools, click System Administration
4. Click Group Settings
5. Scroll down to Accounting Retention Period (in years)
6. Enter the number of years 
7. Click Save 

If you set the value to 0:

• No validation takes place, so contacts with accounting transactions can be included in a bulk deletion
• The accounting retention message isn't shown on the Bulk Actions tab of the contact group

Excluding other contacts you want to keep

You may have reasons to keep other contacts that the automatic rules don't cover, for example:

• Contacts introduced to a property (via a brochure or a viewing) that may not have sold yet
• Contacts you've had a business contract with in the last 6 years, which you may want to keep under the Ombudsman scheme

You can exclude these using the Dates filters in the contact group:

Planning your bulk deletion: an example approach

Because bulk deleted data can't be recovered after 7 days, it helps to work through your database in stages, deleting the contacts you no longer need while keeping those you need to retain. Here's one way to do it:

1. Decide whether to set an Accounting Retention Period (if you use Alto with Property Management enabled)
2. Decide whether to tick Retain records for AML regulations?
3. Create contact groups to work through your database systematically, for example:
   • A group for your archived contacts. Use the filters so only archived contacts you no longer want to keep are included, then use Bulk Delete to delete them
   • A group of contacts who've been introduced to a property via a brochure or viewing, in case the property is still on the market. Enter dates in the Viewings and Received Marketing date filters, then archive these contacts rather than deleting them, for as long as you need to keep them. If you delete them and they later buy the property privately, you won't have evidence that you introduced them. See Setting up and using Bulk Archive for contacts and properties
   • A group of applicants, with Record Type set to Active and Contact type set to Applicant. Apply any other filters so only applicants you no longer want to keep are included, then use Bulk Delete to delete them. Limiting the group to applicants leaves out property owners, who you may want to keep for 6 years under the Ombudsman scheme

When you've decided on your settings and groups, you're ready to set them up and run the deletion. See Bulk deletion: Setting up contact groups and running a bulk delete.

• Related Help Centre articles that you may find useful.

  Individual data deletion

  Personal Information Requests

  Setting up and using Bulk Archive for contacts and properties