Error: Engagement can't be deleted because it's associated with historical data
You can delete engagements if there isn't any history or data of any type, or references to the project in the database. This helps maintain data integrity.
You may get the error,
This occurs when you try to delete an engagement with historical data or a project template associated with historical data.Task cannot be completed because it is associated with historical data.
Historical data includes:
- Receipts and adjustments
- Service charges
- Invoices
- Time and expense transactions
- Projects
- Scheduled items
- References to the engagement in filters, reports, and report options
You'll need to find and delete all data associated with the engagement so you can delete the engagement.
Recommended method
Client Engagements
Select
Setup
then Clients
for a list of client engagements on the Engagement
tab. You can change the Status
of an engagement to Inactive
if you want to delete an engagement but aren't able to.Engagement templates
We don't recommend deleting engagement templates because of the large amount of data associated with a template.
Instead of deleting the template, you can follow these steps:
- SelectSetup,Templates, and thenEngagements.
- Change theStatustoInactive.noteThis prevents the engagement from being added to future clients but doesn't affect any historical data. It also won't remove the engagement from your client.
How to find and delete data
You'll need to identify the historical data associated with the item you want to delete. Use
View Details
to find and delete data like clients or staff. Engagements and engagement templates don't have a list, so you can follow the methods in this article to find that information to delete.Historical data
Delete all receipts and adjustments.
- SelectActions, thenReceipt & Adjustment Entry.
- If theApprove and Postprocess is turned on, go to theReviewtab and clear theUnapproved onlyandUnposted onlycheckboxes. You can then unpost and unapprove all control sheets for the engagement.
- Go to theOverviewtab.
- Filter for the engagement.
- Mark theControl Datecheckbox for all transactions.
- Right-click a transaction and selectDelete Entry.
Delete all invoices
- SelectActions, thenBilling.
- If theApprove and Postprocess is turned on, go to theReviewtab and clear theUnapproved onlyandUnposted onlycheckboxes.
- Filter for the engagement.
- Right-click and selectSelect All.
- Right-click and selectDelete Selected.
- Continue to the next steps if services charges prevent you from deleting an invoice.
Delete all service charges.
- Use the list of affected clients from the previous steps to delete service charges.
- Print aService Charge Journalfiltered for the client.
- SelectActions, thenAssess Service Charges. Enter aThroughdate equal to the newest date on the journal.
- Find the service charge and mark the checkbox.
- Right-click and selectUnpost Selected.
- Unpost each date in reverse order.
Delete all time and expense transactions
- SelectActionsthenTime Entry.
- If theApprove and Postprocess is turned on, go to theReviewtab and clear theUnapproved onlyandUnposted onlycheckboxes. You can then unpost and unapprove all control sheets for the engagement.
- Go to theOverviewtab.
- Filter for the engagement.
- Select all transactions.
- Right-click and selectDelete Entry.
Delete all schedule items (if licensed for Staff Management)
- SelectActions, thenManage Staff.
- Go to theSchedule Itemstab
- SelectCustom Date Rangeand enter1/1/1980in the 1st date and12/31/2029in the 2nd date.
- Clear theOpen onlyandUnassigned onlycheckboxes.
- Filter for the engagement.
- Right-click each schedule item and selectDelete.
Delete filters
Review each type of filter and individual filter to find the ones you want to delete or change.
Custom filter types include:
- Activity
- Client
- Engagement
- Staff
- Invoice
- A/R Entry
- Billing Decision Collection
- Receipt Adjustment
- Project
- Project Template
- Task
- Interaction
- Schedule Item
- CPE Course
Select
File
, then Print Reports
to find filters you want to delete. To delete a filter:- Right-click the filter field.
- SelectAdd [filter type] Filter.
- If there are filters listed, search through them for the data you want to delete in the filter settings.
- Highlight a filter and selectDeleteto remove it.
Delete the engagement
- SelectSetup, thenClients.
- Find the client with an engagement you want to delete.
- SelectEdit.
- Select theEngagementtab.
- Select the engagement you want to delete.
- SelectDeletefrom the engagement list.
Delete the engagement template
- SelectSetup,Templates, and thenEngagements.
- Select a template.
- SelectDelete.