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  • Product: Practice CS

Error: Staff or client cannot be deleted because it is associated with historical data

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Scenario

You may get the following error message when you try to delete a staff or client with history, data, or references to the client in the database.
Error message
The [client or staff] cannot be deleted because it is associated with historical data.

Cause

Practice CS lets you delete a client or staff only if there is no history or data of any type, or references to the client in the database. Historical data can include:
  • Receipts and adjustments
  • Service charges
  • Invoices
  • Time and expense transactions
  • References to the client or staff in on-screen filters, as well as report filters and report options.
  • Projects, completed and open (applies only if you have the Project Management Module)
  • Client interactions including notes, phone calls, and phone messages (applies only if you have the Client Management Module)
  • Scheduled items including scheduled phone calls, and to do's (applies only if you have the Staff Management Module)

Solution 1: Set the client or staff to Inactive (Recommended)

The recommended method for inactive clients or staff is to set the
Status
 to
Inactive
, enter a
Left Date
, then change the
ID
 to one that will cause it to sort to the bottom of the list. You can also create and use filters in lists, drop-downs, and reports that exclude inactive client or staff so they won't appear on screens or reports.

Solution 2: Delete all data in the client or staff

important
It's not recommended to delete clients or staff and their related information from the database because:
  • It is a lengthy process to remove all traces of historical data.
  • Firm balances (AR, WIP) and activity totals (production, billings, receipts) will change for dated periods.
  • Activity totals (production, billings) will change for all staff members associated with the deleted items for their dated periods.
If you wish to continue, use
View Details
 to find which types of historical data exist. Then follow the steps below to find and remove all data associated with the client or staff.
Delete all service charges
  1. Print a Service Charge Journal filtered for the client or staff.
  2. Starting with the newest service charge, go to
    Actions
    , then
    Assess Service Charges
     and enter the
    Through
     date equal to the newest date on the Journal.
  3. Find the service charge for this client and select the checkbox.
  4. Right-click and choose
    Unpost Selected
    .
  5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each date in reverse date order.
Delete all receipts and adjustments
  1. Go to
    Actions
    , then
    Receipt & Adjustment Entry
    .
  2. If the Approve and Post process for Receipt & Adjustment Entry is on:
    1. Open the
      Review
       tab.
    2. Clear the
      Unapproved only
       and
      Unposted only
       checkboxes.
    3. Filter for the client or staff, then unpost and unapprove all control sheets on the screen.
  3. Go to the
    Overview
     tab.
  4. Filter for the client or staff.
  5. Mark the
    Control Date
     checkbox on the first transaction. Scroll to the last transaction and, while pressing the SHIFT key, select the
    Control Date
     checkbox in the last transaction. This will highlight every transaction.
  6. Right-click the
    Control Date
     checkbox on any transaction and choose
    Delete Entry
    .
Delete all invoices
  1. Go to
    Actions
    , then
    Billing
    .
  2. Open the
    Review
     tab.
  3. If the Approve and Post process for Billing is on, clear the
    Unapproved only
     and
    Unposted only
     checkboxes.
  4. Filter for the client or staff.
  5. Right-click and choose
    Select All
    .
  6. Right-click and choose
    Delete Selected
    .
Delete all time and expense transactions
  1. Go to
    Actions
    , then
    Time & Expense Entry
    .
  2. If the Approve and Post process for Time & Expense Entry is on:
    1. Open the
      Review
       tab.
    2. Clear the
      Unapproved only
       and
      Unposted only
       checkboxes.
    3. Filter for the client or staff, then unpost and unapprove all timesheets on the screen.
  3. Go to the
    Overview
     tab.
  4. Filter for the client or staff.
  5. Select the first transaction. Scroll to the last transaction and, while pressing the SHIFT key, select the last transaction. This will highlight every transaction.
  6. Right-click and choose
    Delete Entry
    .
Delete all schedule items (if licensed for Staff Management)
  1. Go to
    Actions
    , then
    Manage Staff
    .
  2. Open the
    Schedule Items
     tab
  3. Select
    Custom Date Range
     then enter
    1/1/1980
     in the first date and
    12/31/2029
     in the second date.
  4. Clear the
    Open only
     and
    Unassigned only
     checkboxes.
  5. Filter for the staff.
  6. Right-click each schedule item and select
    Delete
    .
Delete all projects (if licensed for Project Management)
  1. Go to
    Actions
    , then
    Manage Projects
    .
  2. Filter for the client or staff.
  3. Clear the
    Open Projects only
     checkbox.
  4. Select the first project. Scroll to the end of the list and, while pressing the SHIFT key, select the last project. This will highlight every project.
  5. Right-click in the highlighted area and choose
    Delete Selected Projects
    .
Delete all client interactions (if licensed for Client Management)
  1. Go to
    Actions
    , then
    Manage Clients
    .
  2. Open the
    Interactions
     tab and filter for the client.
  3. Clear the
    Show last 30 days only
     checkbox.
  4. Select the first interaction. Scroll to the end of the list and, while pressing the SHIFT key, select the last interaction. This will highlight every interaction.
  5. Right-click in the highlighted area and select
    Delete Selected Interactions
    .

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