Archive processes

Important: This feature is currently in open beta. For more information, see the Nintex Beta terms document. If something is not functioning correctly, please raise this with support@nintex.com

Archiving a process removes a published process from its folder and moves it to the archive, where it remains available for recovery.

Use Archive to retire processes that are no longer current without losing their history. Archived processes no longer appear in their original folders. If a process is needed again, an administrator can restore it to a folder. When the process is no longer required, an administrator can permanently delete it.

Before archiving or permanently deleting a process, Nintex Processes checks whether other processes link to it. If any dependencies exist, the confirmation dialog lists the affected processes so you can review the impact before proceeding.

Before you start

To archive a process, you must have Permissions to edit it. If you do not have edit permission, the archive option is not available.

The archive page is restricted to administrators. The Archive tab appears in the navigation only for users with the Global administrator role. Only administrators can restore or delete an archived process.

Archive a process

You can archive a published process from the folder list, from the draft row of a process that has been published before, or from the process itself.

  1. Find the process you want to archive:

    • In a folder, open the actions menu on the process row and select Archive. If the row is a draft of a process that has been published before, select Archive process instead.

    • On the Drafts page, open the actions menu on a draft of a process that has been published before and select Archive process.

    • Inside a process, open the overflow menu in the process header and select Archive.

  2. In the archive dialog, wait while Nintex Processes checks for linked processes. The Archive button stays unavailable during the check.

  3. If the archive dialog lists linked processes, review the list by selecting the Linked process heading to collapse or expand it.

  4. Click Archive.

If a process has linked processes, the dialog warns you that the process can no longer be opened from those items once it is archived, and that their owners will be notified. You can still archive the process. If the check cannot load the linked processes, the dialog shows an error and the Archive button stays unavailable. Click Try again to run the check again. Click Cancel at any time to close the dialog without archiving.

If archiving fails, the dialog shows An error occurred while archiving the process and the Archive button changes to Retry. When you archive from inside a process, you return to the folder that held it.

  1. In the Workspace page select Archive.

  2. Review the list. Each row shows the process name, the folder it was archived from, who archived it, and when. The newest archived processes appear first.

  3. To find a process, specify text in the search box. To show only processes archived by one person, select that person in the Archived by anyone list.

  4. To change the order, select the Name or Archived date column heading. Use the page controls at the bottom of the list to change how many processes show on each page and to move between pages.

If no results are displayed and you expected to see some, refine or clear your search criteria.

Restoring a process returns an archived process to a folder, making it available again. Only administrators can restore archived processes.

  1. On the Archive page, open the Archived process actions menu on the process and select Restore.

  2. In the restore dialog, check the folder shown next to Selected folder. By default this is the folder the process was archived from.

  3. To restore the process to a different folder, select a folder in the list to open it, or select a folder in the breadcrumb trail to go back up. The folder you have open becomes the selected folder.

  4. Click Restore.

  5. Click View in folder in the message to go to the folder that now holds the process.

Restore considerations

  • A restored process inherits the permissions of the folder you restore it to. If anyone would lose access, a Review permission changes dialog lists the owners, experts, and other participants who do not have access to that folder. Click Restore anyway to continue, click Back to choose another folder, or click Cancel to stop. If the process has an assigned owner or expert who would lose access, the dialog tells you they will be unassigned.

  • If the folder the process was archived from no longer exists, the dialog warns you and Selected folder shows None. Select a new folder before you can click Restore.

  • A published process cannot be edited. If you restore one into a different folder, the dialog warns that this creates a new draft, and you need to publish again. If restoring fails, the dialog shows An error occurred while restoring the process. and the Restore button changes to Retry.

Important: Deleting an archived process is permanent.

Permanently deleting an archived process is irreversible. If the process might be needed in the future, restore it instead.

  1. On the Archive page, open the Archived process actions menu on the process and select Delete.

  2. In the delete dialog, wait while Nintex Processes checks for linked processes. The Delete button stays unavailable during the check.

  3. If the dialog lists linked processes, review them. Those items can no longer open the process once it is deleted. Select the I understand this will break the references listed above check box to continue.

  4. Click Delete.

  5. A Process permanently deleted message confirms that the process is gone from the archive.

Note: If the linked-process check fails, the dialog shows an error and the Delete button stays unavailable. Click Try again to run the check again. If deleting fails, an An error occurred while deleting the process message appears and the dialog stays open.

Considerations

  • Unpublished drafts cannot be archived because no published process exists. Instead, the menu displays Delete. Once deleted, the draft cannot be recovered.

  • If the Archive or Delete button is unavailable, wait for the linked-process check to finish. If the dialog shows an error, click Try again. If the dialog lists linked processes and you are deleting, select the I understand this will break the references listed above check box.

  • If the dialog displays An error occurred while archiving the process, An error occurred while restoring the process, or An error occurred while deleting the process, click Retry (or repeat the action). If the error persists, refresh the page and verify the current state of the process. Another user may have already archived, restored, or deleted it.

  • If a process is missing from the archived list, clear the search box, select Archived by anyone, and check the other pages of results. If the list displays an error, refresh the page and try again. Processes that have been permanently deleted do not appear in the archive.

  • If you cannot publish a process because the Linked process has been archived message is displayed, ask a administrator to restore the archived process or update the linked activity to reference a different published process. If the message indicates that the linked process has been permanently deleted, update the activity to link to another published process.

  • When troubleshooting an error, repeat the action.

    • After a successful archive you see Process archived.

    • After a restore you see Process restored.

    • After a delete you see Process permanently deleted.

    Then verify that the process appears in the expected location by checking the folder or the archive page. If the issue persists, contact your Nintex administrator or support team and provide the process name, the action you attempted, and the exact error message that was displayed.