The Purge workflow data provides the option to delete historic data from the Nintex Workflow database. This option is also available as a NWAdmin operation. Reasons that data may need to be removed:

• Deleting old data to decrease the size of the Nintex Workflow content database(s).
• Deleting data added during testing of a workflow.
• Deleting data from lists that have been deleted. 

To purge workflow data for the web farm:

• Navigate to SharePoint Central Administration.
• In the Quick Launch, click on Nintex Workflow Management, click on Purge workflow data.

• In the Select workflow instances to purge, specify filters to select the workflow instances for which data will be purged.
• Where the list or library has been deleted: removes historic data for any workflows that are associated to a list that has been deleted.
• Use custom filter: set the filter parameters
• Initiator is: removes historic data for workflows that were started by a specific user.
• Instance ID is: removes historic data for a specified workflow instance where the instance ID matches the GUID.
• Last activity before local is: removes historic data for workflow where the last action was before a specific time, specified in server local time.
• List ID is: removes historic data for workflows associated with a specific internal GUID of a list. 
• List name is: removes historic data for workflows associated with a specific list name. Please note that this option is only available when purging workflow data on a site level.
• State is: removes historic data for workflows with a specific state (Completed, Cancelled, Error).
• Workflow name is: removes historic data for workflows with a specific name.
• Database name is: removes historic data for workflows from a specific database.
• Site collections URL: removes historic data for workflows from a specific site collection.
• Site URL: removes historic data for workflows from a specific site.
• Click on Query. This will provide a preview of the database entries matching all entered criteria.
• Click on Purge. This willdelete historic data as specified from the content database(s).

Note: Once data has been purged, it cannot be recovered without restoring a backed up version of the Nintex Workflow content database. Only one purge can be run at a time.

To cancel workflow data purge in process

• Click on the Cancel Purge link while the purge is in process to cancel the job.

All records that have been purged previously cannot be reverted back.

Nintex Workflow database tables

Purging historic data will remove data from any of the following tables:

• WorkflowProgress
• WorkflowInstance
• WorkflowInstanceTasks
• WorkflowLog
• HumanWorkflowApproverMetadata
• HumanWorkflowApprovers
• HumanWorkflowMapping
• HumanWorkflow
• DataStore
• DataStoreKeys