Managing Salesforce data can feel a lot like cleaning out your closet. You know there are items you need to keep within reach, like everyday reports, dashboards, and recently updated records, but then there’s that mountain of older data that’s just taking up space. The challenge? Striking the right balance between data retention and data archiving so your Salesforce org stays fast, compliant, and cost-effective.
So, how do you figure out what data deserves a front-row seat in active storage and what can be safely moved to long-term storage? Let’s break it down in a way that makes sense for your business.
What is Data Retention in Salesforce? And Why Does It Matter?
Data retention refers to the practice of storing and managing data for a specified period to meet legal, regulatory, or business requirements. In the healthcare industry, this often includes patient records, treatment histories, and billing information that must be securely stored for several years, typically 7 or more, depending on state and federal laws.
Why is Data Retention Important?
- Keeps frequently accessed data available for reports, workflows, and automation.
- Helps meet compliance regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and SOX.
- Prevents Salesforce from becoming cluttered with outdated or irrelevant data.
- Avoids excessive storage costs and system slowdowns.
A sales team might retain opportunity records for 24 months to track performance trends, or companies may retain records as per the data retention policy. After that, they can be archived to free up storage while still being accessible when needed.
What is Data Archiving? And How Does It Help Salesforce Performance?
Now, let’s talk about data archiving, the equivalent of moving old files from your desk to a secure storage room. It’s not deleting data, but rather relocating it to a cost-effective solution where it remains accessible if needed.
Why Archive Salesforce Data?
- Optimizes system performance by keeping only relevant data in active storage.
- Reduces storage costs by moving inactive records to more affordable external storage solutions.
- Ensures compliance by retaining historical records for audits and legal requirements.
- Makes data retrieval easy without cluttering the primary Salesforce storage.
They needed a solution that could offload data without disrupting operations while ensuring long-term scalability. That’s where DataArchiva came in.
What happened next? In just 5 days, their storage woes took a turn for the better.
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How Do Data Retention & Archiving Compare?
Let’s clear up the confusion with a side-by-side comparison:
| Feature | Data Retention | Data Archiving |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Keeps essential data in active storage for daily operations | Moves inactive data to cost-effective storage for long-term access |
| Duration | Typically, months to years | Long-term (years to indefinitely) |
| Storage Location | Salesforce active storage | External storage (Big Objects, AWS, Azure, etc.) |
| Accessibility | Readily available for business use | Accessible but not stored in the main Salesforce org |
| Compliance | Ensures the required data is retained for a set period | Keeps historical data secure for legal and audit purposes |
When Should You Archive vs. Retain Data?
Now that you understand the difference, how do you decide what stays and what gets archived? Ask yourself:
- Is this data actively used in reports, dashboards, or workflows? → Retain it.
- Does this data need to be kept for compliance reasons, but isn’t used daily? → Archive it.
- Is this data cluttering Salesforce and slowing performance? → Archive it.
- Does keeping this data incur unnecessary storage costs? → Archive it.
Best Practices for Salesforce Data Retention & Archiving
Define Clear Retention & Archiving Policies
Without clear data policies, management can become chaotic. Create a data lifecycle policy that specifies:
- What data should be retained vs. archived?
- How long should different data types be stored in active Salesforce storage?
- Compliance requirements for each category of data.
Use the Right Archiving Solutions
AWS S3, Google Cloud, or Azure for scalable, cost-effective archiving.
Automate the Archiving Process
Manually managing data retention and archiving is time-consuming. Automate it with:
- Salesforce automation rules (flows, Apex triggers, or scheduled jobs).
- Third-party data lifecycle management tools that schedule archiving tasks.
Keep Data Secure with Encryption & Access Controls
Both retained and archived data should be protected against unauthorized access. Use:
- Salesforce Shield for encryption of sensitive data.
- Role-based access controls to restrict access to archived records.
- Audit trails to track data movement and ensure compliance.
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Regularly Review & Optimize Your Data Strategy
Salesforce data grows fast! Conduct regular audits to:
- Identify unnecessary data that can be archived or deleted.
- Ensure compliance with changing regulations.
- Optimize storage costs by removing redundant data.
Ready to Take Control of Your Salesforce Data?
Balancing data retention and archiving can transform how your Salesforce org operates, keeping it fast, efficient, and compliant. But managing it manually? That’s a challenge.
With DataArchiva, you can:
- Cut Salesforce storage costs by up to 80% by moving inactive data to external storage.
- Improve performance & user experience by keeping your Salesforce org clutter-free.
- Stay 100% compliant with automated data retention and secure archiving.
- Access archived data anytime without disrupting workflows or reporting.
- 100% ownership of your data
Explore DataArchiva to help your business
Retain/Archive your Salesforce data effortlessly. Let DataArchiva take over and automate your tasks!
