Trash and Recovery

When you delete items in AcaTrove, they are moved to the Trash rather than being immediately destroyed. This gives you a 30-day window to recover accidentally deleted content before it is permanently removed.

Accessing the Trash

Navigate to Create > Documents and click the Trash button in the upper-right corner of the page, or go directly to /documents/trash.

The Trash page shows all deleted items across multiple content types:

• Labs -- Deleted lab workspaces
• Projects -- Deleted research projects
• Publications -- Deleted publication records
• Grants -- Deleted grant entries
• Applications -- Deleted job applications

Each content type has its own tab for filtering, or you can view all deleted items together under the "All" tab.

Understanding the Trash

Each item in the Trash displays:

• Name -- The item's title or name as it existed before deletion.
• Type -- A color-coded badge showing whether it is a lab, project, publication, grant, or application.
• Deletion date -- When the item was moved to the Trash (e.g., "2 days ago").
• Days remaining -- How many days are left before permanent deletion. Items that are within seven days of permanent deletion display this count in a warning color.

Restoring Items

To restore a deleted item:

1. Find the item in the Trash list (use the type tabs to filter if needed).
2. Click the Restore button next to the item.
3. The item is immediately returned to its original location and becomes active again.

Restoring an item does not affect any other items in the Trash. All associated data (versions, metadata, linked context) is preserved through the deletion and restoration process.

Permanent Deletion

Items remain in the Trash for 30 days from the date of deletion. After 30 days, they are permanently removed and cannot be recovered.

To permanently delete an item before the 30-day window expires:

1. Click the delete icon (trash can) next to the item.
2. A confirmation dialog appears asking you to verify the permanent deletion.
3. Confirm the action. The item is destroyed and cannot be recovered.

Use permanent deletion only when you are certain the item is no longer needed.

Legal Hold

Some items may be placed under a legal hold, indicated by a "Legal Hold" badge. Items under legal hold cannot be permanently deleted, even by clicking the delete button. They remain in the Trash indefinitely until the legal hold is lifted by an administrator.

Legal holds are typically applied during compliance reviews, audits, or legal proceedings. If you see a legal hold on one of your items and believe it was applied in error, contact your institution's administrator.

Tips

• Check the Trash periodically to ensure nothing important was deleted accidentally. The 30-day window provides a safety net, but it is finite.
• Pay attention to the "days remaining" counter. Items close to permanent deletion cannot be recovered once the timer expires.
• If you are unsure whether you need an item, leave it in the Trash rather than permanently deleting it. You can always clean up later within the 30-day window.
• Restoring an item is instantaneous. There is no risk in trying -- if you restore something by mistake, you can always delete it again.