How to Restore Clients via Bulk Actions

The Restore Clients bulk action brings archived or trashed clients back in a single run, so you do not have to reopen each record one at a time. The search that feeds the action ignores archived and trashed clients until you check the matching filter, so that checkbox is the step that makes the action work.

### Overview

- **What it is:** A bulk action type that searches your archived or trashed clients and restores every record you include. The **Action Type** dropdown describes it as "Bulk restore trashed or archived clients."
- **Why it matters:** Archiving and trashing are easy to apply in bulk, so corrections often need to be applied in bulk too. This action type adds **Archived From Date** and **Archived To Date** filters that no other bulk action type shows, so you can target one archive batch.
- **Who uses it:** Staff who can create and update bulk actions for your agency.
- **Expected outcome:** The clients you include are restored and appear on the **Clients** page again without checking **Archived** or **Trashed**.

### Prerequisites

- An active eCourtDate account with **Bulk Actions** available in the top navigation
- Permission to create and update bulk actions in your agency
- The correct agency selected in the agency switcher at the top right of the page
- Knowledge of whether the records you want back were archived or trashed, because those are two separate filters
- The approximate archived date range, if you want to target one batch

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Open Bulk Actions

1. Sign in to your eCourtDate agency.
2. Click **Bulk Actions** in the top navigation.

#### Step 2: Create the Action

1. Enter a descriptive name in the **Action Name** field.
2. Select **Restore Clients** in the **Action Type** dropdown.
3. Click **Create**.

#### Step 3: Choose the Records to Search

The **Search Clients** panel sits in the left column of the bulk action page. **Archived** and **Trashed** are both cleared by default, and while both are cleared the search returns only active clients, which leaves a Restore Clients action with nothing to restore.

1. Scroll to the bottom of the **Search Clients** panel.
2. Check **Archived** to search archived clients, or check **Trashed** to search trashed clients.

#### Step 4: Narrow by Archived Date (Optional)

1. Enter the start of the period in **Archived From Date**.
2. Enter the end of the period in **Archived To Date**.

These two fields appear only while **Bulk Action Type** is set to **Restore Clients**. To find the records from one archive run, set both fields to the same day.

#### Step 5: Add Other Filters (Optional)

1. Enter a number in **Limit** to cap how many results the search returns.
2. Enter a number in **Random Limit** to pull that many results at random from the available clients.
3. Select a value in **Client Status**, **Client Type**, or **Assigned Users** to narrow the results.
4. Click a badge in the **Client Groups** list to filter by group.

#### Step 6: Search and Review

1. Click **Search**.
2. Read the count above the results table. It reads "No Clients" when nothing matches, and otherwise shows how many of the total matching clients are listed.
3. Click the green check button in the first column of the results table to exclude a client from the run. The button turns red, and clicking it again includes the client.

#### Step 7: Run or Schedule the Action

1. Click **Live Run** to restore the matching clients now.
2. Click **Schedule Run** to run the action later instead.
   - Enter a **Scheduled Date**.
   - Enter a **Scheduled Time**.
   - Click **Schedule Run** to confirm.

### What to Expect

The results table is a preview capped at 25 records, so a search that matches more clients still lists 25. The count beside the table shows the full number of matching clients, and the preview cap does not change the **Limit** saved with the action.

After you click **Live Run**, a "Running Bulk Action" message appears, the status badge updates, and the **Live Run** and **Schedule Run** buttons are replaced by the completed count of clients. A scheduled action shows its date and time under the status badge, and a **Cancel Schedule** button appears until it runs. Restored clients appear on the **Clients** page again without checking **Archived** or **Trashed**.

### Best Practices

- Check only one of **Archived** or **Trashed** in a single action so you always know which set of records you brought back.
- Set **Archived From Date** and **Archived To Date** to the day of a bulk archive or trash run when you need to reverse only that run.
- Enter a small **Limit** for a first pass, confirm the results are right, then raise it.
- Exclude the clients that should stay out of the run before you click **Live Run**, because exclusions are saved with the action.
- Click **Save Template** on an action you expect to repeat, so the same filters are ready next time.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Why does my search return no clients?**

A: **Archived** and **Trashed** are cleared by default, so the search returns only active clients. Check **Archived** or **Trashed** at the bottom of the **Search Clients** panel and click **Search** again.

**Q: What is the difference between the Archived and Trashed checkboxes?**

A: They decide which set of records the search reads. **Archived** returns archived clients and **Trashed** returns trashed clients, so check the one that matches the records you want back.

**Q: Why do the Archived From Date and Archived To Date fields not appear?**

A: Those two fields show only while **Bulk Action Type** is **Restore Clients**. Change the type in the **Bulk Action Settings** panel and they appear in the **Search Clients** panel.

**Q: Why does the results table show only 25 clients?**

A: The table is a preview limited to 25 records. The count above it shows how many clients match in total.

**Q: Can I restore a client without a bulk action?**

A: Yes. Open the client record and click **Tools** > **Restore**. On the **Clients** page you can also check **Archived** or **Trashed**, select the records, click **Restore**, then click **Confirm**.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** The search finds nothing even though you know the clients were archived.

**Symptoms:** The count above the results table reads "No Clients" and the table is empty.

**Solution:**

1. Check **Archived** or **Trashed** at the bottom of the **Search Clients** panel.
2. Clear **Archived From Date** and **Archived To Date**, then click **Search** again to see whether the date range was excluding the records.
3. Clear the other filters, including **Client Status**, **Client Type**, **Assigned Users**, and any selected badges in the **Client Groups** list.

**Issue:** The **Live Run** and **Schedule Run** buttons are missing.

**Symptoms:** The bulk action page shows the client count and status badge but no run buttons, or a banner reads that the bulk action was archived or trashed on a date.

**Solution:**

1. Check the status badge, because the run buttons are hidden once the action has run.
2. Click **Tools** > **Replay** at the top of the page to run the action again.
3. Click **Tools** > **Restore** at the top of the page if the bulk action itself was archived or trashed.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate, click **Help** in the top navigation, and select **New support ticket**.

### Related Articles

- [How Bulk Actions Work](/how-bulk-actions-work)
- [How to Trash Clients via Bulk Actions](/how-to-trash-clients-via-bulk-actions)
- [How to Archive Clients via Bulk Actions](/how-to-archive-clients-via-bulk-actions)
- [How to Manage Clients](/how-to-manage-clients)
- [How to save and reuse bulk action templates](/how-to-save-and-reuse-bulk-action-templates)