The Trash Clients bulk action lets you soft-delete multiple client records at once, removing them from your active client list without permanently erasing their data. This is useful when your agency needs to clean up inactive or outdated records while keeping the option to restore them later.

### Overview

- **What it is:** A bulk action type that moves multiple client records to the trash in a single operation. Trashing is a soft-delete, meaning client data is preserved but no longer visible in active views.
- **Why it matters:** Manually trashing clients one at a time is tedious when you have dozens or hundreds of inactive records. This bulk action lets you clean up your client list quickly and consistently.
- **Who uses it:** Administrators, case managers, and agency staff responsible for maintaining accurate client records.
- **Expected outcomes:** All clients matching your filters are moved to the trash. They no longer appear in active client searches, reports, or assignments. You can restore trashed clients at any time using the **Restore Clients** bulk action.

### Prerequisites

- You must have an active eCourtDate account
- You must be a super admin or have the **Create Bulk Actions** and **Update Bulk Actions** permissions
- You must be signed into the correct agency (verify the agency name in the top right corner)
- You should know which clients you want to trash (by status, group, date range, or other criteria)

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Navigate to Bulk Actions

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

#### Step 2: Create a New Trash Clients Action

1. Enter a descriptive name in the **Action Name** field (e.g., "Trash Inactive Clients - February 2026").
2. Select **Trash Clients** from the **Action Type** dropdown.
3. Click the **Create** button.

#### Step 3: Configure Client Filters

1. Scroll to the **Search Clients** section on the bulk action edit page.
2. Select the filters to narrow down the clients you want to trash:
   - Select a **Client Status** to target clients with a specific status (e.g., inactive, closed)
   - Select a **Group** to target clients in a specific group
   - Select a **Type** to filter by client type
   - Set a date range to filter clients by event dates or record dates
   - Select an **Assigned User** to target clients assigned to a specific staff member
3. Set the **Client Limit** to control the maximum number of clients to include.

#### Step 4: Search and Review Results

1. Click **Search** to find clients matching your filters.
2. Review the list of matching clients in the results area.
3. Verify the client count and confirm these are the records you want to trash.
4. Click the **Include/Exclude** button next to any client you want to remove from the operation.

#### Step 5: Run the Bulk Action

1. Click **Live Run** to trash the matching clients immediately.
   - Alternatively, click **Schedule Run**, set the **Scheduled Date** and **Scheduled Time**, then click **Schedule Run** to confirm.
2. Wait for the confirmation email indicating the bulk action is complete.

### What to Expect

After you click **Live Run**, the bulk action begins processing and moves all included clients to the trash. Trashed clients are removed from active client lists, search results, reports, and assignment views. The client data is not permanently deleted. You can restore any trashed client at any time using the **Restore Clients** bulk action or by restoring them individually from the client record. Processing time depends on the number of clients, and you will receive a confirmation email when the operation completes.

### Best Practices

- Always click **Search** and review the client list before clicking **Live Run** to verify you are trashing the correct records
- Use specific filters to avoid accidentally trashing active clients
- Start with a small group to test the process before running a larger operation
- Keep a record of the filters and date you used in the action name so you can reference them later if you need to restore clients
- Communicate with your team before trashing clients in bulk to ensure no one is actively working on those records

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Is trashing a client the same as permanently deleting them?**
A: No. Trashing is a soft-delete. The client's data is preserved and the record can be restored at any time using the **Restore Clients** bulk action or from the individual client record.

**Q: Can I restore clients after trashing them via Bulk Actions?**
A: Yes. Use the **Restore Clients** action type in Bulk Actions to restore trashed clients. You can filter by the date they were archived or trashed to find the correct records.

**Q: Will trashing a client remove their associated events, cases, and messages?**
A: No. The client's associated records (events, cases, messages, payments) are preserved. They become accessible again when you restore the client.

**Q: What happens to scheduled messages for a client that gets trashed?**
A: Scheduled messages for trashed clients are not sent. If you restore the client before the scheduled send time, the messages resume as planned.

**Q: Can I trash clients who are currently assigned to another user?**
A: Yes. Trashing a client removes them from the assigned user's active caseload. The assignment is preserved and restored if the client is later restored.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Clients still appear in active lists after the bulk action completes.
**Symptoms:** You ran the Trash Clients bulk action, but the clients are still showing in active views.
**Solution:**

1. Refresh the page or clear your browser cache.
2. Check the bulk action status to confirm it reached **Completed**.
3. Verify that the clients in question were included in the bulk action results (not excluded via the **Include/Exclude** toggle).

**Issue:** Too many clients were trashed.
**Symptoms:** Clients that should have remained active were included in the trash operation.
**Solution:**

1. Use the **Restore Clients** bulk action to restore the incorrectly trashed clients.
2. Filter by the date they were trashed to find the correct records.
3. For future runs, use more specific filters and always preview the client list before clicking **Live Run**.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate and create a ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

### Related Articles

- [How Bulk Actions Work](/how-bulk-actions-work)
- [How to Restore Clients via Bulk Actions](/how-to-restore-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 Send a Mass Message using Bulk Actions](/how-to-send-a-mass-message-using-bulk-actions)