If you’re a Salesforce Admin, Consultant, or part of a RevOps team, this guide is your blueprint to safely archive fields in Salesforce, without breaking reports, Flows, or user trust.
Salesforce orgs don’t get cluttered overnight — but they absolutely will if obsolete fields and unused objects linger around like digital cobwebs.
🛑 Why Archiving Is Better Than Deleting in Salesforce
Tempted to delete? Don’t. Here’s why archiving is a smarter move:
- 🧾 Compliance – Deletion wipes out history you might legally need.
- 🔗 Dependencies – You could break reports, Flows, or integrations.
- 🔄 Reversibility – You can always restore an archived field. Deleted ones? Not so much.
✅ Bonus tip: Reducing technical debt in Salesforce starts with thoughtful archiving.
🕵️♂️ When to Archive Fields and Objects (Not Delete Them)
Archive fields when:
- A business process changes or gets deprecated
- You’ve migrated from a custom to a native feature
- Usage reports show near-zero interaction
- You’re cleaning your org — like this Salesforce org cleanup guide recommends
👩💼 Ideal for Admins preparing for audits, Lightning upgrades, or big AppExchange installations.
🧨 Field Archiving vs. Field Deletion – Know the Difference
| Action | Keeps Data? | Breaks Reports? | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archiving | ✅ Yes | 🚫 No (if done right) | ✅ Yes |
| Deleting | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
💡 Still tempted to delete? Rethink it after reading: What are Salesforce objects?
🛠️ How to Archive Fields in Salesforce (Step-by-Step)
🔍 1. Identify Unused Fields
Use tools like:
- Field Trip – AppExchange analytics for field usage
- Salesforce Optimizer – Built-in tool to flag field clutter
📈 Learn how to analyze flows to detect automation breakage early.
📦 2. Backup Metadata
Use Salesforce Inspector, Change Sets, or SFDX to store field definitions before archiving.
🧼 3. Remove Fields from Layouts
Go to every layout → remove the field → save.
🔒 4. Revoke Permissions
Update Profiles and Permission Sets to remove field-level access.
🏷️ 5. Rename with a Prefix
Use archived_ or zz_ so it’s easily identifiable (and pushed to the bottom of picklists/forms).
🔁 6. Monitor for Breakage
Use dashboards, Flow fault paths, or validation rule logs to catch downstream issues.
🧱 Archiving Salesforce Objects (Not Just Fields)
If you need to archive entire objects, try this:
- ✅ Use a custom
Archived__ccheckbox to filter records out - ✅ Apply an “Archived” Record Type with no visible layout
- ✅ Consider Big Objects for massive, legacy datasets
🧩 Need help with data segmentation? Check out: What are Salesforce Record Types?
Best Practices to Archive Salesforce Objects (The Right Way)
Archive at Record-Level, Not Always Object-Level
Instead of deleting a custom object:
- Add a field:
Archived__c(Checkbox) - Filter out archived records from views and reports
Use Record Types or Page Layout Rules
Create an “Archived” record type with no page layout access, or a layout with all fields hidden.
Use Big Objects for Long-Term Storage
If record count is massive, migrate archived data to a Big Object to avoid performance drag.
🧰 Tools That Help You Archive Fields Like a Pro
Here are the top tools Admins love:
- 🔍 Field Trip – population analysis
- 📊 Salesforce Optimizer – native analysis
- 📋 Config Workbook – Metadata in spreadsheet form
- 📦 Salesforce Inspector – Easy metadata extraction
🖼️“Salesforce Field Trip dashboard for identifying unused fields”
🧑💼 Governance Tips for Admins & RevOps 🧠
- ✍️ Document everything – changes, reasons, owner approvals
- 🧭 Standardize naming – archived fields should be easy to spot
- 📈 Track metrics – # of archived fields, field usage trends
- 📣 Communicate often – changes affect reporting, automations
✅ Tip: Getting started with Salesforce Flows helps you keep automation in check during field changes.
🚀 How Archiving Fields Improves UX & Performance
- Faster page loads = happier reps 😄
- Simpler layouts = easier training for new users 🧠
- Fewer fields = fewer mistakes 🤯
- Salesforce email alerts are less likely to break!
🛠️ Clean data isn’t just nice — it’s profitable.
⚠️ Salesforce Org Optimization Common Mistakes
❌ Deleting fields tied to reports
❌ Ignoring integrations or Flows
❌ Forgetting to inform users/stakeholders
❌ Archiving fields that are still populated
❌ Skipping backups before metadata changes
🔁 Here’s how to stay ahead with a proactive monthly checklist
✅ Salesforce Org Optimization Final Checklist
✅ Field usage audit complete
✅ Metadata backed up
✅ Field removed from all page layouts
✅ Profiles/permissions updated
✅ Stakeholders informed
✅ Documentation updated
✅ Internal comms sent
✅ Change monitored for 14+ days
🔚Salesforce Org Optimization
Archiving fields isn’t busywork — it’s smart org hygiene. Done right, you’re reducing clutter, boosting performance, and making life easier for every Salesforce user.
Want to go deeper? Check out How to clean up your Salesforce org and start transforming your instance into a lean, mean, revenue machine.
🔎 Salesforce Data Cleanup FAQs
❓Can I delete fields in Salesforce instead of archiving them?
Technically, yes — but it’s risky. Deleting a field removes both the metadata and its data permanently, which can break Flows, reports, or integrations. Archiving is the safer, reversible alternative.
❓What’s the best way to archive unused fields in Salesforce?
Use a consistent approach: remove the field from layouts, revoke permissions, prefix the field name (e.g. archived_), and monitor for issues. Always back up metadata before changes.
❓Is there a native Salesforce tool to identify unused fields?
Salesforce Optimizer gives limited visibility, but third-party tools like Field Trip or Field Analyzer offer deeper insights into field usage across your org.
❓How do I handle custom objects that are no longer in use?
Avoid deleting them right away. Consider:
Exporting records, then deleting if safe
Hiding from users via profiles
Creating an “Archived” record type
❓What is the “zz_” naming convention for archived fields?
Prefixing archived fields with zz_ or archived_ helps flag them visually for Admins and tools — and ensures they show up at the bottom in alphabetical lists. It’s a best practice in many orgs.
❓Will archiving fields affect my reports or dashboards?
It can — if the archived field is used in a report, chart, or filter, those components may break or return errors. Always audit dependencies before making field-level changes.
❓How often should I perform a field or object archive review?
At least once per quarter is ideal. Tie it to your Salesforce optimization or governance process to stay ahead of clutter and reduce technical debt.
