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How to Configure File Retention Settings

Updated

1. What This Feature Does

The File Retention setting allows administrators to define how long files are retained within TitanFile channels before being automatically deleted.

This helps organizations enforce data retention policies at the file level, ensuring outdated or unnecessary files are removed in accordance with compliance requirements.

You can define:

  • Whether file retention is enabled across the organization
  • Whether users can modify file retention settings at the channel level

2. Who Can Use It

  • Admin users can configure File Retention settings

Plan-Based Behavior

For Non-Enterprise Plans

  • Settings are applied globally across the subscription
  • When enabled, file retention applies to all users and all new files
  • Users cannot override these settings

For Enterprise Plans

  • Settings act as feature controls (similar to admin configuration)

When a setting is:

  • Enabled → The option becomes available to assign in Manage Roles
  • Disabled → The option is not available anywhere in the system

Important:

  • File Retention must be enabled before it can be assigned through Manage Roles
  • For full control, settings should be managed through custom roles

For more granular control, we recommend managing these settings through custom roles in the Manage Roles page.

3. Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Navigate to Data Retention
  2. Locate the File Retention section
  3. Configure the following options:

A. Enable File Retention for All Users

  • Toggle ON to enable file retention across the organization
  • Toggle OFF to disable file retention

Behavior Notes:

  • This setting applies to newly uploaded files only
  • It cannot be applied retroactively to existing files
  • There is no soft delete period — once a file reaches its retention limit, it is permanently deleted
  • For Enterprise plans:
    • This setting is available in Manage Roles

B. Allow Channel Owners and Managers to Edit File Retention

  • Toggle ON to allow users to modify file retention settings at the channel level
  • Toggle OFF to restrict file retention configuration to admins only

Behavior Notes:

  • For Enterprise plans:
    • This setting is available in Manage Roles
  • When disabled:
    • Users cannot modify file retention settings

Changes are saved automatically when toggles are enabled or disabled. There is no Save button.

4. What Happens After

For Non-Enterprise Plans

  • File retention is applied across the entire subscription
  • It applies only to files uploaded after the setting is enabled
  • Users cannot override these settings

For Enterprise Plans

  • File Retention settings are available as role-based controls

When enabled:

  • File retention can be assigned and enforced through Manage Roles

When disabled:

  • File retention is not available anywhere in the system

Important Behavior

  • File retention applies to:
    • Newly uploaded files only
  • It does not apply retroactively:
    • Existing files remain unaffected
  •   No Soft Delete Period:
    • Once a file reaches its retention limit, it is permanently deleted
    • Deleted files cannot be recovered
  • If user control is disabled:
    • Channel Owners and Managers cannot modify file retention settings
  • If user control is enabled:
    • Users can adjust file retention based on their assigned role

5. Best Practice for Enterprise

For greater flexibility and control:

  • Enable File Retention in Data Retention
  • Clearly communicate to users that files are permanently deleted once expired
  • Understand that it applies only to new files going forward
  • Use custom roles in Manage Roles to control who can modify retention settings

This ensures:

  • Clear and predictable file lifecycle behavior
  • No unintended data loss
  • Proper alignment with compliance and retention policies

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