Configure data retention period

Optimizely Data Platform (ODP) lets you configure a data retention period to help comply with data policies and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

ODP handles sensitive customer data to gain insights and understand customer behavior. Retaining the data longer than necessary can pose compliance and legal risks. Enabling the data retention feature lets you delete your customer data automatically after the retention period. 

Configuring a data retention period can help you retain relevant customer information to increase accuracy, enhance data quality, and create transparency.   

If you enable and set a data retention period in ODP, data that falls outside your chosen retention period is automatically and permanently deleted within 30 days without the possibility of recovery. The data that ODP deletes differs for inactive and active customers.

• Inactive customers – Customers with no activity during the retention period. For an inactive customer, ODP:
  • Deletes the customer profile.
  • Permanently removes all associated data, including identifiers (email, IP address, cookie, and geolocation), event page data (page views, orders, and consent), list members and subscriptions, metadata, and more.
  • Recognizes deleted profiles as new customers if they are discovered in the system again.
• Active customers – Customers with activity during the retention period. For an active customer, ODP:
  • Deletes data older than the retention period from events (excluding consent data) and orders. This can cause some associated metrics, like average order value, customer lifetime value, and total number of orders, to change.

Enable data retention policy

1. Go to Settings > Data Retention.
2. Turn the toggle on. Off by default.
3. Select your Retention Period. This period is applicable for both inactive and active customers. 
   You must select a minimum of one month. Retention periods must be set in increments of whole months (for example, one, two, or three). Fractional values are not accepted. ODP continues to automatically and permanently delete any data outside of this retention period without the possibility of recovery.
4. Click Update.
   
5. Enter Delete in the confirmation message.
6. Click Confirm to confirm the deletion. 
   

Disable data retention policy

You can disable the data retention policy to save your customer data indefinitely in ODP. Ensure your decision to retain all customer data complies with your company policies and regulations. To disable data retention:

1. Go to Settings > Data Retention.
2. Turn the toggle off.
3. Click Confirm.
   

Use case

As a business, ODP manages your data in the following ways for inactive and active customers if you configure a data retention period of 24 months.  

• Inactive customers – Customer A did not interact with your business and has not purchased, visited your website, or opened an email in the past 24 months. ODP will:
  • Delete their profile.
  • Permanently remove all associated data (email, IP address, order history, page views, and more).
  • If they visit your site again after 24 months, recognize the deleted customer as a new customer and create a new profile.
• Active customers – Customer B frequently interacts with your business and has recently visited your website, purchased, or clicked newsletters in the past 24 months. ODP will:
  • Keep their profile active. 
  • Delete event and order data over 24 months, excluding consent data.
  • Retain all associated data from the most recent 24-month period, including orders and events.