Delete, archive and template a project - what to know
Deleting a project is permanent, and it is the only action in the settings dialog’s Danger Zone. Archiving and saving a project as a template are different actions that live elsewhere in Worklenz. This page shows where each one is.
At a glance
| What it is | Delete (permanent), Archive (out of the way) and Save as template (reuse) |
| Where to find it | Delete: gear icon, then Danger Zone. Archive: Projects list row. Save as template: project header |
| Who can use it | Delete: Owners and Admins. See the table below for the others |
| Plan | No plan gate |
Where is each action?
| Action | Location | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Delete | Project settings dialog, Danger Zone at the bottom of the left menu | Owners and Admins only |
| Archive | The Projects page, archive button beside the settings gear on each row | Owners and Admins archive for everyone (“archive for all”). Other people archive for themselves |
| Save as template | A round button in the project header, tooltip “Save this project as a template” | Owners, Admins and Project Managers. Hidden from guests |
The dialog has no Archive button, no Save as template item, and no transfer ownership option.
How do you delete a project?
- Open the project and click the gear icon in the header.
- Scroll the left menu to Danger Zone (red text).
- Find the card Delete this project. It says “Once deleted, all tasks, phases, and project data will be permanently removed.”
- Click the delete button. The Confirm Project Deletion window opens.
- Read the warning, then click Delete Project. Cancel closes the window.
If you do not have permission, the card shows “No permission” and there is no button.
What does deleting remove?
The confirmation lists everything:
- All tasks and subtasks in the project
- Task assignments and work logs
- Comments and attachments
- Project members and settings
It also says “This action is permanent and cannot be reversed!” and “This action cannot be undone.”
There is no typed confirmation, so one click on Delete Project is final. Afterwards you see “Project deleted” and a message that the project “has been permanently deleted”. You land on the Projects page, which reloads a few seconds later. If it fails, you see “Failed to delete project. Please try again.”
What does Archive do instead?
Archive moves a project out of your active list without removing its data. Use the archive button on the project’s row in the Projects page. When an Owner or Admin archives, it applies for the whole workspace. When anyone else archives, it applies only to them. For browsing your list, see view all projects.
How does Save as template work?
Click the round template button in the project header. Details of what a template keeps and how to start a project from one are outside this page.
Example
A Project Manager finishes a website build. Because they cannot delete, they ask an Admin to export the tasks, archive the project for everyone, and save a copy as a template for the next client. Months later, an Admin deletes a duplicate test project from its Danger Zone.
Best practices
- Choose Archive over Delete when a project might matter later, because delete removes tasks, work logs, comments, attachments and members for good.
- Export first, because a deleted project cannot be recovered from inside Worklenz.
- Let an Owner or Admin archive shared projects, because their archive applies to everyone, while others only hide it for themselves.
- Save a template before you delete a finished project you may repeat, because the template button is separate from Delete and needs Owner, Admin or Project Manager access.