---
title: "Data Retention"
description: "Default retention periods per record class and how to change them."
source: "https://help.rikaiso.com/2026.1/data-retention"
version: "2026.1"
latest: true
language: "en"
section: "Administration"
updated: "2026-09-01"
---

# Data Retention

> Default retention periods per record class and how to change them.

## Retention schedules

A retention schedule applies to a record class and states how long a record is kept after it becomes inactive. Defaults are conservative; adjust them to your own legal advice.

| Record class | Default | Minimum | Maximum |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Assistant prompts | 30 days | 7 days | 90 days |
| Conversation history | 12 months | 1 month | 36 months |
| Business documents | 10 years | 1 year | Indefinite |
| Consent records | 5 years | 5 years | 10 years |
| Audit entries | 24 months | 24 months | 24 months |

## Changing a schedule

1. Open **Administration → Data → Retention**.
2. Select the record class and enter the new period.
3. Confirm the change. A second administrator must approve it within 72 hours before it takes effect.

## Deletion mechanics

Deletion runs nightly in the tenant region. Records are removed from primary storage first and purged from backups on the backup rotation, at most 35 days later. A deletion certificate is available per run.

## Legal hold

A legal hold suspends deletion for the records it names, regardless of the schedule. Holds are set by administrators, are themselves audited, and must carry a reference and an owner.

> Shortening a schedule deletes records that already exceed the new period on the next nightly run. Confirm with your legal team before reducing a period.