Purge data from a custom table
The Purge action offers an alternative way to modify a custom table: deleting records based on the records in another data source; deleting records with duplicate information in a specified field; or deleting records based on conditions you specify.
Note: Your changes cannot be rolled back, but the Purge wizard offers several options for controlling which records will be modified.
Select the data source
On the Manage Customer Data page, locate the custom table from which you want to purge data. Click the menu button for the table, and select Purge. This opens the Purge Data Source wizard.
Select the purge settings
- Select the radio button for one of the options.
Warning: The system will let you edit settings in any of the fields, so be careful to select the radio button for the type of purge you want to do.
- Set up the purge conditions for the type of purge that you chose, as defined below.
Query conditions: Select a field name, a comparison, and a value.
- To add another condition to the list, change the drop-down at the right end from END to AND or OR. Enter left and right parentheses as needed.
- If you change AND or OR back to END, all following conditions will be removed. You can "disable" a condition in the middle of the list by setting the Field drop-down list to --Select Field-- .
Duplicates: If the same value is found in the selected column of multiple records, remove all but one of those records.
Warning: You cannot determine which of the records will remain after the purge, so be sure you really want to leave only one of them in the data source.
Matching values: If the value in the selected column of the data source being purged is the same as the value in a specific column in a different table.
For example, you might use this option to remove products that are no longer available from your product list by selecting the PRODUCT_ID field in both data sources.
Confirm your settings, then purge
Review the purge conditions. If needed, click Back to edit your purge conditions. When you're ready to purge, click Run.
Warning: Purged records are not copied to another data source. Before proceeding, be sure you really want to remove them permanently, or stop and create a copy of the data source to be purged before continuing.