# Archive or delete documents older than a set age

A nightly check that moves documents past a certain age into an Archive folder — or deletes them — using a Content Age trigger. Includes when to use a retention policy instead, and the two settings that stop a first run from touching everything at once.

Product: content-central · Versions: 7.8+ · Audience: catalog-administrator · Time: 20 minutes · Last verified: 2026-09-05

Canonical: https://help.ademero.com/content-central/workflow/delete-or-archive-documents-older-than-a-set-age

**When you're done, documents of this type that are older than the age you set move themselves into the Archive folder every night — or, if you choose the delete version, are removed — without anyone running a search.**

```plan
scope: document-type
trigger: Content Age › Age of Content in this Document Type | Age Type: Age of Content · Age: 7 Years · Process Interval: Every Day on Hour 2 · Reprocess Matching Records After: 30 Days
action: Content - Move to Folder | Folder Path: …\Archive  (or Content - Delete, which must be the last action)
rule: "Older than 7 years → archive", enabled
```

## Retention policy or workflow?

Content Central has a purpose-built **Retention Policy** tile on every document type: a retention period, a destruction schedule, per-document exemptions, and control over who may override. If your goal is *legal* retention — "destroy after seven years, unless on hold" — use that; it's designed for auditors. The guide is [Set up document retention policies](/content-central/administration/set-up-document-retention-policies).

Use this workflow recipe when you want something the policy doesn't do: **move** aged documents into an archive folder (or a different catalog), notify someone, or combine the age check with other conditions.

## Build the trigger

1. Go to **Administration** > **Catalogs & Document Types**, pick the **Catalog** and **Document Type**, click the **Workflow** tile, then **Triggers** > **New Trigger**.

2. **Type:** `Content Age` and `Age of Content in this Document Type`. **Trigger Name:** `Older than 7 years`.

3. **Age Type:** `Age of Content` — the document's own age, from the date it was created. The other options measure the age of the *current version*, which is what you want for "hasn't been revised in a year" rather than "is old."

4. **Age:** `7` `Years`.

5. **Process Interval:** `Every Day`, **on Hour** `2` — off-hours, because the first run may move a lot. **Process Start:** `On First Interval`. **Reprocess Matching Records After:** `30` `Days`.

6. Click **Save**.

> **WARNING:** The first run matches *every* document already past the age. On a large catalog that can be tens of thousands of moves in one night. Test on a copy of the type, or start with a much higher age and lower it in steps over several nights.

## Build the action

**Archive version:** click **Actions** > **New Action**. **Type:** `Content - Move to Folder`. **Action Name:** `Move to Archive`. Under **Folder Path**, pick the Archive folder with **Select a subfolder…**. **Save**.

**Delete version:** **Type:** `Content - Delete`. **Action Name:** `Delete aged documents`. **Save**. Deleted documents go to the Deleted Content location, not straight to oblivion — but treat this as destructive anyway.

> **IMPORTANT:** If a rule has several actions, Content Central requires **Content - Delete** to be the *last* one (`The delete action must be last in the series.`). Anything you want to do with the document — export it, email about it — goes before the delete.

## Wire the rule

1. Click **Rules** > **New Rule**. **Rule Name:** `Older than 7 years → archive`.

2. **Add Trigger:** `Older than 7 years`. **Add Action:** `Move to Archive` (or `Delete aged documents`). **Apply**.

## Test it

1. On a test document type, capture one document and set the trigger's **Age:** to `5` `Minutes` with **Process Interval** `Every 5 Minutes`.

2. After the interval, browse to the Archive folder (or check the deleted-content location for the delete version).

**What you should see:** the test document moved (or gone), with the rule in its **View History**. Set the real age and interval before enabling it on the live type.

## Variations

| Want this instead | Change this |
| --- | --- |
| Age since last revision rather than creation | **Age Type:** `Age of Current Version of Content (Major and Minor)` |
| Archive into a different catalog | Action **Content - Change Catalog** with **Destination Catalog:** (folder structure must exist there) |
| Export before deleting | Actions **Content - Export** and **Export Data**, then **Content - Delete** last ([export recipe](/content-central/workflow/drop-approved-documents-into-a-folder-for-another-system)) |
| Only archive documents whose status is Closed | Tick **Use Multiple Triggers**, `AND`, and add a **Content Query** › **by Field Value(s)** trigger on the status field |
| Warn before archiving | A second rule with a lower age and a **Send E-mail** action ([reminder recipe](/content-central/workflow/remind-the-owner-before-a-contract-expires)) |
| Whole catalog at once | Sub-type **Age of Content in a Catalog** |

## What's next

- [Set up document retention policies](https://help.ademero.com/content-central/administration/set-up-document-retention-policies)
- [A scheduled workflow didn't run — or ran on everything](https://help.ademero.com/content-central/workflow/scheduled-workflow-didnt-run)
- [Backup, export, or audit trail?](https://help.ademero.com/content-central/administration/backup-export-or-audit-trail)