🥜 In a Nutshell
Deleting a Record – Permanently removes the record. Not reversible.
Cancelling a Record – Ends the record and voids unpaid invoices. Use when the record is being rejected or invalidated. Reversible.
Closing a Record – Ends the record but keeps unpaid invoices active. Use when the record has simply finished its lifecycle. Reversible.
🗑️ Deleting a Record
When to use: When a record and all associated data need to be removed from the system.
Who can do it: Draft records can be deleted by any user. Test and live records can only be deleted by GovWell staff.
What happens: The record and all of its associated data are permanently removed from the system.
Reversible? No – once deleted, the record cannot be recovered.
Restrictions: Records that have payment transfers cannot be deleted. Besides draft and test records, only active records without any completed payments can be deleted.
🚫 Cancelling a Record
When to use: When a record needs to be abandoned, rejected, or invalidated – for example, an application that was submitted in error or is no longer valid.
Who can do it: GovWell Staff and government admins with Admin level access
What happens:
1. All unfinished workflow steps are removed
2. Any unpaid invoices are voided (they no longer need to be paid)
3. Any draft invoices are deleted
4. All future scheduled events (like expiration reminders) are cancelled
5. A history entry is recorded with the date, the staff member who cancelled it, and any comments
Reversible? Yes – a cancelled record can be reactivated, which restores it to an active status and re-enables any scheduled events that were cancelled at the same time, allowing you to resume work on the record.
How-to: You can easily cancel a record by clicking the record menu on the top right corner of the record page and selecting the 'Cancel' option.
Select the status, add a comment explaining the reason for cancelling and type 'CANCEL' to confirm, since this action voids outstanding invoices.
🔐 Closing a Record
When to use: When a record has completed its lifecycle or no longer requires active work – for example, a permit that has run its course or a case that has been resolved.
What happens:
1. All unfinished workflow steps are removed
2. Any draft invoices are deleted
3. All future scheduled events are cancelled
4. Unpaid invoices are NOT voided – they remain active and can still be collected
5. A history entry is recorded with the date, the staff member who closed it, and any comments
How-to: You can easily cancel a record by clicking the record menu on the top right corner of the record page and selecting the 'Close' option.
Reversible? Yes – a closed record can be reactivated, just like a cancelled record.
Note: The ability to close records must be enabled in your module settings.