You can remove survey responses from PaperSurvey using several methods, depending on whether you want to delete individual responses, entire documents, or complete surveys. Each method serves different needs and has different impacts on your data.

Deletion options overview

PaperSurvey offers four main approaches:

• Delete all survey data - Removes all responses but keeps the survey structure
• Delete uploaded documents - Removes scanned files and all associated responses
• Delete individual responses - Removes specific entries while preserving others
• Delete entire survey - Removes the survey structure and all responses

Method 1: Delete all survey data (keep survey structure)

This method removes all responses while preserving your survey design. It also resets the page counter.

Steps:

1. Go to your survey's Settings page
2. Scroll down to the "Danger Zone" section
3. Click "Clear data" button
4. Confirm the deletion when prompted

When to use:

• Moving from test to production phase
• Starting a new data collection cycle
• Clearing all data while keeping survey settings

What happens:

• All responses are deleted
• Survey structure remains intact
• All settings and sharing links preserved
• Page counter continues from where it left off
• Prefilled forms data is retained, allowing you to re-upload pages

Method 2: Delete uploaded documents

This method removes the source document and all responses extracted from it.

Steps:

1. Navigate to the Uploaded Documents page
2. Find the document you want to remove
3. Click the delete button next to the document
4. Confirm the deletion when prompted

When to use:

• You uploaded the wrong document
• The entire batch of responses is invalid
• You need to re-process the same documents

Method 3: Delete individual responses

Remove specific responses while keeping others intact.

Steps:

1. Go to your survey's 'Responses' page
2. Click the "Edit" toggle to enable editing mode
3. Find the response you want to delete
4. Click the "Delete" button next to that response
5. Confirm the deletion

When to use:

• Removing test submissions
• Deleting duplicate entries
• Cleaning individual invalid responses

Method 4: Delete entire survey

Remove the complete survey including all responses and structure. Deleted surveys are moved to the trash bin where they can be restored within 90 days.

Steps:

1. Open your survey's 'Settings' page
2. Scroll to the danger zone section
3. Click 'Remove Survey' to delete everything
4. Confirm your choice
5. Survey moves to trash bin (restorable for 90 days)

When to use:

• Removing completed or outdated projects
• Cleaning up test surveys
• Starting completely fresh with new design

Permanent deletion:

• Access your trash bin to view deleted surveys
• Select surveys to permanently delete
• Confirm permanent deletion (cannot be undone)

What happens after deletion

Immediate effects:

• Deleted surveys move to trash bin (except for permanent deletion)
• Data disappears from your dashboard instantly
• Reports and exports no longer include deleted data
• Team members lose access to deleted content

Behind the scenes:

• Database records are marked for deletion
• Files are queued for removal (process takes 1-24 hours)
• Backup retention keeps data for up to 3 months
• Permanent deletion occurs after backup period expires and oldest backups are removed.

Important warnings

No undo button

• Deletions cannot be reversed through the interface
• Always export your data before bulk deletions
• Consider using tags or filters instead of deletion

Backup retention

• Deleted data remains in backups for 3 months
• Emergency recovery may be possible (fees apply)
• After 3 months, recovery becomes impossible

Recovery options

Deleted surveys (trash bin):

If you accidentally deleted a survey, you can restore it from the trash bin:

1. Access your trash bin from the dashboard
2. Find the deleted survey (available for 90 days)
3. Click restore to bring it back
4. All data and settings are restored instantly

Permanently deleted data:

If you permanently deleted data or it's been over 90 days:

Within 3 months of permanent deletion:

1. Contact support for backup recovery
2. Provide survey ID and deletion timestamp
3. Restoration fees apply
4. Process takes 2-14 business days

After 3 months:

• No recovery possible
• Re-upload original documents if available
• Recreate survey structure manually

Preventing accidental deletion

Account protection:

• Request deletion protection from support
• Adds confirmation steps for all deletions
• Recommended for shared team accounts

Best practices:

1. Regular backups: Export data weekly or before major changes
2. Use tags: Mark items as "archive" instead of deleting
3. Test carefully: Use test surveys for deletion practice
4. Document decisions: Keep records of what and why you deleted

Alternative approaches

Before deleting, consider:

• Archiving: Export and store data externally
• Filtering: Hide responses without deleting
• Tagging: Mark as "invalid" or "test" for exclusion
• Separate surveys: Move test data to dedicated test surveys

For help with data management strategies or recovery requests, contact our support team.