Deleting Attributes and Attribute Selections

What is it?

Attributes can be deleted out of your system, provided that no profiles have the attribute selected or filled in within their profile. If any users do, then the attribute needs to be cleared out from all of the profiles before it can be deleted. This article will detail where to go to delete an attribute, how to search for profiles using that attribute, and how the MemberClicks team can assist you with deleting an attribute if you'd prefer that instead.

How to access

To access your attributes, go to Database->Attributes->scroll to the bottom of the page and locate your custom attributes section, which will look like the below.

1. This shows the names of your custom attributes.
2. If you want to edit/delete specific attribute selections and not the entire attribute itself, click the Edit button.
3. If the Delete button is green, this means the attribute isn't attached to any profiles/Member Types, and as a result can be deleted. If the Delete button is grayed out, then it is in use and cannot be deleted.

If you choose to edit an attribute, you will be taken inside its settings. If you edit a selection set, for example, it will look like the below.

To note: If you are editing anything other than a selection set, you will likely only be able to edit the attribute's name. Skip the screenshot below and go to the next section.

Just like the above attribute screenshot, if the Delete button is green, this means the selection isn't attached to any profiles/Member Types, and as a result can be deleted. If the Delete button is grayed out, then it is in use and cannot be deleted just yet.

Can MemberClicks delete it for me?

We can indeed! If you'd rather not go through the process of clearing out attribute selections or an entire attribute itself, we can delete selections or attributes for you if you request it. To do this, send us an email at [e-mail]. When you do, state which selections or attributes you want to be deleted. It's even more helpful if you add the word DELETE before the name of each selection or attribute that you want to delete in your attribute list. By doing this, we can ensure that no attributes are mistakenly deleted.

If you'd prefer to delete the attributes yourself, then instructions on how to do so are listed below.

If you need to delete a selection within a set selection:

You will need to locate and remove the selection from all profiles that have it selected. To do this, click the Profile List button in the upper right-hand corner of your admin home page. Once here, click the Advanced Search By drop-down in the upper left-hand corner of the page. Choose the Attribute option, then the attribute that contains the selection you want to delete. Next, choose the selection itself. If you do so, it should look similar to the screenshot below.

 

Once you click the green Run This Search button, you should receive a list of all the profiles that possess this selection. In order for the selection to be eligible to be deleted, you need to remove the selection from all of the profiles in this list. You can do this in one of two ways.

1. If it's a small number of profiles, choose to edit one profile at a time. Once inside the profile, choose to edit the attribute in question and deselect the selection that you want to delete. Do this for all profiles that possess this selection.
2. If hundreds or thousands of profiles possess this selection, then you'll need to give them a different selection by performing a profile import. Our guide on how to perform a profile import is linked here. To note, you can only change their selection to a different selection through an import. You cannot delete the selection from their profile by leaving the field blank in an import.

 Once you've completed one of the above two steps, you will be able to delete the selection as needed.

If you need to delete an entire attribute:

First, follow the steps listed in the above section in order to clear the content of the attribute out of all profiles in the system. If you're attempting to delete a text field, or any type of attribute that isn't easily searchable, run a search that uses the below search criteria to find all profiles that contain some sort of content within an attribute.

 

So long as you choose the Is Not Empty option, then regardless of what attribute you're searching, you will receive every profile in the system that has something filled into that attribute in your search results. You will need to manually delete all of the content out of these attributes within these profiles. Once the attribute is completely empty in all profiles, you only need to perform one more step in order for this attribute to be delectable.

This last step involves you removing the attribute's assignment from your Member Types. First, go to Database->Member Types->hover over a Member Type, then click the Edit Settings button. Once here, click the assign attributes button that is pictured below.

Locate the attribute in question, then uncheck the box next to it to unassign the attribute. Do this for each Member Type the attribute is assigned to. Once completed, you should now be able to delete the attribute as needed!