Understanding the Purge Log

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Review the purge log

Troubleshoot the purge process

Learn about what is saved and what is deleted during the purge process

Start the purge process

Review the entire Purge wizard process

Perform other administrative tasks

A review of the purge log file (PURGE.TXT) can be used to determine why a particular item did not get purged. The actual contents of the purge log will vary depending on which purge options were selected and what data the purge process encounters.

Following is an explanation of the basic contents of the log .

The purge log lists the name and data path for the company whose data was purged and notes when the process started and ended.
The log then summarizes the options you chose in the Purge wizard; these are the same as listed in the Purge wizard Summary of Options window. The options include

old transaction types you chose to purge and the purge-through date
accounts that required account reconciliation before purging
inactive maintenance record types that you chose to purge

The log explains that to be purged, items must pass certain purge criteria. Then it lists the items that were not purged and the reasons why.

Get information about the criteria that determine which items get purged.

Finally, the log notes how many transactions and records in all were purged.

Tip: When you view the purge log either within or outside of the Purge wizard, it appears in the Windows Notepad accessory. You can, if desired, cut and paste the text into a word processor and save it in another document format.
In either case, you can use the Find or Search option to locate individual transactions and records that were not purged. Especially if the log is long, this will make troubleshooting the purge process faster and easier.