> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developer.box.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Retention policies resources
A retention policy blocks permanent deletion of content for a specified amount of time. Admins can create retention policies and then assign them to specific folders or their entire enterprise.
## Retention policies
A list of retention policies.
| Property | Type | Required | Description |
| ------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `entries` | array of [Retention policy](#retention-policy) | No | A list in which each entry represents a retention policy object. |
| `limit` | `integer` | No | The limit that was used for these entries. This will be the same as the `limit` query parameter unless that value exceeded the maximum value allowed. The maximum value varies by API. |
| `next_marker` | `string` | No | The marker for the start of the next page of results. Can be `null`. |
```json Example theme={null}
{
"entries": [
{
"id": "12345",
"type": "retention_policy",
"policy_name": "Some Policy Name",
"retention_length": "365",
"disposition_action": "permanently_delete",
"max_extension_length": "365",
"description": "Policy to retain all reports for at least one month",
"policy_type": "finite",
"retention_type": "non_modifiable",
"status": "active",
"created_by": {
"id": "11446498",
"type": "user",
"name": "Aaron Levie",
"login": "ceo@example.com"
},
"created_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
"modified_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
"can_owner_extend_retention": false,
"are_owners_notified": false,
"custom_notification_recipients": [
{
"id": "11446498",
"type": "user",
"name": "Aaron Levie",
"login": "ceo@example.com"
}
],
"assignment_counts": {
"enterprise": 1,
"folder": 1,
"metadata_template": 1
}
}
],
"limit": 1000,
"next_marker": "JV9IRGZmieiBasejOG9yDCRNgd2ymoZIbjsxbJMjIs3kioVii"
}
```
## Retention policy
A retention policy blocks permanent deletion of content for a specified amount of time. Admins can create retention policies and then later assign them to specific folders, metadata templates, or their entire enterprise. To use this feature, you must have the manage retention policies scope enabled for your API key via your application management console.
| Property | Type | Required | Description |
| -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `id` | `string` | Yes | The unique identifier that represents a retention policy. |
| `type` | `enum` | Yes | The value will always be `retention_policy`. Available options: `retention_policy`. |
| `policy_name` | `string` | No | The name given to the retention policy. |
| `retention_length` | `string` | No | The length of the retention policy. This value specifies the duration in days that the retention policy will be active for after being assigned to content. If the policy has a `policy_type` of `indefinite`, the `retention_length` will also be `indefinite`. |
| `disposition_action` | `enum` | No | The disposition action of the retention policy. This action can be `permanently_delete`, which will cause the content retained by the policy to be permanently deleted, or `remove_retention`, which will lift the retention policy from the content, allowing it to be deleted by users, once the retention policy has expired. Available options: `permanently_delete`, `remove_retention`. |
| `max_extension_length` | `Retention policy max extension length (response)` | No | Available options: `none`. |
| `description` | `string` | No | The additional text description of the retention policy. |
| `policy_type` | `enum` | No | The type of the retention policy. A retention policy type can either be `finite`, where a specific amount of time to retain the content is known upfront, or `indefinite`, where the amount of time to retain the content is still unknown. Available options: `finite`, `indefinite`. |
| `retention_type` | `enum` | No | Specifies the retention type: - `modifiable`: You can modify the retention policy. For example, you can add or remove folders, shorten or lengthen the policy duration, or delete the assignment. Use this type if your retention policy is not related to any regulatory purposes. - `non-modifiable`: You can modify the retention policy only in a limited way: add a folder, lengthen the duration, retire the policy, change the disposition action or notification settings. You cannot perform other actions, such as deleting the assignment or shortening the policy duration. Use this type to ensure compliance with regulatory retention policies. Available options: `modifiable`, `non_modifiable`. |
| `status` | `enum` | No | The status of the retention policy. The status of a policy will be `active`, unless explicitly retired by an administrator, in which case the status will be `retired`. Once a policy has been retired, it cannot become active again. Available options: `active`, `retired`. |
| `created_by` | [User (Mini)](/reference/users-resources#user-mini) | No | A mini user object representing the user that created the retention policy. |
| `created_at` | `string` | No | When the retention policy object was created. |
| `modified_at` | `string` | No | When the retention policy object was last modified. |
| `can_owner_extend_retention` | `boolean` | No | Determines if the owner of items under the policy can extend the retention when the original retention duration is about to end. |
| `are_owners_notified` | `boolean` | No | Determines if owners and co-owners of items under the policy are notified when the retention duration is about to end. |
| `custom_notification_recipients` | array of [User (Mini)](/reference/users-resources#user-mini) | No | A list of users notified when the retention policy duration is about to end. |
| `assignment_counts` | `object` | No | Counts the retention policy assignments for each item type. |
```json Example theme={null}
{
"id": "12345",
"type": "retention_policy",
"policy_name": "Some Policy Name",
"retention_length": "365",
"disposition_action": "permanently_delete",
"max_extension_length": "365",
"description": "Policy to retain all reports for at least one month",
"policy_type": "finite",
"retention_type": "non_modifiable",
"status": "active",
"created_by": {
"id": "11446498",
"type": "user",
"name": "Aaron Levie",
"login": "ceo@example.com"
},
"created_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
"modified_at": "2012-12-12T10:53:43-08:00",
"can_owner_extend_retention": false,
"are_owners_notified": false,
"custom_notification_recipients": [
{
"id": "11446498",
"type": "user",
"name": "Aaron Levie",
"login": "ceo@example.com"
}
],
"assignment_counts": {
"enterprise": 1,
"folder": 1,
"metadata_template": 1
}
}
```
## Retention policy (Base)
A base representation of a retention policy.
| Property | Type | Required | Description |
| -------- | -------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `id` | `string` | Yes | The unique identifier that represents a retention policy. |
| `type` | `enum` | Yes | The value will always be `retention_policy`. Available options: `retention_policy`. |
```json Example theme={null}
{
"id": "12345",
"type": "retention_policy"
}
```
## Retention policy (Mini)
A mini representation of a retention policy, used when nested within another resource.
| Property | Type | Required | Description |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `id` | `string` | Yes | The unique identifier that represents a retention policy. |
| `type` | `enum` | Yes | The value will always be `retention_policy`. Available options: `retention_policy`. |
| `policy_name` | `string` | No | The name given to the retention policy. |
| `retention_length` | `string` | No | The length of the retention policy. This value specifies the duration in days that the retention policy will be active for after being assigned to content. If the policy has a `policy_type` of `indefinite`, the `retention_length` will also be `indefinite`. |
| `disposition_action` | `enum` | No | The disposition action of the retention policy. This action can be `permanently_delete`, which will cause the content retained by the policy to be permanently deleted, or `remove_retention`, which will lift the retention policy from the content, allowing it to be deleted by users, once the retention policy has expired. Available options: `permanently_delete`, `remove_retention`. |
| `max_extension_length` | `Retention policy max extension length (response)` | No | Available options: `none`. |
```json Example theme={null}
{
"id": "12345",
"type": "retention_policy",
"policy_name": "Some Policy Name",
"retention_length": "365",
"disposition_action": "permanently_delete",
"max_extension_length": "365"
}
```