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API: Delete an Object

The API: Delete an Object action removes an entity from Autotask. This is a low-level API action that makes a single API call to delete the specified entity.

Single API Call Action

This is a single API call action. You must supply the entity ID directly. Learn more about the difference between workflow actions and single API call actions.

warning

Deletions are permanent. Always verify the Entity ID is correct before deleting. Consider using status changes (e.g., marking as inactive) instead of deletion when possible.

When to Use This Action​

Use this action when:

  • You need to remove an entity from Autotask permanently
  • You're cleaning up temporary or test data
  • Your workflow requires removing obsolete records

Consider alternatives:

  • Update the entity's status to "Inactive" instead of deleting
  • Archive records rather than removing them
  • Use Autotask's built-in merge functionality for duplicate records

Configuration​

Connection​

FieldDescription
Autotask ConnectionSelect the Autotask connection to use. If you have multiple connections, you can override the default.

Entity​

FieldDescription
Autotask Entity Type to DeleteThe type of entity to delete.
ID of Entity to DeleteThe ID of the entity to remove. Supports template variables like {{custom.entity.id}}.

Advanced​

FieldDescription
Suppress Autotask API exceptionsIf enabled, the workflow continues even if the deletion fails.

How to Delete an Entity​

  1. Select Autotask Direct API: API: Delete an object from the action dropdown
  2. Choose the Autotask Entity Type to Delete
  3. Enter the Entity ID to delete
  4. Configure error handling

Returned Variables​

This action does not return any variables. Success or failure is logged to the workflow history.

Error Handling​

OptionBehavior
ExceptionStop processing and report the error
ContinueContinue to the next action
StopStop this rule but allow other rules to process
Stop AllStop all processing for this message

Example Use Cases​

Delete a Temporary Note​

Remove a placeholder note after processing:

SettingValue
Entity TypeTicketNote
Entity ID{{custom.tempNote.id}}

Clean Up Test Data​

Remove test entities created during development:

SettingValue
Entity TypeContact
Entity ID{{custom.testContact.id}}

FAQs​

Can I delete any entity type?​

No. Not all Autotask entity types support deletion via the API. Check the Autotask API documentation for supported operations on each entity type.

What happens if the entity has dependencies?​

Autotask may reject the deletion if other entities reference the one you're trying to delete. For example, you cannot delete an Account that has associated Tickets.

Can I undo a deletion?​

No. Deletions are permanent. If you need to preserve data, consider updating the entity's status instead of deleting it.

How do I safely test deletion logic?​

  1. Use a non-production Autotask environment
  2. Add a condition to limit which entities can be deleted
  3. Log the Entity ID before deletion for audit purposes
  4. Start with "Suppress Autotask API exceptions" disabled to catch errors