DeleteRetentionSourceAuthority API

Deletes a retention source authority from the system. The authority must not be in use by any retention and disposition schedules.

Endpoint

/srv.asmx/DeleteRetentionSourceAuthority

Methods

• GET /srv.asmx/DeleteRetentionSourceAuthority?authenticationTicket=...&authorityName=...
• POST /srv.asmx/DeleteRetentionSourceAuthority (form data)
• SOAP Action: http://tempuri.org/DeleteRetentionSourceAuthority

Parameters

Response

Success Response

<root success="true" />

Error Response

<root success="false" error="[ErrorCode] Error message" />

Required Permissions

• User must be authenticated (anonymous users cannot perform this action)
• User must have administrative rights to manage retention settings
• Typically requires Records Management or System Administrator role

Deletion Restrictions

The API will prevent deletion if:

• Authority is in use: Referenced by one or more R&D schedules
• Authority not found: No authority with the specified name exists
• Empty name: Authority name is empty or whitespace-only

Example

Request (GET)

GET /srv.asmx/DeleteRetentionSourceAuthority?authenticationTicket=abc123-def456&authorityName=GDPR%20-%20General%20Data%20Protection%20Regulation HTTP/1.1
Host: server.example.com

Request (POST)

POST /srv.asmx/DeleteRetentionSourceAuthority HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

authenticationTicket=abc123-def456&authorityName=GDPR - General Data Protection Regulation

Request (SOAP 1.1)

POST /srv.asmx HTTP/1.1
Content-Type: text/xml; charset=utf-8
SOAPAction: "http://tempuri.org/DeleteRetentionSourceAuthority"

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<soap:Envelope xmlns:soap="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/">
  <soap:Body>
    <DeleteRetentionSourceAuthority xmlns="http://tempuri.org/">
      <authenticationTicket>abc123-def456</authenticationTicket>
      <authorityName>GDPR - General Data Protection Regulation</authorityName>
    </DeleteRetentionSourceAuthority>
  </soap:Body>
</soap:Envelope>

Success Response

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<root success="true" />

Error Response Examples

Authority Not Found:

<root success="false" error="Retention source authority not found" />

Authority In Use:

<root success="false" error="Cannot delete authority because it is referenced by one or more R&D schedules" />

Empty Name:

<root success="false" error="Authority name cannot be empty" />

Invalid Ticket:

<root success="false" error="[901]Session expired or Invalid ticket" />

Related APIs

Retention Source Authority Management

• GetRetentionSourceAuthorities - List all retention source authorities
• CreateRetentionSourceAuthority - Create a new retention source authority
• UpdateRetentionSourceAuthority - Update an existing authority (if available)

Retention & Disposition Schedule Management

• GetRandDSchedules - Get all R&D schedules (to verify authority usage)
• GetRandDScheduleInfo - Get detailed schedule information
• UpdateRandDSchedule - Update schedule to remove authority reference
• DeleteRandDSchedule - Delete R&D schedule before deleting authority

Use Cases

1. Cleanup Obsolete Authorities

   • Remove authorities that are no longer applicable
   • Consolidate duplicate or redundant authorities

2. System Maintenance

   • Remove test authorities created during setup
   • Clean up authorities added in error

3. Compliance Updates

   • Remove authorities for superseded regulations
   • Update authority list when regulations change

4. Organization Restructuring

   • Remove authorities specific to divested business units
   • Clean up after mergers or acquisitions

Pre-Deletion Checklist

Before deleting a retention source authority:

1. Check Usage

   • Call GetRandDSchedules to get all R&D schedules
   • Verify no schedules reference the authority to be deleted

2. Update or Delete Dependent Schedules

   • Use UpdateRandDSchedule to change authority reference
   • Or use DeleteRandDSchedule to remove unused schedules

3. Document Reason

   • Maintain audit trail of why authority was removed
   • Document replacement authority if applicable

4. Communicate Changes

   • Notify compliance team of authority removal
   • Update retention policy documentation

Error Codes

Common error responses:

Notes

• Authority names are case-sensitive when matching for deletion
• Whitespace is trimmed from the beginning and end of authority names
• The deletion is permanent and cannot be undone
• Authority deletion is logged in the system audit trail
• Consider exporting authority list before making bulk deletions
• Deleting an authority does not affect historical records that referenced it

Workflow for Safe Deletion

1. Verify Authority Exists

   Call GetRetentionSourceAuthorities to confirm the authority name
   

2. Check for Dependencies

   Call GetRandDSchedules and review which schedules use this authority
   

3. Remove Dependencies (if any)

   For each R&D schedule using this authority:
     - Call UpdateRandDSchedule to change the authority reference
     - Or call DeleteRandDSchedule if the schedule is obsolete
   

4. Delete Authority

   Call DeleteRetentionSourceAuthority
   

5. Verify Deletion

   Call GetRetentionSourceAuthorities to confirm removal
   

Best Practices

1. Verify Before Delete: Always check if authority is in use before attempting deletion
2. Backup First: Export authority list before making changes
3. Update Dependencies: Remove or update R&D schedules referencing the authority
4. Document Changes: Maintain audit trail of deletions
5. Test in Staging: Test deletion in non-production environment first
6. Communicate: Notify stakeholders before removing authorities
7. Gradual Approach: Delete authorities one at a time, not in bulk
8. Verify Impact: Check historical reports that may reference deleted authorities

Security Considerations

• Authority deletion requires administrative privileges
• All deletion attempts are logged in the audit trail
• Authority names are sanitized to prevent injection attacks
• Consider implementing approval workflows for authority deletion
• Implement backup and recovery procedures

Integration Example

JavaScript/Client-Side

async function deleteAuthority(authorityName) {
    // First, check if authority is in use
    const inUse = await isAuthorityInUse(authorityName);
    if (inUse) {
        alert('Cannot delete authority: it is currently in use by R&D schedules');
        return false;
    }
    
    // Confirm deletion
    if (!confirm(`Are you sure you want to delete authority: ${authorityName}?`)) {
        return false;
    }
    
    const ticket = getUserAuthTicket();
    const formData = new FormData();
    formData.append('authenticationTicket', ticket);
    formData.append('authorityName', authorityName);
    
    const response = await fetch('/srv.asmx/DeleteRetentionSourceAuthority', {
        method: 'POST',
        body: formData
    });
    
    const xmlText = await response.text();
    const parser = new DOMParser();
    const xmlDoc = parser.parseFromString(xmlText, "text/xml");
    
    const success = xmlDoc.querySelector("root").getAttribute("success");
    if (success === "true") {
        console.log("Authority deleted successfully");
        return true;
    } else {
        const error = xmlDoc.querySelector("root").getAttribute("error");
        console.error("Failed to delete authority:", error);
        alert(error);
        return false;
    }
}

async function isAuthorityInUse(authorityName) {
    // Check if any R&D schedules reference this authority
    const ticket = getUserAuthTicket();
    const response = await fetch(
        `/srv.asmx/GetRandDSchedules?authenticationTicket=${ticket}`
    );
    const xmlText = await response.text();
    const parser = new DOMParser();
    const xmlDoc = parser.parseFromString(xmlText, "text/xml");
    
    // Parse schedules and check for authority reference
    // (Actual implementation would need to check schedule details)
    return false; // Simplified for example
}

C# Client Usage

using (var client = new SrvSoapClient())
{
    try
    {
        // First check if authority exists
        var authoritiesResponse = await client.GetRetentionSourceAuthoritiesAsync(authTicket);
        var authorities = authoritiesResponse.Descendants("Authority")
            .Select(a => a.Attribute("Name")?.Value)
            .ToList();
        
        if (!authorities.Contains(authorityToDelete))
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Authority not found");
            return;
        }
        
        // Check if in use (simplified - would need to check R&D schedules)
        var schedulesResponse = await client.GetRandDSchedulesAsync(authTicket);
        // ... check if any schedules reference the authority ...
        
        // Confirm deletion
        Console.WriteLine($"Are you sure you want to delete '{authorityToDelete}'? (y/n)");
        var confirm = Console.ReadLine();
        if (confirm?.ToLower() != "y")
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Deletion cancelled");
            return;
        }
        
        // Perform deletion
        var response = await client.DeleteRetentionSourceAuthorityAsync(
            authTicket, 
            authorityToDelete
        );
        
        var root = response.Root;
        if (root.Attribute("success")?.Value == "true")
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Authority deleted successfully");
        }
        else
        {
            var error = root.Attribute("error")?.Value;
            Console.WriteLine($"Error: {error}");
        }
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Exception: {ex.Message}");
    }
}

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: Clean Up Test Authorities

1. Get list of all authorities
2. Identify test authorities (e.g., names starting with "TEST_")
3. For each test authority:
   - Verify it's not in use
   - Delete the authority
4. Verify cleanup complete

Scenario 2: Consolidate Duplicate Authorities

1. Identify duplicate authorities (e.g., "SEC" and "SEC - Securities and Exchange Commission")
2. Choose the authority name to keep
3. Update all R&D schedules to use the kept authority
4. Delete the duplicate authorities
5. Verify all schedules still function correctly

Scenario 3: Remove Superseded Regulation

1. Identify the superseded authority (e.g., old regulation)
2. Create new authority for replacement regulation
3. Update all R&D schedules to reference new authority
4. Delete the old authority
5. Document the change in compliance records

Version History

• Compatible with infoRouter 8.7 and later
• Supports both synchronous SOAP and REST access patterns
• Authority management features may require Records Management license
• Deletion validation enhanced in version 8.7.152

See Also

• GetRetentionSourceAuthorities - List all authorities
• CreateRetentionSourceAuthority - Create new authority
• GetRandDSchedules - Get R&D schedules to check dependencies
• Control Panel UI: RetentionSourceAuthority.aspx?method=delete - Authority deletion form