> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.anchorage.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Deleting rules > Remove policy rules that are no longer needed. You can delete rules that are no longer necessary or that aren't being used. When you delete a rule, operations that would have matched that rule now match the next most-specific rule. ## When to delete rules Consider deleting rules when: * **Never used** — A rule hasn't matched any operations in months * **Obsolete** — Business practice has changed and the rule no longer applies * **Redundant** — Another rule covers the same scenario * **Too complex** — A rule is causing confusion without clear benefit * **Org restructure** — After staffing changes, a rule may no longer make sense ## Before deleting a rule Before deleting, verify: 1. **Check recent operations** — Did this rule apply to any recent transactions? 2. **Confirm redundancy** — Is another rule covering the same scenarios? 3. **Impact analysis** — What operations will be affected by deleting this rule? 4. **Approval path** — Will deleting this rule speed up or slow down approvals? 5. **Compliance** — Does your compliance requirement depend on this rule? ## Delete a rule Go to **Settings** > **Policies** > **Vault policy** or **Admin policy**. Vault policy showing rules with delete options Locate the rule you want to delete in the rules list. Select **Delete rule**, **Remove**, or the **trash** icon. You'll be asked to confirm you want to delete this rule. Review the rule one more time. Some systems show which operations were matched by this rule — review to understand the impact. Tap **Yes, delete** or **Confirm** to finalize. Tap **Submit policy** or **Apply changes**. Rule deletion takes effect. If your policy requires approval for policy changes, the deletion must be approved. ## What happens when you delete a rule **Before deletion:** * Withdrawal \$150,000 to new address * Rule "Large withdrawals to new addresses" = 2 approvers * Result: 2 approvers required **After deleting that rule:** * Same withdrawal \$150,000 to new address * No longer matches the specific rule * Now matches rule "Large withdrawals (any address)" = 1 approver * Result: 1 approver required (faster approval) Operations move to the **next-most-specific matching rule**. Every operation must match some rule — if you delete the last rule, a default rule must exist. ## Safe deletion practices ### Method 1: Replace, don't delete Instead of deleting a rule, edit it to be less strict: * **Before:** "Withdrawals > \$100k to new addresses" = 2 approvers (never used) * **After:** Delete this rule * **Better:** Edit rule to "Withdrawals > \$500k to new addresses" = 2 approvers (might capture some operations) ### Method 2: Stage the deletion For important rules, delete in stages: 1. **Week 1:** Remove rule but keep it in draft state (visible but inactive) 2. **Week 2:** Monitor operations — do they route to other rules correctly? 3. **Week 3:** If no issues, permanently delete the rule 4. **Week 4:** Document the deletion ### Method 3: Create fallback rule first Before deleting a specific rule, ensure a more general rule exists: * **To delete:** "Withdrawals to untrusted counterparties" = 2 approvers * **Fallback needed:** "All withdrawals" = 1 approver (catches what specific rule would have) * **Then:** Delete the specific rule ## Common deletions ### Delete duplicate rules You might have created rules that overlap: **Duplicate rules:** * Rule A: "Withdrawals > \$100k" = 2 approvers * Rule B: "Large withdrawals" = 2 approvers (same threshold, same requirement) **Action:** Delete one of them (keep the more specific one if conditions differ). ### Delete overly specific rules Rules with very narrow conditions might never match: **Example overly specific rule:** * "Withdrawal of exactly \$73,452.50 on Tuesdays between 2 PM and 2:15 PM" * (Probably never matches; delete it) ### Delete obsolete organization rules After team restructuring, old rules might reference people who no longer work there: **Obsolete rule:** * "Requires approval from Bob and Alice" * (Bob and Alice left; no one can approve; delete it) ## Fallback rule necessity Every policy must have a **default/fallback rule** with no conditions. Before deleting any rule: 1. **Check if this is the default rule** — If yes, don't delete it unless replacing it 2. **Verify another rule will match** — Ensure operations won't fall through the cracks 3. **Test mentally** — Think through what rule would match if this one is deleted ## Testing before deletion If possible, test the impact: 1. **Review recent operations** — See which rule each matched 2. **Simulate deletion** — Mentally trace operations through remaining rules 3. **Check no gaps** — Ensure every possible operation matches some rule 4. **Audit trail** — Review the history of what operations matched this rule ## Approval for rule deletion Deleting rules requires the same approval process as policy changes: * **Submitter:** The person proposing rule deletion * **Approvers:** Usually the same policy that governs vault operations * **Timing:** Deletion takes effect only after approval * **Audit trail:** Deletion is recorded showing who approved it and when ## Recovering deleted rules If you accidentally delete a rule: 1. **Check version history** — Some systems keep policy versions; you can roll back 2. **Recreate the rule** — If no backup, manually recreate it with the same conditions 3. **Request recovery** — Contact your administrator or Porto support for help Keep documented copies of important rules in case you need to recreate them. ## Communication around deletions When deleting an important rule, notify users: 1. **What's being deleted** — Name and purpose of the rule 2. **Why** — Business reason for the deletion 3. **Effective date** — When the deletion takes effect 4. **Impact** — How will this affect approvals? Faster or slower? 5. **Examples** — Show examples of operations affected **Example notification:** * "We're deleting the 'Small deposit' rule (1 approver for deposits under \$5k) because we'll require 1 approver for all deposits going forward." * "Effective: Jan 15" * "Impact: Small deposits will now match the default rule (1 approver), so no change." ## Audit trail of deletions All rule deletions are recorded: * **Who deleted it** — The user who made the deletion * **When** — Exact time and date * **Which rule** — All conditions and requirements of the deleted rule * **Approval** — Who approved the deletion * **Reason** — If provided, why the rule was deleted This trail allows auditors to understand policy evolution. ## Rule deletion checklist Before deleting a rule, verify: * [ ] This rule hasn't been used recently * [ ] Another rule covers similar scenarios * [ ] No compliance requirement depends on this rule * [ ] Users have been notified of the planned deletion * [ ] A fallback rule exists to catch affected operations * [ ] The deletion has been approved * [ ] Audit trail shows the deletion