> ## 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 subquorums

> Remove subquorums that are no longer needed.

You can delete subquorums when they're no longer part of your approval structure. Before deleting, ensure another approval path exists for affected operations.

## When to delete a subquorum

Consider deleting a subquorum when:

* **No longer needed** — A subquorum is no longer part of your approval requirements
* **Replaced** — Another subquorum covers the same function
* **Organizational restructure** — After a major change, some subquorums become obsolete
* **Consolidation** — You're simplifying your approval structure

## Before deleting a subquorum

Before deletion, verify:

1. **Check current use** — Is this subquorum still referenced in any rules?
2. **Confirm replacement** — Does another subquorum or rule handle its purpose?
3. **Impact analysis** — What operations will be affected?
4. **Approval paths** — Will operations still have valid approval paths after deletion?
5. **Compliance** — Does your compliance requirement depend on this subquorum?

## Delete a subquorum

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open vault policies">
    Go to **Settings** > **Policies** > **Vault policy**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find the subquorum">
    Locate the subquorum you want to delete.

    <Frame caption="Subquorum list with delete option">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/deployment-4/lSVGGJ7Z6F9zIy7U/knowledge-base/images/screenshots/porto-policy-baseline.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=lSVGGJ7Z6F9zIy7U&q=85&s=36d0f0d8dbcb285a96847183fd5f1b28" alt="Vault policy screen showing subquorum list" style={{ maxWidth: "280px", height: "auto" }} width="828" height="1792" data-path="knowledge-base/images/screenshots/porto-policy-baseline.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Tap delete">
    Select **Delete subquorum**, **Remove**, or the **trash** icon.

    <Frame caption="Confirming subquorum deletion">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/deployment-4/lSVGGJ7Z6F9zIy7U/knowledge-base/images/screenshots/porto-policy-delete-subquorum-1.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=lSVGGJ7Z6F9zIy7U&q=85&s=32b9a3bf1bd374dc3a086da1079a27d6" alt="Deletion confirmation screen" style={{ maxWidth: "280px", height: "auto" }} width="828" height="1792" data-path="knowledge-base/images/screenshots/porto-policy-delete-subquorum-1.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review impact">
    If shown, review which rules or operations reference this subquorum.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm deletion">
    You'll be asked to confirm. Review one more time.

    <Frame caption="Final deletion confirmation">
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/deployment-4/lSVGGJ7Z6F9zIy7U/knowledge-base/images/screenshots/porto-policy-delete-subquorum-2.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=lSVGGJ7Z6F9zIy7U&q=85&s=f156c89a871ee91d7c99eae0b0c34217" alt="Confirmation dialog before permanently deleting the subquorum" style={{ maxWidth: "280px", height: "auto" }} width="828" height="1792" data-path="knowledge-base/images/screenshots/porto-policy-delete-subquorum-2.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Finalize deletion">
    Tap **Yes, delete** or **Confirm**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Handle orphaned references">
    If any rules referenced this subquorum, those rules may become invalid. You must fix them:

    * Edit the rule to reference a different subquorum
    * Delete the rule if it no longer makes sense
    * Create a new subquorum if the purpose isn't covered elsewhere
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submit policy changes">
    Tap **Submit policy** or **Apply changes**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Approve if required">
    If policy changes require approval, the deletion must be approved.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What happens when you delete a subquorum

**Before deletion:**

* Rule: "Large withdrawals require (Finance AND Risk approval)"
* Finance = 2 of 3 CFO, Controller, Treasurer
* Risk = 1 of 2 VP Risk, Compliance Officer
* Withdrawal \$150k: Needs Finance + Risk approval

**After deleting Risk subquorum:**

* Rule is now incomplete: "Large withdrawals require (Finance AND ???)"
* Operation cannot proceed until rule is fixed
* Fix: Modify rule to "Large withdrawals require Finance approval only"

**Result:** Operations that relied on Risk approval no longer have that requirement.

## Handling orphaned rules

When you delete a subquorum, any rules using that subquorum become invalid. You must fix them:

### Option 1: Remove the reference

If a rule says "(Finance) AND (Risk)", and you delete Risk:

* Edit rule to just "(Finance)"
* Approvals now only need Finance group

### Option 2: Switch to another subquorum

If you delete Risk but want to replace it with a Compliance subquorum:

* Edit the rule from "(Finance) AND (Risk)" to "(Finance) AND (Compliance)"
* Approvals now need Finance + Compliance

### Option 3: Delete the rule entirely

If the rule no longer makes sense after deleting a subquorum:

* Delete the rule
* Operations revert to other matching rules

## Safe deletion practices

### Method 1: Move members first

Instead of deleting, move members to a different subquorum:

1. **Create new subquorum** — "Consolidated Approval"
2. **Add members** — Move all members from subquorum to be deleted
3. **Update rules** — Change rules to reference new subquorum
4. **Then delete** — Delete the old subquorum (now empty)

### Method 2: Verify no dependencies

Before deleting, confirm:

1. **Check all rules** — Are there any rules using this subquorum?
2. **Backup the structure** — Save the subquorum definition (in case you need to recreate it)
3. **Communicate first** — Notify affected approvers

### Method 3: Stage the deletion

Delete in phases:

1. **Week 1:** Remove subquorum from active rules (but don't delete it yet)
2. **Week 2:** Monitor — do operations route correctly without this subquorum?
3. **Week 3:** If no issues, delete the subquorum
4. **Week 4:** Document the deletion

## When NOT to delete a subquorum

Don't delete a subquorum if:

* **Still in use** — It's referenced by active rules
* **Compliance requires it** — Your regulatory obligations depend on it
* **No alternative path** — Deleting it would leave operations with no approval path
* **Recent creation** — You created it too recently to know if it's working
* **Historical significance** — You're maintaining it for audit purposes

Instead, consider [editing it](/knowledge-base/porto/policies/editing-subquorums) to remove active members while keeping the structure for historical records.

## Recovering a deleted subquorum

If you accidentally delete a subquorum:

1. **Check version history** — Some systems keep policy versions; roll back
2. **Recreate manually** — Remember the members and requirement, create it again
3. **Request recovery** — Contact your administrator or Porto support

Keep documented copies of important subquorum structures.

## Approval for subquorum deletion

Deleting a subquorum requires approval:

* **Approvers:** Based on your admin policy
* **Timing:** Deletion takes effect after approval
* **Audit trail:** Deletion is recorded with all details

## Communication around deletion

When deleting a subquorum, notify users:

1. **Which subquorum** — Name and purpose of the group being deleted
2. **Why** — Business reason for deletion
3. **Effective date** — When the deletion takes effect
4. **Impact** — Which approvals change? Are they faster or slower?
5. **New approval process** — If rules change, explain the new process

**Example notification:**

* "We're deleting the 'Risk Committee' subquorum (VP Risk + Compliance Officer)."
* "Reason: Consolidating approval requirements to streamline operations."
* "Effective: January 20"
* "New process: All withdrawals now require only Finance Committee approval (2 of 3)."

## Audit trail of deletion

Subquorum deletion is recorded with:

* **When:** Date and time deleted
* **Who:** User who requested deletion
* **Approval:** Who approved the deletion
* **Previous definition:** The full structure of what was deleted (subquorum name, members, requirement)
* **Reason:** Why it was deleted (if provided)

This allows you to reference the deleted structure later if needed.

## Simplifying complex structures

If you have many subquorums, consider simplifying:

**Before (complex):**

* 5 subquorums: Finance, Risk, Compliance, Legal, Operations
* Rules using combinations of all 5

**After (simplified):**

* 2 subquorums: Finance and Specialists (Risk + Compliance + Legal + Operations together)
* Simpler rules: Finance AND Specialists

**Actions:**

* Create Specialists subquorum with all specialist members
* Update rules to use simplified structure
* Delete the 4 individual specialist subquorums

**Result:** Simpler to manage, easier to understand.

## Best practices for subquorum deletion

* **Communicate early** — Notify users before deleting
* **Fix dependencies first** — Update or delete rules referencing the subquorum
* **Keep records** — Document what was deleted and why
* **Verify backups** — Ensure you have a way to recover if needed
* **Regular reviews** — Quarterly cleanup of unused or redundant subquorums
* **Simplify over time** — Use deletions as opportunity to simplify structure
* **One at a time** — Delete only one subquorum per change cycle for clarity