# Archiving Documents
Many organizations have large archives of documents that are no longer relevant in day-to-day operations. The Document Archive feature supports this by:
* Allowing users to archive documents in a variety of ways
* Providing the _Archive_ document field (Yes/No) that indicates if a document is in the archive
* Excluding archived documents in standard searches
* Hiding archived documents in the Library and in other document tabs
* Blocking actions that would modify an archived document
* Providing a standard tab where you can find archived documents
* Providing permissions to ensure that only authorized users can access archived documents
## How to Enable Archiving
You can enable the Document Archive feature by selecting the **Enable Document Archiving** checkbox from **Admin > Settings > Search Settings**. Once enabled, Admins cannot disable this feature.
## How to Archive Documents
When you archive a document, the hidden **Archive** (`archive__v`) document field is set to _true_. If you later un-archive a document, the field is set to _false_. This field is standard on all document types, but is hidden and not directly editable through the UI.
You can archive (or un-archive) documents through:
* The **Archive Document** and **Unarchive Document** options in the document **Actions** menu
* Vault Loader and Vault API by setting the **Archive** (`archive__v`) field to `true`.
* Bulk document actions, using the **Archive Documents** and **Unarchive Documents** settings
## How to Archive Documents Using Bulk Actions
You can use bulk document actions to make changes on up to 1,000 documents at once. See Using Bulk Document Actions for information on how to select documents for editing and for general information on bulk actions.
The **Archive Documents** action is available when you select documents from anywhere but the **Archive** tab. When selecting documents from the **Archive** tab, the **Unarchive Documents** action is available.
1. From the **Choose Action** page, select **Archive Documents** or **Unarchive Documents**.
2. Click **Next**.
3. From the **Confirmation** page, review the summary of changes.
4. Click **Finish**. When the changes are complete, a notice will appear in your **Notifications** page and Vault will send you an email.
## Archive Icon {#archive-icon}
Any document that you archive displays the archive icon in document tabs and in the Doc Info page.
## How to Search Archive Documents
Searches will automatically filter out archived documents, but you can choose to include these documents using Advanced Search. From there, set the **Search Archive** setting to _Yes_.
If you are on the _Archive_ tab, you can directly search only archived documents in the search bar.
## Effects of Archiving
When a document is in the archive, certain actions are blocked:
* Editing document fields
* The values cannot be edited but may change for the following reasons:
* Lookup fields display the latest information from the source fields
* Labels for picklist values and object references are dynamic
* Adding or removing document relationships
* Adding or removing attachments
* Adding or removing renditions
* Adding, removing, editing, or importing annotations
* Importing document links
* Running the *Suggest Link*s action or accepting pending links (allows users to reject pending links)
* Adding, removing, or editing document-level comments
* Re-rendering the document
* Checking out the document
* Starting a workflow
* Moving a document to a new lifecycle state
* Reclassifying a document
* Executing user actions
* Seeing or executing SDK user actions
* Deleting the document (allowed with _Power Delete_ permission)
* Deleting document versions (allowed with _Power Delete_ permission)
* Veeva Training and Veeva Study Training: Removing a _Vault Document Training Requirement_ record's documents (Training Materials)
There are also automatic changes that Vault makes to a document after a user archives it:
* Sets the document's _Merge Fields_ value to _No_ to prevent changes
* Binds the current version for CrossLink documents to prevent changes
* Populates the _Archive Date_ document field
## Related Permissions
The following permissions control access for archiving documents and working with archived documents:
|Type|Permission Label|Controls|
|--- |--- |--- |
|Security Profile|Application: Search: View Archive|Ability to view documents in the archive, search the document archive, and view the standard _Archive_ tab; note that users must also have the document role permission _View Document_.|
|Security Profile|Application: Search: Manage Archive|Ability to archive or unarchive documents by default. This permission is granted through the Vault Owner and System Admin permission sets.|
|Security Profile|Tabs: Archive|Ability to view the standard _Archive_ tab if you also have the above permission.|
|Security Profile|API: Access API|Ability to complete an API call, which is needed to archive documents via the Vault API.|
|Security Profile|Vault Owner: Actions: Vault Loader|Ability to see and use the Loader tab to update the _Archive_ field on documents.|
|Security Profile|Document: Bulk Update|Ability to access bulk document actions in order to archive or unarchive documents.|
Note: Users with Read-only or External license types cannot view or access the Archive tab, even if their security profile grants the appropriate permissions.
## Limitations
The following limitations apply to archiving functionality:
* Bulk document actions cannot archive or unarchive CrossLink documents. You must use the Vault API or the document **Actions** menu for CrossLinks.
* Documents in Planned state cannot be archived. Move these documents to a non-special state if you wish to archive them.
[3]: #note-document-field-value-changes