When processing legal, financial, healthcare, or other confidential documents, a clear data-retention policy is not optional. Instafill.ai provides automatic data cleanup so you can decide how long your data stays on our servers – and the system enforces it automatically, on schedule.
What is automatic data cleanup
Automatic data cleanup removes your data from Instafill.ai after a retention period you define. Instead of deleting files manually, you set how long to keep data (minimum 1 day – for example 7, 30, 90, or 365 days). Once items exceed that timeframe, they are permanently and automatically removed from our servers. You control the schedule; the system enforces it.
Set it up in 1 minute
Step 1 – Open your workspace settings. Click your workspace name in the top menu. This opens your workspace settings page.
Step 2 – Open Data cleanup. In the left sidebar, find the Workspace section and select Data cleanup.
Step 3 – Enable scheduled cleanup. Check Enable scheduled data cleanup. The page shows the exact time of the next scheduled run. Saving your settings does not delete anything immediately – deletions happen at the next scheduled run.
Step 4 – Set a retention period. Enter how many days to keep your data before it is cleaned up (minimum 1). You can change this at any time; the next run always uses your most recently saved value.
Step 5 – Save. Click Save. The next scheduled run removes all items older than your retention threshold. The page shows exactly when that will happen.
When cleanup runs, the following are all removed together:
- Files and text you submitted to complete PDF forms – files uploaded via the Files tab and any text entered in the Input tab
- Completed PDF forms created during the filling process – the filled PDFs generated by Instafill.ai
- Table data you provided to fill multiple PDFs in batch – CSV, TSV, XLS, and XLSX files uploaded for batch filling
- All PDFs created during batch filling of multiple forms – the output PDFs from batch fills
How scheduled cleanup works
Instafill.ai runs the cleanup job once per day at midnight UTC. The settings page always shows the exact time of the next run: “The automatic cleanup will take place next on [date] UTC (in [X] hours).”
Saving your settings does not trigger an immediate deletion. You can edit and re-save the policy at any time before the next run – the system always applies your latest saved configuration. The policy also applies to items that are already older than the threshold when you first enable it.
Zero retention: Remove files immediately after processing
For sessions where you need data deleted right away – not on a daily schedule – there is a per-session option. Before submitting a form for filling, check Remove files immediately after processing at the bottom of the page. Once Instafill.ai finishes filling out the form, the completed PDF is automatically saved to your device and everything is permanently deleted from our servers – source files, input data, and the filled PDF itself. Nothing is stored after that point.
The two options work together. Scheduled cleanup handles your workspace automatically on a policy you set. The checkbox gives you per-session control when you need data gone the moment a form is done. You can use either one or both.
Trade-off: Source files and input data from that session will not be available for auto-refill in future sessions. If you need to fill the same form again, re-upload your files and start a new session.
What you see after cleanup runs
Sessions that have been cleaned up show a “Session data removed” page when you navigate to them, with options to fill out the form again or view the blank form.
In the Batch filling list, cleaned-up entries show a “Data removed” label so you can see what has been purged at a glance without opening each session.
If you are in the EU or need strict data control
This feature was built specifically for users who need to control how long personal data stays on Instafill.ai’s servers. That includes anyone subject to GDPR in the EU, and anyone who simply does not want their data stored on our servers at all – even temporarily.
If you are in the EU and need to comply with GDPR: Set the retention period to 1 day. Every day at midnight UTC, all data older than 24 hours is permanently deleted – source files, filled forms, batch data, everything. You stay compliant without any manual work.
If you need zero retention: Use “Remove files immediately after processing” before you submit. Once the form is filled and you download the completed PDF, everything is deleted immediately – nothing stays on our servers beyond that moment.
Instafill.ai processes a lot of sensitive documents, and data control is a core part of how the platform works. If you need your data deleted, it is deleted – completely and permanently.
Your data-control options
Instafill.ai gives you three ways to manage data retention:
1. Manual deletion. Delete specific files, sessions, or batch fills directly in the app. Best for one-off cases.
2. Remove files immediately after processing. The per-session checkbox described above. Use this when a specific session contains data you need gone as soon as the form is done.
3. Automatic scheduled cleanup. A workspace-wide policy that runs every day at midnight UTC. Use this to enforce a consistent retention period across your team without relying on manual follow-through.
When data is deleted in Instafill.ai – manually, immediately after submission, or via scheduled cleanup – it is permanently removed from our Microsoft Azure data centers. There is no trash bin and no recovery. If something was removed by mistake, you can re-fill the form by uploading your source files again.
Why enable automatic data cleanup
- Compliance. Automatically deleting data after a defined period supports requirements under HIPAA, GDPR, and SOX by avoiding indefinite retention.
- Security risk reduction. Old files can contain sensitive information. Removing them after a set period limits exposure from unauthorized access.
- Policy enforcement. If your organization requires client files to be deleted after 90 days, the scheduler enforces that rule reliably for every team member.
Important notes
- Settings changes take effect at the next scheduled run (midnight UTC). You can modify them multiple times; the system always uses your latest saved configuration.
- You can modify or disable the policy at any time. Disabling it stops future scheduled runs but does not delete anything immediately.
- Deletion is permanent. Instafill.ai does not provide a recycle bin or recovery for deleted items.
- If you need data that has been deleted, re-upload your source files to generate a new filled PDF.
Ready to get started?
Click your workspace name in the top menu, go to Data cleanup in the left sidebar, enable scheduled data cleanup, set your retention period, and click Save. The page shows the next run time – nothing is removed immediately on save.
Questions or need help choosing a retention period? Contact [email protected].