Deleting Customers #
Customer deletion is protected to prevent accidental data loss.
Deletion Protection #
You cannot delete customers who have:
- Active licenses
- Suspended licenses
- Any licenses (in most configurations)
Error Message: “Cannot delete customers with active licenses. Please cancel/delete their licenses first.”
When to Delete Customers #
Valid Reasons:
- Duplicate customer records (merge first)
- Test/fake customers from development
- GDPR deletion request (after proper handling)
- Customer requested account deletion
Not Valid Reasons:
- Customer complained (keep record)
- Refund issued (keep for history)
- License expired (keep for potential renewal)
How to Delete (Single Customer) #
Step 1: Remove Licenses First #
- Go to customer overview
- Note all licenses
- Go to Licenses screen
- Delete or cancel each license
- Return to customer
Step 2: Delete Customer #
- Go to DDLS > Customers
- Find customer
- Click Delete in row actions
- Confirm deletion
Success Message: “Customer deleted successfully!”
Bulk Delete #
- Select customers using checkboxes
- Choose “Delete” from Bulk Actions dropdown
- Click [Apply]
- System attempts deletion
Protected customers are skipped with error messages.
What Gets Deleted #
When customer is deleted:
- Customer record removed
- All associated data removed
- No recovery possible
What Remains #
- WooCommerce order history (separate)
- WordPress user account (separate, not deleted)
GDPR Considerations #
For GDPR deletion requests:
- Export customer data first (if required)
- Delete all licenses
- Delete customer record
- Confirm deletion to customer
- Document the request
Alternatives to Deletion #
Instead of deleting, consider:
- Anonymize – Replace personal data with generic values
- Archive – Add note “Inactive – do not contact”
- Merge – Combine duplicate records