There are two 'delete' actions you can take to a record. Click the 'Move to bin' button and you'll be shown:
Move to bin - the record is removed from search but is kept for 90 days before being permanently deleted.
Obfuscate - all personal information on the records will be obscured making it impossible to identify the original person. The record is otherwise left intact so an audit trail and history remains.
Undo / Recovery
Records can be recovered from the 'bin'. The bin is emptied of records older than 90 days (or 90 minutes for a hard delete)
When to use
Move to bin when you have found data that is no longer needed.
Obfuscate when the data subject uses their right to be forgotten.
Cleaning up incorrect or test records
When contacts are deleted some records get cleaned up automatically. However, those that are financial or commercial e.g. memberships and payments are not deleted so that financial and commercial records are not lost. Where test records are used the user will need to clean up these related test records manually.
When a contact is deleted:
memberships are cancelled
tasks are deleted
scheduled payments are deleted
external ids are deleted
connections to the contact are deleted