# Create, Archive, Unarchive, and Delete Systems > Create, archive, restore, and permanently delete systems while understanding each lifecycle choice. Canonical URL: http://modelmonster.ai/docs/managing-systems/creating-archiving-and-deleting-systems/ ## Article Metadata - Reading time: 4 min Keep your Systems list aligned with work as it starts, pauses, resumes, or ends. This guide covers creating a system, archiving it while preserving it, returning it to active work, and deleting it permanently. Archiving is reversible; deleting is not. ## Before you begin You must be signed in and have access to an organization and at least one team. Anyone with access to a system can perform the lifecycle actions in this guide. In this guide, “system” means the record you create and manage. You document its components and relationships in the **System Blueprint**. > **Note:** Archiving a system is different from archiving a released version. A system archive removes the system from active work while preserving it. It does not create a version snapshot or change the current version's state. ## Create a system 1. Open **Systems** and select the team that will own the system. ![Team-scoped Systems page showing **Systems in Customer Success Team** and **Create New System**](/media/original_images/visual-1-team-systems.png) 2. Select **Create New System**. The **Use Case Context** for your new system will open. 3. At **What is the name/identifier for this use case?**, enter a name for the system. ![**Use Case Context** naming question with an example system name entered and **Next** available](/media/original_images/visual-2-system-name.png) 4. Select **Next**. Your answer becomes the system's visible name. 5. Continue through **Use Case Context**, or select **Go to System** to open the empty **System Blueprint**. You can return to the remaining context questions later. System names must be unique within the selected team. An archived system continues to reserve its name, so you cannot reuse that name for another system in the same team. ### Cancel a system you do not want to keep Model Monster creates the new system before you name it. If you decide not to keep it: 1. Select **Cancel** on the initial **Use Case Context** question. ![**Cancel System Creation?** confirmation with **Yes, Cancel**](/media/original_images/visual-3-cancel-confirmation.png) 2. In **Cancel System Creation?**, select **Yes, Cancel**. The temporary system is removed, and you return to **Systems**. ## Archive a system Archive a system when it should leave active work but may be needed again. Archiving preserves the system and can be reversed later. 1. Open the system and select **Settings**. ![Active-system **Danger Zone** showing **Archive System** and **Delete System**](/media/original_images/visual-4-danger-zone.png) 2. In **Danger Zone**, select **Archive System**. ![**Archive System** confirmation showing its message and actions](/media/original_images/visual-5-archive-confirmation.png) 3. Review **Are you sure you want to archive this system?**, then select **Archive**. ![Archived Settings state showing the archived warning and **Unarchive System**](/media/original_images/visual-6-archived-settings.png) 4. Confirm that the system has been archived. The **Archive System** button changes to **Unarchive System**. The archived system is hidden from the default **Active Only** list. It remains in the team's total system count, reserves its name, and continues to count toward usage and billing. Archiving changes the system's lifecycle state only. It does not change the current version from **Draft**, **In Review**, or **Active**, so an archived system's row may still show the current version status, such as **Draft**. ## Find and unarchive a system Archived systems do not appear under the default **Active Only** filter in the Systems page. When the selected team contains an archived system, the lifecycle filter also offers **Include Archived** and **Archived Only**. 1. Open the team's **Systems** page. 2. Select **Include Archived** to see active and archived systems together, or **Archived Only** to show archived systems. ![Team Systems page with **Archived Only** selected and an archived row visible](/media/original_images/visual-7-archived-only.png) 3. Open the archived system and select **Settings**. 4. Select **Unarchive System**. 5. Confirm that the archived warning disappears, **Save All Settings** returns, and **Archive System** replaces **Unarchive System**. The system is now active again. Unarchiving does not change the current version's state, and it cannot recover a system that has been deleted. ## Delete a system permanently Before deleting a system, consider whether archiving would meet your needs. Archiving first can be a useful precaution if you may need the system again, but it is optional. You can delete either an active or archived system. > **Warning:** Deleting a system permanently removes it from your Model Monster workspace. This action cannot be undone. To delete a system: 1. Open the system and select **Settings**. 2. In **Danger Zone**, select **Delete System**. ![**Delete System** confirmation showing **Cancel** and **Delete**](/media/original_images/visual-8-delete-confirmation.png) 3. Review **Are you sure you want to delete this system?** 4. Select **Delete**. The application returns to the team's **Systems** page. The system count decreases, and the deleted system no longer appears in the list. A deleted system cannot be unarchived or recovered through the product. ## Next steps - Continue documenting the system's purpose and operating context in [Use Case Context](/docs/risk-identification-and-management/use-case-context/). - Learn how working versions and released-version archives differ from lifecycle archive status in [System Versioning Model](/docs/managing-systems/system-versioning-model/). - Prepare a documented system for governance review with [System Review Workflow](/docs/managing-systems/system-review-workflow/). - Review recorded system activity in [System Audit Log](/docs/managing-systems/system-audit-log/).