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Create, Archive, Unarchive, and Delete Systems

Create, archive, restore, and permanently delete systems while understanding each lifecycle choice. 4 min read

On this page
  1. Before you begin
  2. Create a system
  3. Archive a system
  4. Find and unarchive a system
  5. Delete a system permanently
  6. Next steps

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.

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**

  1. Select Create New System. The Use Case Context for your new system will open.

  2. 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

  1. Select Next. Your answer becomes the system's visible name.

  2. 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**

  1. 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**

  1. In Danger Zone, select Archive System.

**Archive System** confirmation showing its message and actions

  1. Review Are you sure you want to archive this system?, then select Archive.

Archived Settings state showing the archived warning and **Unarchive System**

  1. 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

  1. Open the archived system and select Settings.

  2. Select Unarchive System.

  3. 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.

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**

  1. Review Are you sure you want to delete this system?

  2. 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