Deleting a category in Docs is quick - and Plannerly keeps your data safe by archiving sections rather than permanently deleting them.
Delete a category in Docs
Deleting a category is fast, and it is designed to be reversible where it matters most - at the section level.
How to delete a category
- Go to Docs.
- Open your document (for example, an OIR, AIR, or EIR).
- Hover over the right-hand end of the category row.
- Click the trash (archive) icon.
- Confirm.
Tip: If you are not 100% sure, delete the category anyway. You can restore the archived sections later (individually) if you need them.
Why the trash icon says archive
The category is removed, but the sections are archived so you can recover content without keeping old categories cluttering your Docs.
What happens when you delete a category
Deleting a category in Docs is not a hard delete. Plannerly is designed to protect your work while still keeping docs clean and manageable.
What gets deleted vs archived
- The category itself is removed.
- All sections inside the category are archived.
- Archived sections can be restored (one-by-one).
Important: Restore is only available at the section level. Categories cannot be restored once deleted.
What this means in real life
- If you delete a category by mistake, you can still recover the important contents - the sections.
- If the category name mattered, recreate the category and move restored sections back into it.
- This is intentional - it avoids “ghost categories” cluttering your documents over time.
Common customer moment
“I thought I lost everything when I deleted a category. Turns out the sections were archived and I could restore only what we needed.”
View archived sections
When a category is deleted, its sections are still there - just hidden by default.
Show archived sections
- Click the Filter icon in Docs.
- Enable Archived sections.
- Archived sections will appear in the list.
Quick check
If you cannot see what you expect, confirm you are in the correct document (OIR/AIR/EIR, etc.) and that other filters are not hiding results.
Restore sections from a deleted category
You can restore archived sections one-by-one and move them into a new or existing category.
Restore a section
- With Archived sections enabled, find the section you need.
- Open the section actions menu.
- Select Restore.
After restoring, the section returns to your active Docs list and can be reorganized as needed.
Recreate the category (if needed)
- Create a new category with the same name (or a better one).
- Move restored sections into that category.
Tip: If you are doing a cleanup, restore only what you need. Leaving unused sections archived keeps docs lean and easier to maintain.
Troubleshooting
I deleted a category but I cannot find the sections
- Open Docs Filters and enable Archived sections.
- Confirm you are in the correct document (OIR/AIR/EIR, etc.).
- Temporarily clear other filters to make sure they are not hiding results.
I restored a section - where did it go?
- Restored sections return to the active Docs list.
- If you still do not see it, check whether another filter is hiding it.
Note: If your team has restricted access, your permissions may limit what you can view or restore. If in doubt, ask a Docs admin on the project.
Related help
If you are building or managing OIRs or AIRs end-to-end, this guide walks through the full workflow:
How to create, contract, and manage Asset Information Requirements (AIR)