No keep-forever option
Every document has a deletion date. A trial ending, a failed payment or a cancelled subscription does not extend it.
Automatic deletion
Automatic deletion for every document you receive
Under the GDPR's storage limitation principle, personal data should be kept no longer than its purpose requires. Sunset Docs applies that to incoming documents: each file gets a deletion date when it arrives, and the original, previews and file details are removed when that date is reached.
No card required. Up to 10 received files.
How it works
From request to deletion
- Choose a default periodSet the workspace default to 1, 8 or 24 hours, or 7, 30 or 90 days. Team and Business add 365 days and an exact date, which ends at 23:59 Madrid time.
- Adjust a submission when neededMove a deletion date within your plan's limit or delete a submission as soon as the work is finished. Each change is recorded in the activity log.
- Deletion runs on the dateSunset Docs removes the original, previews, temporary print output, encryption keys, file name and sender details. A failed step is retried until it completes.
- Only a minimal record remainsA short record shows that files were deleted and when. It holds no content, file name or sender identity, and is kept for 12 months.
Deletion you can account for
The activity log records opens, prints, downloads, deletion date changes and deletions, so you can show how long intake copies existed.
Clear about backups
Encrypted database backups expire within 30 days. Deleted data in a backup is never restored for normal access, and we do not claim backup deletion is instant.
What storage limitation means
The GDPR lists storage limitation among its basic principles. Article 5(1)(e) says personal data must be kept in a form that identifies people for no longer than is necessary for the purposes it was collected for.
The UK regulator puts it plainly in its guidance on storage limitation: the law does not set specific time limits for different types of data. You decide how long you need the data for your purpose, document that decision where you can, and delete or anonymise what you no longer need.
Intake copies are not your records
Most small businesses mix up two different things.
- The intake copy. The photo of an ID or the PDF of a payslip a customer sends so you can check something. Once the check is done, the purpose is usually over.
- The business record. The invoice, contract, tax file or employee file your own rules or national law require you to keep, sometimes for years.
Sunset Docs handles the first. Your archive, accounting software or HR system handles the second. Retention periods for records vary by country, sector and document type, and there is no universal table. Working them out is the business's responsibility, ideally with your adviser.
What Sunset Docs deletes, and when
| Item | At the deletion date |
|---|---|
| Original file, on our servers and in the encrypted object copy | Deleted |
| Page previews and temporary print output | Deleted |
| The document's wrapped encryption keys | Deleted |
| File name, sender details and other sensitive metadata | Deleted |
| Links that opened the document | Stop working |
| Minimal deletion record with no content, file name or sender | Kept for 12 months |
| Encrypted database backups | Residual copies expire within 30 days |
| Copies outside Sunset Docs (downloads, prints, the sender's phone or mailbox) | Not affected |
Worksheet: pick a deletion date
Answer these questions for each kind of document you collect:
- Why do we need this document, in one sentence?
- When is that purpose finished?
- Does a law or contract require us to keep a record afterwards? If yes, where will the record live?
- Who moves that record into our system before the deletion date?
- What is the shortest Sunset Docs period that covers steps 2 to 4?
Some examples of how businesses answer step 5. They describe the task, not a legal period:
| Task | Typical setting |
|---|---|
| Printing a customer's file at the counter | 1 or 8 hours |
| Checking a rental or job application | 7 or 30 days |
| Preparing an annual tax return | 30 or 90 days |
| A project with a fixed end date | An exact date (Team and Business) |
What automatic deletion does not do
It does not decide your retention periods, make you compliant, or delete copies kept outside Sunset Docs. It does not remove backup residuals instantly. It does one narrow job reliably: the documents you receive here do not outlive the date you chose.
Frequently asked questions
Does automatic deletion make us GDPR compliant?
No tool can do that on its own. Automatic deletion helps you apply storage limitation to the copies held in Sunset Docs. You still need a lawful reason to collect each document, a retention decision for your own records and a privacy notice that explains both.
Which retention period should we choose?
The GDPR does not set one. Choose the shortest period that covers the task, such as hours for a print job or a few weeks for an application check. Statutory periods for tax, accounting or employment records depend on your country and sector, and they apply to your archive, not to the intake copy.
Can someone extend a document's deletion date?
Yes, within the plan maximum: 90 days on Starter and 365 days on Team and Business. The change is recorded. If you downgrade, longer defaults and dates are shortened to the new plan's limit.
What about files someone downloaded or printed?
Those copies are outside Sunset Docs and are not deleted. Downloads and prints are recorded, so you know which copies exist and who is responsible for them.
What if the whole workspace is deleted?
Deleting a workspace or account starts deleting its active documents straight away. Save any record you are legally required to keep before you do it.
Set up your sensitive document inbox
Start with a document inbox that accepts files through an upload portal or dedicated email address, with automatic deletion for every new submission.
Start 14-day trial