TrackfoldTRACKING OPTIONS / GUIDE
Delete unused tracking options in Xero
Remove options you are certain you will not need again. Use archive for options you might restore later.
Review the current list first
Open your organisation’s tracking settings in Xero and check the category and option names. Check your Xero menu for the current location; this guide does not assume a particular screen layout. Avoid deleting names just because they are old: an option may still be used on transactions.
Use Trackfold
- On Options, filter by category, name and status. Tick the options you intend to remove.
- Choose DELETE. Optionally tick Archive instead if Xero refuses deletion because it is in use.
- Preview changes and read the permanent-deletion warning.
- Type DELETE and the displayed count, then Run changes.
- Download result CSV. Review any option Xero refused; only the chosen in-use fallback can archive it instead.
What the job changes
Trackfold cannot determine in advance whether Xero will allow a deletion. Xero can refuse an option used on transactions. Without the checkbox this is a failed row, not a forced deletion. With the checkbox Trackfold archives that option instead. Other errors are never converted to an archive. Deleted options cannot be restored. Undo can restore an option archived by the fallback, provided it has not changed since the job.
Read every result
DONE means the resulting option state was read back. SKIPPED means the original changed or the change was stopped. FAILED means the request was refused. NEEDS_REVIEW means the result could not be established safely; check in Xero before starting another job. Only successfully changed options use your plan allowance.
Undo restores previous Name and Status for 30 days after completion, provided the option still matches the job result. New options are deleted on undo, or archived if they have been used since. Xero only archives options that have been used; a never-used option can only be deleted. Deleted options cannot be restored. Archive options when you want a reversible change.
API evidence and limits
As of 25 Oct 2026, Xero’s official API description documents reading TrackingCategories including archived entries, POST Name/Status updates, option creation through PUT and deletion through DELETE. Tracking Categories documentation gives a 100-character name limit and recommends 100 options per category for performance. The recommendation is not a verified hard cap.
New options are created with a category batch request, and Xero’s refusal of an in-use option is handled as described here; both were checked on Xero’s Demo Company on 29 October 2026. Do not treat automated stand-in results as live verification.
Up to 5,000 data rows per file, 4,000,000 UTF-8 bytes and 2,500 changed options per job. Exceeding a limit causes an explicit error; rows are never silently cut off. Jobs pause for Xero limits and resume when the allowance is available. Disconnecting removes encrypted undo details.
Questions
Can I undo this?
Undo restores previous Name and Status for 30 days after completion, provided the option still matches the job result. New options are deleted on undo, or archived if they have been used since. Xero only archives options that have been used; a never-used option can only be deleted. Deleted options cannot be restored. Archive options when you want a reversible change.
What are the file and job limits?
Up to 5,000 data rows per file, 4,000,000 UTF-8 bytes and 2,500 changed options per job. Exceeding a limit causes an explicit error; rows are never silently cut off.
