Data retention determines how far back you can view your analytics history. Different plans offer different retention periods.
Retention by Plan
| Plan | Retention Period | Can View History From |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 1 year | Last 12 months |
| Pro | 2 years | Last 2 years |
| Scale | 4 years | Last 4 years |
| Enterprise | Custom | 4 years base, custom available |
How Retention Works
Rolling Window
Data retention uses a rolling window:
- Free: Always shows last 1 year
- Pro: Always shows last 2 years
- Data older than retention is deleted
Two-Phase Deletion
When data exceeds your retention period, Zenovay uses a two-phase process:
- Soft Hide: Data is hidden from your dashboard but remains in our systems
- Grace Period (30 days): You receive email notifications and can upgrade to recover hidden data
- Permanent Deletion: After the 30-day grace period, data is permanently deleted
During the 30-day grace period, you can upgrade your plan to recover hidden data, or export it before permanent deletion. See Data Retention Policies for details.
What's Affected
Data That's Retained
Within your retention period:
- Visitor records
- Session data
- Page views
- Events
- Goals/conversions
- Geographic data
- Source/medium data
What's Always Kept
Regardless of plan:
- Account settings
- Website configurations
- Goal definitions
- Segment definitions
- Team structure
What's Deleted
After retention period:
- Individual visitor data
- Detailed session records
- Event-level data
- Granular analytics
Viewing Your Retention
Check Your Plan
- Go to Settings → Billing
- View your current plan
- See retention period listed
Check Available Data
- Open date picker
- See how far back you can select
- Grayed dates = no data available
Upgrading for More History
When to Upgrade
Consider upgrading if you need:
- Year-over-year comparisons
- Seasonal trend analysis
- Long-term strategy data
- Historical reporting
What Happens on Upgrade
When you upgrade:
- New retention period starts immediately
- Future data stored for longer
- Hidden data within the grace period is automatically recovered
- Data that was already permanently deleted cannot be restored
Upgrading during the 30-day grace period recovers hidden data that falls within your new retention period.
Downgrade Impact
When you downgrade:
- New retention period applies
- Data older than the new limit enters the soft-hide phase
- You receive email notifications before any permanent deletion
- 30-day grace period applies
Data Export Strategy
Before Data Ages Out
Pro PlanExport important data before it's deleted:
Set Reminder
Mark calendar for regular exports.
Export Data
Go to Analytics → Export → Select format.
Store Exports
Save exported files securely.
Verify Data
Check exports are complete and readable.
Export Schedule
| Plan | Recommended Export Frequency |
|---|---|
| Free | Monthly |
| Pro | Monthly |
| Scale | Quarterly |
| Enterprise | As needed |
Aggregated vs Detailed Data
Detailed Data
Individual records that age out:
- Specific visitor sessions
- Exact page paths
- Individual events
- Precise timestamps
Aggregated Data
Scale PlanSome plans retain aggregated summaries longer:
- Daily totals
- Weekly summaries
- Monthly overviews
Free Plan Limitations
1-Year Window
With Free plan:
- Can only see last 1 year
- Month-over-month comparisons available
- Seasonal trend analysis within 1 year
- No multi-year comparisons
Working with 1 Year
Make the most of your data:
- Check analytics regularly
- Export data you want to keep beyond 1 year
- Focus on recent trends
- Use real-time monitoring
When 1 Year Isn't Enough
Consider upgrading if you:
- Run monthly campaigns
- Need seasonal comparisons
- Report to stakeholders
- Require compliance records
Enterprise Custom Retention
Enterprise PlanEnterprise plans offer:
- 4 years base retention with custom options available
- Compliance-specific retention configurations
- Data residency controls
Setting Custom Retention
Contact your account manager to:
- Discuss requirements
- Set retention policy
- Configure data lifecycle
Compliance Considerations
Enterprise retention supports:
- GDPR requirements
- Industry regulations
- Internal policies
- Audit requirements
FAQ
Can I recover deleted data?
During the 30-day grace period after data is hidden, you can upgrade your plan to recover it. Once the grace period expires and data is permanently deleted, it cannot be recovered.
Does upgrading restore old data?
If data is still within the 30-day grace period (hidden but not yet deleted), upgrading recovers it automatically. Data that has already been permanently deleted cannot be restored.
How exactly is the cutoff calculated?
Retention is calculated daily from the current date. For example, "1 year" means data older than 365 days is deleted each day.
Is aggregated data kept longer?
On some plans, daily/weekly summaries may be retained longer than detailed records. Check your plan details.
Can I request data deletion before retention?
Yes, you can manually delete data anytime. Contact support or use the data management settings.
Best Practices
Plan for Your Needs
| Need | Recommended Plan |
|---|---|
| Basic monitoring | Free |
| Monthly reporting | Pro |
| Annual analysis | Scale |
| Compliance/audit | Enterprise |
Regular Data Hygiene
- Export important data regularly
- Review retention needs annually
- Upgrade proactively before you need history
Document Your Strategy
Keep records of:
- What data you've exported
- When exports were made
- Where exports are stored