Hello all, I have come across certain columns of different tables which are not being used in anyway. To validate this, I have done the following : Check for CDT dependencies Check for record type dependencies Search for usage of the field/column globally in the application Based on the above, it appears that these fields are not being referenced by anything. But prior to deleting the columns, I wanted to get your feedback regarding the following: Does the above process ensure that the columns can be deleted without causing any issues ? Is there anything else that needs to be checked prior to deleting such columns (Process Models, integration etc.) ? What is the best way to delete such columns in Appian ? Am I supposed to deprecate these columns prior to their deletion ?
Thanks
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You’re already doing the right kind of due diligence—but I wouldn’t call it “safe enough to delete” just yet. In Appian, unused-looking columns can still bite you later because usage isn’t always obvious or directly referenced.
Appian has indirect usage patterns that won’t show up clearly in these checks: like Process variables (PV mappings),Script tasks / expressions, Smart services (Write to Data Store, integrations).
if Appian doesn’t use the field internally, External systems might expect it, APIs might still send/receive it so you can check the following objects: Integration objects, Web APIs, Connected systems
Sometimes fields are dynamically referenced (fv!item[fieldName])
Database-level dependencies: Check in DB Views using the column, Stored procedures,Triggers
So on a high note instead of deleting it Rename column from fieldname to fieldname_DEPRECATED and verify if its working or breaking the logic