Workflows and the documents inside them are linked, which affects how you delete them. This guide explains how a workflow's document shows up in your repository, why you can't delete that document on its own, and how to delete a workflow — and its document — in the right order.
How Workflow Documents Appear in Your Repository
When you launch or create a document as part of a workflow, that document also appears in your Document Repository. It isn't a separate copy — it's the same document, linked to its workflow, so you'll see it in both places. That link is what keeps a contract's workflow history (redlines, approvals, signatures) connected to the document itself.
Why You Can't Delete a Workflow Document Directly
Because the document is tied to its workflow, Aline won't let you delete it on its own. If you try to delete a document from the repository while it's still part of a workflow, the delete is blocked — this protects you from removing a document that an active workflow still depends on.
To remove it, you delete in this order: first the workflow, then the document.
⚠️ The order matters: you must delete the workflow first. Only once the document is no longer attached to a workflow can it be deleted from the repository.
Step 1: Delete the Workflow
Go to the Workflows section in Aline.
Locate the workflow you want to delete.
Click the title of the workflow to open it up.
Click the trash can icon to Delete.
Type in "DELETE" when prompted.
⚠️ Deleting a workflow is permanent and removes the workflow along with its history (tasks, approvals, and negotiation record). If you need to keep a copy of the executed document, download it first.
Step 2: Delete the Document from the Repository
Once the workflow is gone, the document is no longer attached to anything and can be deleted:
Navigate to your Document Repository.
Locate the document.
Click the three-dot (⋮) menu next to the document name.
Select Delete.
Confirm your choice.
Deleting a Standalone Document (Not in a Workflow)
If a document was uploaded directly and was never part of a workflow, you can delete it in one step — there's no workflow to remove first:
Go to your Document Repository.
Click the three-dot (⋮) menu next to the document.
Select Delete and confirm.
💡 Best Practice: Before deleting anything, make sure you don't need the record. Deletions are permanent, and once a document or workflow is removed it can't be recovered. When in doubt, download a copy or move the document out of active views rather than deleting it.
The rule to remember: a document that's part of a workflow can't be deleted on its own — remove the workflow first, then the document. Anything uploaded on its own can be deleted directly from the repository.
Related articles: Create a Workflow from a Template · How to Rename Documents in Aline · Uploading Draft vs. Signed Documents into Aline · Managing Contract Status, Expiration & Auto-Renewal (Evergreen) Dates