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Restrictions on object deletion

There are many reasons why a specific user may be unable to delete a specific item. This topic gives a few examples.

The user does not have sufficient rights
Depending on the role of the specific user who is trying to delete an object, that user may not have sufficient security clearance to perform the operation.
The object is in use
If the object is being used by another object in any way, it may not be deleted. For example, a topic used in a publication cannot be deleted until it has been removed from that publication. (If the publication is released, the object cannot be removed from the publication, and therefore, it can never be deleted.)
The object is checked out
If a user has the object checked out, it cannot be deleted until it's been checked in, or until the checkout has been undone.
The object has a relation to other objects
If the object is related to another object, that may prevent its deletion. For example, a version item may have one or more branches associated with it. So long as the branches are in use, the version item cannot be deleted.
The object is in a shortcut folder
Items in a shortcut folder are references to the actual objects, so you cannot delete them from such a location.