# Clearing test data before you start for real

> Clear the made-up clients, appointments and sales you entered while trying FullColumn out, and keep everything you've set up.

Source: https://docs.fullcolumn.com/getting-started/clearing-test-data

While you try FullColumn out, you'll probably book made-up clients, add a few services and products, block out time and check out some test sales. Before you start using it for real, you can clear all of that in **Settings → Import & export → Clear test data**, and keep your team and your settings.

You can clear test data until you lock your records, or until your first card payment through FullColumn goes through. After that, your appointments and sales are your salon's real records. Only owners can clear test data or lock the records, from their own sign-in: not on a shared front-desk device, and not FullColumn support.

## Clearing your test data

1. Open **Settings → Import & export** and find **Clear test data**.
2. Press **Clear test data…**.
3. If you've imported from your old booking system, leave **Keep what you imported** on to keep it.
4. Check what it says it clears and keeps.
5. Type your salon's name to confirm, and press **Clear test data**.

The activity log notes who cleared it and what went.

## What clearing test data takes away

- clients, with their notes, colour formulas, photos, forms and messages
- appointments, including repeat appointments
- blocked time, including repeating blocked time and times the whole salon is closed
- sales, with their payments and refunds
- account credit and gift vouchers
- cash-ups and petty cash
- the waitlist
- your service menu: services, categories, add-ons, bundles, per-service messages and price rises
- products, suppliers and purchase orders
- consultation and feedback forms
- promo codes
- notes and to-dos
- campaigns, including any still waiting to go
- automatic messages: each goes back to off, with its usual wording

## What clearing test data keeps

- your team, as they are: everyone's sign-ins, permissions, hours and rosters, price levels, commission and targets, and your shared devices
- your settings: business details, opening hours, online booking, message wording, branding, payment types, discount reasons and your Stripe connection
- the activity log

Some clients, appointments and sales stay even so:

- **What you imported**, with **Keep what you imported** on: clients, appointments, notes and colour formulas, gift vouchers and balances from your old booking system, and the services those appointments are booked for. Appointments you booked in FullColumn for imported clients still go.
- **Card payments still being paid**, like a deposit link you've sent that hasn't been paid yet, with the appointment and client they're for.

Texts and emails that have already gone stay sent, and the texts you've used stay used. Marketing emails sent this month still count towards the month's limit after their clients go. Nothing waiting to go to a cleared client or about a cleared appointment is sent.

> [!WARNING]
> Clearing can't be undone in FullColumn. If something goes by mistake, FullColumn support can put your whole salon back as it was at a time in the last 30 days. Download everything first (**Settings → Import & export → Download everything**) if you'd like your own copy.

## Locking your records

Once you're using FullColumn for real, lock your records so test data can't be cleared any more:

1. Open **Settings → Import & export** and find **Clear test data**.
2. Press **Lock our records…**, then **Lock our records**.

If you don't lock them, they lock by themselves when your first card payment through FullColumn goes through, since that's real money. **Clear test data** says when and why your records were locked.

## Common questions

### Can I clear test data after I've started paying?

Yes. Choosing a plan doesn't lock your records: only locking them yourself, or your first card payment, does.

### I took a test card payment and now my records are locked. What can I do?

Ask FullColumn support. They can let you clear test data again. The card payment and what it was for stay, since that money really went through Stripe; refunding it gives the money back.

### Does clearing test data give back the texts we used?

No. Texts and emails used while trying things out stay counted, and messages that went stay sent.

### Will clearing test data delete my imported clients?

Not with **Keep what you imported** on, which it is to start with. Turn it off to clear what you imported too.