D365FO - Archive data to history tables but not to dataverse

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Posted on by Adis

6,597 Super User 2026 Season 1

Dear all,

I trying to figure out how data archiving is working. I ve checked out the following ressources, however, there is still a major question open:

How can I move data to history tables, but NOT to dataverse. Dataverse space is quite expensive, so for now we should be fine to move data first to history table.

As far as I see it here, I can only select long term retention job.

my ressources:

Archive data in Dynamics 365 finance and operations apps with Dataverse - Finance & Operations | Dynamics 365 | Microsoft Learn

Data Archival and Long-Term Retention in Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O | EP01 | Dynamics 365 TechTalk

Thanks in advance, Adis

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Dynamics 365 Finance

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Saif Ali Sabri 2,354 Moderator on at

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In Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations (D365FO), the standard Archive with Dataverse long-term retention feature is designed to move data to Dataverse. However, if you want to archive data only to history tables and not Dataverse, you will need to use custom archiving methods. Here’s what you can do:
Solution:

Use SQL-based Archiving (if allowed)

Create custom archive tables in the D365FO database.

Use Batch Jobs or Data Management Framework (DMF) to move older records to these tables.

Ensure these tables are excluded from standard transactional processing.

Leverage Standard Purge & Archive Features

Some modules have built-in data cleanup routines (e.g., Sales Order history).

Configure these to move data to history tables without enabling Dataverse retention.

Develop a Custom Archive Solution via X++

Create a custom archiving process using X++ that moves old records to a history table.

Schedule a batch job to automate data movement.

Since Dataverse space is costly, this approach allows you to archive data without consuming extra Dataverse storage. If Microsoft releases a built-in option to disable Dataverse retention in the future, that would be the best alternative.

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Adis 6,597 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Alright, thanks for your answer. I was afraid to receive that feedback.

Kind regards, Adis

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Saif Ali Sabri 2,354 Moderator on at

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I get it—it's not the ideal answer, but unfortunately, Microsoft hasn't provided a native way to use history tables without Dataverse in the standard archiving framework. If you're mainly concerned about storage costs, a custom archiving strategy is your best bet for now.

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