Archiving an Ad Slot
The row actions on Inventory → Ad Slots are Edit · Copy · Archive. There's no permanent delete. Archiving hides the slot from the active list while preserving it (and its history) for possible restoration later.
Earlier versions of these docs described a Delete action; it doesn't exist.
What archiving does
Archiving removes a slot from active use without destroying it:
| Effect | What it means |
|---|---|
| Slot hidden from default list | Filter to Archived (or All) to see it again |
| Removed from active layouts | Layouts that reference the slot stop loading it |
| Ads stop serving in that placement | Once a release that reflects the archive is deployed |
| Historical data preserved | Reporting for past impressions is unchanged |
| Can be restored | Unarchive from the archived filter |
How to archive a slot
- In Ad Manager (main) mode, go to Inventory → Ad Slots.
- Find the slot (use the filter input to narrow by name).
- In the row's actions column, click the Archive button (box icon).
- Confirm the prompt.
- Ship a release from Wrapper → Releases — the archive doesn't affect live traffic until the next release is deployed.
Alternatives to archiving
Depending on why you want the slot out of the way, one of these may be a better fit:
Remove from specific layouts, keep the slot
If the slot should still exist but shouldn't load on a specific page type, open the layout (Inventory → Layouts) and remove the slot from its Ad Slots tab. The slot remains available for other layouts.
Replace via experiment
If you're unsure whether to retire a slot, run an A/B test — variation without the slot, control with — and measure the revenue impact before committing. See Creating an A/B test.
Rename and repurpose
If the slot is the right placement but the wrong configuration, edit it rather than archiving and re-creating. The History tab keeps a record of the previous configuration.
Restoring an archived slot
- Inventory → Ad Slots
- Change the state filter from Active to Archived (or All)
- Open the archived slot
- Un-archive — typical path: restore from the row's actions column, or edit the slot to mark it active again
- Re-add it to the layouts that should load it
- Ship a release
Archived slots retain their full configuration and historical reporting; restoring brings them back intact.
Pre-archive checklist
Before archiving, worth a quick check:
- Revenue impact — how much does this slot earn today? (Dashboard → Monetization, break down by slot)
- Layouts affected — open each layout that includes the slot; confirm you're OK losing this placement there
- Experiments — is this slot the subject of, or referenced by, an active experiment?
- Dependencies — does a targeting rule or custom code specifically reference the slot by divId?
After archiving — verification
- Ship a release from Wrapper → Releases
- Load a page that used to serve this slot with
?pbjs_debug=true - Confirm
AAM Processing <N> ad slots on pagereflects the reduced slot count for the matched layout - Watch Dashboard → Monetization for the next day to confirm nothing unexpected shifted
See Wrapper Debugging for more browser-side signals.
Common questions
Can I undo an archive?
Yes. Archive is reversible — filter to Archived and restore the slot.
What happens to the slot's data?
Historical impressions, revenue, and CPM remain in Dashboard → Monetization. You can still query past performance. No new data accrues once the archive is deployed.
Is there a way to permanently delete a slot?
Not through the portal UI. Archiving is the terminal state. If you have a compliance or data-retention need for hard deletion, contact your onboarding specialist.
Should I archive unused slots?
Yes — it keeps the inventory list navigable. Since archive is reversible, there's very little downside.