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# Why you can't move a dataset or View to Trash

> Fix Mammoth's Can't delete yet dialog: the joins, lookups, automations, dashboards, running pipelines and permissions that stop an item moving to Trash.
>
> Applies to: Roles: Project Admins and Project Editors. Where: Data › ⋮ menu › Move to trash

When other active items depend on what you're deleting, Mammoth doesn't move it to Trash. A dialog opens instead, titled, for example, **Can't delete "Sales 2026" yet**, with a **Blocking this delete** list and a **Close** button, and no delete button. You need delete permission on the item; Project Viewers can't delete.

## What can block a delete

| Blocker | Shown as | Subtitle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A View that reads from it (a join or lookup) | The View, with **Join** or **Lookup** | "1 other item depends on it. Remove it, or its link, then try again." |
| An automation that uses the dataset (for example, as a refresh target or a Data Consolidation source or destination) | The automation, marked "automation" | Same as above |
| A dashboard built on it that you can't edit | The dashboard, marked "you can't edit it" (or "a dashboard you can't edit" when you can't see its name) | "You can't edit 1 dashboard built on it. Ask an editor to remove or reassign it." |

When you select several Views and none can be deleted, the title reads, for example, **Can't delete these 3 views yet**, and each blocker says which View it blocks ("blocks View 2"). When only some are blocked, the rest move: see [Delete several items](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/organise/delete-to-trash/#delete-several-items).

Click a blocking View's name to open it in a new tab. If the delete dialog has already closed when Mammoth refuses, a **Cannot move to Trash.** message lists the blockers instead.

## Clear a block and try again

- Remove the join or lookup in the View that reads from it.
- Edit or delete the automations that use the dataset.
- Ask an editor to remove or reassign the dashboards you can't edit.
- Or keep the item.

## Other reasons a move fails

| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Can't delete "Sales 2026" yet** | A join, lookup, automation or dashboard you can't edit depends on it. | Remove the blocker shown under **Blocking this delete**, then try again. |
| "Cannot move to Trash while the item's pipeline has active work. Try again once it finishes." | The item's pipeline is still running. | Wait for the run to end, then try again. |
| "Some items in PDF to CSV can't be moved to Trash." | The folder holds a file still processing, or a dataset that failed to move. | Wait for processing to finish, or delete that file first. |
| "You don't have permission to modify this item." | You lack delete permission on that item. In a mixed selection, the items you can delete still go through. | Ask a Project Admin. See [Permissions for Trash](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/organise/trash/#permissions-for-trash). |

## Related

- [Delete a dataset, View, folder or dashboard](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/organise/delete-to-trash/): what the delete dialog shows.
- [Restore deleted datasets, Views and dashboards from Trash](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/organise/trash/): get an item back.
- [Join two datasets on a shared column](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/clean-and-shape/join/): the joins that block a delete.
- [Manage automations](https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/automate/manage/): edit or delete an automation.

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Source: https://mammoth.io/docs/learn/organise/trash-blocked.md · Updated: 2026-11-08