Archive a project by explaining its historical context and current status, not by rewriting its contribution or outcome. Review permissions and sensitive details, choose an appropriate destination for old links and retain only material that still serves a reader. Clearly distinguish historical evidence from services or relationships that remain current.
Decide what archive status means for this project
An old project is not automatically inaccurate or useless. It may show an important decision, constraint or contribution that remains relevant. Start by asking why it should leave the active portfolio: the service has changed, the work is no longer representative, permission has narrowed or the system shown is obsolete. The reason determines whether to retain a historical page, revise access or remove public material.
Write a status note with the project period, your actual contribution and what has changed since. Avoid implying that a historical artifact reflects the current client system or current professional offer. A sample made during a former role should preserve that role context. If the original account overstated your contribution, correct it transparently rather than using archive status to conceal the issue.
Recheck disclosure and evidence before preserving access
Review the permission basis for text, logos, screenshots, quotations and downloads. Old approval may have conditions, and publicly available material can later become sensitive or inappropriate to republish. Do not assume that an archive label overrides those constraints. Record any updated permission privately and remove content when continued disclosure is not supported or creates an unacceptable exposure.
Check screenshots and downloadable files for obsolete contact details, personal information and hidden material. An archive can preserve useful explanation without preserving every original file. If you remove a sensitive artifact, describe the remaining evidence accurately. Do not replace a real removed screenshot with an unlabeled fabricated one that suggests the historical project looked or performed differently.
Preserve a truthful internal history
Keep an appropriate private record of the original publication date, archive decision, revisions and permission basis. Limit access and retention according to the material’s needs. The record should help future editors understand why a page changed without exposing client documents in a general content folder. A public archive does not need to contain the private discussion that led to the decision.
After publication, test an old shared link and the current portfolio path. Confirm that status language is visible, downloads behave as intended and current offers are distinguishable from history. Report what remains accessible and what was removed. Archiving is a content maintenance decision, not proof that every third-party copy has disappeared or that the historical project produced outcomes beyond the available evidence.
Fictional example: a discontinued system in an old portfolio
A fictional process designer has a case study showing a reporting tool that the project team later replaced. The case still explains a useful handover decision, and permitted publication remains limited to a sanitized diagram. She adds the project period and a note that the illustrated system is historical, removes an obsolete download and retains the accurate description of her contribution.
The project leaves the active service-example list but remains reachable through its old public address with clear archive context. Her private change note records the permission boundary and the removed file. The example preserves a truthful historical explanation without claiming the old system is current, fabricating replacement evidence or promising removal of copies outside her control.
A checklist for your next step
- Record the archive reason and period.
- Preserve contribution and outcome limits.
- Review disclosure permissions again.
- Plan old-link behavior deliberately.
- Test public archive context.
Common questions
Does “archived” mean I can keep any old client material public?
No. Permission and sensitivity still matter. An archive label does not authorize disclosure or remove the need to review supporting material.
Should I change the project date to the archive date?
Preserve the historical project period. Record the archive or update date separately so the reader can distinguish when the work happened from when the page changed.
Further reading
These primary resources provide related background. They do not validate the illustrative example or endorse AliveProfile.
AI-assisted drafting and automated technical checks. Examples are illustrative; no independent expert review or real-world outcome validation is claimed. Read our editorial policy.