---
schema_version: "1"
id: 63511bd0d10273dddb744de5cc03319c194bddf5077d6af3bf3f957dddb714bb
title: Manage Data Extension Records
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mc_cab_data_extensions_manage_records.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_cab_data_extensions_manage_records.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 5efa2e8960892c43c4e118d8e1c286c4e6d2fff3b2ff59452c326e45f8f37fc0
description: A record is a row of data in a data extension. You can use Contact Builder to create, edit, remove, or restore data extension records.
products:
  - Marketing
  - Marketing Cloud Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Manage Data Extension Records

A record is a row of data in a data extension. You can use Contact Builder to create, edit, remove, or restore data extension records.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>Basic</strong>, <strong>Pro</strong>, <strong>Corporate</strong>, and <strong>Enterprise</strong> editions.</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Add a Record to a Data Extension

Add an individual record to a data extension in Contact Builder. This process is helpful when you need to manually insert information about a customer into an existing data extension.

1. In Contact Builder, click **Data Extensions**.
2. Click the data extension that you want to add to.
3. On the Records tab, click **Add Records**.
4. Enter information for the available fields.
5. Save your work.

## Edit a Data Extension Record

To change the data for a single row in a data extension, edit the record in Contact Builder. You can edit any data extension record that has a primary key.

1. In Contact Builder, click **Data Extensions**.
2. Open the data extension that contains the record you want to update.
    
    ![Tip](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_contact_data-264-0-0-production-enus/0e4d875c-8c8c-4be4-8f13-c8278eafbbf9/images/icon_tip.png)
    
    Tip To narrow the list of records, use the search box.
3. On the Records tab, select a record.
4. Click **Edit Record**.
5. Enter the new information for that record.
6. Save your work.

## Remove Data in a Data Extension

In Contact Builder, you can manually delete records from a data extension. For example, in some situations, you might need to quickly remove a customer’s personal information from a data extension.

1. In Contact Builder, click **Data Extensions**.
2. From the list of data extensions, select the data extension that you want to remove data from.
3. On the Records tab, select the records to delete.
4. Click **Clear Record**.
5. Review the warning how deleting data can impact other services, and confirm that it’s safe to delete the records.
6. Click **Continue**. The selected records are deleted.

## Clear All Data from a Data Extension

Clearing a data extension removes all records from a data extension while keeping the structure, attributes, and policies of the data extension intact. This capability is helpful when want to completely replace all of the information in a data extension without having to recreate its fields and policies, and without disrupting the processes that rely on it.

1. In Contact Builder, click **Data Extensions**.
2. From the list of data extensions, select the data extension that you want to remove data from.
3. On the Records tab, click **Clear Records**.
4. Review the warning how deleting data can impact other services, and confirm that it’s safe to delete the records.
5. Click **Continue**.

All of the records are deleted from the data extension. Contact Builder retains the records that you delete in this way for 30 days so that you can restore them if necessary.

## Restore Data from a Cleared Data Extension

If you unintentionally clear all records from a data extension, you can restore them to a new data extension. You can restore records for up to 30 days after clearing a data extension. After 30 days, the data can’t be restored.

You can also use these steps to restore data that was deleted using the [ClearData action](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/clearing_data_from_a_data_extension.html) in SOAP API.

1. In Contact Builder, select **Data Extensions** | **Recycle Bin** | **Cleared Data**.
2. From the list, select the event that corresponds to the data you want to restore.
3. Click **Restore**.
4. Name the new data extension where the restored data can be added.
5. Save the new data extension.

To copy the restored data into the original data extension, [perform a data extension import](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_es_import_into_de.htm&language=en_US) or [use a SQL query activity in Automation Studio](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_as_using_the_query_activity.htm&language=en_US).