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Google Workspace Business Starter – Archived User

📅 31 Jan 2026 📂 General 👁 8 views

This knowledge base article explains the Google Workspace Business Starter – Archived User feature from a technical and administrative perspective.

It is intended for:

  • IT administrators

  • System administrators

  • Support engineers

  • MSPs and Google Workspace partners

The article covers how archived users work, how data is handled, limitations of the Business Starter edition, and best practices for secure offboarding.

2. Product / Feature Overview

An Archived User license allows organizations to retain former employee data (email, Drive, calendar, etc.) without keeping the user active.

Key goals:

  • Preserve data for compliance and audits

  • Reduce licensing costs

  • Enforce data retention and security policies

Archived users cannot sign in and do not consume a full user license.

3. Technical Behavior and Architecture

How Archived Users Work

  • User account is converted from Active → Archived

  • Login access is disabled

  • User data remains stored in Google Workspace

  • Data follows Google Vault retention rules (if enabled)

Data Retention Scope

ServiceData Retained
GmailYes
Google DriveYes
CalendarYes
ContactsYes
Vault HoldsYes (if applicable)
Chat HistoryLimited (policy-based)

4. Business Starter–Specific Limitations

Google Workspace Business Starter has restrictions:

  • ❌ No Google Vault (unless upgraded)

  • ❌ Limited storage (30 GB pooled)

  • ❌ No advanced eDiscovery

  • ❌ Archived users still consume pooled storage

⚠️ Important: Archived users are mainly useful when Vault or compliance tools are active, which may require upgrading to Business Plus or Enterprise.

5. Use Cases and Environments

Common Use Cases

  • Employee offboarding

  • Legal or audit retention

  • HR compliance

  • Data preservation after resignation

Recommended Environments

  • SMBs with structured offboarding

  • Organizations with compliance policies

  • Companies needing email/data history retention

6. Step-by-Step: Archive a User (Admin Console)

Step 1: Open Admin Console

  • Admin Console → Directory

  • Select Users

Step 2: Select User

  • Click the user who has left the organization

Step 3: Archive User

  • Click More options (⋮)

  • Select Archive user

  • Confirm action

The user is immediately:

  • Logged out

  • Disabled for sign-in

  • Converted to archived state

7. Verifying Archived User Status

Admin Console Check

  • Directory → Users

  • Filter → Archived users

GAM Command Example (Advanced Admins)

gam print users archived

8. Common Errors, Root Causes, and Fixes

Error: Cannot Archive User

Root Cause

  • User has active licenses not released

Fix

  • Remove active licenses

  • Retry archive action

Error: Storage Still Full After Archiving

Root Cause

  • Archived user data still counts toward pooled storage

Fix

  • Export and delete unnecessary data

  • Upgrade storage or plan

Error: Data Not Searchable

Root Cause

  • Google Vault not enabled (Business Starter)

Fix

  • Upgrade to Business Plus or Enterprise

  • Enable Vault and retention rules

9. Security Considerations and Risks

Security Benefits

  • Prevents former employees from logging in

  • Preserves audit trail

  • Retains data under admin control

Risks

  • Archived data still accessible to admins

  • Storage growth if data not reviewed

  • False assumption of “free unlimited storage”

Mitigation

  • Apply least-privilege admin roles

  • Periodic data review

  • Defined retention timelines

10. Best Practices and Recommendations

Offboarding Best Practices

  • Transfer ownership of critical Drive files

  • Archive user instead of deleting immediately

  • Document offboarding actions

Data Governance

  • Define retention duration

  • Review archived users quarterly

  • Remove archived users after legal hold expires

Licensing Strategy

  • Use archived users to reduce cost

  • Monitor pooled storage usage

  • Consider upgrading plan if compliance is required

11. Key Limitations Summary

  • No user login

  • No email sending/receiving

  • Counts toward storage

  • Limited compliance tools on Business Starter

  • Not a backup replacement

12. Conclusion

The Google Workspace Business Starter – Archived User feature is a cost-effective and secure offboarding tool for retaining ex-employee data while preventing access.

For organizations with compliance, audit, or legal retention needs, pairing archived users with Google Vault (via plan upgrade) is strongly recommended.


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