> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.flowx.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Deleting files

> The Documents plugin provides functionality for deleting files.

## Prerequisites

Before deleting files, ensure:

1. **Access Permissions**: Ensure that the user account used has the necessary access rights for updates or deletions.

2. **Kafka Configuration**:

* **Verify Kafka Setup**: Ensure proper configuration and accessibility of the Kafka messaging system.
* **Kafka Topics**: Understand the Kafka topics used for these operations.

3. **File IDs and Document Types**: Prepare information for updating or deleting files:

* `fileId`: ID of the file to delete.
* `customId`: Custom ID associated with the file.

<Info>
  In the example below, we use a `fileId` generated for a document using [<u>**Uploading a New Document**</u>](./uploading-a-new-document) scenario.

  ```json theme={"system"}
  {
    "docs": [
      {
        "customId": "119407",
        "fileId": "c4e6f0b0-b70a-4141-993b-d304f38ec8e2",
        "documentType": "BULK",
        "documentLabel": null,
        "minioPath": "flowx-dev-process-id-119408/119407/466_BULK.pdf",
        "downloadPath": "internal/files/c4e6f0b0-b70a-4141-993b-d304f38ec8e2/download",
        "noOfPages": 2,
        "error": null
      }
    ],
    "error": null
  }
  ```
</Info>

## Configuring the deletion process

![](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/docx.flowx.ai/release34/delete_file_proc.png)

To delete files, follow these steps:

1. Create a process that includes a [**Send Message Task (Kafka)**](../../../../building-blocks/node/message-send-received-task-node) node and [**Message Event Receive (Kafka)**](../../../../building-blocks/node/message-send-received-task-node#configuring-a-message-receive-task-node) node:

* Use the **Send Message Task** node to send the delete request.
* Use the **Receive Message Task** node to receive the delete reply.

2. Configure the **first node (Send Message Task)** by adding a **Kafka Send Action**.

![](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/docx.flowx.ai/release34/delete_file_action.png)

3. Specify the [**Kafka topic**](../../../../../setup-guides/plugins-setup-guide/documents-plugin-setup) for sending the delete request.

<Tip>
  To identify defined topics in your environment:

  * Navigate to **Platform Status > FLOWX Components > document-plugin-mngt** and click the eye icon on the right side.
  * In the details screen, expand the `KafkaTopicsHealthCheckIndicator` line and then **details → configuration → topic → file → delete**. Here will find the in and out topics for deleting files.

  ![](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/docx.flowx.ai/release34/delete_topics.png)
</Tip>

4. Fill in the request message body.

![](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/docx.flowx.ai/release34/delete_request_message.png)

#### Message request example

Example of a message following the custom integration data model:

```json theme={"system"}
{
  "customId": "119408",
  "fileId": "c4e6f0b0-b70a-4141-993b-d304f38ec8e2"
}
```

* **fileId**: The ID of the file.
* **customId**: The custom ID.

5. Configure the **second node (Receive Message Task)** by adding a Data stream topic:

![](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/docx.flowx.ai/release34/delete_stream.png)

<Info>
  The response will be sent to `..out` Kafka topic.
</Info>

### Receiving the reply

![](https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/docx.flowx.ai/release34/delete_response.png)

The reply body should contain the following values:

* **customId**: The unique identifier for your document (it could be for example the ID of a client)
* **fileId**: The ID of the file
* **documentType**: The document type
* **error**: Any error message in case of an error during the deleting process

#### Message response example

```json theme={"system"}
{
  "customId": "119408",
  "fileId": "c4e6f0b0-b70a-4141-993b-d304f38ec8e2",
  "documentType": null,
  "error": null
}
```


## Related topics

- [Resources](/4.7.x/docs/projects/resources.md)
- [FlowX.AI 5.6.0 Release Notes](/release-notes/v5.x/v5.6.0-march-2026/v5.6.0-march-2026.md)
- [FlowX.AI 5.2.0 Release Notes](/release-notes/v5.x/v5.2.0-november-2025/v5.2.0-november-2025.md)
- [FlowX.AI architecture](/4.7.x/docs/platform-overview/flowx-architecture.md)
- [Navigation areas](/4.7.x/docs/building-blocks/process/navigation-areas.md)