When you purge versions based on criteria, the purged objects might include composite objects such as mappings or workflows. Before you purge a composite object, you need to consider object dependencies. Object dependencies can affect the way that dependent reusable objects are purged.

If you purge a composite object that consists of non-reusable dependent objects, you also purge the non-reusable dependent objects. If you purge a composite object that contains reusable dependent objects, you purge the dependent object versions if they are not used in another composite object.

You cannot purge a version of a dependent object if it is used in a version of a composite object that you do not purge. Also, if you cannot purge a particular version of an object, you cannot purge more recent versions of that object, even if the more recent versions are not used in composite objects.

This section provides two examples that show how dependencies can affect purges of active objects. The first example describes a frequently modified composite object with rarely updated dependent objects. The second example describes a composite object with few versions but frequently modified dependent objects.