---
title: "Restore deleted items and resolve SKU conflicts"
description: "Restore catalog items from Trash, understand why deleted items still reserve their SKUs, and choose when to permanently remove them."
category: "Basics"
source: "https://www.pricebookr.com/docs/catalog-trash-and-skus"
---

# Restore deleted items and resolve SKU conflicts

Deleting an item removes it from the active catalog and puts it in **Trash** for 30 days. Its SKU stays reserved during that time, so you cannot create a second item with the same SKU just because the first is hidden.

## Restore an item

1. Open **Catalog**, then the three-dot **More catalog actions** menu.
2. Choose **Trash** and find the item by name or SKU.
3. Click **Restore**. The item returns to the catalog with its existing identity and prices.

ADMIN and SALES members can restore catalog items. FIELD members cannot change the catalog.

## Resolve a SKU that is already in use

The conflict message identifies the item holding the SKU. If that item is active, edit it rather than creating another copy. If it is in Trash, choose one of these actions:

- **Restore the original item** when you are bringing the same product or service back.
- **Choose a different SKU** when the new record is a different product or service.
- **Ask an admin to use Delete forever** in Trash if the old record is no longer needed and you must reuse its SKU.

## Delete forever

Only an admin can permanently delete catalog items. In Trash, use **Delete forever** for one item or **Empty trash** for everything listed, then confirm. The Trash restore button can no longer recover those records. Items also become eligible for permanent cleanup after 30 days.

Deleting your entire organization also removes snapshots and history. See [Delete your organization](https://www.pricebookr.com/docs/delete-your-organization) before taking that separate action.

## Why items came back after an import

A [CSV import](https://www.pricebookr.com/docs/import-from-csv) restores a matching trashed item and reports it as **restored from Trash**. Re-importing is therefore not a way to permanently discard an old record and reuse its SKU.

Starter price lists behave differently: they skip names already in the active catalog and ignore names in Trash. Loading a starter list after deleting its items creates fresh records; restoring the old ones afterward can leave duplicate names.

Jobber imports follow the linked product's state: an item deleted here can return if its product is still visible in Jobber. When deleting synced items, review the option to hide their linked Jobber products. See [Import your catalog from Jobber](https://www.pricebookr.com/docs/import-from-jobber).