Data sharing rules in Zoho CRM control who can access which customer records across your organization. Deleting a rule removes that access permission entirely, so you'll want to verify no active users depend on it before proceeding.
Why this matters
You delete a data sharing rule when it no longer reflects your team structure, when a department reorganizes, or when you've set up a rule by mistake. Removing outdated rules keeps your access controls clean and prevents unintended data exposure. Since Zoho CRM recently redesigned the Data Sharing interface, the process is now more straightforward than before.
Step-by-step
Step 1. Navigate to Data Sharing settings.
Log into Zoho CRM and go to Setup (gear icon, top right). From the left sidebar, find and click Data Sharing. You'll see two tabs: one for Default organization permissions and one for Sharing rules. Click the Sharing rules tab to view all active rules organized by module.[1]
Step 2. Locate the rule you want to delete.
The Sharing rules tab displays a detailed list of all your rules. Use the search bar or advanced filters to find the specific rule—you can filter by module name or search by rule name to narrow results quickly.[1] Scan the list to confirm you've selected the correct rule before proceeding.
Step 3. Delete the rule.
Once you've identified the rule, look for the delete option (typically a trash icon or delete button in the rule's row). Click it to remove the rule. Zoho CRM will ask you to confirm the deletion. Confirm to complete the action.[1]
Step 4. Verify the deletion.
After deletion, refresh the Sharing rules list to confirm the rule no longer appears. If you accidentally deleted a rule, note that Zoho CRM does not maintain a trash bin for data sharing rules themselves—the deletion is permanent. However, you can quickly recreate a similar rule by cloning an existing one and adjusting its criteria if needed.[1]
Common pitfalls
Deleting a rule takes effect immediately for all users it governed. If you're unsure whether the rule is still in use, consider disabling it first instead—all sharing rules can now be toggled on or off with a single click, allowing you to test the impact before permanent removal.[1] This is safer than deletion if you want to preserve the rule's configuration for later re-enablement.
Also note: this article covers data sharing rules only. If you need to unshare individual records or revoke access to a specific pipeline, those are separate actions handled at the record or pipeline level, not through the Data Sharing settings.[2]
What to check
- Confirm the rule no longer appears in the Sharing rules list after deletion.
- Verify that users who relied on this rule still have appropriate access through other rules or default organization permissions.
- If you need to restore the rule's behavior, check whether cloning a similar rule and updating its criteria would be faster than manual recreation.
---
*This article is provided by Beam Help — independent expert support for Zoho. We are not official Zoho support.*