# DataExtension An object that represents a data extension. ## Required Permission Scopes To clear data from a `DataExtension` object using the [perform](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/perform.md) method, you must have the `Email | Subscribers | Data Extension | Clear Data` permission. Also, your account type must be Enterprise 2.0 (E2.0) or Business Unit (BU), or you must have the role-based access control business rule. If you don't own the data extension, you can't clear its data. If your account uses data extension retention policies, you must have the `Data Extension | Manage Data Extension Retention` permission to create or update a `DataExtension` object that has data retention properties. The data retention properties are `DataRetentionPeriod`, `DataRetentionPeriodLength`, `DataRetentionPeriodUnitOfMeasure`, `RowBasedRetention`, `ResetRetentionPeriodOnImport`, `DeleteAtEndOfRetentionPeriod`, and `RetainUntil`. ## Properties | Name | Data Type | Description | | ---------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `CategoryID` | Int64 | The ID of the folder that contains the data extension. | | `Client` | [ClientID](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/clientid.md) object | Specifies the account ownership and context of an object. | | `CorrelationID` | String | Identifies correlation of objects across several requests. | | `CreatedDate` | DateTime | The date and time when the object was created. | | `CustomerKey` | String | User-supplied unique identifier for an object within an object type. This property corresponds to the external key assigned to an object. | | `DataRetentionPeriod` | [DateTimeUnitOfMeasure](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/datetimeunitofmeasure.md) object | The units for the data extension retention period. Accepted values are `Days`, `Weeks`, `Months`, and `Years`. | | `DataRetentionPeriodLength` | Int32 | The number of time units data is retained for. Use this property together with `DataRetentionPeriodUnitOfMeasure` to specify the data retention period. | | `DataRetentionPeriodUnitOfMeasure` | Int32 | Deprecated. Use `DataRetentionPeriodLength` and `DataRetentionPeriod` instead. | | `DeleteAtEndOfRetentionPeriod` | Boolean | Indicates whether data is deleted at the end of the retention period. If the value is `true` the application deletes the entire data extension. If the value is `false`, the application deletes the data within the data extension but retains the data extension itself. | | `Description` | String | Describes and provides information regarding the object. | | `Fields` | Array of [DataExtensionField](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/dataextensionfield.md) objects | An object that specifies the fields contained in the data extension. | | `ID` | Int32 | Read-only identifier for an object. Some objects use the `ObjectID` property as a unique ID. | | `IsSendable` | Boolean | Indicates whether you can use a data extension as part of an audience for a message send. | | `IsTestable` | Boolean | Indicates whether a sendable data extension can be used in test sends. | | `ModifiedDate` | DateTime | The date and time when the data extension was last modified. | | `Name` | String | The name of the object or property. | | `ObjectID` | String | System-controlled, read-only text string identifier for object. | | `ObjectState` | String | Not used. | | `Owner` | [Owner](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/owner.md) object | Describes account ownership of subscriber in an on-your-behalf account. | | `PartnerKey` | String | Unique identifier provided by partner for an object. This property is accessible only via API. | | `PartnerProperties` | Array of [APIProperty](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/apiproperty.md) objects | A collection of metadata supplied by the client and stored by the system. These properties are accessible only via API. | | `ResetRetentionPeriodOnImport` | Boolean | Indicates whether a data retention period is reset after a successful import of new data. A value of true indicates that the data retention period resets to the beginning upon completion of a successful data import. A value of false indicates that the data retention period continues from the original starting point. | | `RetainUntil` | String | The end date for the retention period of the data extension. Verify that the value passed to this property is correctly formatted based on the Date Format setting of the API user. | | `RowBasedRetention` | Boolean | Indicates whether the data retention policy removes data by row or deletes all data in an entire data extension. If the value is `true`, individual rows are removed from the data extension when the retention period expires. If the value is `false`, the entire data extension is deleted when the retention period expires. | | `SendableDataExtensionField` | [DataExtensionField](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/dataextensionfield.md) object | The field in a sendable data extension to use as an address in a send. Accepted values are `SubscriberID`, `CustomerKey`, or `EmailAddress`. Marketing Cloud Engagement uses this field to create a relationship between the value specified by the `SendableSubscriberField` property and a value in a sendable data extension. | | `SendableSubscriberField` | [Attribute](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/attribute.md) object | The field to use as the sending address. Marketing Cloud Engagement uses this field to establish a relationship between a subscriber field and a value specified by the `SendableDataExtensionField` property. Accepted values are `SubscriberID`, `CustomerKey`, and `EmailAddress`. | | `Status` | String | The status of the data extension object. | | `Template` | [DataExtensionTemplate](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/dataextensiontemplate.md) object | The template used to create the data extension. | :::note The `DataExtensionObject` object doesn’t support `LIKE` operators in filters for the retrieve method. ::: ## Related Items - [Supported Operations for Objects and Methods](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/supported_operations_for_objects_and_methods.md) - [Add Column to a Data Extension](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/adding_new_column_to_an_existing_data_extension.md) - [Create a Data Extension Using an Existing Template](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/creating_a_data_extension_using_an_existing_template.md) - [Create a Data Extension](/docs/marketing/marketing-cloud/guide/creating_a_data_extension_using_web_service_api.md)