---
title: "Remove a column from a vault"
method: DELETE
path: "/vaults/{id}/columns/{columnId}"
tags: ["Contract Intelligence"]
---

# Remove a column from a vault

`DELETE /vaults/{id}/columns/{columnId}`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://app.gc.ai/api/external/v1`
- URL: `https://app.gc.ai/api/external/v1/vaults/{id}/columns/{columnId}`
- Auth: API key in header `Authorization`
- TypeScript: <https://skmtc.dev/gc-ai/apis/gc-ai-external-api/docs/vaults/:id/columns/:columnId/delete.ts> (a function with typed inputs; its response is checked against the schema)

Remove a column from a vault's table.

The values already extracted under the column's `field_key` stay stored, so a new column created with the same `field_key` shows them again. Nothing is re-scanned either way.

Only a `custom` column can be removed. A `system` column (Document Name, Document Status, Document Title) returns `400`, and a built-in column has no ID to address. A column a connected spreadsheet owns comes off when you remove the sheet in the app.

Requires the `editor` or `owner` role in the vault and the organization-level permission to manage vaults.

Requires a user-scoped API key (`u:gcai_...`). A vault is shared with named people, so an organization-scoped key has no identity to resolve vault access with.

## Path parameters

- `id` string, uuid, required: The vault ID
- `columnId` string, uuid, required: The column ID from `GET /vaults/{id}/columns`. Built-in columns report `id: null` and cannot be addressed here.

## Response `200`

Column removed

- DeleteVaultColumnResponse
  - `deleted` boolean, required: Always `true` on success

## Other responses

- `400`: This column is managed by GC AI and cannot be deleted
- `401`: Missing or malformed API key
- `403`: Contract Intelligence is not enabled for this account. Contact support to request access., or the caller cannot manage this vault's columns
- `404`: Vault or column not found, or access denied
- `409`: The vault is archived. Restore it with `POST /vaults/{id}/restore` before changing it.
- `422`: Vault access is per-user and requires a user-scoped API key (u:gcai_...).
- `429`: Rate limit exceeded. See [Rate Limits](https://docs.gc.ai/api-reference/concepts/rate-limits) for the tiers, limits, and how to back off.
- `500`: Internal server error
- `503`: Service temporarily unavailable

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/gc-ai/apis/gc-ai-external-api.md) - [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/gc-ai/apis/gc-ai-external-api/llms.txt) - [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/gc-ai/apis/gc-ai-external-api/revisions/2bbdfddf7107?raw)