Extend retention for specific traces using separate projects

Summary

Issue: Traces are deleted according to the project retention window even when metadata like evalRun: true is present. Metadata fields cannot exempt individual traces from deletion.

Cause: Retention is enforced by creation timestamp at the project and object type level, not by tags or metadata values.

Resolution: For traces that need longer retention, route them at ingest time to a separate project configured with a longer retention window, or adjust retention for the whole project/object type.

Resolution steps

If you are on Enterprise and want to extend retention for all traces in a project

Step 1: Identify the object type

Determine whether your traces are stored as logs, experiments, or dataset rows. Retention is configured separately for each type.

Step 2: Adjust the project retention window

In your project settings, raise or remove the retention limit for the relevant object type. On Enterprise, there is no enforced maximum. The 14-day retention window is a project-level configuration.

If you only want to retain a subset of traces (e.g., eval_run: true)

Step 1: Create a dedicated project

Create a separate Braintrust project with a longer or unlimited retention window.

Step 2: Route matching traces at ingest time

In your logging code, inspect the metadata before logging and send matching traces to the dedicated project.

if metadata.get("eval_run"):
    logger = braintrust.init_logger(project="eval-runs-retained")
else:
    logger = braintrust.init_logger(project="default-project")

Step 3: Verify retention settings on the new project

Confirm the dedicated project’s log retention window is set to your desired duration or unlimited before relying on it for storage.

On Pro and Enterprise plans, data retained in a long-retention project beyond your plan’s base window incurs retention storage charges. Weigh this cost when deciding how long to keep routed traces.

All troubleshooting guides

Extend retention for specific traces using separate projects

Summary

Resolution steps

If you are on Enterprise and want to extend retention for all traces in a project

Step 1: Identify the object type

Step 2: Adjust the project retention window

If you only want to retain a subset of traces (e.g., `eval_run: true`)

Step 1: Create a dedicated project

Step 2: Route matching traces at ingest time

Step 3: Verify retention settings on the new project

​Summary

​Resolution steps

​If you are on Enterprise and want to extend retention for all traces in a project

​Step 1: Identify the object type

​Step 2: Adjust the project retention window

​If you only want to retain a subset of traces (e.g., eval_run: true)

​Step 1: Create a dedicated project

​Step 2: Route matching traces at ingest time

​Step 3: Verify retention settings on the new project

Summary

Resolution steps

If you are on Enterprise and want to extend retention for all traces in a project

Step 1: Identify the object type

Step 2: Adjust the project retention window

If you only want to retain a subset of traces (e.g., `eval_run: true`)

Step 1: Create a dedicated project

Step 2: Route matching traces at ingest time

Step 3: Verify retention settings on the new project