# PATCH: Update deprecation policy to treat removed fields like any other non Standard fields

**URL:** <https://forum.threesixtygiving.org/t/patch-update-deprecation-policy-to-treat-removed-fields-like-any-other-non-standard-fields/450>\
**Category:** Standard\
**Created:** [12 August 2025 12:00 UTC](https://forum.threesixtygiving.org/t/patch-update-deprecation-policy-to-treat-removed-fields-like-any-other-non-standard-fields/450 "2025-08-12T12:00:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![marion.galley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f17d59/32.png) [@marion.galley](https://forum.threesixtygiving.org/u/marion.galley)\
**Post date:** [12 August 2025 12:00 UTC](https://forum.threesixtygiving.org/t/patch-update-deprecation-policy-to-treat-removed-fields-like-any-other-non-standard-fields/450/1 "2025-08-12T12:00:47Z")

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Hello,

The ODS and 360Giving staff teams are proposing a PATCH update to the Standard which changes the Deprecation Policy. This was approved by the 360Giving Data Standard Stewardship Committee on 2025-06-17 (see [paper making the case for the change here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/12X1tzZxu6IOBmiH8HbuFJbauSyt7PIxg/view?usp=sharing) and [minutes recording the approval here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/16h90JVlpk0RxJViTbXih9pQ5l3iSqFoP/view?usp=sharing)).

The update makes a small change to the policy to state that terms which have been made “obsolete” (i.e. have been removed) in the Standard will be treated as any other non-Standard fields rather than giving validation errors. This is in keeping with current practices of permitting publishers to use non-Standard fields and avoiding a situation where tooling needs adapting to exclude specific fields.

In recognition of the low impact that PATCH changes can have on the whole Standard, if no objections are received within one week, the PATCH change will be considered approved.

Any questions please post below,

Thank you