---
title: "How to Exclude Users During Configuration Deployment"
canonical: "https://support.appfire.com/space/SUPPORT/1902805077/How%20to%20Exclude%20Users%20During%20Configuration%20Deployment"
format: markdown
---
This article provides a workaround using the Selective Merge feature to map unwanted users to a placeholder account, effectively preventing them from being created as active users in the target instance while maintaining configuration integrity.

**Platform:** Jira Cloud-to-Cloud

### Problem

Removing the "users" section from a deployment is not supported, and simple email transformations may not achieve the goal of preventing user creation in the target environment.

### Cause

CMJ Cloud-to-Cloud currently lacks a direct "Exclude User" filter within the migration wizard.

## Solution: Use Selective Merge to Map to a Placeholder

Instead of attempting to delete users from the migration, you can map unwanted users to a single "placeholder" or "archived" user in the target Jira Cloud instance. This replaces all references to those users (such as Reporter, Assignee, or Comment Author) with the placeholder account.

### Step-by-Step Instructions

1. **Create a Placeholder User:** In your target Jira Cloud instance, create a single user account to act as a placeholder (e.g., `archived-user@example.com` or `Unassigned Migrated User`).
2. **Start Deployment:** Open CMJ and begin the Analyze & Deploy process for your project.
3. **Navigate to User Matching:** Proceed through the wizard until you reach the User Matching step.
4. **Map Unwanted Users:**
  - Identify the users you do not want to migrate.
  - Use the Selective Merge feature to map these users to your newly created placeholder user in the target instance.
5. **Complete Deployment:** Finalize the deployment. All references to the excluded users will now point to the placeholder account in the target instance, and no individual accounts will be created for them.

For more information, please refer to this article: [Selective Merge Documentation](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CMJC/pages/193594083)