Section 10 – Implement Microsoft Purview records management – Set-AzWebApp -name "Anything Microsoft and other stuff on the side"

Table of Contents

So what is records management?

Many principles of the solution for Data Lifecycle Management also apply for Microsoft Purview Records Management, but there are some differences. Those differences include file plan, record declaration, and record versioning.

File Plan:

Imagine a blueprint for your records. A file plan in Microsoft Purview dictates how you organize your records and sets their retention timelines. You can build custom retention labels or import existing ones, and even create policies to automatically apply these labels to your content.

Record Declaration:

This is where the magic happens! Declaring an item as a record in Purview empowers you to:

Control its lifecycle: Decide where, when, and for how long it’s retained.
Manage disposition: Address new and existing alerts requiring action on the record’s future (e.g., deletion).

Crucially, declared records become unalterable (except name and metadata in specific instances). They’re safe from accidental modifications or deletion until their designated retention period ends.

Record Versioning:

Need to make changes to a declared record? No problem! SharePoint and OneDrive offer built-in versioning. This allows you to work on the document even after it’s marked as a record. Imagine declaring a specific version as the official record while keeping the option to revise it later. Versioning is automatically enabled whenever a retention label designates a document as a record.

Create and configure retention labels for records management

Imagine you have important documents and emails scattered around your digital world. To organize and protect them, you can use special tags called “retention labels.” These labels act like flags, marking the content as official records.

There are two types of labels:

Regular Record: This is a basic label for important documents.
Regulatory Record: This is a stronger label for highly sensitive information and requires an extra step (like a secret code) to activate.

To use these labels, you have two options:

Manual Application: You can create a central list (like a public announcement board) where everyone can access these labels and choose to apply them directly to relevant documents and emails.
Automatic Application: This is only available for the regular “record” label. You can set up a system where certain types of documents or emails automatically receive the record label, ensuring important information is instantly flagged for safekeeping.

By using these labels, you can easily identify and protect valuable digital information.

See more from Learn

Declare records by using retention labels

To declare documents and emails as records, use Microsoft 365 retention labels that mark items as a record or a regulatory record.

Record versioning in SharePoint and OneDrive isn’t directly used for updating documents. It focuses on preserving changes.

Mark key versions as records (lock): Saves a specific version for future reference. Further edits won’t overwrite it.
Edit the record (unlock): Allows changes while keeping past versions.
Only locked edits become new records: Saves storage space.

Note: This feature requires other settings to be enabled.

Records storage:

Each edit is saved individually within a special library for easy access.

Version history:

All versions are tracked, including those marked as records.

Use record versioning in SharePoint or OneDrive

Learn about records to help you implement a records management solution in Microsoft 365.

Manage retention labels by using a file plan, including file plan descriptors

While both Data Lifecycle Management and Records Management offer retention label creation, Records Management provides more advanced features:

Bulk creation: Easily create multiple labels by importing data from a spreadsheet, saving time and effort.
Export for analysis: Download information about existing labels for offline review and collaboration.
Enhanced overview: View detailed information about all labels in one place, simplifying management.
Richer data: Add extra details to each label using “file plan descriptors” for better organization.
Wider application: Use file plans even for labels that don’t mark content as official records.

In short, Records Management offers a more comprehensive toolbox for managing your retention labels.

See more from Learn

Use file plan to manage retention labels

File plan provides advanced management capabilities for retention labels.

Classify records by using retention labels and retention label policies

Granting Access for Records Management in Microsoft Purview:

Your compliance team needs access to manage records.
Don’t give them full admin rights!

Here’s how to grant the right permissions:

For full access: Assign the “Records Management” admin role group. This grants complete control over features like creating labels and managing record disposal.
For read-only access:
- Create a custom role group.
- Add the “View-Only Records Management” role. This allows creating and managing labels for record declaration and disposal, but without access to the actual content itself.

Applying Default Retention Labels in SharePoint and Outlook

Feature	Location	Description
SharePoint Library	Library Settings > Apply label to items in this list or library	– Set a default retention label for all content in the library. – Documents inherit this label. – Optionally apply the label to existing items.
SharePoint Folder	Inherit from parent library	– Folders inherit the default label from the parent library by default.
Outlook Folder	Properties > Policy tab > Use parent folder policy	– Set a default retention label for an Outlook folder. – Unlabeled items inherit this label.

Updating and Deleting Retention Labels and Policies

Action	Details	Limitations
Updating Retention Labels/Policies	– Edits automatically apply to existing and future content.	* Names, scope type (adaptive/static), and retention period (except duration) cannot be changed. * Marking items as records cannot be modified.
Deleting Retention Labels	* Standard labels (not marking records) can be deleted even if applied to existing content (removal occurs).	* Labels marking items as records: * Can only be deleted if not applied to content. * Deletion fails if applied – use Content Explorer to identify labeled items (may take up to 2 days).

Additional Notes:

This table summarizes key points for updating and deleting retention labels/policies.
Refer to official documentation for detailed steps and exceptions.

Manage event-based retention

Scenario	Event Trigger	Description
Employee Leaving	Employee termination date	Retains employee records (hiring, performance, termination) for 10 years after departure.
Contract Expiration	Contract end date	Maintains contract-related documents (agreements, negotiations) for 5 years after expiration.
Product Lifetime	Last manufacturing date	Preserves product information (specifications, manuals) based on the product’s lifespan.

Event-based retention is ideal for records management.
Retention labels linked to events typically mark content as official records.
Records remain indefinitely until the designated event triggers the retention period.
Disposition review often occurs after the retention period ends for manual assessment and disposal.
Event-based retention labels share the same functionalities as standard Purview labels.

Manage the disposition of content in records management

Manual review

Content Review at Retention End:

Upon reaching its designated storage timeframe, content might require additional assessment before permanent deletion. This review ensures proper handling beyond automatic disposal. Here are some reasons for a review:

Legal Holds: Content involved in ongoing litigation or audits may require a temporary suspension of deletion.
Retention Reclassification: As circumstances evolve, the initial retention period might no longer be suitable. A review allows for assigning a new timeframe.
Archiving for Preservation: Content with historical or research value might warrant transfer to a dedicated archive instead of deletion.

Disposition Review Notification:

When a review is triggered, designated individuals or members of a security group (excluding the group owner) receive email notifications. These reviewers then have the responsibility to assess the content and determine the appropriate action.

Automatic Approval:

You can choose to enable automatic approval for a period between 7 and 365 days (defaults to 14 days).
If designated reviewers do not intervene within this timeframe using the standard review process, the item will automatically:
- Progress to the next review stage: This applies if the item is not yet in the final stage.
- Be permanently deleted: This occurs only if the item reaches the final review stage without manual action.

Disposition of content

Monitor and manage the disposal of content for when you use a disposition review or items marked as records are automatically deleted according to the settings you configured.

Configure records management settings, including retention label settings and disposition settings

Think of records management settings as the control center for your digital files. They keep things:

Organized: Define how records are categorized.
Secure: Protect sensitive information.
Clean: Dispose of data properly.

Identifying Disposed Records

The Disposition tab within the Records Management main page provides insights into permanently deleted content:

Records Deleted Through Review: This category includes items removed following a manual review process.
Automatic Deletion at Retention End: This section identifies records designated as essential (marked as record or regulatory) that reached their designated storage period and were automatically deleted.

Auditing Deleted Records:

For a more comprehensive audit trail of deleted items marked as records or regulatory records, you can utilize the File and page activities category. Search for events categorized as “Deleted file marked as a record” within this section. This specific audit event applies to documents and emails.

Records management overview – Training

Learn how to use intelligent classification to automate and simplify the retention schedule for regulatory, legal, and business-critical records in your organization.

Retention Labels: File Your Records Away (Automatically)

Retention labels act like smart tags for your digital files. They tell your system how long to keep specific types of records and what to do with them afterwards.

Set the timer: Assign a retention period (days, months, years) to different categories of records (e.g., financial records, project documents).
Auto-pilot deletion: Once the timer runs out, the label can automatically delete the record, freeing up storage space.
Trigger a review: For certain records, labels can initiate a manual review process before deletion. This ensures important information isn’t accidentally discarded.
Declare it a record: Labels can also mark a file as an official record, making it tamper-proof and preventing accidental deletion until the designated retention period ends.

Benefits:

Simplify recordkeeping: Automated processes save time and effort.
Ensure compliance: Meet legal requirements for record retention.
Reduce storage costs: Automatically delete unnecessary data.
Improve security: Minimize the risk of outdated information lingering.

Think of it this way: Retention labels are like filing instructions for your digital world. They ensure your records are organized, secure, and disposed of according to regulations.

Configure retention labels – Training

Learn how to use intelligent classification to automate and simplify the retention schedule for regulatory, legal, and business-critical records in your organization.

Disposition Settings Explained

Think of disposition settings as the cleanup crew for your digital files. They decide what happens to your records over time:

Retention periods: How long you must keep stuff (like library due dates).
Auto-delete: Files automatically vanish after their designated time.
Reviews: Some records get a human check before deletion.

What happens after review?

Delete: Most common for temporary records past their prime.
Archive: Valuable records get saved for posterity.
Hold: Legal issues might delay deletion.

Benefits:

Save money: Less junk = less storage needed.
Stay compliant: Follow regulations and avoid legal trouble.
Boost security: Old data = potential security risks.
Simplify workflows: Clear rules keep things organized.

Remember:

Different records have different needs.
Consult legal/compliance experts for the right settings.

Effective disposition settings keep your records system clean, secure, and compliant.

Disposition of content

Monitor and manage the disposal of content for when you use a disposition review or items marked as records are automatically deleted according to the settings you configured.

Closure

While Data Lifecycle Management shares some principles, Purview Records Management offers unique features:

File Plan: Organize and set retention for records with custom labels and automatic application.
Record Declaration: Control record lifecycle (retention, disposition) and prevent accidental changes until deletion.
Record Versioning: Work on declared records (e.g., modify previous versions) while maintaining an official record.

These features go beyond data management, focusing specifically on securing and managing crucial records.