Retention labels and policies are Microsoft 365 features that let you classify data across your organization for the purpose of retaining or deleting data based on the organization’s governance rules and regulations. These labels can be applied automatically by administrators, manually by users, or a combination of both.
For instance, you could apply a label called “7-year retention” to items that need to be kept for seven years. If the content is a record, it cannot be edited or deleted by anyone until the retention period has expired.
Retention policies provide the capability to include or exclude specific locations where the labels should be applied. For example, a policy could include all mailboxes but exclude specific SharePoint sites.
How To Create Retention Labels
To create a retention label in Microsoft 365 Compliance center:
- Navigate to the Microsoft 365 Compliance center.
- Click on “Classifications” and then on “Retention Labels.”
- Click on “Create label.”
- Specify the label name, label settings (like retention conditions). Choose whether the content is a record and apply other restrictions if needed.
The main fields to fill are:
- Name: An identifiable name for the label.
- Retention period: Number of days, months, or years the content needs to be retained.
Following are some settings in label settings:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Mark items as a record | Ensure the content can’t be edited or deleted. |
| Label retention action | Select whether to retain, delete, or both. |
You can then publish the label to users or system-defined locations.
How To Apply Retention Labels
A retention label can be applied in the following ways:
- Manually by users: Users can apply the label to documents or emails in the apps like Word, Excel, Outlook based on their understanding of the content.
- Automatically by admin-defined criteria: Administrators can define conditions based on sensitive information types, content types, or metadata. When content matches these conditions, the label is automatically applied.
- Default labels in a document library, folder, or document set: Administrators can set a default retention label for a SharePoint document library, a folder within the library, or a document set within the library.
Bringing it All Together
Understanding how to classify records using retention labels and policies is crucial not only for managing organizational data but also for ensuring compliance with regulations. As you study for the SC-400 Microsoft Information Protection Administrator exam, keep in mind real-world scenarios where you’d apply these concepts. Properly applied labels and policies will allow your organization to efficiently manage data and meet its regulatory obligations.
Keep practicing on the creation, application, and management of retention labels and policies, as their effective use is a key skill for any Microsoft Information Protection Administrator.
Practice Test
True or False: Retention labels in Microsoft 365 allow you to classify data across your organization for governance and enforce retention policies based on that classification.
Answer: True
Explanation: Retention labels in Microsoft 365 are used to classify data and apply a set of rules for how long to retain the data based on its classification.
Which of the following CANNOT be achieved using retention labels?
- a) Automatically apply a retention label based on sensitive information
- b) Keep content for a specific period
- c) Delete content after a specific period
- d) Determine who has access to a file
Answer: d) Determine who has access to a file
Explanation: Retention labels and policies are primarily for managing the life-cycle of data, not for managing access or permissions.
True or False: You can apply multiple retention labels to a single document in Microsoft
Answer: False
Explanation: Only a single retention label can be applied to a document at a time in Microsoft
Which of the following does a retention label specify? (Choose all that apply)
- a) How long a record should be retained
- b) What actions to take when a record expires
- c) Who can view the record
- d) How the record should be classified
Answer: a) How long a record should be retained, b) What actions to take when a record expires, d) How the record should be classified
Explanation: Retention labels specify the retention period, expiry actions, and classification for a record but do not control user permissions.
Where can you apply retention labels in Microsoft 365? (Choose all that apply)
- a) SharePoint Online
- b) Microsoft Teams
- c) OneDrive
- d) Outlook
Answer: a) SharePoint Online, b) Microsoft Teams, c) OneDrive, d) Outlook
Explanation: Retention labels can be applied across different services in Microsoft 365, including SharePoint Online, Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, and Outlook.
True or False: Retention policies in Microsoft 365 can only be applied to the entire tenant.
Answer: False
Explanation: Retention policies in Microsoft 365 can be applied to specific locations or users, not just the entire tenant.
What can you automate with an auto-apply retention policy in Microsoft 365?
- a) Apply a retention label based on a sensitive information type
- b) Apply a retention label based on a keyword query
- c) Apply a retention label based on both a sensitive information type and a keyword query
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
Explanation: Auto-apply retention policies in Microsoft 365 can automatically apply a retention label based on a sensitive information type, a keyword query, or a combination of both.
True or False: Once a retention label is applied to a document, it cannot be changed.
Answer: False
Explanation: Retention labels applied to a document can be changed, but the label with the most restrictive settings would apply if there is a conflict.
What is the most restrictive retention policy in case of a conflict?
- a) The longest retention policy
- b) The shortest retention policy
- c) The latest applied retention policy
- d) The first applied retention policy
Answer: b) The shortest retention policy
Explanation: In case of policy conflicts, the most restrictive policy i.e., the shortest retention period, usually applies.
True or False: Retention labels and policies are effective tools for ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations.
Answer: True
Explanation: Retention labels and policies, when used effectively, help organizations manage and govern their data, thus helping to ensure compliance with various data privacy regulations.
Interview Questions
What is a Retention label in Microsoft 365?
A retention label is a tag that you can apply to emails, documents, or other types of content in Microsoft 365 in order to enforce retention rules as per organization’s policies.
What is the role of a Retention policy in Microsoft 365?
A retention policy helps to manage and govern information based on organization’s practices and requirements. It defines how long the information is kept and what happens to it after the retention period.
What are the steps to create a Retention label?
Steps to create a Retention label:
– Go to the Microsoft 365 compliance center
– Click on Data governance and then Retention
– Click on Create a label
– Name the label, add a tooltip, and define its retention settings
– Review your settings and create the label.
How do Retention labels and policies help in compliance?
Retention labels and policies help in maintaining compliance by enforcing the regulated and customized policies of an organization about how long data needs to be retained and what should be done to it after that point.
Can users overwrite a Retention policy and for what reason?
Yes, users can manually apply a different retention label to items. This is helpful in situations where a special project or event changes normal retention needs.
What is the difference between Retention label and Retention policy?
A Retention label is applied directly to data such as email or files to decide what action should be taken once its retention period expires. On the other hand, a Retention policy is a rule applied to locations, like email, SharePoint sites, or user’s centralized devices.
In SC-400, how to manage immutable retention policies?
Immutable retention policies are those that can’t be changed or deleted until their defined retention duration has expired. They can be managed by applying them to content, defining the retention period for the content, and selecting an option for what happens when the retention period ends.
What takes precedence if both a Retention label and a Retention policy are applied to the same content in Microsoft 365?
If both a Retention label and a Retention policy are applied to the same content, the setting with the longest retention period will take precedence.
Can Retention policies be scheduled in Microsoft 365?
Yes, Retention policies can be scheduled in Microsoft 365. They can be started immediately, or set to start on a future date.
What happens if a retention label is deleted in Microsoft 365?
If a retention label is deleted, any content that has been labeled with it will not be affected. The label will also continue to be visible on that content. But you cannot use it to label new content.
Is there any limit to the number of retention labels that can be created in Microsoft 365?
Yes, you can create up to 25,000 retention labels per tenant in Microsoft 365.
What happens when an item reaches the end of its retention period in Microsoft 365?
When an item designated by a retention label reaches the end of its retention period, it’s either permanently deleted, or review process is triggered depending on the action defined in the policy.
In SC-400, how do Retention labels and Retention policies help in securing sensitive information?
Retention labels and policies help secure sensitive information by ensuring that data is deleted when no longer needed, or kept when necessary for compliance. They also help in reducing the risk of data leakage by preventing the early deletion of sensitive data.
How are Retention labels and Retention policies related to eDiscovery in Microsoft 365?
Retention labels and policies hold a significant role in eDiscovery. During legal investigations, eDiscovery in Microsoft 365 can discover and preserve labeled content, and the visible retention labels can help users identify records that might be relevant to a case.
Can a retention label be automatically applied to content in Microsoft 365?
Yes, auto-apply label policies can be created in Microsoft 365 to automatically apply retention labels based on certain conditions such as keyword matches or sensitive information types identified in the content.
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