Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) plays a crucial role in managing and governing how important data moves in an organization. At the core of its functionality, MIP uses labels for enhanced data classification, protection, and record management. In this context, let’s explore the process of configuring labels for records management in MIP, a topic that may come up in your SC-400 Microsoft Information Protection Administrator exam.

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Configuring Labels for Records Management

Labels are tools employed to tag, classify, and categorize information. This makes it easier for the system to manage and track the life cycle of data, from creation through disposal. Therefore, it’s imperative to correctly configure labels to automate record management.

Steps to Configure Labels

1. Create a Label in Compliance center: Navigate to the Microsoft 365 compliance center. In the “Solutions” section, find “Information Governance and Records Management”.

2. Configure Label Properties: Click on “Create a Label”. Fill in the necessary details such as Name, ToolTip, Description, and more. Make sure the information entered helps the user understand the label’s purpose during its application.

3. Configure Label Settings for Records Management: Navigate to “Label settings” and find the “Records Management” section. Under ‘Retain Items’ or ‘Delete Items,’ specify the number of days, months, or years necessary for data retention or deletion.

4. Apply ‘Label scope’ and ‘Label policy’: Finally, specify where the label applies (Label scope) and link the label to a policy.

Below is a simple table to clarify the basic parameters you will set during the label configuration:

Parameter Description
Name Clear, descriptive name for the label
Tooltip Brief explanation about label
Description Detailed statement about the label’s purpose
Retain Items Data retention duration
Label scope Where the label applies
Label policy The policy to which the label is linked

Tip: Auto-apply Labels

For an efficient management system, auto-apply labels in MIP using either sensitive information types, a keyword list, or trainable classifiers. This will help your organization to identify and label the data, eliminating the need for the users to do so, which subsequently increases data protection accuracy.

Example: Configuring a ‘Contract’ label

Let’s consider the example of configuring a ‘Contract’ label, which ensures that all the contract-based documents in your organization are retained for a period of 7 years.

1. Creating the label: Navigate to Compliance center > Information Governance and Records Management > Create a label.

Name: Contract
Tooltip: This label ensures contract documents are retained for 7 years.
Description: Apply this label to all contract-related documents.

2. Configuring Label settings: Configure the settings in the Records management section. Set ‘Retain Items’ field to a period of 7 years.

3. Applying the Label scope and policy: Set up the scope of label to where contracts are usually stored, for instance, a specified SharePoint site. Then, link the label to a suitable label policy.

Conclusion

Correctly configured labels make it simple and straightforward to manage organizational data effectively. Aspiring SC-400 Microsoft Information Protection Administrators must understand these fundamentals well to ensure data is correctly and efficiently classified, protected and managed, which ultimately leads to enhanced data governance in an organization.

Practice Test

True or False: In Microsoft 365, you can use labels to classify data for governance, and enforce retention rules based on that classification.

  • Answer: True

Explanation: When you create and configure retention labels in the Microsoft 365 compliance center, you can apply them to content to classify it, and apply retention rules.

Multiple Choice: What is the primary purpose of configuring labels for records management in Microsoft Information Protection?

  • a) To provide automated document translation
  • b) To enable better visual design
  • c) To classify, retain, and protect sensitive information
  • d) To increase storage capacity

Answer: c) To classify, retain, and protect sensitive information

Explanation: Configuring labels for records management enables businesses to manage and protect their sensitive and business-critical data effectively, by classifying, retaining and protecting them as needed.

True or False: You can’t use labels to apply Microsoft Information Protection’s sensitivity labels to email or documents.

  • Answer: False

Explanation: You can apply MIP’s sensitivity labels to your emails and documents to classify and protect your organization’s data.

Multiple Choice: In Microsoft 365, where are retention labels created and configured?

  • a) Azure portal
  • b) Microsoft 365 compliance center
  • c) Office 365 admin center
  • d) OneDrive settings

Answer: b) Microsoft 365 compliance center

Explanation: The labels are created and configured in the Microsoft 365 compliance center, which provides businesses with the tools needed for effective data governance and compliance.

True or False: Once a label is created and published, it cannot be edited or deleted.

  • Answer: False

Explanation: Once labels are created, they can be edited or deleted as per the business needs.

Multiple Select: What are the options available when you create a retention label in Microsoft 365 compliance center?

  • a) Name and description for the label
  • b) Retention settings
  • c) Disabling the label
  • d) Sharing settings

Answer: a) Name and description for the label, b) Retention settings

Explanation: The options available when creating a retention label include a name and a description for the label, and retention settings.

True or False: Sensitivity labels support automatic application based on content examination.

  • Answer: True

Explanation: Using sensitivity labels, you can automatically classify, label, and protect documents and emails based on their content.

Single Select: What happens if you delete a label that is in use?

  • a) The label’s behavior continues
  • b) The label’s behavior stops immediately
  • c) The label’s behavior depends on user interaction

Answer: a) The label’s behavior continues.

Explanation: Even after you delete a label, if it’s already in use, its behavior (like retention or protection) continues until the label is removed from the content.

True or False: It is not possible to apply labels to OneNote sections in notebooks.

  • Answer: False

Explanation: Retention labels can be applied to OneNote sections in notebooks, though there are some exceptions and limitations.

Single Select: What does “retention” refer to in the context of configuring labels for records management?

  • a) How much storage space is allocated for a document
  • b) How long a document is kept before it’s automatically deleted
  • c) The number of versions of a document that are kept
  • d) The password protection level of a document

Answer: b) How long a document is kept before it’s automatically deleted

Explanation: Retention in this context refers to retaining or keeping data or documents for a specific period, following which it is automatically deleted according to the set rules.

Interview Questions

What is the main purpose of configuring labels for records management in Microsoft 365 compliance center?

Configuring labels for records management helps in classifying, retaining, and retrieving data efficiently. It also aids in meeting legal and regulatory obligations.

How are retention labels in Microsoft 365 configured?

Retention labels are configured in the Microsoft 365 compliance center. They are created either manually or automatically based on specific conditions like sensitive information types or keywords.

Can we apply multiple retention labels to a single item in Microsoft 365?

No, we can’t apply multiple retention labels to a single item. One item can only have one retention label at a time.

What are the two main properties defined when creating a record label in Microsoft 365?

The two main properties defined when creating a record label are the retention period (how long the record should be kept) and the actions to be performed after the retention period expires.

How do auto-applied record labels work in Microsoft 365?

Auto-applied record labels work based on certain conditions. This involves the system automatically applying the label when the conditions defined, such as detecting specific types of sensitive information or keywords, are met.

What is an Event-based retention label in records management?

Event-based retention is a configuration that triggers the start of a retention period based on an event, rather than the creation or last modified date of the document.

What happens when a Retention label is modified in Microsoft 365?

When a Retention label is modified after it’s been published and is applied to content, the changes are propagated to the content it’s applied to.

How can Retention labels be published in Microsoft 365?

Retention labels can be published through a retention label policy in the Microsoft 365 compliance center.

Can retention labels be used for email management in Microsoft 365?

Yes, retention labels can be used to manage and ensure the retention of emails in Microsoft 365.

What role do you need to configure and manage retention labels in Microsoft 365 compliance center?

To configure and manage retention labels in Microsoft 365 compliance center, you need to be a Compliance Administrator or Compliance Data Administrator.

How to remove a retention label from an item in Microsoft 365?

Users with edit permissions to the item can change or remove the retention label in the item’s properties pane.

Do retention labels for records management in Microsoft 365 apply to third-party data?

No, retention labels apply only to data within Microsoft 365 and do not extend to third-party data.

Can you override or delete a retention label in Microsoft 365 once it is applied?

Only a Compliance Administrator or Compliance Data Administrator can modify or delete a retention label once it is applied.

Can we see who applied a retention label to an item in Microsoft 365?

Yes, the auditing features in the Microsoft 365 compliance center provide information about who applied a retention label to an item.

What happens to an item in Microsoft 365 once its retention period expires?

Once the retention period for an item expires, action is taken based on the configuration defined in the label. This could include moving the data to an archive or permanently deleting the data.

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