Tutorial / Cram Notes
What are Retention Labels and Policies?
Retention labels are tags that you apply to content across Microsoft 365 platforms, such as SharePoint Online, Exchange Online, and OneDrive for Business, to enforce retention or deletion rules based on regulatory and business requirements. When you publish these labels via a retention policy, the rules associated with the labels are automatically enforced.
Configuring Retention Labels
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Create Retention Labels
- Navigate to the Microsoft 365 compliance center.
- Under Solutions, select Information governance.
- Choose the ‘Labels’ tab and click on ‘Create a label’.
- Enter the label name, description, and retention settings as required.
- Review your settings and create the label.
Setting Description Example Name The identifier for the label ‘Financial Records’ Description Explanation of label use ‘For retention of financial documents’ Retention Settings Defines retention or deletion period Retain for 7 years then delete -
Configure Retention Settings
- Choose whether to retain content, delete content, or both.
- Specify the retention period, which can be based on when the content was created, last modified, or an event.
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Advanced Retention Settings
- Configure additional settings such as triggering a disposition review when the retention period ends.
- You can also set the label to mark items as a record, which further restricts certain actions from being performed on the content.
Publishing Retention Labels
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Create a Retention Policy
- In the Microsoft 365 compliance center, under Information governance, select ‘Label Policies’.
- Click ‘Publish labels’.
- Choose the labels you want to include in the policy.
- Select where to apply the labels: specific locations or all locations, including Exchange email, SharePoint sites, and OneDrive accounts.
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Configure Policy Settings
- Define policy settings such as who the policy will apply to.
- Scope the policy to specific users or groups by using the filters available.
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Review and Publish
- Once the policy is configured, review your settings.
- Name your policy and provide a description for administrative purposes.
- Publish the policy.
Action Description Example Select Labels Choose labels to include in policy Include ‘Financial Records’ label Define Policy Settings Determine scope and locations for labels Apply to all users in Finance department Review and Publish Finalize and implement policy ‘Financial Retention Policy’
Considerations When Implementing Retention Policies
- Data types and locations: Different types of data and content locations have unique requirements, so tailor your policies accordingly.
- Auto-apply labels: For efficiency, consider using auto-application of labels based on specific conditions.
- Prioritization: When multiple policies apply to the same content, be aware of how priorities are set.
- Monitoring and reviewing: Regularly monitor the application of labels and the execution of retention policies to ensure compliance.
- Policy changes: Modify policies as business or regulatory requirements evolve.
Through careful planning, configuration, and management of retention label policies, an Information Protection Administrator ensures that an organization can meet its data governance requirements. Keeping this knowledge in mind while preparing for the SC-400 exam can be vital, as real-world scenarios involving data retention and compliance often call for the precise implementation of these policies.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: Retention labels can only be applied to documents and not to emails.
- Answer: False
Retention labels can be applied to both documents and emails in Microsoft 365 to manage and govern content across various services like SharePoint, Exchange, and Teams.
Which of the following retention label settings will ensure content is reviewed before being deleted?
- A. Mark items as a record
- B. Trigger a disposition review
- C. Retain items forever
Answer: B. Trigger a disposition review
Triggering a disposition review allows for content to be reviewed at the end of its retention period before it is deleted.
True or False: You can apply retention labels manually and automatically using policies.
- Answer: True
Retention labels can be applied manually by users or automatically by administrators using retention label policies based on specific conditions or metadata.
What permissions are required to publish retention labels?
- A. Compliance administrator
- B. Exchange administrator
- C. Global administrator
- D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
To publish retention labels, you must have permissions like Compliance administrator, Exchange administrator, or Global administrator.
True or False: Once a retention label policy is published, it cannot be edited or deleted.
- Answer: False
Retention label policies can be edited or deleted after they are published, although changes may take time to propagate across all locations.
In which of the following locations can retention labels be automatically applied?
- A. SharePoint sites
- B. OneDrive accounts
- C. Exchange email
- D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Retention labels can be automatically applied across various locations like SharePoint sites, OneDrive accounts, and Exchange email.
True or False: All users in your organization need to have the same retention policies applied to their content.
- Answer: False
Retention policies can be targeted to specific users, groups, or locations based on the organization’s needs.
What is the purpose of retention label policies?
- A. To classify content for access levels
- B. To govern how long content is kept and to manage its disposal
- C. To encrypt sensitive information in your organization
Answer: B. To govern how long content is kept and to manage its disposal
Retention label policies are used to define how content is retained, what actions happen when the retention period ends, and how to manage the disposal of content.
When a document labeled with a retention label is edited, what happens?
- A. The retention label is removed
- B. The retention period restarts
- C. The retention label and period remain unchanged
- D. The retention label blocks editing
Answer: C. The retention label and period remain unchanged
When a document with a retention label is edited, the label and the retention period remain unchanged unless the policy is specifically configured to restart the retention period on editing.
True or False: Retention labels must be published before they can be applied to content.
- Answer: True
Retention labels need to be published through a retention label policy before they can be applied to content in the organization.
What is the maximum retention period you can configure for a retention label?
- A. 1 year
- B. 10 years
- C. 100 years
- D. There is no maximum; you can retain items forever
Answer: D. There is no maximum; you can retain items forever
Retention policies in Microsoft 365 allow for a “Retain items forever” option, meaning there is no maximum retention period limit.
True or False: Retention label policies can be applied to content in third-party applications and platforms outside of Microsoft
- Answer: False
Retention label policies are designed to work within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Content in third-party applications and platforms may not be directly governed by these policies unless there are integrations or connectors in place.
Interview Questions
What is the purpose of a retention label policy in Microsoft 365?
A retention label policy is used to manage how long content in Microsoft 365 is retained or deleted based on its age or other criteria.
What types of Microsoft 365 content can be managed using retention label policies?
Retention label policies can be applied to a variety of Microsoft 365 content types, including email messages, documents, and other files.
How are retention label policies created in the Microsoft 365 compliance center?
Retention label policies are created in the Microsoft 365 compliance center using the “Retention” tab in the “Information governance” section.
What is the difference between a retention label and a retention policy?
A retention label is a user-defined label that is applied to Microsoft 365 content to specify how long the content should be retained or deleted. A retention policy is a predefined set of retention settings that can be applied to Microsoft 365 content.
How can retention labels be customized to meet specific organizational needs?
Retention labels can be customized in several ways, including by defining retention periods, specifying conditions for retention, and creating custom retention actions.
How are retention label policies published and applied to Microsoft 365 content?
Retention label policies are published and applied to Microsoft 365 content using the “Labels” tab in the “Information governance” section of the Microsoft 365 compliance center.
What is an example of a condition that can be used to trigger a retention label policy?
An example of a condition that can be used to trigger a retention label policy is the presence of specific keywords or phrases in Microsoft 365 content.
How can retention label policies be reviewed and monitored?
Retention label policies can be reviewed and monitored using the “Reports” tab in the “Information governance” section of the Microsoft 365 compliance center.
What is the difference between an adaptive scope and a static scope in Microsoft 365 retention label policies?
An adaptive scope is a dynamic scope that is based on certain conditions or criteria, while a static scope is a fixed scope that includes specific locations, users, or groups.
How can retention label policies be used to support compliance with regulatory requirements?
Retention label policies can be used to ensure that Microsoft 365 content is retained for the appropriate amount of time to meet regulatory requirements, such as those related to data privacy or financial reporting.
Configuring retention label policies in SC-400 is crucial. Does anyone have tips on troubleshooting common issues?
Just passed my SC-400 exam! The section on publishing retention labels was definitely challenging but worth it.
What happens if you publish a retention label policy and it conflicts with an existing label?
Appreciate the blog post on configuring retention label policies!
Can someone explain how to set up adaptive scopes in a retention label policy?
Are there any built-in reports to monitor the application of retention labels?
What are the best practices when configuring retention labels for sensitive information?
I had trouble with labels not being applied to SharePoint sites. Anyone else?