Tutorial / Cram Notes

Understanding File Plan Descriptors

File Plan Descriptors are part of the broader Records Management solution in Microsoft 365 Compliance Center. They enable you to define and manage different aspects of your records categorization and retention such as department, category, authority type, provision, and citation.

Here is a breakdown of the primary descriptors used in a File Plan:

  • Category: The general label identifying the type of record.
  • Department: Identifies the organizational unit responsible for the record.
  • Authority Type: The type of regulatory or legal authority governing the record.
  • Provision: The specific regulatory or legal provision that is the reason for the record’s retention.
  • Citation: The reference to the actual law, regulation, or mandate.

Setting Up Automatic Retention

To set up automatic retention, you need to follow these steps:

  1. Create Retention Labels:
    Go to the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center, and under Solutions, choose Information Governance or Records Management. Here you can create new retention labels that define how long content is retained and what happens after that period, such as deletion or review for disposal.
  2. Assign File Plan Descriptors:
    After creating a retention label, you can assign File Plan Descriptors to it. These descriptors will ensure that the retention label carries metadata that aids in classifying and managing the content to which it’s applied.
  3. Publish the Retention Labels:
    Once labels are created and descriptors assigned, publish the labels to SharePoint, OneDrive, or Exchange locations where the documents or messages that should be retained are located. This is done through a label policy.
  4. Auto-apply the Retention Labels:
    You can configure label policies to automatically apply labels to content based on certain conditions, such as when specific types of information are found, or when content matches specific keywords or phrases.

Examples of File Plan Descriptors in Action

Let’s consider a finance department that needs to retain invoices for seven years due to tax regulations. An Information Protection Administrator could set up the File Plan as follows:

  • Category: Financial Records
  • Department: Finance
  • Authority Type: Tax Regulation
  • Provision: Tax Invoice Retention Requirement
  • Citation: IRS Code Section 6001

A retention label called “Tax Invoice Retention” could be created with these File Plan Descriptors and a retention period of 7 years. Once set up, this retention label could be auto-applied to all invoices stored in SharePoint finance libraries.

Benefits of File Plan Descriptors

Utilizing File Plan Descriptors comes with several benefits:

  • Consistency in Records Classification: Descriptors ensure uniform application of retention policies, facilitating easier management and compliance monitoring.
  • Automated Compliance Management: With descriptors, retention policies are applied automatically, reducing manual oversight and possibility of error.
  • Efficient Retrieval and Disposal: By categorizing records with descriptors, organizations can locate documents more quickly and ensure timely disposal in line with regulations.

Conclusion

By establishing a solid File Plan using descriptors within the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center, organizations can leverage the power of automation and ensure that their data governance practices meet both internal and regulatory requirements effectively. This not only streamlines the process of information management but also positions the organization to adapt quickly to any changes in compliance landscapes.

Practice Test with Explanation

True or False: In Microsoft 365 compliance solutions, a file plan is used to manage record labels manually without any automation.

  • Answer: False

Explanation: A file plan in Microsoft 365 compliance solutions is used to manage record labels and can include automation rules for applying retention or record labels to content.

True or False: File plan descriptors are available for use in the Security and Compliance Center in Microsoft

  • Answer: True

Explanation: File plan descriptors, such as categories, department, and authority type, are indeed available and utilized within the Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance Center for managing records.

Which of the following can be automated using file plan descriptors? (Select all that apply)

  • A) Retention label application
  • B) Data encryption
  • C) Data deletion
  • D) Record declaration
  • Answer: A, C, D

Explanation: File plan descriptors are primarily used to automate retention label application, data deletion (as part of the retention labels), and record declaration. Data encryption is not directly automated through file plan descriptors.

True or False: File plan descriptors must be manually applied to each document or email in Microsoft

  • Answer: False

Explanation: File plan descriptors can be automated to apply to documents or emails based on certain conditions or metadata, eliminating the need to manually apply them to each item.

Which of the following is NOT a common file plan descriptor used in Microsoft 365?

  • A) Department
  • B) Employee ID
  • C) Category
  • D) Event
  • Answer: B

Explanation: Employee ID is not a common file plan descriptor. Typical descriptors include category, department, and event-based retention triggers.

True or False: Automatic retention policies in Microsoft 365 cannot be overridden by end-users.

  • Answer: False

Explanation: While automatic retention policies provide governance, in certain configurations, end-users may be allowed to alter or override these settings, depending on their permissions and the policy setup.

What is the purpose of using event-based retention in a file plan?

  • A) To retain data indefinitely
  • B) To start retention based on a specific event or trigger date
  • C) To encrypt sensitive data
  • D) To retain data based only on content type
  • Answer: B

Explanation: Event-based retention is used to start retention of records based on a specific event or date, such as the end of a contract or the termination of an employee.

True or False: You can use file plan descriptors to create labels that automatically classify content across Microsoft 365 services.

  • Answer: True

Explanation: File plan descriptors can be used to create labels that automatically classify and apply retention or record management across various Microsoft 365 services.

Which of the following retention actions can be automated using file plan descriptors?

  • A) Retention for a specific period
  • B) Indefinite retention
  • C) Deletion at the end of the retention period
  • D) All of the above
  • Answer: D

Explanation: File plan descriptors can be used to automate all listed retention actions, including retaining content for a specific period, indefinite retention, and deletion at the end of a retention period.

True or False: A file plan can only contain one type of retention label.

  • Answer: False

Explanation: A file plan can contain multiple types of retention labels to address various regulatory, legal, and business needs within an organization.

What might a retention label associated with a file plan descriptor include? (Select all that apply)

  • A) Encryption settings
  • B) Retention period
  • C) Content marking
  • D) Disposition review requirements
  • Answer: B, C, D

Explanation: Retention labels associated with file plan descriptors may include a retention period, contain markings (like watermarks or header/footer), and specify disposition review requirements. They don’t handle encryption settings.

True or False: File plan descriptors can only be applied to documents stored in SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business.

  • Answer: False

Explanation: File plan descriptors can be applied to content across Microsoft 365 services, including documents stored in SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and emails in Exchange Online.

Interview Questions

What are retention labels?

Retention labels are used to apply retention policies to content in Microsoft 365, allowing organizations to keep data that is required for business or regulatory compliance purposes.

What is automatic retention?

Automatic retention is a feature in Microsoft 365 that enables organizations to apply retention labels automatically to specific types of content based on pre-defined conditions.

What are file plan descriptors?

File plan descriptors are used in the file plan to specify retention policies for different categories of records, and to determine how long the records should be retained.

How can you create retention labels?

You can create retention labels using the Microsoft 365 compliance center.

What are the different types of retention labels?

There are two types of retention labels default and custom. Default retention labels are pre-built by Microsoft and cannot be modified. Custom retention labels can be created and customized by organizations.

What is the difference between a retention policy and a retention label?

A retention policy is a collection of retention settings that can be applied to multiple locations or content types, while a retention label is a way to apply retention policies to specific content.

What are the conditions that can be used to automatically apply retention labels?

Conditions that can be used to automatically apply retention labels include content type, keyword, sensitive information, and events.

What is a file plan?

A file plan is a tool used to manage records in an organization. It includes a list of records categories and retention schedules for each category.

What is the purpose of retention policies?

The purpose of retention policies is to help organizations manage their records in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and to ensure that records are kept for as long as they are needed and securely disposed of when they are no longer needed.

How can you enable automatic retention for specific types of content?

You can enable automatic retention for specific types of content by creating a retention label and configuring the automatic application of the label based on the content type.

What is the difference between a retention policy and a label policy?

A retention policy is a collection of retention settings that can be applied to multiple locations or content types, while a label policy is a way to apply retention labels to specific locations or content types.

How can you configure file plan descriptors?

You can configure file plan descriptors by creating a file plan in the Microsoft 365 compliance center and specifying the retention schedules for each category of records.

What is a file plan manager?

A file plan manager is a tool in the Microsoft 365 compliance center that allows organizations to create and manage their file plan.

What is the difference between a retention label and an archive label?

A retention label is used to apply a retention policy to content that needs to be retained for a specific period of time, while an archive label is used to move content to a long-term archive for indefinite retention.

Can you modify retention labels once they have been created?

Yes, retention labels can be modified after they have been created, although doing so may affect the application of the label and the associated retention policy.

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Vedant Bharanya
1 year ago

Can someone explain the steps for setting up automatic retention using file plan descriptors in SC-400?

Ariane Sirko
1 year ago

I found that you can automate retention settings by incorporating scripts. Anyone tried that?

Terry Powell
7 months ago

Appreciate the blog post!

Mia Bennett
1 year ago

Can file plan descriptors be used with non-Microsoft 365 files?

علی رضا مرادی

I’m having trouble assigning retention labels automatically. Any suggestions?

Onur Abacı
2 years ago

Anyone knows if it’s possible to apply different retention policies to individual items within a document library?

Jesse Allen
11 months ago

What are the best practices for naming file plan descriptors?

Zeferino Zavala
2 years ago

Is there a size limit for items that can be managed using retention labels?

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